Oh Joy, Rapture!

I'm flying home this weekend to be in one of my best friend's weddings (and not in an attempted break up Julia Roberts type way). So this is the second wedding in a little over a year in which I've been a bridesmaid and, once again, it seems strange that someone my age, and, in this case, someone I've known for almost half my life, is getting hitched. Although, technically she's already hitched, but this is the big ceremony where family and friends get to come and see and they do the "traditional" wedding thing. Matrimony. Weird. I'm still not dating anyone (and not even CLOSE since I'm in a new town and haven't even really met anyone outside my roommates yet) and therefore I'm still light years away from the reality of marriage and it just seems so weird inside my head that I can't grasp it. Dang, I miss having a boy.

Of course, I'm super happy for her and now I've actually MET the groom, which is good, since I wasn't around for any of the meeting/dating/proposal/civil ceremony stuff. Fortunately the last time I went home I finally met him and liked him quite immensely. Oh my friend, she's one of the greatest people I know. We met in the 8th grade I belive. If I remember correctly it was through mutual friends, but she was also in my P.E. class. I still remember the sun/moon celestial backpack she had and when she got a short haircut I was impressed and jealous that she'd chop off all her hair and look so darn good doing it. I remember going to her house to keep her company while her little sister had a sleepover with a dozen shrieking girls. I remember dying my hair, rinsing it thoroughly but STILL ending up leaving orange-y marks all over her white stuffed rabbit--she didn't even yell at me. She unfailingly makes me feel loved and good about myself. We never talk on the phone but when we see each other maybe twice a year it's all happiness and silliness and no awkwardness. I hope I'm friends with her for a very very very long time. Like, forever would be nice.

So on Thursday I'm flying down, Friday is the rehearsal and Saturday I'm hopefully squeezing my way into the bridesmaid dress. Squeezing. This is what happens when you try on and order dresses at a time when you're regularly going to a gym and running and then you quit your job, go on vacation, move out of state and don't have enough money to join a gym and running often seems to hurt your knees and ankles and so you don't work out regularly: you gain weight. Here's hoping that my change in diet is at least helping. I live with very health conscious people and, therefore, have been attempting to eat more green things and less cheese-coated, deep-fried things (mmmm...deep friiiied...). Pleeeease let me fit into the dress, I don't want to have to buy a corset.

Hmmmm, maybe I'll go for a run right now...

More Things Noted At Choir Rehearsal

1. One of the cellists has an incomparable white man fro. Really, it takes my breath away.

2. Another string player has the longest beard I have ever seen on a human being. He could literally tuck it into his belt if he so chose. Kudos, Sir, you are truly a champion of the beard.

3. When emphatically conducting the director hisses loudly. I'm not sure if this is a way of focusing his energy or if it is simply physics: with such wild flailing his poor diaphragm gets squeezed around so much he can't help but force out air. Whatever the case, I can hear it over the orchestra. Interesting.

4. I was doing a crossword puzzle during some down time. The clue: "Bethlehem product." Oh, how dearly I wish the answer had been "Jesus".

A Smattering of Things

Things Noted At Tonight's Choir Rehearsal:

1) There is someone in the other choir who laughs just like Brian Jensen. I have not yet been able to determine who it is. The mystery continues.

2) I have no idea where the conductor's down beat is. Ever. Seriously, I think he picks a differnt place to put it every 3-7 measures just to keep us on our toes. Not a fan, dude, not a fan (and I'm not the only one).

3) There is a 1 1/2 measure series of notes in the piece that sounds EXACTLY like the theme song from Batman: The Animated Series and I laugh every time I hear it. I have also drawn the Bat signal by it each time it occurs in the score. I hope someone in the audience picks it out.

4) I walked through a pocket of smell backstage that smelled EXACTLY like a copy of the book Brighty of the Grand Canyon by Margurite Henry which I owned as a child. I have no idea what backstage smelled like that and I have no idea why I remember the book smell so exactly.

5) Boychoirs are adorable. They're probably better musicians now at age 10 than I'll ever be. Of course, I guess it's not really cool to be a boy soprano when you're in junior high, but I applaud you, tiny singers, keep a-rockin'.

You Will Curse the Day You Did Not Do All That The Phantom Asked of You

Last night Liz and I went to see The Phantom of the Opera which was playing downtown. Now, I'm not a solid fan Andrew Lloyd Weber fan, more of a pick 'n' choose kinda gal (ie--Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar) but I quite enjoy the music in Phantom. There are a number of lovely little bits and, really, the whole story is a melodrama so you have to forgive some melodramatic music. Also, I forgot how entertaining the play is: ridiculous melodrama, outrageous costumes, "flameball"-throwing skull staffs. In addition, I noticed something I'd missed the last time I saw it: Raoul's amazing ability to sing lustily while hanging from a noose--really, it's impressive.

In relation to Phantom, I've become aware of an ominous series of coincidences: PATRICK WILSON IS EVERYWHERE. Who is Patrick Wilson, you ask? He is an actor, friends, and in the past month I have not been able to get away from him. I hadn't ever heard of him until Liz and I were watching the movie Little Children and I thought, "This guys looks really familiar? Who IS he?" I couldn't avoid the nagging suspicion that he was playing Night Owl in the (HOORAAAAAY!!!) Watchmen movie and I was RIGHT (yup, I'm a genius). But I ALSO realized I'd seen him in the trailer for the upcoming Lakeview Terrace about a billion times just this summer (it played before a LOT of movies). Next, in my general upcoming-movie perusal I stumbled upon the Anne Hathaway film Passengers--guess who plays her boyfriend? It all came to a head last night when I IMDBed the Phantom movie because I'd forgotten Gerard Butler played the Phantom (that's right, boys, King Leonidas was the Phantom) and found...PATRICK WILSON PLAYED RAOUL. What is going on?! Either this all means I'm going to meet Patrick Wilson soon and it will change the course of my life or...Patrick Wilson is going to kill me.

In unrelated news, I've been taking multivitamins because, well, hey, why not? Primary difference I've noticed? My nails look AMAZING. They're so smooth and glossy and I can't stop looking at them. Thanks, folic acid!

Bright Copper Kettles and Warm Woolen Mittens

Things Which Have Recently Brought Me Joy:

Fig. 1

1. The Relevant Podcast--It ALWAYS brings me joy.
2. Loose leaf tea--Who knew it could be so entertaining? Who knew tea could have pineapple in it? Who knew its volume could increase so much just by soaking up a little water?
3. We Have Always Lived In The Castle by Shirley Jackson -- She's just good. She's insane, but she's good.
4. Lupe Fiasco's The Cool--I kept hearing great things about him on the Relevant Podcast and I do whatever the Relevant Podcast crew tell me to, so I checked his album out of the library. Awesome. That's all. I particularly can't stop listening to "The Coolest" and "Put You On Game". I've needed new music for a while.
5. Cooking--I have been making some excellent meals lately if I do say so myself. Shrimp tacos with mango salsa, anyone?
6. Knitting--It is my new obsession. Evidence: (a) I just want to sit and knit all day. (b) I've got about 6 books on my request list from the library--books about how to knit, books about the language of knitting, about yarn, about the social history of knitting. (c) If I see a sweater/hat/pair of mittens/socks I think, "How is that done? I bet I could do that pretty soon." (d) Proudest recent accomplishment? Winding my own center-pull ball of yarn. (Fig. 2.)

Fig. 2

7. Born Yesterday--A wonderful movie from 1950 starring Judy Holiday (HILARIOUS) and William Holden (What's the mature, suave version of "adorkable"?)

CURRENT LIFE GOAL: Domestic bliss. (See 2, 5 & 6...Also, I already have the start of an apron collection.)

September Is Almost Half Over...Holy Crap!

So I didn't get a job I really wanted, which is sort of disheartening. I'm trying to go with the whole, "It wasn't meant to be, something better will come along" philosophy because I did try my hardest and did very well in my interview and the lady even said I impressed her, but still. I think I would have liked working there and would have done well. Not to mention the whole bank account thing...oy.

I did, however, get a new cell phone. I suppose that after three years it was time? Of course, being who I am, the reason I like the phone isn't all the wacky stuff it can do, but the fact that it's nice and square and just the perfect weight and I like holding it.

In better news I spent this weekend camping with Liz's family and had a blast. 7 adults went and brought along 4 children between the ages of 1 and 5. This equals adventure. I haven't been around children that much in a long time but they were all great kids. There was much silliness and adorable speech impediments. One of the best parts was Liz's nephew singing to himself in the tent after he was put to bed. We all got really quiet and listened to his song: "I'm not a baby/I'm just Jonah/Everyone is a boy or a girl/1,2,3,4,5,6/1 boy/1 girl/boy, girl, boy, girl, boy, girl..." Best song ever. Also, one boy couldn't remember my name, so Liz's sister said to just call me "Mrs. D" (like an elementary school teacher) which caught on real well. I guess I'm Mrs. D now? I didn't even know I was married--good for me!

Miss Jackson, If You're Nasty

Shirley Jackson is nutty as all get out. In a repressed 1950sish woman sort of way. I remember years ago reading a few short stories from her book The Lottery and Other Stories and thinking how strange and unappealing they were. And yet they stuck with me. I still vividly recall "The Tooth" and how unsettling and yet somehow amusing it was. I was the type of kid who tried reading things way over her head because she'd heard they were good/smart/classics. While I mostly just loved reading, I'll admit there was a little hopeful arrogance, too. I knew I was never going to be cool so I hoped maybe I could be smarter than the cool people and that when I was older and smart was finally (please, please, pleaaaase!) important to people other than my teachers, I'd have it made.

I digress.

Several times I've reread things I tried years ago but couldn't quite get in to (praise be, or I never would have reread Me Talk Pretty One Day and discovered the joy that is David Sedaris!) After reading and thoroughly enjoying The Haunting of Hill House last year I decided to give Jackson another go. I was again rewarded in my rereading of The Lottery and Other Stories. While there is a range of subjects, most of them in some way or other revolve around an individual woman and how she is interacting with the world around her and the people in it--often attempting to be winning and sociable but becoming bewildered or falling into fear or a sort of cold, hardness. In a number of them the story becomes increasingly unsettling and it's hard to pinpoint why. Jackson writes casually and in a seemingly straightfoward way, but I (often along with the main character) find myself becoming wary of the situation and surrounding people, sometimes even with a sense of foreboding or fear. I can't even remotely explain it other than to liken it to sitting in a public place with a person who is smiling and telling you in a very calm, matter of fact voice all the terrible things they're going to do to you, but the worst part is that no one around you seems to think there is anything wrong. And maybe there isn't.

Poor Liz. For days, as I was reading the book, I'd just burst out with "Aaaaah! Waaaaugh! What!?! W-wh-what's happening!? She's...she's so WEIRD! BAH! I don't know what to do with this!" It was so unlike anything I'd read before that I was pleased, frustrated, befuddled and enchanted. I loved every minute of it.

(NOTE TO THOSE WHO ACTUALLY READ THE BOOK: You can also play a fun game with it: several of the stories throughout are subtly linked together--try and figure out how!)

My Mind Is A Wasteland of Random

This last week I walked to the Farmers' Market near my house. I bought green onions because I must ALWAYS have them in my fridge just in case. I also bought these purple potatoes purely because I loved their color (though they did end up being quite delicious when baked in olive oil, garlic, the aforementioned green onions and some Italian spices). I also bought a little box of blackberries and consumed the entire bunch on the way home. Tasty tasty.

I've been knitting up a storm lately. Mom asked me for armwarmers for Christmas (sis, if you're reading this don't show her, the finished product is at least a secret). The request coincided nicely with my desire to knit something other than just beanies and scarves. I also remembered my promise to my knitting sensei Mary that I would try cable stitch, so I found a pattern that used it. I'm quite proud of the results:

THEY'RE FOR MOM. SHHHH! IT'S A SECRET.

My roommate liked them as well so I knit her a pair in charcoal grey. I'm going to make myself a pair as soon as I decide on a color. Probably a charcoal grey as well, but I'm also considering a nice, deep, rusty red. We shall see. Regarding yarn, I tend to randomly buy it if I see a color I like or I touch it and it's very very soft. I found the yarn below at Michaels on sale. It was incredibly soft (an acrylic/merino blend), incredibly cheap (maybe $2-3?), and in a color I LOVE. I'm not sure what I'm going to knit with it, but I hope whatever it is is worthy of the gorgeous, somehow friendly color.

I want to know more about knitting, so I checked the book Stitch 'n' Bitch out of the library. It's one I've randomly seen and heard good things about and I quite enjoy it. The author has a clear but amusingly sassy way of speaking and is very practical and live-and-let-knit about the whole thing (not a knitting snob--yes, they exist). Also, her diagrams are all cartoons, so of course I enjoyed that. I don't have a strong desire to crochet but I'd buy her crochet guide based purely on the title: Stitch 'n' Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker.

SOME CREATURES WHO LIVE ON MY WINDOWSILL

Those windowsill creatures really don't have anything to do with anything, I just find them funny.

Today I had a job interview downtown and afterwards I went to a French bakery/cafe down the street. They had what are arguably the cutest sugar cubes ever. Not that there's a raging international Cute Sugar competition running, but if there was, this would probably win:

I THINK..."OUI"

Inside the package there are two tiny sugar cubes. And I don't speak French, but I'm guessing the top is asking if you want another coffee, and you can check "oui" or "non" on the side. I'm also in favor of this sugar as it came in lime green, teal, cranberry and bright orange. Hip colors, to be sure, but some of my favorites. I wanted to steal a whole fistful but I didn't because...I'm a pansy?