This is not the video I wanted to embed here.


But it's still funny and you should watch it.

But what you should REALLY watch is the video that the video is ABOUT. And you can find that HERE.

Go. Go watch it. Right now.

Doesn't that just make you feel all warm and gooey inside?

What?

That's just me?

oh.

I know this is hardly an original sentiment, but I heart Glee and Modern Family so, so much.

You know how I always say that Michael Cera is so asexual? No? Well, I totally DO say it. I say it on a practically daily basis. Poor, poor asexual and eternally thwarted Michael Cera. But wait.
Check this out:



Maybe all he ever needed was an alter ego. Maybe that's all any of us needs.

I haven't made a real mix since spring. I don't know if you've noticed. I've noticed. My relationship with music has been weird these past few months. Since Eric died in June, my ipod's a minefield...I have to tread lightly and with a quick trigger finger to skip all the songs that might hurt too much (and there are more of them than I expected).

But. Here. It's a mix. It's not the best mix I ever made. But it's the one I have to make before I can make any others. And I know this to be true because I can already feel all the other mixes bubbling now that this one is done. Get ready for some music, people (although not necessarily cover art. i'm feeling stifled).


ghost

My washing machine broke down yesterday. About time, I suppose. I got it second hand over a decade ago, for $100. A replacement wasn't exactly what I wanted to spend money on in December, but oh, well. Looked around a bit online before trying to order through Home Depot (since they deliver and install for free, yay!), but the earliest they could deliver was DECEMBER 17. Whaaaaa?

Ended up ordering from Lowe's instead and they just showed up with my shiny new washer. You can suck it, Home Depot.

UPDATE: Right after posting this, I realized they brought me the wrong washer. They brought me a nice washer. Like, twice as nice (and more than twice as expensive) as the one I ordered. I called them and told them (I don't want anyone getting in trouble over it, especially at Christmas), and they're coming back to switch them out. Ah, well. For one brief moment I had the nicest washing machine on the block.*


* I don't actually know this to be true. I don't make a habit of scoping out my neighbors' laundry appliances.

The weekend was way too productive for my taste. I prefer more napping, brunches, etc, but spent a lot of time painting my office instead. Still, it's DONE, and I'm pretty happy with the results.





Ignore the awful light fixture -- this used to be the dining room (not that it's ever been used as such), and I need to have a ceiling fan installed so that I don't melt when summer comes.

I know that the colors would drive some people crazy, but they make me happy, and that's what counts!

I have NO desire to get married again, ever. But sometimes I see wedding ideas that make me go "Awww!" in much the same way that teeny tiny shoes make my heart flutter even though I have NO desire to have a baby.

One of my facebook friends posted a link to these completely stunning wedding photos and it's enough to make me want to get married (except not really). The funny thing about finding this link via facebook is that [A] it was a guy who posted it, [B] it's a guy who I almost dated once, except that I kinda-sorta "accidentally" brought along another date on the date which I think disqualifies it as a date. Did I ever tell you that story? No? That's because it's not very flattering to me (although I still find it pretty funny, which doesn't reflect very well on me, either). And yet we are facebook friends. Sometimes the internets is a funny place, yes?

BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT. Why are you letting me blather on? I was talking about weddings, look:

They screenprinted their invitations on vintage handkerchiefs. This couple is cool and they should be my best friends. And screen print random things on handkerchiefs for me.


Then they wrapped them up like this to mail them out.


They hung many chandeliers from a tent frame, just to make me happy (that IS why they did it, right?).


And I'm pretty sure they DIDN'T use these, but I found them on etsy and they are adorable. Remember cootie catchers? Now they are wedding favors!


Anyway, if you are as smitten with all these as I am, you can see many more lovely ideas and pictures from their wedding here. It's actually a five part post, so make sure you click around to see all of it.

So. I've been working from home for a month now. For the most part, it's going pretty smoothly and I'm staying motivated most of the time. I won't say I haven't given in to temptation and taken a nap a time or five. But they've been mainly catnaps, and I've definitely been working more than my forty hours.

I'm beginning to dig my office, too -- after furnishing it primarily with flea market finds (and an almost sickening amount of office equipment), it's looking kind of cute. All that's left to do is paint...the colors I chose should definitely keep me awake -- turquoise and a green that flirts with chartreuse. I picked up the paint and supplies at the hardware store today. The guy that checked me out (in more ways than one) offered to come help me paint. It would have been a tempting offer if it wasn't, y'know, creepy. I hate painting. Well. I don't hate painting -- I hate the stuff that goes along with it like moving furniture and taping off the woodwork.

But I'm hoping to get it done this weekend and then maybe I will post pictures of my ever-so-colorful overstuffed office.

I am the Grilled Cheese Champion OF ALL TIME. Forget Thanksgiving and eat a gooey grilled cheese sandwich with 57 different cheeses. And jalapenos. Yum.

The weekend was kind of awesome. Catching a show, which I haven't done in too long (and need to make time for), and then Jess and I hit the fleamarket on Sunday. I always love the fleamarket, but the best part is that while looking for an ATM in the nearby exhibits building, we stumbled into a fencing tournament. OH, FENCING. I was mesmerized, seriously. I want to fence! When I went to school, we didn't have cool stuff like fencing or archery or any of the other things that I like to imagine I would excel at (even though I know I would actually be awful at both). I always dreaded gym, because I am hopelessly unathletic and uncoordinated. The only days I enjoyed were the ones where we played with a parachute -- did you get to do that? WASN'T THAT GREAT?

After doing some research, it looks like there's actually a big fencing association about 20 minutes from me. They do free intro classes on Friday nights, and seem to make it pretty easy for someone who wants to try this stuff out. I think I might like to check into it. Because uncoordinated people and sharp pointy things go together, right?

Opening bands are interesting, aren't they? Ever-so-occasionally they are the band you actually came to see. Usually they are just a bonus gift that you get free-with-purchase. And every great once in a while, the opening bands are completely unknown quantities, which means the evening is a crapshoot. You'll either roll your eyes and clap politely (mainly applauding the fact that they are DONE with another song), or you'll discover a new band to love.

Chris and Jess and I went to Lola's last night to catch Bishop Allen, which was weird enough in itself since Lola's is a teeny-tiny bar in Fort Worth that usually gets bands with a little less blog-buzz. We caught the last half of the first band's set -- The Noble Chocolatiers were mainly forgettable. Then the second band started setting up, and they were interesting before they ever started playing. I don't think I can even accurately describe this band (although I think it's worth mentioning that we're STILL arguing about the guitarist's gender).

Darwin Deez took forever setting up and trying to communicate with the sound man. Some angry guy behind us kept yelling at them to just PLAY something, and we were not the only people in the place making "sibilance, sibilance" jokes. The band seemed to be taking it all very seriously, and when they finally finished set-up, they left the stage so that they could make an entrance, complete with a musical intro (I don't actually think it was The Final Countdown, but that's what I'm imagining in my head as I write this). They lined up on stage and did a weird little dance and the crowd laughed but I think there was also a little bit of a "Who do you think you are, anyway?" attitude. Opening bands usually get on and get off, and try not to make a spectacle of themselves. This band was double-dog daring everyone not to like them. I had my doubts, but you have to respect someone who's willing to call a pocket before taking their shot.

AND THEY WERE AWESOME. Goofily, laughably awesome. They took breaks between practically every song to do crazy choreographed dances to 80s music. At one point they threw huge handfuls of dum-dums into the crowd (which is very fun until it puts an eye out). Totally won me over. Apparently they call their sound "happy music for sad people", "white music for black people" and "indie rock with a side of calisthenics". I guess that's about right.

Anyway, all this to say: It was a great night. And I lovelovelove when a band I've never heard of makes me at least as happy as the band I paid to see.

With these:





Engraved leather moleskine covers. AND YOU CAN ORDER CUSTOM VERSIONS. How long will I be able to resist getting one? Probably only as long as it takes me to figure out what the design should be.

This company also engraves laptops and ipods. Lovely!

Today was an awesome mail day. Lots of fun ebay goodies (which I shall promptly etsy), but the very best package was THIS:



( Check it out )

This is definitely the most awesome handmade mix I've ever received (and I haven't even listed to it yet!). It's even cuter than the photos -- sparkly skeleton goodness! AND it's all the way from Canada! Which means it arrived a little late, but I think that makes it even more special, like a little time capsule from October. :) Thanks, Kerry!!

Okay, first of all: have you seen the new Kindle commercial? Because it's superduper awesome.



But you know what's even MORE awesome? It came from a commercial contest. . The adorable girl IN the commercial worked with her boyfriend and some friends to come up with the concept, write the song, and shoot the spot. CRAZY. Although I do suspect that they found some inspiration from this video.

EDIT: Here are the other contest finalists.

The weather here's been lovely. Too lovely, in fact -- mid 70s and sunny every day is glorious and I'm not complaining, exactly. I'm just ready for some Novemberness. Sweaters and scarves and such. I'm maybe even ready for a little December, because how perfect is THIS?



Oh, yes. I found it at the Curious Sofa blog. Curious Sofa is a store that looks so awesome that it gives me one more reason to head to the Kansas City area (hear that, Vicki?).

Jess and I wandered around World Market for a bit last night. I love a place where you can get tikka masala sauce, lemon curd, pear cider, dark chocolate almond toffee, and pomegranate wine spritzer (actual purchases) all at one go, while also admiring dishes and furniture and cards and jewelry.

The downside is that they make beer sound delicious -- there's chocolate stout and beer that promises to taste like peaches. THEY LIE. Beer always tastes like...beer. Ewww.

Okay, I know this is wrong on some level, but how awesome is this?



I found it via Core77 -- they link to some Italian blog, so I can't figure out if this is an actual product you can buy. But firescreens commemorating the great fires of London and Rome are pretty cool. And maybe the teeniest bit morbid.

I am feeling bleh about Halloween in general. I spent the day cleaning the garage (it's still awful) and then taking lots of trash to the dump, and I feel like my weekend is tick-tick-ticking away. After talking a lot about doing something fun tonight, nothing sounded particularly promising except for a zombie prom in Austin and the skydiver party Jess invited me to, but both are a superlong drive.

The garage-cleaning was inspired by the fact that we're having a Laydee Yard Sale next Saturday. Even though having friends come over and participate DOES make it less of a beating, I still really hate yard sales. But I came up with an idea to make me hate it less: MIMOSAS. I figure if we get all nice and toasty on champagne and orange juice, we won't mind it so much. We'll probably end up giving everything away in our champagne haze, but that's okay, too. Mainly I just want the stuff GONE, and I don't anticipate making that much cash.

I hope the rest of you have GLORIOUS Halloween adventures. Apparently I am celebrating Halloween as it should be celebrated: staying at home and eating fun-size candies til my tummy hurts.

Oh, Overheard in New York, how I love thee:

Little boy to man sitting across from him: It's my birthday!
Man: Well, you know what? Now you have to wait 12 months till your next birthday. I don't have to wait 12 months till my next birthday.

--R Train

You know what I forgot? There's nothing better than a box of brand-new crayons, and coloring books are awesome. This used to be my favorite coloring book, and by "used to be," I mean: when I was 24. I was just thinking a couple of days ago that I need to get some new coloring books, and it turns out there are some interesting ones out there. Like the Gangsta Coloring Book, the Cannabis Coloring Book, and the Big Coloring Book of Vaginas. But coloring vaginas doesn't sound like that much fun.


This one's a little more my speed:


Also, I bought this one today at the Kimball museum . Now I just need a fresh new box of crayons. :)