Gibberish from the 02905

Why I Adore Atheists

2011-11-11T05:53:00.000-08:00

Ira Glass is a staunch atheist. So is my boyfriend and many of my friends and even some family members. What do they all have in common? They are the most moral, selfless people I know. Atheists believe in living for today, because when we are dead and buried, we'll just become worm food (Though, I doubt that's true. We've decided that destroying the Earth while we are alive isn't good enough. We must preserve ourselves to the point where even our bodies are not decomposable. Why do something half way?).

I am not a fan of religion. I actually think, personally, that religion can be a dangerous thing. It can also be what an immoral person clings to as a saving grace should they be hit by a bus. In my view, religion is an invention of man, providing some explanation for our existence. It's helpful to many people, so I would never actually preach that it be banished. I am a very "live and let live" kind of person. My mantra is, basically: Be a shitty person if you want. But please try not to if you can help it.

On the other hand, I am quite spiritual. I do believe that we step into a different plane of existance when our physical bodies die. I don't claim to know much about said afterlife or parallel life or whatever, but I do feel strongly about its existence. I believe that there are only 2 things we are responsible for in our physical lives: to love unconditionally and to help others when we are in a position of being able to do so. And guess who are models for this way of life?

Atheists!

Take Ira Glass for example. He is not a perfect person, true. No one is, really. But he has done an enormous service to the world by creating and continuing to broadcast This American Life. It has become an important tool for learning about other people's lives, their triumphs and tragedies, their inner most struggles and how their moral compasses direct them. The program evokes many responses from the listener: empathy, sympathy, judgment, self-reflection, self-judgment, happiness, pity, sorrow, helplessness. It is, in essence, a multifaceted portrait of the human experience. When Ira interviews his subjects, he is gentle, kind and humorous and there is something about him, his voice, his persona, that you trust. You are comfortable revealing things to him, even though you know that it may be broadcast nationally. I think it's beautiful.

Lots of atheists walk the walk. And isn't that the whole point? To live in the now? Not to think about how many past lives we've had or what heaven is going to be like or if there is a hell? If we really want to advance ourselves and humanity, I think we could all learn a thing or two from the people who don't believe in God. As crazy as that sounds.

Eyes on Your Own Paper

2011-08-31T09:17:00.000-07:00

In this journey of life, I believe we are meant to overcome certain human tendencies that may be inherent in our nature, but detrimental to our growth. Each of us, in all probability, is our own worst enemy.

Since I have been a full-time self employed person, I have adapted to a new way of managing finances. And I depend on many things for my survival: nice weather on weekends, happy shoppers with money to spend and a desire to use handcrafted soap, certain technologies, etc. In my former life, I never thought about how my employer was able to pay me. Do you think about it? Do you ever consider all of the factors involved, how all the various components of your employer's business must come together in order to ensure that you receive your regular paycheck? Probably not. But, I am intimate with all of these things because all of my efforts are geared toward keeping my business alive and paying my bills.

This kind of necessary obsession can lead down some less-than-desirable ways of thinking. I don't care to know what my fellow self-employed crafty friends are raking in. Some of them are delighted to share this information. It's never done in an evil, "rub your face in it" sort of way, but it can certainly take the joy out of a day you thought was fabulous, sales-wise. The only person I should be comparing myself with is me. How I did at a particular venue one year vs. another, how my internet sales stack up against themselves from month to month. It can be hard to keep yourself from wondering how much your neighbor is making at a show, but I am determined to keep my head down and not let my mind wander in this direction. It's futile, anyway. Ones sales do not determine how rich or poor one may be. If your sales are huge, but your bills are bigger, well, that isn't success. And no amount of money can stand in for happiness and job satisfaction. Both of which I happen to have lots of.

Right now, I'm in my busy season and I'm doing well. And I'm keeping my eyes on my own paper.

For 2011 and Beyond

2011-01-12T10:09:00.000-08:00

Be kind.

Love Unconditionally.

Laugh more.

Breathe.

Let go of my fears.

Stand up for myself.

Be fierce.

Resist harm.

Be grateful.

Appreciate beauty.

Wash, rinse, repeat.

A List of Unapologetic Female Musicians Who Don't Need to Use Their T & A to Be Amazing

2010-10-27T10:14:00.000-07:00

I was put this together while I was unloading the dishwasher today. I have always been so turned off by the women in the music world who sing all girly and lullaby-like, all while wearing next-to-nothing. It feels like their pockets were lined by executives who warned them: Go out there and degrade yourself or else! Dignity, anyone? Thank the universe that these women went out and did just the opposite.

Wendy O. Williams

Patti Smith

Kim Deal

Debbie Harry

Melissa Auf der Maur

D'arcy Elizabeth Wretzky

PLUS:

Joan Jett
Kathleen Hanna
Kristin Hersh
Aimee Mann
Erykah Badu
Donita Sparks
Bianca Holstead
Carrie Brownstein
Courtney Love
Sinead O'Conner
Tracy Bonham
Janis Joplin
Queen Latifah
Chrissie Hynde
Pat Benatar
Poison Ivy
Lydia Lunch
Marissa Paternoster

I could go on. Moms and Dads, please be sure that your little girls know about these women and understand that it's okay to be fierce.

* I should add that there is a difference between removing one's clothing as a means of exuding power and doing it to please men. Burlesque dancing, for example, is an expression of female sexuality in a way in which the female is in control. Wendy O. Williams and other women on this list did wear sexually provocative clothes, but in the end, it wasn't really about them acquiescing to some expected soft, feminine ideal. It was about their fearlessness of belting it out.

Rock and Roll Will Save Your Life, etc.

2010-10-24T15:39:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, Jere and I went to the Boston Book Festival to see our heroine, Kristin Hersh. I believe that she has mentions on this blog here and here. I was very excited to learn that she had released a memoir. Even better, there was a whole evening devoted to rock star writer types scheduled this month. The icing on the cake? Said event was being hosted by Steve Almond, author of (among others) Candy Freak (one of Jere's favorite reads), My Life in Heavy Metal and Rock and Roll Will Save Your Life (The words in the title are organized in the shape of a crucifix on the jacket, despite Almond's Jewish roots.) This summer, for one week, he hosted The Emily Rooney Show on WGBH (the NPR station I prefer over WBUR, however, I do miss burly, little Bob Oakes in the morning). Monday through Thursday, I think he pretty much stuck to the outline of the show's topics, but on the Friday of that week, he took the reigns and delivered a refreshingly different and lighter alternative to the political blah-dee-blah. It was a churchy-like show in which we, the listeners, called in and confessed our guiltiest musical indulgences. Almond played the part of the Catholic priest, administering penance for such pleasures as oh, I don't know, Emily Rooney's Everybody Hurts by REM (Does this even qualify?). I wanted to muster the courage to confess that E.L.O.'s Do Ya has always been my own personal Desperado, but, alas, it was a particularly busy day in my workshop and I couldn't break away from all the soapy necessities.

While at the event, I purchased a hardcover copy of RARWSYL and had Almond sign it for me. While in line for this, Jere waited for an autograph from Hersh. He also asked her to do the intro to his web show, Randomonium. For his debut episode, he was fortunate enough to get Andrew W. K. to do an intro. I think Hersh tops this, but it's debatable. He's done several episodes since then, scoring intros by Danbury Connecticut's impressive hardcore get-up, The Pist and Red Sox legend, Bill "The Spaceman (but please don't call me that)" Lee.

Anyhoo, I've since read Almond's book and I found it to be quite energizing. While I don't consider myself to be a Drooling Fanatic, by any stretch, I do get giddy over some more or less obscure seeming artists (I absolutely love The Fall, for instance, but it is rare to be able to talk "Mark E. Smith" with someone). I am still in geeky love with all three members of Rush and I am pretty sure I can still recite all of their albums in alphabetical order.

After reading the book, I have decided that I would like him to release a testimonial about my soaps. I have wanted to have a good, reputable celebrity type to publicly endorse my soaps, and who better for the job? Most of my soaps are tributes to my favorite rock stars and/or feminists. My Bad Brains ode, Soap Craft, is scented in African Rain, which I find rather amusing, as Almond devotes a passage to analyzing Toto's "Africa," where it apparently rains a lot.

The question is: Does Steve Almond bathe? I would guess that yes, he does. Would Steve Almond like a bunch of free soaps in exchange for a brief, but positive testimonial (if he appreciates them, that is)? Perhaps. However, I think his wife could dig them, too, as she (from what he descibes) seems like a super rad lady who would might understand why my Dinosaur Jr. soap is purple and green.

Of course, I am chicken. What kind of asshole would I look like if I approached Mr. Almond with this request? The kind of weirdo who makes soap for a living (but, lest we forget that we do live in a post Fight Club world and some people actually understand that the danger level in mixing lye and water with oil can be perceived as kind of cool).

So, Steve, if you are reading this and you are interested in indulging me, please comment! Would it make you feel better if I said that you would be bumping Kathleen Hanna, my idol, out of first place?

A New Post! At Long Last!

2010-07-11T11:13:00.000-07:00

I guess it's been a few months, but here I am. Writing a post on the ole bloggereeno.

To say I've been busy is an understatement. Today, I've taken an actual day off. I wasn't going to, but yesterday's weather report had predicted a total poop-fest for today and I just wasn't up for working in the rain. Again. It's difficult for a number of reasons. (1) People don't shop in the rain. (2) Soap doesn't like rain. (3) My feet don't enjoy standing in puddles of water. Seriously, you work twice as hard and make half as much during rainy days. Lo and behold, though, it was a GLORIOUS day. Still, it was nice to have a leisurely brunch with the "weekend off" people, particularly my boyfriend, who I never seem to run out of fun conversation with.

Earlier in the year, for nearly 2 months, I took a contract with my old company. It was my slow time, so I needed a little gig before my outdoor season started back up. I asked not to do anything too involved. I just wanted some busy-type work, since I was still running my business, too, and didn't want to burn out. I went back to my old company with a fresh set of eyes. When you fund your entire operation, you are responsible for all of your expenses. From business cards to paper clips to product materials and everything in between. I used to walk around my old office not really thinking about how the copy paper got there or who paid for it. Suddenly, it came into my consciousness that someone was pounding the pavement to earn the business that was paying for all that stuff. Let alone salaries and benefits and utility bills. I just gained this whole new appreciation for everything.

Being a solopreneur is hard work, but I feel reeeeeeeeeaaaaaallly proud of the money in my bank account. Because I know where every single cent came from. Even though it isn't as much as my old salary, it gives me a lot of satisfaction.

My mother is hanging in. Her cancer is spreading, particularly in her lungs. I still take her for her treatments every week. She is on a new chemo now and taking low dosages of a steroid to help her breathing. She is relatively stable and the steroid keeps her appetite up which is good. But really, I just don't know. I am still holding onto my "one day at a time" philosophy, which seems to work. I hate that we've all just gotten so used to living with this horrible sadness. If I knew that she was somehow going to make a recovery, I don't think my body could handle the joy. My head would just explode. For now, I try keep the disease separate from the person and keep our conversations as normal as possible. Humor is a good weapon and we use it often to help defeat a lot of the tragedy of the situation.

Spending hours every week in a cancer clinic has been an interesting experience for me. I no longer fear death. When you are surrounded by people who live with cancer, killing them slowly, taking their dignity away, eroding them, you realize just how strong the human spirit is. Cancer can break you physically, but it can't take away your heart. Ever. Still, if I found out that I had terminal cancer, I doubt I would put myself through the agony of chemotherapy. A nice fall off the Brooklyn Bridge would be faster, cost less and be less taxing on everyone. I know, I say that now, but. But nothing. I don't have what it takes to go through what my mother deals with on a daily basis. Everyone is different.

I listen to NPR all day in my workshop. I process a lot of shitty national and world news. And I find myself getting all worked up and pissed off while I am soaping. There are several main issues that have gotten stuck in my craw and I am just mystified as to why our nation hasn't responded with rioting in the streets.

1. The bailing out of "no fail" banks and corporations that, through deregulation, have tanked our economy, put thousands and thousands of Americans out of work, created one of the worst real estate catastrophes in our nation's history - all while betting against the American people.

2. Healthcare providers forcing employers and individual policy owners to pay 40% more on their premiums, but continuing to pay their brass millions in annual salaries plus thousands in cash bonuses.

3. The military calling severe headaches and other cerebral symptoms of veterans of the Iraq war "pre-existing conditions," thus denying them healthcare benefits.

4. The devastation of the BP oil spill in the Gulf. How fucking long does it take to build a fucking cap and stop that shit from gushing?

5. Arizona. I agree that we desperately need immigration reform, but discrimination is not the way to go.

6. Afghanistan. I hate that we think everyone needs a democracy. It's a terrible use of our resources. Why must we impose our beliefs and politics everywhere? And what kind of example are we when we've got two parties that couldn't be more divided right now?

7. Gay Marriage. I still don't understand why this topic is even being debated! We have a Constitution. Let's use it. Marriage is good for the economy, for crying out loud. And so is divorce, for that matter.

I feel like each of these points should be followed by, "There Should Be Rioting in the Streets!"

Tough Stuff

2010-01-29T12:23:00.000-08:00

I hate these kinds of situations. The ones that force me to choose between complacency and taking action.

There is a dog (diagonally) across the street in a garage. It's been there for - I don't know - days, I guess. It yelps and howls and cries and it makes my stomach turn. This is not the sort of thing I can just ignore. If an animal sounds like it is suffering, it's way worse than a crying child to me (Sorry Moms and Dads, I know I am supposed to value human life more than animal life, but my heart aches way more when I know a helpless animal is in distress. I have compassion for people, too, but just not in the same "tear my insides to shreds when I hear it cry" sort of way as with dogs. I am not sure if this makes me a bad person. It probably does.) So, last night I just couldn't take it anymore. I walked toward the house to check things out. I approached the garage door where they have the mail slot. I peered in and called out to the dog. It was silent. Maybe it was wagging its tail. Maybe it thought, "For crying out loud, someone is FINALLY here to help me!" But, of course, there are laws. You can't just pull up your neighbor's garage door without expecting to be sent to prison on B & E charges. I looked into the home. There appeared to be a television on. My first thought was that these people left it on to make thieves think that they were home. But then I thought, "Wait. What if the person who lives there had a stroke or heart attack. Shit." So, I wandered back to my house not knowing what to, but knowing that I had to do something. I immediately went to my next door neighbor, Jen's house. She is extremely sympathetic to animal causes. She was like, "Let's call the police. I'm not afraid." And so she did. But the animal patrol person was off for the night, so they said they would send an officer to check things out.

We don't live in a posh neighborhood, so I was already skeptical as to whether or not they would send anyone. Then, I started thinking - what if they do send someone and the people get in trouble and decide to target me and Jen (this is where the dilemma comes in). She has 2 cats and dog of her own and of course, we have 2 cats. What if we find a big brick through our windows?

The garage is attached to the home, it isn't separate. This is good, as it means it is likely more warm this way. And who knows? Maybe the animal is well fed, but left alone all day by someone who, because of this crappy economy, has to work 2 jobs to make ends meet? Maybe the dog isn't even theirs? Maybe the dog is ok, but has terrible separation anxiety. All these scenarios run through my head, and yet the dog is still yelping. Like, right now as I type this.

I contacted my uncle, who is an officer for the Animal Rescue League in Mass. He knows the staff in RI pretty well and basically said that we did the right thing by calling the cops. They keep things anonymous. He told me to let him know if it persists and that he would make a call to the RI ARL. I think we might have to do that. What else can we do?

*UPDATE*
A car finally appeared in their driveway and we haven't heard any yelping since. The car has left, but who knows? Maybe the dumbasses finally took care of the dog. We will keep our ears peeled.

Happy Birthday, Dad!

2010-01-29T08:14:00.000-08:00

My dad would've been 59 today. Ten years went by really quickly. It's hard to believe that we lost him in a pre-911 world.

I won't post anything sappy. Just that I'm thinking of him, as I do most days. Happy Birthday, Jim!

In Hot Water

2010-01-27T10:46:00.000-08:00

I must first start by apologizing to the beauty editor at Bust Magazine. She very professionally emailed me this morning, letting me know that she did, in fact respond to my Joan Jett soap query. She even forwarded the email to me. She suggested that it might have gotten sent to my spam box. I checked the folder and lo and behold, THERE WAS HER EMAIL! Along with MANY OTHER important emails that I had been waiting for. Of course, I now feel like a total ass. She didn't get pissed, although I am sure she was (I know I would be). Instead, she was kind and even offered to get in touch with me through Etsy, if her response got bounced again.

Emily A. has since taken me off of the advertising email list. I am guessing that she has a few choice words about me.

You gotta realize, though, that between the Craftacular snubs and solicitations for ads with seemingly no response to my query, I was a little miffed.

Huge props to Bust for finding this blog and responding to my post so quickly. I have no idea how they found it (I always think I am complaining to a handful of friends who read this blog).

What a Bust

2010-01-26T14:24:00.000-08:00

So, I have sort of a bone to pick with Bust Magazine.

I always thought of them as being a hip magazine for the modern feminist/liberal thinker. And I still think their content is great (though I must confess, I haven't picked up an issue in a while). When they held their Spring Craftacular earlier last year, I happily applied. And they happily took my application fee and I was happily denied entrance into the show. No biggie, I thought, I applied a little on the late side. I'll try again next time. So, when they started accepting applications for their holiday show, I applied straight away. While applications started flying in, they sent out emails to the applicants to advertise in their brochure. They (I still can't believe this) had the gaul to say something like, "even if you don't make it in the show, think of all of the EXPOSURE you'll get." It was a little more than $400 to advertise in the brochure. Do you even know your fucking audience, Bust magazine? Crafters make fucking crafts for a living. They don't have $400 in fucking pocket change just sitting around looking for something to do. They ended up extending the application deadline (no doubt to throw more money into their pockets). This is a really crummy thing to do to vendors because the holiday schedule is nuts and you want to cement it as quickly as possible. I, along with countless numbers of people, did not get in. Oh, well. The table fee was more than the advertising fee for the brochure.

Still, I thought I would try to give Bust another chance. I offer a Joan Jett tribute soap in my line and I thought they might have some interest. I kindly and professionally emailed the beauty editor about it and it seems the query has dissipated into the ether. But here's the kicker. I get emails from a person who goes by "Emily A," who obviously works in the advertising department. This is an actual email. No fucking shit.

Reserve your spot now before they're all gone!!!!!!

The Men We Love Issue only comes around every 2 years so it's a keeper! A huge hit with subscribers and a great newsstand draw!

The funniest actor from the hottest show on TV is our cover boy - Tracy Morgan! And the rest of the NBC Thursday night comedy line-up will be right there with him!

It's a can't miss! So, don't!

xoxo Emily

The subject line is: Space close next week!!!!!! 2/4/10

Let's forget for a second that the email is a little heavy with exclamation points. The type is small and CENTERED! XOXO? It's like this was the last thing that Emily A had on her "to-do" list today.

I am just really fed up with Bust Magazine. I feel like many of my customers are readers of this magazine, but, for some reason, I can't connect with them without dropping a ridicuous amount of advertising money. And I am subjected to Emily A's grammar school emails asking for me to advertise in their next issue. Maybe I am just not what they are looking for.

Andy Warhol

2010-01-25T17:15:00.000-08:00

So, there was a program on today about The Factory and Andy Warhol. I've been to the Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh. I've watched the millionth-part series on Andy Warhol on PBS. I've seen several of his films and many of his works. And I still think he's a mother fucker.

His artwork is great. I KNOW.

He had a way of getting people to converge. I KNOW.

He was a little geeky kid who blossomed into an American icon. I KNOW.

But none of these things made him a good person. In fact, I think, deep down inside, Andy Warhol was soulless. I don't get how he can spend every waking moment of the day with Edie Sedgwick (ironically, she died the very day I was born) only to appear emotionless and disinterested in her death. I don't understand why a person with great influence in the contemporary art scene might tell a newcomer that they are the next best thing only to forget who the fuck they are the next day. Andy Warhol hurt people. He used people. And they used him. It was a fucked up time. There was nothing magical about the Factory days as far as I can tell. Some great talent was born then, but it had to work its way through drug overdoses and shallowness and pretentiousness and people who silenced their humanity for the sake of being close to the great Andy Warhol. People who forgot about compassion and love, people who were motivated only by looks, status, jealousy and a selfish desire to be famous. It was a toxic place.

So, yeah, that's how I feel about Andy Warhol. He's not unlike most brilliant artists. Picasso was a dick, too. But I get so pissed when people talk about Warhol like he was some kind of god. He wasn't.

Started a New Blog Today

2010-01-24T07:35:00.000-08:00

It's called, I Would Rather Eat Out of the Garbage. It's a collection of funny review snippets from Yelp.com. If you find any good ones, send them my way and I'll post them.

Just another way to procrastinate.

Like a group of college freshmen who were rejected by Harvard and forced to go to Brown...

2010-01-22T14:25:00.000-08:00

I think moving to Providence was one of the best decisions that we could have made. I have a pretty good relationship with my gut and have developed a keen sense of knowing when something is terribly wrong or perfectly right. Life in Providence has been kismet on so many levels. I'd probably bore you with the details, so suffice it just to say that despite the scariness of being self-employed and living with my mother's cancer nightmare, I am really quite happy.

Crosswords, Soap and Haiti

2010-01-17T08:43:00.000-08:00

I am a huge fan of crossword puzzles. Every week day, I must complete The USA Today Crossword (and the Word Round Up), as well as the LA Times Crossword and the one on Boston.com (I don't particularly care for the technology they use for that one, which is always why I do it last). My favorite part of the morning is digging into the crosswords. Jere has suggested that I move on to Will Shortz's crossword on the NY Times site. You have to pay to play, but apparently, it is more challenging and the design of each puzzle is very clever. I am considering it.

So, some good news on the business front. I am getting a full page in The Providence Monthly. Next month! I met with the editor a week ago to drop off some soap for the photo shoot. She is a very hip gal and I immediately felt comfortable talking to her. The Providence Monthly (they also publish East Side Monthly, SO Rhode Island and The Bay) is in a funky location in Olneyville near this yummy Cuban restaurant we just tried called The Cuban Revolution. We went to see The Halloween Iron Pour at the Steel Yard in this area of the city last fall.

On a philanthropic note, since I am not exactly swimming in cash these days, I am going to be donating some soap to Haiti. It goes through a wonderful organization called Clean the World. I plan on shipping it off this week. As I previously stated, I will be organizing the Rosie's Place Soap Drive this year, too. Official announcement goes out tomorrow.

The Haiti tragedy is so mind-blowingly horrific. On a spiritual level, it makes me question all kinds of stuff. I am fairly agnostic, but I am also what I would consider "open to the possibilities" of whatever. I would like to think (most likely because my dad died so young and my mother is in such poor health) that there is another place we transition to after our bodies die. That there is some sort of greater purpose to life beyond what we see. Every time I start getting sucked into this state of mind, something like this happens. Thousands of people get taken out in a few minutes. How can you possible reconcile that? How does that fit into this lovely notion that we are all here for some huge, logical reason? Because there is nothing logical about an 8-year-old girl who finds herself suddenly without a family, a home or much of a chance. Not that I think that there is a lot of logic behind recreational dog fighting, the Holocaust, 911 or Jonestown. I don't know, I just can't make any sense out of it and like most everyone else, I feel really helpless. Maybe the soap I donate will help a little.

Kathleen Hanna's Blog

2010-01-08T12:40:00.000-08:00

I am a big fan of Kathleen Hanna. Her body of work is impressive, but I enjoy her personality and perspective on life more. I really admire her dedication to feminist causes and I am truly envious that she had an opportunity not only to meet, but to work with living legend, Joan Jett.

Kathleen has a blog and she posts pretty regularly. Mainly photos and videos of amusing things she finds and sees. The blog doesn't accept comments, but I think this is pretty smart. She would probably get a million and might not always have the time to post thoughtful responses. Blog maintenance is very time consuming for a famous person, I would imagine.

My annual soap donation for Rosie's Place is just about upon us (on my 3rd year now!) and one of the future goals I have for the drive is to ask a person like Kathleen to give it some visibility. Kathleen ... if you are out there, hit me up!

By the way, I read that Le Tigre is working on a new album!

Getting Back into It

2010-01-05T18:00:00.001-08:00

So, after my last event, I basically hit the wall. I thought my feet might fall off and I found myself unable to complete simple sentences. I needed a break. But before I had one, I had to jam all of my holiday shopping + card making + decorating + baking into four days. Then, I took one glorious week off. Jere had the week off between Christmas and New Year's off, too, so our days were full of cozying up on the couch and marathon Boggle playing. It was heaven. Seriously.

Yesterday was my first day getting back into the groove and I've been dipping one toe in at a time. It wasn't until about mid-afternoon today that I felt a huge whoosh of inspiration. Ideas and excitement started washing over me. Valentine's Day gift sets, a limited edition chocolate and champagne soap, a new unisex design for the permanent collection and my 3rd annual Valentine's Day Soap Drive for Rosie's Place. Couple this cluster of ideas with office and studio organization and I've got a full month of conceptualizing and cementing plans for the year.

Did I mention taxes? A touchy subject for me, actually. I started getting excited about the 7500 dollar 1st time buyer's tax credit until I realized, again, that I am one year shy of qualifying. Only 2 years had elapsed in between the time I bought our current house and the selling of the condo I had with my ex. I sort of forgot this, as I attempted the same this last year. Argh! I read, though, that unmarried couples who jointly own a home (which was purchased within the qualifying period) could have an advantage. If one of the two owners is a true 1st time home buyer, then that person is eligible for the credit. So, one of my big "to-do" items is getting Jere on the mortgage and deed pronto (or possibly refinancing with him) so that we can split the credit. That's more than 3000 buckaroos each, so we are taking this pretty seriously.

We are thinking about getting married this year. We've been together for four years now, so I think we might be ready. I heard that my ex remarried, like, right away! Wowzers. I've been in a stable relationship for some time now and I am JUST starting to feel ready. Details to follow on this as we, um, plan them, I guess. We have one thing finalized for the wedding, which is a surprise. We've had this little piece in the works for a while now and we can't wait to realize it. So, this could be the year that we do.

I've decided that this is going to be a real "take the bull by the horns" sort of year for me and my business. Last March, I was full of energy and passion, but I felt that I had no direction. How could I? It was the year of the playing the the proverbial sand box. Now, I feel as though I have a base, so I am more confident and eager to start spreading my seed all over the fucking place. And I am predicting lots of risk-taking in my future. I'm going to be kicking out the jams, people.

Reflections on 2009

2009-12-24T12:35:00.001-08:00

It's been almost a full year since I took the full-time plunge with my business and I'm actually still alive. I was terrified that I would fail miserably and wind up begging my old employer for a contract in a matter of a couple of months. Of course, that is never outside the realm of possibility, but so far, I have managed to pay my bills without the help of the government for (going on) 5 consecutive months.

Being self-employed is a big adjustment, but I've gained a few nuggets of wisdom in the past year.

A. There are a lot of naysayers out there. People like my grandmother, who, after learning that I was going to focus on my business rather than find gainful employment in the corporate world, asked my mother when I was planning on getting a "real job." I am not upset by this mentality. Even I think I am still crazy for making this choice sometimes, but I have learned not to let other people project their fears and insecurities on me.

B. Entrepreneurship is a huge risk. Especially for a person like me. My boyfriend makes a modest income as a proofreader, but I am still responsible for exactly one half of our household bills, along with personal bills (like my stupidly huge car payment). I see this as a HUGE positive. If my partner made enough to cover all of our bills, I might be tempted to lighten up on my work load and not be as aggressive or serious about growing my business. I believe that complacency can work against you.

C. I have become quite educated regarding taxes. Both from a self-employment stand-point, as well as tax collection and payment. God, I wish there was a nice, Cliff Notes version of this out there for people just starting out. Unfortunately, the IRS has made it difficult (as well as individual state governments) to outline your responsibilities. I personally think this is done on purpose, so that you are naively non-compliant with some-such thing and forced to be fined later on. The IRS isn't stupid.

D. Ok, this is really cliche and corny, but I believe that there are no limits to what you are capable of. The only obstacle is you. If you let the Negative Nellys occupy the real estate in your brain, you will never realize your own potential. Life is short and, despite what other people might suggest, you are in control of it. Of course, I say this as a person who has no children. But I am also able to balance my budding business while helping to care for my mom, who battles stage-four cancer. I believe that I have found something that I am terrifically passionate about. I don't know if I will ever find anything else that gives me such satisfaction, so you bet your boots that I will do whatever is necessary to keep my business afloat, even during this crap economy.

I am really excited about the new year and what it brings my little soap business. I hope I can continue to pay the mortgage with suds!

I should also add that I believe that a certain amount of luck and positive connections have brought about wonderful things this year. A great deal of strength can be gained when you join forces with other small business people. From actual, profitable ventures to encouragement and Chicken Soup for the Soul type conversations. It's been a great and rewarding journey so far. And this is really just the beginning.

He uses the word "fart" too much, but I still love the book.

2009-10-18T05:01:00.000-07:00

Don't get me wrong. I still crack up when I hear the word "fart." But it can be overdone. Maybe that's my only real criticism of David Cross' first book, "I Drink for a Reason." Am I wrong to think he's sexy? I have never had traditional taste when it comes to what draws me to the opposite sex. Which is why I still don't understand why I married my Banana Republic lovin' ex-husband. Oh, right, he's a wacko! Anyway, in most instances, I prefer skinny, nerdy, Jewish, funny dudes to the "People Magazine's Sexiest Man of the Year" types. Unfortunately, I must emit something all together too Catholic (maybe they can bottle my pheromones, call them "Schicksa" and sell them) because only one Jewish boy ever found me date-worthy. And he was half Sicilian.

So, about the book. I remember reading David Sedarias', "Naked" on the subway and laughing out loud. Well, "I Drink for a Reason" caused the same thing to play out. Except I was minding my booth at the Providence Open Market (bundled up in many layers of clothes, drinking coffee that had become crazy cold). There is one chapter that really put me over the edge called, "Things to Do When You're Bored." One of his suggestions involved an iPod and a shoe store. I read it, like, four times. In fact, I am fending off an urge to go downstairs and get the book to read that piece again. I also really enjoy the way some things stay in his craw indefinitely. Like his hatred for Jim Belushi. Some people might find that to be annoying. Just get over it, David Cross. Not me. Don't get over it! It's funny! He sounds like a total prick. And I hated that he got a television show several years ago. What segment of this country is sitting there waiting for Jim and the person they cast as his wife to entertain them? As I recall, the woman was waaaaaaaaay too attractive to give a guy like him a second glance, let alone marry him. I really hate that, by the way. How they pair the fat/old guy with some young, shapely lady. And he's always a really obnoxious a-hole and she's always all, "Oh, you!" or maybe she's really the smart one and at the end of the episode he has to thank her for setting him straight. It started with the Honeymooners and for some reason, it gets played out over and over and over. Either people like that shit or people think that people like that shit and they get tricked into watching it and maybe developing a sick liking of it. Whatever.

I also found all the Mormon bashing to be wildly hilarious. If you ever read "Under the Banner of Heaven," you, too, will enjoy a little Mormon bashing.

Random thought: Why do people say, "Well, me, PERSONALLY, I don't much care for (such-and-such)." Forget for a second that it is grammatically incorrect, but isn't it obvious that it's you? Do you need to add the "personally" part?

My New Co-Workers

2009-10-16T10:28:00.000-07:00

When I first went full time with my soap business, one of the things that I worried about was lack of social interaction on a regular basis. At first, this fear proved itself out. I was getting a little stir crazy, but since I have been working the local markets every week, I have found that I have new co-workers. You don't become friendly with other business people overnight, but when it does happen, you start to feel like you belong to a new family. And the cool thing is that everyone has a deep passion for what they do and has taken the same financial risk. As a bonus, you get to trade your goods for other goods and wares - all handcrafted and local. So, I usually leave the farmer's market with rice and fried plantains, fresh bread and scrumptious pie or pecan rolls. At the open market, I can zip across the park and say hello to my friend, Mary, who runs a local, organic herb farm in the middle of the city. I buy my lavender and calendula from her and her local products gets put right into my local products. It's a beautiful thing to help support each other.

I have joined forces with a group of local crafters to form a small coop called, Rhody Craft 100. We are 100% local, 100% handmade and all within 100 miles of Pawtucket Artiste Village where we will be setting up a small retail shop from November to January. It's going to rule.

Finding these new folks has been such a comfort, but also very exciting. My friend, Jenn, makes these really cool, sarcastic greeting cards. She and I have lunch at a local coffee house on a now regular basis. We talk about our businesses, the things that scare us and the stuff we love.

Some weeks, I make my numbers. Some weeks, I don't. But I am now on my 2nd month free of unemployment benefits and though I am not living big, I can proudly say that I am able to pay my share of our bills with money I have made from my little soap business. I know that my business will grow and that soon I will have a little extra cash, but in the meantime, I am trying to focus on the positive and remain excited about the future. I would rather do what I love and eke by than continue to work in a job that I've lost interest in.

Catch Up

2009-07-27T05:23:00.000-07:00

I have been neglectful here. Pretty bad gap in writing on ole Gibberish, I must say. Things have been hopping in soap land and most of my postings have been on my business blog and short, random updates on Facebook.

WORK

Though I am still getting used to the new routine, after four months things seem a lot more regular. I am a list person, now more than ever. With great freedom comes great scheduling responsibility. Jere just got a full time gig as a proofreader/copyeditor for a computer company, so this will lighten my financial burden a smidge. I have been working a number of markets, getting wedding favor business, and doing wholesale in addition to accepting orders on my website. I am trying to create a number of revenue streams so that I don't have to rely on just one or two. My dream is still to have that storefront, but most of the people I speak to who have stores tell me not to do it. That it isn't worth the additional overhead, etc. I think eventually, I will tire of transporting my store to various locations every week, but for now, it's fun.

RED SOX

We caught Jim Rice's induction on television yesterday afternoon. What a great ceremony! And in typical Jim fashion (no pun intended), he wore a spectacular tie. Congratulations, Jim! No more white knuckle rides - you are in!

Saturday night's victory was much needed. Lester was his usual, dominant self. Even from the bleachers, we could see flames shooting off the ball after he released it. Amazing guy, that Lester. Too bad about yesterday's loss, though. I thought we were on our way to regaining our place at the top of the division. I guess we are back to our usual post-All Star Break struggle. Unfortunately, this is about when the Yankees start heating up.

PROVIDENCE

Speaking of heat, we had the pleasure of attending the city's first water fire event! It happened conveniently after an event I worked on Westminster street at the beginning of the season. They are pretty amazing. If you like fire, by all means go to one of these things.

I feel like I am really bonding with the city. We've been here almost a year now and since going full time with Stella Marie, I have had a lot of opportunities to meet new people. It's a very unique, down-to-earth place. Perfect mix of urban/suburban. We live in the ity, but we have a yard and a garage and a driveway. It's also centrally-located to all the places we visit regularly. The ocean is always near, which is key for us. It is culturally diverse. It has a huge, kickass pulic park where they actually rent kayacks.

SHOUTS OUTS

Congratulations to ...

... my friend Ilene on her wicked pissa new release of children's music. This time, she has teamed up with her friend Tamara (her first release was with our friend, Steve) to create a bunch of fun kids' songs.

... our friends Anthony and Caitlin who are tying the knot this coming month!

... my friends Lyn and Pete who will be weloming their first child later this year!

... my mom - she is doing brilliantly! No chemo in 3 months and her cancer remains stable. She is looking and feeling great! She had a strontium injection a couple of weeks ago and this is supposed to target her bone metastisis. She has a lot of them in her pelvis and lower back. It takes 4 weeks to feel the results, so fingers crossed.

(wow, I just realized that this post is very "church newsletter"-like. Weird.)

I Don't Get This

2009-05-24T06:16:00.001-07:00

You have probably heard about Etsy.com, the online indie market. It's huge and wonderful, filled with amazing, handmade items - stuff you could never find at your local Target, CVS or Newbury Comics.

When you join the zillions of people selling their goods on Etsy, you really have to work hard to get noticed. You have to join forums and have showcases and who knows what else. It is a very competitive place. I'd rather direct people to my own web site, but I do get an occassional, unexpected sale on Etsy which is always nice. What I find to be a real shame when I peruse the other soap stores on Etsy is how an AMAZING soap maker like Ladybug Soapworks can have less than 100 sales while a hack "soap maker" can enjoy hundreds of sales. I am not going to mention any names, but I am speaking, generally, about people who have crummy photography and who use the melt & pour technique without any real creative element (I have seen some people make stunning soaps using melt & pour, but it is not the norm and the average person can't appreciate the difference between melt & pour and a lovely, handmade soap from scratch).

Etsy. It's a jungle out there.

Big Sister Program

2009-05-19T15:54:00.000-07:00

I may not be "mommy" material, but I would still like to make a difference in a child's life. I just signed up to be a Big Sister and this is looooong overdue. I am really looking forward to meeting my Little Sister!

Whole Foods Update

2009-05-15T14:28:00.001-07:00

Can be found here.

Bruins Stinker

2009-05-15T09:48:00.000-07:00

I am not really a hockey fan, per say. As I've stated in the past, I am addicted to baseball and in the last three seasons or so, I've folded basketball into the mix. It's really all I can find the time to follow when I'm not knee deep in the soap.

Having said this, I must express my empathy to all of the Bruins fans who had such faith in this team. It really did seem as though they had the momentum to go all the way. I know the "punch in the gut" feeling that the B's fans will have to ride out over the next couple of days. It's a total pooper.

I hope the Celtics can win game 7 at home tomorrow. I've realized that Dwight Howard is a real "me, me, me" kind of guy. I can't believe the way he bad-mouthed Van Gundy so publicly. It's very selfish and disrespectful of your teammates, not to mention Van Gundy himself. Right or wrong, you work that stuff out privately. And Alston is a total jerk. No one slaps Eddie House in the back of the head and advances in the playoffs. No one!

The Truth

2009-05-13T21:34:00.000-07:00

Gonzaga.

That is my surname. Some of you know this, but some of you do not. The name is Brazilian and I've not a drop of Brazilian blood. I am part Polish (very proud!) and part French-Canadian (also very proud, but somehow the Polish part takes over the French-Canadian).

How did I come to have this name?

My grandmother (after her divorce from said Brazilian man) fell in-love with a married man, had an affair and became pregnant. This is how my father was born.

I did not know about this until after she passed away in 1986. I was upstairs in my room, bawling my eyes out (I loved my Grandma Stella so much and was very close to her) after her funeral. My parents came upstairs and told me the "truth" about my biological history. I was then told that we would never speak of it again.

Nice.

My father lived with his illegitimacy his entire life. He never sought after my grandfather. He wouldn't give him the satisfaction. I still admire the courage it took my dad to avoid seeking his natural father. This is something I don't think I could file away as neatly as my dad did ("He didn't give a shit about me, so I don't give a shit about him."). Still, I wonder about my grandfather. I wonder if he knew I even existed. I don't feel as though I missed out on anything, as I come from a very loving family who cherished me and made me feel safe and appreciated. But I think about him sometimes. And his wife, who didn't know what was going on. And his children, my aunts and uncles, who did not know about me or my dad.

It took a long time to be able to be public with all of this. After my parents told me about the whole thing, I felt that telling anyone would breach the trust I had with my mom and dad. But after a period of time, I realized that I wasn't going to be ashamed of who I was. I love my Grandmother, and that includes every decision she's ever made. Had it not been for her "bad" decision, I wouldn't be here.

There is so much I can say about this woman - I could write a book. Her bravery inspires me everyday. I could never feel ashamed by anything she did. I just wish I had had the opportunity to let her know, face-to-face.

Manny

2009-05-08T04:30:00.001-07:00

I thought I would be more up-in-arms about this news, but really I'm just kind of , "meh." I suppose, when he went to the other side of the country and to a different league, he just sorted of fell off of my daily radar. Plus, he was rubbing his new found love and success in our faces and I guess I it was just too hurtful to pay attention.

It sucks to learn about yet another dirty player. I always thought Trot Nixon would be the first big name former Red Sox player to be found out. I mean, I love Trot. Absolutely adore him with every fiber of my being. But, he had anger issues, big face & neck syndrome and frequent injuries. You tell me.

I feel bad for Joe Torre. He spent many years trying to manage around this guy and now he has to deal with his dark side. Meanwhile, the Red Sox enjoyed many a season with him before he was caught. The irony. That's why he gets paid the big bucks, I guess.

Whole Foods

2009-05-07T18:23:00.000-07:00

I just got accepted to attend the Whole Foods Local Producers seminar! I was sent an application a couple of weeks ago. They accept 26 people to come every time. I went all out. I gave them a copy of my media kit and a soap sample with the application. I also hand-delivered it.

I got the call this afternoon. This is a real honor. We have three Providence area Whole Foods markets. I am told that the seminar is a chance to meet with partners and to find out what the criteria is for getting your product on their shelves. In my case, I will be meeting with the Whole Body people. If I can meet the criteria, I will likely have Stella Marie in our local Whole Foods Markets!

Isn't this the bees knees?

Simone, Tell Me About Your Big But

2009-04-26T05:09:00.000-07:00

Jere and I attended yesterday's wacko Red Sox-Yankees game. I had a good feeling going into it, even though Beckett was shakier than I thought he might be. It was classic tit-for tat, but we ended the game 5 runs ahead. Strange, too, because we started the game with a 6 run deficit.

I don't know if it was because of hormones or what, but I was a little less patient with the crowd yesterday than usual. And it wasn't even the Yankee fans who irritated me (we were fortunate not to have been sitting near any of them). Here is a list of people who grind my gears at baseball games.

Drunky McGee
I enjoy a couple of beers at the park. Baseball, beer, hot dogs (veggie dogs, in my case) - it's all good. But, what I don't understand is getting shnockered by the 2nd half of the first inning. And there is always some person who is either comatosed in their seat or totally belligerent.

Glamor Puss
These women don't come to the game with the intention of watching it. They may not know much about baseball at all. They spend most of their time in the ladies room, touching up their makeup and gossiping about how "Chah-lie was checkin' me out." The sign says FENway, not RUNway, ladies! Aren't there better places you can take your fake tans and boobs?

Texter
I don't text people unless I have to. No matter how far along the technology has come, I still find it to be rather clunky. But I understand that I am in the minority. Especially at Fenway Park, where Jacoby can't steal a base without hordes of people reaching for their phones to text someone who is obviously desperately waiting for an update. You can put cell phone people in this category, too. Why pay for super expensive seats when all you are going to do is spend 9 entire innings talking on the phone?

New Borns
Baseball and kids are a natural combination. When you see a little boy or girl at the game for the first time, you get all excited for them, knowing that this is a really special experience. All of their favorite players are going to be standing on the field in front of them. I think, though, that your average 3-month-old infant might not understand why it's so loud and windy. I am always so amazed when I see moms and dads bringing babies that can fit in the palm of one's hand to the game, along with all the crazy equipment that goes along with the baby. How can you even fit that stuff in the aisle? Is it really worth it?

Chatty Kathys
"So, like, I was all, huh? And she was all, what?" These people kill me. There is an exciting play about to unfold and here they are in some intense conversation about who the hell knows. The funny thing is, they seem to get annoyed with everyone in their section when they respond to the game. Like we are all interrupting their little chat. How rude we are!

The Beach Ball
Not a person, technically, but what is the point of this?

Homophobes
One of the most disappointing experiences is bonding with the fan next to you, only to find out later in the game that they are a homophobe (or a racist). I hate those "Jeter Sucks A-Rod" t-shirts or whatever, too. Why do grown men (or anyone for this matter) still feel the need to insult people by throwing out homophobic slurs? It's embarrassing and hurtful. News Flash: No one is impressed!

The Jabber
Maybe this person is part Drunky McGee. You know who I am talking about, right? The first jab is an accident. Maybe they apologize, maybe they don't. The second time you feel the elbow jerk you in the arm, you start wondering. Pretty soon, they almost cause you to spill your beverage because there just isn't enough space to accomodate all of the insane hand gestures they are using to express themselves to the person next to them.

Feel free to share your favorite baseball game attendees.

Happy Earth Day!

2009-04-22T06:10:00.000-07:00

Stella Marie made it into the Boston Herald today! Hurray!

Donuts

2009-04-20T05:01:00.000-07:00

I made these heart-shaped donuts yesterday morning. They are really easy and fun, but beware - your house can get awfully smokey from the frying. Jere tried to capture the cool-looking ray of sun caused by the smoke in the house. He's artsy like that.

100% vegetarian!

Becoming More Official

2009-04-14T11:59:00.000-07:00

Well, I just put a bunch of clams down for product liability insurance for Stella Marie. It had to be done. A lot of places will not allow you to sell your goods without it. I also got a real checking account for the business and a federal tax ID! I'm working on getting state tax IDs in the places I am going to be selling my stuff in, also.

I was pretty much tearing my hair out trying to get all this stuff together this week. Every state has different tax regulations, verbiage and permit requirements. Each state's government site is constructed differently. It is like trying to pull teeth to get yourself all legal and legit. I think they make it harder so that they can catch you doing something wrong (unknowingly) and fine you. It's probably one of those unwritten state revenue streams.

I also have to be careful about my earnings. The state of Massachusetts allows me to make a certain amount of money every week through my business without jeopardizing my UI benefits. This is a net amount, so though I can exceed that amount in sales, I need to figure out what the net value is every week when I file and be sure it does not go over.

Anyone want to come over and be my bookkeeper? I can pay you in soap.

Good Search

2009-04-06T07:07:00.000-07:00

You may already know about this, but there is a way you can raise money for your charity of choice just by doing internet searches. It's called Good Search. Every time I do a search, Community Change in Boston gets a penny, but it all adds up. If all of the people on their mailing list sign up for Good Search, then they get a whole lot of money each year. I don't normally promote stuff, but this is really a no-effort/no-brainer/no-excuses way to help out.

Crazy New Life

2009-04-06T06:34:00.000-07:00

Here is a breakdown of my crazy new life, so far.

Pluses:

- I love working in my own home, testing out new avenues for business, planning, creating and watching everything evolve.
- I get all giddy when an email arrives from a publication or event coordinator.
-I love that my schedule is flexible. I can be there for my mother, Jere, my family and my friends.
- I love that I am saving tons of money on gas and that I don't have to spend 3 hours a day in my car.
- I love that what I make is helping others by nourishing skin and taking stress out of their lives, momentarily.
- I love that my kitties can sit in my office while I work.
- I love that I can be myself in my business, infusing my products with my personality. I don't have to be someone else or pretend to like Michael Bolton to keep my job.
- Work doesn't feel like work. Not even this weekend when I had 2 events in Massachusetts, one ending at 10 PM on Saturday, the next starting at 9 AM on Sunday.

Minuses:

- I don't really punch out. If I'm not making product, I am marketing, researching, taking inventory, corresponding or forecasting. My head is constantly a-buzz. I don't mind it, but it's funny to watch a Corona commercial and see two people relaxing on the beach. This seems pretty foreign to me. I hope I feel differently this summer when we jaunt over to Block Island. I will try to leave the soap at home. Maybe.
- Not knowing exactly how the business is going to take shape is a little stressful, too, but it's exciting at the same time. I am trying to take any worries I have about money and channel them into productive tasks. I am lucky to have found a wonderful consultant who is going to help me with my business plan. I love the Small Business Development Center! It's a free service that offers real, tactile consultation. Their mission is fostering and growing small business at the local level. My consultant makes me feel like I have a partner.

Throwing Muses, 50 Foot Wave and Screaming Females at the Middle East

2009-03-15T05:27:00.000-07:00

My sore legs were worth it. We stood through five hours and three full sets of kick-you-right-where-you-pee music last night. At times, I thought: They know we are an aging crowd, why are they making us wait so long? But, really, I had no business complaining. They tore the roof off.

Screaming Females, a trio of indie-punky musicians from New Jersey, were a real breath of fresh air. The lead vocalist (and incidentally lead guitarist) was the mitochondria. She whaled, she screamed, she transported me. Her name is Marissa Paternoster, by the way. I hope Screaming Females can help turn the pathetic current bullshit music scene right on its head.

Hersch and the crew did not disappoint (Except they didn't play Counting Backwards. Oddly, this single is not available on iTunes, either. Is there a connection?). It's hard to believe that voice could possibly come out of such a small woman. But it does. And I am ever-so-grateful. I've always gravitated toward female performers who aren't afraid to belt it out. I hate the girly-girl, baby-talk type performers. I won't mention any names (Jewel). Joanna Newsom is a rare exception for many reasons I won't get into here. Give me a gal who tears it up any day of the week! Throwing Muses, 50 Foot Wave and Screaming Females: A + + +

Lay-Away

2009-03-13T10:08:00.000-07:00

You know, when I was a kid, people put things on lay-away. If you wanted something, but didn't have the money for it, you would pay in installments (as much and as often as you like), until the thing was paid off. Then, you get to take it home! Hurray! The best part? No debt.

Perhaps, in lieu of these tough economic times, we ought to roll things back a few decades and revisit the whole lay-away idea. I understand that this is still done in some department stores, but with the popularization of credit cards and immediate gratification, lay-away has been muscled out of the picture.

Hate to sound old-fashioned, but lay-away might teach the younger generations a little about patience and the value of earning something.

Hazzard County

2009-03-05T03:39:00.000-08:00

I had a little scare on the road yesterday. I was driving in the far left lane on 495 N when the car in front of me came to a sudden stop. I slammed on my brakes to avoid rear-ending the person, swerving my car some, back and forth. I was successful. The person in back of me, however, was not so lucky. These things cause chain-reactions and the poor driver wound up driving right down into the snowy ditch. The worst part is that I couldn't pull over anywhere. There was no shoulder and my best shot to check on them was to pull over to the right, then walk across 3 lanes of traffic. This was not a safe option. So, instead, I drove all the way to work in a state of shock and nausea. I called the State Police to find out if the person as alright. I knew that their car was fine (meaning, it didn't hit anything going into the ditch), but I was concerned about the driver. The officer I spoke to assured me that they were fine. Whew!

When I got off of 495, I kept looking in my rear view, imagining that the person flew out of the ditch like Bo and Luke Duke. I thought that every white car was the ditch person coming after me to make me suffer their wrath. I'm sure these ridiculous thoughts will start up again today. I am my own worst enemy.

Touch Your Fear, Don't Be Afraid

2009-02-21T04:00:00.000-08:00

I've spent the last few weeks in a mental typhoon. At first, I was devastated to learn that educational publishing is being impacted so strongly by this economic crisis and that my job security had fallen victim to it. I then started thinking that this could be an opportunity in disguise for me to finally devote time and energy to Stella Marie. I began getting excited about this, especially as my friends and family encouraged me. A person like me doesn't have the luxury of a trust fund, a breadwinner (I am the breadwinner, actually), or lottery winnings (Although, I should confess that my co-workers and I have been playing it for the past few weeks. I am not much of a gambler, but hey), therefore I was caught in this cycle of working 40+ hours at my day job, then devoting whatever time and energy was left to my soap business. Oh yes, and I tried to have a life in the midst of it all. Being laid off is really the only way I can pop this thing into a higher gear. I am hoping that I don't have to collect unemployment insurance for more than a few months. I'll be working my tail off all year and I will probably have to give up most of my weekends for craft fairs and whatever events I can get myself into. I don't care. In the words of Black Flag, We are born with a chance. I will have my chance.

There is a bit of a caviat to all of this, however. Self employment could disqualify me from receiving UI (if they find out, and I don't plan on disclosing it). The irony is, Stella Marie could not exist without my publishing job. So, how do you explain this to the state of Massachusetts? It confuses me that a person who is highly motivated and wants to have a successful small business (collecting UI for as little time as possible) ought to be penalized while there are lots of people who stay on unemployment as long as they can while they half-heartedly look for a job. States should offer incentives for people seeking full time self employment. I'm going to suggest this to Obama right now.

Good News and Not So Good News

2009-01-31T05:25:00.000-08:00

The good news is, as of January 1st, I started working Fridays again. My mother's cancer is being managed well and she is stable enough, at this point, where I felt safe enough working 5 days (I took Fridays off to be with her, do stuff around the house, and give her husband a break). I was looking forward to the extra pay, too, since we just bought a house last summer and there are additional bills to pay.

The bad news is, my company isn't doing so hot. We just got word yesterday of some really drastic measures they are having to take to ride out this shitty economy. For me, this results in a 5% pay cut and losing my full time employee status. Everyone in the company will lose this status, too, except for directors. So, basically, if there isn't a project waiting for me when the one I am currently working on ends, I will be out of a job. This could happen as soon as March 15th. I am still far better off than a lot of people. My company is a wonderful, caring and highly ethical organization. They are doing everything possible to soften this as much as possible for everyone. I've heard some horror stories. Right before Christmas, the bank shut down a very large national developer and there hadn't been any notice to their employees whatsoever. People came to work and were greeted with locked doors. Can you imagine?

So, now I have to make some decisions. If I file for unemployment, we won't lose the house. But, we won't really be able to live without dipping into savings. We might have to get rid of one car, too. This isn't the end of the world, my any means. We don't have kids to provide for, so I am not really panicking. I am just in this bizarre place, professionally. I always wanted my current employer, whom I love, to be the last place I worked before going full time with Stella Marie. I am wondering if maybe this could be an opportunity in disguise. Part of me just wants to go nuts building my business. Truth be told, I would have to dig really deep to find enthusiasm for project management again. Plus, no one is really hiring right now. My heart says, KICK OUT THE SOAP, MOTHER F*CKER and my head says, "Go buy a new suit and polish off your resume."

Thank goodness I have a month and a half to live with this information. And who knows? A new project might come along come mid-March.

Meanwhile, George Bush sleeps oh so soundly.

My Dream

2009-01-25T08:07:00.000-08:00

I have a dream.

I want to open my own soap store. A real one with a door and a welcome mat. I want the sounds of kickass punk to come wafting out, along with the smells of all the bath goodies inside. In an ideal world, anyone who comes in can watch soap being made right before their eyes. I sort of envision a kitchen in the back with a large glass window for people to look through and demystify the process of making soap. I would like a bath salt bar, too, that works like a deli. You can purchase them by the pound. Bordering the walls will be photos of my heroes: favorite punk rockers, feminists, baseball players, civil rights activists. There will be a large porcelin tub in the window with a huge mohawk clad mannequin bather. She will be soaking in handblown glass bubbles. There will be a sink for testing soaps and body scrubs. Products will be made fresh, daily. One night a month, I will have "free facial day." I will also host events for friends, like maybe my neighbor can have a fashion show of her burlesque clothing. I would love to sell handmade bath crafts, too, like cool towels, soap dishes, candles and toilet seat covers.

I want this all so bad I could cry. I haven't a clue how to get from point A to point B. Especially with bills to pay. I don't know much, but I do know this: Businesses do not profit for like, 2 years. I also know that I am not getting any younger. I am angry with myself for not going after this with my usual gusto. I just feel stuck between *reason* and my passion for this goal.

Any advice?

I Don't Get People

2009-01-18T08:27:00.000-08:00

A little over a month ago, I noticed that my tire was getting a bit low. Cold air can cause this to happen. Jere and I pulled up to a gas station and filled the tire up. We drove home (we were in western Massachusetts at the time) and upon checking on the tire in the driveway, realized that we forgot to put the valve cap on. The tire was fine, but I thought it best to visit the nearest Benny's the next day and pick up a replacement cap.

While there, we saw that they had these cool skull caps. Without hesitation, we purchased them.

A few weeks later, I was getting into the car when I noticed that the skull cap was gone. However, the thief was considerate enough to replace it with their own plain-Jane style cap.

Who does this and why? Just when I was beginning to restore my faith in humans. Ugh.

About Damn Time!

2009-01-12T19:13:00.000-08:00

As soon as I find the t-shirt I made in 2003 to will Jim into the Hall of Fame, I will post a pic. For now, here is a happy shot of Coopertown's newest inductee, Jim Ed.

Alright, Mommies ... I'm Calling On You

2009-01-10T05:16:00.000-08:00

Firstly, this is not a sarcastic post. I am being completely serious here.

You probably know my back story, but here it is in brief:

I am an only child.
I have zero experience with children, except for the few times I babysat my younger cousins.
I am not planning on having children, main reason being that I was born without a maternal instinct (though I do love caring for my 2 lovely cats).

Taking all of this into account, I need a little advice. Over the years, many of my co-workers have brought their children into work. There are few situations that utterly paralyze me, but this is one of them. Shamefully, if I hear a child enter our reception area, I actually go all the way around our office to the 2nd entrance to use the restroom, in an effort to avoid the situation altogether. It has nothing to do with the mom and her offspring. It's really all about me and not wanting to look like a freak. Normally, I am a very capable and problem-solving type person. But, you bring a child into the picture (particularly a newborn) I become a total deer in headlights. I smile a lot like a dummy, but I have no idea what the expected response is. I must look like a complete fool to the poor mom. All the other moms seem to know exactly what to say, what sorts of questions to ask and, most importantly, they have no fear of the situation at all, which completely blows me away! I get cold sweats just thinking about an encounter like this. So, maybe if I am armed with the types of questions and responses that are appropriate, my fears might be squelched and I wouldn't look like a total weirdo.

Here is my list, so far:

1. Smile a lot.
2. Say something kind, like, "He/she is so beautiful!" (I really emphasize the word beautiful. I think it makes the mom happy and it's usually the last thing I say, so I really stretch it out.)
3. More smiling and blinking. It's at this point that I start wondering if I've spent enough time with this. I begin crafting an excuse to bolt.
4. Quietly shuffle to the side, stating that I don't want to hog all the room upfront.
5. Wait for a really new and excited person to come along and seize the chance to leave the scene unnoticed.

This is not a very good list. I want to improve in this area. Should I ask how much the baby weighed? Is that a good question or would the mom be offended? I hear a lot of conversation about how much/little the mom and dad are sleeping. Should I ask about that, too? Would this be a desired question? Maybe I should just keep finding alternate ways to the bathroom.

Rocco Comes Home

2009-01-08T18:36:00.000-08:00

It's about time.

Loving Sci-Fi

2009-01-01T07:22:00.000-08:00

Oh, the New Year's Twilight Zone marathon on the Sci-Fi channel never, ever gets old. What a great time to (a) be cuddled up inside during a snowstorm and (b) home on holiday. We went sledding in our driveway yesterday. It was fun - like the old days when you get on a skateboard and take off from the top of a driveway as one of your friends plays "look out" below. I also have this serious hankering for soup, but Jere doesn't like soup (for some reason that escapes me now). Anyway, we've really been enjoying this break and there are still three whole days of it left!

It's fun to make soap at my leisure, without the pressure of a show or holiday forcing me to pull an all-nighter. I've been using this quiet time to brainstorm business ideas for the new year, too. I've got some nutty gift set ideas - take a look and tell me what you think. Does "Sex Farm Woman" push the envelope?

Merry Kissmas, Everyone!

2008-12-25T07:22:00.000-08:00

I'm finally writing a baseball blog post.

2008-12-24T05:27:00.000-08:00

The Yankees acquired Anthony Keitis (who Jere and I call Teixeira), CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett. And to this I say: Big deal.

Teixeira is a fine player. Good numbers. Gold glove. But, lest we forget - the man plays first base. My grandmother could get a gold glove at first base (sorry if I am offending anyone here). That's where DH's go in NL parks. That's where tired short stops go. That's where they put Giambi, for heaven's sake. I actually like not having to give up Mike Lowell. I think another decent year could be squeezed out of the guy if he is healthy. Plus, I would like to see his famous hidden ball trick at long last! So, our infield stays in tact and I'm not upset about it (so long as they go with "Jed instead"). I'm also glad that Lucchino and Henry stood firm against Boras. Screw Scott Boras. I hate that guy. He is single-handily ruining baseball. Both Jere and I agree that it would have been nice to see Keitis go to Baltimore. That would have been a good lift for the birds. Plus, that's where he's from, anyway (Teixeira, not Anthony Keitis).

Truth be told, CC Sabathia is more than a little hefty. He's going to run out of steam. They've got him for 7 long years, too. They are going to have to put him on a diet. Actually, (out of the 3 newbies) he's probably the player who will make the most difference for them in terms of their chances of making the playoffs.

And A.J. Burnett doesn't scare me at all. It is very likely that he will wind up on the DL early/ often. He might be an A.J. Burden to some teams, but the Yankees can afford to sign Carl Pavanos like that.

I think we need to get a good number 4 starter (Sorry, Buchholz). And I'm not talking about getting Derek Lowe back. His sinker is nasty when he's got it. But when he doesn't, he cries on the mound. I don't want that. You don't want that. Nobody wants that. I like the guy ok. I enjoy being surprised by his height every time I see him in person, but that's about it. Also, when are we going to think about getting a back up for our number 5 starter? Wake is not going to fossilize on that mound or anything. He's going to weaken eventually and this could really be the year. We need 2 decent starters to back up Wake and Buchholz.

And I say we sign the Captain for a couple more years, then he and Wake can retire and become the new Dennis Eckersley and Louis Tiante. If Wakefield had a little kiosk on Yawkey way, what kind of food do you think he would sell? "Regular guy" cuisine. Whatever that it. Something totally non-adventurous. He could call it, "No Condiments" or something. His tag line could be: "How would you like a knuckle sandwich?"

We spent the last couple of days in Northampton, which was relaxing and fun, as always. I was disappointed to learn that they converted what I thought was a government building into an Urban Outfitters. I think I am officially done with UO now. This was the last straw. Especially since they are taking serious business away from Faces, which is an independent UO type of operation a few doors down. Not cool, UO!

The Celtics! The Celtics! The Celtics! 19 wins in a row! I am in awe. Can't wait for the Christmas match up with the Lakers. I hope Jack Nicholson cries in his eggnog. I'm sure he'll cancel whatever critical plans he has that day to be courtside for this one. What an a-hole that guy is.

Beauty Everywhere ...

2008-12-21T15:00:00.001-08:00

Some photos from the park today ...

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas ...

2008-12-11T20:35:00.001-08:00

Pics from the Weekend

2008-12-07T07:16:00.001-08:00

If you are interested in Stella Marie happenings, visit my soapy blog to see some pics from a demo I conducted at Cambridge Naturals and the Shades of Winter Craft Fair in Taunton.

Stella Marie Holiday Craft Fair

2008-12-05T04:22:00.001-08:00

If you are hoping to avoid the mall scene this weekend, I offer you a shameless plug for my side business, Stella Marie Soap Company. I will be selling my goods at the Taunton Art Association tonight and tomorrow afternoon (42 Williams Street, Taunton, MA 02780 Phone: 508-822-4513).

See attached flyer for the skinny (don't blame me for the typo).

Ashley Madison (dot)(com)

2008-12-02T13:58:00.000-08:00

I have never really posted much about my ex on this blog. In fact, I'm not sure I ever have. That's because I have invested a great deal of work (therapy, writing and artwork) to come out on the other side of that failed relationship a stronger, healthier person. I am not going to go into all the details, but I will reveal a couple of small things (very small, in the scheme of it all). About a year before I left him, I discovered a woman's blouse in the laundry. A pretty, white top purchased from Anthropologie (a store that was situated across the street from the building he worked in). It was very petite. Even at my small size then (I am now a medium - *gasp*), I was unable to fit into it. The blouse came out of an overnight bag that he had taken on a recent business trip. In addition to this, a piece of poetry about another woman was found on the dining room table (I must admit, I had started snooping at this point and found it sandwiched between a bunch of other papers). As you can imagine, he denied any foul play. I tried for a year to convince myself that the blouse appeared out of thin air and took the poetry with it. Truth be told, I wasn't ready to shake up my life just yet. I don't think he denied the affair because he loved me that much or even cared about my feelings a great deal. I think he was simply terrified about how he might be perceived by others had they known that he - the golden boy - could indulge in something so unethical and low. He didn't want his reputation or that of his parents to be spoiled in any way. It was easier to lie to me, his family, some of his friends and eventually even himself about it. He was practiced at bending the truth, telling half truths and hiding information at this point, so his denying everything was his only known recourse. I have come to terms with the fact that he will never, ever admit to the affair.

The reason I trudge this all up? Ashley Madison (dot)(com) - a site whose purpose is to connect people interested in engaging in extramarital affairs. WTF? It's not a joke. It's totally real and it's totally fucking disgusting. I have no issues with players. Play all day, if you want to! But don't make any commitments!

[I have since been involved with a caring, gentle and trustworthy person who is responsible with my feelings. And I have learned just how important it is to trust the person I choose to be with. Looking back into the old relationship from the outside, I feel wiser and more secure from where I now sit. I just can't help but wonder how many people are being victimized by Ashley Madison right now and don't even know it.]

You ever notice

2008-11-26T05:41:00.000-08:00

that ruby red grapefruits smell like pot? The next time you are perusing your local produce department, pick one up and give it a whiff.

Here's what I don't get:

2008-11-25T18:28:00.001-08:00

Those abandoned cars you see on the sides of the highway. I'm not talking about the ones that appear as if their owners are probably on foot looking for the nearest gas station. No, no. I'm referring to those with multiple orange tickets stuck to them. Even one sticker suggests that the car has been there for a while. What gives? People just say, "Eh, fuck it," I guess. How can you sever ties with your car so abruptly?

I was going to make soap tonight, but I am too exhausted. My morning commute was complicated by a Mack truck at the tolls (from 495 to I90) that, because of its inability to allow me to cross over, forced me to take the wrong on-ramp to the Mass Pike, thus causing me to drive 22 miles on the wrong side of the highway. I was an hour late for work. ONE HOUR LATE. Mercifully, my client was running late, too. I didn't miss our conference call. Did I mention the torrential downpours? The fact that I was nearly out of gas? I almost became one of the people I described up there.

My day just slid off the cutting board after that. Ugh. I am glad to be home, but my Joan Jett soap will have to wait until tomorrow.

Jim 'Zaga Lives

2008-11-20T10:04:00.000-08:00

I set up an online memorial for my dad. It's pretty neat - you can post stories and pictures and you can light candles. Why didn't I do this a long time ago?

Eri Yoshida

2008-11-17T07:05:00.000-08:00

Check this out!

I think I am going to cry. Please make note of her idol in the article. Can you even stand it? Still trying to figure out what a sidearm knuckleball pitch looks like.

Also, from JapanToday.com:

With a side-armed knuckleball in the core of her arsenal of pitches, Yoshida took part in a tryout held earlier this month and passed with flying colors. The right-hander held male batters hitless for one inning in the final tryout and her successful outing helped her become one of the 33 players picked in the draft. The four-team Kansai independent league also features the Osaka Gold Villicanes, Akashi Red Soldiers and Kishu Rangers.

I think I'm going to start a fan club right now!

Cheaters

2008-11-11T09:51:00.000-08:00

Every city has a strip club. I think there might be more than one here in Providence, but the one I see off the highway all the time is Cheaters.

First off: What a lame name. No one puts any real thought into strip club names, do they? When I lived in Nashville, there was a strip club called, Deja Vu, which isn't very exciting, but the tag line is "1000's of beautiful girls and 3 Ugly Ones." Now, that's using some creativity! Cheaters sounds like a 10-year-old came up with it. I'm sure an adult with the same amount of education actually did. Come on people, you can do better than this!

Secondly: Why does it need to be in plain view like that? I'm no prude, but when I pass it by, all I can think about is the sweaty, smelly (whether it be B.O. or tons of cologne), yucky clientèle this place attracts and what they all must be doing in there. Come on, I can't be the only one who thinks about this stuff? Gross!

You know what would be funny? If there was a club that combined stripping with comedy. People whose naked bodies should never be seen in public could strip ala Chris Farley in the Chippendale's sketch. A big car full of clowns could strip to circus music, but leave some things on like the big shoes and the plastic noses. Men and women could strip on the same stage! At the end of the night, the strippers could all get together and pick people from the audience who have to strip while the strippers watch from their seats. One of the strippers could come out with a bag on their head like the "Unknown Comic" and tell really bad jokes while they take their clothes off. People with oddities could strip! The possibilities are endless!

Electricity. EEEEE-lectricity.

2008-11-08T03:59:00.000-08:00

So, we had a pretty eventful week here in Washington Park. First and foremost, we (the community at large) helped make history on Tuesday. My voting experience was lovely. As I am used to crammed makeshift booths at the Department of Public Works or the local fire station, you can imagine my delight when I was informed that I would be casting my ballot at the Botanical Gardens in Roger Williams Park. I got there pretty late in the day, so I had no line to wait in. I passed by several folks on my way in and we all grinned widely at one another - like we knew. The path I walked on leading up to the building was softly lit and a few pine needles were strewn about. Wafts of lush florals gently greeted me at the threshold and I was immediately ushered into a large, glass room with trees lining the parameter. I voted, the machine sucked my ballot in and Jere and I went home and watched CNN until our new president-elect was announced. It was glorious!

This was all in the midst of a minor electrical crisis here at the homestead. On Saturday night, I cuddled up on the couch with a nice bowl of pasta, grabbed the remote to turn on the television when *zap* the television and everything else plugged into that receptacle went out. I noticed a little later that the ceiling fan and light in our bedroom had also been affected. All the breakers in the basement were fine, so I concluded that the receptacle needed to be replaced. My step dad gave me a quick tutorial in changing receptacles and I thought we were on our way. Nope. So, I figured - no problem, we'll get an electrician on Monday.

On Sunday evening, the heat stopped working.

Jere contacted an electrician on Monday morning and called me with updates throughout the course of the day. After searching the whole house (including the attic), he located the area where there was faulty wiring. He pulled it out of the wall (a large ball of wires that was warm to the touch) and told Jere that personally, he wouldn't be able to sleep at night had he done this. He claimed that it was a fire waiting to happen. Nice. He fixed the wiring.

They went into the basement to try to assess the heating problem. Jere and I forgot that you are supposed to fill the gas heater with water once a month. The electrician saw the lever and said, why is this up? He pulled it down and water rushed into the heater, causing the heat to turn on right away.

Except, he forgot to pull the lever back up. Jere called me at one point during the day and said, "You're not going to believe this ..." and went on to explain that the basement was covered in a half inch of water (soaps and everything are fine - thank heavens) and that one of the radiators upstairs had overflowed, forcing water down into the basement. I heard the "vrroooooooom" of the electrician's wet-vac in the background.

Long story, short, everything is okay. He came back the next day and replaced our circuit panel entirely (which we knew we had to do anyway) and put lightening rods in the ground outside to protect the meter. And now, Jere and I are safe and sound and that much wiser.

If only the pipes would stop knocking ....

Voting Day

2008-11-04T03:53:00.000-08:00

Today is going to be one of those "difficult to concentrate at work" days, as we will all be watching the polling results. I won't be able to vote until after work due to the killer commute + crazy lines. I'd prefer to cast my ballot when there's no pressure on me to be somewhere afterward. I am really hoping that history is made today.

We are having a bit of new homeowner excitement. It's somewhat of a long story, so I will try to blog about it during my lunch break today.

I (heart) Etsy

2008-10-31T07:02:00.000-07:00

I love this place. What a cool group of talented crafters! I just bought this awesome t-shirt (original design) from Cirrus Skooter and this super cool necklance from Sweetheart Sinner.

For the first time, the phrase "not available in stores" has a positive connotation.

And congratulations to the Philadelphia Phillies! World Champs!

I Forgot to Add ....

2008-10-24T04:56:00.001-07:00

Providence stations WHJY and WBRU (the 2 stations I grew up listening to) are unusually fond of Flies in the Vaseline by Stone Temple Pilots. I hear it constantly. I wonder if there is some kind of underground cult thing going on and this song is a signal to its members to stop what they are doing and rush back to the base camp for a human sacrifice.

Can you tell that I just watched Rosemary's Baby?

Providence, You're My Home

2008-10-23T09:07:00.000-07:00

Well, we've been in our new home for a couple of months now. Things aren't the same as when I was a kid. Here are few things I've noticed about the "new" Providence, so far:

Meat Markets
All my life, I've always thought of a meat market as a place where Sam the Butcher works. But then they sort of went away when grocery stores expanded their meat departments. It's also a figure of speech. "Oh, Mah-gie, don't go thay-ah! It's a wicked meat maaaahkit!" Well, much to my shock, Providence is riddled with places called meat markets. Maybe they are more like convenience stores or little mini groceries. I am not epi-curious about them.

Downcity
This is a term that the locals use instead of "downtown." You know what? I thought it had potential to be a little annoying, but I actually kind of like it.

Very Slow Drivers
I am a woman of little patience and no one in Providence seems to be in a hurry to get anywhere. This is probably good for me. I need to slow down and maybe not listen to my music at such high volumes in the car. There are nice big turning lanes in the middle of a lot of main streets and I think this is rather convenient. Jere hates it. He also hates the jughandles in New Jersey. I love those things! How can you not? I used to live right next to one in the town of Mapleshade. Word to the wise: If you are under 30, you have no business living in Mapleshade.

Spanish Food Trucks
When Stacia came to visit, she said that they all over in the greater LA area. I had never seen them before, but you know, Boston is Crackerville. These trucks have a flag in the back alerting the masses as to whether or not they are serving food from Puerto Rico, Mexico, Peru, the DR, etc.

Diversity
Hands down, much more diverse than Boston. Big, big points there.

Home of Spike's
Davis Square in Somerville and the corner of Boylston and Mass Ave are the only Spikes locations in the Boston area (to my knowledge). Jere and I are very fond of their veggie dogs, which they offer in place of meat dogs and in any of their varieties. We went to one in Cranston and the owner was there with the 3rd generation Spike bulldog who was smelling around for a free floating french fry. So, we sort of surmised that Spike's is a Rhode Island deal.

And, Dunkin Donuts Arena or what ever you call yourself now - you don't fool me! You'll always be the Civic Cent-ah! I saw a lot of concerts there when I was a kid, including Brian Adams. I was about 13 years old and he was in the middle of his "Reckless" tour. (I wish I could say that my first concert experience was not so lame, but this is all I've got.) Anyway, I went with Chrissy, a friend of my dad's colleague. All of a sudden, Chrissy turned to me and said, "I think I smell pot!" Of course, I didn't know what the hell she was talking about. Is that what pot is? It was the smell that was in my living room all the time. This is the first time I realized my dad wasn't like other dads.

Phillies Win Game 1!

2008-10-23T04:25:00.001-07:00

Way to rock the Kasmir, boys!

Stuck in the Middle with No One

2008-10-22T13:39:00.001-07:00

I always gravitate toward the places no one really goes. I like the products that get discontinued. I enjoy the television shows that get canned. I spent a good part of my youth listening to Rush. Enough said.

I cut mammals out of my diet several years ago. There is no label for this other than pollo-pescetarian or whatever. Last year, I cut out birds. Now, I am strictly pescetarian. This is comfortable for me, at this point in time. I might take this to another place some day, I don't know. But try explaining that to the rest of the world.

Mammal eaters tend not to respect anyone who cuts meat out of their diet. Some are very hostile about it. A few people I consider to be really good friends have made me feel ashamed for choosing to avoid them.

Vegetarians think I'm nuts. And they actually get mad at pescetarians because a lot of us tend to label ourselves vegetarians. I don't know why. We aren't vegetarians. I've heard that for some people, it's just easier that way. Otherwise, you have to keep pamphlets at the ready, explaining it.

I think that the poor vegans are never satisfied with their own veganism, let alone considering anyone else's dietary choices. It's not easy to be vegan and I respect those who accept this lifestyle and make this commitment.

People who know me realize that I am easy like Sunday morning. I really, really, really hate being preached to. Really. Really, really, really hate it. I try very hard not to preach. Even when it's very good information and done with the best of intentions, in a loving way. I cringe when people use their celebrity status to tell the world how wrong they are about something. I listen to NPR, I am informed, I make my own decisions. I am an only child, so I spent quite enough time feeling lousy about myself. I don't need to be scolded, browbeaten or shunned by society. I just wish we could all do our thing without judgement or criticism. If I brush my teeth standing on my head, it's because I want to. I am aware that my blood is rushing to my brain and that this might not be the best way to do it, but this is my preference so leave me alone.

Of course, I have to go and choose a diet that confuses most of the world. It makes perfect sense to me, but we are so caught up in all of our labels. I'm a [fill in the blank] are you a [fill in the blank]? I use them because I have to, but I think it's stupid. What if I wanted to be vegan, but still eat fish? This is actually a very appealing idea to me, but, unfortunately, I would be fucking with the whole order of things and we can't have that.

Completely unrelated: I am so very disappointed that the Red Sox didn't make it to the WS, but they played their hearts out and walked away with dignity (as opposed to losing in 5). I will be paying attention to the WS, but not hanging on every pitch. I've got lots of soap to make an whatnot.

Thursday Night at Fenway Park

2008-10-18T09:39:00.000-07:00

I can't quite sum it up as well as Jere, so please check out his posts!

Phillies

2008-10-16T09:09:00.001-07:00

I've had the occassion to live in the greater Philadelphia area twice. Once, a stone's throw from the infamous "Rocky Balboa" art museum steps. During my second go, I became quite a fan of the Phillies. They are a pretty likable team, overall. When Ryan Howard joined the club, I swooned. I am still a little in love with the guy and I'm really pleased that they are going to the World Series.

Here's where I am torn, of course. If the Red Sox can manage to string together 3 more wins, then they'd be going, too. I understand just how unlikely this is, even though the '04 and '07 WS victories were won when their backs were up against the wall in the ALCS. Big difference, though. In '04, the Sox were playing a Yankee team that was showing lots of wear and tear. Determined not to experience a repeat of '03, the hungry Sox wound up advancing. Last year, I am not sure what happened, but the Sox were so much better than a team falling behind in a series with Cleveland. Seriously. This year, these Rays mean business. And it is not a convenient time for Beckett and Lester to poop out.

Jere and I will be at the game tonight. I hope the Sox can squeak out a win. If not, I'll be pulling my old Phillies t-shirt out of my closet and rooting hard for them.

Bad, Flip Flop! Bad!

2008-10-13T10:33:00.000-07:00

I started developing a problem with my right foot. One day, I noticed that I had a bruise the size of a fist right in my arch. Just as this started going away, I began feeling shooting pains and soreness in my inner heel whenever I took a step. This doesn't really bother me much when I wear heels or shoes with decent support. My self diagnosis? Freaking flip flops. I've been wearing them all summer and since we moved into the new house, there's been lots of stair climbing. I read that podiatrists everywhere are furious with the number of foot injuries and problems from chromic flip-flop use. Outside of lack of support, people have slipped and fallen more frequently (ever wear them in the rain?). They've even gotten their flip flops caught in the pedals of their cars.

So, though I don't think I can give them up entirely, I will not be wearing them all summer long in the future. I can't believe I have to wear heels to feel better!

Nullipara

2008-10-09T09:06:00.000-07:00

Is it me or is this a really ugly sounding word? Do you know what it means? "A woman who has never given birth." Nice, huh?

It's not my fault that I don't want kids. I am not fighting an instinct or anything. I have never in my entire life felt the *pang* of motherhood or whatever it is that people describe. In fact, the older I get, the more motherhood scares me. I have tried to locate these pangy feelings. I have closed my eyes and concentrated reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally hard. Nothing. Am I defective? Maybe they can come up with some kind of medication that addresses this "problem" of mine.

The idea of adopting a child from an orphanage is a lot more appealing to me, truth be told. I'd like to pick up where the Republicans leave off and actually give a kid a fighting chance in this world. I guess if I did this, I'd still be a nullipara, though, huh?

I should say for the record that none of my friends have EVER made me feel lousy for not having reproduced. Very few of my friends actually have children, so I am not the odd person out, by any means. And I do like kids - I think they are cute and quirky and silly and funny. I just don't really have a desire to have them myself.

I just wish my parents would have had another child to take this pressure off of me. My mother obviously wants a grandchild and I oscillate between wanting to please her and getting really pissed that this burden of "only child responsibility" is seemingly never-ending. I think I've been a good kid to her, made her proud. I hope that just because I don't plan on checking this one little box, she isn't going to hold it against me. Besides, she can always adopt one if she misses children that much!

Boston Advances!

2008-10-06T20:42:00.001-07:00

We are moving on to another series with the Rays, except this time it's a playoff series. Who would have thunk it? A playoff series with the Rays?

I can't help but feel bad for Scioscia and the Angels. They hate our winning asses. We shut the door on their World Series dreams time and time again. At least it wasn't a sweep this time. Eh, I'm over it. When we won in '04, the reign began. (I hope I'm not committing baseball hubris here. If we can't beat Tampa Bay, you know who to blame.)

Onion Headline

2008-10-06T09:58:00.000-07:00

I love The Onion, don't you? Check out this recent story.

Painful game last night. 12 innings. Ugh.

Religulous

2008-10-05T05:55:00.000-07:00

Jere and I went to see Bill Maher's Religulous last night. Very gutsy film, I must say. Maher plays the part of the little kid in The Emperor's New Clothes, basically pointing out how silly it is to believe in talking snakes and immaculate conception. It's pretty funny stuff, but it also points out the painfully obvious. He goes after most religions except for Buddhism (I mean, really ... is there one man who keeps getting born over and over in newer incarnations? I love the Dahli Lama and all, but come on) and Satanism (doesn't even merit his time, as far as I am concerned). It was a pretty brilliant film.

I almost agree with him on this topic.

I just can't help but think that to suggest that people give up their religions and "grow up" as he says, it feels a lot like censorship. Which I adamantly oppose. Religion, as nutty as it can be, is still a belief and it is unconstitutional to imply that there ought not be any. I am not religious, therefore I don't preach.

You can argue that religion has caused a great deal of harm, tragedy and needless death. True. And it still does. Or does it? I think *crazy* is responsible for that. Not words on a page or ideologies or strange costumes. I wouldn't blame Marilyn Manson for all the deaths at Columbine. So, I am not prepared to tell that sweet old lady down the street who dresses up every Sunday and congregates with her friends, sings a few songs, chews on a cardboard wafer and somehow enjoys it all to suddenly stop doing it. The crazies should be punished for their actions. The bastard priests who molest little children should be thrown in jail as should anyone who does anything unlawful, whether it be in the name of religion or not. The Son of Sam claimed that a dog next door told him to commit murder. Is it the dog's fault that these women were terrorized and killed?

I am not saying that I don't see an obvious connection between organized religion and needless death, but I think it's wrong to take away the beliefs of those who are otherwise harmless, lawful people because of the crazies who use religion as an excuse to harm other people. Would they not be crazy anyway? Do they need the bible or the Koran to make them nuts? People will always invent some reason to be immoral.

Live and let live. Who am I to tell you what you should and shouldn't believe? That there is a right way and a wrong way? If we start doing that, then what? Should I go after the fashion industry, too, because of their insistence that I wear specific articles of clothing simply because they've deemed them necessary, but only for one season? I think that is beyond foolish, but I'm not going to tell friends and coworkers to stop following trends. It's really none of my business.

I still say that the movie is great and you all should definitely see it.

DailyCandy

2008-09-30T04:15:00.000-07:00

So, Stella Marie Soap Company got a big break. I was asked if I could be featured in DailyCandy Boston. Naturally, I was beyond excited.

Today is the day, people! I got in!

Stella Marie Soap Company Halloween 2008 Promo

2008-09-28T08:31:00.001-07:00

I just made this little promo for my Halloween soaps. Enjoy!

Up to 70%

2008-09-27T15:27:00.000-07:00

The oncologist up'd my mom's chemo to 70% this week and she's still doing great! I've been enjoying one of her zucchini breads all weekend. Mmmm ...

Paul Newman

2008-09-27T07:21:00.000-07:00

Paul Newman died yesterday. What a remarkable man. He earned his living through Hollywood, but didn't allow it to define him. He was generous, philanthropic, kind, talented as hell and pretty easy on the eyes (how hunky was he in Cool Hand Luke?).

I saw this at the end of the article from the Associated Press and was really touched:

He sometimes teamed with his wife and fellow Oscar winner, Joanne Woodward, with whom he had one of Hollywood's rare long-term marriages. "I have steak at home, why go out for hamburger?" Newman told Playboy magazine when asked if he was tempted to stray.

My awesome boyfriend aside, do people like this still exist?

Big Pet Peeve

2008-09-25T09:47:00.000-07:00

The way a person moves through a salad bar can say a lot about one's character. This afternoon, I encountered a salad bar "wanderer." These people approach the salad bar like the ghosts in a Pac Man game. This particular person moved through at a snail's pace, then decided that they wanted sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, after all (both available at the start of the line). I guess they figured that they didn't have to go back to the beginning. No, the better course was to simply work backwards and jerk around with the line of people moving in the proper direction. Where do people like this come from? There is no reverse in the salad bar line! Oh, I didn't see that there was feta cheese! I think I need that on my salad, too! Look, Mr. Magoo, there are other people in line here!

It's the little things that get stuck in my craw, I'm telling you.

RED SOX CLINCH WILD CARD BERTH

2008-09-24T04:12:00.000-07:00

Hurray! And just in time for Johnny Pesky's birthday. Incidentally, the organization is retiring his number on Friday night.

By the way, why does Papelbon feel the need to embarrass himself every time the Red Sox clinch anything? Someone asked him if he would be dancing (as part of the celebration) and his reply was something like, "Yeah, in bed tonight!" Too much information, Jonathan.

* this photo is from Boston.com

Mom Stuff

2008-09-14T11:03:00.000-07:00

For those of you all not in the know, my mom has been feeling really great as of late. With her chemo cut in half, she is feeling better than ever! The oncologist is going to contiue to increase it until she reaches her threshold. The goal is for her to be able to function without horrible fatigue and nausea during her treatment. She is going to a wedding this Friday evening and she is all excited to be getting her nails done and dressing up. The outfit she picked up is very nice.

I asked her if she thought she might be able to go back to work part time, but she said that she is afraid to in the event her platelets go down and she becomes susceptible to infections. I forgot about that part. She is a nurse and she's around sick people all day.

I really think we are going to have a normal Christmas this year.

So, this is what I've been missing!

2008-09-13T04:12:00.000-07:00

For the last 6 years or so, I've been without a land line. It was done to avoid the duplicity of paying two phone bills. I survived perfectly fine with my "cell phone only" lifestyle. With the recent move, we decided to get a analog phone for the house. This is mainly for Jere, who refuses to get a cell phone (bless his heart).

It seems I've had a nice six year vacation from telemarketers. I've discovered, however, that on top of the annoyance of their solicitation, they are now scaring the hell out of people. Yesterday morning, I ran to the phone only to listen to a guy name Jeff or Josh tell me that I had six thousand dollars worth of outstanding credit card debt! I'm sure most of you are familiar with this routine by now, but this is all new to me! I panicked. I stayed on the line and complained to the operator. She finally said, "M'am, we don't have any information about your credit." Are you kidding me with this?

Commute Woes

2008-09-11T09:22:00.000-07:00

My morning commutes for this week:

Monday - 1 Hour, 15 minutes
Tuesday - 1 Hour, 45 minutes
Wednesday - 2.5 Hours (truck rollover on route 1)
Thursday - 1 Hour, 45 minutes

What the heck am I going to do? Obviously, this cannot continue. Leaving at 7:15, only to arrive a hair before 9 is unacceptable. My commute home is exactly 1 hour.

Rolling from Walpole to Waltham in the morning is a slow form of torture.

Meanwhile, what a disappointment last night's game was. This is what we get for letting Carlos Pena become a free agent. We should have retained our local boy. Liking some of these (Devil) Rays is new, weird territory for me. Hinske, Pena, Baldelli, Flyod. All old Red Sox players, with the exception of Rocco, who I like (a) because he is from Rhode Island and (b) that's one awesome name!

Block Island is Amazing

2008-09-06T05:39:00.000-07:00

I grew up a stone's throw from the Rhode Island border, but never ventured to Block Island. We used to take the ferry to the Vineyard and tootle around there.

I had no idea what I was missing! We spent the entire day there yesterday. The day did not start out very promising as there was heavy fog and a bit of a chill at Point Judith, where the high speed ferry took off. But, just like a movie, the sun burned through and a beemed on the island just as we docked.

We rented bikes and cycled up to the northern point, picked up a few rocks (Jere's mom tells us that all the old New England town's cobblestone streets were created using rocks from Block Island). We then biked back, but not before swimming and lounging on what I can only describe as the most beautiful and smooth beach I have ever experienced in New England. And no bugs ruining it for us! Afterwards, we took a taxi to the Mohegan Bluffs and witnessed the beauty of the cliffs on the other side of the island. We ended the trip with an awesome meal at one of the inns near the ferry and a little bit of shopping. Here are the pics:

[pre-trip fog]

[the tip of the island from a distance]

Basement Transformation

2008-09-04T13:04:00.001-07:00

I just posted about my new soap workshop at my company blog. Check out the crazy transformation of our basement!

We just got internet service and I've got tons to catch up on. I'm hoping to post house pics soon, too. For now, suffice it to say that we are very happy campers!

P.S. Dustin Pedroia is super human.

Moving Pics

2008-08-26T05:51:00.000-07:00

Some packing shots ...

The skeleton looks like Iron Maiden's Eddie from The Trooper, leaning over the boxes.

This is weird. A refrigerator void of menus, magnets, kid's drawings and bumper stickers. We are fridge clutter whores, it seems.

The cats love this bag. It's beyond love, I think. This morning, I went to feed them and Larry decided he would rather chew on the bag. IKEA must put something special in their plastic.

*sigh*

I Gather Darkness to Please Me

2008-08-24T05:06:00.000-07:00

This always happens to me. And to Jere. One day, we're thinking, "hmmm... I should check up on [insert band we would like to see perform live]" and as soon as we peruse the tour dates, we find out that they had JUST PLAYED IN OUR AREA. This time, I am absolutely furious, as I've learned that The Melvins were not only in New Haven and Boston, but they played a gig in Northampton. Less than a month ago. Now, they are off to South America, then to Europe. Meanwhile, I am completely oblivious.

Incidentally, I hate packing. HATE IT. And that's all we are doing today. Also I have a pretty mean crick in my neck. Nice.

Meow, Meow, Eggs and Stuff

2008-08-23T20:32:00.001-07:00

Jere and I discovered Mr. Peabody's today. Good eats.

First Night in the New Casa

2008-08-20T13:32:00.000-07:00

So, we slept in the new house last night. Since our sofa bed was delivered on Sunday, it was pretty easy to crash there. I went straight after work and, after picking up an inexpensive manual push mower from a Craigslist seller in North Providence, I went right to work in the basement. I ripped up the bad, dank-smelling carpet, scraped up the glue and foam-like residue, and swept. Scraped, swept, scraped, swept. I should take some pics so I can document the progress. I read today that the foam-like stuff comes up much easier if you wet it first. It also cuts down on the amount of dust flying around. Jere showed up around 10 PM, just about when I was fully covered in basement floor stuff and ready for a shower (BTW - the shower works well and we have a nice, deep tub). He is mowing our lawn today and hopefully scraping more of the basement floor. The plan is to get down to bare cement, then cover it with a nice gray floor paint. The walls - which are wood paneled - will be painted white. The trim will be either gray or red. Phase one is just about complete!

It was cool to sleep in the house, but I must admit that I didn't sleep well. I was actually cold. The windows were open (because it's summer) and I forgot a blanket. I remembered sheets and pillows, thank goodness. I was also terrified that I wasn't going to wake up on time. I set my phone alarm for 6, not knowing how long it was going to take to get to Waltham. I left Providence at 7:15 and got to work in an hour. The commute was moving along swimmingly until I hit 128. There was a broken down vehicle in the far left lane and it had an impact. I got in the office early despite it. I think I could probably leave at 7:30 everyday and make it in well before 9. So, this means getting up at 6:30 everyday, which isn't too bad. I still need to find a decent coffee spot on the way, but it looks like it's going to be Cumberland Farms for a while. They have decent varieties, but no ambience. The bonus is that they also sell gas, so I can do one-stop shopping.

Bumper Sticker Idea

2008-08-19T13:37:00.001-07:00

MY TAPEWORM ATE YOUR TAPEWORM

Deep Thoughts

2008-08-19T09:53:00.000-07:00

Acid Rain ... what ever happened to it? It's still harming us, right?

In things that are awesome news, how about that Jason Bay?

IKEAR (Bostonians add r's to words that don't technically have them.)

2008-08-16T19:55:00.000-07:00

Between waiting in line at the register, waiting to pick up our furniture, and waiting in line to get our furniture shipped, we spent a good 2 hours in a queue at IKEA today. You might think we're nuts, but we saved over 50 bucks due to the tax-free weekend purchase!

Here are the goods:

[Red Sofa Bed]

[black and white rocker]

Pics from the New House

2008-08-16T06:11:00.000-07:00

Okay, these were the pictures that were on New England Moves Dot Com, so please know that the furniture and accessories are not ours. Though, I must say that the sellers have good taste.

[front of the house]

[patio and backyard]

[this will be my new office - I'm going to paint the walls white, me thinks]

[this is going to be Jere's new writing room]

[master bedroom]

[living room - the fireplace works, but I'm terrified of fireplaces - some of you know why]

[dining room]

[kitchen - all new appliances and stuff]

Soon, this blog is going to be called: Gibberish from the 02905

Closing Is Tomorrow!

2008-08-13T17:29:00.001-07:00

Firstly, I would like to publicly apologize to my friend Taylor (he is a friend - and an attorney - who has offered to eyeball our paperwork) for not getting him our real estate documents to look over. This time, the process seemed very rushed. However, I did read everything over carefully and I think we are in very good shape.

The closing is scheduled for 10 AM in Warwick. Rhode Island, that is. We had a few "jump through major hoops at the last minute" moments, but that isn't very unusual when it comes to buying real estate, as many of you can probably attest to.

This coming weekend is tax free in the state of Massachusetts, so we are going to buy a new sofa bed. We could drive about 20 minutes to the NH border and do this any old time, but I guess there is something kind of special about doing it in your own state. Which won't be our state much longer. Until we finally move to Northampton, which is the long term goal.

I hope you all come visit us in our new pad soon!

The Results Are In!

2008-08-07T15:40:00.000-07:00

The results of my mom's latest tests are in and they are very good. Though the cancer in her lungs is "stable" (meaning no further growth, but no improvement), the disease in her lower back is beginning to eradicate. (To follow up on an earlier post, the ER doctor was totally full of it and there was never a period where the cancer suddenly left her lungs) We are happy as clams! She is going to cut the chemo back to once every three weeks so that she can enjoy one solid week a month of feeling good. She called me this morning to find out if I knew anyone who could get her some reefer. This was recommended by her oncologist to fight the chemo-induced nausea she's battling with. Unfortunately for her, I don't dabble in that kind of stuff. I bought pot one time in college and felt so awkward doing it. Mom's oncologist said that he could prescribe a pill form of the drug, but it wouldn't be as helpful as smoking the real McCoy. So if you all know anyone that can perform this discreet service ...

The MOBA is branching out! Not only do they have a permanent collection of shoddy classics in Dedham, but the Somerville Theater now houses a new crop of gaudy goodness! Furthermore, the MOBA has recently published a book, cataloging their priceless works. It is a must have!

Speaking of publishing, Jere and his mom's book has had it's publication date pushed out to October 15th. Fear not, Red Sox mystery enthusiasts ... it's worth the wait!

Onto gripes (which I am becoming quite good at these days). High gas prices have forced folks into a greener lifestyle, meaning that a lot of people have decided to cast their cars aside in favor of pedaling their bikes from point A to point B. This is great news for the environment and helpful in cutting back some demand for oil. I hold these intentions in the highest regard, especially since I am still shoving gas into my vehicle, thus perpetuating our dependence on the stuff. With all the new bike riders on the road, I think a refresher course re: the rules of the road is in order. Either riders don't know or know and choose to ignore the basic rules of the road. Here they are, lest we forget:

Ride only one person on a regular bicycle; seat facing forward; not on handlebars.
Ride with at least one hand on the handgrips at all times, do not hold packages.
Ride one person to a bike unless it is designed for more passengers.
Bicycles are vehicles like cars, and follow all traffic rules.
Ride to the right side of the roadway.
Ride a bike path adjacent to a roadway, if one is provided.
Exercise safety; wear a helmet and give the right-of-way to pedestrians on sidewalks.

I have never witnessed a person on a bike stop at a traffic light and wait the full amount of time required. I rarely see cyclist using proper hand signals. Often times, bikes come out of no where and sit in my blind spot on the wrong side of the road. I don't want to have to accidentally injure anyone. Why, oh, why are people hell bent on not using common sense? There is nothing to physically protect a cyclist from danger (and, more often than not, their own naiveté). I hope that the police have raised this concern and notify people on bikes when they break the rules. Are the not subjected to the same moving violations as anyone in a car?

Crap I Don't Care About

2008-08-03T20:04:00.000-07:00

I don't have any interest in Brad and Angelina's new twins. Does this make me a bad person?

Taking it Easy

2008-07-31T19:13:00.000-07:00

American League
All Star
Ramirez now
Plays

for the L.A.Dodgers ... AKA the pre-retirement home for old Red Sox players ...

We'll miss you, Manny. And in time, your heart will realize that this was a really bad move.

Boston Sports Media being Boston Sports Media

2008-07-31T09:22:00.000-07:00

I really wish that baseball fans didn't have to be privy to the beefs between players and management. It's icky. I love Manny and I've supported him during past "Manny Being Manny" episodes because, let's face it, the Red Sox need him. I'm not going to take issue with one or two questionable moments when the dude brings it time and time again. I know that players and management have always had issues. Red Sox front office can be jerky (I'll never understand the abrupt firing of Doctor Morgan or Papa Jack). Baseball players can be jerky, too. Most of them are spoiled rotten and have sort of lost their connection to reality, especially the huge stars. As a big fan of the team and baseball in general, I don't want to have to be forced into these dealings. I just want to continue loving Manny and the Red Sox. I don't want to have to take sides. It isn't a fair expectation to place on fans. I blame the media, of course, because they hang onto Manny's words, take a lot of them out of context and ask him inappropriate questions about his relationship with FO. I don't want to know, but I have to know. Because it's splashed all over the front page of the Herald, which hits me in the face when I step out of my neighborhood coffee shop every morning.

Dear Boston Sports Media,

Please stop printing crappy baseball gossip about the Red Sox. If Manny says something like, "I want to be traded," simply wave your hand in an understanding gesture and say, "Yup, thank you, Manny," and be on your way.

Thank you.

I mean, I have plenty of anxiety about other stuff (REAL stuff) why do I have to worry about this, too? If Manny does get traded, I want to be able to wish him well. I don't want another heartbreaking Johnny Damon-style situation to contend with. I've invested in Manny. The least that he and the Red Sox can do is let us part from him on good terms.

In Mom News:
I'm so excited - she was able to skip a week of chemo! She had enough energy yesterday to do 2 loads of wash and clean the floor. She went out for ice cream, too! This is a major deal, since all she's been doing is sleeping or feeling like she's going to start sleeping for the past 2 weeks. She's going in for her body scans today and hopefully, the results will be in tomorrow. I am praying for something - ANYTHING - that shows that the chemo is working. This is such an agonizing process.

In House News:
We are on schedule to close mid-August and move in the last week of the month. Hurray! I can't wait!

You know, every day we are told that the housing market situation is more dire than the day before. If this is the case, why aren't people buying homes? Are they waiting for prices to go back up again? I don't get it.

2008 Spring Softball Team Picture

2008-07-30T08:50:00.001-07:00

Well, we made it to the 2nd round of playoffs and we gave it our best, but it wasn't meant to be, I guess. We had a great time playing - what we don't have in championship rings, we make up for in spirit. I feel like a lot of the teams we play against would rather be hanging out with other people. Personally, I love my team. Sadly, we will not be able to partipate next year due to the move. But, there is talk of one last hurrah - our team captain and coach is trying to reserve a field for us to play each other in 2 teams of 10 while we BBQ and party it up.

Boston Ski and Sports Club's 2008 The Learned Glove

Where have all the grasshoppers gone?

2008-07-26T03:34:00.000-07:00

Can you remember the last time you saw a grasshopper? I can't. I used to catch them when I was a kid. They were all over the place. We lived in a quasi-urban setting, yet my neighbors had plenty of grasshoppers in their postage stamp-sized yard.

Are they facing extinction or something?

Rain, Rain, Go Away ...

2008-07-25T05:06:00.001-07:00

Someone please post a convincing argument as to why race car drivers are considered to be "athletes." I don't get it. Doesn't that open the door for other groups to be called athletes? I suppose you need agility and strength to control your vehicle, but I need that, too, when I'm lugging bags of groceries up three flights of stairs. Don't get me wrong, I really WANT to be brought around to this notion, but I'm not quite there yet and I guess I'm asking for a smart and interested person to convince me. After all, Shirley Muldowney is one of my idols.

Jeers to Jessica Simpson for wearing a T-Shirt that claims that real women eat meat. I, myself, am a pescetarian (Merriam-Webster just inducted this term into the dictionary this year - hurray, I feel valid!). I don't have an issue with eating meat or killing non-human mammals and birds ... if you do it with your bare hands! That's the way it's done in the wild, people. Instead, we have big factories where cows and baby cows and little pigs get their brains bashed in. Maybe Jessica's shirt should say, Real Women Eat the Meat That Comes Out of Factories Where Cows and Pigs Get Their Brains Bashed In. If you're going to make a statement, don't do it half-assed. Go all the way! At least fish get to enjoy a real and normal life in a natural habitat before they get scooped up, killed, and cooked. I'm not saying it's a great way to go, but hey, it's better than life in a meat processing plant.

Don't you love how the conservatives are really pushing this whole, "See? The surge worked!" bullcrap on America? Okay, if that's true, how come they remain mum on troop withdrawal? How long are our troops -- courageous, dedicated human beings with families and lives in the United States -- supposed to be subjected to this fabricated war? Also, how are we suddenly put in a situation where we have to praise Bush for enacting this surge? That would be like giving your neighbor a big pat on the back for fixing the side of your house that they ran their truck through. Hey, thanks, it was totally genius how you patched that up for me.

One last rant: Miley Cyrus. Can't stand her. I hate her big, bubblegum, spoiled rotten smile. I can't believe that Annie Leibovitz made me pose like that. I feel bad for Annie. She's a pioneer in her business, a living legend. She's a low-key, but incredibly accomplished professional. I hope she didn't lose any sleep over this.

Red Sox-Yankees tonight! I think I'll make some apple soap. Very Patriotic.

Art Beat 2008

2008-07-17T08:33:00.000-07:00

[I advertised this on my Stella Marie Soap Company blog, but I thought I'd post about it here, too, in case any of you locals are interested. I hope you can stop by and say hello - the weather is supposed to rock and the entertainment is always fun.]

I will be selling my soaps and other bath goodies at the Art Beat festival this year. The Somerville Arts Council has updated their website with the full festival details!

Saturday, 7/19: Noon - 5PM
Davis Square, Somerville, MA

******************************************

In unrelated news: Our softball team has advanced to the 2nd round of playoffs. I'm not sure what happened, but we were unstoppable. The other team lost due to the mercy rule, which is simply unheard of, given our not-so-impressive record. Perhaps it's because our coach gave us a pep talk before the game. Who knew that this is all we needed to excel? It was so freaking fun to (a) win and (b) pound another team.

What If A-Rod Threw a Party and Nobody Came?

2008-07-17T03:58:00.000-07:00

I guess that's what happened after the All Star game in NYC. Not even Madonna showed. You can't really feel bad for the guy. He creates his own problems. Remember that episode of the Brady Bunch where Peter Brady saved some kid in a library from having a giant shelf of books fall on him, then threw himself a "hero" party, but no one showed up?

In unrelated news: I feel bad for one of my neighbors. Their child has a scream like a T-Rex. Hey, maybe it really is a T-Rex!

Dirty Water - A Red Sox Mystery

2008-07-14T10:23:00.000-07:00

I am lucky to know such talented people. I just posted about my musical friends, Leeny and Steve, and I thought I would take this opportunity to acquaint you with Dirty Water: A Red Sox Mystery. My boyfriend (Red Sox blogger, Jere Smith) and his mom (accomplished mystery novelist, Mary-Ann Tirone Smith) co-authored this gem and since I have an obvious bias, I won't attempt to create a review. I probably wouldn't do it justice. But I will say that if you enjoy mysteries and baseball, this book should be on your future reading list (particularly if you are a fan of the Boston Red Sox). You can pre-order a copy on Amazon by going here.

Reviews are just starting to come in. Here are a few snippets:

"Dirty Water takes us inside the Sox clubhouse and out into the neighborhood around baseball's little green chapel. Having spent far too many hours pacing that pavement, I can verify that Mary-Ann Tirone Smith and Jere Smith know the territory. This one's fun for mystery fans and Sox fans, and even more so if you're both."
- Stewart O'Nan, Faithful: Two Diehard Boston Red Sox Fans Chronicle the Historic 2004 Season (written in collaboration with Stephen King)

"These authors know Boston, they know baseball, and they definitely know the Red Sox. Real-life Red Sox players walk out of the clubhouse and right onto the pages of this murder mystery--along with bloggers, bad guys, and Boston's finest. An essential addition to any true fan's bookshelf."
- Melinda Boroson, author, 86 Years: The Legend of the Boston Red Sox

"To truly enjoy this extremely clever novel and its extra-innings ending, it helps if you are a fan of the Boston Red Sox, intimately familiar with Boston's Fenway neighborhood and conversant with the online practice of blogging.

But should you strike out on these topics, never mind. The book is still a good read and, let's face it, in Vermont and the rest of New England (otherwise known as Red Sox Nation) most readers will have at least some knowledge of the team and therefore an appreciation of its recent (and long-awaited) success on the diamond.

And, as a bonus, David "Big Papi" Ortiz, the team's superstar slugger and larger-than-life personality, adds a bit of zest to a plot that's already as tricky and slick as an unassisted triple play."
- A.C. HUTCHISON, The Rutland Herald

This is a well-crafted review from Nora of Horse Circle.

Check out frequent updates on the book blog, here.

*Editor's Note: In my original post, I wrote that Nora's last name was Ocala. Why? Because I'm an idiot. Clearly. Ocala is where she lives in Florida, but I completely misread this, looking at her profile information on her blog. What can I say? I don't know Florida all that well. My apologies!