friday favorites.

here are my friday favorites for this week:

• catnap beetle bed. this is totally over-the-top, but i like it. however, i know my cats would hate it. not to mention what my better half would do with this thing in our house. i think the black one would be adorable for them. $89.99 (plus $24.99 shipping? are they crazy?).

• heirloom tomatoes. rush out to your local farmers' market and get some! my favorite this season are the green zebras. they have such a bright flavor. i use them in salads for a tangy addition. learn about heirlooms. the tomatoes near us are $2.50/lb., but just $1.50/lb. for "sauce-ready" 'mates.

• sonicare. i love my sonicare! i finally listened to my dental hygenist and put one on my wish list. my better half got it for me and my teeth couldn't be happier. make sure to price-shop these though since the sticker price varies. the cheapest, at least at a store, we've found is target. around $100.

• silk throw. i've been searching for a silk throw and this one looks great. i only wish it came in other colors. haven't heard back from the manufacturer on that. know of any other similar blankies? $100.

• hanna andersson. they have the cutest stuff for kids. i love that whole "european look" as my mom calls it. not big on the matchy-matchy family gear, but for the most part, i love this catalog. plus, i can't wait to check out their new store in fashion island, newport beach. i'm so babystyled out. outfit shown above is $36.

• monsoon wedding soundtrack. not only did i find the movie superentertaining, funny and touching, but the soundtrack! gotta have it. $13.99.

• maytag neptune electric drying center. i really, really, really want one of these. i would love to be able to hang-dry my clothes faster! and in one spot! hey, it's just $1,449. isn't it worth it?!

  photo credits: catsplay.com; tomatofest.com; sonicare; plum party; hanna andersson; amazon.com/milan records; maytag.

  July 30, 2004 in friday favorites. | Permalink | Comments (1)

  no more status quo.

  

  here i was reflecting about how everything has been so status quo in my life right now and then wham! our beloved haley is in the hospital.

  on our morning walk, i decided to go a different route to drop off some mail. we happened to see my better half (bh) and his friend driving on their way to the office, which made haley so excited. so excited that she began jumping around.

  on a broken clear glass bottle that neither of us saw.

  her paw began bleeding profusely and since we were just a block from home, she limped along home. once at home, the blood really began to gush. i took off my socks and held them there to stop it. i called my bh and asked that he come and help me. he did.

  tears welled up in my eyes. but haley was just calm. she just sat there looking at me as if she was saying "i know it's going to be fine. you'll take care of me."

  once they got to us, we put a towel around her paw and headed to the vet. her bloody paw prints were all over the reception area as the technician asked me, "do you have an appointment?"
  
  hello?

  luckily, her doctor was just on his way in so he was able to treat her, which made me comfortable. they saw her right away and applied a pressure bandage. she had cut a major vessel. they will have to perform surgery under anesthesia and can't do so until later this afternoon because she had already had her breakfast.

  i know it's not a major thing like other people are going through in my little blogging universe, but it is major to me and the first real vet emergency we've had (except that time we spent $500 because our cat didn't seem to be breathing right only to find out that there was absolutely nothing wrong with her).

  i'm home now and i've thrown away the bloody socks and the bloody towels. i've thrown her blanket in the wash and poured hydrogen peroxide on all the prints she made on the sidewalk. they fizzed up like alka seltzer and just melted away. with the whoosh of the hose, they were gone.

  now i don't know what to do. i was going to go to yoga, but what if the vet calls and needs me? what if something goes wrong with the surgery while i'm in downward dog? i'm too worried to do anything but just sit here at my desk and worry.

  guess i won't be wringing my hands about status quo again. will you keep haley in your thoughts today?

  
  update: the local police just stopped by because someone called about all the blood leading to our house. hey! tax dollars at work! i like that.

  update 2: her surgery went very well. she cut a major vessel, like the vet said and all of this required one suture. one. it was not a broad cut, but it was deep and the glass just hit where it hurt. she has an e-collar on now and i've already taken pictures because she looks so cute and pathetic. no long walks for two weeks for the two of us. all-in-all, she was well-behaved and even offered her bloody paw to the technician who checked her in. i'm glad it wasn't more serious.

  photo credit: me.

  July 30, 2004 in sharing. | Permalink | Comments (5)

  help.

  

  these are some recent conundrums facing me almost everyday.

  1. can one of you typepad experts just design my about page for me? or help me create one template that i can use over and over again with my monthly redesign? or how about getting everything lowercased, including archives and comments? i am getting frustrated.
  2. i can't stop crying when i cut onions. i have tried:
     
     
     
     • wearing sunglasses (stop smirking).
       
     • lighting a match/candle.
       
     • opening the windows.
       
     • breathing out of my mouth only.
       
     
     any other suggestions?
  3. who the f&^% is ashlee simpson and why the hell has she invaded my gossip columns and my precious "in touch" magazines? (earth to simpson family: nepotism is dead.)
  
  

  July 27, 2004 in kvetching. | Permalink | Comments (11)

  pablo.

  i just came across this quote, which is one of my favorites by one of my favorite authors. i just want to devour the words off the screen i love it so much.

  "i love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. i love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride; so i love you because i know no other way that this: where i does not exist, nor you, so close that your hand on my chest is my hand, so close that your eyes close as i fall asleep."
  — from "in love," by pablo neruda

  July 26, 2004 in sharing. | Permalink | Comments (0)

  noteworthy quotes.

  

  q: if you could live forever, would you and why?
  a: i would not live forever, because we should not live forever, because if we were supposed to live forever, then we would live forever, but we cannot live forever, which is why i would not live forever.
  — miss alabama in the 1994 miss usa contest

  
  whenever i watch tv and see those poor starving kids all over the world, i can't help but cry. i mean i'd love to be skinny like that, but not with all those flies and death and stuff.
  — mariah carey

  
  smoking kills. if you're killed, you've lost a very important part of your life.
  — brooke shields, during an interview to become spokesperson for federal anti-smoking campaign

  
  i've never had major knee surgery on any other part of my body.
  — winston bennett, university of kentucky basketball forward

  
  outside of the killings, washington has one of the lowest crime rates in
  the country.
  — marion barry (former mayor of washington, dc who has acknowledged his addictions to cocaine, alcohol, and sex)
  

  that lowdown scoundrel deserves to be kicked to death by a jackass, and i'm just the one to do it.
  — a congressional candidate in texas

  
  i don't feel we did wrong in taking this great country away from them. there were great numbers of people who needed new land, and the indians were selfishly trying to keep it for themselves.
  — john wayne

  
  half this game is ninety percent mental.
  — philadelphia phillies manager, danny ozark

  
  i love california. i practically grew up in phoenix.
  — dan quayle

  
  it's no exaggeration to say that the undecideds could go one way or another.
  — george bush

  
  we've got to pause and ask ourselves: how much clean air do we need?
  — lee iacocca

  
  the word genius isn't applicable in football. a genius is a guy like norman einstein.
  — joe theisman

  
  we don't necessarily discriminate. we simply exclude certain types of people.
  — colonel gerald wellman, rotc instructor

  
  if we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure.
  — bill clinton

  
  we are ready for an unforeseen event that may or may not occur.
  — al gore

  
  traditionally, most of australia's imports come from overseas.
  — keppel enderbery
  

  
  your food stamps will be stopped effective march 1992 because we received notice that you passed away. may god bless you. you may reapply if there is a change in your circumstances.
  — department of social services, greenville, south carolina

  July 25, 2004 in contemplating. | Permalink | Comments (1)

  it's all about me iii.

  what color pants are you wearing?
  black.

  what are you listening to right now?
  bebel gilberto via itunes.

  what was the last thing you ate?
  spaghetti.

  if you were a crayon, what color would you be?
  today? pink.

  weather right now?
  sunny, still and hot.

  last person you talked to on the phone?
  my better half.
  
  how are you today?
  content and energized.
  
  favorite drink?
  peet’s chai tea (bags, not mix) with silk soy milk.

  favorite alcoholic drink?
  bay breeze with ketel one citron.

  favorite sports?
  none.

  hair: natural or colored?
  both because it’s growing out.

  favorite food?
  i don’t have one. i’m pretty picky, but i like italian, chinese, thai and japanese the best.

  last movie you watched?
  “seems like old times” with goldie hawn and chevy chase. i want to be like her with all those dogs.
  
  favorite day of the year?
  whenever it is sort of warm, sunny, dry and windy — usually happens here in the spring or in the early fall.

  are you too shy to ask someone out?
  no.

  summer or winter? 
  summer.

  relationships or one night stands?
  relationships.

  chocolate or vanilla?
  vanilla.

  what books are you reading?
  “little women.”
  
  what's on your mouse pad?
  i’m not in my office, so the one i’m using has a racecar on it. clearly, a dude's office.

  favorite board game?
  sorry. my whole family, old and young alike, play for blood. there is no mercy in this game.

  what did you do last night?
  went out to dinner with two friends and their two friends.

  favorite smells? 
  morning air. pineapples. garlic sautéing. laundry.
  
  can you touch your nose with your tongue?
  yes — only the bottom.

  what inspires you?
  creativity. selflessness. artists and authors.
  
  buttered, plain, or salted popcorn?
  salted.

  July 24, 2004 in all about mipmup., sharing. | Permalink | Comments (0)

  friday favorites.

  

  here are my friday favorites for this week:

  • giving someone i love some money, a good dinner and a computer, earned by my better half through trade work. there's just nothing like giving.

  • seeing the lady who gives haley treats at peet's again after several weeks. we've changed our routine so we don't see her every day. i got in trouble with her for not coming around. it is nice to be missed. (and haley got three treats, two more than every other dog that passes by).

  • discovering this fantastic art supply store that's really far from my house but really worth the drive. i spent an hour and a half in there and ended up with some great work stuff and great fun stuff. my favorite was a birthday gift of art for our almost three-year-old niece. included: washable watercolors in robin egg, rosy and pumpkin, silky crayons, these cool crayons that work like crayons, oil pastel or water color, speedy kids finger painting paper, a kids' brush set with 25 pieces, including some cool foam brushes that i really want to play with and finally, some little lidded containers so the artist can save her colors. i can't wait to give it to her.

  • making my mom laugh hysterically.

  • planting stuff and it's growing! being able to use my own herbs is wonderful, but there's this part of me that feels kinda sad when i cut them off. i love looking at them out my window each morning.

  • getting in shape. what seemed like a superlong walk before is now notsolong. walking with a friend this week, i noticed she was puffing and i was still just fine. it felt gooood. plus, my better half said that my shoulders are more defined. what more do i need?!

  • "how it all vegan!: irresistible recipes for an animal-free diet." i just got this since i felt like i am in a complete cooking rut and thought this might help. i haven't tried the recipes yet, but what i like is that they have all kinds of interesting tips in the back, like "45 things to do with vinegar," including things i never heard of like extinguish fires, remove decals and unclog a drain. i also like that they have recipes for health and beauty products, like lip gloss, skin toner and masks. i am going to try their "bad breath dog biscuits" for haley. as an aside, i ordered this book at powells.com trying to support the little guy. we had given my dad a gift certificate from them, which they neglected to process so after complaining, they gave us a credit. i think i'll stick with the big guy from now on.

  happy friday, everyone!

  photo credits: me, amazon.com, artsuppliesonline.com, misterart.com, growing tree toys.

  July 23, 2004 in friday favorites. | Permalink | Comments (1)

  how to build a community.

  

  
  read this today at the wish jar journal. i thought it totally captured the essence of what we should aim for in each of our communities (except the singing part. i don't do singing. mainly to protect the innocent).

  how to build a community
  — syracuse cultural workers

  • turn off your tv
  • leave your house
  • know your neighbors
  • greet people
  • look up when you're walking
  • sit on your front steps
  • plant flowers
  • use your library
  • play together
  • buy from local merchants
  • share what you have
  • help a lost dog
  • take children to the park
  • honor elders
  • support neighborhood schools
  • fix it even if you didn't break it
  • have pot lucks
  • garden together
  • pick up litter
  • read stories aloud
  • dance in the street
  • talk to the mail carrier
  • listen to the birds
  • put up a swing
  • help someone carry something heavy
  • barter for your goods
  • start a tradition
  • ask a question
  • hire young people for odd jobs
  • organize a block party
  • bake extra and share
  • ask for help when you need it
  • open your shades
  • sing together
  • share your skills
  • take back the night
  • turn up the music
  • turn down the music
  • listen before you react to anger
  • mediate a conflict
  • seek to understand
  • learn from new and uncomfortable angles
  • know that no one is silent though many are not heard; work to change this

  July 22, 2004 in contemplating. | Permalink | Comments (2)

  photo wednesday.

  

  today, i went to see "photographers of genius at the getty." the exhibit was quite thorough, providing an extensive education on the inventors of photography and the early artists, including william henry fox talbot and louis-jacque-mandé daguerre. i enjoyed learning the technical foundation presented within the exhibit.

  i found most interesting the fact that many of the early artists manipulated their photographs to achieve the desired effect. i always feel somewhat guilty using photoshop to correct my photos, but knowing that the very foundation of the art lies in changing photos to the artist's taste made me feel much, much better.

  some of my favorites in the early period included anna atkins, who used the cyanotype printing method, or what we commonly call "sunprints." her botanical prints were just lovely. delicate and rich in detail. the work of carelton e. watkins also made an impression on me, mainly for its subject matter: nature. my favorite piece was this one. i believe this is the artist that lugged 2,000 pounds of equipment to create his work. impressive.

  the modernism period from the 1920s-1950s featured some new favorites for me, including doris ulmann, walker evans and weegee. i'm paraphrasing from the exhibit materials when i say that they all show emotion without going over the edge into sentimentality. dorothea lange's work was also a highlight of this area. her famous "human erosion in california (migrant mother)" in is the collection. this plays into my fascination with the great depression.

  the modernism period from the 1950s-1960s featured one of my favorite artists, edward weston. i loved this piece. i also discovered a new artist, manuel alvarez bravo who created this and (warning: disturbing) this. his work was quite powerful and impacted me greatly. i purchased a book of postcards so that i may frame them (at some point).

  the creativity was truly inspiring and i'm feeling much more motivated to take some photos. some good photos.

  the exhibit runs through the next few days only, ending on 25 july. parking is $5 and admission is free. no reservations required. try and get there if you can (no pun intended).

  art credit: the j. paul getty trust.

  July 21, 2004 in doing. | Permalink | Comments (2)

  survey says.

  last cigarette:	january 2004 while drunk at a wedding. at a wedding where getting drunk probably wasn't that great of an idea.
  last alcoholic drink:	last night (bay breeze with citron and a great shiraz).
  last car ride:	yesterday going to and from the mall.
  last kiss:	this morning.
  last good cry:	a while ago.
  last library book:	a really long while ago.
  last book bought:	"how it all vegan."
  last book read:	"little women."
  last movie seen in theatres:	harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban.
  last movie rented:	something's gotta give.
  last cuss word uttered:	i don't remember.
  last beverage drank:	coke because my stomach hurt.
  last food consumed:	strawberry fields cereal with silk soymilk.
  last crush:	ashton kutcher. and this is recently, people.
  last phone call:	about five minutes ago to my mom.
  last tv show watched:	design on a dime.
  last time showered:	this morning.
  last shoes worn:	my slippers.
  last cd played:	damita jo, janet jackson
  last item bought:	clothes and shoes for my better half.
  last download:	the font chinese takeaway.
  last annoyance:	the bone-loss expert on the today show who talked only about dairy as a source of calcium and didn't say anything about vegetables.
  last disappointment:	my salad at dinner last night.
  last soda drank:	coke.
  last thing written:	a spreadsheet.
  last key used:	.
  last words spoken:	"bye."
  last sleep:	last night.
  last ice cream eaten:	does sorbet count? last week.
  last chair sat in:	in my office.
  last webpage visited:	imdb.
  create a survey.

  thanks for the link, naaley.

  July 20, 2004 in sharing. | Permalink | Comments (1)