Whisper of the Muse

The Littlest Birds Sing the Prettiest Songs

2011-03-17T15:06:00.002-04:00

The Naked and Famous - Young Blood

2011-03-12T18:03:00.000-05:00

The Naked and Famous - All of This

2011-03-12T18:00:00.000-05:00

Young the Giant

2011-03-10T16:50:00.000-05:00

Interview Checklist

2011-03-05T08:58:00.002-05:00

For those of you job-hunting, I ran across this article about interviewing and thought it was a nice summary of what to do to prepare.

How To Ace An Interview - The Checklist

Posted By: Deborah Brown-Volkman In: Job Seeker - Interview

A job interview is a screening tool. For you, it's an opportunity to assess whether or not you want to work for a company. For the employer, it's an opportunity to decide whether or not they want to hire you. Both sides are looking for a match.

A job interview is a screening tool. For you, it's an opportunity to assess whether or not you want to work for a company. For the employer, it's an opportunity to decide whether or not they want to hire you. Both sides are looking for a match.

You can ace an interview and win the job you want even in this economy; even with the competition that wants the same job as you. You will have to work hard, but it can be done. Know that the work you do upfront and afterwards will make the "during" (while you are interviewing) much easier for you.

Here's a checklist to help you:

I. PREPARE BEFOREHAND

- Do your homework and find out who you will be interviewing with. You are looking for job title, responsibilities, accomplishments, as well as anything else that impresses you about this person.

- Know as much about the company as possible. Get on their web site and memorize their products and services. Look at their press release section for news. Talk to a few people about what they know. Look online for comments, discussions, blogs, forums, and additional insights. Don't just look for good news. Look for challenges that the company is facing, and think about how you might contribute to their success.

- Write out the top 3 points you want to make sure you get across.

- Write down what makes you different or unique.

- Have a story/example for each bullet on the job description and each bullet in you resume. Include the challenges you were up against, the action you took to solve these challenges, and the results you achieved.

- Write down answers to questions such as your strengths, weaknesses, where you want to be in the future, etc. The questions that employers don't always feel comfortable asking. The same questions you don't always feel comfortable answering. Nevertheless, expect to be asked these questions anyway.

- Write down the answers to the questions you don't want to be asked. If you have a gap in your resume, have a good response for when you are asked about it. If you were fired, be prepared to tell the employer why with a positive spin. Don't shy away from these questions and hope they won't be asked. Expect them to be posed to you and have your answers mapped out and ready to go.

- Write down questions to ask the interviewer; three to five should do. Questions like, "What are you looking for in a candidate?" OR "What's the biggest challenge you are facing right now?" These questions may be answered during the interview, and other questions may come up as the discussion progresses, but these questions will give you a place to start.

- Write down an introduction; an opener that says who you are and what you do. Include your past title, the type of work you have been doing, why you are excited to be interviewing with this company.

II. DURING THE INTERVIEW.

- Be upbeat, passionate, and excited to be there.

- Use your prepared introduction and introduce yourself.

- Right after your introduction; say something flattering to the interviewer. Reveal what you like about the person or the company. Include what impresses you the most. Sincere flattery starts the interview off in a positive way.

- Answer questions and ask them. Remember, it's a two way conversation, and an opportunity for both parties to see if there is a match. Don't forget to listen and let the interviewer talk.

- Make sure you cover anything that was not discussed in the interview before you leave. For example, did you cover your 3 points? Did you tell the interviewer what makes you different? Did you handle all objections properly? Did you ask the questions you wanted to ask? Cover this now; afterwards may be too late.

- Tell the interviewer again why you want the job.

- Ask what the hiring process is, and when you can follow up with them again.

III. AFTER THE INTERVIEW.

- Send a thank-you note. Email one version and also send a handwritten version. Thank you cards work well here.

- Include in your email anything you left out during the interview. Add credibility to your email by mentioning something specific the interviewer said that impressed you.

- If you promised to follow up on a specific day and time, keep that promise.

- Continue interviewing. No matter how great an interview went, no matter how many people told you that you are "the one," you do not have the job until you have formally been given a job offer in writing. Don't let everything ride on one job. Keep going until you are officially employed.

Vampire Weekend - A-Punk

2011-03-04T08:41:00.000-05:00

Matt & Kim - Cameras

2011-03-03T21:42:00.001-05:00

not wild about the video, but love the song

Devotchka - 100 Other Lovers

2011-03-03T21:00:00.003-05:00

Veronicas - Cry

2011-03-03T20:58:00.001-05:00

Inspirations

2011-02-16T13:02:00.006-05:00

Did you see Cee-lo's version of Elton John with the Muppets on the Grammys?

Lady Gaga's "Born this Way" cover and Kylie's "2 Hearts?"

Ralph Rucci was on the front of today's Philadelphia Inquirer Style section with this:

And it made me think of this.

Kindle Giveaway

2011-02-03T00:36:00.001-05:00

Check out the kindle giveaway posted at Smart & Trendy Moms here.

White Knuckles - OK Go

2011-02-02T22:12:00.003-05:00

Gotta love guys who help homeless animals...

What I am listening to...

2011-01-22T11:53:00.000-05:00

Create a MySpace Playlist at MixPod.com

A very funny video

2011-01-15T17:48:00.001-05:00

okay, after yesterday's incredibly downbeat video, here's a lighter one...

Foundations by Kate Nash

2011-01-14T17:36:00.001-05:00

While I am getting to the point where I will blog again, I will post a few videos that are favorites at the moment.

Fabulous Giveaway

2010-10-14T22:31:00.003-04:00

Emily from Pearleverlasting on etsy is having the most fabulous giveaway, where she will send the lucky winner this necklace. I hope it's me! But you can have a chance too. Visit her blog here for details.

Love this song from Atlantic/Pacific

2010-10-07T09:05:00.002-04:00

Patterns

"All the better days have yet to come."

Aloe Blacc's new song

2010-10-07T08:55:00.000-04:00

Florence and the Machine

2010-09-20T12:19:00.000-04:00

Love this song!

Philosophy According to Spin

2010-09-18T17:40:00.003-04:00

I have a favorite spinning class I go to. On Tuesdays and Thursdays Dean leads a great workout - I am challenged there. But I get more than exercise there; it motivates me. This is what I take away from it:

Work hard, play hard, sleep well.
Be thankful for what you have.
Don't leave thinking you could have done more.
Make every minute count.
You can change.

I think those are great rules for life in general, and I believe they set you in the right direction for a happy and fulfilling life.

Two Good Books

2010-09-07T22:28:00.005-04:00

I am on a lucky roll at the moment with books. I have read several good ones in a row. The most recent was Tom Rachman's The Imperfectionists. This is a wonderful book about a group of people who work for (and, in one case, read) a newspaper in Rome. The book begins in the 1950s and runs through the present day. Each chapter focuses on a different individual. The Imperfectionists has a wonderful balance of comedy and pathos. The writing is excellent, and there are some big ideas that make me sure I will return to it again.

Another recent read I would recommend is Chris Cleave's Little Bee. A story about a Nigerian refugee in England, it is by turns comic and tragic. It is a book that will stay with me for a long time.

A Happy Beginning

2010-08-28T20:06:00.001-04:00

Where we've been...

2010-08-27T15:34:00.004-04:00

Travelling lately...

St. Augustine

Sanibel

Savannah

My Favorite Song of the Moment

2010-08-22T15:06:00.003-04:00

Intermission

2010-08-21T22:09:00.003-04:00

Life is a little chaotic for me right now, so I am taking a break from blogging. I will continue to post periodically for a bit and hopefully pick up again as things settle down. In the meantime...

The Future for Architects

2010-02-01T12:42:00.005-05:00

From Architect Newswire:

"According to the latest data available from the Department of Labor, employment at American architecture firms, which peaked last July at 224,500, had dropped to 184,600 by November. And many among those counted as “employed” have seen their hours reduced to part-time, their status changed to independent contractor or their salaries replaced by smaller hourly wages. Such measures make it difficult to pin down a precise unemployment percentage, but here in Minnesota, most industry watchers estimate joblessness to be between 40 and 60 percent.

So unsettling is the unemployment situation that architecture, some say, has joined print media and the auto industry as a sector that must make dramatic changes if it is to survive.

With the bulk of Minnesota architects concentrated in Downtown firms — the state chapter of the American Institute of Architects estimates that two-thirds of its members work in Minneapolis — the crisis has had a very visible impact on the core of the city.

“The demand right now is very low,” said Jason Mehmen, an account manager at Aerotek, a local recruiting agency that staffs architects and engineers. “There is just so much uncertainty on the part of the firms. They’re scared to death to hire anyone, even if they do need people.”

Every job vacancy triggers a flood of applications, Mehmen said. And sifting through hundreds of potentially irrelevant resumes makes hiring even less appealing to employers already jittery about taking on new talent.

“I’ve already had architecture firms say, ‘We’re not even going to post our jobs. We’re not even going to deal with it.’”

Staffing agencies like his have grown even more important than ever, Mehmen says, in saving firms the hassle of filtering applicants. But they can also absorb a lot of the risk involved when a firm looks to hire on a part-time or contract basis. “If we employ someone, we provide their benefits, and we pay their unemployment insurance,” Mehmen said. “We offer candidates that security, but we also offer the firm the flexibility not to bring them directly onto payroll.”

The problem, most experts agree, is the lending environment, which remains painfully frozen 18 months after the real estate market initially imploded. Banks aren’t taking any risks, developers are starved for financing, and with new construction stalled indefinitely, it’s impossible for architecture firms to look ahead to new projects. So tied to new construction is the architecture profession that it has tended to boom and bust along with the real estate market."

The complete article is here.

The Most Amazing Grammy Performance

2010-01-31T21:03:00.003-05:00

Pink set a new standard tonight. I liked Lady Gaga, but this was incredible. I have never seen anything like it.

Another Great Song - Rilo Kiley

2010-01-27T23:24:00.002-05:00

New Vampire Weekend

2010-01-25T16:36:00.002-05:00

you have to admire anyone who can rhyme balaclava and horchata in a song

A Reprieve...

2010-01-24T22:15:00.002-05:00

My main client called on Wednesday - the day I was supposed to be furloughed - and they need some more work done. So I have been granted a stay of execution. For now.

All of this hasn't given me warm fuzzies about work. I am trying to decide proactively what I want rather than reacting to the situation. Fortunately Philip's job is fairly stable.

We watched (500) Days of Summer last night, which wasn't brilliant but did have some very funny bits. Overall, I liked Away We Go better. But this was a cute sequence from the movie after Joseph Gordon-Levitt gets together with Zooey.

Furloughed.

2010-01-19T21:24:00.003-05:00

Well, it happened at last. I am finally unable to outrun the dire predicament of the architecture market any longer.

Tomorrow is my last day in the office. Supposedly I will be back in a week and a half - only to be asked to do more work than they pay me for (and that's without the paycut earlier this year) and put my family through horrendous gyrations while I travel halfway across the world.

We will see - the last person to go out on furlough left at Thanksgiving and isn't back yet. We were recently taken over by another company, and their way of doing business is $*!&. They have recently made some really dubious decisions that make me question whether I even want to return. Too bad since I have been with them for years. I don't feel like I can write too much since I don't want to burn my bridges.

But I have to say it sucks.

A New Word Game from Bonte

2010-01-16T09:47:00.004-05:00

I've been playing this one lately - Must Pop Words. It's a clear-the-board games mixed with Scrabble. Make words as the letters drop.

I Have the Most Easily Interpreted Dreams...

2010-01-13T16:35:00.004-05:00

I have the most straight-forward dreams of anyone I know. I had my first dream/nightmare about Chloe growing up last night.

In my dream I was taking her to school. She pulled away and ran into the building, telling me she knew where she was going.

I ran after her, but at every door I tried to open, a teacher told me I couldn't enter there. I finally made my way to the front entrance of the school and got to her classroom. I could see all of her classmates there, but not Chloe. I was in tears, but then she came in with a group of students - last in line. And she was fine of course.

No need to read a book of interpretations for this!

The Most Clever Mash-up

2010-01-09T11:30:00.005-05:00

I heard this song recently. It takes the top 25 songs of last year (based on Billboard) and puts them together. What an incredible talent - whether or not you like the songs. They must hear things differently - like a composer of a symphony - able to put a number of instruments together.

Here are the songs within the track:
The Black Eyed Peas - BOOM BOOM POW
Lady Gaga - POKER FACE
Lady Gaga Featuring Colby O’Donis - JUST DANCE
The Black Eyed Peas - I GOTTA FEELING
Taylor Swift - LOVE STORY
Flo Rida - RIGHT ROUND
Jason Mraz - I’M YOURS
Beyonce - SINGLE LADIES (PUT A RING ON IT)
Kanye West - HEARTLESS
The All-American Rejects - GIVES YOU HELL
Taylor Swift - YOU BELONG WITH ME
T.I. Featuring Justin Timberlake - DEAD AND GONE
The Fray - YOU FOUND ME
Kings Of Leon - USE SOMEBODY
Keri Hilson Featuring Kanye West & Ne-Yo - KNOCK YOU DOWN
Jamie Foxx Featuring T-Pain - BLAME IT
Pitbull - I KNOW YOU WANT ME (CALLE OCHO)
T.I. Featuring Rihanna - LIVE YOUR LIFE
Soulja Boy Tell ‘em Featuring Sammie - KISS ME THRU THE PHONE
Jay Sean Featuring Lil Wayne - DOWN
Miley Cyrus - THE CLIMB
Drake - BEST I EVER HAD
Kelly Clarkson - MY LIFE WOULD SUCK WITHOUT YOU
Beyonce - HALO
Katy Perry - HOT N COLD

The Best Times to Buy Goods throughout the Year

2010-01-08T20:52:00.005-05:00

Over at lifehacker.com, they did a study of when throughout the year the best times to buy various goods are.

They used the various web-based sources - including financial sites and gadget bloggers - to identify the best times to buy particular items, ranging from little things you can stock up on (like aluminum foil) to larger purchases you could easily pay more for in the wrong season (like boats). The reasons for these items being suggested in their particular months varies, but generally they're pinned to getting a better deal when sales are slow, when new products are just about to roll out, or when every single retailer is selling at a discount.

Here's a summary of their findings:

On my hands and knees

2010-01-08T15:48:00.003-05:00

I wish I could use a mop. It would make life so much easier. But when it comes to cleaning the tile floors in the house, it seems like nothing works except getting down on my hands and knees with a bucket and sponge.

I feel like with a mop I can't see the dirt as well. I can't apply elbow grease where I need to. The floor just doesn't get as clean.

So I remain chained to the time-honored tradition of scrubbing the floor on my knees like Little Orphan Annie. If only I could see my house through my husband's eyes - "Why are you cleaning that? It doesn't look dirty."

Ideas for Dinner - Pinching Pennies

2010-01-07T10:08:00.006-05:00

I love to cook, but it can be expensive. Here are some of my favorite cheap go-tos for dinner:

Get a package of bacon & split it into 3 portions - use for any of the following:
- blts with oven roasted potatoes
- Pasta with bacon & parm cheese
- Mark Bittman's Pasta with Potatoes (a pasta & potato kind ofstew flavored with a bit of bacon & spiced with red pepper flakes)

green salad with poached eggs & hash browns

quiche or frittata

baked potatoes with broccoli, cheese & green onions

meatloaf or sloppy joes

chili

pasta with red sauce made from canned tomatoes, herbs & black olives

Lemon fettucine

Mark Bittman's Pasta with Charred Onions & Cilantro

The Urban Peasant's Pasta with Sauteed Mushrooms (using button mushrooms), flavored with soy sauce

Pasta with Roasted Vegetables

Cheese Quesadillas with Green Salad

Pancakes with Fruit

Noodles with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Rice with spinach & feta

Egg-fried rice with peas & green onions

Potato soup (homemade) with garlic bread

Pumpkin soup (homemade) with a green salad

Tomato soup (homemade)

Social Media Revolution

2010-01-06T21:23:00.005-05:00

This video is getting on for a year old now, so some of the numbers are out of date. It is still incredible to me. Chloe's teacher showed it to us at the beginning of the school year. It's amazing to me that in second grade all the kids have a laptop in class for computer time, do video conferencing with other schools, have a blog, and make movies to post (on secure sites).

Be Afraid Gen X: Getting Off the Up Escalator

2010-01-06T19:24:00.005-05:00

No... Not that Generation X! A fairly depressing look at the financial picture for those of us who are Gen X:

From the December 30th Philadelphia Inquirer by Maria Panaritis

Vexed Generation X, going for broke

You are somewhere between 35 and 45 years old, give or take, and you can’t shake the feeling that things just aren’t adding up for you, your family, your generation.
The bosses and politicians in charge — many of whom are older than you — don’t talk about you much, even as your job bites the dust or you gripe about money in the cubicle next door.

You’re still so young, they say. (No hair dye yet.) You can reinvent yourself. (Presto, change-o!) You don’t even like job security. (You Pearl Jam-loving free spirit!) The real sad sacks, they say time and again, are the Baby Boomers. Don’t you read the papers? (You little brat.)

Well, to all 45 million of you sandwiched between the 80 million Boomers and their 88 million kids, I say this:

You are not hallucinating. You are in trouble. And I have the facts right here.
You don’t read the papers, true. But they don’t talk much about you, and neither does TV news. Maybe an uncle, parent or co-worker would be a darling and share? A Facebook post also would do.

Because listen to this, Generation Xer:

If you are a man born between 1964 and 1974, you were earning 12 percent less in 2004 than your father was when he was your age three decades earlier, according to a study by the Economic Mobility Project of the Pew Charitable Trusts.
Let’s attach a dollar figure to that — so that we truly register the generational grand larceny here.

Fathers were making $40,000 as thirtysomethings, compared to $35,000 for their Gen X sons. With help from an Inquirer colleague, I tabulated that Gen Xers lucky enough to continue making that meager $35,000 for the next 30 years without a single pay raise (but at a 2.2 percent annual inflation rate) will have pocketed $227,680 less than the dad who told them to believe in the American Dream.

And that was before the stock market crash of 2008.

In the immortal words of Sex Pistols front man Johnny Rotten (a Boomer, no less): “Don’t be told about what you need / No future, no future, no future for you.”
If you think I’m an alarmist, take comfort in the fact that Pew considered this finding “very disturbing,” too.

“This suggests the up-escalator that has historically ensured that each generation would do better than the last may not be working very well,” wrote authors Isabel V. Sawhill of the Brookings Institution and John E. Morton of Pew.

And yet, the May 2007 report got little coverage, despite its horror-show revelations. Scanning the print-news archives was like a trek through the desert.
In an interview last week, Morton said the finding was “surprising” because, among other things, the economy was doing pretty well during the three decades when Gen Xers became, in my words, Generation Hexed.

“This is a cohort of people who were selected because they were at their prime earnings years,” Morton said. “And yet, over a full 30-year period, they have double-digit declines in income.”

Think about it: $227,680 less in the bank at age 65. And for a generation of workers who, more than those before them, are saving for retirement mostly on their own because pensions are history, 401(k)s are scary, and houses still cost a ton.

Uncool.

A Beautiful Necklace by One of My Favorite Etsians!

2010-01-05T16:37:00.006-05:00

I had to post about PearlEverlasting, a wonderful jewelry artist on etsy. Emily is one of the sweetest and most helpful sellers! And she makes the most gorgeous pieces! They are one-of-a kind or limited edition items and feature 100% recycled silver and 14 karat gold.

Emily has an eye for beautiful stones and some of the best craftsmanship I have run across on etsy. Her designs are elegant, and I just love them. I have several pieces of hers, but I will post one of my favorites here.

Emily's pieces arrive nicely packaged and always quickly - even from across the country. To me, she represents the best of what etsy can be!

Making a Zine

2010-01-04T16:46:00.008-05:00

Chloe and I made little zines over the weekend. With one 8-1/2 x 11 sheet you can make a cute little book - all without staples. This will give you a front and back cover and 6 interior pages.

Step 1: Holding the paper with the long edge to the top, fold the page like a book so the two short ends meet.

Step 2: Fold the book from top to bottom.

Step 3: Fold the left side to meet the right side.

Step 4: Unfold the last two fold. It will look like it did at the end of Step 2 with the first fold still folded.

Step 5: Cut the horizontal fold you just unfolded halfway across the page (from the fold of your paper to the vertical crease- between the pages numbered 3 and 8).
Step 6: Unfold the paper completely.

Step 7: Draw the story. (see numbered panels for orientation of drawings.)
Step 8: Fold the paper in half this time so that the long end meets the other long end.

Step 9: Push the two ends in to make a diamond shape from the cut-out area. Push the diamond closed, and press the pages making the front and back covers the exterior of the book.
And you're done!

A Trip to New Castle

2010-01-02T09:38:00.017-05:00

I can't resist writing more about this little city because it was such a great place to visit. As I mentioned in my previous post, it's located on the Delaware River south of Wilmington.

The city was first known as Fort Casimir when the Dutch who founded the town in 1651. It was subsequently conquered by the Swedes and then the British. When William Penn came to America in 1682, it was his first point of landing.

New Castle really is as if it has been frozen in time. Its historic architecture and cobblestone streets reminded me of other early cities, like Alexandria, VA, but on a smaller scale.

Like a lot of early American towns, it has a village green. The Green was laid out in 1655 by the Dutch Governor, Peter Stuyvesant and was the location of the market, the jail, and the gallows.

Just off the green is this little house, the Dutch House, built in the late 17th century.

The Town Hall and Market House, built in 1823, is typical of the late 18th/early 19th century form of the building. Like it's British precedents, it features a large open area at the street level with municipal functions housed above.

The Old Court House, built in 1732, was Delaware's Capitol until 1777. The building's spire is the compass point for the arc that forms the northern edge of the state.

The oldest church is Immanuel Episcopal, which is located on the Green. It was founded in 1689, and the original structure was built in 1703. However, it burned in 1980 when cinders from a marsh fire ignited the steeple. It has been reconstructed to its historic appearance, incorporating the remaining foundations and walls.

There is a receiving vault - something I had never heard of - in the church yard. Apparently the receiving vault could serve to hold a body if interment was in dispute or could be used to hold bodies through the winter for spring burial.

Between the church and the market house is this monument, made from railway sleepers and honoring the New Castle and Frenchtown railway, built in 1832 and one of the country's first railroads.

Nearby, there is also a statue of William Penn holding "the key to the fort, one turf with a twig upon it, a porringer with river water and sovle." The gifts symbolized his proprietorship of Pennsylvania which at that time included the three lower counties that became the state of Delaware.

From the riverside Battery Park, you can see the Delaware Memorial Bridge, the longest twin suspension bridge in the world.

It was freezing while we were there, but the trip was well worth it!

What I Did Over Winter Vacation

2010-01-01T12:44:00.008-05:00

We've had a busy week. We went to the Comcast Center - the tallest building in Philadelphia. In fact, the tallest "green" building in the country.

They have installed a form of public art - a 2,100 square foot LED screen with resolution 5 times that of HD tv - in the lobby. They show films there year-round for the public to see, and they have a holiday show. Chloe and I went to the regular show back in August, and we went with Philip and his mom to see the holiday show. It's pretty impressive.

Then we went downstairs to the foodcourt and had Belgian frites from di Bruno brothers.

On Tuesday we went to New Castle, Delaware, just south of Wilmington. It's a gorgeous little town on the river and was the point of William Penn's first landing. Here is a photo from the village green.

On Wednesday, we decorated a gingerbread house and then Chloe and I went with her best friend and her friend's mom to Oliver at the Walnut Street Theater in Philadelphia - the oldest operating theater in the US. The show was good, but I had never seen Oliver and thought the end was a bit grim for 8-year olds (although I think it kind of went over their heads).

Yesterday I played mah jongg and then we celebrated New Year's Eve (and Philip's birthday) with champagne, cupcakes, New Super Mario on the Wii, and darts. We did the Philadelphia area thing and banged pots and pans at midnight outside - very strange.

I will close with a picture of Summer ringing in the new year. Happy 2010!

A Favorite Cookie Recipe

2009-12-30T11:21:00.004-05:00

I make these every Christmas, but they are not just for the holidays. My mom always made these when I was growing up. They are a type of thumbprint cookie - super easy and delicious - tender, not crispy.

I use seedless raspberry jam because Chloe likes it best, but I also do them with apricot. You could of course use any jam or jelly you like.

German Tea Cakes

1 cup butter

2/3 cup sugar

2 egg yolks

2 cups flour

Cream butter and sugar. Add yolks, then flour. Form into small balls. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Make a small hole in each cake and fill with jelly. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.

A New Year's Resolution

2009-12-27T22:29:00.003-05:00

I know it's not New Year's yet, but one of my resolutions will be to be more organized. To that end, I organized my jewelry today. My mom had given me some racks for jewelry. I put a lot of the silver pieces that I wear most in little plastic bags and organized them by type (necklace, earrings, bracelet) and stone color on my dresser. That way I can find things more easily.

You can also see my two buddhas I found on etsy here.

Next for organizing, my work table and craft area downstairs...

My little star with the star

2009-12-20T13:47:00.004-05:00

Here's Chloe putting the finishing touch on our Christmas tree yesterday. And here it is done. We had been going to make our annual family event of cutting one down on Saturday, but the snow got in the way. So we bought one in the dark on a lot on Friday night right before the snow began. We (I) took forever to pick one and it was freezing out. The search for the perfect tree...

This morning Philip and I shovelled the drive. And this afternoon will be more baking (will post a favorite recipe tomorrow) and playing cards with Chloe, Philip, and Grandma, who is here visiting from England.

Still much to do before Christmas. I can't believe I haven't yet written one Christmas card. And I still have presents to wrap, and - horrors - four packages to mail. Fortunately they don't matter too much if they are a day or two late. I don't know what happened this year - maybe because Thanksgiving was so late - I got way behind. Must do better next year.

Snowy Day

2009-12-19T18:11:00.004-05:00

It's been snowing here since 2:30 am. Philip is insisting on being out there now, shovelling the drive in the dark like a crazy person despite having a cold.

We decorated our tree, went sledding in the backyard, and made Christmas cookies today. Here are a few snaps from our outdoor adventures.

With Winter A New Shop?

2009-12-11T17:24:00.004-05:00

Here are some pictures I meant to post from my drought of blogging last month. Winter seems to have arrived all of a sudden here - it was bitterly cold today.

It makes me think about adding scarves to my shop again. But I am inclined to open a second etsy shop rather than dilute the CastalianDesigns feel. I am trying to come up with a name. Most of what I do is crochet, so I feel like I can't honestly call it CastalianKnits, which would be my preferred name.

The alternate route would be to add a scarf or two to the existing shop and see if there's any interest. If you have any advice or even just an opinion about it, let me know!

Rolling with the Punches

2009-12-10T16:38:00.006-05:00

Gosh. This is something I wish I could do better. I am a planner at heart. I LOVE to be prepared.

I can't stand when I've spent time planning and things go awry.

On Tuesday, I found out my mother-in-law, who is coming from overseas for the holiday, changed the date of her return flight at the request of the airlines without checking to see if we already had plans for that day. This means she will be going home during the play that I paid an ungodly amount of money for us to see. It also means my husband will be driving her to the airport during the play that I paid an ungodly amount of money for us to see. It was supposed to be the big event we all did as part of her trip. I will be the first to admit I did not take the news well. Anyhoo, now I am seeing if Chloe's best friend and her mom are able to come instead.

Then today I went to pick up photos for our Christmas card at Ritz. Stupid me, I made the file 3 x 5 instead of 3.5 x 5, so the photos are all cropped on one side. And I have 85 of them. Completely my fault, but completely annoying. (I apparently wasn't seeing a preview of the file as it would be printed when I ordered it, just the file as it was.) I have cut the photos down now, so they are a 2.5 x 3.5 of Chloe. It works okay, but again, not according to plan.

I know I need to just let things go. Not everything will be perfect all the time. But I want it to be!

Beginning of the Holidays

2009-11-22T13:13:00.003-05:00

Chloe is off all next week, and we will head down to Virginia to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family. The holidays must be officially here. In honor of them, I planted my annual amaryllis (red, of course), which kicks of the season for me.

Chloe and I also made our favorite chocolate chip cookies this morning - crisp edges and chewy centers. This is the recipe, which comes from Joyofbaking.com:

Chocolate Chunk Cookies

2 cups (260 grams) all purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup (130 grams) granulated white sugar
2/3 cup (140 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups (210 grams) chocolate chunks (can use chocolate chips)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Place one oven rack in the top third of the oven, and one oven rack in the bottom third of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy (about 2 - 3 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg and egg yolk, beating until well combined. Beat in the vanilla extract.

Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and beat just until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Stir in the chocolate chunks.

Form dough into balls, using 1/4 cup (55 grams) for each cookie. Place six balls of dough on each baking sheet. Gently flatten each ball of dough into a 2 1/2 inch (6.5 cm) round. Bake the cookies for about 15-17 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through the baking time. The cookies are done when they are light golden brown in color and just set. They will still seem a little soft but they will firm up as they cool. Remove from oven and let the cookies cool a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool.

Makes about 18 large cookies.

Reviews: 2 Movies and 1 Book

2009-11-15T11:56:00.010-05:00

Yesterday I watched two movies. The first, King Corn, was recommended by my friend, Dina, and the second was Donnie Darko, which Philip wanted to see after reading a New Yorker review of a movie that called the director, Richard Kelly, potentially the next Hitchcock.

King Corn is a documentary that follows two friends on their quest to learn more about the rise of corn in the western diet. Their investigation begins after they find out how much carbon in their hair comes from corn - and not corn on the cob. The two head out to Iowa to raise an acre of corn and find out where it goes. The film discusses the history of farm subsidies, the rise of corn as a crop, the prevalence of corn in processed foods, its use in the meat industry (no slaughterhouse images, for those of you with weak stomachs), and the impact on the health of Americans. It features interviews with farmers, government officials, manufacturers' reps, and Michael Pollan. Definitely interesting.

Donnie Darko is a psychological story with a time-travel element. A cult classic from 2001, it reminded me of a contemporary, non-sci-fi Minority Report. Jake Gyllenhaal was great as the lead - is he a paranoid schizophrenic or not? After a plane engine falls through the roof of his house, Donnie begins to see a mysterious figure that directs him to undertake various malevolent tasks. Donnie struggles to understand what he sees. Really interesting, and not hokey. I heard the director's cut is even better.

Finally, the book I read is The Woman in Black by Susan Hill. Written in the 1980s this novella (140 pages) is a spooky Victorian ghost story full of atmosphere. Solicitor Arthur Kipps heads to a remote English house to deal with wrapping up the affairs of the deceased mistress of the house, Mrs. Drablow. Mysterious strangers, unexplained sounds, and villagers unwilling to go near the house or even talk about it...

I really liked the writing and was drawn along by the plot. A good quick read.

Well, that's it. Off to enjoy this beautiful fall Sunday!

Gorgeous Earrings from Jo!

2009-11-13T11:28:00.006-05:00

Look at these beauties that came from one of my favorite etsians, Jo at Gemheaven!

They are so sparkly and gorgeous.

Jo is one of the sweetest people I have had the pleasure to meet through Etsy. She is so very friendly and super easy to work with. You can check out her shop here. (I love her Bewitched necklace and paranoia cuff.) You can also find her work with Wire Boutique here. (My favorites are the Snow Queen's Bouquet, Apple Blossom, and Amphritite.)

A Great Song from the Shout Out Louds

2009-11-10T16:39:00.002-05:00

Tonight I Have to Leave it

My poor devoted dog...

2009-11-09T19:07:00.004-05:00

I am working on finishing prepping our kitchen ceiling for painting where we had a leak. I have heard more than one plumber think he was a comedian, say...

Well, I have good news and bad news... The good news is your leak is fixed; the bad news is you have a big hole in your ceiling.

To which I say, don't give up your day job.

Poor Summer kept me company while I was working, and here she is.

Steak Chili with Fajita Seasoning

2009-11-08T11:18:00.005-05:00

I made this recipe from October's Cuisine at Home last night. Last Saturday, I had the magazine open to this recipe. When I came in from grocery shopping that day, Philip was disappointed we weren't having this. So I made it yesterday, and it was really good.

Steak Chili with Fajita Seasoning

For the Fajita Seasoning:

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

For the Chili:

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 lbs flat iron steaks, trimmed, cubed, and seasoned with salt and pepper

1/4 cup tequila or 1 water

6 cups diced tomatoes, or 2 cans diced tomatoes (28 oz. each)

2 green bell peppers, seeded and diced (2 cups)

1 white onion, diced (2 cups)

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 1/2 cups beef broth

2 tablespoons flour

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons lime juice

Stir together the ingredients for the fajita seasoning and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a soup pot or dutch oven over medium high heat. Brown half of the meat in the oil. Brown the remaining meat in the remaining oil.

Deglaze pot with tequila or water, scraping up the flavor bits stuck to the pan. Transfer browned meat back to soup pot.

Add tomatoes, bell peppers, diced onion, minced garlic, and the fajita seasoning. Stir in beef stock and flour. Bring to a boil. Partially cover chili; simmer over medium-low heat for 1 hour.

Stir in beans and lime juice just before serving. Garnish with sour cream, cilantro, avocado, and jalapenos.

Endearing Audrey Niffenegger

2009-10-18T13:58:00.004-04:00

I am looking forward to reading Audrey Niffenegger's new book, Her Fearful Symmetry. I enjoyed Time Traveler's Wife.

She seems like a really nice person. This was in The New York Times Book Review this week.

Audrey Niffenegger’s second novel, the ghost story “Her Fearful Symmetry,” enters the hardcover fiction list this week at No. 6. Niffenegger is best known as the author of the megaselling “Time Traveler’s Wife” (in its 16th week on the trade paperback list), but writing is really a second career for her: for decades, she has been a successful painter and printmaker in Chicago, often exploring images of death or the supernatural. Still, as she told USA Today this month, she doesn’t believe in ghosts, or much else. “I was raised Catholic,” she said, “and that’s a good way to raise an atheist.”

On her website, Niffenegger offers a charming reply to fans who wonder why she doesn’t answer e-mail: “Well, I sometimes manage to write back, but I don’t have a very good batting average, I’m sorry about that. I do read all my e-mail. Then I resolve to answer it after I have some more coffee. Then I end up weeks and weeks behind, and it all starts to seem overwhelming. I am in awe of Jodi Picoult, who answers all her e-mail. You should write to her.”

Goodbye, pretty bracelet...

2009-10-12T20:37:00.002-04:00

No picture for this post, and here's why...

I bought a pretty silver bracelet over the weekend for $30. I wore it yesterday. I wore it today. I really liked it.

Now I find tonight I am not wearing it. Hmmm. Called Borders, no luck. Other possibilities - Wawa, the doctor's, my Township building. Most likely a parking lot.

This happened to me once about 20 years ago when I lost a bracelet I loved on a train. I guess I will figure what I figured then... At least I lost it before I got more attached to it.

I hope whoever finds it loves it and that it stays on her wrist.

Pretty New Teapot

2009-10-11T19:50:00.005-04:00

I love tea, but I always drink the bagged stuff. Earl Grey is my favorite.

That said, I have heard that bagged tea can't compare to loose, so I have gotten a new teapot to find out if this is true.

Here it is.It came from iggygee on etsy, and it is gorgeous! And it came quickly and was incredibly well-packaged. (Thanks, Iggy!)

Now for the tea. I am getting some tea from Harney & Sons out in California. Can't wait for my first cup. Earl Grey, of course!

You Are One of the Few Outsiders who Really Understands Us

2009-10-10T09:46:00.002-04:00

A great song from Fanfarlo.

Van Morrison goes to Maine

2009-09-23T23:37:00.003-04:00

This man, Ray Montagne, embodies two things that I love - Van Morrison's style and the great state of Maine. I stumbled across this video because Kelly Osbourne danced to it on Dancing with the Stars, which I don't happen to watch. But I'm glad I saw this. Ignore the crappy video & listen to the song!

Fingersmith - A Review

2009-09-21T19:39:00.006-04:00

I just finished reading Fingersmith over the weekend.

Set in Dickensian London, Fingersmith follows the story of two orphan girls whose lives are intertwined. Full of villains, pickpockets, prisons, asylums, and gothic twists and turns, this was a delightful read.

The writing is wonderful, and the story is riveting. I found that it took me the first fifteen pages to really get into it, but after that I honestly could not put it down!

Women and Happiness

2009-09-20T17:31:00.007-04:00

A series by Marcus Buckingham starting at the HuffingtonPost focusing on women's happiness.

From the first article:

Happiness lost Each year since 1972, the United States General Social Survey has asked men and women: "How happy are you, on a scale of 1 to 3, with 3 being very happy, and 1 being not too happy?" This survey includes a representative sample of men and women of all ages, education levels, income levels, and marital status--1,500 per year for a total of almost 50,000 individuals thus far--and so it gives us a most reliable picture of what's happened to men's and women's happiness over the last few decades.

As you can imagine, a survey this massive generates a multitude of findings, (see the full report by Wharton Professors Betsy Stevenson and Justin Wolfers) but here are the two most important discoveries.

First, since 1972, women's overall level of happiness has dropped, both relative to where they were forty years ago, and relative to men. You find this drop in happiness in women regardless of whether they have kids, how many kids they have, how much money they make, how healthy they are, what job they hold, whether they are married, single or divorced, how old they are, or what race they are. (The one and only exception: African-American women are now slightly happier than they were back in 1972, although they remain less happy than African American men.)

I'll be interested to keep reading.

Why I Don't Have a Vegetable Garden...

2009-09-07T19:35:00.002-04:00

This year anyhow... Maybe I'll get a fence in before next spring.

Yet Another Great Etsy Find!

2009-09-06T12:01:00.003-04:00

This is a beautiful bracelet I bought from Carol Bradley Designs.

Carol is such a sweet and talented designer. When I requested this bracelet, she pointed out to me that I probably could make it myself. But it's her design and wearing her original work feels so much more special to me than trying to recreate what was her vision.

It's a gorgeous bracelet! The design is fabulous, and the craftsmanship is great. I love it and wear it often.

Apples and a Big Belly

2009-09-05T14:07:00.004-04:00

Philip took a day off yesterday, and he and Chloe and I went apple picking. Jonamacs and Galas were ready for picking. Above is a photo of some of what we picked. (Stay tuned to find out what we do with all these apples!)

Also, I recently bought this on etsy from a really nice seller, vintagewares.

When I was little and would go to my grandmother's house, she had a little statue that she called a Laughing Buddha that she kept on the table near the greenhouse entrance. He was carved of wood and stood with his hands over his head and a big grin on his face. (I've since found out that he's not THE buddha, but Budai or, in Japanese, Hotei.)

My grandmother and I would always rub the Buddha's belly for luck. Well, she died almost 25 years ago now, and I don't know what happened to that little wooden figurine. So when I saw this statue on etsy, I had to have it.

Now Chloe and Philip and I rub our Laughing Buddha's belly for luck too!

Some Garden Photos & A Pretty New Ring

2009-09-02T13:55:00.004-04:00

(Sedum)

Philip and I spent much of the weekend weeding and mulching, which gave me a chance to appreciate the colors in the flower beds right now. Here are some photos of what's in bloom. (Nasturtiums)

(Snapdragons)

I also wanted to post about a beautiful ring I bought from SYFjoolz on Etsy. It is a beautiful Montana Agate ring. I love the clean lines and great craftsmanship. I'm no hand model, but here I am wearing this gorgeous piece of art!

A is also for Andalusite

2009-08-19T21:50:00.007-04:00

Andalusite is a really interesting stone. It is pleochroic, meaning that it when viewed from different directions different colors are evident. When faceted, the stone sparkes with reddish-brown, olive green, and brownish-red. The best colour play is seen in fancy shapes. In round cuts, the colours blend together.

The stone is quite hard with a hardness of 7.5. It is durable and wears well. It quite often features inclusions, among the most common of which are rutiles (or needles). Andalusite is untreated.

First found in Andalusia, Spain (hence its name), this stone is also found in Austria, Brazil, Russia, Canada, Sri Lanka, China, and the US (California).

Movies Can Change Your Life?

2009-08-18T00:15:00.003-04:00

Philip and I watched Yes Man recently. While I don't think it will go on my list of all-time favorite movies, I found the premise incredibly powerful.

Jim Carrey stars a Carl, a lonely divorce who has alienated those around him. He falls in with a cheesy self-help program and begins to say yes to every opportunity before him. Before you know it, his life has changed.

While predictable, the movie does make you look at your life and wonder how your attitude shapes events around you. I think it may even make me say yes to more of the opportunities that come my way!

A is for Apatite

2009-08-17T19:25:00.010-04:00

I've been thinking that I might make some notes about some of the stones I work with and my experiences working with them. I figured I would start with an A - apatite. It is a gorgeous if tempermental stone.

Although it comes in a variety of colors including blue, greenish yellow, greenish blue, soft pink, and violet, I have seen it most often in varying shades of blue. You can see a range of blues - from peacock to London blue - from the photos here.

According to The Jeweler's directory of Gemstones, it's name is from the Greek word for "deceive" because it is often easily confused with other minerals like beryl, topaz, zircon, tourmaline, and sphene. Source countries include: Brazil, Canada, Mozambique, Madagascar, Mexico, Myanmar, Russia, Spain, Sri Lanka, and the US (California.) Typical inclusions are black carbon specks, cloudy inclusions, and fibrous inclusions (silk). It may be heat-treated to improve color and lessen inclusions.

A really lovely stone, it can be frustrating to work with because it is extremely brittle. I've had briolettes crack while I was stringing them because of pressure from adjacent stones. The corners also can chip relatively easily. At 5 Mohs, it is also fairly soft.

I've had better luck with more solid forms like teardrop briolettes and rondelles than with more delicate pear-shaped briolettes. In fact, because the necklace below needs delicate adjustment to be worn, I've kept it for myself. I love it, but I couldn't sell it because it does need to be handled in a particular way to make sure the briolettes don't crack.

Sunlight and Shadows Bracelet

2009-08-16T12:41:00.003-04:00

Yes, I couldn't resist creating another new bracelet... I love this color palette! I used champagne citrine pear-shaped briolettes, sunny citrine onion briolettes, tanzanite rondelles, iolite twists, and tundra sapphire and tourmaline rondelles in hues of gold and cinnamon. All wrapped with sterling silver. It is listed here.

Great Giveaway at Sma Bla's Blog...

2009-08-11T21:44:00.003-04:00

Check out this great giveaway at Sma Bla's blog. Don't you just love these Blue Shells earrings? I know I'm probably decreasing my chance of winning by posting the photo, but they are too gorgeous not to share!

Thanks Wintergarden!

2009-08-10T23:53:00.003-04:00

Lucky me! I was featured in a by hand spotlight by wintergarden

Thanks, Glenda!

Wintergarden has a wonderful shop as well, which you can check out here.

Here's one of my favorite pieces from Wintergarden:

I Don't Do Facebook...

2009-08-09T19:35:00.000-04:00

John Hughes...

2009-08-07T01:41:00.003-04:00

I can't believe John Hughes died. He completely influenced my high school days. Molly Ringwald was my heroine, and I loved his soundtracks. I never hear Whistle Down the Wind without thinking of Sixteen Candles. And Ferris Bueller was another in my canon of high school films. And Chloe loves that movie now!

Another new bracelet

2009-08-04T22:11:00.004-04:00

Okay. I need my head examined. Why do I keep making bracelets when it's earrings that sell?

I think it's because I make what I would wear, and at heart I am a bracelet person.

This is the latest one - called the Happiness Bracelet - because it makes me happy. It is listed here.

Depeche Mode at the Borgata

2009-08-03T00:17:00.002-04:00

We went to see Depeche Mode at the Borgata last night. Yes, it was Chloe's first concert. At 7 years old she was probably the youngest there, but she really wanted to see them.

Holy heck, was it hot in there! Philip & I stayed toward the back so we could lift Chloe up to watch without getting squashed or blocking other people's views. It was a wonderful show! The first time I saw them was in 1984. Have seen them on 7 or 8 tours since. This was my first general assembly show for them. (Tried to see them at the Bayou in DC, but in 1983/84, but couldn't get in b/c I was too young.)

At any rate, it was a great show, Dave's recent injuries not withstanding. The band was in terrific form. And seeing them there was kind of like seeing a band at a high school reunion. Kind of a weird venue - very different from where I've seen them in the past.

I was surprised we were on the younger end of the crowd there, but maybe at $125 a ticket, a lot of younger people couldn't swing it. Also since it substituted for their Philadelphia location, maybe it was hard to get to for city dwellers. I have to say I was surprised they didn't play Philly - it was a hike from there for us, especially since Elton John/Billy Joel traffic was clogging up 95. (Gone are the days when I would have gotten there at 4pm for the VIP wristband to get you to the front - especially with Chloe in tow...) We contented ourselves with staying out of the fray to hear:

In Chains
Wrong
Hole To Feed
Walking In My Shoes
It's No Good A Question Of Time
Precious
Fly On The Windscreen
Jezebel
A Question Of Lust
Come Back
In Your Room
I Feel You
Enjoy The Silence
Never Let Me Down Again

Encore: Stripped
Personal Jesus

Saw their set list before the show, and they cut out three songs: Strangelove, Master and Servant, and Waiting for the Night to Fall. Too bad... Have heard it might be because of a curfew or because of the oppressive heat in the venue.

At any rate, it was a fab show. The graphics for the album and show are not as strong as they were when Anton was working with them, but the music was great. More bluesy-influenced guitar from Martin than when I have seen them previously.

Chloe's favorite was Personal Jesus. She and I missed hearing John the Revelator. And I would have loved to hear Goodnight Lovers. Oh well... Still a great show. And glad to see Dave on his feet! Yay!

New in Shop

2009-07-24T12:11:00.005-04:00

I've been thinking about this one for a while, but work has been keeping me busy. I finally got moving on it on Wednesday night and stayed up until 1:30 in the morning to finish it. I got a chance to photograph it this morning and listed it in the shop here. I love the lemon (chalcedony, quartz, and topaz) and pink (pearls and tourmaline) together!

Obama or Ninja?

2009-06-23T16:19:00.005-04:00

Can you believe PETA was upset about Obama killing a fly?

So they sent him this, the Katcha Bug Humane Bug Catcher...

Doesn't this diminish all the legitimate points they make?

New Puzzle Game

2009-06-19T16:55:00.001-04:00

A fun new puzzle: Escape the Bathroom

It's Over...

2009-06-17T23:15:00.008-04:00

The last episode of the ABC series The Unusuals aired tonight. I can't tell you how infrequently I find tv shows I watch. I think the last drama for me was 24 - the first three seasons. But I watched and loved The Unusuals... Quirky show, great acting, fabulous cast. What a shame that ABC cancelled such a smart, interesting, and funny show.

I adored Adam Goldberg in this... Unfortunately this isn't the first show I've seen him in get cancelled. Amber Tamblyn was also something else.

I really hope this gets picked up by a cable network. What a gem! Good work, Noah Hawley! Keep it up. Save me from all the dross out there on television!

Hilarious Jaywalking from Jay Leno

2009-06-15T21:42:00.001-04:00

Back from the Mountain State

2009-05-17T19:40:00.006-04:00

I was in West Virginia again for work earlier this week. They weren't kidding when they gave it the nickname, "the Mountain State." Here's a view out the window shortly after leaving Charleston.

Listen to your stones...

2009-04-27T14:25:00.002-04:00

I've been so busy with work lately I have been neglecting my shop. However, I did find time to finish these earrings. They've been sitting on my table as the beginnings of a bracelet for over a week. I kept trying to rework them into a bracelet design, but wasn't happy with the way it was coming out. Maybe that's because they wanted to be earrings all along & I wasn't listening hard enough.

Elinor Dashwood?!!!

2009-04-25T17:08:00.001-04:00

Take the Quiz here!

Revolutionary Road - Review

2009-04-24T16:29:00.008-04:00

I recently finished reading Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates. I found it to be really well-written and quite interesting, and I thought its depiction of life in suburbia, where I live, was well-drawn.

The book focuses on Frank and April Wheeler and their unhappiness in their marriage and their suburban life. Frank hates his white-color job. April feels stifled and unfulfilled at home raising their two kids. They feel superior to the monotony around them, but do they have the really have the courage or the drive to escape it?

I think the thing that was the most haunting is that sense that probably most of us have had at one point or another -- that you are really not as extraordinary as you thought you were.

A sad but beautiful book.

A fun game for your brain...

2009-04-18T16:26:00.003-04:00

I've recently discovered BonteGames. I really liked playing Loose the Moose.

Cass Gilbert, Jr. - In the Shadow of a Legend

2009-04-16T20:52:00.011-04:00

I've been doing some research on Cass Gilbert lately. He was a fabulous architect, responsible for a number of wonderful buildings including the Minnesota State Capitol, the US Supreme Court Building, and the Woolworth Building in New York.

However, I've been intrigued by story of his son, who worked in his father's office and operated it after his father's death. Cass Gilbert, Jr. seemed to live in the shadow of his father. The most notable works that are attributed to him are his father's projects he brought to completion after Cass, Sr. died in 1934.

In the late 1940s, Cass Jr. and his wife were driving in Connecticut when he ran into a haywagon full of young adults, sending about 20 of them to the hospital. He was convicted of drunk driving, given a steep fine, and sentenced to a year in jail.

Cass Gilbert, Jr. had few projects after that, and most, if not all, that he did have related to his father's work. When he died, there was little note of it in the papers.

Cass Jr.'s son, Cass Gilbert III, a minister, died this year in Bennington, VT. Between these pieces, I think there must be a fascinating, and perhaps tragic, life story.

Images courtesy of the Library of Congress

Goodnight Lovers

2009-04-15T21:25:00.001-04:00

Just to balance the video below, here's one of my favorite recent Depeche Mode songs live.

Depeche Mode - Wrong

2009-04-15T19:46:00.003-04:00

The new Depeche Mode album (showing my age there) is due out soon. The first video, Wrong, has been released. This is it. A little disturbing - it has a sort of Clockwork Orange feel to me, but I like the song.

Norton vs. Malwarebytes

2009-04-14T16:49:00.004-04:00

We have Norton Antivirus 2009 on our pc (Windows with all the security updates). When I opened up explorer yesterday, it started wigging out. So I ran a full scan on all drives using Norton. Nothing... No infected files. Just a little old tracking cookie, which I diligently deleted.

That didn't seem right, so I did a little digging and found and installed a free anti-spyware program, Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware. It found three infected files - two hotkeys and one bad-sounding little *$!?# called backdoor.bot.

Removed them, but now it has me wondering how good Norton really is. My internet behavior is pretty non-risky -- google news, etsy, a few blogspot websites, flickr, the library, and occasionally twitter. (Wish I had to visit paypal more!) I do google search, but I'm pretty careful about what I click on. Philip may be a little more adventurous, but not much. I used to use spybot to catch spyware, but I hear that's not as good anymore.

I'm not sure we'll renew with Norton when the time comes around again. I've been reading others with pretty much the same comment. Maybe we'll check out AVG. At any rate, malwarebytes is a handy little free download that so far seems to work pretty well.

Cute craft to do with your kid

2009-04-13T18:54:00.004-04:00

Chloe and I made this cute blanket. To do this project you will just need two coordinating pieces of fleece, each measuring 5' x 3'.

Holding the two pieces together (right sides facing away from each other), cut out a 7" square from each of the four corners of the fleece sandwich.

Along the uncut edges of the fleece, between where you cut the squares out, still holding the two pieces together, you will cut the blanket fringe. The fringe strips should be about 1" wide and cut about 7" into the blanket, so that the interior cut end of the fringe aligns with the interior edge of the square you just cut out.

Tie a knot in each of the fringe pairs and you're done!

One of Millions Online

2009-04-12T21:56:00.005-04:00

I started out writing this blog to promote my shop, but I seem to write less about etsy and more about daily life. I guess that's because etsy is not full time for me, and because I find it easier to write about day-to-day stuff. I sometimes wonder why I write this then, rather than keep a diary. Although I must admit that I've always been crap at keeping diaries. No Anne Frank, me.

At any rate, here's one guy's bid to be noticed among all the online bloggers/vloggers.

Pretty Chitty Bang Bang

2009-04-12T16:58:00.006-04:00

We went to see Chitty Chitty Bang Bang on tour at the Philadelphia Academy of Music (the Broadway on tour series) this afternoon. Chloe had really liked the movie, so this seemed like a good play to go to. She had been to some smaller productions before, but nothing like this. It was really spectacular - especially the sets and the effects. And Steve Wilson, who played Caractacus Potts, was very good. (Although he couldn't make me forget Dick Van Dyke in the dance numbers.)

Lately, Chloe has been saying she would like to try set design, and I think this made her more interested than ever. Then again, she's only seven, and I'm not a lawyer or a vet, which were both on my list when I was her age... I don't think architect ever occurred to me until after college. But I digress...

Next on our list to see is Wicked, which comes to Philadelphia in January. None of us has seen it, but Chloe is intrigued since she has seen the Wizard of Oz. We had such a great time in New York earlier this week, we may even go up there to see it before then!

Start Spreading the News...

2009-04-11T16:50:00.003-04:00

We went to New York on Thursday and came back Friday. It was Chloe's first trip there. We had a great time!

We went to the Empire State Building (#1 on Chloe's list of things to do) where we had to wait in the most enormous queue. Finally, after 2-1/2 hours we were at the top. It was spectacular, as always, although I must say that we won't be doing that again any time too soon!

We went to Central Park next, and then Times Square in the evening. Chloe had read books featuring both the Guggenheim and Central Park, so those were also on the list.

On Friday we walked from our hotel in the Bryant Park area (Chloe and Philip spent the morning saying "Thank you, Mood.") Then went to the Public Library, Rockefeller Center, and, of course, FAO Schwartz. Couldn't leave the toy store empty-handed, so now Chloe has a new stuffed dog, named, creatively enough, Fluffy.

Then on to Central Park again - this time to climb rocks and go to the zoo. Chloe was disappointed that there are no lions, giraffes, zebras, or hippos. Madagascar truly qualifies as fiction.

Now home for a quiet Saturday. Baking an apple cake and beginning a new book, Drood.

The Most Wonderful Giveaway...

2009-04-08T17:26:00.003-04:00

Check out the talented Lampwork Treasures' Beautiful Giveaway here!

Three gorgeous pendants up for grabs. And three chances to win! What could be better?

Wire wrapping...

2009-04-06T11:08:00.003-04:00

I've started to experiment more with wire wrapping. I need to work on my technique, but I've begun practicing with copper and glass. I am trying to develop a few patterns to try out with silver and stone. Here's my first attempt.

If the 90s had never happened...

2009-03-27T15:02:00.003-04:00

I lived in London in the late 80s. Music was fabulous. What happened?

Watched Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist the other week. What a great soundtrack. Picks up where the late 80s/early 90s left off. Here's a track.

LEED AP

2009-03-27T14:02:00.005-04:00

I passed the LEED NC exam on Monday and am now a LEED AP. (Yay!) I'm now trying to get on top my commission work for next Thursday and push a report out the door for work. I have a bracelet underway and another one planned, but I cannot seem to find time to work on them or finish reading Revolutionary Road. I think if I can get through next week, I'll finally return to a normal existence. Or what passes for normal around here anyway.

Lions and Tigers and Bears, oh my!

2009-03-16T22:43:00.007-04:00

We watched the Wizard of Oz with Chloe on Saturday night. It's funny how fast she's growing up. Last year it would have been too scary, but this year it was just right.

It's also amazing how well that film has held up over time. It had been years since I saw it, and it was fun to see it again. It's true what they say about how seeing the world through your child's eyes is like a second childhood.

Scarves

2009-03-09T13:10:00.005-04:00

I was wearing my blue scarf I made the other day, when my friend Natalie said she liked it. I promised to make her one. She's wears lighter colors than I do, and asked for a robin's egg blue or aqua palette. So I made her this using organic cotton and bamboo last night. Hope she likes it.

I've been toying with the idea of adding scarves to my etsy shop, but can't decide.