Voisins gênants: The open window

There is a house I see every day. It is a classic 1970s split level house. Three people live there. A man in his sixties, and two women in their forties. The man works in the day time, the brunette woman works at night, and wears scrubs to work, and the blonde - she is gone for about three hours every morning, but I'm not sure she's working. I know nothing about these people except that their glass recycling bin is usually pretty full, what cars they drive, they don't know how to winterize their garden, that their garage is packed to the gills, and that one of the bedroom windows on the second floor is always open. What do I mean by "always open"? Well, the first time I really noticed it was in early December when we were having record cold days, highs of 16 F, and there it was, staring out from the house all wide open, with a fan in the window sill. Day and night, that window is always open. Rain, snow or sunshine, that window is always open. Sometimes the fan that is permanently on the window sill is on, sometimes it isn't. Sometimes the wooden blinds are up to reveal a pink sheet of fabric hanging. Sometimes there is a can of Dr. Pepper, or two in the window sill next to the little tchotchkes. People are going in and out of this room, but whether it is 54 F like today's high, or 5 F like some of those chilliest of nights, the window is open. Also, they have newish vinyl windows on their house, so it's not like they wouldn't be gaining anything by closing the window.

Why am I telling you this? The last time I had a situation with my neighbors that I couldn't figure out, dear, smart Whitney, cracked an egg of knowledge on my head, and pieced together a common sense solution that I hadn't thought of (probably because I'm never really good at thinking about holidays or what date it is). I have pieced together all sorts of situations for the inhabitants of the house, siblings, Three's Company, Kate & Allie, bigamy, etc. but I cannot for the life of me figure out why a window has been open non-stop during a cold, wet winter in Portland. What is here that I'm not seeing? What am I too naive to figure out?

home movies

Sometimes I really want to buy film for my super8, and bunches of my other old school cameras and play with friends and make little movies like this. Will you join me?

I love rain.

I stole this from Fashionista. I think it is one of the most charming things I've seen in a while. They are my favorite celebrity couple, mostly because Joshua dons pocket squares and ascots thanks to Diane.

I like this.

Cop Out.

Last weekend, before my dear friend Becky left the country for a few weeks, we went to see Youth In Revolt. We found the movie pretty enjoyable, (Sheeni's adorable dresses and her room, and the pipe organ in the trailer equal good times) and as if I didn't have already have an emo crush on little Mikey Cera...Francois Dillinger = SO MUCH AWESOME. SO MUCH. During the previews, we were starting to feel a little apprehensive about our movie choice - should we have gone to see Avatar like everyone else in the world? - because the trailers we were watching were for movies so NOT aimed at our demographic. One of the movies advertised was "Cop Out" a new buddy cop movie directed by Kevin Smith starring Bruce Willis, Seann Williams Scott, Adam Brody, and Tracy Morgan. So many people I like, but the trailer looks awful.

When I saw this trailer and the name of the movie, I thought it very much resembled the kind of movie Tracy Jordan, Tracy Morgan's 30 Rock character, would be in. His imaginary IMDB page would include the titles, "Honky Grandma Be Trippin'," "President Homeboy," "A Blaffair to Rememblack," "Who Dat Ninja," "Samurai I Amurai," and most apropos "Black Cop/White Cop," where Tracy played both the black and white cops, (tagline: one does the duty, the other gets the booty). All movies that sound just...um...shockingly bad. The two Tracy Jordan movies that made me laugh the hardest don't have names. Tracy described one as a Western he made without leaving his car and an animated movie he made with Shaquille O'Neal he made without leaving his house. I couldn't find the clip of it, but it goes something like:

Octopus Tracy: Boy! I hope we rescue the Starfish King on this adventure!
Squid Shaq: That would be a slam dunk.
Octopus Tracy: Would you call what we did last night sex?

So, Cop Out...I'll probably watch this movie - but I'll wait until it hits the cheap theaters or is on DVD - only because I hope it has lots of moments that remind me of Tracy's 30 Rock movies. (Also, Adam Brody is in it. Hello.)

While trying to find the animated clip, I came across this video, the full version of Werewolf Bar Mitzvah. I think it is delightful.

head case

While in Sevilla last summer, I saw, and fell in love with, about a million headpieces. I brought home a huge black feathery one and have worn it bunches. I regret not buying more. Since I love them so, I decided to try to make some for friends, and a couple for myself. Here are a few that I have photos of.
One of these days I'm going to remember to take pictures of things before I seal up their boxes to mail.

Next step, is to make a couple birdcage veils, and maybe some hats.

who doesn't love a homemade tote bag?

Yesterday, my friend Analee came over, and we made some stencils and then painted our favorite ladies on to some canvas totes.



But I must say, I think Grace needs some sequins.

Vinyl

A few years ago I watched a movie called, "Lovers and Other Strangers" and became completely enchanted by a couple of the songs on the soundtrack. (The movie is all fine and well, but it isn't amazing. And I am NOT about to believe that Cloris Leachman is old enough to be Anne Meara's mom, no matter what you tell me. 3 years does not a big enough difference make, stop with the lsd, people in the 70s.) (Maybe I misunderstood their relationship, because that really makes no sense.) Anyway, before I returned the movie to Orem Public Library (my favorite library for movies ever) I jotted down that the band that performed these delightful little pieces of oh-so-70's folk/pop was Country Coalition. I figured I would be able to find their stuff on a cd or digital download. I was SO WRONG. Apparently, these guys were a one-soundtrack band, and the soundtrack was never put on CD.

I set off on the grueling task of finding a copy of the record that would be in good shape. I found a copy in a record store in Toronto, of all places, and then digitized it, and promptly put the three songs on my iPod, and have been able to jam out ever since.

Today, I saw this photograph



I vow to you, my friends and readers, that if this is a real record, I will find it, and I will buy it.

My 2010 Planner.

For the past four years I have been using the Moleskine planners. Last year when I bought my planner, it no longer had a hard cover, and I discovered that it was made in China. So, last September I started trying to find a replacement. I narrowed it down to a Smythson diary, and a kitschy little make it yourself kit from Red Velvet Art. I figured that since I am getting old, and have this year decided to let my subscription to Teen Vogue run out, I would get the kitschy planner this year, and opt for the GORGEOUS, handmade goodness of the Smythson next year.

So, the kit I bought months ago, had this kind of stuff in it:

And, I put it together inside of an address book - because I am so the girl that needs a binder and more structure than a felt and yarn contraption. It doesn't look so contrasty in real life.


I also need more space to scrawl my life than just a month at a glance page, so I used the address spots for each day of the year, plus a spot for notes.


I've been adding little ridiculous details to it about every day, like this envelope pocket.


We'll see how well I use this as the year progresses. The old reliable Moleskine was the only planner I've been able to stick with through out a whole year.

Mine's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World.

Before I get too deep into this post, I would like to say, I do more than just do pub trivia nights with my friends. (We also enjoy karaoke and 80s dancing. tee hee hee)

Tonight, Chelsie, Becky and I went to the crazy little bar, Ella St. Social Club and played us some Mad Men trivia! Going in, we were not that optimistic - we were aiming for not last place - and I think this is the way to play trivia. As we were waiting for the festivities to start, a couple walked up to us and asked if they could join our team, since the male half of the couple doesn't watch the show. We agreed, because what is trivia if it isn't an inclusive activity? To say that I regretted having them on my team would not be an accurate statement, even though I witnessed them talking about me with judgment multiple times. The girl is a grad student in upstate New York. Here's the funny part, she is getting her doctorate in medieval studies. When I asked her if she frequented Renaissance fairs, she was incensed. (It seemed like a logical progression. And I'm pretty sure she does participate in the medieval romps.) And her non-Mad Men watching companion shared no personal details. We decided as a group to be called the "Relaxicizers." What we did not know was that the team directly next to us decided that that would be their name as well. We found this out when the trivia jock came by to ask names. Why they didn't tell us that they had already chosen that name when they heard us decide on it is beyond me - maybe they stole it from us...we quickly decided to be "Peggy Olson's Bastard Children," a name that solicited chuckles each time it was said out loud.

Suffice it, Peggy Olson's Bastard Children won the Mad Men trivia night! We ended up giving the gift certificate to the bar to the couple who joined our team, even though they were hating on me. And I took home the trophy!! What, what!

I love plastic trophies that validate my knowledge of a tv show that I really enjoy, but have seen the first two seasons about twice each episode and the third season once.

As an aside, this trivia night was at the same club as the AD one that went SO horribly, Kyle was not our trivia jock, it was a cute girl called Margaret who played hardball! She asked tough questions, and knew her stuff. Gold star, Margaret.

P.S. I think you should come trivia-ing with me. Sometimes we win money!

Note to karaoke self:

-Neither you nor Shara know "Motownphilly". Just because you know a smidgen more than Shara does not mean you should hop up and grab a mic. DO NOT EVER attempt it again. Even if there is no one there, like tonight.

-Similarly, don't sign up for songs you haven't listened to in years. There could be long instrumental breaks, awkward keys, or any number of disastrous things you aren't prepared for.

-You also don't know how "Midnight Train to Georgia" ends*. (Gladys and the Pips would be so sad) And talk-singing is only a good idea for William Shatner and Rex Harrison.

-You do know "Mercy".

-Next time sign up for "Shoop". (You KNOW that.) But not "The Shoop Shoop song" that is in a bad key for you.



*LONGEST ENDING EVER! And the karaoke screen had lyrics I've never, ever heard, and I've listened to that song lots and lots.

sula

I have long been looking for a nail polish that is not toxic. The brands that are offered at health food stores are all glittery and in horrible, tacky shades. Today at Ulta I found Sula paint and peel nail polished that is water based and doesn't have any of those horrible chemicals that seep into your body through nails and skin. I got a few of the colors, specifically teal and kelly. On my way home, waiting for a train to pass I pulled a Lindsay Bluth and painted my nails in the car. I'm kind of a big fan.