SECOND ADOLESCENCE

Summer-to-Fall-to-Winter

2010-11-01T22:12:00.000-07:00

The Fall period is both brief and never-ending. If you can wear short sleeves, it's Summer or Spring. If you are wearing a coat, it's Winter. Fall is that in-between time when we are bouncing around both weather and wardrobe-wise.

I want to be more explicit about some of the changes that are happening with me as the season makes way for a long winter:
- my relationship status (solo)
- my potential roller derby career and actual co-roller derby blog,
- hockey (crusin' for a brusin')
- school (I'm probably changing programs for the Spring Semster)

These things should be enough to keep me busy, but I also have some other schemes cooking (to add to my already full-plate metaphor).

With Relative Ease

2010-10-25T06:06:00.000-07:00

This weekend kicked my butt, in a good way. A friend drove us to Cincinnati for a hockey tournament (that I played in!) with the team I am practicing with, the Piranhas. I had never been to Ohio before, so this was an anti-climactic first for me. The drive to Cincinnati is flat. It's unnerving.

Unfortunately, there are no cool pictures to show because I did not think the chain drug store where I bought a Vitamin Water was particularly compelling.

What I can say is that a lot of things in my life are changing, as we speak. It feels good. This month has been particularly busy but it is helping me to move forward. There is no time to dwell on the problems we are creating for ourselves.

My friend, who I rode out with, is a few years older than me and I respect a lot of things about her. The two 4.5 hour car rides were spent talking -- we didn't even turn the music on once. This period of change is definitely a period of growth for me. A lot of potential is laying dormant and I am tapping into it more and more each day. Fans of exercise, specifically weight lifters (for all different reasons) refer to the six-month period when they initially begin lifting as a sweet spot because their bodies can build muscle, lose fat, and make huge gains in their abilities. I feel like this might be the metaphor of life for me right now.

Seven Years

2010-10-11T18:33:00.000-07:00

While in Dallas, TX this past weekend, I had the opportunity to vist the Nasher Sculpture Store. Let me be clear that I was not at the actual musuem, but I wandered into their store at this crazy-fancy mall.

If I ever get another opportunityto see Dallas, that museum will be on the list.

I made two small purchases --only two-- one of which was worthy of sharing ASAP.

This is a 7-year pen, Swiss-made by Seltzer, and pretty glorious if you ask me. The packaging and website boasts that it can write up to 2 meters per day, for 7 years. They don't clarify how many leap years are thrown in there-- but that's okay. The company claims that it is also made out of materials that are sustainable and that a donation is made to "enviromental causes" with the sale of each pen.

Here are some of my favorites:

They had a limited supply of options when I got there, but I chose this little man:

I thought about chewing and swallowing a piece of gum on the same night...but maybe if I get the ice cream cone one!

Roller Derby Blog

2010-10-07T20:09:00.000-07:00

We're blogging about roller derby. It's boring so far, however, it promises to be an awesome project.

http://pghderbydiary.blogspot.com/

All the things you always meant to

2010-09-30T21:10:00.000-07:00

Within 7 days (last weekend through this one), I will be able to check 6 items off of my list of "Things I've been meaning to do."

1) Camping. This will be the first of many trips for me in my adulthood. Western Pennsylvania is fakely wild and is a great place to "starter" camps, which is fine by me because I'm mostly here for the food.

2) The Renaissance Festival. My friend and I made half-baked plans to work there next year as character actors-- which will probably never happen.

3)Roller Skating. The first step towards roller derby. I went last Saturday and we are going again this weekend

4) Rock Climbing. This was so much fun! I did this tonight with a co-worker and his roommate who are fairly experienced. I'm probably going to pay for this tomorrow when I can't lift my arms. The Climbing Wall, by the East End Food Co-Op, was a really nice place with a lot of options for beginners. So fun!

5)24 Hour Comic Book Day. I have cleared my calendar to make this happen this year because it never seems to work out. I am going to start at 8am instead of 10am on Saturday just because I want to spend some time out of my house.

6)Apple Picking. We are going to an orchard to pick apples and pumpkins! It's Fall!

I feel like striking out on my own has helped me to turn over a new leaf. Though I feel silly about waiting so long to do these things, I'm glad that they are happening now.

Knitting Circle

2010-09-29T20:32:00.000-07:00

It's Fall ! I'm excited this year and I can tell because I try on my new faux-leather jacket every morning as I check the weather. I've already worn tights...and winter boots...and fingerless gloves (in my house).

Tonight, some ladies and I got together and did the first knitting group of the season. The number of crafters in my life grows all the time-- which is exciting! It's fun to spend time with like-minded people who want to hang out and make shit.

I'm working on a number of trial projects-- mostly because I am not ready to commit to anything big and my attention span is pretty short. Pics to come!

Sick Rituals

2010-09-27T06:53:00.001-07:00

I'm home sick today and I think I needed a break from life. I always push myself to work through my impending sickness and I always end up getting really, REALLY sick instead of just a little sick. Listening to your body is hard work especially when you disagree with what she is saying. I probably over-did it this weekend with camping and the Renaissance Festival. The change in weather happened so fast that I was not ready for this.

The wave of illness and disease has been washing over various colleagues in my workplace and we've all been talking about our favorite ways of combating getting sick.

Right now, I am wearing a shirt, two sweatshirts, fingerless gloves, a winter hat, sweatpants, legwarmers and fuzzy socks in an effort to stay warm. My friend, Josef, told us that he used to layer up, drink as much orange juice as possible, and lock himself in a room for a day. I guess I am employing his method, only instead of OJ, I am drinking my favorite panacea.

3- ginger slices (I cut mine into coin-sized medallions)
1- lemon wedge, squeezed,
2- dashes of cayenne pepper

Throw in a mug and fill with the hottest water you can find. The spicy ginger and cayenne soothes my sore throat-- plus this drink is gross to sip cold. I think this is a number of the components used in the Master Cleanse cocktail, however, I got hooked on this stuff when I was raw-foods detoxing a few years ago. It tastes kind of like weak broth.

My other favorite things to do when I am sick are:
- Watch teen movies (like Clueless, 10 Things I Hate About You, Can't Hardly Wait, and more)
- Drink a Hot Tottie right before taking the hottest shower ever and then go to bed
- Hot showers to sweat out the sick
- Eat pizza (before I became allergic to cheese)
- Read comic books in bed until I fall asleep
- Nap -- which I am going to do right now

I used to be good at the internet

2010-09-23T05:40:00.000-07:00

Three or so years ago, I used to be a proficient blogger. True story. I was not the kind of blogger who wrote about interesting topics or had a large following, however, my friends and I all seemed to have Livejournals and we wrote about everything almost every day.

I've been trying to stretch my memory back to the times before graduate school, when I was not afraid of being exposed by the world wide web and having it cost me me job or future employment. My resolve still wavers back and forth between the desire to put myself out there in the projects that I do and my fear of losing my anonymity. I worry the the internet is endless and that eventually it all cycles back in your face and into the eyes of others. How do people stand the international shame of starring in a YouTube video with twenty-gazillion hits where everyone is laughing at your misfortunes caught on tape? I never understood how people were able to qualify for serious-business-type jobs after posing for Playboy, or being one of the ladies in the Girls Gone Wild TV commercials, or being on reality TV in any capacity.

My writer friends don't blog because if they write something truly compelling and it is available on the internet, they probably can't get that piece published. My fear does not have such ambitious roots, rather it stems from a paranoia I have yet to name.

I lost part of myself in graduate school. If it is not completely gone, it has become scattered or forgotten and I am trying to get back to some piece of that place.

Two Ways to Skate

2010-09-09T22:16:00.001-07:00

I've been playing ice hockey for the past 6+ months now and I think it is going really well. The range of options for adults to get ice time during the summer is pretty amazing. I was so used to playing in all different pick up games and hockey clinics that I feel like I am now going through some kind of withdrawal. I haven't been on the ice in almost two weeks and I'm getting the itch.

School is back in session and school and travel teams are going back into pre-season. Even if I can sign up for all of the hockey options available to me, I probably won't have more than one or two days a week of hockey instruction and skills time. This sharp decrease in my activity level is difficult to adjust to.

I've been considering roller derby again. A few years ago, I went through the process of preparing for tryouts, but I was accepted to graduate school and chose that instead. Now that I have been skating on ice for a solid year and a half, I am re-considering derby.

Tonight we went and saw the Steel City Derby Demons scrimmage and it was a lot of fun! Those ladies get better every time I see them! A few weeks ago, I talked to one of my friends who plays on their "A" team, the Steel Hurtin', and I have been window-shopping online for skates ever since. Even if I don't end up trying out in 2011, I figure that everyone can use a solid pair of recreational skates, right? I think I want the blue ones, but I saw that they also come in purple.

One of my biggest fears is that the skills from one sport will not transfer to the other and I will end up being bad at both. For now, the best I can do is skate and see, though I have already dreamed up a kick-ass derby name.

Lust List 9-8-10

2010-09-08T20:49:00.000-07:00

Better than bare feet.

2010-06-21T20:57:00.000-07:00

I have been wearing these muthas every moment since I got them this past Friday.

I first saw these shoes on the popular TV commercial for a certain cell phone provider/ TOMS shoes. The One-for-One philosophy was intriguing. I wasn't fully convinced on this brand and style until a friend let me try hers on (and she is a reputable shoe information source!)

These shoes are ridiculously comfortable and basically feel like house slippers. I caved and bought the natural canvas ones because my feet hurt too much from sandals to wait for a special-ordered pair. Everyone who I've talked to who currently owns a pair says that even though they don't have a long life, the soles stay comfy til the end, which is important to me.

After several half-hearted internet searches, I was unable to determine whether or not TOMS were eco-friendly and sweat-shop free. I am going to conclude that they are pulling an American Apparel style give-and-take catch-22, which is something I can live with for now.

Every Time I've Ever Shit My Pants #1

2010-05-16T02:36:00.000-07:00

My life is fairly boring, as far as I'm concerned, and I mostly like it this way. I've been working on a perzine for 3+ years that will probably never come out because I don't have a lot to say about my life. Having weird standards about representation and production stylizations do not lend themselves to ever feeling satisfied about the work I do.

At the end of the film "Chasing Amy," the male protagonist, Holden, says, "[He] finally [has] something personal to say." Even though this context of this situation is entirely different than that movie, that statement echoes true for me right now.

I'm writing a zine about shitting my pants and all of the issues I have had with my stomach in the past few years. This subject is personal (for obvious reasons) and sharing my "most embarrassing moments" confessional-girl-zine-style is therapeutic the way that therapy is not. Also, I can work through my own emotional bullshit on my own; I am graced with a relatively uncomplicated life that is not hard to figure out.

This weekend

2010-05-11T20:35:00.000-07:00

Most people don't know this, but my grandmother is terminally sick. This past weekend I drove ten hours total to be home for less than 24 hours so I could see my mom and grandmother on Mother's Day. I was going home nearly every-other weekend for a few month stretch earlier this year. This is going to start happening again as my grandmother's health worsens.

No one close to me has ever died before, so I am not sure how I am going to handle this situation. I cannot predict my own actions, emotions, or reactions. Hopefully I can hang tough for my family. They don't have to see me deal with it out here.

Sometimes I think that I perpetuate the cycles that happen in my life. This may be a good thing or a bad thing; I'm just not sure.

My mom was diagnosed with cancer when I was about twelve or thirteen. She still deals with her cancer but it is managed fairly well. At twenty-five, I find myself falling into similar patterns. On Mother's day I bought a pack of cigarettes on the ride home, I bought and listened to the new HOLE album, and gave myself a psuedo-chelsea haircut in my bathroom after midnight. It might be safe to say that I didn't handle my life that night but I argue that if those are the worst things that happen, I still might be ahead.

The new HOLE album kind of sucks but as a super-fan, I can't avoid some of its charms. A review pending on my tumblr page, which is severely neglected.

In other news, I may have found an apartment.

Moving on up...

2010-05-02T11:47:00.000-07:00

This week was such a blur for me, even though I stayed in on Friday and Saturday night.

My friend Sara is finalizing her preparations for her cross-country move to San Francisco. I was pretty much at her house every day for a week, hanging out with her while she packed, cleaned, and repaired her home (that she owns). As much as I wanted to see her, my secret priority was to spend time with her cats, both of whom I adore.

Earlier this week, the dude and I also decided that we will no longer be roommates once our lease is up at the end of July. We had been deliberating our decision back and forth for a few weeks and we both agree that this might be a good time for us to continue to date while living separately. Living together with a significant other is/was a new experience for both of us but the great experiment is coming to a close.

I've been in the same place for nearly four years now. This house will be tied with the house in Texas for the title of "Residence-I've-In-Lived-The-Longest." Four years in this house; eight years in Pittsburgh.

Needless to say, I have some anxieties about moving. I've only definitely known that I am living alone for four days and I've already arranged a viewing of an apartment for this week (and inquired about a few others). The lease doesn't end until the end of July, but I like to be ahead of the game.

The internet searches I have attempted have not been helpful in preparing me for what needs to happen before the move. Our current house also has to be put in "apartment-showing" shape in the next week. In order to do this, I have to get my shit together on my own.

Blogging my way through this experience/ordeal will hopefully help me keep my sanity (and keep my insanity away from my relationship).

A Positive Outlook

2010-03-15T06:21:00.000-07:00

This always make me feel better.

Crime and Punishment

2010-03-07T18:58:00.000-08:00

This is the advertisement that was generated on my FB page today:

You watch four episodes of Sex and the City because you're home and sick and you are now a part of the target audience that has an interest in chubby Asian babies.

I've been reading Kathleen Hanna's blog which is way better than Courtney Love's Twitter page ever was. I followed Courtney Love's ramblings for about one week before I couldn't do it anymore. Hanna's blog is a mash-up of internet findings and actual updates on projects she is working on and only takes a few minutes to read through. The comments she makes are pretty spot-on and I recommend taking the time to read the all the way from the beginning.

More Scores: February Comics

2010-02-23T19:13:00.000-08:00

Stopped into one of my favorite comic book stores, here in Pittsburgh, (Copacetic Comics) and picked up a few things this past weekend.

The following two comics were by Mardou. I am writing reviews of comics and zines on my tumblr site.

When I went into the store, I was really looking for a book to help me learn more about the craft of creating comics. This past Thursday was the Fun-A-Day Art Show, where I displayed my comics from the month of January. (Thanks to those of you who came out!) Trying to create 31 short comics was sort of hard and I learned a lot about my lack of skills in that time. I have little to no formal art training, even though I have been doodling for years, and I want to teach myself as much as I can. (My Fun-A-Day comics are available for you to see on my other tumblr site: nervousindustry.tumblr.com.

A Few Things I Have Learned About Art (and Stuff) In the Past Six Months:
- Pencils intentionally come in different hardness ranges. That's why my art pencils from middle school aren't as crisp as my mechanical pencils. I always thought it primarily had to do with the lead thickness (like pens).
- Brush-tip pens are not a myth and are readily available!
- Those cross-hatching skills that were taught in grade-school art class DO come in handy!
- Quill-style calligraphy pens, not just for writing! Very good for comic drawing.
- Comics book artists and other people use this lettering tool to make their words uniform and beautiful Below is an example of an Ames. This literally blew my mind apart (I learned this in the DW+WP book).

Seeking the advice of people who know more than me, I asked the owner of Copacetic what he would recommend for someone with my current interest. After making a few suggestions, he pulled out this:

Drawing Words and Writing Pictures is a college textbook designed out of the classes that Jessica Abel and Matt Madden teach. It is very comprehensive and has a companion website that people working through the book can follow along with. Not only is it full of comics and tips, but it explains what tools are commonly used by comic book artists with specific brand recommendations and supplies lists. This book is exactly what I was looking for and I am working my way through some of the exercises.

Every Day and Evey Night

2010-02-10T23:35:00.000-08:00

Tonight is one of those nights where you want to tear everything you've made apart and maybe start anew. Maybe it's because working from home all day and drinking two giant cups of coffee for the first time in months has made you zany. Maybe it's because for the 5th straight day in a row, you don't feel like being bothered to go anywhere without socks (they are in the dryer now). Maybe it's because winter-hibernation mode causes you to lose weight because you're not going out to lunch and dinner all the time you are now between sizes and you hate all of your clothes.

Or maybe it's because the past few weeks of utter laziness and lack of exercise have you finally fed up with everything. Sitting at home all day while you're expected to work only draws your attention to everything you try to escape from when you leave the house.

I had a lot of things to accomplish today work-wise and I even put in a little extra time so I can make tomorrow deal-withable (not looking forward to a million voice mails). At 5.30pm, I was trying to bake a cake before settling in for The Simpsons. In our house, we eat meals in front of the tv, computer, or on the way out the door so I settled into the couch with some kale chips to relax. (By the way, this is just the first usable recipe I found online. I don't think I am a fan of that person, from what I perused, but the directions were straightforward.) As soon as I was done eating, I was ready to gtfu and do something productive with my day.

Having a desk job is only something I am accustomed to within the past 11 months. Last year at this time I was still running my butt off through a maze of tables and cocktails and hot plates. Now, three days can pass before I realize that the farthest I've walked was from the bus stop at the end of the street to home.

In order to make sure that my cabin-fever is productive and not destructive, I plan to do the following things in the near future:

1) Walk to the end of my street and sign up for the gym as soon as payday happens
2) Get school items together
3) Put all of the laundry away and keep it off the floor
4) Clean a little bit of the house up every day for the next week and a half
5) Take these small mountains of stuff to Goodwill as soon as the weather clears enough for me to move my car
6) Set goals for some of the projects I am working on through the end of next week and meet them
7) Limit tv

None of these things are particularly difficult but most of them seem to require coffee.

Western Pennsylvania Culinary Warfare League

2010-01-12T20:46:00.000-08:00

This weekend, I was privileged to attend the fourth battle of the Western Pennsylvania Culinary Warfare League at my friends', Sara and Fred's, house. A brief summary of what the WPCWL is all about is Iron Chef at home.

Sara and Fred's secret ingredient, leafy greens, was revealed to them after midnight the day of the battle. They each had the whole day to do their shopping and prepare foods for the battle. Not only was I able to supply them with my NEW food processor (which I am still pumped about), but I was invited to be a judge in the competition.

Sara's Menu:

1st Course
- Pickled Brussels sprout "olives" stuffed with bleu cheese in a martini
- Mint and arugula granita on goat cheese with a blackberry balsamic reduction and candied pecans
- Palak paneer curry-deviled eggs with "sun-dried tomato caviar"

2nd Course
- Swiss chard ravioli with fresh white anchovies and lemon-caper butter

3rd course
- Dark chocolate kale ice cream with kale chips and sea salt (this was made with dry ice)

Fred's Menu:

1st course
- Prosciutto-wrapped Brussels sprouts with three sauces: mint-yogurt, honey mustard, and ginger soy

2nd course
- Filet over a slaw salad, leek mashed potatoes, and a swiss chard salad with a whiskey-carrot dressing

3rd course
- Nori cannolis filled with cherry-raspberry pastry cream

To find out who won and for mouth-watering pictures, you will have to read the update on the WPCWL page.

All I can say is that I left a very full and happy camper and can't wait to make Sara make me those raviolis again.

Resolutions to Keep

2010-01-05T19:03:00.000-08:00

The holidays were a blur of activity and by the end of my winter break I felt like I needed a vacation from my vacation. My January month is filling up with Fun-A-Day, a four-day trip to see my friend before she moves back to Mexico, and (hopefully) an adventure into Columbus, Ohio.

I'm trying to stay focused on the important things in 2010, like traveling. Every year my calendar is marked with all of the zine, comic, and punk fests of interest that I never attend. Today I sat down and looked through airfares for Stumptown Comic Festival in Portland, Oregon in April.

In addition to Stumptown, the Boston Zine Fair, Philly Zine Fest, New York Comic Con, Richmond Zine Fest, Small Press Expo and Chajos in Tejas are all on my radar for the coming months. From the internet, it doesn't seem like the BZF didn't happen last year but maybe the organizer's new year's resolution will be to make this happen.

The Joy of Cooking

2009-12-26T04:51:00.000-08:00

This might sound silly, but right now I am in the process of reading The Joy of Cooking: 75th Anniversary Edition. A jolly man in a red fur suit left it underneath the tree this year and I am never letting it go. Surprisingly, I'm super-pumped that I will now be preparing time-tested dishes such as "Mongolian Hot Pot" and "Burnt Sugar Cake." Not only is this book chock-full of recipes that I have never even heard of before, but its reference section is sick. The section on peppers was really interesting (and let me tell you that it was more informative than the websites I found explaining various kinds of peppers on the internet a few months ago). I didn't even know which area I wanted to start in; all last night I flipped though various areas just reading whatever I could.

This morning, after reading comic books in bed for a few hours (beginning at 5am), I settled back in at the kitchen table of my parents' house and started reading the The Joy beginning at the inside sleeve. After some deliberation, I've decided that I am going to read The Joy of Cooking from cover-to-cover so I don't miss a single thing. Reading cookbooks might sound like the hobby of a professional chef or a crazy person, but so be it. 9 times out of 10, cookbooks are more useful than half of the blogs I read and 6x less depressing than the news (reading the local Delaware newspaper today was such a bummer, I couldn't get past the first section.)

Also, The Joy of Cooking has a website run by on of the grandsons of Irma Raumbauer, the woman who wrote the original edition.

Reading this book also has me thinking about the movie Julie & Julia which I saw in theaters and plan to watch again this weekend.

Winter Weather

2009-12-19T16:37:00.000-08:00

For those of you who don't live in Pittsburgh, it is snowing here today. I guess it started sometime last night but I wouldn't know that because I was in bed with a book by 8.30 pm. Winter weather sickness starts and never seems to end.

Of course, everyone on the internet is commenting on it. 8 million posts about topical subjects (football, hockey, weather, shows, etc) used to annoy me for some reason but as I get older and grow less invested in the role that technological connectivity plays in the social culture of the groups of people I actually spend time with, it doesn't bother me anymore. Actually, few things really bother me anymore: maybe because I'm growing apathetic or maybe because I am becoming more laid back with experience.

My wake up call came around 4.30am when the dude crawled into bed. Falling back asleep seemed like an impossible feat so I just got up. Even though he and I are both running on the same work schedule these days (for the most part), we can't break the pattern of moon chasing the sun. I am always waking up as he is going to bed and sometimes vice versa.

After roughly 12 hours on the couch, I tried to do some things I've been meaning to, such as finish my gingerbread house and wash all of the dishes from this week. I am trying to give my hands and wrists a rest because they are starting to hurt from over-use.

I decided to venture outdoors for provisions such as chocolate chips, duct tape, and a six pack. Even though I caved and took some cold medicine today, there is nothing as refreshing as a cold beer while doing chores indoors.

Here is a list of things I like about winter:
- Walking in the snow is so peaceful and quiet.
- Wearing layers is not only my favorite way to wear clothes, I also think that I have a great winter-time wardrobe.
- Friends enjoy drinking tea and staying indoors, a preferred activity for me.
- Pleasant interactions with strangers are more greatly appreciated during this time of year.
- I can wear a pair of socks and a pair of legwarmers and pretend that they are long socks. When I was in college, I would wear long cut-off jean shorts and legwarmers over long socks and pretend that they were pants (because I had none for one winter).
- The feel of the cold air on your face makes you feel really alive. You are forced to move around for fear that the water in your blood will form ice crystals and you will freeze to death. It is different from the sweltering humidity of summer that also reminds you that you are alive and that you also might die if you don't slow down. The heat of the hot months caution you against sweating all of the moisture out of your pores, allowing your blood to congeal until your body doesn't circulate oxygen anymore. The unforgiving chill of winter forces you to be aware of your body's limits.
- I only look good in knit hats and the only time to wear them is now.
- Ice skating outdoors instead of indoors.
- The instant gratification of completing a crocheting or knitting project and being able to put it to good use later that day.
- It is socially acceptable to hermit down for a while. Seeing your friends after weeks of everyone locked indoors makes that time even more enjoyable.
- The joy of winter sports: something which I intend to experience as much as possible this year. I am going to learn to snowboard and ski and am stashing away money to go as often as I can.
- Dogs wearing clothes. This time of year I find it cute and considerate of the pet owners instead of unnecessary and frivolous.
- Baking to make the house warmer is an added bonus to the baking fever I already have.

Even though talking about the weather is trite-- it's one of the few things everyone holds opinions on and can talk about with some level of authority. I don't begrudge other people for taking opportunity to talk about something that everyone can understand. My reclusive tendencies as of late have left me feeling somewhat isolated and I'm ready to try to reconnect in small ways with other people, even if I have to talk about the weather.

Homes and the Holidays

2009-12-13T13:24:00.000-08:00

Last night I was at my friend's housewarming/holiday party. She recently purchased a lovely home in one of the neighborhoods local to where I live. Joining the league of Pittsburgh homeowners is a membership I seek to be a part of one day (if I can commit to staying here long enough) but for now I live in a general state of house-envy.

Not only was my friend's new house AMAZING on the inside, but it was cleverly structured with foyers, storage spaces, and TWO back decks. I have only ever been to one other owned-house in this neighborhood and my friends who live there bought what would be classified as a "fixer-upper". One of the awesome things about Pittsburgh is that almost anyone can buy a house if they really want to. Some of my friends live in houses that cost less than $20,000 (I think I might even have one or two friends whose houses cost less than $10,000). Of course, those houses need work, but for most people it seems to work out in the end.

The party last night had everything festivities this time of year require: a nice spread of treats and "holiday cheer", a video of a yule log on TV, ladies and gentlemen wearing fancy party outfits and/or holiday sweaters, a white Christmas tree, and other seasonal decorations. The house was so cozy for someone just settling in to her first home while also being minimalistic and full of potential.

This might sound creepy, but I love walking around other people's homes to see how they live. Any time I am invited over to a new place, I demand a tour and try to look at everything. It's fascinating to see how other people make their homes work for them and how they decorate their space. I know that I'm not alone in this because the popularity of design blogs like Apartment Therapy have proved that the market for "interior design porn" is not only vast but it is also profitable.

Any time someone's home is intentionally minimal and their design is well-executed, I can't help but feel overcome with the desire to get rid of all of my earthly belongings and start fresh. The concept of "editing one's home" is one that I'm trying hard to master (while also failing wildly). I own a lot of shit that I could readily part with right this second if I really had to but will instead slowly wade through for a few more months before growing disgusted and stashing it in a box in the basement.

A few months ago, the Dude and I started exploring what would be required for us to buy a house. Both of us are tired of seeing our money go to landlords but neither of us are in a place to make that large of a commitment to a house, a mortgage, a neighborhood, each other, or this city.

My friend, Mary, very eloquently pointed out several months ago that paying for rent allows you the freedom to change your mind. While this concept should be obvious, it's easy to let it get lost in my everyday rationale. I've been chewing on this idea for a few weeks now and it has brought a sense of resolve to my unnecessary restlessness.

That being said, when I do indulge in my fantasies of living in a house that I own, they always include a few requirements:
- A big ass kitchen with counter space and adequate storage(preferably an eat-in one)
- A yard that gets enough sun to garden
- Windows with good natural light
- A foyer (I hate walking right into the first room I live in, with no place for shoes, bikes, and other things that should be left at the doorway)
- Closets or room for me to build out closets-- the house I currently live in has no communal closets or storage in general, other than the basement. There is a reasonably sized closet in the Dude's room, but it's of no use to me)
- Enough bedrooms for me to have a craft/art/hangout/clubhouse room.
- A dishwasher or room for one to be installed (I think this is tops on the Dude's list)
- A basement that doesn't leak and can be used for storage/use of musical equipment, tools, and weights (right now our basement is primarily used for the Dude's puck-shooting practice).
- Some carpeting-- I know that hard-wood floors are preferable for someone like me with a million allergies, but I like being able to lay on the floor comfortably.
- Outlets. So many houses in Pittsburgh have rooms with only one outlet and sometimes those outlets are only two-pronged because they are so old.

...And if I am really doing some serious dreaming, I wish for a carport, driveway, or garage.

November Zines and Comics 2009

2009-12-06T14:51:00.001-08:00

November Zines 2009
Originally uploaded by cursiveletters

Before I went home for Thanksgiving, I went to Copacetic Comics and The Big Idea Infoshop to get some light reading for my trip home.

I picked up:
- Cometbus zines #49, #51-53 by Aaron Cometbus
- Big Hands zine #7 by Aaron Lake Smith
- This is What Concerns Me comic by Susie Cagle
- Favorites comic by Susie Cagle

Big Hands #7 and Cometbus #52 were really aligned with some of my feelings about being back at my parents house and hanging out with my best friends from high school. I might re-read these at Christmas when I have more time to really think about them.

I haven't gotten to the other Cometbuses yet, but I expect they will be just as enjoyable as the previous zines I've read by him.

While I was home, I also had the opportunity to go to The Point Store in Chadds Ford, Pa. The father-daughter team who run The Point are awesome (I actually know the daughter, Girl-Sam, from going to the same shows as her in high school). I try to visit this place every time I am home because they have an awesome spread of handmade wares and vintage furniture AND they host potluck shows (that my friend Boy-Sam is usually involved in). If you get a chance to check this place out, please support them because there is nothing like this in that part of Pennsylvania. WHAT ELSE WILL I DO IF I CAN'T SHOP THERE WHILE I VISIT MY PARENTS?!

Sally Bloodbath Comics November 2009
Originally uploaded by cursiveletters

During one of my visits there (3 trips to The Point in 9 days) I picked up these two comics:
-"Girls Don't Make Passes at Boys with Moustaches" by Sally Bloodbath
-"I Am Often Mistaken for Miles Davis" by Sarah Louise Wahrhaftig

Both of these comics are awesome and really funny. I am awaiting an email confirmation that the two women are the same person because my internet research is inconclusive. The art and story elements in the two books are THE SAME.

Though my descriptions of "awesome" and "really great" don't do any of these zines or per-comics justice, that's the best I can offer for now. My eyeballs, body appendages, and brain cells are worn out from all of the projects I've done today it was important for me to share them with you RIGHT NOW instead of waiting another week to post about them.

Post-Thanksgiving Updates

2009-12-06T14:02:00.000-08:00

It's not that I haven't wanted to blog; more than ever I am compelled to write about the projects I've been working on. What has been missing in my life is the desire to be on the internet when I'm not at work. Anyone who knows me is aware that I have a desk job that allows me to be near a computer during my 8-hour work day. After the grind I'm extremely worn out by the online-world and it causes me to avoid the activities I enjoy doing on the web.

Also, it's cold now. It was flurrying yesterday (I missed the snow last weekend when I was out of town) and there is nothing more comforting than drinking a pot of tea, under a warm blanket, while knitting.

It seems like all I've been doing lately is crafting, reading, writing, drawing, and drinking tea. My nine-day vacation and the Thanksgiving holiday was probably what I needed most to recharge my batteries and renew my creative gears. Interacting with my closest friends, now that we're all mostly-grown, really helped me get some perspective on my life.

Plans for this week include:
- Making my holiday card list and start writing them
- Find a place nearby that sells molding chocolates, buy more molds, and gather recipes
- Talk with mom about what kinds of cookies I should make for Christmas this year and get recipes
- Finish Amy's arm warmers
- Start other yarn presents
- Make Christmas shopping/to-make list and get organized with that
- Pay bills and figure out Christmas budget
- Get Christmas tree to trim for house (a small, live one!)
- Mail Rachel's birthday/Hannukah present
- Finish sewing curtains and lingering sewing projects
- Clean kitchen and winterize all windows in the house
- Get book for book club and read it

It sounds like a lot, because it is, but this to-do list makes me smile way more than the idea of going back to work tomorrow.

A present from Portland

2009-11-18T20:19:00.000-08:00

The Dude just came back from his west coast tour and brought me a little something from his travels:

It's Nikki McClure's 2010 Calendar and it is beautiful. I've never gotten around to getting one of these before but I have her book Collect Raindrops, which was also a present from the Dude from a past birthday. I really love her art and have been a fan of hers for a while now-- it's going to be awesome looking at this every time I am sitting in my cubicle. Nikki McClure was also at a show that Kim Phuc played so I guess that's also something work sharing. CELEB WATCH! (Just kidding).

Not to be greedy, but I also want Nicole George's 2010 Invincible Summer Queer Animal Odyssey Calendar.

I need one calendar for work and one for home, ya know?

Knit It or Quit It-- aka, arthritis at twenty-five

2009-11-18T19:11:00.000-08:00

So last night I finally sat down and taught myself how to knit. With the help of a little bit of internet research, youtube tutorials, and a lot of stitches made and then un-made, I finally got the hang of casting-on and the knit stitch. My goal for tonight is to figure out how to purl and tomorrow I plan to try to cast-off. I don't know yet if casting-off is different than binding off but I'm sure I'll learn when I get around to that part. Right now I am just messing around with the tail end of some leftover yarn from previous endeavors but I have some lovely Lamb's Pride blue yarn in waiting for when I'm ready to give it a real go.

I've decided that I'm going to keep a projects journal-- something separate from the everyday journal I write in. This will help me keep track of different things I have done, what materials or methods I've used, and what the outcomes are. I have a terrible time remembering what brand X was that I am now out of but want more of or how many stitches I put in the chain for those perfect arm warmers I made months ago. In my teaching internship, we would have to journal about our day and try to analyze/learn from our reflections. This is exactly the same idea only without me being graded on it. Oh yeah, I'm also going to journal about recipes I'm trying to perfect. Yeah, I had to keep a diary in my master's program. It sounds more embarrassing than it was.

Pictures coming soon of the stuff I've recently completed or am working on right now.

Sweet Dreams...

2009-11-12T19:43:00.000-08:00

All I've done all day is look up different molds, websites, and information about molding chocolates. I already went to the craft store tonight to compare prices and peeped a candy mold shaped like fast food (<3).

I've decided that I am going to make homemade chocolates for many of the people on my Christmas list. It's nice to be excited about a new project. I'm really enjoying researching and learning about the process for tempering and molding chocolate.

I'm looking for ways to reconnect to cooking and baking. Engaging in those activities can be very centering for me in many ways. I just wish that the kitchen here was bigger.

Also, when I was out today, I found a discounted cupcake kit with a recipe book, icing tips, 100 decorated cupcake papers, and a piping bag. Less than $4!!! There's an avocado butter cream icing I've had my eye on for a while so that is also in the works.

Tomorrow I'm making my new favorite chocolate chip cookies for ADD Fest at Roboto. I've only made this recipe myself once before so there is still some experimenting to do, however, this method is tried and true by two reliable friends and Cooks Illustrated.

Book Project 2010

2009-11-11T20:07:00.000-08:00

I've finally decided to become the type of person who gets rid of books. I have a rather large book collection -- my favorites are sentimental children's books, young adult fiction, queer lit, and texts from college.

So the challenge I am putting forth for myself is to read all of the books that I own that I have not yet read or that I want to get rid of after giving them a second perusal.

I have filled two crates so far. I'm already taking a small pile of worthless reads to Half-Price Books tomorrow to try to get a dollar or two for them.

I haven't decided on a date yet to finish all of the books by, mostly because I want to list them first and maybe pull some more from the permanent collection.

Big Blog Plans and The New Deal

2009-07-28T21:45:00.000-07:00

I finally registered my domain (www.werdygirl.com) and even though I won't have anything up there for a while, I mulled over my plans for this blog and the website I am making and I'm going to be using a new kind of format for myself. I think it will be a good way for me to focus in on what I'm writing about and it will definitely be more readable for other people to enjoy (or ignore!) I'm pumped!