As I mentioned, last Sunday was luminary night in my neighborhood, and everyone had white paper lunch bags lining the sidewalks with a cup or so of sand weighing them down with a small candle burning inside. It really is quite pretty when everyone on the street participates.
The candles burn for at least six hours. It might be more -- I've never stayed up late enough to notice when they finally burn out. The problem is that this year it rained sometime after midnight, soaking the bags and leaving them wilted on the concrete.
Now I'm not complaining about the rain. We need it. We need more of it still. But have you ever tried to lift up a wet paper bag filled with sand? How about twenty of them? In the dark? When you're rushed so you can get to work on time? I wasn't the only one who had this problem, believe me. A week later I'm still stepping on clumps of sand when I'm out walking the dog around the 'hood.
So, yeah, maybe next year I'll check the forecast and clean up early...
Sunday, December 21, 2014
Sunday, December 14, 2014
Telling time by the bottle of wine...
Tonight is luminary night, so the neighborhood looks very pretty with bags and candles. This year also marks the first year one of my bags caught on fire, but it was while someone else was lighting the candle inside, so I maintain that it's still a pretty safe thing to do, especially since it rained a few days ago.
But really, the reason I know it's the holiday season is because I found this on my doorstep:
(Not the jeans, they just happen to be a handy backdrop.) Yes, it's realtor wine! Every year since I've moved in I've received a bottle of this stuff. I did try to drink it a couple of times, and to my (admittedly uncultured) palate, it was terrible. Some year I hope to find a use for this bottle and the others that I've kept in the worst possible conditions. In the meantime I see it as a sign that it's time to break out the electric blanket.
The odd thing is that I received a 2012 bottle again this year. I'm pretty sure that up to now I've always received last year's pressing. But now I have a matching set:
Perhaps I should do a taste test to see what happens to wine when it is stored near the ceiling in a mostly un-airconditioned house all year. Does it make any difference at all?
But really, the reason I know it's the holiday season is because I found this on my doorstep:
(Not the jeans, they just happen to be a handy backdrop.) Yes, it's realtor wine! Every year since I've moved in I've received a bottle of this stuff. I did try to drink it a couple of times, and to my (admittedly uncultured) palate, it was terrible. Some year I hope to find a use for this bottle and the others that I've kept in the worst possible conditions. In the meantime I see it as a sign that it's time to break out the electric blanket.
The odd thing is that I received a 2012 bottle again this year. I'm pretty sure that up to now I've always received last year's pressing. But now I have a matching set:
Perhaps I should do a taste test to see what happens to wine when it is stored near the ceiling in a mostly un-airconditioned house all year. Does it make any difference at all?
Saturday, November 29, 2014
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Sunday, November 9, 2014
What's Your Book About?
I still don't really know what the book is about, but I'm getting closer. I'm sure the elusive plot-beast will show itself soon.
In the meantime, I'm still writing words...
Keep Calm And Write On.
In the meantime, I'm still writing words...
Keep Calm And Write On.
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Ready For November
October is winding to a close which means a few things:
1) I've bought five bags of Halloween candy which I will probably eat while waiting for non-existent trick-or-treaters to show up.
2) National Novel Writing Month starts in just a few days. I have a bit of a plot and a couple of characters, which will get me through at least 2,000 words. I still need to work out the other 48,000 or I'm going to have a bit of a problem. I even went to a Sacramento NaNoWriMo meet and greet yesterday. Now I can say that I've met my people. I felt moderately attractive with good social skills. That should give you some indication of the group. Good people, on the whole, though.
3) Mike is turning 50 in a couple of days. I don't really see how that's possible, but the math doesn't lie. Surely I should be better at adulting if I'm old enough for him to be 50...
1) I've bought five bags of Halloween candy which I will probably eat while waiting for non-existent trick-or-treaters to show up.
2) National Novel Writing Month starts in just a few days. I have a bit of a plot and a couple of characters, which will get me through at least 2,000 words. I still need to work out the other 48,000 or I'm going to have a bit of a problem. I even went to a Sacramento NaNoWriMo meet and greet yesterday. Now I can say that I've met my people. I felt moderately attractive with good social skills. That should give you some indication of the group. Good people, on the whole, though.
3) Mike is turning 50 in a couple of days. I don't really see how that's possible, but the math doesn't lie. Surely I should be better at adulting if I'm old enough for him to be 50...
Sunday, October 12, 2014
Dear Levi Strauss & Co
Dear Levi's,
I realize that you need to give your designers something to do, and I also realize that you can't have all of them working on new "skinny" jeans to be worn by all the people who think "skinny" refers to the results and not the prerequisite.
But for the love of Zeus, could you please, please just keep them away from the 505s?
When I placed my most recent order via your website, what I wanted was some new jeans to replace the ones that have ripped so much across the knees that they have almost decapitated (de-crurated?) themselves.
That's it. Just replacement jeans that I could get through the wonder of the internet without having to go try a bunch of clothes on in the store.
What I didn't want was more decorative stitching. And I especially didn't want useless flaps on the back pockets that I can tell will curl up every time I put them in the drier. Flaps that I'm sure would require ironing if I were the sort of person to iron.
Worse yet, the useless decorative flaps that will be permanently curled in a week are fastened with the famous Levi's metal buttons. Do I need two big pieces of metal poking me in the ass every time I sit down?
Please get your shit together and leave the 505s alone.
Thanks,
Theresa
I realize that you need to give your designers something to do, and I also realize that you can't have all of them working on new "skinny" jeans to be worn by all the people who think "skinny" refers to the results and not the prerequisite.
But for the love of Zeus, could you please, please just keep them away from the 505s?
When I placed my most recent order via your website, what I wanted was some new jeans to replace the ones that have ripped so much across the knees that they have almost decapitated (de-crurated?) themselves.
That's it. Just replacement jeans that I could get through the wonder of the internet without having to go try a bunch of clothes on in the store.
What I didn't want was more decorative stitching. And I especially didn't want useless flaps on the back pockets that I can tell will curl up every time I put them in the drier. Flaps that I'm sure would require ironing if I were the sort of person to iron.
Worse yet, the useless decorative flaps that will be permanently curled in a week are fastened with the famous Levi's metal buttons. Do I need two big pieces of metal poking me in the ass every time I sit down?
Please get your shit together and leave the 505s alone.
Thanks,
Theresa
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