I found some lovely window boxes (well, balcony boxes) for flowers at Big Lots. I’d been looking for a while, because I thought it would be nice for me to have a lot of flowers hanging of my balcony. I discovered that such boxes are mostly expensive, in the ‘ridiculous’ category.
But Big Lots is never ridiculous about prices. So I found some, and lined them all up. Then I bought some flowers.
It looks very pleasant.
I’m in san francisco again. For work. Again.
But I managed to run out and see some friends. Even some friends I didn’t expect to see (Hi Jay!).
I am staying in the kind of hotel that I only stay in when someone else is paying for it. The Omni, right off California. It’s beautiful. Gorgeous marble, expensive chocolate mint by the bed. I even got complimentary bath salts. Very nice.
The work I had to do here was not easy, unfortunately. A lot of pressure, so I didn’t sleep as well as I could have wished. But I finished the hard part yesterday, and I took myself on a walk through the city.
Down to Market street, and to Union Square. I love this city. I love it so much I always cry, or at least feel like crying, when I come here. It is so beautiful. I love the rain here, and the fog here, and the sunshine. And when all three happen at once, which they do sometimes, I can’t stop looking at the sky.
I walked along, looking at all the amazing buildings, and the people dressed in black. I passed all kinds of shops, Macy’s and Loehman’s and the Gap. I was not interested in seeing things that are made in hundreds. Those pants and sweaters can be seen all over the place, but the building that holds them can’t.
Then again, the Virgin Megastore pulled me in. They were playing some music. I forgot to pack CDs. I went inside to see if they had different kinds of music for sale than in LA. I had barely started to move around before A huge crowd of people started clapping. I hadn’t noticed the stage.
“…INTRODUCING EPIC RECORDING ARTISTS…PHANTOM PLANET!”
hhaaaahhhh
The crowd went wild. And the drummer kicked in.
A really awesome little punk band, I have to say. They looked very young, which probably means I am getting older. But I haven’t heard that kind of tight energy in a while. I may buy the album.
After a little bit of headbanging, I moved on into the street again and I found Union Square. A true delight for the eye. I couldn’t stop looking at all the buildings and signs and the big interesting lines of the palm trees. I walked up onto the main square, and a new salsa rhythm was coming from the cafe. I slinked my hips across the top, thinking that I love cities because you can dance to all the beats.
But I was hungry. At Kearny and somthing…Stockton? I found an alley of restaurants. They looked so inviting! Christmas lights were strung over the top, making an airy ceiling over the white tablecloth seats.
There were four of them. I picked the one that looked the tastiest. Tiramisv it was called. The one next door, called “plouf” had a very flirty waiter trying to get me to come in. He was young and cute, but the menu wasn’t what I wanted right then.
I was tired and hungry, so it was very welcome to sit down. The meal was marvelous, especially the dessert. Mmm..Profiteroles with hot chocolate and butterscotch dipping sauces.
I finished it all off very pleasantly and walked home slowly. My belly was very full after my hard day. I thought about how my life is now filled with elevators, and I wondered if that is the sort of thing an artist should be worried about.
Perhaps artists should avoid places where people live and work stacked up on each other. Perhaps artists should not go for slow rides among those who follow dress codes and wearing routines.
Perhaps.
But then again, I like the places that elevators can lead to, and I like the energy that bounces off the tall walls and gives these cities that j’ne sais quoi that makes me want to cry when I see it.
My expectations did not include elevators. But expectations change. Maybe one day I will leave elevators behind for narrow roads and small, hidden buildings.
More creativity this new year! Yes yes!
I got the use of a sewing machine, and it sure it nice. I went to the fabric store and bought a pattern, and some fabric, and some thread. Then I had to go back and get some “notions”. Sewing notions, isn’t that a romantic name?
It means buttons and bobbins and needles and Mrs. Wrights twill tape, etc.
So I went back and got some notions.
I used to sew a lot, back when I had more time than ways to use it. I sewed satin pajamas, and formal dresses and less formal dresses and flowing rayon pants and circle skirts with lace and swimming suits and anything.
But I haven’t sewn in a long time. I bought the pattern, very thankful that it was on sale. I think that patterns must always be on sale somewhere. The list price is phenomenally high! Holy moley!
But this one was on sale, and it had darts. Darts are officially tricky.
I went to buy the fabric, and there were two fabrics that looked the same, one was a whitish natural color and one was a beigish natural color. But the beige one I liked better, and I couldn’t tell it it was on sale on not. The white one was on sale. I hoped it was on sale, so I brought it to the cutting table to ask.
Turns out the beigey one was NOT on sale, because it was linen. Oh. Better not take it then. So she cut the whitish one, and I was feeling cheapskate’s regret about the beigey one. Then she asked, “How much of this?” and I took the bait. Now I have both. I am not sure what I’m going to do with the Whitish one.
I cut the skirt, but I forgot what half of those little marks meant. I forgot to mark the darts and things. But I got it figured out.
Look me about a week, but a finished a very sweet little skirt. It’s not perfect, but I don’t have someone coming up to me with a microscope, so it will do. I am very proud to wear it.
I feel very creative. It’s fun to sew things again!
So I’ve been in my new condo for a while. I seem to be getting a some pressure from a few sources to do some decorating. I really have a lot of ideas, but it has been hard to take the first step.
Yesterday, I had some free time and I decided to bite the bullet and finally paint the wall.
I had thought long and hard, and determined on a very nice color, “Dusty Apricot” as the perfect shade to bring all the elements together. I had gone down to Home Depot and asked them to mix up a small bucket, just a quart, so that I could try it out and see. I asked the guy if I could come back and get another can and whether it would be exactly the same color. He said, yes yes, exactly the same color. “THe formula is right there on the label. It’s no problem to mix you another can.”
They mixed it, and as is apparently their custom, placed a little dab of it on the lid just to demonstrate the color.
It was not the color on the little swatch card. No. It was not apricot at all. It just looked tan.
I had heard that the colors never quite come out the way you see them on the swatch. But in my disappointment, I did not actually apply the paint for a long time.
But yesterday, I felt inspired. I had part of the day off, and I went to work. I got a little brush, I prepped the wall and I PAINTED. It wasn’t too hard, but it was very satisfying. The WHITE walls look horrid now, not at all attractive. I was so pleased with the paint, I painted with a will. There was an AC duct along the wall, I painted that. Then I got down on the flat expanse of the wall, and I ran out of paint. Whoops.
I stopped and looked at the color. No, it wasn’t as apricot as I liked, but it was a very pretty cafe au lait sort of color. I really liked it. Mmm. But the wall was only halfway done. I went to the store to get another can. THis time I would get a gallon. so I could do the whole room.
Back with the gallon of paint, ready to go. Opened up the can, and oh my goodness. This was where all the apricot that wasn’t in the first can went to. This can of paint was practically the color of a terra cotta pot. Wow. Orange and more orange. There was no way this was going to “blend” in with the first color.
I painted the rest of the wall anyway. It is distinctly two colors. I will put some tape up tomorrow and create a vertical line between the two, that way it will be a straight divide at least.
SO!
Lesson learned:
No, you cannot just run out and get another can of paint.
Also, that paint and color are lovely things. I like them very much and am yet more inspired to continue this painting thing.
The little bit of ceiling that I had scraped free of the popcorn painted very nicely too. I will also be doing the rest of the ceiling. No, it’s not perfect and smooth, but it still looks a bazillion times better than the nasty popcorn.
Live and learn.
SO I just experienced an earthquake in a skyscraper.
It was very weird. I was just sitting there, eating my christmas cookies, and I started feeling very dizzy. I thought, “Have I eaten so much sugar that I am dizzy?”
It went on for a long time, and as I was trying to figure out what was happening, the exclamations of my co-workers peirced my consciousness. “You didn’t feel that?”
It dawned on me that that’s what people say when there is an earthquake. Why were they talking about earthquakes. OH my GoD! I was feeling an earthquake!
It felt like the whole building was wobbling. OH man. I didn’t like the idea of being on the 10th floor of a 26th story building that was wobbling.
And it kept wobbling. At this point a lot of people were jumping up and decided what to do. I jumped over to my friend’s cube.
“It felt just like vertigo!”
I said, “I don’t like this. This is very scary.”
“It’s worse at home, trust me.”
I thought, What is she talking about? Home would be way better than this! I am in the middle of a wobbling building!
“I’ve never been scared by an earthquake before” I told her.
It did pass, thank god, and we all rushed to find out how big it was.
6.5, they said.
Hey everyone! It is the winter solstice today. This is the original, uncontested holiday for all the whole earth.
today is the darkest day of the year, and after this, things become brighter.
Do something to honor the day. Notice the changing of seasons, in the world and in yourself. Be grateful for the richness of the earth and the progression of things.
Happy solstice!
Awhile back, I did some postings about homemade popcorn. I posted them because I often post about any random thing that catches my interest.
Maybe you readers didn’t know, I have ways of telling how the traffic on my website gets here. There is a detailed report, most of which is boring. But the report also tracks what kind of search strins people use to find my site.
And consistently, people come here looking for how to make homemade microwave popcorn. I get a lot of hits for that.
My last entry on the matter was not quite accurate, so I wanted to set the record straight.
To Make your OWN microwave popcorn you need:
brown lunchbag
popcorn kernels (whatver cheap kind your local store sells)
stapler with staples
1. Open the bag
2. Cover the bottom of the bag with popcorn. Some kernels may rest on top of each other, just make sure that the entire bottom is covered with corn
3. Fold over the top of the bag and staple it. Yes, the staple is metal, but it won’t spark.
4. Place in the microwave on its side
5. Cook for however long your microwave takes to cook pre-bagged popcorn.
NOW! I have used this method on two different microwaves. One was pathetic and had very little power. The corn in that case took 3 and a half minutes to pop, and was very DRY and stale tasting by the time it came out.
My new microwave is more peppy, it’s 1000W. It takes one minute and 45 seconds to pop a full bag. The corn is much fresher tasting, probably because the water is still mostly there. The corn itself sometimes leaves moist marks on the bag, from whatever water content the kernels have in them.
For myself, I like butter on the popcorn. So i microwave a little butter and pour it on. When I’m trying to eat light, which is most of the time, I cook a little Brummel&Brown in the ‘wave and add some water. THe water gives it more pour power, letting the butter flavor cover more of the corn.
The “I can’t believe it’s not butter” spray is really good too.
You can re-use the bag too, if you feel especially frugal. As i’m typing right now, it occurs to me that a plastic paper clip might do the trick just as easily as a staple. That would really prolong the life of the bag, and eliminate the need for a new staple every time. Perhaps I will try this and let you all know.
But that’s the skinny! It really does work, I’ve done it consistely for about a year now. It’s much cheaper and far eco-friendlier than using all that packaging. Plus, if you are watching calories or sodium, you can be in charge of what goes on the popcorn. I’ve seen the low-sodium microwave popcorn for sale, it is even MORE expensive.
Comment if you have anything to say.
In my new house, right after thanksgiving, the oven broke. Since I am a new homeowner, this is my problem. I had to call the repair man and wait at home for him.
He said he’d come wednesday, so I had to miss some work to meet him in the afternoon. Since I was missing work anyway, I thought I would try to get some other home things done.
My piano needed tuning. I did a search on google for “piano tuner” and my area code. First guy that popped up I called, and he was free.
So my oven was fixed. Kitty loved him, I don’t know why, but Skellig rubbed all over him while he was on the kitchen floor. He told me that the oven is good for a long time now. Nice to know I don’t have to replace it. I like it.
Then the piano tuner came. I was talking with him, and he let out that he was a Theremin player.
EVERYONE ought to know what a Theremin is. If you don’t, do your homework!
I confess, I only has superficial knowledge of the Theremin before I met Roger Ballenger. I knew that it was used in the Beach Boys “Good Vibrations”, and that it was a standard Halloween instrument. Also, that it is the first electronic music instrument.
What I didn’t know was how cool Mr. Theremin himself was.
I asked Roger what a person who plays the theremin is called.
A Thereminist? That’s what he called it, but he confessed that he didn’t know if it was the official name.
I had to think about it a little. He said that the way you play the Theremin involves moving your hands across the radio waves to interrupt the inaudible frequency and create an audible sound.
“Like Massaging the radio waves?” I asked.
“Kinda..”
“I know! A person who plays the theremin is a Theremineuse!”
Long and short of it is, I learned a lot about Theremins and also got my piano tuned.
I’ve been playing it a lot lately.
Holidays are a time for special tasty treats. We get to eat and drink things that aren’t even around the rest of the year.
I know that I look forward to drinking eggnog out of a punchbowl. This is a generations old tradition.
And also, some hereditary memory lurks, reminding the four-footed in the household of how very tasty it is to drink Pine Water from the tree stand.
Man, I haven’t written a thing in my blog all week.
Sometime, it’s just too much.
I had to do a review (actualy two reviews, but who’s counting?) for the newspaper I write for. Now, to tell you the truth, I am really happy that I write for this paper, although I have some feelings of ambivalence about it’s quality. Even so, I feel like my ambitions are still burning when I have this place I write for.
BUT IT WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE to write the review. It’s not that hard to do, normally. I just have felt under so much pressure. I felt completely incapacitated, like I oculdn’t write One single word. A sentence was too much.
“What?” you, my dear reader may ask. “You’ve just popped out several paragraphs right now, without a single whiff of agony.”
Indeed. This blog has no pressure at all. No discipline is required. There are more kinds of writing than one.
I finally finished the review, and it was a scanty one. I said nice things, but i just couldn’t quite hit the 400 word mark.
Isn’t journalism supposed to be concise?
Yikes. Well, I did finish it, and I did get the main points across. Some times, even doing the things you love, takes more effort than you can muster. Now that I’ve finished it, maybe i can beat back some of the panic that seemed to be overtaking me about all the things I have to do.
I think I am looking forward to january already. I think some things will ease off. I sure hope so.
Well, I will get through it. I’ll be stronger for it too.