Klosekraft

Random Wednesday

1. I saw Iron Man last night, which was just a good, fun movie. About ten minutes in, my gentleman companion leaned over and whispered that Robert Downey Jr. was doing a spot-on Vince Vaughn impression, which he totally was. I wonder how much Jon Favreau had to do with that...

2. I have so! many! paint chips! taped to my bedroom wall. I really have to make a decision soon, since I'm painting this weekend. Deciding things is hard!

3. I'm almost done with the edging on Kerry Blue. The last third of the last side seems to be taking as long as the rest of the whole freaking thing. I can't believe this project is almost done. It's been dragging on for a couple of years. Granted, I haven't been working on it actively that whole time, but still. Years. Having all of my other projects packed away for a couple of weeks has really helped me knock this thing out. That might be a good lesson to take away from the experience.

4. I loved Maggie Gyllenhaal's dress from the Costume Institute shindig.

5. I need to deal with the whole Mother's Day issue, which includes suppressing my irritation at being forced to participate in the stupid Hallmark Industrial Complex. Said irritation suppression is the part of the gift Mom never sees, which is a pity since it's the costliest part. Note to self: get over it and call a florist today.

Because I'll forget about it otherwise...

I don't like posting recipes without photos, but this salad I made yesterday was so good and so easy and fresh and summery that I want to make sure I get it up here.

Mediterranean-ish Pasta Salad
8 oz. whole wheat pasta (I used corkscrews)
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 pkg grape tomatoes, halved
1 large cucumber, cubed
1 pkg feta, cut into 1/2" cubes (4 oz? I used some really strong sheep's milk feta from Greece that was beyond awesome)
handful each chopped fresh parsley and mint (didn't actually have either of these, but the whole time I was eating, I kept thinking how good they'd be and resolved to add them the next time I make this*)
1 lemon
olive oil

While the pasta is cooking, prep the tomatoes, cucumbers, chickpeas, feta and herbs.  Mix the first three together in a large bowl. When pasta is done, drain and rinse with cold water until cool. Add to the bowl. Add the juice of the lemon and olive oil to taste. Mix in the feta and herbs.

*I actually resolved to buy parsley and mint plants and make them thrive so that I will always have fresh herbs on hand. We'll see how that goes.

Home again, home again

I'm all moved in and somewhat unpacked. I can't do everything since I have to paint this weekend. Obviously, painting AFTER moving in is less than ideal, but it's the only way it could happen, timing wise.

The walls are currently approximately the same color as a Japanese maple:

It's too dark and drab and kind of frumpy. I'm going for a very, very pale grey, like this:

So it'll be lighter and bright without having to resort to the normal off-white-to-beige renter's palette. White walls feel sterile and antiseptic to me, which I'm not interested in.

It'll be a little while until I can upload photos. My computer is set up, but having two tech-savvy roommates means that the internet connection is some fancy thing that my Earth computer isn't equipped for and I have to get something to make it work, which I should be able to get to sometime this week...

Book meme

I just spotted this over at The Thoughtful Dresser and thought it could be entertaining.
1. Pick up the nearest book.
2. Open to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.

Since I'm at work, the closest book at hand is a galley for an erotica by Carole Hart called Pleasure U (tagline: A real education for the whole student body...) and the clues lead me to:

"This was Babylona! The Babylona! For years, Brandi had been longing to meet her face to face. And now that she did, all she could think of to say was I'd like to see you go without fucking for a week!"

You're welcome.

This morning

I am drinking my coffee out of a wine glass. Because I packed all the mugs.

That is all.

The most ghetto umbrella in the world.

This is my friend Karen opening her umbrella.

With a pen. Because the button fell off. (And you can't open it without pressing the release; we both tried.) There was a rounded, slippery little metal nubule that you had to hit exactly right. It wasn't easy, but it was hilarious.

Karen's one! night! only! appearance in New York was a very high point in a week that found me texting a friend last night with the line "I am very unfortunate!" I've been packing up my apartment and trying to figure out the logistics of the move while battling a wicked cold, insomnia and anxiety attacks.

I don't get anxiety attacks very often, pretty much exclusively when I'm preparing for a move, as evidenced by the two following IM conversations I had with coworkers:
me: would you say that I'm prone to anxiety attacks?
me: it's for the blog
coworker 1: no
coworker 1: why?

me: [same question]
coworker 2: um

coworker 2: not even close

So there you have it.

I know moving is stressful for everyone, and don't think it's any worse for me than it is for anyone else, but it affects me in a very weird and deep way that I think taps into all of the ways that moving makes me feel helpless — I need other people to drive for me and lift and carry heavy things for me  and some part of me is kind of ashamed that I can't do these pretty basic things myself. And then packing up all of this stuff brings up complicated feelings about consumption and wanting great stuff versus living lightly on the planet and really, it's kind of not surprising that I've been waking up in the middle of the night with my heart racing and, as my coworker Liz describes it, "a head full of panic and recriminations."

So you can understand why I was delighted to take a break from myself and hang out with one of my favorite people who I hardly ever get to see because she's busy being an awesome doctor in Virginia, eat some Korean food (these are the most, um, composed bibimbaps I've ever seen; still tasty, even though we were both hoping for the hot stone bowls), drink some beers and take some goofy photobooth photos.

The state of things

The state of the apartment search: I found one and never posted about it. Nice place, good-sized room, walk-in closet, two dudes. I move in next weekend. We will not discuss the state of the packing.

The state of Demi: It's been sitting on this table, looking exactly like this, just needing side and sleeve seams sewn and buttons (already purchased) added, for two weeks now. I suck.

The state of Kerry Blue: Um, 'resurrected' is a state of being, right? I got suddenly very tired of it being almost done and brought it with me to Pittsburgh. With two flights and random hanging out in the hotel room, I managed to finish the last lace section (which is one I just made up since I kept screwing up the one in the pattern). I don't like the crocheted loops in the pattern so I'm knitting on an edging. It's from a book I can't remember the name of, something about a library of stitch patterns. I think the author's name is Lisa or Laura, the cover is white with multicolored photos. I'll add it later.

[ETA: it's the New Knitting Stitch Library by Leslie Stanfield. Amazon lists it as unavailable, but you can at least see the cover here.]

I think this sucker is going to be a monster when it's blocked.

Best. Business trip. Ever.

In addition to knowing the loving embrace of Fabio, my trip to Pittsburgh last week for my company's annual convention included:

Dressing up


(those are vampire teeth, not buck teeth. they just don't fit me.)

Local specialties

A cardboard cutout of the company president

Unlikely pairings

Photobooth photos at the Warhol Museum

And, of course, the Mr. Romance pageant (see a lot more pictures here)

It's motherf*cking Fabio!

I have to admit, I never understood his appeal before I met him (that cro-magnon thing doesn't exactly ring my bells) but now I totally get it.  He's incredibly charismatic, very strong and smells fantastic.

I realized that the top photo looked a bit like I was snuggling up to a cardboard cutout or wax figure, so please note for the record that he actually is clasping me to him with his rock-hard, manly arms.

Itchy fingers

This time of year, I tend to get the urge to sew (again). And also to have a garden, but that's not happening anytime soon.

I just ordered this Built by Wendy pattern (sold out on her site, but there are a few on ebay):

I was especially inspired after seeing Laura's versions and reading her comments about them. As a not very experienced or confident seamstress, it's incredibly helpful to hear about other people's successes and failures. I had looked at this pattern for the dress before, but hadn't considered the top until she made one. Now I want, like, six.
Maybe in that great peacock-feather Liberty print or some of these fun fabrics (all images from Purl):



Love those Mackintosh roses.

I'm going to wait to buy fabric until the pattern actually gets here though. I might even work up a muslin of it first if I'm feeling especially sensible.