Thursday, September 13, 2007
Sometimes my son is just as unpredictably moody as his mama. Yesterday he was intensely crabby, prone to random outbursts and hysterics. Today? He woke up all sunshine and light (maybe because he knew he’d be sharing vegan donut holes with his class). Hopefully he’ll remain happy, even though the birthday presents I ordered online for him haven’t arrived yet. I’ve been in quite the mood myself, pondering thorny relationship issues…trying to puzzle out just what it is I want these days. Alexis has written a HowTo for “friends with benefits” - that’s easier said than done. As usual, xkcd amuses. Someone pointed out this article that left me slightly puzzled: “Everyone wants to know how to read the sexual body language” and another thoroughly amused: “Russian sex day to boost births” - though I’m not at all tempted to pop out another kid in exchange for an SUV. Or maybe at all.
Bonus: I am so happy for Diablo Cody, and stoked to see the movie (co-starring Michael Cera, squeeee!) that she wrote. It’s already garnering rave reviews.
Plus: Next time I go back to Iceland I need to visit the water library.
And: Another busy weekend ahead of us, with the little man’s birthday, plus a bunch of shows I’d like to get to. Like Pandamonium at the Triple Rock and Whitejazz at the Turf, both Friday. And Vampire Hands have a coupla release shows on Saturday. And I’m sure Dark Dark Dark is playing again somewhere. We’ve been listening to their EP in the car and the little man is loving the accordion just as much as I do. I think he’d love ‘em even more if he could see the Main Squeeze Orchestra in NYC. And not just because the orchestra is comprised entirely of attractive young women, but also because “all those accordions playing together can be transcendent.”
Monday, September 10, 2007
I had a less than stellar childhood, to be sure, but my upbringing did instill certain notions in me. Some concerning milestones imperative to growing up in Minnesota. So in the last few weeks I’ve been making up for lost time with the little man (even though these things haven’t come cheap). Recently he has experienced a number of firsts:
We haven’t yet made it to the Renaissance Festival, though there are a few weekends left. And I’d like to take him to Crystal Cave, which is not quite in Minnesota but next door in Wisconsin. And then why not a little further on…to Chicago! Can’t believe I haven’t taken the lad there yet. Speaking of the windy city, we dropped off our house guest at the Amtrak Depot bright and early this morning, so that he could head back home. It’s been a long day and I’m ready to call it a night.
Bonus: This is some serious time lapse photography — 35 years of the Tokyo skyline condensed into 10 seconds of video.
Plus: I think Robert Downey Jr. was perfectly cast as Iron Man.
And: I’ve been continuing my Scott Westerfeld kick with his Midnighters trilogy. Yeah, I’m all YA fiction - and loving it! Because I’m forever 15. Or something.
Friday, September 7, 2007
After growing up in the 70s and 80s I utterly despised facial hair of any kind. I associated ZZ Top style beards with the uncle (r.i.p.) who totally freaked my scene. And moustaches with a random assortment of pervy-looking dudes, from creepy teachers to Tom Selleck. But my attitude has softened over the past few years. Yes, in part thanks to hipsters and their ironic moustaches. But such amazing things are coming out of the The World Beard & Moustache Championships. Seriously. Apparently it’s held every two years, with the next competition set to take place in the U.S. in 2009, in Anchorage, Alaska. That would definitely be worth the trip. Just think of the photo ops!
In other news, I will be having an unexpected - though not unwanted - house guest this weekend. It’ll be good to hang with Anton. It’s been ages. But I am currently kicking the weekend off right, by lounging on J’s couch. So comfy.
Bonus: I’ve got to agree with the Fug Girls on this one. Clive looks amazing. Sigh.
Plus: Currently enjoying pictures for sad children.
And: Also enjoyed this lovely series of photos, Middle Names (via magpie & cake).
Thursday, September 6, 2007
I’ve been too negative this week so howsabout five good things?
Bonus: It is time for the Making Fiends art contest. I’ll have to get the little man on that, stat.
Plus: It’s nearly Iceland Airwaves time again. I wouldn’t mind going, but can’t. As usual.
And: The Concrete and Grass Festival kicks off tonight in Lowertown, not far from my house.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
It’s a short work/school week, yes, but damn. Today has been all-around rough.
- The badness began with the return of Shark Week (nothing like a wildly irregular cycle - modern medicine be damned! - to keep me on my toes).
- My home wifi has suddenly become flaky as hell, but only for my beloved powerbook. The desktop PC also uses a wireless card, and it can always find the signal, even when the damned powerbook (love/hate) can’t.
- I have a newer 17″ monitor for the aforementioned desktop PC, but it has recently developed a darkened shadowy area.
- At work we were experiencing server and perms problems, which left end users confused and frustrated, and there wasn’t a whole lot I could do to help.
- And then…it could only get better…the school contacted me, to let me know the little man had been peeing more frequently than is normal.
This last bit is something I was already aware of but was hoping would go away. But no. Instead I phoned the triage nurse which led to a hasty departure from work and a trip to the pediatrician’s. Where we spent over an hour while I attempted to get my kid to pee in a cup and then waited for the lab results. Wheeee. The good news? Not diabetes, nor a bladder infection. But a possible culprit could be anxiety. The doc suggested this was a behavioral problem. Just what I need. To top it off, we still managed to attend a family birthday dinner at Sambol this evening. Where the lad wore out a path from our table to the bathroom and back. He must’ve gone 9 or 10 times during the meal. J and I had been planning to take him to Valley Fair this weekend, but not if this keeps up. Maybe we’ll just never leave the house again. After the day I’ve had, that sounds all right.
Bonus: I got nothing. Help me out?
Monday, September 3, 2007
Olive has become less wary of the new cat, which is a relief. Less hissing and growling = less stress all around. But as we’ve gotten to know dear Freddy, I’ve discovered he has a passion for plastics. Crinkly, pliable, firm, whatever he can sink his teeth into. Initially this was just a nuisance. But then. The little twit bit into the power adapter cord for my powerbook. Thankfully while I was using it. I quickly unplugged it just as it started sparking. Damned cat could’ve electrocuted himself and/or burned down the house. Grrr. That sort of excitement I could do without, but there has been plenty of other stuff going on too…
Friday: I drove over the newly-reopened 10th Avenue Bridge, to get to the West Bank for lunch. It was a bit unsettling. It was the closest I’d been to the 35W bridge collapse. But being with friends at The Wienery was fun, and that night we attended a family BBQ. Kabobs were had, but no cupcakes. This time.
Saturday: Grandma picked the little man up for an overnight on the boat. I nearly didn’t know what to do with my free time. Usually I head to a movie but didn’t. Instead I went for a walk with J over to Namaste (for the slowest lunch service ever, but the food was excellent). I continued on to Dreamhaven, to chat with staff and pick up two more Sookie Stackhouse books, which I’ve already raced through. Then on to the Soap Factory for the Simultaneous Festival for good music and good company. Afterwards I swung by Pizza Luce for a midnight snack, literally, before seeing my friends’ newly formed band play for the first time. They used the name the little man came up with - Cat Attack. It was brilliant.
Sunday: Slept in. Woke just in time for the lad’s return. After lunch I took him to Kenwood Park, for a performance by the Cromulent Shakespeare Company. Then it was full on errand-running, until it was time to get cleaned up and gussied up for my friend Marty’s wedding reception (more photos to come). The lad did the chicken dance for at least two hours straight.
Monday: Straight up lazing about. Interrupted only by the washing of some laundry and dishes. One friend came by to mow my lawn, while J stopped over to help move heavy objects. Finished yet another book about vampires, and started reading its sequel. Getting ready to go back to the grind tomorrow.
And that was probably a lot more than you ever wanted to know…
My mind is in wanderlust mode. Partially from reading The Historian, which makes me want to roam around Budapest and Sofia, Bulgaria. But other tidbits entice me. Like this bit about the world’s first skyscrapers, built 500+ years ago, in Shibam, Yemen. Now I desperately want to go there, to see them for myself. And my friend April is in Dubai right now. Not so historic, but definitely grandiose and bizarre. When she’s not in Dubai, she’s in Beijing - where she’s lived for the last four years. But this year might be her last. I have to figure out whether or not I can pull of a trip to visit her before before she moves back to the states. But I haven’t even left the city this summer. For now I’ll have to content myself with heading up to Duluth in October. Sigh.
Bonus: It’s that time again - time for the Threadless $10 t-shirt sale! I didn’t buy any…for myself. But I did purchase several t-shirts for the little man, for his birthday.
Plus: I’m super excited about this weekend’s Simultaneous Festival at The Soap Factory. I’d also planned to take the little man to the Pick-Up Picasso program at the Walker tomorrow, but it looks like he’ll be on the boat with grandma instead. And heck, the summer is almost over. There will be more time for art when it’s cold out.
And: So very tempted by the Gama Go Labor Day “Event” but Ima gonna be a good girl, and not drop $150 on things I don’t need, even if the kawaii factor is super high.
Late last week two extra-curricular opportunities came my way. And I wouldn’t have gotten in on one without the other. So I just want to give yet another big shout out to flickr friends! The first, the delightful Dels, mentioned that a co-worker of his enjoyed my photos so much he’d like me to photograph his twin boys. Not knowing what to charge for such a sitting, I turned to M Gill for advice. She had some extremely useful thoughts on the subject, and also extended an invitation to me…to help her shoot a wedding in November. She had me at hello, but then she went on to say “I’m a huge fan of your macro abilities, as well as your eye for details that not everyone notices” and I was sold! Seriously, it sounds like an awesome opportunity. I’m totally stoked, except for one little thing. It’s the same day as the Fifth Annual Lunch Show. But I’ll make it work. Somehow. Maybe it’s time for that cloning machine. Ooh, isn’t that a scary thought? Multiple Sharyns running around the city wreaking hyperactive havoc? Mouhahaha!
Bonus: Ok, I don’t smoke nor do I condone smoking so I can’t quite explain why a smoking bunny is so damned cute. But twice today I’ve seen this character. Once, via a flickr contact’s photos. Then a friend pointed out the hoodie version. In my favorite color and everything.
Plus: I guess there are parts of London where I am most certainly not allowed.
And: Despite two days in a row of Freddy photos, I swear this is not going to turn into cute overload. But I am totally smitten with that little boy.
The new cat is settling in nicely but the rest of the household is an uproar. Olive is a hissing, yowling mess and has spent most of her time hiding in the basement. And the little man and I are at odds. He wants us to keep the name the new cat came with, but I reeeeeally don’t want my kid running around shouting “FIRE!” all the time. Instead I’ve chosen a different name, also beginning with F. Debating whether to go with the Freddie Mercury spelling or Fab 5 Freddy style. I’m leaning towards the latter. Welcome to the fold Freddy, my cuddly little loverboy.
Bonus: This video made me super anxious. I kept waiting for the human skateboard to collide with an actual automobile, but the rollerman kept on rolling.
Plus: Some serious population density, at a Tokyo pool party.
And: The 400 Bar fell apart last night. Weird.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
This week’s new music Tuesday was happy-making. I’m a longtime Dan Snaith fan and Andorra doesn’t disappoint. I’m excited to see Caribou when they play the Triple Rock in November. I missed them at the Fine Line a while back, with Super Furry Animals, even though a friend offered me a free ticket - still kicking myself.
Also picked up the new M.I.A. on Tuesday. It is understandably uneven, given that she was essentially homeless and traveling the globe for a year (due to visa problems) while recording on the fly wherever she was. But it is enjoyable. A friend who isn’t a fan called her a “jingle girl for car commercials” and I had no idea what he was talking about. Apparently Galang made its way into a Honda Civic Si ad. Huh.
That evening I was able to enjoy Dark Dark Dark, performing at the lovely 331 Club. Turns out they’ll be playing some sets around town at some places I regularly spend my time. Like Caffetto and Seward Cafe. Neat.
My new favorite song/video is something that came out over a year ago, but I totally missed it. Until now. Young Folks by Peter, Bjorn & John. And speaking of videos…Andrew Bird’s Imitosis is up now. I’m glad there’s a shot of him performing sans shoes, as he routinely does. That always makes me smile.
Bonus: Totally excited to see The Octopus Project with Stereo Total. In the Entry, on September 1st. Haven’t gotten Paris < -> Berlin yet, though. Also, The Clientele are playing with PB&J, in the mainroom, on September 24th. Too bad it’s a Monday night. Bleah.
Plus: This is dorky, but I’m excited about Whitehouse Custom Colour’s upcoming open house.
And: I get to go out tomorrow night. To see STNNNG at the Hexagon, but beforehand I’m definitely going to catch a movie. The only question now…something in the Sound Unseen festival, a freebie at Block E (where the projectors frequently break down) or something a la Landmark?
