Mrs. Lovett Contruction

This post is mainly for a girl named Sarah who asked about my costume and how it was made and I can't actually tell her because facebook is being a baby and not letting me send messages due to some other bug or glitch. I'm sure it'll work tomorrow. *grump * So, if you have an intense wondering about my costuming methods or my insanity level (if you think I'm insane by reading this, do not even ASK about my ghost costume last year....), read on... if you don't care, read something else. Enjoy! : )

I used the following patterns:

Simplicity 9769 - for bloomers & corset

Butterick B3418 - most basic skirt pattern for skirt

I bought the following:

• Lace mitts from Hot Topic ~$6
• Purple and Pink vertically striped knee socks from Target - ~$6
• Black sheer 3/4 length sleeve shirt - Ross Dress-4-Less ~$10
• 10 yds. grey herringbone with burgundy and copper pinstripes (suspect it's a wool poly blend) ~$0.95 /yd
• Black duck cloth for inner layer of corset - used 40% off coupon
• Black cotton poly stretch cloth for lining and outer cover of corset - on sale
• Black Double Fold Bias Tape - 1/4" and 1/2" widths - on sale
• Charcoal Single Fold Bias - on sale
• Burgundy Double Fold Bias Tape - on sale
• Black/gold lace - I thought I had a coupon, but I didn't... ouch... ~2yd = $17 (ouch!)
• Black velvet & cording ribbon to be used as ready-made drawstring ~$4
• 1 wooden rolling pin - ~$6 (I guess I'll stop using old wine bottles to roll out my baking shells now)
• Red with metallic green stripe homespun on clearance from last holiday season I think ~$2 /yd
• 2 spools black lace ~$3 each

Starting with the simplicity pattern, I made the bloomers from the red/green homespun and black lace around the bottoms just for fun because I saw black/red striped bloomers in a publicity photo - I couldn't find black/red striped fabric for a reasonable price. I diverged from the pattern by sewing the crotch together because I want them mostly because I'm a klutz and can see a scenario in which my skirt ends up over my head accidentally. Let's not show off the goods....

Next I got to work on the skirt. The grey herringbone is not perfect for the movie skirt, but close-ish and as close as I could get for cheap. Also, I figured that if I make it understated, I could wear it to work, cause I love floor-length skirts & the fabric is very business-y. Now, because of this, I was very anal and matched each panel so that the pinstripes met in a chevron pattern at the seams, so it took a while. I put together the most basic skirt - with train because I am just like that and can't pass up a train because it means more fabric hanging off of me... (the problem of people constantly stepping on me be damned!). Then I did a fake hem to figure out where I wanted it to hang to. Next I randomly decided that 9.5" long would make a good ruffle. So I measured the circumference around where the ruffle would be tacked (based on the prelim. hem) and guessed that double would be a good length. I cut and sewed lengths of ruffle pieces together (because I had to cut across the fabric so as to get the stripes going the same direction as the rest of the skirt, generally up and down). Once again being anal, I matched the places where I seamed the ruffle bits together. I finished the top of the ruffle with a rolled hem and the bottom with burgundy Double Fold Bias tape... because home-girl don't hem! (and it seemed to be that way in the movie stills). Ok, so the base of the skirt was done.

Next, I cut out duplicates of the four back panels of the skirt to make a base for the detachable back/butt ruffles. After sewing the 4 panels together, I traced the top part and made a 6.5" long piece that was the same shape. I measured the bottom of this, doubled the length, and attached a ruffle to the bottom of that piece. Then I tacked the top of that piece to the four-panel base. Next, I measured across the four-panel piece at a location that would have a 1/2 to 3/4 inch overlap with the ruffle. (note: I measured & marked every couple of inches so that I could preserve the slight curve of the top of the skirt) I doubled it and made another 9.5" ruffle to go there. I love chalk. I marked everything with chalk. So, onward, down the panel until I had an entire panel of ruffles. When done, I tacked all the ruffles down at the outer edges, and finished the edges with burgundy bias again. Then I gathered the top to match the width of the 4 gathered panels on the skirt & attached a matching waist band piece... Finally.... I safety pinned the entire false panel onto the skirt, turning the edges under. (Note: this method came in handy because a gap between the pins served as a perfect arm-loop so I could keep the train out of the way while waltzing the other night - no, I didn't not plan that feature in advance.)

Next... I made the corset generally according to plan. I still have an S-load of bulk 1/4" poly boning from making Fully-boned 18th century stays last year and I still also have Heating Duct Zip Ties from Home Depot which I tend to cut down and use as front and back stays (found that on a costuming site last year as a good alternative to actual whale bone). The pattern said to A) make the corset out of one layer of fabric, B) use steel boning, and C) use a front closure. I disregarded all of that and decided to make an inner boned layer from Duck Cloth (cotton stretches too much, so does Twill and I'm not about to go ordering corset Coutil (<-ha! spell check just suggested coital instead!) online). Next I made a lining layer and a covering layer out of whatever black cloth was cheap (cotton poly stretch, it tuns out). The outer layer I decorated by covering the seams and boned areas with Charcoal single fold bias tape. When the three layers were made up, I stitched them together and finished the bottom with black Double Fold (1/4"), tried it on, and cut the top down by 2" so it came to under bust for me. Then I finished the top the same way. I wish I had grommetted it AFTER making the alteration because I wasn't quite precise, but live & learn. I stole the laces out of another black corset I own and was done with it. Note: it's you want to use size 00 grommets (far superior to the crap eyelets you can get at a fabric store), you will HAVE to get them online unless you live close to a miracle store.... I tried every fabric store, hardware store, marine store, etc that I could think of. I love this site for supplies. Corsetmaking.com They are FAST and nice to deal with... Also, get a hole punch for eyelets that looks like a pair of pliers (usually sold as an eyelet setting kit at Walmart or fabric stores), throw out the eyelets that come with then, and then buy a hammer-based grommet setter... throw out the hole punch that comes with it (trust me, I've done a goodly bit of grommets, punch the fabric with a tool and then set them with the hammer die. Soooo much easier!)

So, lastly, the shirt... I took a ready made sheer black shirt from Ross, cut the neckline down into the appropriate shape, bound the edge with 1/2" Black bias tape, gathered the 2 yds of lace, sewed the lace and the velvet chord ribbon on top of the bias (being careful to only catch the chord edging and not the velvet in the seam so that the velvet ribbon could be pulled through and act as a drawstring...) and voila!

In the end, the hair was pretty easy. If I'm not careful, it's a semi-fro anyway, so I used one of those zig-zag headbands to pull it back to the right place, teased it up a good bit, spritzed it with water so that I got a bit of curl into it, teased some more, arranged, fluffed, sprayed mercilessly with Aquanet - the god of hairdos that ain't going anywhere - sprayed with some black hairspray to darken my tresses, and then more Aquanet. More puffing and arranging and I have a Mrs. Lovett Fro that is all mine. no wigs here.

Lastly, if you costume from time to time, let me recommend Graftobian creme makeup.... it comes in various colors, I have a pot of white. it goes on and comes off like normal foundation. It wears and feels like a good foundation. I hate that Grease-paint crap you can get at K-mart or Walmart. Graftobian is $$$ but well worth it. The thing I really like is that it goes on and stays on and can go on thin for a pale complexion or can go on thick if you really need to be WHITE. Good stuff.

So that's the process.

As usual, there is some part of every sewing project that I just don't finish. Usually it's the hem because I hate hemming and I'd rather use duct tape. This year, I've started making things in such a way that I don't have to hem at all. Yay! So on this project it is the skirt... I have not sewn a button and made a button hole to close the skirt. Nor am I likely to ever since I've been wearing it around for a month without a button. My dirty little secret... m-kay....? : )

Finally I leave you with this, which amused me greatly:


Wonderful ad from the end of the Lux Radio Theater Production of The Canterville Ghost (1945):
Male Narrator: "Patty didn't forget what she had in mind, but how could she tell Kaye what she was REALLY thinking?"
Patty: "Kaye's cute enough to get any man she wants. If only she were as sweet and fresh as she looks... but you just can't tell even your best friend that she's careless about daintiness. If I could only give her a hint about Lux-ing underthings after every wearing... Lux-ing her dresses and blouses often... If I could tell her how fresh & sweet it leaves 'em. And then she wouldn't risk offending! She'd have all the fun she deserves."

Hahaha! Does anyone know if they still sell Lux? I have to see if I can improve the daintiness of this blouse which still smelled in the pits after getting it back from the dry cleaners... I'm suspecting they don't clean half this stuff.

Random thoughts....

I've been filled with musics this week, but lacking time to write them down, so half are gone andhalf are no longer relevent and the few that are left, well.... here goes....



I know politics get me riled up a bit and that's normal, especially with the upcoming election and the current state of affairs in the nation. So I think I posted this run-down of the subprime lending crisis already... but oh well. See, here's the thing... everytime someone talks about the housing crisis and all the foreclosures - yeah, it sucks. BUT whenever someone talks about bailing out the people being foreclosed, I just nearly have a conniption! Yes, I realize that there are people being affected who lost their job and can't pay... or maybe they're elderly and their health care bills are going through the roof and they can't pay (don't EVEN get me started on health care!) Shit happens. I understand this. but I also understand that we've been living in a culture for the past 15 to 20 years that thrives upon living above our means. Everyone wants the best and gets the best unless they can't get credit for it.... Then I've been listening to the Presidential debates on my iPod at work and it was everything I could do to keep from screaming and throwing things during that second town-hall style debate. McCain was talking about his plan to save the eceonomy and homeowners - foreclosure bailouts! McCain's plan, as presented in that debate was for the Gov to buy up all the foreclosure mortgages and renegotiate the mortgage based on the value of the house right now. BULLSHIT! YOU ARE NOT USING MY MONEY FOR THAT!!!!!! When we bought our house about a year and a half ago, the bank told us "we approve you for $522K." I just about fell out of my chair laughing at them. There was and still is NO way anyone should be approving us for that kind of loan. J & I took our current rent, figured out what we could afford to pay per month above that and still live extremely comfortablely... then figured out how much we had to put down and said "we can buy something for $_x_ or less." Then.... guess what... we looked for something in that range..... and we bought something in that range.... it also, coincidentally, was in a range that we could still pay if one of us lost our jobs. We'd be eating Ramen, but we could still pay. If we both lost our jobs.... well, I could always get a temp position and then we'd have to make soup out of shoe leather, but we'd make it work. That's what our grandparents did. Coincidentally, when they talk about how the housing prices have dropped, We've already "lost" our downpayment if we had to sell right now. So I really, really, REALLY don't want to hear about people who bought the barbie dream house getting to renegotiate and only pay what the house is worth right now because they were dumb-asses and believed the bank when they were approved for the max amount. I know you people are out there!!! I mean, if I had known this all was going to happen.... I'd have bought a 1920s bungalow in Clarendon with the $522 and then get off paying a lot less....



OK, enough ranting... I'm moving to New Zealand as soon as they pass a bill equivalent to rewarding dumb-asses.



On a lighter note, I was surprised to learn that I need to learn how to take a bath. I got some free time Monday night & decided to try out the new tub. LOVE IT! It gives me about 9-10 extra inches deep of water compared to my old tub. My plan: read the Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, make hot chocolate with Bailey's, light a pumpkin candle, dim the lights, fill the tub, relax. The plan was good. My thoughts: the tub will take longer to fill & it always cools off as it fills, so I need to run the water warmer than usual & I'll shut the bathroom door so that the heat stays in. The thoughts were not as good as the plan. : ( Who would have thought that I'd have to re-learn how to take a bath?? Apparently it's like getting used to a new stove or oven. The reality: The tub did take longer to fill, but there was also more buffer above the warm water down below so it retained its heat rather well. When the water reached a suitable level, I turned it off & relaxed into reading, took a sip of hot chocolate and learned that the side of the tub is not level, but slightly inward slanted. I learned this as my mug started to tumble into the tub and I lost about 25% of the drink in the water... Chocolate bath - cool or ew? so then I decided the soap shelf was a better mug-placement. No more mishaps, but after a while, I noticed that sweat was rolling down my face and my heart was racing pretty good. Not cool. I tried to stick it out until the water cooled down a bit. Maybe 15 mins? Maybe it did cool down, but neither the air nor the water was cool enough to offer relief and by this point my eyes were starting to sting from the sweat and my book was getting damp because of the water that splashed up as I tried to wipe the sweat away. Finally, I gave up, let the water out and then laid in the bottom of the tub cooling off in the steamy room. I was probably there for a good 1/2 hour and thought that J would probably think I had had a tragic accident if he walked in on me because both feet were up against the wall at odd angles and my neck was in a totally kinked position. It shouldn't have been comfortable.... ah well.

Wel, that's about it. I guess I need to re-learn how to take a bath, I just picked up more paint samples and think I figured out which one I lost 3 weeks ago... and it's Halloween!!!!

Happy Halloween all!

Sweeney Tidbits & Teaser

I have a lot to say on a lot of things and they've been building up all week. However, I am severely lacking time. So here's an interesting article if you've ever wondered about if Sweeney Todd (the musical or movie) was based at all on reality. The answer is, according to this, Yes.... except he was just a bitter nutjob without the rationalization that the muscial provides.

Next, here's a teaser. Not a good photo, we'll get better ones eventually.

I feel like Dr. Jekyl & Mr. Hyde...

Oh no... not again.... I can feel the unholy urges and obsessions taking over. Stop! Stop me before it's... too... late..... *Collapses on the floor *

PA240003
Originally uploaded by binkle52

So I made my victorian skirt for the base of the Mrs. Lovett costume and have been wearing it around periodically for the past month or so. (see to the right... you can't tell, but it's a grey herringbone with cranberry and copper pinstripes and then I added cranberry/burgundy bias around the hem so I didn't have to actually hem it. I hate hemming.) To work, to picnics, to restaurants, shopping, maybe out to a haunted forest tonight.... I LOVE being swathed in fabric. So now I've picked out two other patterns that I want to make - both victorian in nature. Forget that I have 3 other projects en queue, forget that I have 6+ projects sitting in my closet to make. * hangs head in shame at self * I want these for multi-purpose wear. Steam punk? Check. Costume? Check. Office? Check. Alrighty, here we go... Wheee! The first one I want to order is this skirt. I'd like to do a modern bohemian take on it kinda like in the photograph. I'm also going to make a version of this jacket, but NOT the chintz & lace thingie that girl in the photo made. ugh, not me... wouldn't cross over into work well either. I'm thinking something more along the lines of the one in the left-hand photo on this page. So there's that and then I found someone on craigslist selling 100 yds of red dress satin for $250. Do the math. That's $2.50 per yard. For Satin. Satin's normally at least $10/yd. SO I'm tempted to drop a couple of hundred for 100 yds of red satin that I don't know what I'd do with it. One thought was making an entire wardrobe out of red satin & wearing only red satin every day for a year, but that's just freakin' insane and it'd probably drive me nuts & make me think I was the devil or something. So, I think I'll let that one slide. I'm totally buying the patterns though. I'm gonna do it and you can't stop me!!!! Hahahahaha!!!!! *maniacal laugh as she stands at the edge of a really tall metaphorical building about to jump to her doom (i.e. into another project)*

In other news, I am angry at work because it has been doing everything in it's power to sabotage me and my new work ethic.... The servers are down, I can't do anything and etc.
Also, I'm heading out to a haunted forest with J & my sister tonight & I'm going to see Thoroughly Modern Millie tomorrow night and that should be fantastic. What to wear???? : ) Ah, and 'Tis the season for Starbucks Chai Lattes... I'm limiting myself to one Tall Skim every two weeks. I can't handle the extra cals every day. Ah! and I got one of the most glorious Sunrises ever today. I love having an east-facing office with a window. LOVE IT!!! & Now I'm found wondering why it seems like glorious sunrises happen more frequently than glorious sunsets. If there's anyone out there that understands what's going on in the upper atmosphere and wants to explain it to me, please go right ahead.

Lastly. I love this. You should go check out the videos if you haven't already. Really cool Physics Videos. I like #10, #5, and #4.

Flying

Though J & I had talked about it for the better part of the last nine years, I've sworn there was NO way that I was ever going to jump out of a plane. No way, no how! I have no problem with the idea of riding around on a parachute, paragliding/parasailing/hang gliding (not a chute, but...). I don't like the fact that the chute is not open when you exit the plane. I don't like the fact that you have the possibility of falling somewhere around 13,000 feet and hitting the ground and going **splat!** if it doesn't open. and I do NOT like free-fall as experienced on amusement rides like this one. Hate, hate, hate.

Now, I got this brilliant idea to send J to his death (aka skydiving) for his 30th birthday since he really wanted to do it forever. AND, even better, I'd con his friends into going too so that I could stay on the ground waiting for the inevitable splat (J really likes crazy activities to be a shared group experience). Well, for one reason or another this plan failed - horribly. Due to money, relocation or absolute refusal to throw themselves out of a plane (because they're smart like that) only one other person decided to go. Hmmm... J likes groups. One is good, but more would be better. So, after deciding which location to send him jumping at, I chose Orange Skydive.... and the tandem jump page said that the free fall was 50 seconds... Then I started to think that I could maybe put up with 50 seconds of sheer terror to make J's b-day fun. But... What if I wet myself? Well they had THE ANSWER to that on their FAQ's. The other part of the FAQ's that intrigued me was this: Are you so smart you have an answer for everything? That instilled me with confidence, so I decided to go too.

I don't know if I had spent so long worrying about it that I was past worry, or if I was so far beyond fear that I couldn't comprehend it anymore or if I was comfortable with my own impending doom, but I wasn't nervous once we got there. I spent the plane ride up thinking about how just a week ago I was on a plane that I was not intending to jump out of and getting a little nervous, but here I was on a plane, totally intending to jump out of it and I was OK. Then the guys in the plane were trying to get me to smile, but I really wasn't up for it and told them that I had never had an intention to jump out of a perfectly good plane, to which the one instructor replied "I've worked on planes and I can tell you there's no such thing as a perfectly good plane. There are planes that fly and stay in the air, but that's about it." Thanks. That makes me feel better. My instructor, Tim, & I were the last ones out of the plane. It was cool to watch the other people go. It didn't look like they were jumping or falling out - more like being sucked out. I remember being at the door, knowing it was my turn and it didn't seem real at all. It didn't register. There were no thoughts of "here we go!" or "Oh, shit!".... just blank thoughts and "OK..." Then we were out and my thoughts were "OK..." and "well, huh!" and "I wonder why I don't feel like screaming" and "this is nifty" and something along the lines of "this is a really interesting perspective on everything" Sometimes it was hard to breath like when you face into a stiff wind. I remember feeling safe in the harness because I was strapped to something, anything, even if that thing was another person named Tim who was still plummeting at the same rate as me with no further support. At some point the chute opened and it was weird because I didn't feel a sense of relief - mainly since I hadn't had any thought of "it might not open" It was super cool hanging out up there and looking around at everything. We couldn't quite see home, but Tim said on good days you could see all the way up there. I mistook cows for deer (perspective is really thrown off from that high - that's my excuse & I'm sticking to it!). I also really enjoyed when Tim sent the chute into tight turns & spirals - it felt more like flying then. Eventually all three of us made it down safely.

Yay! I'm definitely glad I did it. It was cool. I don't know if I'd do it again unless it was cheap or free. If it was not an expensive hobby, I'd maybe consider taking it up because it was as close to real flying as I think I'll ever get unless I can find a wizard to give me wings (no, folks, Redbull doesn't actually work). I don't know. I wasn't all adrenaline rushy. Maybe I got myself into too much of a zen-like state. The thing is, I was talking with Dave last weekend about what I'd want to go back and witness in history and my answer was "the beginning" whatever that was. I'd really like to know whether there was one. Being a scientist (kinda) - I have to believe in mass/energy conservation and it makes sense that it just always was. But I can't get beyond my human experience. I can't comprehend the idea of "no beginning, always was" because everything that I've ever experienced had a beginning. So maybe that was the thing: the whole experience was so far beyond my comprehension that I just sat back and watched it because I didn't know what else to do. Regardless, it was pretty dang cool and I'd recommend it.

Newest addition...

Before anyone gets excited, I want to announce the newest addition to our family.... My shoulder griffin.

I haven't decided what to name him yet. I'm thinking something scadinavian. My mind keeps going with Solvieg, but that's a woman's name. He's definitely a he. I already have one gender confused plant, I don't need a confused griffin. I've been enamored with the shoulder griffins for about two years now and just a few weeks ago stumbled upon a wad of Christmas/birthday money that I haven't used in two years... Mum always says "buy yourself something you don't need." and I think a shoulder griffin fits into that category nicely. He makes me happy. He's actually a puppet. Thanks meemur!

Wow....

Yeah, I totally just gave up & got together a girls' day to the Maryland Renaissance Faire cause it's the last weekend and I still had two tickets & J was watching the PSU game this afternoon. As I go walking through the faire with my two girlfriends in tow, I hear, "Laura!" but it registered as someone else because that person couldn't have meant me since my two friends were right beside me. Holy Shit! It's Greg & Jessie with a group of friends also. WHAT?!? Small world I guess. That was a nice, if brief, meeting. I'm feeling horribly spoiled since, now if you include the upcoming halloween festivities, I will have seen Greg/Jessie 5 times in two months. Wow! That's, like, more than the past 3 years combined.... nah, I'm sure that's an exaggeration, but I'm gonna get spoiled if we keep this up. Sorry guys, I decided on trying to get my Alexandria girls to go out so I didn't call you.

Uh....

Extraneous thought for the day: Avoid breathing through your mouth when sucking on a peppermint and walking past a Port-A-John.

Adventures in Canada lead to deepness...

Begin at the end.... There is very little, I think, more wondrous than taking off from a major city airport after dark. All the sparkling little lights held me in rapture for a good while after departing JFK airport on my return flight from Toronto to JFK to Reagan National to home. Really, if we had not gotten above a layer of clouds, I would not have read my book or watched a movie on my iPod. I would have spent the hour pondering the minuscule beauty of the world below for that whole hour. As it was, it's probably a good thing that I didn't have the hour to ponder and distracted myself instead. There was a very high probability that I could have pondered myself into a funk again. I hate my brain.

Maybe you know from following my Facebook status or from talking to me or you will know when you see my picasa pictures updated that I jet-setted off to Toronto Canada this weekend to visit my friend Dave, from college. It was awesome. I think Mars is no longer in retrograde because every bus, metro, flight, subway, trolley, ferry, and etc. trip went smoothly, was on time or ahead of schedule arriving or was waiting for me/us in the station when I/we got there. Timing was impeccable. I am not used to smooth travel, so it was all truly a luxury. For anyone not already familiar, Dave's absolutely the first friend I made at PSU. We initially met the day I moved in at a freshman orientation swing dance mixer in my quad. I honestly remember that for the first time in my life I stayed up until 3 or 4 AM talking & hanging out with a new friend. It was cool. He's also one of the two key people who unwittingly motivated me to break up with my high-school boyfriend. No, Dave's not a homewrecker, but he's nice and it just seemed wrong that two guy friends I had known for about a month were nicer than the guy I was dating. So anyway, it's really been about 4 years since we last caught up. I say that that's way too long. I want all my friends in one place again.



Well, the trip started out with a bang, we made our way back to the apartment, dropped my stuff off, wandered down to the St. Lawrence Market. I'm afraid we spent way too much money on cheese & crackers, snack munchies and deli meats there, but Mmmmmm.... decadence. We also got to experience what is, at least according to a sign in the Market, a real canadian food: the Peameal Sandwich. It was pretty good. Canadian Bacon lightly coated in cornmeal and plopped on a bun with your choice of honey mustard or maple dijon. Yum.

Next we totally rushed to get back, change and head out to Canada's Wonderland for a "Halloween Haunt." I had never been to an amusement park for halloween before, but I must admit it was awesome. They had a number of haunted trails that were fun and there really weren't any lines for the coasters. Additionally, we weren't sweltering in the sun when we DID have to wait. I think it's the oooonly way to do an amusement park. We didn't get quite all of the coasters in - I think we missed out on two that were open and there were one or two that weren't open at all. The Vortex was cool as was the Behemoth, which was designed by Bolliger & Mabillard - they also did Apollo's Chariot at Busch Gardens Williamsburg and I think they're probably my favorite coaster design firm right now.

So after starving Dave all day Friday and ending it all by gorging at Wendy's at 11:30 PM, I am convinced that he decided to carry out vengeance upon me because the entire rest of the weekend was a culinary adventure with almost continual snacking and etc. Saturday started with a trip to the grocery to get foods to compliment the meats & cheeses from the Market so as to form a picnic lunch for Sunday and for a brunch smorgasbord on Monday. Then we were off to hit Kensington Market, a semi-Bohemian area with a ton of Vintage Shops, cafes, ethnic wear stores and food markets. It was a nifty area, I noticed a lot of people with Che Guevarra paraphernalia. I found a new vintage dress, nearly talked Dave into a used Tin-Man costume, and we began our food-foray with Empanadas chased down with fresh Ginger Beer. The Ginger Beer was an intriguing beast that took some getting used to - mainly, you had to get past the way it burned the back of your throat. It was definitely good to try.

We left Kensington Market and made our way through a part of chinatown. Though Longans appeared to be in season, alas, none were sufficiently ripe to bother getting some. Next stop was the Fashion district and the fabric stores therein. It was like a playground for me... just wandering... touch, feel, touch, feel, etc.... until I realized that I couldn't afford any of the stuff I liked and we headed east (?) along Queen St. in search of a Crepe place Dave had heard about. After passing a bunch of bloody people pasting posters on light posts (I guess they were in a band whose schtick was to dress like mauled soldiers?), and a few crazy shop windows, we made it to the Crepe place. I got a decadent combination of banana, strawberry, rum, and coconut for mine & I think Dave's was a Ham & Swiss with Mushrooms. They were Yummy. I still haven't found a good crazy-crepe shop like Dave showed me in Boston though.

Next stop on the Itinerary was The Rex, which is a Toronto Jazz & Blues Bar. It was nice to sit & have a pint (half pint in my case) and get some live music.

I'd say we stayed for about an hour & then went on toward City Hall to obtain another Canadian taste treat: Poutine. Poutine is steak fries drowning in a wonderful brown gravy loaded with cheese curds. Cheese curds - the name sounds gross, but is there anything more wonderful???

Poutine tasted really good. I know why Wiki said it was a Canadian Comfort food. It makes you really warm inside, but I suspect part of that is because it clogs your arteries... ; ) I'm sure one order on occasion is not going to kill you, but it was super decadent and then led to a near re-enactment of the Month Python "wafer thin mint" skit on the way up the stairs from the TTC station during which Dave suggested something else culinary. After grabbing coats at the apartment, we headed back out to a little (not so little, really, but it felt cozy) bar near the St. Lawrence Market called C'est What? - at which, I might add, I got carded. It had a decent selection of scotches, bourbons & whisky. I tried a Bowmore (loved it), Laphroig (good - I had forgotten that the initial taste is like sucking on a campfire, but that goes away), Balvenie (nice & light), and a Lagavulin (also very good). I'm beginning to see a connection that I prefer Islay malts. Lastly, I think we finished the night out with the Stilton & crackers from the Market the day before.

Sunday involved a trip to Tim Horton's for breakfast sandwiches and an excellent pumpkin donut. Tim Horton's is like a Dunkin Donuts, but with nicer decor. Then some sandwich-making as we packed a bag to go picnic on "The Islands." The Islands are little sandbar islands not too far out in the lake. Part is residential, part has a little airport and the central part is a park including a small pay-as-you-go amusement park. The rides were all shut down & boarded up. We got to take in some good fall foliage and bits o' nature along the southern shore.

And also got a good fantasy-style view of the CN tower emerging from the fog above a petting farm...

I also managed to regress and find a good old sturdy style swing set that was high enough that you'd kill yourself if you tried to jump off from the top. It was fun. I reverted to my merry old style of seeing how much I could get the chains twisted mid-swing and I think Dave was convinced that I was going to break it & need medical attention! It kinda reminds me of the time that Jonah thought I was going to kill myself because I used leverage with just my kneecap to climb a tree, but I digress. The swings were actually a great workout - I need to find a good set by my house somewhere. There were even parts of the Islands that reminded me of Myst... it was an odd juxtaposition to "city."

So we ventured through that there hole out onto the beach, made short work of the thousands of snack foods that we brought with the sandwiches. I was introduced to corn nuts & Dave was introduced to sesame sticks. I have to add that I may never eat any bread other than Rosemary Foccacia from this point onward. It's amazing. After a couple of rollickingly cut-throat games of Uno, we eventually wound our way back to the Ferry dock & seemed to time it just right to catch sunset as we crossed. In an attempt to get some Steak & Ale pie, we ultimately ended up at an "english pub" but alas, they were on the late-night menu. The food was still good.

In the end, we ended up heading back to the apartment, doing a brief refresher of some old Swing lessons from college and then broke into the liquor cabinet. Half a mini-bottle of ice wine later, plus some Dooley's (tastes like Bailey's) and a sprite & Kahlua, it seemed like a good idea to make popcorn... until after spending 40 minutes picking at popcorn, we realized it'd take forever to finish the bowl (were both that full from everything else)....

Monday was a quick brunch of bacon, corned beef hash, omelets, pancakes and fruit salad - enough that I had a starbucks muffin for dinner and was good to go - and then a trip to the airport. The food was great, the company was great. So why the long-winded recount of the trip? Partly because I've been realizing that I'm getting older and I had better write this stuff down or I won't remember the details, but also partly because it was a lead up to lots of thoughts. Lots & LOTS of thoughts...

These thoughts are not just coming from this weekend, but from a variety of experiences this past year... last month Greg came & stayed with us for a week, which was awesome, and that visit really got me thinking about this too.

I need my people.

I don't need a lot of people, in fact, I am not overly social and really could care less about most people, but there are a few select people that I need. I was thinking about my friends from college. There are about six friends that I made in college who are the be all and end all for me. All but one of those people I met in Freshman year. Four of those people are guys and two are girls. (Note: I'm not including J in these stats and though I still know his friends from college too, I didn't pick them out for myself. I am talking about MY friends.) These people have been with me for 10 years. That's kinda impressive. I was thinking about why I have such a strong connection with these friends... I mean, when I'm with them, I don't stress, I don't feel like I need to protect myself, I can speak openly, I can be myself, I don't have to be a socially acceptable facsimile of myself. I'm not afraid to be sad around them if I need to - I know they're not going to hurt me. Then I was thinking about it and I think the key is that we were all removed from out families and comfort zones and tossed into a pot together. I can't speak for everyone, but that kicks me into hyper-self-preservation mode and forced me to find people who were suitable to replace the family bonds that I was lacking. I'm figuring we were all in the same boat & chose each other for similar need-fulfilling reasons? Dunno. But the point is that I pick my people because they complete some part of me. I have slots. Those slots need to be filled. One person can fill several, or just one. It really doesn't matter. If several are empty, I don't do very well. I think that's the hardest part right now... (interjection before anyone get a wrong idea: my husband is awesome, he fills a significant number of my slots, but I did choose him because he is totally different than me in a lot of ways, makes up for a lot of things I lack, and pulls me in different directions than I would otherwise tend to go. He's very good for me, but since there are fundamental differences between us, there are definitely slots left unfilled - interests not shared, and though he tries to understand my feelings and etc, unless you have the same temperament and disposition, there are certain things you can try to understand, but you never can unless you're standing in their shoes) Well, anyway, seeing my college buddies of late, coupled with some other things is just totally making me realize how many slots are still "open" right now. This is nothing new. I knew it this time last year, which is why I made some of the Samhain resolutions that I did. I'm working on it. I need to find my "family" here. It's getting old that I've been here for about 4 years now and still do not have those aspects that I need. We found our family in Binghamton when we lived there. I miss them too. I'm actively trying to form bonds and connections with people down here - some are growing, but there's still a lot of work to be done. This year, I am going to focus my efforts on seeing if I can get some more guy friends down here too (please see previous stats from college) because it seems like an integral part of me.

The other thing is that I've been soundly whacked with the mortality stick over the past couple of years.... my dad went in for heart valve replacement a couple of years ago and my friend Matt died last year and I've been running into a significant number of people who are dealing with serious illnesses and death recently. We, or at least I, was so blessedly sheltered from this sort of thing for most of my life. I'm trying to get a grip on it without letting it depress me past the point of recovery. I'm beginning to hate leaving from a visit or saying goodbye to people because I can't seem to do it right now without thinking about "this could be the last time I see them." This new year I need to work on getting that in check because I just can't live with that all the time. If anyone has any suggestions, they'd be welcomed. My brain's really my worst enemy and I could stand to work my way back in to blissful delusional ignorance.

I need my people. I love you all. I hope you all know that. & eventhough I'm not so good about communicating regularly, I really do care. I still hate the telephone and don't feel a need to work on that, but I am going to work on writing more because that's becoming critically important for me. That's one of the Samhain resolutions for this year. I'll come out with a bit of a list closer to the time.

You know, I think that's about all the whining I can handle doing right now! : ) Gonna go listen to some suitably depressing music ( depeche mode, REM, Linkin Park, New Order, The Smiths, etc) to cheer myself up. No, really. Don't ask me why, but it helps.... Angry music calms me down when I'm all eeked up too. Go figure.

Sooooooo..... updates. I now have a tub and shower surround. Showering this week has been quite a pleasing experience and I look forward to trying out the bath part of the bathtub. Maybe this weekend? I still have to paint the bathroom, but that will come in time.

Yet another...

Alrighty... I lieu of anything else, this blog may turn into a repository for flash game links. here's a few more:

• Time travel game
• Spaced Penguin

In other news, my dog hates me because I had to babygate her into the basement to keep her out from underfoot of the builders and I have an unexpected new hole in teh bathroom wall & a new set of stud framing because: when I measured from tile to tile and came up with 59" the builder's statement of "The means you need a 60" tub because it gest set back behind the drywall" was not really accurate. Next time trust my intuition... the existing tub was 59.5" and thus, we needed to cut 1/2" out of the wall. In other news, it also led to the discovery that the original builder in 1981 skimed and framed the wall separating the bathroom from the office with 2 by 3's not 2 by 4's.... gotta love home ownership.

Someday I will build and design myself a house. It's going to be the best-damn-built house ever and it'll last for at least 200 years. Heck, I'll even make it bull-doze-proof. It'll probably also be the size of a small 1920s bungalow and cost as much as the million dollar McMansions.... but at least it ain't goin' ANYWHERE!!!!!

Cosmic Coincidences

This one is throwing me for a loop... Last night, my friend G sent me the link to Fantastic Contraption and this morning, in place of coffee, I decided to try and kick start my brain with that game. Next, I decided the game was going to hook me for too long & I'd waste more time than I should, so I continued my Friday routine by flipping over to XKCD And today's comic just happened to be:

Weird....

On that note, here're my favorite browser games of the moment:

• Grow anything - Cube, Island, Ornament (X-mas version), etc....
• Bloxorz
• Fantastic Contraption
• Smite Thee (I've been playing this since college)
• Bridge Constructor Set (not a browser game, but it rocks if your computer is good enough to handle the rendering)
  

Little Bits

Not a lot has been going on, or maybe too much has been going on. THere's nothing coming to mind to write about since most of my life the past two weeks has been work, work, work, but as of tomorrow a new quarter and new fiscal year start, so things'll be roses for a bit. I'd love to comment on the current economic situation, but everyone's talking about it anyway. I just suggest that everyone educate themselves on what happened as illustrated by foul-mouthed stick figures (seriously, it's actually educational).

Also, considering the current economic situation, this is not a good time to be throwing money around on frivolous stuff (other than gobs of fabric that i will make something out of someday, I promise). As such, I am going to start my X-mas list for anyone who will want to know...

• Straight pins, good ones (since 50% of mine are now L-pins)
• Thread in any/all colors.... I hate buying thread. I'd rather just have it all. Meem, do not bother with the mini-thread collections from the dollar store or similar, I don't need scissors to cut it. that's how well it holds up. - it goes on sale occassionally, so watch fliers.

Lastly, having the world's largest calves, I really shouldn't be buying them, but I don't care -> Target has an amazing collection of crazy knee-socks right now. Go out and get them while supplies last!

Ponderances...

Working with patents is a very strange thing... I find myself doing a search on the inventors' prior work and as I type in the names, I wonder who this Mr. or Ms. Chung is. What's their life like in Korea or Japan or China? (I have very few US applicants) Do they like their job? What do they eat for dinner? Do they have a family and spend their nights playing with the kids on a Wii or similar? I just wonder.

I wonder if they ever see the name of the woman in the US (who bashes their hopes & dreams for 2 years, through numerous revisions until they get their patent) and wonder what I'm up to?

I hope they don't feel any pesonal loathing toward me.

Samhain 2007 to 2008

I have no idea how many people know this, but I inadvertantly deided to celebrate Samhain (ancient celtic New Year ~ Nov 1) last year and made some Samhain resolutions. I would recommend that EVERYONE do it! The main benefit: you make resolutions to be better about what you eat right BEFORE the major binging holidays and they're so new that it helps you be good around all those cookies and candies and turkey and stuffing and.... *drools on self *



So last year (don't know if it's Samhain 2007 or 2008) I made the following resolutions:

1. Improve myself, healthwise


2. Take less of other's issues onto my own shoulders (kinda relates to 1 if you think about mental health)


3. Get off my ass & make some friends, or try to be better about those that I already have (relates also to mental health)


4. Start doing the things that I like to do again


5. Find social outlets where I fit


6. Eat better (relates to #1)


7. Conduct experiment to see if I can enjoy running

For #1, there were a lot of sub-resolutions... exercise more, get a physical, find a primary Care physician, go to the dentist, get my weight in check or lose some (most preferable), and get myself into a better mental state through improving my lifestyle.

I think I've done pretty well so far... I did get a physical and a PCP, I've done a greater variety of exercise, I've found dance groups, I've lost 45 lbs., I'm in better cardio shape & I think I've built some muscle? I'm doing more things that I want to do instead of just going along with what everyone else is doing. I think I'm happier? Who knows. Happiness is hard to quantify, especially when work is stressful. I HAVE NOT GOTTEN TO A DENTIST.... someone please, PLEASE harass me into doing it. I need to go, I know I need to... I just... don't... waaannnnttt... to. Ack!

For #2, I've been distancing myself from the problems of others and have kinda stopped trying to solve them for them.

For #3, I 'bought' a friend on Craigslist and that has been quite nice. I've also made more of an effort to call & hang out with the girls that I already knew, but kinda sat back and waited for something to happen. One person or the other needs to make a move for a friendship to go anywhere. So I've actively worked on countering my paranoia of rejection and started making the first move. hoorah! I've also been trying to reestablish old friendships and make the most of current long-distance ones. Facebook has helped since I can't bring myself to pick up the telephone. One thing I still need to work on is to not be so afraid of the social stigma of a married woman going off & getting herself guy friends to hang with. I used to hang out with guys all the time in college. J doesn't care. The only thing that's holding me back really is the stigma. That damn stigma held me back from just calling my friend Matt up to hang out & now he's gone & I'll never get the chance again. Must change this.

Regarding #4, I think this year has been a success. I've been to a lot of odd movies at the Arlington Drafthouse. I've also gotten involved with some 18th century dance that ends up combining my love of costuming and dressing up with dancing and it only requires a twice a year or so commitment. Additionally, I found a vintage dance group that meets once a month, so once a month I get to go do a kick-your-knickers-up Polka and other fun things. I've been doing more sewing and I've been going to fewer events that I don't like - I used to go because "someone else wanted to go".

For #5, please check out the comment about Vintage dance in #4 and I also got in with a group of girls my age through 18th century dance and we all are a little ga-ga over regency stuff. So darn comfy!

Number 6, as of April I started in on The Daily Plate and I've lost 45 lbs and am eating sooo many more fruits and veggies that I'm quite proud. I'd say it's been a success eventhough I do occasionally fall back into my meat & potatoes only thing. I'll have to be on TDP forever, I think.

The running is a semi-success. I enjoy it to a point. The fact of the matter is that I eventually get bored. I can't really keep my attention on it for more than 30 mins and I need a significant number of rocks & trees around to keep me interested. But, hey! I think I will try to work my way up to a 10 K by this time next year though. What do you think?

Now, I really should start thinking up a new list of Samhain resolutions for this coming year. Once again, the eating better & less sweets will be a part of it. But what else... hmmmm.....

Things I like....

I like Oyster crackers.


I like getting the little packages of oyster crackers with soup. I don't eat them with soup. I just like the crackers. They're cooler than saltines because you can play with them more easily. I have to play with simple foods or I don't like them. Like Oyster crackers... I put my top teeth & bottom teeth on opposing edge seams and bite them in half. Always in half along the seams. If one's already broken into two pieces, that's no fun & I don't care for it as much.

I had a Dream...

A restless night ensued due to the fact that I'm stressing about our upcoming lighting purchase for our bathroom... I would like colored glass shades, but would not like the type that attaches with 3 screws going into the lip of the glass. I don't like looking at the screws, so I need a "neckless" shade and a fixture that takes that type AND it has to look nice & be a brushed nickel. I find Home Depot & Lowes's selections to be totally lacking. This is neither here nor there, but due to the stressing and due to J whacking me with his elbow & head-butting me in his sleep, I had a restless night of sleep & remembered my dreams! Goody!

Dream 1:
I was at some sort of swanky event in McLean with J and some other friends. It turns out Barak Obama was our friend and we were hanging out. I mentioned that the last time I had come out this way with some girlfriends we had hired a car and such and he was wondering why we would do that. Well, anyway, we all go to leave together in the same car and say our goodbyes in the parking lot and Barak Obama gives me a farewell hug and it is a wonderful hug. Then his hand ends up on my ass! Well, I laugh it off like it was a joke and Barak, J & I pile into the back seat of a car, but I'm not so sure that it was a joke. So, to make my point that I'm not into him & love my husband, I start making out with J right next to Barak. Haha! The end.

Dream 2:
I don't know if I should classify this as a recurring dream or not. I dreamt I was in a restaurant with some girlfriends and we were eating lunch. (I've dreamt I was in that restaurant before - I think it's a conglomerate of a bunch of different restaurants.) and as we're finishing up, I notice this guy standing so that he can see between the nook between the fake privacy wall that partitions different areas of the restaurant and the real wall. He's looking at me. Not leering, not staring, but more than casual glancing. Looking at me. He's an employee (the same guy who was looking at me through the front window in the previous version of this dream). It was weird. He gave some excuse as to why he was supposed to be there. Lame, but it made sense. Then we all got up & stood in line between the rows of glass display cabinets displaying junk shop antiques that were for sale as we waited to pay our separate bills. The end.

Frustration ensues...

I've about had it & I feel like I'm on crazy pills or something. At least 5 times in the past month or two, we've tried to organize group activities and/or outings that a significant number of people expressed interest in. I'm not talking about "eh, sounds cool, I might want to go" - I mean "Yeah, awesome, I'd really like to do that. I'll go!" Then when I finally get it set up, a few days before said event it ends up just being J & I. I mean, I like spending time with him, but man. What's up with people? I really don't see the point in trying to set up a Haunted forest outing this year or even a party, for that matter. No one will come if I do set it up. It's freakin' depressing. Gonna go mope now.

Oh, SNAP! Issues... I have issues.....

First and foremost, truly & honestly, congrats to G & J on their impending bundle of joy. Really, I hope all the best and that everything goes smoothly & according to plan until he/she gets here because it'll just be chaos for a while after that. ; )

But DANG!!!! This means I have to grow up & man up (woman up?) and finally recognize that I/we are finally of procreating age. I've been successfully able to avoid this thought until this point because first it was my sister (an older person) and then it was some of Jonah's friends (not quite the same as my friends) and then it was our Binghamton friends (but we don't live there anymore so that doesn't count) and then it was a coworker (doesn't count because I didn't hang out outside of work) and then it was more of Jonah's friends (see before).... It's been easy to keep everything at arm's length. Now I have to figure out how to work this angle into my social sphere without A) turning into a bitch and B) getting grumpy because I have to acknowledge my age. *grump * *grump *

I'll do my best. I really will. Give me time. I need to figure out the dynamics. It won't be the same, but maybe it can be close. I won't promise that I'll like your kid all the time. I get annoyed with my niece & nephew sometimes & I'm supposed to have unconditional love for them... I am not pre-programmed with any sort of mothering instinct (other than that of a female tiger - they eat their young sometimes) and I don't share people well, but I'll try my best. I have no real inherent dibs on my friends' undivided attention like I have for my parents, and I'll have to recognize that. Ah well.

Still, regardless of what's going through my head (and I always have issues of some sort anyway), I really am happy for all you procreating people. Just don't expect me to sit there & listen to dialation stories or any of all that. : ) And for the record, I don't do ANY babyshowers. I'm either scared of them or allergic - pick whichever reason makes you feel better. I just can't handle this... : )

Her name was Nola... she was a 5K...

I completed the NOLA 5K. yippee! My pace averaged at 10:53 per mile and I finished out at 33:48 or something. better than in April, but not as well as I have been doing during practice. To be honest, there were two hills and, as it's turned out, I was getting sick (which I didn't realize at the time) since I came down with a full-on tired all over head cold by dinner last night. I don't need this right now. I have work to be getting done. Oh well. At least through using a brace to keep my patella in place and focusing on my stride and making sure to run with my left leg on the downhill side (even with the event staff yelling at me to stay on the right side of the road), I avoided blowing my knee out. In fact, it doesn't hurt at all. Hoo-rah.

P.S.... Race organizers really need to stop putting "cheering sections" at the first mile mark who tell you "good job, you're almost done!" No, really, I'm not. I'm a little under 1/3 of the way done. Wait to tell me that until at least the 2.5 mi. mark, please.

It's that day again...

'Tis that day again, arrrr, t' be sure, to be sure, folks, ye scurvey dogs. Pass th' grog! Fire the cannons!.. International talk like a buccaneer day, arrrr. Aye, th' "pirateon" easter egg still works fer meebo.com chat client, with a chest full a' booty. I also opted fer buccaneer versus dress, I'll warrant ye, arrrr, so I went with a skirt, but th' Dress week landlubbers have deemed that skirts are fine, I'll warrant ye, I'll warrant ye. I also just noticed th' searchlight from an airport on th' horizon and I'm pretending that 'tis a distant lighthouse, aye, ye scurvey dog, with a chest full a' booty. Sweet, to be sure, Yaaarrrr! And I be th' first mate or bosun o' this ship that's floundering on rocks & can't get t' it, arrrr, by Davy Jones's locker.

Have a mighty fine day, aye, arrrr, all, by Blackbeard's sword, and from th' Photocopier patents section, I'll warrant ye, I'll warrant ye....

"Arrrr.... Load the Canon, wench, and collate me copies!"

HA! Hahahaha!!!! Sooooo true.

Dresses or Pirates....?

So it's International Wear a Dress Day (at least according to Erin at the Dress A Day blog and her legions of avid followers). In keeping with the spirit, I wore a dress. Big shocker there. And it's being taken to a further level since it has been proposed that we try to make it International Wear A Dress WEEK. I'll be participating also this way also. Below I've posted a slideshow and it should have more added each day until the end of the week. Yay for a Binkle Fashion Show! (as if that's not what this blog has resulted in so far - I apologize for starting this right smack in the middle of my sewing rampage)

Here's my quandry: Friday is also International Talk Like a Pirate Day. Can she do it? Can she pulll it off? Wearing a dress AND being a PIRATE?!?!?! Stay tuned for the next cliff hanging episode.

By the way, it'll be a continual crunch-week for me from now until Sept. 30th. I may not be around much. It's nothing personal. : )

The last straw...

Oh Ibiza... How do I loathe you? Let me count the ways.... There's a new-ish club in DC called Ibiza (openned last July) and one would think that I'd love it because it's essentially the only club in DC that has good techno nights and gets decent DJs. Everything else in DC is either Hip Hop/R&B or 18-and-over (I'm too old for that). I miss Nation. Nation was a big warehouse space that was very laid back and you could wear almost anything. Very laid back. Nice... Frickin' redevelopment - it ruins all that is good.

So anyway Ibiza openned a little bit after Nation closed. It's very nice inside. Upscale. Has a great roof area. Seating is only to be had for those willing (read: stupid enough) to pay $500-1,000 for bottle service. That's a club. Nothing to complain about. I think I've been to Ibiza three times in the past year. The first time we went was the first night that was cold enough to warrant a coat check. They jury-rigged a coat check in a tiny manager's office with $5 coat racks and it was so disorganized that I waited in line for 2 hours for my coat, only to have them bring out the racks eventually and declare that everyone should just take their coats - at this point a riot nearly ensued. At some point during the night, the rack had collapsed, so they had no idea who's coat was who's. It was a debacle. I can understand glitches, but that was insane. The next time was for my friend's celebration thingie and we went on a Friday. Friday is a Hip Hop night. Not my style. We were on a list though so we were supposed to get in free. Well, when we got there, the "list" apparently didn't get you anything - no free, no discount. So we ended up paying full cover price. Then when we got inside, 2/3 of the club were roped off as VIP only. I was irrate. After complaining to the manager, I got my group some free drink vouchers and freee VIP wristbands so that we could at least get away from the Plebian masses if we wanted to (Not: the VIP area was still crowded as all get-out, but it's not as loud up on the balcony as on the main floor).

Last night we went because Paul Van Dyk was going to be playing. I've been wanting to see him since 2001.... Cover was $35 and the whole place was open to us. Not too, too bad considering that I was thinking we wouldn't get in at all (advanced tickets were sold out). The DJ was good, but the first think on my agenda was to order a Rum & Diet Coke because I wanted a bit of a buzz for low-cal (watching my intake) and needed caffeine because I was soo, sooooo tired. "We don't have diet" What? OK, nevermind.... I figured they had run out. I hit a bar in a quieter, less frequented area and tried again. "we don't have diet" What?!?! The whole bar is out? "No, we don't have it anymore" WHAT?!?!?! "We used to, but people didn't order it that much, so we don't have it anymore." That's it, I'm done. I'm not going back. That's just ridiculous. Alcohol is the only thing that dulls the irritation of thousands of sweaty people treading on me, pushing me, spilling drinks on me and etc. It was not my day I guess.

Skirt Humor?

Hehehehe.... Ten Reasons Skirts Are Better Than Pants from Dess-A-Day

The Great Bavarian Schlemmerhund

Don't let this cute little mug fool you. She is a dastardly creature.

For those of you not in the know... it's my little muttly, Mags (Magnolia, for short). She's the most amazing little dog - and not necessarily in a good way. One of the things that we have an ongoing problem with is the fact that she will, if given a chance, eat anything that she can possibly get her paws on. She's figured out that she can get onto the kitchen counter if J leaves the barstool pulled out... From what we can piece together, she hops up on the couch, onto the back of the couch, onto the bar stool and then onto the counter. I blame it all on the cats that I am certain she grew up with. So tonight, Jonah forgot to push in the stool. Ugh! We came home to the following collateral damage:

• 1 shredded and partially devoured box
• two devoured Nuts Over Chocolate Luna Bars
• 1 bag of crispy chinese soup noodles
• 1 fortune cookie (paper & all)
• 1 can of peanuts, lid removed and remaining peanuts devoured.

Surprisingly, she did not touch her dog food, which was also sitting out. * sigh *

More Halloweeny giddiness...

I know I should be doing crunch work right now, but I can't help sharing that I'm getting increasingly giddy about making my Mrs. Lovett Costume for Halloween. (Euphoria displayed by insistance on capitalizing random bits.) I have all the fabric now and the blacks and greys are sitting in the drier at home waiting to be checked on and the Red/ dark stripe is waiting to get washed & pre-shrunk so that I can make the crazy bloomers(which were never seen in the movie, but showed up in a Promo photo that I found). To be made: Skirt, Bloomers, and corset. To be Altered: black sheer 3/4 length sleeved shirt found at Ross Dress-For-Less. To be bought (prolly at Hot Topic): fingerless mitts, either fishnet or lace, and black hairspray. It shouldn't take nearly as long as last year's costume and should be infinitely easier to hang out in than various others I've done or had in mind. In fact, I think I could even get away with it at work! (<-this is the realization that got me all giddy) Yay. fun.

P.S. As always, I'm not happy just making something, so my mod this time will be that I am intending to make the skirt out of decent looking material, and making the tiered bustle thingie at the back detachable so that I get two skirts instead of one and I'll be able to wear it out & about. I can use it steampunky, or for regular. Now, as such, I will have to find a way to temporarily stain it dirty looking for the costume. It's washable, so I'm thinking maybe regular dirt dissolved in a spray bottle, but I know sometimes dirt doesn't come out as easily as one would like. If anyone has any easily cleanable dirty-making suggestions, let me know! (<- Note: that's dirty-making suggestions, not dirty suggestions)

Yay for Validation!

When I was in college and dancing and walking heavily, I had a recurring knee problem. Everyone thought I was nuts when I said it felt like my knee cap was going out of place. I just looked up Patellar Pain because it's come back again full-force (as a result of my going gung ho into the running I'm sure). So then I found these articles on Runner's Knee and Chondromalacia (same thing - different name/article). After doing research, all the symptoms and causes align. It's good to know that if I don't totally overdo it, it's something that will clear up. I need to lay off it though. I guess I'll have to go get myself a decent knee brace before the race and only do one more "long" run before then (long in finger "" because 3 miles really isn't that long). I know I can do it, so.... will definitely work on these exercises though to work on balancing my leg muscles. Dang, the human body is infinitly interesting from a Physics standpoint. I swear my mid-life crisis will be going back to school for Bio-Mechanics.

Register by Sept. 24, and Update on running pains

First off. There's a class Action Suit against a credit agency and we're all class members as long as we haven't been living under a rock for the past.... oh.... 20 years. I think that's most of us.

• Click here for Washington Post article
• Click here to sign up for the class

Secondly, I went practicing again today... I finally got in the full 3 miles because I went on my own. By 2.5 miles, I was starting to feel the places where I had been sore, but not bad - just an awareness. Around 2.75, I was also starting to get vague hints of the rot in my brain saying "you're almost there, you don't have to do the whole thing, I want to stop" <- This, as I know from experience, is purely mental and needs to be beaten down with a stick. Fortunately, I was running in the woods, sticks were readily available and I got on my way. Because of Monday's soreness, I decided to go at an easy lope today and it was easy. Super easy. Like rolling along almost. So I figured I'd clock in at 12 mins or so. Nope 10 min per mile. Dang! It's confirmed that sitting on your a$$ for four months will increase your speed.... hehe. It'll be interesting to see what I'll pull in at the race next week. Perhaps I'll get away from it without being too sore.

I wish they'd do 5Ks through the woods. They don't. Probably due to crowd management. Ah well. For those interested, YES, there are woods and parks & such here. This is a really good site, actually. Use Local Hikes - it's good mainly for hikes near US Cities. I like the fact that it gives you an elevation graph so you can tell how hilly it is. : )

Pattern Faux Pas...

Alrighty, for anyone in need and not already aware... Today through Sunday, Hancock Fabrics has all Butterick Patterns on sale for 99c each. I'm going through, making a list, checking it twice, gonna fine out who's... wait, wrong season. So anyway, I intend to gain two "historical" victorian patterns for fun and one men's pattern that is suitable for a Dickens production, a Regency Ball and alterable for a Sweeney Todd outfit all in one.

Now, the limit on the sale is 10 patterns, and I've selected only 3 - so I figured I should make sure there's nothing else that I'd want. That's when I came across this....

While the dress is super cute, it makes me wonder A) if I make the formal version, so I have to run around smalling my armpit all night? and B) just WHAT was the artist thinking? I know they used to design pattern covers with each model-damsel in a different little vignette, but I can't figure this one out... "'Oh Lord,' thought Lillian, 'there goes Babs, repulsed from three feet away! Time for a pit check because if it was my BO, then I'll be a social outcast for the rest of Highschool!' " ......???

Ah well.

OUCH! *gripe* *gripe*

OK, so update for those who know and a notification for those who don't already.... Last November I decided to see if I could "become a runner." I've always hated running, so I was curious to see if I could actually like it. I've had this thought for years, actually. So in November, I started doing research, I signed up for the Cherry Blossom 5K, and came up with a plan. I was going to use the Couch to 5K program from Cool Running, get me some Vibram Fiverfingers, and start the training program while incorporating the principles of barefoot running and Chi Running breathing techniques. So anyway, I trained and froze and trained and froze (I don't dig treadmills, so I stuck to running outside regardless of temp & weather in the winter) and the long and short of it is that I did complete and run the entire 5K (you can find me here...) and all with a time about a minute better than I thought.

From Cherry Blossom 5K (04-06-08)

The end result: I did enjoy at least the first mile and a half. After that, I got bored and didn't want to run anymore. I figured I'd try to keep it up. Then it got hot. I don't like hot. I have never liked hot - rather, I've never liked it until I went to Death Valley... I can dig dry heat. Long & short, I haven't run since May.

I just went ahead & signed myself up for the NOLA 5K, which is in a little less than 2 weeks and I've been very skeptical about all this. Last night J & I ran to Blockbuster (1.2 mi) and It was pretty OK... clocked in at about 12 mins. When we ran back (1.15 mi) I clocked in at 8:43. That's an 8-minute mile!!! WTF? New record. That distance was fine too. I've been a bit sore today.

Today, I had arranged to run with a girl Jill who is also running the NOLA.... because I am clinically insane and should be committed, I mapped out a 3 mile course for shits-&-giggles. We walked a little bit and took a short rest just before the end of mile 2, but I'd say we did about 2.7 mi. cummulative running and completed that in 40 mins. This is putting me in at a 10 minute mile (YAY!) and making me confident that I will be able to complete it in 2 weeks. I am NOT confident that I won't be sore as hell that day... I can barely move right now & I have some blisters under my arches because I haven't run in my soes for a while. Time for some rest, I guess. : )

I'm tired.