take a hint

Three people over the past three days have told me that I'm too hard on myself. All for different reasons. Which makes me think that I'm taking myself way too seriously these days.

I've been out to sea for a long time.

I realized the other day that I have been absent from this blog for a long time (I am such a bad blogger). I've had some things pop up recently that needed immediate attention and unfortunately this blog kind of got lost in the shuffle. I feel like I'm playing a game of catch-up here so bear with me. Anyway, here are a few things that I've been inspired by lately.

The website Nerd Boyfriend. It's much more than a fashion site, it's a way of life, really. Also, anytime I can look at photos of both Art Garfunkle AND Steve Martin it's a good day.

My number one celebrity crush — Larry David. It's important not to analyze it too much, but for some reason I find him extremely attractive. This season of Curb Your Enthusiasm has cracked me up to the point of tears. My husband and I resemble the photo above every time we watch it together.

This amazing blog called Swank Dollar out of Minneapolis. It's like eye candy and knitting porn at the same time. The photos (like the one above) are so eye-catching and I love the energy of the site. So many creative people in the world doing their thing — very inspiring!

The alphabet.

Green apple risotto and my number two celebrity crush, Mario Batali. Any man who can make a lasagna out of gnocchi and meatballs with layers of homemade pasta and mozzarella is alright by me. Butter? Who wants more butter. This is a delicious recipe and one I'll be making again and again!

This lovely three chain, knitted work of art by Etsy seller Yokoo. Isn't it just gorgeous? I would love to wear it with all black and my brown Frye boots. It's really the only accessory you need. Plus the photos on her Flickr site are great! Every time I look at them, I wish I had gone to art school.

The artwork of illustrator Charley Harper. I love his prints of animals and ecosystems. What I wouldn't give to find an old copy of one of his biology textbooks tucked away at the thrift store. I can literally look at his pictures for hours. It's just the kind of thing that would have preoccupied me for hours as a kid. The colours and images just hold my attention and I can't look away no matter how hard I try.

extra extra

Miranda July is just too amazing. She should have babies with Christopher Walken (see below) and spawn an unbelievably cool child army. If you need proof as to how awesome she is, just check out the photos she did for Vice where she poses as movie extras from films like The Godfather and The Outsiders. I would love to vacation inside her brain for a weekend — what a marvelous place that must be to come up with great ideas like this!

This makes me so happy...

There really is nothing better. Watching Christopher Walken cook chicken in his very modest kitchen. I can't help it — the guy mesmerizes me. Even the way he washes out the chicken's cavity. There is just something so sweet and sinister about it. Enjoy!

My Head Just Exploded

I just found out (apparently from an anonymous source, no less) that my beloved Pavement are planning a reunion tour for 2010. The cynic in me thinks this is happening for one (or all three) specific reason(s):

1. Spiral Stairs finally ran out of material and didn't archive enough bonus tracks for a Terror Twillight reissue.

2. Stephan Malkmus doesn't really feel like putting out another tepidly received, moderately successful, semi-critically acclaimed album and needs to do something so he can afford to get his kids braces. Indie rock just doesn't pay the bills the way it used to.

3. They're all getting into their mid-to-late forties and are in need of a retirement plan.

But who cares? I am so excited for this tour (if it's going to happen), just like I was when the Pixies reunited. Sure, it's your basic cash grab. And, OK — I haven't listened to any indie rock since moving back to Thunder Bay two years ago (oddly, I can't get enough of Wilco). And yes, my flannel wearing, ironic band T-shirt days are long behind me. But (sigh) what I wouldn't give to see SM singing up-close and personal. I've had a major crush on him since Pavement was featured as a "Cute Band Alert" in Sassy Magazine.

For those of you born in the mid-'80s — um, that's like a long time ago. Oh, and speaking of the '80s — is anyone else out there as totally psyched as I am to see the remake of Fame? It opens on my birthday, which I'm taking as a sign from the gods that I must break out the legwarmers and glittery headband and shuffle-ball-change on down to the theatre.

Not only was I completely obsessed with the movie growing up, but a devoted fan of the TV show for most of my formative years. This would explain some questionable outfits I wore to school (see above legwarmers and glittery headband — this was a Catholic grade school in Thunder Bay after all and not a gritty New York school for the performing arts). My friends and I would even play "Fame" outside in the backyard where I always had to be Leroy. The show is directly responsible for me deciding to play the cello one year in grade school because I desperately wanted to be Lori Singer. My cello career abruptly ended one cold winters day when I missed my bus and had to walk home carrying my cello across my back. At one point I collapsed in a ditch and cars drove by me and laughed as I cradeled my cello ontop of me, wearing a Skidoo suit. Yes, fame costs and I did indeed pay in sweat that day.

Did I happen to mention that I still own all the cast albums?