- Gonna have to work my behind off to help get Halloween ready for moi and for the bebes

- Screamin’ Halloween mix including Marilyn Manson, Kerli, Ghostbusters, Cobra Starship, Britney Spears, Tom Waits, Jonathan Coulton, Black Keys, Frank Sinatra, and a cross-dressing Chiwetel Ejiofor.

Source: DVD Town

- Crafts Materials: Exacto blades, pumpkins, gold spray paint, spools of thread, aluminum foil, old newspapers, glue, paper.

- Craziness and crazy busy-ness ensue.

2. Ride my bike to Homestead Farm and back.

3. Actually finish the International Reading Challenge

4. Actually win NaNoWriMo

5. Write 500 words a day for a year.

6. Screenprint a shirt.

7. Bleach print a shirt.

8. Create a shirt design and submit it to threadless.

9. Write a short story and submit it to a scifi or fantasy zine.

10. Make early morning bike riding a part of my routine.

11. Take up yoga.

12. Learn and memorize a song a month.

13. Visit friends in Boston.

14. Visit friends in Seattle.

15. Get my driver’s license.

16. Visit a speakeasy.

17. Fulfill the 24 hour comic book challenge.

18. Cook a dish with ox or goat.

19. Bake a patisserie-worthy cake.

20. Invent a new cupcake.

21. Build a yearbook for the kids.

22. Write a blog post a day for a year.

23. Finish a crochet project.

24. Learn fiddle.

25. Learn enough music theory to compose a piece for a string quartet.

On another note, Vampire Diaries and Nikita continue to be awesome. VD is just so satisfying in terms of how they write, act, and mother frakking follow through on their plots. When something happens in the Vamp Diaries universe, there are consequences. It’s so very satisfying after years of Smallville’s stupid DC mentality of “oops, better erase that part of someone’s personality so we don’t actually have to deal with the consequences of revealing Tom Welling’s powers” and other shitty character and plot decisions. As much as I love my comic books, I have good reason to be cutting back on buying many issues. I go straight for trades now, and only after I’ve previewed and gotten reviews from sources I trust. Cuz, one too many multi-universe crises and stupid Batman’s son and stupid Batman’s disappearance and okay, long overdue Batman’s move forward along with Nightwing’s growing up and stuff. Especially since the emphasis has always been on the fact that of the trinity, he’s the human.

Still, give me Vampire Diaries and Nikita and Mad Men any day. Actions have consequences, people react like people (not total idiots or perfect Mary Sues and Gary Stu’s), and the actors actually deliver.

I absolutely love having the house to myself. Cracked the windows wide open, got up early and blasted my country playlist, and generally started off the day right.  With the breeze rolling through the curtains and rustling the turning leaves outside, I’ve been having a day that feels like this:

Source: Irvine Housing Blog

And this

Source: Cottage Dreamers

Just plopped an Angel Food Cake in the oven, put the base custard for a Cinnamon Ice Cream and the base puree for a White Peach Sorbet in the fridge, and need to get started on job applications and crafting swaps. Z was awesome and forwarded me some job opportunities while finding them for her mom’s cousin’s daughter or some relative or other. Also, I have got to turn in at least a page of mermaid story by Thursday. I don’t know if this story will ever finish? I’m willing to keep going ’til at least November when I’m going to give NaNoWriMo a serious shot.

Source: NaNoWriMo

This past weekend was also jam-packed. Friday I headed over to Takoma Park early to wander around and observe six strangers for my People Watching Story swap. It was glorious weather, and I sat right across from a hip, new pizza place that looked like it was managed by an actual Italian (slim fitted gray shirt, tanned skin, and a way of gesturing with his hands), after wandering around the artisan and thift stores clustered around the Takoma Park metro station. Met up with Steve-o and Ben on their way in, played Masons with Steve, the kid, and someone else, then (finally) Pirates’ Cove with Adam, Chris, and the kid whose uncle brings him. The kid was awesome and hilarious.

Saturday was the Chinatown Arts on Foot, Good Stuff Eatery, I Was Pottytrained at Gunpoint art opening, and S’s pit stop at Taco Bell.

Source: revert to plan b

Sunday was Z’s place to hang out. We stopped into a small cafe on our way to KFC, and ate cake there instead.  Then her bf and his friend showed up for a rousing one round of a deck-building game before I had to jet to catch the train home. Delays weren’t too bad cuz I had E-dawg to chat with, and I caught up with W, who’ll be back in town this weekend to recuperate before jetting back to Seattle.

Here, have an a capella version of the song which this post’s title is from. Nickel Creek’s Beauty and the Mess.

Saturday, I went to Parkview Rec Center in the morning, and the usual kids were there. I played horsie (starring, of course, as the Horse), did some crafts, played tag, and held a fascinating conversation on all things Disney channel.Apparently, iCarly rules.

Source: Byterology

I promised to meet up with Angel, Claire, Chris, and Iris in Dupont so that’s where I went next. We had Firehook, strolled around a bit, then Claire, Angel, and I took the D6 back to Angel’s place. Great big piano on the first floor that’s apparently off limits, but the neighborhood is gorgeous and cute and filled with Georgetown students back for another school year. Claire headed back home, then Chris joined us and we all had quiet time with cupcakes. I left to catch a ride home, got a little lost and ended up walking down to M Street. New circulator bus between Georgetown and Dupont. And someone set off, like, five fireworks right across from the B&N right when I got there. Must have been in a summer party mood.

Source: Jeff and Gina Fisher

Sunday, spent the day arranging tickets and a person to go see the DC Shakespeare Theatre Company’s free Twelfth Night. Ended up taking Phil cuz he’d played Orsino in his fifth grade GT class.

Source: Shakespeare Theatre Company

It was hilarious with a very tongue in cheek Aguecheek, and an overabundant use of rose petals as a comedic prop and physical motif. Feste had a very fine singing voice and sense of timing. As he should. Also, it was interesting seeing faces that were famous enough to tease at the edges of my mind but not hit it over the head. My brother recognized someone who had been on 30 Rock. It was a weird moment of worlds crossing but probably only for me. Overall, another fine performance to add to the grand total of two live Shakespeare performances I’ve seen in my lifetime.

Source: Washington Life Magazine (different Viola)

Monday, Labor Day, was a totally chill sort of day. Went to Rockville Town Square, picked up Tracy, then metro-ed over to Bethesda to meet up with Chris and catch a ride to Baltimore. We wandered around Hampden, Mount Vernon, and Inner Harbor before picking up Iris (kidnapping her from studying histology) and getting dinner at Houlahan’s. Earlier, we’d had ice cream and fries for lunch at Cafe Hon and the entire weekend was just non-stop randomness. But in a great way, and with friends.

Source: Baltimore Examiner

Rest of the week looks to be gorgeous weather again, though a bit hotter, and I’ve got a to-do list the circumference of the Equator. Just finished with my Bookmarks craft, need to send it off.

Ready to tackle the two Autumn ATCs and the People Watching Story swaps. Also received my bookmark from the swap today, which was quite beautiful and put my bookmarks to shame. My swapper was big-hearted and also sent along some bits of epehemera and some ribbon. A very lovely and satisfying package to receive, overall. I just hope my swappee likes her package once it gets to her in Australia.

Clockwise from Top Left Corner

1. Deviant Art: “Misinformed” by GunnerRomantic

2. Deviant Art: “ATC: Snow Queen” by Reneenault

3. Deviant Art: “Queen Titania” by bluefooted

4.  Deviant Art: “Snow White and the Woodsman” by stabstabstab

5. Deviant Art: “Desire” by bluefooted

6. Deviant Art: “St. Alia of the Knife” by bluefooted

7. Deviant Art: “The Dark” by sandara

8. Deviant Art: “I caught you, my star” by whitepearlvoice376

9. Edmund Dulac: The Snow Queen

]]> http://tesserewhon.wordpress.com/2010/08/31/inspiration-board-3-seasons-passing/feed/ 0 tesserewhon Board 3 http://tesserewhon.wordpress.com/2010/08/31/inspiration-board-2-pop-heroes-in-eye-popping-colors/ http://tesserewhon.wordpress.com/2010/08/31/inspiration-board-2-pop-heroes-in-eye-popping-colors/#comments Tue, 31 Aug 2010 05:25:45 +0000 tesserewhon http://tesserewhon.wordpress.com/?p=512 ]]> Clockwise from Top Left Corner

1.  Swagger 360: Swagger Rule 33

2. Deviant Art: “Yellow Background” by ~somefield

3. James Jean: Batgirl Issue #45 Cover

4. io9: Mystery Science Theater’s Time Walker

5. Deviant Art: “Terra 2″ by *shideh

6. Doctor Who Tardis Fan Blueprints

7. Rafael Albaquerque: Superboy Issue #1 Cover

Clockwise from Top Left Corner

1. Bright Star: Fanny Sits in Field of Flowers

2. CIT Jet Propulsion Lab: Unicorn’s Rose Nebula

3. Martha Stewart: Paper Flower Pom-poms

4. Deviant Art: “Goldie Doesn’t Like the Bears” by *AngryBird

5. io9: Norway’s Massive Troll Cover-up Exposed!

6. Deviant Art: “ATC 11″ by ~OutOfTheOrange

7. Cuba Gallery: Sunset Shot

8. Etsy: Oiseaux’s Vintage Blue Bird Bookplate

He was totally befuddled the entire time, and when we ended up back at his place for the birthday party, we all had tons of fun just hanging around and playing games and eating food. We had mondo amounts of food, met some new people, and got to know some old friends better. Kudos to my co-conspirators, really. They totally pulled this shit together. Also, must learn to moderate the amount of times I use the word “awesome.” Mayhaps, time to move onto some other lingo or catchphrase?  Please complete that following phrase: “That is ___________.”  Bananaramas? Yowzers? Oy gevalt? Assa(Korean style!)?

It’s too bad that one of my favorite words ever, “lackadaisical,” hasn’t got a more positive connotation or a broader scope of meaning.

I should just give up my conversational crutches altogether. I believe I’ll try the novel idea of actually thinking about what I’d like to say before I utter any words.

So I’ve been having an entirely gross week with snot and cold sores and stupid uterus monthly special and such. My entire body is just so out of wack that I feel like the only thing I can do is eat healthily and start exercising and become an actually well-rounded human being instead of just sitting in front of a computer all day.  Of course, that involves that pesky little step of actually getting up and moving my limbs around.

Y’know what? I’m gonna go check out my brother’s friend’s bike right now and see if I can’t fix it up to ride around. Today seems like a biking around kind of day.

Swapbot Big Fat Envelope #5 package arrived yesterday!!!! Magical green envelope full of lovely goodness in the most random sort of way. I am certianly quite ready for any Halloween butterfly-related emergencies that might be coming my way. What a delightfully odd dichotomy of items to send. Thanks to my swapbotter, RaineyDay!

Now, time to finish off my package and send it off. Also, Julie’s birthday care package.

I’ve also finished two of the books I checked out of the library. Elfland by Freda Warrington.

Source: Macmillan

I really wish I had enjoyed this book more than I had. It had all the elements that I would normally glom onto, including a wonderfully skilled and detailed worldbuilding, a slew of potentially interesting characters, mythic elements woven together with faerie elements, and gorgeous imagery. My issue throughout the entire book seemed to be that I was about ten years too late. When I was 12 or 13 I would have eaten this stuff up with a spoon. Really special girl descended from a race of elves, falls for the bad boy, and saves the day. There’s drama, angst, sex, love, elves, magic, and some intrigue. Totally my thing.

But the really special girl(a.k.a. the Heroine) came off to me as incredibly entitled and unpleasant. The way she treated her best friends smacked of selfishness to me and you know, the rest of the characters weren’t much better. Everyone was caught up in his or her own problems to the point of destruction, either their own or others’. Which I could see as the point of the book, if everything hadn’t miraculously resolved in the end with the most self-absorbed characters being vindicated and becoming the heroes of the story.

I thought I’d really enjoy it, since Charles de Lint is one of my absolutely favorite authors ever, and I didn’t think he’d ever steer me wrong, but I just had too many issues with the characters. I suppose I want my protagonists to be people whose heroism comes from their inner goodness rather than annoying, selfish people who happen to be the center of the story. And this is really bothering me because usually I love flawed heroes (I mean, c’mon, BSG, anyone?) but this book just really didn’t do it for me. I think I’ll give it another read-through, see if I can parse out exactly why this book rubbed me the wrong way.

Next up was A Proper Education for Girls by Elaine diRollo.

Source: Library Thing

This one I enjoyed immensely, even if it did seem a bit disjointed and incomplete for some reason. That might just be because I wanted the book to continue. It’s the story of two sisters, raised by a stern and eccentric father, who free themselves and find love and life in each other. This one hit all of my weak spots for brave, independent, eccentric women breaking free of an oppressive patriarchal environment. There were love interests but no lasting interest in love other than their love for each other. This is the kind of strength and loyalty that I think makes the idea of Supernatural so popular. That you have someone who so completely loves you and is loyal to you and with whom you can ride through life knowing he/she has got your back. It’s definitely an odd duck of a book that explores Victorian notions of sensibility, ethnicity, feminism, and sexuality with solid prose and a hopping plot. I finished it in one day, whereas Elfland had taken me weeks since I kept getting bored with it or exasperated.

It’s really weird how that happened. Usually I have no patience for just fiction because it’s just not enough. I want magic and wonder and adventure but weirdly enough, the second book delivered more of that than the first. It was enough to step through history with the diRollo’s protagonists rather than step through a whole new world with Warrington’s characters.

]]> http://tesserewhon.wordpress.com/2010/08/24/busy-bee-indeed/feed/ 0 tesserewhon Elfland by Freda Warrington A Proper Education For Girls by Elaine diRollo