Better Living Through Literature

Friday Unrelated Information

2012-05-18T08:15:00.002-06:00

1. From the ever-wonderful Letters of Note blog (check out Steinbeck writing to his former professor, too),  here's Noel Coward giving relationship advice to Marlene Dietrich:

Do please try to work out for yourself a little personal philosophy and DO NOT, repeat DO NOT be so bloody vulnerable. To hell with God damned "L'Amour." It always causes far more trouble than it is worth. Don't run after it. Don't court it. Keep it waiting off stage until you're good and ready for it and even then treat it with the suspicious disdain that it deserves.

"Gay husbands" give the best advice, don't they?  

2. Here is a song about a lazy harp seal, who has neither a job, nor money, nor camera, nor jacket. It pretty much made my week. 

Skyler

2012-05-17T08:20:00.002-06:00

He continues to be the cutest baby in the world: 

That is all.  

Goodbye, Duck

2012-05-16T08:07:00.000-06:00

Did you hear that bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn died in his sleep Monday at the age of 70? He was, of course, the long-time bassist for Booker T and the MGs; but I got to know him from The Blues Brothers (of course). Here he is in the white t-shirt, with the pipe: 

You can hear more clips from his most famous performances here.  

Tuesday Project Roundup: Look!!

2012-05-15T08:22:00.003-06:00

I think the title deserves two exclamation points, because the fact that I had a few hours to work on this tunic is nothing short of amazing. 

It's not quite done yet--it needs a collar and a hem and some topstitching--but I'd forgotten how much I can get done when I have the Fortress of Solitude back to myself. 

Happy Birthday, Arthur Sullivan

2012-05-14T07:41:00.003-06:00

Yesterday was the birthday of Arthur Sullivan, the second half of Gilbert and Sullivan and the one responsible for the music. Or, in other words, I now have an excuse to post this:   

Also: This. 

Friday Unrelated Information

2012-05-11T08:29:00.004-06:00

1. Depressed Copywriter is pretty much perfect, especially if you know of or happen to be a depressed copywriter. Some examples: 

2. On a less cynical note, I hope all the moms out there have a Happy Mother's Day. If you need a card for your own badass mother, you can download a printable PDF of this one here. 

What Camping As A Vegetarian Is Often Like

2012-05-10T08:13:00.003-06:00

Hippie Poem Wednesday

2012-05-09T08:04:00.002-06:00

This hippie poem appeared on The Writer's Almanac today, which gives it far more poetical credibility than coming from, say,  a site with the name of Mystic Mamma. It's by Joy Harjo, whose birthday is today. 

Eagle Poem

To pray you open your whole self
To sky, to earth, to sun, to moon
To one whole voice that is you.
And know there is more
That you can't see, can't hear
Can't know except in moments
Steadily growing, and in languages
That aren't always sound but other
Circles of motion.
Like eagle that Sunday morning
Over Salt River. Circled in blue sky
In wind, swept our hearts clean
With sacred wings.
We see you, see ourselves and know
That we must take the utmost care
And kindness in all things.
Breathe in, knowing we are made of
All this, and breathe, knowing
We are truly blessed because we
Were born, and die soon, within a
True circle of motion,
Like eagle rounding out the morning
Inside us.
We pray that it will be done
In beauty.
In beauty.

Tuesday Project Roundup: Car Knitting

2012-05-08T08:36:00.000-06:00

Before the camping trip I realized that 1.) I would probably not be driving and 2.) if so, then I could knit in the car. So I looked around for a small accessory-type project and landed on a knitted tie (using this pattern). 

No, it is not for me. But it's not a sweater, so I'm hoping to avoid any "sweater curses."  And no, I haven't worked on it since the car ride home. 

Sunday Night Conversations: The Right Word

2012-05-07T08:15:00.004-06:00

Here's some advice about word choice, as given out by my best friend last night:  

I watched The Universe last night and they were describing things like the scale of our solar system and the speed of light. And that's the time to use the word "awesome"--not when someone refills the ice in your water.

Friday Unrelated Information

2012-05-04T07:47:00.003-06:00

1. This is making the rounds in advertising circles and it is awesome: This Advertising Life. 

2. Here are some pictures of Skyler enjoying his birthday presents this week, taken from my brother's blog. 

Playing the piano!

And riding on an inflatable rubber burro...

I have no idea where my parents found this, but it's really great. Every kid needs a red rubber donkey, right?  

Thursday Poem

2012-05-03T08:13:00.000-06:00

The opera last night reminded me of this poem. It's not really about opera, though. 

After Love

Jack Gilbert

He is watching the music with his eyes closed.
Hearing the piano like a man moving
through the woods thinking by feeling.
The orchestra up in the trees, the heart below,
step by step. The music hurrying sometimes,
but always returning to quiet, like the man
remembering and hoping. It is a thing in us,
mostly unnoticed. There is somehow a pleasure
in the loss. In the yearning. The pain
going this way and that. Never again.
Never bodied again. Again the never.
Slowly. No undergrowth. Almost leaving.
A humming beauty in the silence.
The having been. Having had. And the man
knowing all of him will come to the end.

A Night With My Imaginary Boyfriend

2012-05-02T08:46:00.001-06:00

Tonight I get to hear my imaginary Russian boyfriend sing in the Met's "Live in HD" broadcast of La Traviata. I'm looking forward to it. I'm sure he is, too. 

It's been non-stop culture around here lately. I'll have to listen to this if I start feeling too fancy. 

Tuesday Project Roundup: (Glacial) Progress

2012-05-01T08:13:00.001-06:00

I was able to turn last week's fabric and pattern into a cut out pattern and a finished front! That's not a lot to show but it's progress!

The front is hanging oddly on the dress form because it's just a front. But maybe by next week it will have  a back attached. 

Look Who's One!

2012-04-30T08:29:00.001-06:00

The Smartest Baby in the World* is one years old today! He had a big party Saturday afternoon to celebrate.  There were cupcakes: 

There were so! many! colors! on the gift bags: 

And there was the toy piano to try out:  

It's incredible to think that in 36 weeks you can grow a brand new human, and that in 52 more you can go from this: 

To this (yes, he's walking): 

Happy birthday, Skyler!

*Totally un-biased auntie opinion. 

Friday Unrelated Information

2012-04-27T08:02:00.001-06:00

1. This weekend, I have tickets to the Utah Symphony for the first time in a couple of years. (I used to be there nearly every week back in the days of student tickets.) I hear good things about the orchestra under the new music director. 

2. I also have Skyler's first birthday party to attend on Saturday afternoon. I bought him a toy piano, since aunties get to force their interests on their nephews. 

My brother is going to love hearing "PLINK PLONK PLINKPLINK" all day, every day.  

Just Once

2012-04-26T08:25:00.003-06:00

Just once in my life, I'd like to be able to tell off a client and hold out for my idea the way Don Draper does in this clip that isn't allowing me to embed it. 

That is all. 

Goose On The Roof

2012-04-25T08:36:00.002-06:00

Toby saw something on the roof the other morning, and I assumed it was one of the pigeons that help themselves to the seed in the flat feeder and drive him bonkers. 

No, it was a goose, just hanging out on the roof, driving Toby extra bonkers. He'd never seen such a big bird! 

Tuesday Project Roundup: There Are No Sewing Machines In Campgrounds

2012-04-24T08:13:00.000-06:00

Way back before the extravaganza that is April (Regular Easter! Greek Easter! Mom's birthday! Camping! And Skyler's birthday coming up!), I decided on my next project. I even got the pattern ready and did a quick test sew of the body to check the fit before I cut into my fancy Liberty fabric. 

Nothing has happened since then, though. But something could happen Saturday morning before Skyler's party. I'll let you know. 

Camping!

2012-04-23T08:15:00.000-06:00

For the weekend, I went and slept in a tent for the first time in about five years. The trip was to Capitol Reef, where I'd never been, and that is some lovely country. 

There were pictures taken from passenger windows:  

There were pictures taken from the back: 

There were side canyons: 

There were views to admire: 

There were trails that turned out much longer than we thought they'd be: 

There were miles to go before we slept:  

There was golden desert light: 

Needless to say, it was a good weekend for my inner hippie. 

Friday Unrelated Information

2012-04-20T07:51:00.003-06:00

1. This Married to the Sea post has inspired a catchphrase between me and my friend: "Don't be the lefterly cow".
(click image to enlarge)

2. And the last line of this entry in the "Shit Certain Social Groups Say" video meme has become my new catchphrase:

NAMASTE!

Today's Thought

2012-04-19T08:13:00.002-06:00

I guess this is five thoughts, really:

Via Pinterest.

Grammar Wednesday #5

2012-04-18T08:03:00.003-06:00

This one was another request (which makes me so happy): How can you tell when to use drink, drank, or drunk? Or sink, sank, or sunk?

Drink and sink are pretty easy, since they're in the present tense. (I'm pretty sure nobody gets confused about saying "Drink up!") But drank and drunk and sank and sunk are both past tense verbs, so how can you tell which one to use?

Drank and sank are simple past tense verbs: "The ship sank." "I drank too much last night." But drunk and sunk are a past participle, so they need a helping verb--no, don't tune out yet, that just means drunk and sunk always appear with a form of "have": "They have drunk my potion!" "The submarine has been sunk by the spies."

So here's my trick: Drunk and sunk have a U in them. Have has a V in it. U and V come right next to each other in the alphabet. S0 use that trick to remember that drunk and sunk should always appear with have.

Tuesday Project Roundup: Accessories

2012-04-17T07:47:00.009-06:00

I made my mom a scarf for her birthday. She's really hard to buy for and making her something requires that she like it (it's a Mom Law), so it seemed like a good idea. Besides, accessories are a pretty flexible gift.

I used two-thirds of the Liberty prints from last week and followed this tutorial, just making the square a little smaller. There was a lot of hand sewing to finish but it went pretty quickly.

Weekend Report

2012-04-16T08:14:00.003-06:00

Look who came to my house on Sunday to celebrate his grandma's birthday! This was the first time I'd hosted a family event in the new place.

"Reading" the card he "signed."

Party table!

Other notable weekend events: Going to Brooks Brothers and attending my first Greek Easter celebration. There was drinking. There was dancing. There was an entire lamb on a spit, head and all. (At the Greek Easter celebration, that is; not at Brooks Brothers.)