Versus.

There have been cupcakes. Oh yes. And brownies. And toffee bars. And cookies with tofu. Yep. There has been baking. And lots of it.

Cupcakes to celebrate birthdays. Chocolate with vanilla buttercream and vanilla with brown sugar butter cream. Brownies and toffee bars to celebrate the arrival of fall…even though it was 95 degrees when I baked them. And tofu cookies because…well, just because. And all were well received.

The brownies were, perhaps, an experiment. I have a brownie recipe that I like and another that my father likes. But I used a third recipe for these particular brownies because…I could. Also, I had purchased some pumpkin spice flavored Hershey’s Kisses and when I opened the bag I discovered that they were…squished. They were all still wrapped and edible but I felt guilty leaving their little warped kissness sitting in the candy bowl, so I unwrapped a bunch and chucked them into some brownie batter. The brownies were ok, pretty good actually, but I am not thrilled with the Kisses. So I am thinking that particular recipe will be revisited soon and without any add-ons.

In other news…well there is no other news. But I did want to add that I had to step into a Mac vs. PC argument today and I just want to say…shut up. (Not to mention, doesn’t PC stand for personal computer? And isn’t a Mac still a personal computer? Isn’t this kind of similar to the ATM machine thing? You know, ATM stand for automatic teller machine, right? So why do people add “machine” to the end of it? And is it only in New Jersey that people say “I have to tap MAC” (MAC was the abbreviation for money access center, but I don’t know if it was used anywhere but in the Northeast.)

Um…where was I? Oh, right. Mac vs. PC…so to speak. Look, the basic function of all cars is pretty much the same. They get you from point A to point B. There are some very specialized cars that can do something…special, but, for most people, a car is pretty much a way to get to work. Now, since most cars do the same thing, couldn’t we all just drive the same type of car? I mean, what is the point of having something like…a Ferrari, when the speed limit is 65 (or 55)? Right? Why do some people spend more money on a high performance vehicle that they will never use to it’s full potential? Well, probably because they like it. Jeans are pretty much jeans, right? I can get jeans for $20 or I can get jeans for $500. Maybe the $500 jeans will give me some benefits. Maybe they won’t (you know, if they would vacuum, they’d be worth the $500 and I might buy them). It’s a matter of preference. Macs do some things better than PCs, PCs do some things better than Macs. I was trained on a Mac before I was trained on a PC and I have always found Macs more compatible with me. And yes, I have used PCs and I have used them at simultaneously with a Mac. I have used pens and pencils too. It’s all about what works best with and for you. So shut up already. Jeez.

That’s my rant. I swear these two guys argued about it for an hour in little whiny voices and it was just…so…irritating. But since I am sure that you too, no matter who you are, have also had to listen to this argument, I thought I’d throw in my views on the subject, because we just haven’t heard enough about it, have we?

Annnnnnd, back to baking. The next thing I want to make is …tofu cookies. Again. But with this lovely new vanilla tofu…I just can’t find it. But when I do, there will be cookies. Oh yes, there will. And I am kind of getting nervous about this pumpkin shortage. I don’t even like pumpkin pie but I think I am going to start hoarding pumpkin…just in case…

Comparisons.

As a kind of experiment, I have been reading Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre side by side in small installments (via DailyLit). I don’t think I have ever finished either of these books before, or if I did, I don’t’ remember. I have seen, and enjoyed, several movies based on each book, so I do know the basic premise of the stories.

I think I started this project as…well, I am honestly not sure. I am trying to fill in the gaps on my “classics” reading lists. I like to read. I like to read in installments and it seemed like a good idea at the time. I also had a conversation with a friend about Wuthering Heights and a theory I had about it. So I guess I wanted to be able to defend that theory. I don’t honestly know if I can, so I won’t bother boring you with it yet. But what has really gotten my attention is how very different the two books are, and how one appeals to me as a novel, the other as a novelty.

I let you know how it plays out in the end. Until then, any bets on which one I am enjoying more?

Music.

Sometimes I just don’t know what I want to listen to. It’s like being musically restless, I think I need some…rolling Stones, but that doesn’t do the trick, so it’s on to…the bangles…cake…underworld…pucinni…and it goes on and on. Today I posted on Facebook of my restlessness:

“can't decide what to listen to...first the runaways, then there was some x, which spawned some john doe and then exene, which morphed into streelight manifesto but that wasn't doing it...thirty seconds of "la giocanda" went to jace everett and now it's band of horses...still doesn't feel right.”

A friend responded that I should listen to some Bob Mould, so I did. Still not right. He came back and suggested The Pixies and here’s where it gets complicated.

I like all kinds of music. Seriously, even country and opera, which is where most people say “I like everything but…” I listen to some rap. Not a lot, but I think I am pretty open-minded when it comes to music…except for The Pixies…oh and Sonic Youth…and most Nirvana.

And that’s the thing. If you like indie, alternative or rock, you probably like all three of those bands. And honestly, I can’t say I hate every song by them, but…I will never choose to listen to them.

But, in order to do my due diligence, I went to Pandora and typed in The Pixies. It played “Hey” and I listened. I resisted the urge to shut it off. But I didn’t really enjoy it. And then, as Pandora does, it started to play music that is similar to The Pixies. First Weezer…ok, I am ok with Weezer in small doses. Then The Smiths and you know, I can listen to The Smiths, even though I still think that Morrissey sounds like Kermit the Frog, but you know… I can do that. Oh hey, what’s next? Radiohead, “Creep” groovy, love this song. And then…what is this crap? Oh, it’s The Pixies again.

I’m sorry, I can’t put my finger on it. I think it’s partially the jangly, feedbacky guitars, partially the voices. Just not for me, I guess. But I tried. And now it’s playing Smashing Pumpkins…what am I missing? This is nothing like The Pixies! *Sigh*…I guess I’ll just never be cool….oh well.

For the record, I have several “channels” on Pandora that have come up when I JUST HAVE TO LISTEN TO THIS BAND NOW…see if these make me sound any cooler, even though I still don’t like Sonic Youth...

X Radio
The Runaways Radio
Frankie Goes to Hollywood Radio
Streetlight Manifesto Radio
Social Distortion Radio
Ben Lee Radio
The Veils Radio
Robbie Williams Radio (one of these things is not like the other….)
Ted Leo Radio
Genesis Radio
Underworld Radio
Peter Gabriel Radio

Yeah...not really cooler, I guess.

Hmmm…Pandora is now playing Sonic Youth. I think it’s trying to tell me something.

Meanwhile...

To be completely honest…I haven’t felt like it.

There, that’s out of the way. No excuses (but I have been busy), no explanations (seriously, I’ve been busy), no complaints (he’s been sick…and it’s annoying). Just…haven’t felt like it.

Oh, I have written a bit, here and there, but some of it got political and some of it got…wrong and eh, there you go. I’ve been a little burnt out since comic-con and now, here we are, in September, of all places, and it’s like one hundred and two degrees and everything is on fire again.*sigh* So, for the moment, there are a few things I need to type and then a few things to fill some space and then….well…we’ll see.

I had a dream a few nights ago. I don’t remember what the dream was about at all but I do remember that at some point in the dream I was reading the concert listings in the newspaper and the name of one band in particular stood out to me…”Norman Fell and the Tits, the Nymph’s Nipples and the Fleshy Undertones.” This strikes me as odd. Does it strike you as odd too? It’s a rather long and involved name for just one band. And how, exactly, does Norman Fell fit into all this? I wish I could remember, but I do remember that, in my dream, they were playing on a Saturday night.

Also, there have been brownies…and cupcakes. And soon there will be cookies that have bacon in then. So that’s something.

And also also, since we last spoke, I have watched a movie. It was called “Rocknrolla” and I enjoyed it. It was return to form for Guy Richie and it was fun enough, with one excruciating chase scene that had me in stitches. So…there’s that.

I’ve been reading quite a bit and have finally finished Queen of Fashion: What Marie Antoinette Wore to the Revolution by Caroline Weber and I declare it good. If you have any interest at all in French History, clothing or Marie Antoinette, then it’s brilliant, and if you don’t, you will after reading this. The best book I have read in the last ten years was called The Death of Vishnu by Manil Suri, but this is the second best book I have read in the last ten years. I’d loan it to you but I already loaned it to someone else, and then I went and bought another copy to give to my mom. It’s good enough to do that, buy another copy.

And now…

What I am reading: Crooked Little Vein by Warren Ellis-It’s…eh. Its Warren Ellis, and don’t get me wrong, I love some of his comics, but this isn’t really doing it for me. It’s a fast read and it’s certainly Warren Ellis, so, you know, if that’s your thing…

Serendipity by Louise Schaffer, given to me by my mom. I should know better. Anytime my mom gives me a book about a troubled relationship between a mother and daughter…wait…is she trying to tell me something? I don’t know but this is not my type of book. I am finishing it because mom gave it to me, but I am going to give her hell about it later. Actually, I probably won’t. But eh, it’s good to read things that aren’t necessarily what you would choose, right?

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (dammit, I can’t find the umlauts on my keyboard!). I don’t remember if I have ever read this all the way through, but I have seen many movies based on it. It’s a bit of a mess of a story for me, but I am trying to get something new out of it. I was talking to a friend about it a while ago and he was declaring his distaste for it, but I was trying to defend it as something other than what was expected and then I decided I’d better go back and read it before I got in over my head. So far, I’d have to say that my theory stands.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte…see above. It’s just one of those things. I am reading them in installments via Daily Lit and enjoying it. So there.

What’s next? I dunno, I got a new Neil Stephenson book the other day, but those are a real commitment for me…hmmm. I do have some more books from my mom to read…sigh.

What I am watching…hmmm…what AM I watching? A little bit of this, a little bit of that. I’ve seen several things that I thought I had no interest in and then ended up enjoying. The Good Wife, for example, was…not bad. I am not a fan of Juliana Margulies but you know, I watched the beginning and felt compelled to watch the rest so…it did its job. Cougartown didn’t seem like my kind of thing, but it was much better than I expected and hey, that Courtney Cox Arquette…she was kind of funny. Surprise. I’ve been watching a bit of British stuff and if you didn’t catch Being Human as it ran, I’d recommend tracking that one down. Very enjoyable. Russell Tovey is awesome in his dorkiness. And I’ve been enjoying a show called Economy Gastronomy that made me realize that I’d be a pretty darn economical cook if I paid attention. Also, the chefs on this show…cute.

What I’m listening to…um…not much really. I have an Andrew Bird cd sitting here next to me…some John Vanderslice, Bibio and the Mark Olson and Gary Louris cd…but I’m not listening to them. I wanted to listen to some Franco Corelli yesterday, but I couldn’t find my cd and I’ve been trying to learn to appreciate La Boheme but my cod player absolutely refused to play it and it forced me to listen to The Marriage Figaro instead…seriously.

What I’m working on…nothing. Well, stuff, but…yeah...nothing.

What’s next for the rest of that stuff? Well, I am going to get the TV to myself for a while, so I guess I will catch up on all those episodes of the Elvis Costello show and maybe finish watching Dirty Sexy Money, even though I am kind of over it now that my favorite character is gone (yes, well, they are all gone, I know but…), musicwise…I’ve been wanting some ambient kind of stuff to listen to while I read. Any suggestions?
And workwise, well, it’s gonna get busy round here soon…we’ll see what comes out of it, shall we?

Until then. There is a give away for some Paperlotus cards over at Cupcakes take the Cake and another giveaway planned for Rarebird Finds, so you know, you could pop over there and leave a comment and maybe win a thing…

And finally, because I know you don’t care…

Who I’m crushing on…


Paul Merrett, Allegra Mc Evedy, Gerard Butler

Merrett and Mc Evedy are the chefs that I mentioned, he’s got stunning blue eyes and she’s just so freaking cool, and you know, I never got the Gerard Butler thing until Rocknrolla…go figure.

Smoke.

First, I want you to see this:



I'm pretty sure that "smoke" is not weather, unless you are in California.

Secondly, today I have read bits of Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, a Jim Butcher novel, a vegan cookbook and I am about to take a look at an Ian Rankin graphic novel. Tonight I will continue reading my werewolf book. I am trying to work on the books I so I can justify the Kindle I want. But then, I just read an article that says that the average Kindle user keeps their device for two years. TWO YEARS? I've have books that are older than my mother. I have books from the 1800s. And i realize that the point of a Kindle is basically to have those sorts of books that you read once and then let sit around until you remember to pass them on or take them to the used book store or donate, in a less physical form or something but...two years?

Anyway. Hot. Smoky. Books. That's pretty much the sum of things at the moment.

Flu-ent.

So, here’s how it happened.

I went to Comic-Con. It went pretty well, I worked A LOT and didn’t see as much as I would have liked. But somehow I managed to talk to every damn person in that convention center, touch their money, shake their hands and lick their netbook keyboards. That’s all I can figure. Because I got the nerd flu. And I got it pretty bad.

Well, ok, look, I TRIED to eat right. I had fresh fruit and tea and veggies everyday. I avoided soda. I had a few cocktails here and there but…nothing like I normally would. But then…then there was the tacos, or maybe the it was the late nights? Could have been the air conditioned room. Could have just been all that breathing. But I did try. I washed my hands, I used that sanitary spray stuff every once in a while…but…welll… by the time I got back from San Diego I was exhausted and had lost part of my voice. Then I got a cough, then the aches…and you know how the rest goes. Nerd flu. It could have been worse, I am sure, but it was bad enough to keep me home from work for several days. And then, of course, even after much rest, hydration and vitamins and whatever, there was still the lingering weariness that the flu gives you. Oh and the nausea…there was that one day where I was getting ready to go to work and suddenly couldn’t.. Too weak, too feverish…too…sick. Out of the shower, back into the pajamas, call in sick and then collapsed on the couch. Woke up three hours later.

I am better now. Still a little tired. But hey, this is a hazard of hanging with 140, 000 nerds and I guess I am willing to…hazard it.

So, the convention went well. BFF came along and, I think to her own surprise, enjoyed herself a lot. She got to see David Tennant while I worked. And she was a huge help at the Tired Girl table, writing up sales and fetching beverages and veggie burgers. The table was, once again, very well received and a pleasant time seemed to be had by all.

Sadly, I didn’t have any celebrity customers this time, which is something I get a kick out of. But I did get to see a few famous-ish folks on the floor (Deborah woll, of True Blood, very briefly and Matthew Gruber Grey of Criminal Minds on crutches…some others I don’t remember at the moment…).

I sold some new art and it did pretty well. I did a series of pin-up girls that were inspired by various Doctor Whos. I chose to do girls for the fifth, ninth and tenth doctor and I hope to do girls for the other doctors eventually, and possibly even some BOY pin-ups inspired by some of the female companions. I did these for Comic-Con because…well…geeks…you know. And the ninth doctor pin-up did sell out (OK fine…I didn’t take that many, but I came back with…NONE! Yay!). So it was a good show. I sold plenty of cards, some prints and lots of flirt cards, I had a good time. I saw a lot of people and then I got sick. That pretty much brings us up to date I think.

Here are some "parts" of my girls. I'll show you more and tell you a little bit about them later. But for now...nekkid girls!

Cheer.

So, I am heading out to San Diego Comic Con shortly and this year, more than previous year, I seem to be feeling all the stress that entails. And you know, I’ve done this a few times so it shouldn’t bother me. But it does.

But that’s ok because I have a few things that help me through times like these….

Baby porcupines (known as porcupets) eating bananas and having the hiccups…



Pugs with baby strollers…


Baby fruit bats yawning…(sorry, can’t embed this one but it’s worth the click if you aren’t afraid of bats).


Eighty three year old ladies who can totally rock it.

Inspiring article on acting with a quote that stopped me in my tracks, “I could not be more alive than I am at this moment. I can't do most things in life. This is what I'm for.”

Paper taco trucks.

And the things you really need to learn. Not as cute as a pug with a stroller but important nonetheless.

I’ll be back in a week or so with tales of geekery, Doctor Who pinup girls and with any luck, a photograph of someone famous…but who?

Management.

*Ahem*…Hi. This is what I wrote when it happened…


Oh dear, the LA Times caused a bit of a stir with a stupid (and kind of sexist) little article/slideshow called something like “A Girl’s Guide to Comic-Con.” It features (if you don’t feel like clicking over) some speculation on what cute boys will be appearing at Comic-Con to pimp their movies. Some people are bothered that it seems to assume that women only go to Comic-Con for the cute boys. As a woman who rather likes cute boys (OK, well…men, I am the anti-cougar and have no interest in anyone under the age of 39), I am a little more bothered by the fact that NO COMIC BOOK GUYS are featured in the story. Not a damn one.

Yes, yes, Comic-Con is now considered a “pop-culture” convention and believe you me, I have no problem with that. There was a time when (in my opinion) the movie and tv presence at the convention may well have saved the bacon of many a comic book company by generating a buzz that seemed to have dissipated around comic books. By bringing in the stars of movies based on comics, I think some new readers were led to our booths and tables and hopefully a new wave of fandom was born. So yeah, I’m ok with that pop-culture thing, as long as the comics are still important. And they are. And I love them, and I love the people who make them. And guess what…some of those people happen to be cute boys. I just wish the L.A. Times had mentioned that.


That was…a while ago. In the meanwhile the world has lost…a lot of people and think what you will of any of them, they all made some sort of significant contribution to this world and will be missed.

And other things have happened.

But blogging clearly has not.



This was written a while back too:

About a year ago I was traveling to the east coast by plane (I say by plane, because, as you may know, I am stupid enough to occasionally do it by car…but not this time). I was getting on the plane, waiting on the…what do you call that thing? The corridor leading to the plane? The gangplank? Well, I was waiting there as the inevitable backup had occurred. Someone was probably trying to put a child in the overhead compartment or something. How many times do you people have to be told that children should be checked? Aaaaaanyway, two girls, in their 20s standing in front of me having a conversation….

I’ve been listenting to this great band called MANAGEMENT.
Oh yeah?
Yeah, they are awesome.
Hunh. Haven’t heard of them.


The conversation carries on for a bit when the second girl, who has clearly been trying to figure out how to do this without making her friend look like a complete ass says:

Have you heard MGMT?
Um….that’s what I said earlier. MANAGEMENT.
Oh, I…I think they are called MGMT.
Yeah, that’s what I said. MANAGEMENT. That’s what MGMT stands for.
I…uh…I think they are just MGMT. Like the abbreviation.
Right. The abbreviation for MANAGEMENT. That’s what they are called MANAGEMENT.

It was the modern day “Who’s on first?” with the added twist of abbreviations.

I really wanted to let her know that the band does, indeed, go by the name MGMT and not MANGEMENT. But I was enjoying the conversation too much.

(I don’t really mean to make fun of this girl, I am pretty sure that almost every conversation I have sounds a lot like this.)

And it only serves to remind me that we are all someplace else sometimes when we should be right where we are….get it?

I’m not here. I’ll be back.

In the meanwhile. New cards in the shop.