When I get low, I get high.

Fiona Apple + Nickel Creek

Damn your eyes!

Just one of those days. Oh, Johnny Cash, you are missed.

Sweet.

I would love to make this Knitty skirt in a plum color. I am always nervous about apparel knitting projects though, because what if I put in the time to make it and then don't like the way it fits? Being unemployed at present, I have oodles of time, though.

All the trouble you looked for all your life.

The genius boys of Spoon combine so many tasty sounds on last year's Transference that it is hard to pick which track is my favorite. The whole album is a good one for walking in the cold.

Trouble, baby, doesn't always come in threes.

Wasted hours in the library of man.

The night was young, and so were we.

Hear me

It seems like most of the new music I fall in love with lately is from commercials. Either commercials are getting better, or I watch too much television. Anyway, Sean Hayes  "Powerful Stuff," coming to a Subaru commercial near you.

What brought us to this.

So envious of Anna Ternheim's voice.

What can I do?

I know this song is everywhere, but I cannot get enough of it.

Sunny

Love this print by Souvenirs from Wonderland.

Traveling light.

Lovely vintage train case from a flea market this morning. It doesn't look like it was ever used, but my interest in it is the "Amelia Earhart" brand. I think this is destined to house some of my old camera collection, or else go on display in its own right.

Perfect

I went for a walk at sunset today and this song just felt so right.
Kaki King is a goddess.

Perpetual Motion

"Perpetuum Mobile" by the Penguin Cafe Orchestra. I know I've heard this one elsewhere, but last night I watched "Mary & Max" and fell in love with the song all over again.

I recommend the movie, too.

Adventures in rice pudding.

This is my improvised "I should have either gotten rice pudding at the restaurant today, or else I should have gone to the grocery store and at least gotten cinnamon and real milk" rice pudding recipe, since I couldn't find a recipe that used the sad assortment of ingredients I had at my disposal. Against all odds, it's amazing.

6 c water

1 tsp nutmeg
1 c brown basmati rice
3 c skim milk
2/3 c sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Boil water and nutmeg.
Stir in rice. Cook on low heat until rice is soft and water has evaporated.
Add skim milk, sugar, and salt. Cook for another 15 minutes or until mixture thickens.

Wow & Flutter

April Smith & the Great Picture Show, "Wow & Flutter." This song is in a current commercial for Wisps, which are fucking awesome in their own right.

I love you, Mark Strong

...even though you don't get to be handsome in movies very often. Or likeable. But I know the truth, Mark Strong, and I appreciate you for it.

But seriously, I know I've posted before extolling the virtues of Mark Strong but I saw Robin Hood today and I thought one more round was warranted. If you aren't familiar with him, you're wrong. Because he's been in pretty much every movie ever made. Okay, not so. But he's in Robin Hood (villain with scary face scar), Sherlock Holmes (villain with snaggle-tooth), Body of Lies (complicated character, though he does get to be handsome in that one at least; see the photo), Stardust (villain), Sunshine (scariest villain ever) and the list goes on. Rocknrolla is an exception to the supporting-actor rule; he's a lead in that one. He's versatile, great with accents, and his voice gives me chills.

Look for him next year in the Green Lantern (as, yes, a villain). And hopefully some more stuff where we can actually root for him.

I heard you asking for it.

"Hell's Bells" from Cary Ann Hearst, who has to be the coolest lady around.

Be kind to me, or treat me mean.

Even though I specifically remember where I was the first time I heard this song (my car, November 2005, Dublin, Ohio...) for some reason it is inexplicably spring-y and hopeful in my mind. From the eternally marvelous Fiona Apple, who owes me new music in the worst way.

101 things in 1,001 days.

Claire inspired me to do this, and so here it is. My own Day Zero Project, a listy of 101 things in 1,001 days. This list is active starting today, and it will live over there under "Elsewhere" until the conclusion of the 1,001 days, which is about 2 3/4 years. Is anyone else skeptical about my ability to clean out the trunk of my car in the next 2 3/4 years? Yeah. Anyway, here we go.

Travel
1. Get my passport
2. Use my passport
3. Visit Seattle
4. Go to NYC with someone who has never been there before
5. Go to the beach

Creative pursuits
6. Submit at least 10 things to literary mags
7. Knit myself a cardigan
8. Give exclusively handmade gifts for Christmas
9. Play at Gallery Hop at least 5 times
10. Finish recording my full-length CD
11. Put this list on my blog
12. Establish a routine for posting on my blog
13. Join a writers' group
14. Make my own soap
15. Start another novel
16. Finish it
17. Do something with it
18. Enter a songwriting competition

19. Take photos of that insane Wonderbread sign before they sell the building Disqualified: they took the sign down

20. Write a poem every day for a month
21. Start a new etsy shop to pay off my library fine! Counting this as done because I paid the fine in full.
22. Make an art card every day for a month
23. Inspire someone else to write something
24. Write 10 new songs (10/10)
25. Put new songs on my Myspace music page

Big stuff
26. Live in the same place for longer than 18 months
27. Find someone to date who doesn't suck
28. Pay off credit card debt
29. Buy a new car (I'll need one within 1001 days...)
30. Graduate!
31. Save up for a pair of Fryes instead of buying crap from Target
32. Go on a vacation for at least 5 days
33. Learn how to relax / control anxiety better

Quality of life
34. Do some form of exercise at least 3 times a week and keep it up for at least 10 weeks
35. Take a tap class
36. Buy a bike
37. Try vegetarianism for a month
38. Try veganism for...a week
39. Get real health insurance
40. Walk Columbus half-marathon with my parents (Fall 2010)
41. Stop saying "like" as an all-purpose verb
42. Try Pilates
43. Learn 5 tried-and-true recipes by heart
44. Learn how to make a salad at a salad bar so that it doesn't turn out like a Dumpster Salad
45. Cure my caffeine addiction
46. Try going carless for a week
47. Go to a therapist
48. Get totally, completely, forget-it-ever-mattered over __________
49. Stop fiddling with my cell phone so much

Organization
50. Clean out my closet
51. Clean out my trunk once and for all
52. Organize my desk and file cabinet
53. Make my bed every day for a month

Good will
54. Pay my library fine
55. Donate graphic design services to a local non-profit
56. Buy someone dinner just because
57. Loan out my favorite books with no intention of getting them back
58. Make scarves for a homeless charity
59. Give to NPR
60. Send postcards to everyone who matters

Appearance
61. Get tattoo #6
62. Buy The Perfect Black Heels
63. Get tattoo #7
64. Buy a decent bra
65. Nose piercing?
66. Find the black pencil skirt of my dreams
67. Drop 1 dress size

Upgrade
68. Buy pots and pans that aren't pathetic
69. Get a new cell phone
70. Get new glasses
71. Upgrade my makeup collection
72. Find a bedspread I like
73. Buy an amazing, expensive (?), last-forever bag
74. Buy an iron

Higher learning
75. Finish Level 1 of Rosetta Stone Russian
76. Apply to NYU & Hunter College MFA programs per my pact with Jessica
77. Learn to shoot a gun (research purposes!)
78. Learn the proper way to sew on a button so the experience isn't so agonizing
79. Teach Claire to play a song
80. Learn to like red wine

Just because
81. Get a Russian penpal
82. See Regina Spektor in concert
83. See a real play in a real theater
84. Send birthday cards to everyone
85. Send thank you notes whenever I get a gift
86. Make creme brulee
87. Read Flannery O'Connor
88. Go out for good sushi
89. Go to Shakespeare in the Park
90. Learn to drive a manual transmission
91. Buy the Elsa Peretti K pendant from Tiffany & Co because i've been wanting it for years  Joanna bought it for me :)
92. Sell my old computer
93. Do a thrift store scavenger hunt
94. Visit a winery
95. Go to an estate sale
96. Buy myself flowers
97. Host a party
98. Try 1 new restaurant every week for a month
99. Go out to dinner by myself without a book
100. Replace the battery in my watch
101. Give that guy his Georg Simmel book back

Extra Credit

102. Fix front screen door so I can actually have the door open

103. Make screen for bedroom window so I can actually have the window open

Do you really know the difference?

Ohioan Joey Hebdo, who rocked the house at the Rumba Cafe last night.

Rest in pieces.

Here is a shot from my Lubitel, in memory of The Stove. Shortly after I took this photo, The Stove randomly stopped working and was hauled off by the landlord (after first sitting on my back porch for 3 days, which was exactly as classy as it sounds) and has probably been junked by now, but I maintain it was a thing of retro beauty despite the fact that the clock didn't work, the timer didn't work, one of the burners didn't work, and eventually, the oven part didn't work either. The Stove's replacement is brand new but also ugly and soulless and has no window in the door--hardly an equal substitute.

When we are not good enough.

Staring at your photograph.

Beth Wood should be hella famous. I special-ordered her debut CD from Borders when I was like 14. Sadly, I think she's still just as hard to find.

What do you need?

Undefinable Need turns 9 months today! Please go visit, and tell the Internet what you need right now. It's easy. And fun. Kind of. And if you need more that 1 thing, feel free to enter as many as you like. Anyway, it lives here. Go on, now.

Life's a great balancing act.

Yesterday would have been Dr. Seuss's birthday--106 years old. I'm a bit obsessed with the man's work, both the words and the art, because being a writer and artist myself, I am in absolute awe of his ability to make nonsense so very meaningful. Today's title is from Oh, the Places You'll Go! which, aside from being a fairly common graduation gift, is a lovely and (oh God, I'm going to say the i-word) inspiring poem that makes me feel hopeful despite the bleakest bleak sky through my window right now.

Cameradventures.

The vintage camera gods are smiling on me lately. These are two new acquisitions: a Lomo Lubitel-2 (manufactured in the USSR 1955-1977) and an Eastman-Kodak Duaflex II (circa 1950-54). Both are medium format cameras, 120 film in the Lomo and the now-extinct 620 film in the Kodak. So far I've only tested the Lomo, and I am happy to report that it is in brilliant working order. Here's a shot from it:

It's worth mentioning that this camera (found via Craigslist) even came with the original Lomo leather case, which is rare indeed. If you haven't heard of Lomos before, there is an entire photo communitydevoted to them.

I'm testing the Kodak this week, thanks to eBay and the camera nerds out there who are still selling 620 film.

Such great heights.

Luke Beard is creating artwork based on a song lyric, every day for a year. Him: brilliant. Me: jealous. Found via Hot Child in the City.

Halide.

This color makes me quiver with excitement. I have no idea what it must be like to have a dress custom-made for me, but I'd sure like to find out.

It's true.

Yes, I just posted a video of a car commercial. But: I think this is a fun ad for an interesting campaign ("The freedom to change your mind..."), and, most importantly, what a great song. It's called "Oh Boy" by Miss Li.

Taken by a nursery rhyme.

Haunting.

This gives me chills.

Lesson time.

Have you seen Obsessive Consumption? Brilliant blog (& now a book) detailing one woman's "battle" with consumerism. Kate Bingaman-Burt draws what she buys and posts it on her blog. It's visually interesting, but it also makes you think twice before you grab a bunch of crap off the check-out aisle at Target. Consumerism is a pretty complex and interesting topic, and I really like her approach.

I also really like Annie Leonard's "The Story of Stuff," a blunt but fun look at the problems related to consumerism. Here, now, the latest in the series: a look at the front-running "solution" to the climate change problem. I just wanted to share!

Hiroshima.

"Hiroshima" by Daniela Spector. I wish I could speak Hebrew so I could sing along with this gorgeous melody.

Knitting as character-building?

I made this for my friend Jess, after she showed me a picture of a J. Crew oatmeal-colored aran scarf she liked. I did my best. Knitting cables is a pretty hardcore experience, but the triumphant feeling I had when it was all over pretty much made it worth it. I used Bernat Roving, which is cheap but pretty neat to work with, and size 11 needles.

It's cold.

Snuggling is the only option.

Statement

Badass bedspreads are generally hard to find. I think this qualifies.

Clever.

Trixie Delicious is full of lovely, ladylike plates and teacups that have been modified with decidedly un-ladylike statements. This falls into the category of "things I wish I had thought of."

Sweet as can be.

Nellie McKay has a new CD--a Doris Day tribute comprised of delightfully stripped-down (no Broadway-esque arrangements here...and no "Que Sera Sera" either, for which I'm grateful) jazz numbers and a completely adorable photo spread in the liner notes. Nellie's voice is perfectly suited to songs such as these and it makes for a very enjoyable listen, although nothing can quite top her debut album: "Get Away from Me" (best title Ever.)

Want.

Paint by number dishes from Anthropologie. I saw them in the flesh today and thought, "What would I do with dishes that cost $8 each?" But then I realized: it doesn't matter. Having them would be fun enough.

Tell your story walking.

Deb Talan, inspired by the brilliant Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem. "tell your story walking" is my next tattoo, by the way.