jaclyn

My grandmother is a talented painter. She prefers oils, but has...

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 10:29:00 -0400

My grandmother is a talented painter. She prefers oils, but has made some amazing watercolors as well. She made this specifically for me, after I had mentioned how much I loved one similar in her home in Canada. She’s picky about her own work and is quick to self-deprecate (“Oh, I don’t really like this one, see all those mistakes?”), but there’s no need for her to worry.

I love all of her paintings and I am lucky enough to have three of them in my apartment.

As an aside, she’s never had any formal training and is so talented that if you hand her a photograph of a landscape—any landscape—she’ll paint it down to minute detail.

Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey is a book that belonged to a...

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 10:15:00 -0400

Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey is a book that belonged to a former communication professor of mine.

The book is intensely good. His writing is descriptive, wry and beautiful.

A sample:

“I wait. Now the night flows back, the mighty stillness embraces and includes me; I can see the stars again and the world of starlight. I am twenty miles or more from the nearest fellow human, but instead of loneliness I feel loveliness. Loveliness and a quiet exultation.”

My new apartment has a wood-burning fireplace! Roasted...

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 10:13:03 -0400

My new apartment has a wood-burning fireplace! Roasted marshmallows are in order, me thinks.

onemoretimewithfeeling:allthingspixar:Wall·E progression...

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 10:09:13 -0400

onemoretimewithfeeling:

allthingspixar:
Wall·E progression from storyboard to final shot.

Reading Gabriella’s blog makes me to want to cry…and then give her a hug.

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:11:50 -0400

Reading Gabriella’s blog makes me to want to cry…and then give her a hug.

I’m working part of the day and then going to look at some...

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 09:40:07 -0400

I’m working part of the day and then going to look at some apartments. I’m more excited than I can possibly express: I think the turning point in which I began to dislike my current apartment was when a sorority held a $5 cover charge party next door and there was close to 60 people drinking and smoking pot until 3 in the morning…

…At which time the police that I called finally showed up and arrested people. I’m a great neighbor, by the way.

Wide-leg jeans (37” inseam) from Alloy.com
Blue-and-white striped buttondown from Old Navy
Necklace — gift from boss
Strappy wedges by Naturalizer
Purse — gift from best friend

"My son only calls me when he needs decorating advice."

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 09:14:11 -0400

“My son only calls me when he needs decorating advice.”

- Co-worker
Yesterday as I was at work, one of my co-workers mentioned this to me after picking up her cell phone. She’s middle-aged and has two grown sons. The son she mentioned remodels and renovates homes for a living.
She said this fleetingly, almost off-hand, but the look in her eyes when she said it really touched me.
I hope my parents never think the same of me, that she “only calls for advice” or “she only calls when she needs our help.” I hope they know that I care about them and want to talk to them about more than just my own narcissistic problems.

Re-blog this statement if it applies to you.

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:41:21 -0400

jessicagoldharalson:

“I am a straight woman, ~~and I am confident about my appearance and happy with my body~~.”

Vanity Fair - Waterboarding

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:39:49 -0400

Vanity Fair - Waterboarding:

foodinmouth:

On the Waterboard
How does it feel to be “aggressively interrogated”? Christopher Hitchens found out for himself, submitting to a brutal waterboarding session in an effort to understand the human cost of America’s use of harsh tactics at Guantánamo and elsewhere. VF.com has the footage. Related:Believe Me, It’s Torture,” from the August 2008 issue. “

One of my favorite photos of Molly and I.

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:35:44 -0400

One of my favorite photos of Molly and I.

My soon-to-be mother-in-law calls me the “second great white hope,” and my fiance the...

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:27:02 -0400

My soon-to-be mother-in-law calls me the “second great white hope,” and my fiance the “first.”

As she has five children and no grand-children, she has named us both “white hopes” because we are destined to have grand-children for her to enjoy and raise and whatnot.

Wait.

I need help...

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:12:39 -0400

byerinb:

Ladies, what is your favorite perfume? What do you like the most and what do you get the most compliments on?
Guys, what is your favorite scent on a girl?
My birthday is Monday and I want a new scent. I have been wearing Dolce and Gabanna “Light Blue.” I love it, I just want a change.
Suggestions please…

I used to wear Moschino’s “I Love Love,” which actually smells quite similar to D&G’s “Light Blue.” It’s a little stronger and lasts longer, which I liked.

"Solitude is something you choose. Loneliness is imposed on you by others."

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 09:44:53 -0400

“Solitude is something you choose. Loneliness is imposed on you by others.”

- Psychology Today: Solitude vs Loneliness

I need a vacation. I want to frolic in some tropical locale in a...

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 09:15:50 -0400

I need a vacation. I want to frolic in some tropical locale in a small bikini with a cool drink (+ mini-umbrella) in hand.

Polka-dot print dress from Target
Gold metallic t-strap sandals from Old Navy
Sunglasses from H&M

bellavita:change order

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 08:53:50 -0400

bellavita:

change order

Playing nurse.

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 23:01:48 -0400

Tomorrow my beloved (for some reason, I can’t stand the phrase “my fiance,” although that’s what he is) is having a semi-serious surgery involving a couple of very evil wisdom teeth, an infection and lots of blood.

I took off work at his request—although I was going to do it anyway—so that I can be by his side beforehand and during the aftermath. He’s going to be laid up for quite a few days, so I’m going to have lots of his favorite DVDs, milkshake flavors (Oreo and vanilla) and video games at the ready.

I’m worried because he’s nervous…he’s never been under general anesthesia before, and for those who haven’t, it’s quite worrisome the first time. He keeps asking me what it’s like, if it hurts afterwards, will there be much blood, etc.

I told him he’s going to be so drugged on Percocet that none of that will really matter much. Lucky boy.

I got this ape-shit crazy spam e-mail in my work inbox.It...

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 16:56:00 -0400

I got this ape-shit crazy spam e-mail in my work inbox.

It reads:

“Richard Nixon had his ‘Z’s’ (a ‘down period’ - circled below) on that fateful day in September, 1960 when he debated JFK on television…This calendar shows which days are bad for the candidates in this year’s election. John McCain is an earth sign and Barak [sic] Obama, fire…”

I’m getting a Zodiac killer vibe on this one.

"Sometime during development, I started looking at the Wii Balance Board as more than just an..."

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 16:53:59 -0400

“Sometime during development, I started looking at the Wii Balance Board as more than just an accessory that could weigh players and more like a controller used with the feet.”

- Takao Sawano, Wii Fit lead
I agree with the author in this article: that was a bad idea, Nintendo.
Looking at the Wii Balance Board as a foot controller instead of a device to improve fitness lead to the negative points that people find with Wii Fit.
Heading soccer balls is fun. But does it improve fitness? No. I believe the entire “Balance” section on Wii Fit exists only to allow procrastination time between the things that actually make you sweat or tire. That’s all well and fine, but I think people assume Wii Fit will actually substitute for hard aerobic exercise and it won’t…most of the time.

kiamatthews:You know what I appreciate about this picture?...

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 15:46:18 -0400

kiamatthews:

You know what I appreciate about this picture? Well, besides HELLO DANIEL CRAIG W/SCARS SHIRTLESS…
I appreciate that I can’t see the outlines of her damn ribs and spine.

Reading glasses.

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 15:25:43 -0400

I’m starting to notice my eye strain returning from so much reading and computer time. My eye doctors have always recommended I wear reading glasses for those activities so my vision doesn’t worsen more than it already has.

Does anyone know any relatively inexpensive online websites to get reading glasses? I like plastic frames and I don’t care how stylish or crazy-colored they are as long as they work well and don’t break in a week.