Success

2011 so far. We're off to a great start.

December: A Pictorial

A rainy weekend lent itself perfectly to making jam.

Corey, Sarah and I had a positively cozy night listening to the

popping of the seals on our jars and crying our eyes out

while watching 'The Family Stone' and 'Little Women.'

People in Southern California become children when it rains.

I mean that in the best and worst way.

I've embraced it by getting my Middle-Earth on and

listening to Fleet Foxes nonstop. It's blasphemous to say so,

but I'm a little more suited for rain than sun.

Don't tell anyone, though. I might get thrown out.

My mom, my bestest, truest friend Corey and I went to see 'The Nutcracker.'

We trained down to San Diego and took in a matinee.

Lovely dancing, but I must say the highlight was

when the little girls behind us could no longer contain themselves and began

giggling during the Sugar Plum Fairy and Nutcracker Prince's grand pas de deux.

'Ew!! His butt!! ... his butt!!!'

Ah, from the mouths of babes...

We've had just the right amount of festive in our little Long Beach December.

Tomorrow, it's on to the island where we'll really kick the festivities into high gear.

Boats 'n Hoes?

I never thought it was possible given my huge C-Section head, but...


It's a Christmas miracle!!!!

Autumn always marks a sharp turn in my music choices. I start listening to lots of songs that talk about the sea, refer to boats as women, and use words like 'mammon' and 'jib.' It's a very folky time for me. It's also the time of the year when i'm most susceptible to country music.

Thus, my most played albums since the equinox:

-'I speak because I can' -Laura Marling
-'Craigie Dhu' -Dougie MacLean
-'All Delighted People EP' - Sufjan Stevens
-'The Medicine' - John Mark McMillan
-'Turnaround' - Stan Rogers
-'A Mouth Full of Dust' - Bradley Hathaway
-'Troubadour of the Great King' - John Michael Talbot
-'A Larum' - Johnny Flynn
-'The Queen is Dead' - The Smiths
-'The Wild Hunt' - The Tallest Man on Earth
-'Jacaranda' - Josh Garrels
-'Continuum' - John Mayer

Spock-O-Lantern

Inspired by my friend Sarah and her crazy-bits affinity for all things Dia de los Muertos/Halloween, I decided to try my hand at 'for reals' pumpkin carving this year. If you know me, you know I love Spock. If you don't, let me tell you: I love Spock. My love is a little tongue-in-cheek, a little nostalgic, and a little bit real. I found a template (is that cheating?), and got to work.

Even though he'd disapprove, I am irrationally proud of it.

Saw Sufjan last night.
I'm still processing it.
That sounds dramatic, but he's dramatic, so it's fitting.
I will say this: if Sufjan doesn't mind the gap, then I don't mind the gap.