My favorite woolens
January 24, 2010
I don’t really have favorite clothes, but two items get a lot of use simply because they are seasonally appropriate—my Scottish wool sweater and my London hat.
During the Scotland portion of my first trip to the UK, I acquired two wool sweaters from a shop on Edinburgh’s High Street. I’m certain to the locals it was just another tourist-oriented business, but the sweaters really are quite nice. I got a blue one and a buff one. I pulled out the blue one first this winter and discovered that it’s perfect for keeping me nice and toasty in my drafty old place, thereby allowing me to keep the thermostat set about five degrees lower than if I weren’t wearing it (with a turtleneck underneath and longjohns under my sweatpants). I don’t recall having discovered that last winter. I was going to switch to the white one, but discovered that something has eaten a hole through it. Moths? Dunno. So I put it back aside. Therefore, needing to continue wearing the blue one but becoming concerned that it might get up and walk away all on its own, I threw it into the cold-water wash. I’ve done that with other wool items to no consequence. Not so with this sweater. It is now only two-thirds its original size. It’s still comfortably wearable as both sweaters were too big to begin with. I need to investigate washing the white one, too. If something’s been munching on it, I would prefer to clean it, too, before attempting repair and wear. My London hat, on the other hand, is polyester and acrylic and went through the wash just fine. Even though I’ve had it for at least seven years (it, too, was bought in a tourist shop near the Tower of London), this is the first winter that I’ve worn it much. I think it’s too small for my head and therefore always does its best to pop off. I have figured out that wearing a headband underneath it gives it something to stick to and makes it usable. Yay!I love my branded glassware!
January 19, 2010
Yeah, whatever. I love having branded glassware from which to enjoy my beer. You may think it kooky, but it tastes twice as good from a heavy glass pint glass with the same name.
It has been pretty easy collecting these. If I were 20, I would stash them in my bag and steal them from bars. But I am not 20 and I don’t usually carry anything remotely close to being large enough to hide a glass. I have discovered a different tactic which seems to work quite well—I ask the bartender if I can have the glass. A lot of the time they’re so astounded that they grunt and gesture in my general direction to go ahead, and frequently are nice enough to rinse the glass out for me. At one other place, I am happy to pay $2. That’s sure better than the $5–$10 that I’d have to pay retail. I have a glass for each of my five favorite breweries (Bell’s, Sierra Nevada, Lagunitas, Summit, and Surly), but on my wish list are non-varietal pint glasses for Bell’s and Sierra Nevada. Picky, picky. So, from left to right: front: Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale, Summit Extra Pale Ale, Surly, Lagunitas. back: Newcastle, Grumpy’s Bar (the place where I pay $2, and Grainbelt Premium, a local brew that I don’t drink), Minnesota Twins (oh yeah, and Bud Light, but that doesn’t count as beer in my book), Point (my hometown), and Guinness. Missing due to oversight: Bell’s 12oz snifter, Pilsner Urquell 12oz fluted-ish stemmed glass. I also have a 22oz version of the PU glass.Bucket list item #1
January 4, 2010
I have always thought it would be interesting to see the stars in the other sky, though until I became a fan of Anthony Bourdain, there was never any Southern Hemisphere destination that particularly appealed to me. Now I think it would be quite nice to visit Melbourne or Montevideo or Buenos Aires. When my dad was a boy, my grandparents took the family to Lima for a year, but that’s practically equatorial. I find the notion of the extremes more intriguing, with the lopsided daylight/darkness ratios—as long as it’s long daylight!
There would also be penguins. Image from, and an interesting article, here.Bottle Bunny Opener
January 1, 2010
This week running a close second to Dasie in things that make me smile (waiting for my face to freeze that way) is my new Bunny Bottle Opener. To those of you who follow me in other places, I promise this is the last time I will initiate the topic. Rob, ya done good!
The Bottle Bunny Opener combines two of my favorite things—rabbit and beer! Rob brought it last weekend on his post-Christmas visit.
Last night I finally had time to install it, but lack of charged drill battery thwarted the effort for a couple of hours while I impatiently waiting for just enough charge to build up. It was just enough. If the bit had had to make two more revolutions to get through the drywall, it wouldn’t have made it.
Then I pounded in the plastic anchors and whacked two dents into the wall.
The drill didn’t have enough juice left to screw in the screws, so I had to do those by hand. But it was worth it!
I took a movie of the first bottle I opened with the Bunny. The first opening didn’t go so well, as I set up the camera in just the right place to get in my way and it was rather awkward. Tonight, I did it again with much more success!
Unfortunately, now I just want to open bottles of beer so that I can use it! And on that front, New Year’s Eve has thwarted the effort, as I am making my way through a bottle of sparkling wine rather than multiple bottles of beer. Argh! I’m not good at being patient. Well, I am, but in a different context.
Happy new year, everybody!
My quintannual trip to the hairdresser
December 28, 2009
1. Before: I cut my own hair. It’s curly enough that mistakes don’t really show, unless they’re truly egregious. I enjoy cutting my hair—it allows me to be spontaneous.
2. After: Nevertheless, every now and then I decide to turn myself over to a professional. I tried to tell him that I don’t use product and I refuse to spend more than 60 seconds with the hair dryer. Regardless, he did this to me. It was blow dried straight and secured in place with clouds of hair spray. 3. Bike helmet: All stylists present were horrified when they realized that I’d immediately be mashing the style under my bike helmet. 4. After bike helmet: It still looked okay, but not quite as good. 5. After bike helmet pony tail: One thing I like about straight hair is how the pony tail looks. 6. Back to normal: The next day we were back to 30 seconds of blow drying, which is to say virtually none in styling years. 7. Back to normal pony tail: And back to the regular frizzy pony tail. p.s. This is the first blog entry written completely on iPhone 🙂Things that make me happy
December 23, 2009
I only had to come up with five, but once you think of one you think of 100. Here are the top pleasure-givers in my life.
The best First by default are Robbin, CJ, and Dasie. Even if they’re not doing any of the innumerable cute and sweet things they do, I only need to look at any one of them to feel better. I treasure their companionship. The other top vote getter is working out at Curves. Not only is it good for me but it makes me feel good. Really good! I’ve become a believer in endorphins, because for a good two hours afterwards, I’m very joyful, regardless of how my day had been going previously. The rest in no particular order (well, in a little bit of order) Writing this blog Good beer (the two pictured are my favorites), and related to that, a nice wine buzz Pizza “Dancing with the Stars” — Say what you want to about reality tv, but you just can’t beat this show for feel good escapism, especially when people experience life-changing personal growth, like Kelly Osborne did this past season. The show is a joy to watch. Anthony Bourdain — when I watch his tv show I just want to eat and drink. It’s fun. Craig Ferguson — the man is a comic genius. The thought of moving to London Travel in general, especially long car trips by myself — Particularly effective if I can stay off the interstates and just take state and U.S. highways and go through towns. Going to baseball games Pigeons — I love pigeons. There are a couple of flocks that I encounter frequently. The one near my home has lots of mottled and white members. Mother Nature — When she throws up a rainbow or shows me tracks in the snow, or one lone tulip in a random place, or Maxfield Parrish colors in the sunset.Coworker appreciation day
December 18, 2009
It’s true that in whatever context, you are more likely to hear about the negative. So in the spirit of being positive, today we wrote encouraging notes to coworkers. I do have my unfavorite coworker who I love to slag off, but today I took a few moments to appreciate the joy that a different coworker brings to my life two days a week.
His name is Chris and he works from home on Tuesdays and Thursdays. He’s also my beer guru and helps keep me informed on good ones that I should try. I thank him for my love of Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale.
I never had any doubt that when he began telecommuting there would be afternoon beer involved. So on Tuesdays and Thursdays via iChat, it quickly became my custom to check in. It is not to see how his work is going. No, I always have the same one-word query for him: beer? I am rewarded with a photo of Chris and his beer, mugging for the camera. All afternoon I look forward to the moment when I can ask my question. There is no reason why I should enjoy these photos so much.
I have amassed quite a collection of images in the year or so that he’s been working at home. When it came time to make his office birthday card in May, I knew just what to do!
So today I wrote him a little note that read Chris, Thanks for being a good sport and sending me all your beer pictures. It really does brighten my day. Kelly
It comes with centipedes and a nice draft in winter
December 17, 2009
I had no business being given a mortgage. I wasn’t even UN-seriously looking for a place. Yet two months later, there I was in my very own condo.
It all started with simple curiosity. The Twin Cities, like most places, had been going through condofication for a number of years. The majority new construction, but a lot of the old apartment buildings were being converted from rentals to condominiums. There was one such building in my old neighborhood, and I was very curious to know the asking price on an apartment that was for sale in it. I was not entertaining any notion of buying it or anything else, but I just wanted to satisfy my smug self that it was going for far too much. In the course of trying to find its listing, I came across the listing for my place. I was basically convinced immediately upon seeing the character of the exterior of the building. I met the estate agent to see the interior, which was just fine, and had plenty of character of its own. The building is a Swedish row house (Minnesota is the land of Scandanavians), and the apartment was long and narrow with no interior walls (no distinct rooms) except for the bathroom and three good-sized closets. I explained to the realtor the realities of my financial situation and that I was pretty certain that I wouldn’t actually be able to make a purchase. She gave me the name and number of a fellow who she said might be able to help me. Turns out he was a miracle worker. I have been in my place for about four years now. Whereas I used to be completely squeamish about spiders, I now squish centipedes with aplomb (even the ones with inch-and-a-half long bodies) and scoff at puny spiders. It helps that centipedes aren’t crunchy. The building was, apparently, constructed in the 1890s. Although the interiors were redone relatively recently, there’s still no denying its age. The building is constantly in motion and my floor has an ever-evolving contour (I’m on the ground floor, “garden level” as it’s quaintly called), so there are ample little cracks for frigid winter air to draft in. The windows are in good shape, but I’ve found that it nonetheless helps tremendously to seal them off with the 3M shrinkwrap stuff. When there’s a north wind, I watch the plastic over my bedroom window “breathe” and am pleased that I neither feel that breeze nor have to pay the extra heating bill. My building is also part of the Minneapolis music scene. Morris Day and the Time shot their debut album cover photo ON MY FRONT STEPS! They were a Prince spin-off who established a reputation in their own right. Although there are reasons why I wish I didn’t, I know the prevailing opinion is that it’s sensible to own rather than rent. Yay.
Kelly goes shopping for shoes
December 16, 2009
I like shopping about as much as I like going to the dentist (nothing personal, Dr. Ottavi, you???re great as dentists go, but you???re still a dentist). So it was with low expectations that I went shopping for new winter boots this evening. I was filled with trepidation as I recalled my unsuccessful attempts this past summer to find sandals that were walk-inable yet not 200% butt-ugly.
The outing did not start out on a positive note, well, for two reasons, really. First, the temperature is hovering right around 0??F/-17??C. Who wants to go out in that? Second, I was trying to find the REI and Gander Mountain stores that are supposedly near each other and as conveniently located to my home as any other stores but to which I had never been before. I failed to find either of them.
What I did find was a DSW store, the chain (though not the particular store) of my failed sandal seeking. I had my heart set on a new pair of Columbia boots, but the closest DSW came was Timberland and Merrill. I liked the style of a couple of the Merrills, but they weren???t quite comfortable enough. I finally settled on a pair of BareTraps in a completely different style than my old Columbias, but comfortable and roomy enough for my extra pair of thick wool socks that I add in the coldest of weather.
I also needed a new pair of house slippers as my rabbit Robbin has done a number on my old ones???he enjoys nibbling on leather laces. BareTraps boots in hand, I moseyed over to the slipper section and immediately zeroed in on a nice-looking red pair. Not that I particularly like or dislike red, but they just looked right AND they had no leather laces. Fortunately, they were immediately comfortable, so that was a relatively painless decision.
Then, as I was feeling satisfied about my selections, I stood in the aisle like Lewis (or Clark, take your pick) and surveyed the rest of the ladies??? section. My eye zeroed in on a pair of Nikes. I???ve always had good luck with Nikes. And New Balance. (And Levis jeans. Slow and steady wins the race.) I tried on the Nikes and they were???no surprise???comfortable.
I took another look around and spied a pair of casual shoes that were styled like bowling shoes, so you know I had to check them out. They were a little a little tight so I declined. Plus, they and the Nikes would have been $150 additional to the boots and slippers. I reigned myself in and ???only??? spent $60 extra. Hey, it???s been three years since I bought myself a new pair of shoes.
So, in honor of my successful shoe shopping, I chose to draw you for today???s assignment, Imelda. Also, I drew you in an actual sketchbook. That’s new.
Another post script: I discovered what Rocket Dog does when he’s not jetting around the galaxy. Who knew? Apparently neither athanie nor coco-tidan ???
How I came to love the word perspicacious
December 13, 2009
One day, Chris Gargan and I were talking. He called me perspicacious. People respect and admire him and hang on his every word at times. You might remember Chris from a couple of my other posts as a big influence on my life. He also influenced my vocabulary. (Chris and my career; Chris names my rabbit.)
I like to think that I’m good at reading people and situations and picking up on subtleties that other people miss. Maybe that’s why I don’t like talking on the telephone all that much, because I can’t see the body language.
Granted, a lot of the time you don’t need to be hit on the head to sense the vibe. That often happens in relationships. Particularly the ends of relationships. But sometimes the other person might need help saying something. If you know what they want to say, you can help them get there. I assisted one boyfriend that way in breaking up with me. You don’t want to stay on a sinking ship, but by god I was going to make him be the one to say it. It wasn’t the most exciting relationship I had ever been in, however, I would have been okay with going on, but once I sensed that he had left mentally, well, what’s the point if the other person’s not into it?
I read between between the lines. Unfortunately, this can also lead to a certain amount of paranoia, even on a good day.
It was quite a lot of fun figuring out how to illustrate perspicacious for Tweak Today.
perspicacious [pur-spi-key-shuhs] –adjective
having keen mental perception and understanding; discerning: to exhibit perspicacious judgment.
Kelly’s Unnecessary Blog 