Clumsy Adventures of a Sunshine Guerilla

Werner Herzog Reads Where's Waldo

2012-02-09T20:24:00.000-08:00

And on a totally different note...

Republican Chokes Up At Gay Marriage Debate In Washington

2012-02-09T15:22:00.000-08:00

This makes me tear up.

Wedding Wednesday- Goals for February

2012-02-08T12:37:00.000-08:00

I have a lot of stuff planned for this wedding month- here are some highlights from the list. I should have done this from the beginning, because I wish I could follow the actually "what has to be done" from a bride a few steps ahead of me. I am lucky to have a sister in law only a few steps ahead, so I can sort of feel out where I should be.

1. Make the rest of the paper goods for the reception- seating cards, place cards, and photo scavenger hunts- and the ceremony- the programs.

2. Have the Boy get his suit and figure out the suits/ ties/ etc for the groomsmen.

3. Start figuring out shoes, gifts, and the like for the bridesmaids
4. Get started on premarital counseling.

5. Figure out how we are pulling off the light ceiling!

Wedding Wednesday- Pulling it all together

2012-02-08T12:29:00.000-08:00

So, we haven't gotten that much new done for the wedding this week (except for stealing an embarrassing number of swatches in Home Depot), but I think we are at a neat point where the whole picture is starting to make sense, and now we are trying to choose details with the plot at hand in mind. I really have enjoyed all the wedding planning thus far, but in some ways it seems like things are getting really fun. Other than putting a suit on the Boy, everything that is left to do really is the cherry on top; people will be fed, dances will be danced, and (most importantly) we will get married- so any detail left should be a fun detail.

Right now, the biggest debate (and I mean debate... never has a groom been so invested in his wedding, but I honestly think it is just fun for him to give me a hard time) is how exactly to do the details for the wedding party so everything clicks together. We all know I want red, but one of his groomsmen (the one who crowned himself sultan) is pushing for black ties and the Boy is on his side. . I get it, and honestly I don't care all that much, so this might just be a battle that I lose. I think that we could pull everyone together, but I think I would be the one that didn't totally fit! Strange, but certainly not a big deal. In most weddings, the bride is just the big white blob in the middle, anyway.

On the other hand, he is actually weirdly open to the bow tie all of the sudden, which is a battle I lost a while ago, but I think would be adorable and certainly works toward the classy nerd picnic theme. That is the new goal- pick details that say the theme, which is basically just "stuff N and B like."

I also think at this point we have solidly figured out what we would like the feel of both the reception and the cocktail hour to be. The dinner should feel like a really nice and warm family dinner, and the cocktail hour should feel like the kind of picnic where my Grammy might feel compelled to ride a hippity hop. Try and tell me this picture isn't amazing! (at the same time, I have to admit that this is another battle I am not winning). I am not sure all the pieces work together, but they all feel right and I am excited about them, so wedding stuff seems good right now.

Dissertation Progress- Building Chapters and What's the Big Idea?

2012-02-07T22:06:00.000-08:00

Ok, so this past week I have been trying to think about what exactly my dissertation chapters would look like, and the even bigger and scarier question- if this dissertation is a "monograph of an idea," exactly what idea am I monographing? So now I am tracing all sorts of threads and trying to think about what potential there is, reading lots of the literature that is already out there and figuring out what to make of it. This week the goal is to chart the threads I am finding most important and doing some visual comparisons as sort of thought experiments. The challenge is to be writing as I am doing this, with the hope that something will be usable as I keep moving toward a draft.

So here are some of the things on my mind right now-
The ways that avant garde film and neo avant garde performance intersected conceptually in the 50's and 60's and what effect that would have on LA's practice.
Looking at the choices she makes to connect with her audience- how that relationship is articulated spatially and temporally
Working within an inevitable but productive failure, cognitive mapping a la Jameson.
The relationship between feminism and postmodernism, how this work is particularly feminist- not enough to note she is a woman, but the work she is doing is certainly less explicit than others- not always included in feminist dialogues about feminism. What is inherently conservative about the way she works? How does this complicate her claims to being avant-garde in any way?

Anyway, getting my brain working on it, trying to figure out the balance between being critical and taking her for her word. Had a very encouraging meeting with my adviser yesterday, so I am feeling hopeful.

5 Things I Love this Week

2012-02-07T12:56:00.000-08:00

1. Patrick Stewart standing up against domestic violence/ wearing this t shirt- Men who are outspoken feminists= the absolute best. I have so much respect for people, male or female, who reach out and fight for something where they reap no immediate benefit, but instead further the rights of others. Of course, I think in the end we all benefit from efforts like these, so kudos to him. Men everywhere, take note.
2. Kindness- I think that half way through grad school is another one of those moments where everything changes and transitions, and you realize that relationships will change in a big way again. My absolute fave at Stanford just left, and I am pretty crushed because she made such an impact in my life here, probably keeping me in school in that first year which was just awful. It just reminds me that even people who seem permanent may be around less time than we think, so it is always important to just be kind to each other. If you only know someone for a day, but you are really really kind in that day, you will probably make a greater impact than you would if you knew them for a year but never went out of your way. It's an exhausting way to live, but I feel devoted to this cause, and I am currently convinced that love and kindness are the key qualities of any good feminist, much less human being.

3. Madonna (and Andy Lewis's) Superbowl performance- I love that this year I went to a superbowl party where the only moment everyone paid attention was at half time. Madonna's performance was so sincere and joyful and totally campy and over the top. I love the entrance, which was straight out of Elizabeth Taylor's badass entrance in Cleopatra. I also thought she was very generous to the performers with her; the dancers, other stars, and the chorus all had their moment to shine. I especially loved the slack liner, who as the Boy said, just had the most successful moment of his career. He looked like a constipated cupid, but I am obsessed and i didn't even know that kind of thing was possible. And did you see his sandal/sneaker combo? Just amazing.
4. A really good apple- another one of those "I love California" moments when you can get such good produce in February. We got the best apples ever this weekend, and I already ate them all! It was worth it.

5. These cupcakes- They have to be the most amazing cupcakes I have ever seen. The animal one is my favorite. If I can ever pull this off, I will be so proud of myself!

I Love My Lips Silly Song.flv

2012-02-07T07:56:00.000-08:00

Picture of the Week- Goodbye Jill!

2012-02-06T16:49:00.000-08:00

Definitely the only Rod Stewart party I've been to. Still feeling sad about everything.

Cab Calloway "Saint James Infirmary"

2012-02-04T09:46:00.000-08:00

Great Rendition.

Rod Stewart - Maggie May (Original Video 1971 Totp)

2012-02-03T23:13:00.000-08:00

Went to first Rod Stewart party tonight. Sad one of my favorite people is leaving California.

Wedding Wednesday- Looking at Pictures

2012-02-01T15:34:00.000-08:00

Ok, this week is pretty low key in terms of wedding planning stuffs, so here are just some pictures I have floating around on my computer.

Ok, I mostly really hate dress hanging pictures. I mean, I get the point, but they just get so weird! I saw ones with dresses hanging from birdfeeders and all sorts of nonsense. This one is alright, because there is something sweet about the front doors of the church you get married in. At the same time, a lot of these look like ghosts to me.

May be my favorite whole bridal party picture ever. The combination of balloons and jumping is just super cute, and they all have great expressions on their face.

I think the cardigans make this picture especially cute. I wish I could cover my face in all pictures! That would make life so much easier.

This is genius because it truly captures the awkward grossness of kissing on command in front of a crowd and a camera. I share these kids sentiments!

I am a sucker for the laying down bride and groom pictures. They are always so pretty and people actually do look more comfortable in them. I feel like it weirdly cuts out all of the people looking at you, plus, it could actually feel kind of restful.

I really like this one, because of the frankness of it. It actually weirdly reminds me of that wedding picture of the president and first lady that have been floating around.

Just love the chalkboards. I do love the pictures with the face covered!

5 Things I Love this Week

2012-01-31T21:06:00.000-08:00

1. That The Help won the SAG Award, and that Bridesmaids was in the running. At all these award shows, somebody always makes a comment about how there are great roles for women. They are mostly really really lying. There is one role for a woman. Let the past few years' cast winners illustrate:

Saddest part, I could have kept going probably back until the beginning. So it really is a huge win this year that 2 films dominated by female actresses were nominated, and even more kickass that one of them actually won. Here's to good films that have a shot to win the Bechtdel test, because this world is 50% made of women, it only makes sense that the tables would turn eventually. Please Hollywood, hear my cry. I get that you are going to make some dumb shit with superheros and one set of heavy titties because people like that, but you could make some other stuff too, preferably in worlds where there is more than one woman worth hearing from (even more amazingly if its not just because some 19 year old boy thinks she's hot). It would make me so happy, and I promise I would give you lots of my money.

2. Happy news from good friends- Is there anything better in the world than seeing your friends really really happy? Especially when they have been waiting so long for it. I like watching award shows because I like happy things to people, but it is way better when they are people you know and like. To love people is always a risk (of loss, of all sorts of negativity and ickiness), but this feels like the payoff. God bless a week with so much good news.
3. My boyfriend's hate for glee- his disdain is far more entertaining than anything that's been on the show ever. I can't even flip past it without a pretty dramatic reaction.

4.This Picture- Isn't it the truth? Feeling very frustrated with the politics in Pennsylvania lately. It is also concerning to me that someone like Rick Santorum could be a viable candidate for anything, much less our nation's president.

5. Fluxus Newspapers- We were looking at the originals from the locked stacks today, and they are just so amazing and hilarious. Can't stop thinking about the way they are using language and imagery from spectacle, and the way these could be linked to avant garde film at the time too. I don't know. Still formulating, but I want to look at these again!

"We're all Russian Dolls"

2012-01-31T12:53:00.000-08:00

So I still need to write a blog on Gloria Steinem and her awesomeness, but she said something I keep thinking about and really like (and this is a paraphrase, because I don't write notes fast enough).

She said we are all like Russian Dolls with our past selves within us.

I love that, and the more i think about it, the more it rings true to the kinds of nostalgia and fear that I keep hearing about from my 20-something friends.

Favorite Dresses from the SAG Awards 2012

2012-01-30T14:20:00.000-08:00

I thought there was hardly anything bad at the SAG's last night, but I especially loved anything in this purple/fuschia color. I also always like Julie Bowen because she is so funny with people on the red carpet.

I also love all these dresses in a light colored neutral with super feminine detail. Viola Davis might be my favorite dresser from this event (and she practically was at the Golden Globes too!); her dress looks amazing on her and her bracelet is freaking ridiculous.

I almost always hate rouching, but the color on this is amazing, and I like how they gathered it to almost look like a braid down the side. So Pretty. I also like that slits are clearly a trend this season, because they are so pretty and makes the dresses that little bit more interesting.

So Kaley Cuoco's look made me think about how it must be nice when you are an engaged celebrity because you can try a bunch of bridal-ish looks before you make the call. I am not super crazy about the dress, but I think it's cute, and her hair is so amazing. I love it. Well done, lady.

Picture of the Week- Still Sick!

2012-01-30T11:07:00.000-08:00

Spent the weekend at home, sleeping excessive amounts. I am really sick of being sick.

Today's Project (other than finishing being sick)

2012-01-29T13:53:00.000-08:00

For the class that I am auditing, we are reperforming Robert Whitman's American Moon. I am in charge of all the fabric parts of the room, so I am not trying to figure out just how much kraft paper, burlap, and rags are needed. Kind of a fun project for the day.

Fred and Ginger - The Piccolino

2012-01-27T21:47:00.000-08:00

Definitely one of the best Ginger dresses. Great Entrance in this one too.

FRED ASTAIRE and CYD CHARISSE - Dancing in the dark, at the Central Park

2012-01-27T21:45:00.000-08:00

Top five best dance scenes ever? From the Bandwagon.

The Artist : Taking Bows [HD]

2012-01-27T21:43:00.000-08:00

Silent Movie Weekend and my Thoughts on the Artist

2012-01-27T21:41:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, the Boy and I went to see the Artist. I mostly thought the movie was cute (this picture above is one of its more adorable moments), but it has some strange problems and seems weirdly over-hyped. Don't get me wrong, it has some a few ridiculously great moments, but let me complain for a moment first. The story is of a silent film actor who is grappling with his genre's waning success, all while falling for a spunky (seemingly) American woman, eventually finding a solution (Spoiler alert!) in musicals.

If you think this sounds a whole lot like Singin in the Rain, you certainly aren't the only one. The lead actor even looks and moves like Gene Kelly (though let's not kid ourselves, his butt doesn't compare at all). It's sad that now I watch this movie, and all I can think of is the countless comparison papers that will be written in the future. There is a competition with his glamorous lead actress (both of whom are dressed in all white and are played like caricatures). Of course, the Artist works differently because it has internalized its narrative so that the film itself is silent. This works really well in most parts, and it amazingly reminds us that in the face of a beautiful image, words really are unnecessary. It also raises the stakes, and the forlorn actor has more breakdowns then he has cute mugging with the dog (and let's face it, that is never the correct ratio).

He meets a young woman who is cast in one of his films, setting up one of the best moments in the film for its sweetness and spot on depiction of sparks flying. Unlike Gene and Debbie, these star-crossed lovers have some real large problems that they have to work through (a wife being one of them) and despite her cuteness, dear Peppy seems to have very little going on beyond an insane number of ridiculous mugging shots (really, producers? We couldn't take a few accurate 20's style photographs?) and a completely unmotivated commitment to this guy. This film is about as far as you can get from passing the Bechtdel test, and it sure isn't because no one can talk; she is really the only woman in the world, and even if she had a conversation with herself, it would only be about the man. She is a Dickens Lucie- a plot device, and never a person. But more on this later! Let's talk about something less depressing.

The film is seemingly organized around Georg Valentin's inability to speak (you have to love the film's cheeky use of text) and uses mirrors and stairs almost endlessly as metaphors for the ascent and descent of fame. The absolute highlight of the film is the dream sequence, wherein the simple setting down of your glass literally blows your mind. It reminds the viewer that the narrative rules before them are entirely arbitrary (it actually reminds me of the dream sequence of Dumbo, which similarly reminds you that really anything could happen). Everything in the scene makes noise, except for the poor silent actor who screams into the mirror but makes no noise. At this point, I was pumped, and I thought things were really going to get weird, but alas it was only a dream and he went back to a world where everyone followed his narrative form (though his spunky lady friend was doing well in the talkies, she remains mute).

Valentin's inability to talk is presented throughout the film as a simple generational issue, against a city which is always about the new, but this is complicated in the finale, which is a pretty blatant "homage" to Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell's famous tap number:

After nearly committing suicide (twice- seriously, the "hitting rock bottom" phase of the plot last for like half the movie), Valentin is saved by his super successful fembot. She demands that he be in a film with her, and they get a gig in the musical, which the Jazz Singer and his creepy mother will tell you is the only antidote to talkie angst. They do what is a little bit sad tap routine (this guy's butt... really nothing to write home about) and end mugging it for the camera. Their trepidatious taps, done in a set Eleanor Powell would have destroyed with her dancing, open the world up to sound much like the tap of the water glass earlier, and suddenly the audience is overwhelmed with the busy buzz of a lot of dudes working. The dog barks. The head honcho and an assistant both ask them to do it again. And Valentin says, with a thick french accent, "with pleasure."

Maybe I shouldn't take this to be a big deal, but his frenchness, and the frenchness of the film itself seems like an interesting issue here. I also question if the reason poor Peppy doesn't get to agree to more work is because it would reveal that both of the leads are not American (and based on her name, I am pretty sure we are supposed to take her as American as you can get). Of course, Valentin's frenchness is not historically unfounded- we could talk about Maurice Chevalier and Lubitsch to cover that base, but the big reveal of his voice and his accent seems significant in a film which is so much about Americaness and speech. Maybe I just want the film to be more critical than it is, and I am using his voice as the tapping glass, the moment that says this could be more than it is. I should probably watch it again before I really comment on whether the film has a second formal politic, because the content itself is kind of a feel goody sort of business. I would recommend seeing this film (despite my criticism now, I would probably give it a 4 out of 5); it is a nice way to think about film history, the lead really is pretty good, and it is just fun to go see a movie that is so different- by using such a historical conceit, it ends up feeling really fresh and different (probably even more so if you didn't go see Harold Lloyd the day before). All in all, an interesting movie and an awesome weekend of movie-going.

Dissertation Progress- Ok, what now?

2012-01-27T16:15:00.000-08:00

Alright LA, here we go! I got an email earlier this week from my professor basically saying she agreed that the monograph was the best route for me (yay!), so I am decided and we are moving on. The question is, exactly what does moving on look like?

Now that I have my actual dissertation topic in front of me, the first step to me seems to be closely looking over her own work and writing; I feel like the direction of the dissertation needs to come, from the very beginning, out of the questions raised by the objects themselves. Part of this means letting go of my own theoretical agenda (which is so hard! I have to keep reminding myself that this isn’t the only thing I will ever write)and just diving in to see what I can’t stop thinking about. The other goal I have for the next two weeks or so is to think creatively about the outline and how to setup the chapters. I think this should be exciting, but I have to keep writing and reading to have a better handle on the task at hand.

Wedding Wednesday Vendor Love- Minted

2012-01-25T19:17:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I think one of the more useful things I can do in wedding prep is talk about the people we gave money to who ended up being really awesome. I'll be honest, so far we have been really happy with everyone in route to wedded-ness, but I know things don't always work like that, so we can at least give a heads up of people we have dealt with who went above and beyond.

I started obsessing about this save the date on Minted.com pretty soon after we got engaged, and I send this image to other vendors when I am trying to give them an idea of the feeling/color of the wedding. When I finally chose a picture and put the information in, not only did I get a draft back really quickly, but they actually moved all of the flags down so you can see more of the photo booth without me even asking for it. They are very straightforward about pricing and give you the choice to use all recycled paper.

They sent us our cards really quickly, and in person they were 10 times cuter than the picture. The whole thing looked great and was a fun little way to tell people that the wedding is coming up. They also do wedding and shower invitations and all sorts of stuff!

Wedding Wednesday- 7 Things I love for 7 Months Out!

2012-01-25T15:24:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe we are more than half way there already, and to be honest, I feel like we have so much done and decided, but I am starting to wonder if you just always feel that way the whole time, until the end when you freak out that not enough is done. I am sure that is coming. So here are some things floating around the internet that I love.

1. The straps on this dress- I love that the straps aren't overly thick or overwrought, but they continue the textured feel of the bodice. Might be a nice alternative to the bolero.

2. Obviously this one is old, but I do love it. Hilarious without it being over the top.

3. Bridesmaids with tights- Ok, I can't even talk my bridesmaids into quirky shoes, but I absolutely love these tights. So cute, but just the kind of thing that will look dated and ridiculous in like 5 minutes. I should try to jump the trend with some knee socks and leg warmers.

4. I Just thought this was a cute look for programs. It's a lot with the ribbon, but I enjoy it.

5. Oh tissue paper flowers, your materials now fill my apartment and your visage haunts my dreams. This will probably be a ridiculous undertaking, but doesn't it look so cute and fresh? You can't fight the effectiveness of the color.

6. Now that the bridesmaids and bride are dressed, I have started poking around at mother of the bride dresses. This one is currently my favorite- I think it looks demure and mature without being an evening gown covered in a blazer. I have no problem with that look, but I feel like something like this might be more comfortable and certainly seems closer to my mom's personality-Not to mention this looks so flattering and the ruching in the middle will give anyone a cute shape. from J Crew.

7. I just think this is adorable, but the Boy wants to keep the church as plain as possible. We'll see; my will is strong!

5 Things I Love this Week

2012-01-24T16:43:00.000-08:00

1. This picture of Joe Pa eating ice cream- it's strange the stuff people have been trotting out to mourn this week, though it is such a strange sadness to cope with. In a way, he is such an icon that he will continue living on in the capacity most of us know him in- as a symbol of Penn State and its culture (for good or bad), but this picture is a strange reminder that he was just a little old man, that he was a person, a person we only saw from a distance, and that the loss we feel is probably nothing to what his family feels. I have been thinking about him a lot since he passed away, and I am not sure I have a coherent argument to articulate, but I know it all makes me very very sad. Part of that has something to do with this picture, and part of it has to do with memory and what symbolic uses and memories we have of each other.
2. Haagen Dazs chocolate ice cream and the boy who sometimes brings it to me- yesterday I had ice cream and today I had a doughnut. You can tell I'm angsty because I am looking for happiness in food, but I am pretty sure that the strategy works (at least on the short term if I do my Zumba too).
3. Jonah Hill and Melissa McCarthy's Oscar nominations- I don't know why exactly, but these two nominations make me really happy, even if Hill made it over the beloved Ryan Gosling. I like when good things happen to people who aren't just Meryl Streep and George Clooney. When good things happen to them it is just boring. Plus, Jonah Hill has to be the first person with an Oscar nomination and a Fox cartoon at the same time. May we all be as lucky.
4. Jezebel- definitely my favorite blog that isn't written by a family member. Love it.

5. Photographs of Ziegfeld girls- there is no reason for this, except I like the juicy ethereal feel of them. I am sure they have some misogynistic history I would be shocked and appalled by, but they are addicting to look at, and they all do look beautiful with really cool style.

Dissertation Progress- Decision made?

2012-01-23T21:08:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I wrote my adviser earlier today with what I hope will be the decision (ish) email. I have been reading and thinking about the dissertation all week, and I am really leaning toward the LA option, because there is so much more focus there, and I think writing on her gives me space for real depth of analysis. Anyway, that is my thought as of now, and I am just waiting to hear back whether the adviser is on board or not. I also found out there were some theses written on her, but they haven't made a huge impact and are pretty old (and didn't even make the CAA list).I don't know if this makes a difference or not, but I figure I will have to ask her eventually (and maybe the fact that someone wrote something and no one cared is not a great sign for me); so i oscillate between a LA monograph and some sort of comparison model with JJ. Still trying to figure it out, but I feel like I am getting closer!

This whole thing is scary, because it feels like such a huge commitment, and I don't know how well-prepared you need to be to make it. It also brings up all sorts of "not enough" insecurities that come at every turn of grad school. So I am trying to just set it aside and move forward. Scary scary.

Picture of the Week- Silent Movie Weekend

2012-01-23T10:25:00.000-08:00

Our new absolutely giant collection of tissue paper! I kid you not, this is the only picture from this last week. We did have a fun weekend, but no one wants to see pictures of us sitting at the movies. Not very exciting, but I think that may actually be a nice thing about January.

Rest in Peace Joe Pa

2012-01-22T09:47:00.000-08:00

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." Teddy Roosevelt

Amazing

2012-01-20T23:33:00.000-08:00

We went and saw a Harold Lloyd double feature at the Stanford (complete with famous organist accompaniment!) I highly recommend going to see these movies if you have the chance; this is the unbelievable climax of "Safety Last." If I had pearls to clutch, I would have done so. Just amazing!

La vie en rose - Louis Armstrong

2012-01-19T19:45:00.000-08:00

Lavay Smith - Blue Skies

2012-01-19T19:39:00.000-08:00

The Puppini Sisters # Crazy In Love (remix)

2012-01-19T19:37:00.000-08:00

So cute.

Wedding Wednesday- Invitations

2012-01-18T12:46:00.000-08:00

Ok, so the next big decision to be made (other than the boy's suit, which he is hard at work at), is invitations. All the paper stuff is so weird in a lot of ways, because it is probably the only time your party will be so formal it even needs a fussy paper package. All the wedding blogs and Knotties and so forth say the key is to choose something that sets the tone; these are the ones I liked so far-

Ok, I saw this at the very beginning of our wedding planning, and now that I see how fast this whole thing goes, I am just blown away that the bride made these herself. She must kill at DIY, and have oodles and oodles of free time.

I mostly have liked ones with a sort of random vibe. Mostly I am just drawn to fonts and colors.

These were my absolute favorite, but it is just so expensive to do something like this. Honestly, I can't imagine that when someone is planning their wedding, one of their top fiscal priorities is the paper goods. Like "who cares if people eat, I want a personalized super-cutesy invitation!" Not only that, but how much do people really need to see your face?

So I gave up on the fanciest stuff (good bye Oh My Deer... you will always be the calligrapher of my dream billionare wedding), I started poking around on my beloved Etsy. These ones are cool because the cool detail and design is in the envelope. And I just love the font.

Another great resource is Minted, which has a ton of options and you can get your invitations done on all recycled paper. This is one of my favorite designs, and if we'd gone the kraft way instead of the grey way, I think this probably would have been the winner.

I love the phrases on the top of this, because it is just so awkward. It almost seems pleading, but in a cute way. I truly am serious that I love it, and if invitations were documents of my true feelings about people coming, it would probably look like this.

The other Minted winner. It is just so cute! I love this.

Ok, I am obsessed with the color of this envelope. If that other envelope was light grey, this whole set would be pretty perfect.

I've never gotten a wedding invitation that wasn't pretty serious, so I just like these last two because they are actually funny/awesome. Every wedding invite deserves a pig with a top hat. In fact, maybe I will start giving those to other people as wedding gift. Pigs in top hats would be just perfect.

Awesome Etsy Valentine's Day Cards

2012-01-18T10:33:00.000-08:00

Ok, I could only get one, but I loved so many Etsy valentine's cards that I thought I would share. This one is from the shop dandee.

I put this one up yesterday- it is from hellosmallworld.

Amazing. From Kitschyhippo.

I almost got this one, because it is so cute, but we don't really eat artichokes, so it doesn't totally work. From Pupandpony.

From Southern Pest Prints. Everyone should for realsies look at Etsy. If you are worried about the American economy, it is another way to put money into small American businesses!

5 Things I Love this Week

2012-01-17T19:41:00.000-08:00

1. Facebook's cover photos- I could care less about all the other changes, but I love seeing what people choose for their picture up top. It is weirdly telling about them, and much more interesting than just pictures of them looking attractive.

2. Etsy valentine's day cards- for serious, they have some of the cutest and funniest cards ever. Even if you think it's an evil holiday, there is probably a good bunch of cards for that too, and you aren't giving your money to some evil conglomerate, just a person with some talent and a tiny little store. If I could, I would by everything from Etsy, but valentine's day is a great opportunity to give gifts that are a little more creative.

3. MLK Jr Day of Service- Just about the best idea ever, and I hope it continues to catch on. This year, I tried to do something for my department, where we had a dinner and talked about the ways we could serve our students better and how a constant push towards generosity and kindness towards students could change how our department worked. The kindest and most generous faculty member spoke there. Who knows if it did anything (I almost always feel like my efforts at school are never enough), but it felt like something. Our church doesn't do anything, but one of the campus ministries does, so I think that I might take that up next year, but I think there is something in remembering how what we do daily can be service. I am trying to figure out how to best continue that part of my intellectual mission, especially since it is the part I cared the most about in the first place. I know I could do better on all fronts, so we are doing a Habitat for Humanity project next month, and I hope things keep moving from there.

4. This print- Another Etsy find- this one is from MaryKateMcDevitt's store, which seems to be a lot of great quotes in even cooler forms. I love it.
5. Everything Craig Owens ever Wrote- Craig Owens is probably my favorite art critic of all time, and I spent the day re-reading his articles that mention Laurie Anderson. Just the chance to grapple with him might make my dissertation that much more exciting (to me, of course, not to anyone else). I am super excited for that chance, and I am just hoping I can chat some more with someone about the dissertation soon!

Picture of the Week- More Laziness

2012-01-16T12:28:00.001-08:00

Since we didn't do much this week (the last time, I swear, but man it feels good to do nothing sometimes), I am just picking a throwback picture.

Happy MLK Day!

2012-01-16T12:21:00.000-08:00

"Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'"

- Martin Luther King Jr.

Favorite Dresses from the Golden Globes

2012-01-16T00:19:00.000-08:00

Firstly, I love a good girly vintage look, and both Julie Bowen and Charlize Theron have it big time. I think it's cool on Julie Bowen because she doesn't dress that way often, plus the hair gives the whole look a late 40's/ Grace Kelly kind of feeling. Charlize's dress, but even more so her hair, reminds me of Jeanetter MacDonald or the Ziegfield girls. I love the hair, and the dress really is pretty.

Nicole Richie did this Mod Glam thing that no one else really had going on, but that made it just seem that much more interesting (plus, that girl can pull off some serious bangs). It looks a bit like chain mail, but I am feeling it. I hope things move in this direction for award season, because I enjoy it (and Zooey Deschanel and her lady mutton chops really weren't bringing it tonight).

This dress on Viola Davis combines two of my favorite trends- wine color dresses and the leg slit. Plus she looks really pretty, while still being comfortable, and her hair looks amazing. If I had to wear one color the rest of my life it might be this one.

Kelly Osborne just looked adorable, silver hair and all.

Still, my favorite of all was winner Octavia Spencer. This dress is just super figure flattering (take note Melissa McCarthy and stop hiding!), while still maintaining a certain level of modesty. Just because you are curvier doesn't mean you should try to hide under too much volume- dresses like these highlight every beautiful part of her figure. Curvy! Plus, this color on her looks amazing; it was her night and she dressed like it. A+

Johnny Depp torturing Warwick

2012-01-15T11:22:00.000-08:00

So bizarre.

Life's Too Short - Johnny Depp (Full Scene)

2012-01-15T11:20:00.000-08:00

Thanks to my brother for this one. Am I allowed to be super excited about the Golden Globes?

Dissertation Progress Friday - The List Edited... so close!

2012-01-14T14:23:00.000-08:00

Ok, yesterday morning I finally met with my adviser, so the list has been edited- yet there are still three options! So this is where we stand now:

Option 1- The german speakers seemed like her favorite idea- Valie, Ulrike Rosenbach, Katherina Sieverding, and a little bit of Rebecca Horn

Option 2- Laurie Anderson and Joan Jonas- My professor wasn't so crazy about the Yoko Ono idea, because she is a generation before them, but she does like the comparison of the two

Option 3- A Laurie Anderson monograph- I'll be honest, the more I think about this idea, the more I love it. Laurie Anderson is definitely at a level where it is shocking there isn't more written about her, she really combines many of my concerns, and she brings in my favorite art critic ever- Craig Owens.

So right now, this is how I am leaning, but I need to figure out what and where the archives are and move quickly toward making a decision. I am just ready to really get to work, you know? So the goal for the weekend is to watch and read as much as I can about these artists to keep getting a sense of what clicks for me theoretically. I feel like it's going alright, but I want to keep it moving.

No I lied. Greatest Inspiration of All...

2012-01-12T22:02:00.000-08:00

Thank you, Nancy Spero and Lucy Lippard for being awesome. I want to go crush something.

Fred & Ginger - "They Can't Take That Away From Me" (1949)

2012-01-12T16:13:00.000-08:00

In case the puppies weren't enough...

Goldendoodle Thursday!!

2012-01-12T14:02:00.000-08:00

Just in case your day was a little short on awesome.

Wedding Wednesday- Top Ten First Blush Photos Engagement Pictures in San Francisco

2012-01-11T20:27:00.000-08:00

Ok, it has been quite a while since we got our engagement pictures back, and I thought I would blog some of the pictures we liked and some advice for good pictures (especially if you are taking them in the San Francisco area.

1. First of all, I should say that our photographers were the fantastic Chris Padgett and Rachel Reinders who make up First Blush Photography (you can check out their work here: http://www.firstblushphotos.com/blog/?p=1092). I would highly recommend getting photographers you really like, and don't feel too awkward around. Especially if you are as awkward as the Boy and I are. I think this picture is my absolute favorite because it is by the end of the day, when I really didn't care anymore. I would even kiss on command, which I think is really a lot to ask from everyone. I also like this picture (on the cliffs by Sutro Baths) because you get to enjoy that Northern California coast without it being cliche or having the Golden Gate bridge behind it (so super cliche).

2. We tried to do a whole themed thing where we got lost/had a flat tire/ played with maps. I am not in love with all of it, but I do really enjoy the map hats, which was Chris's idea and mostly Nick's creation. This picture is truly bizarre as engagement pictures go, which is pretty much why I love it.

3. Other than Sutro Baths, I would really recommend pictures at Muir Woods or around some Redwoods. They are scene stealers, but in a good way. I like the pictures that are really gorgeous and only happen to have us in it. Also, this is the first thing we did that day, so the further away the camera was the better. I am not sure what my advice would be to someone who has trouble like I do. I mean, I think a certain amount of the solution is to just get over yourself, but that's easier said than done.

4. Also, I would say embrace the silliness. This is at Musee Mechanique, which is part of the craziness at the Fisherman's Wharf. If you can find situations where stupid faces work, I would suggest doing this first. Also, I think this outfit was the best one I picked.

5. Another one of those pictures that is mostly just really good and barely has us in it. You have to love that San Francisco fog (though honestly, this picture does feel really cool to me because of it). This is probably the only picture from the whole day that I would blow up and hang in my house. Try to have a plan of what you want to do or where you could go, and then just let the photographers pick from the options. Letting them be in charge is important.

6. My other advice would be to focus on the person you are marrying as much as possible. You like them and unless you are really making a horrible mistake with your life, you probably feel pretty comfortable around them too. They say the goal is for it to feel like a date where the photographer comes along. I did not get that vibe, but maybe that is because of the strangeness of the circumstances (Chris and Rachel were exhausted from travel, and I just felt so bad for them!)

7. Sutro Baths is disgusting, especially that water which is probably baking up some germs the world has never seen, but damn does it photograph well. I am not even sure why else you would go to this place, except for having your picture taken, but I actually want to go back someday to take pictures, because I think it would be a fun place to play around. By this point we were all freezing, and I think Chris and Rachel were running out of steam and just wanted to put their feet in the ocean and go lie down (not to mention the light was going), so we didn't play around very long. Someday, I will make the Boy go back and be my model.

8. I just think this one is really cute, and I haven't seen it so many times before. Another set of pictures at the Musee Mechanique. I highly support going there to take pictures. Also, I am not sure it is this iteration, but in one of this series my ring looks like one giant beam of light, which is hilarious and makes me feel like I was about to summon Captain Planet.

9. Wear cute shoes. The photographers were really excited about our shoes, and it makes sense now because there are quite a few pictures of just our feet (including this one which was our save the date). Plus, it is always good to have an excuse to wear shoes you are excited about.

10. Try to enjoy it. Most likely, this is the only time people will follow us around with cameras, and even though I am much more enthusiastic behind the camera, I am sure glad we did it. If all that came out of it was that by the end of the day I was relatively comfortable (which hopefully will carry into wedding pictures) then I think the day was mostly a success. Plus, they take some crazy good pictures, so I am sure we will be glad we have them later. Yay engagement pictures!

Wedding Wednesday- To Bolero or not to Bolero?

2012-01-11T19:45:00.000-08:00

So this weekend, the Boy and I went to Carmel and I finally found THE dress. I have been pretty embarrassed at how long it took me to find the right thing, but I absolutely love this dress and I am just really excited. Of course, if I didn't have to minorly fret about something then it would no longer be our wedding planning. So the dress can come with a bolero that matches; I am not sure if it is super adorable or super dorky, so this is my current debate (with myself).

I think of boleros as usually being a little either vampish (like this one) or prudish (I am not a Duggar), but I think there are ones that can add cool texture and almost a cap sleeve. In the new movie Melancholia, Kirsten Dunst wears a sort of over the top one, but I do think it is beautiful and makes her dress seem sort of glamorous (I think if I wore one, it would only be for the ceremony... boleros at a reception in August seems a little ostentatious/ stupid). But I think it gives a great feeling of fanciness that could easily shift into something more casual (or apocalyptic in this bride's case).

The other option is to get the bolero and have them build it into a cap sleeve. The most annoying part of the whole thing is that you can't actually try it on, because they didn't have it on the store. Also, it is ridiculously expensive for a little piece of fabric, so my goal right now is to be on the lookout for one that is used on the internet. I think it might be a cool little thing to make the overall wedding look a little more unique, but I don't think that is enough of a priority to be worth the amount of money they want for it. But the main point is that we have moved on to debating these little things instead of big dramas like the dress. This is the first week where everything really seems clear and like it has come together, so I am excited! Yay wedding rush over Christmas, now it is time to focus on the dissertation again!

5 Things I Love this Week

2012-01-10T20:22:00.000-08:00

1. Discovering what beautiful photographs my Grampa and Grammy Greene took- Ok, i am not sure who took what, but I suspect it is actually my engineer Grandfather who took so many of the really gorgeous pictures. My Aunt Joanna is scanning and uploading all of their old slides to flickr, and even though I am pretty sure I have seen very many of them laying on their living room floors at family getogethers, being able to look now, I am amazed at how great they are. Also, both of my grandparents were super adorable back then (well, they continue to be). My grampa always says that Grammy looked like Elizabeth Taylor, and he was right! But how cute is he with the car? He looks like all of my boy cousins in weird different ways at the same time.
2. Paul Rudd is going to guest star on Parks and Recreation- Am I allowed to be super excited about this? Because I am.

3. Salmon hash- We are testing out lots of new seemingly healthy recipes as part of our New Year's health initiative. We've had some misses, some hits, and a lot in the middle, but this was a real winner. Potatoes, salmon, peppers, greek yogurt, and dill shouldn't work, but it does.

4. Kathleen Hannah and Adam Horovitz- this isn't new to this week at all, but I have been reading interviews with her and watching old Bikini Kill videos, and I think they and Ice-T and Coco might be my two favorite celebrity couples of our time.
5. Tissue Paper in our wedding colors- and it is a good thing, because I accidentally bought a lot of it (like 50 pounds) and will be spending the next 8 months trying to figure out how to use it. It's pretty. In the words of Gob...

O Superman - Laurie Anderson - as displayed in the MOMA, New York

2012-01-09T22:31:00.000-08:00

Oh, how I love her. Hopefully meeting with Pam tomorrow, but not sure about Laurie Anderson.

Lesley Gore- "You Don't Own Me" Live

2012-01-09T17:51:00.000-08:00

Another good one.

THE HERETICS | Women Make Movies | Trailer

2012-01-09T17:43:00.000-08:00

Current inspiration...

Picture of the Week- Calm Week

2012-01-09T10:16:00.000-08:00

Ok, we did a lot this weekend, but my battery was dead. I took two pictures and they are boring, so here is another picture from New Year's instead.

Teenie Harriss at the Carnegie Museum

2012-01-08T20:00:00.000-08:00

During our trip home, the boy and I took my cousin Natalie to the Carnegie Museum for her birthday. Though I have a super huge place in my heart for their permanent collection (a whole room of Martha Rosler videos? Definite win), the highlight of the trip was their new exhibition about Teenie Harris. Harris worked in Pittsburgh from the 30's into the 70's, primarily documenting the lives of many Black Americans in the city. His photography was primarily published in newspapers in Pittsburgh, and it wasn't seen outside of the city until after his death in the 90's. In short, Teenie Harris is the quintessential Pittsburgh artist, creating work in the city, about the city, for the people in the city. It's the kind of insularity that I love about Pittsburgh, but it is very exciting that this artist will potentially gain more widespread attention after this exhibition.

The Harris Archive show at the Carnegie Museum is not only notable for its subject, but they produced an exhibition that works in a totally unique way. The central room of the exhibition was a long desk with computers, so the visitors could interact with and browse through the images as files on a computer (the way most people are probably most prepared to encounter them). In the same room, the archive is presented as a long timeline, interspersed with captions to some of the images (Harris photographed quite a few big name celebrities) and historical information about Pittsburgh and it's race relations through the period he photographed. This organization allowed for the visitors to connect with the work through whichever personal lens means the most to them (they even had a guestbook that allowed people to name their favorites).

There were two other rooms in the exhibition; in the first, Harris's photographs were projected on 7 screens while music that was particularly composed for the exhibition played (to be honest it reminded me of last year's Warhol screen test exhibition at MoMA, but not in a bad way). The projections were split up by category- fashion, at home, family, etc. In the last room of the exhibition, various historians, art historians, and the like choose a particular photograph that sticks with them most, pairing it with a small text that explains why.

It's hard to understate how impressed I was with the curation of this exhibition; dealing with the ouvre of a photographer is ridiculously challenging in comparison to the work of a painter or sculptor simply because they produce at least 100 times more material. Even the most expansive traditional retrospective can only show the very tip of the iceberg of a photographer's work. The true brilliance of the exhibition is that it both offers a much more expansive view of Harris's work (though I imagine this is still only a small sampling) while illustrating the curatorial exercise of editing, and finally allowing their viewers to connect on the same curatorial level; any viewer can come in and catalog their favorites or pull at the threads which matter most to them.

I think this photograph represents one of the most interesting threads of the photographer's work, which documents the changing race relations in certain Pittsburgh neighborhoods in the 50's and 60's. The beauty of these photographs is that he really is talented aesthetically, but the narratives he unfold reveal his perspective so eloquently and interestingly (as soon as you think you have clearly marked out the narrative, Harris nuances it). This show is worth seeing even if you could care less about art because it is historically important.

It is, hands down, the best exhibition I have seen at the Carnegie Museum ever. Please, if you are in the area at all, you should take an afternoon at try your hand at curation, at editing, at understanding a photographic whole through the selection of moments. It is a story that could only be told in Pittsburgh and it matters to anyone from the area, but it is also so art historically interesting and rigorous. For serious, check out this show!

Chunari Chunari - Monsoon Wedding

2012-01-08T01:23:00.000-08:00

Probably in my top ten favorites ever.

Dissertation Progress Friday - The List

2012-01-07T00:02:00.000-08:00

Yes Loyal Readers (so, mostly my immediate family), I am going to use my blog to force myself to reflect on my weekly progress on my dissertation. Bwa ha ha. If I have to admit to someone on a regular basis that I did nothing, than maybe I will do something. Today, I completed the monumental task of clearing my carrel of all my coursework books, then filling it up with dissertation-y stuff! That's a legit move- right?

So, this week I sent my adviser my list of potential topics, and we'll meet next week. So this week has been stressing over the people on my list and the perfect and most historically justified combination of three badass lady artists. The three possible combos (with future trimming) are:

Option 1: 1. Valie Export2. Gina Pane 3. Joan Jonas4. Yoko Ono 5.Laurie Anderson (the back up is Marina Abramovic) (More about film)

Option 2 Valie again 6.Katharina Sieverding 8. Ulrike Rosenbach (Maybe Rebecca Horn?)

Option 3: Valie, Katharina Sieverding 7. Zoe Leonard10. Eleanor Antin (More about photography)

So, now I am writing long precis about these people and their work and trying to figure out whether their scenes overlapped and so forth. Someday.

Cute

2012-01-06T23:27:00.000-08:00

Ok, I was into the song, but watching the video, I can't decide if I like them more or less. Here is a nice acoustic-y version.

Wedding Wednesday- Mini-moon= Booked!

2012-01-04T14:48:00.000-08:00

This weeks goal is to tackle travel, so getting our block of hotel rooms for guests and getting our own rooms for our mini-moon and such. Since we are going to use plenty of vacation days just getting married, we decided we would go on a big trip another year, and we are just going to take our annual trip down the coast to the Madonna Inn! We even got the room that we wanted the most (I mean come on, hot pink carpets and a spiral staircase?)! If this doesn't reflect the gravity of making a lifelong commitment to someone, I am not sure what does. Yay honeymoon!

Wedding Wednesday- How Much is Too Much?

2012-01-04T12:44:00.000-08:00

This morning I saw the picture of this amazing table on Style Me Pretty, which I am kind of obsessed with. Sadly, I think this is one of those things that would make Nick's brain explode, so I have to simmer down about it. We have reached this point in the wedding planning where it is less about dreaming and more execution, but I am still always thinking of little details we could add to make things a little bit quirkier.

Now I love love weddings like these, which have a ton of color and detail and ideas (though of course these people probably had designers working for them, so they of course all work together), but the Boy's concern is that you throw enough stuff in the pot and things look like a circus or a child's birthday party. I get that.

You wouldn't have to change too much here for it to be totally believable as an upscale like Beverly Hill's style kid's party. And, it has to be said that now that there are so many good ideas out there, any bride would be crazy to use them all. Some things should probably be understated so that other things can stand out. It is all a play in dynamics, and I am just not sure how you find that. Plus, if you do too much DIY cutesiness, I imagine it comes off as weirdly self-aggrandizing or something.

This one is kind of cool, because it works with quirky detail without banging you over the head with it.

Here is another one where they played with the chairs to make it really fun. So, I feel like this will be a constant battle, and I will just have to hope that the boy vetoes the correct number of my ideas. We made a big "to-do" list for January, so maybe once I start crafting, it will scare me out of all the projects I am plotting. I'm excited about a lot of my ideas anyway, because I have never seen them anywhere, and they come from something more true to us than what you would find on a blog. Those are the details I want to stick with, rather than just loading up on cutesy stuff to be cutesy.

My Life Right Now

2012-01-03T19:25:00.001-08:00

Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.

- Martin Luther King, Jr.

5 Things I Love this Week

2012-01-03T17:30:00.000-08:00

1. The banners hanging on Market street this week- Can I make myself a silver ribbon to wear? Let's hope that this year is better than the last for protecting women and their reproductive rights. I am feeling hopeful, but when there are people in this world who actually think Rick Santorum is a good idea, it is hard to feel like things are right in the world.

2. Just Dance- this has to be one of the world's best party games, if only because you can feel a little bit like you are exercising. It was the perfect way to start the new year, where I feel I will be spending a lot of time svelting up (or at least making up for the last month and a half).

3. And on that note- Pigs in a blanket. These things are in all ways a culinary abomination; the meat is questionable and their covered in super buttery bread. They are also like the most delicious and addictive things ever. There was a whole plate of them at the New Year's party, and I bet I ate like half. Disgusting and amazing.
4.Also, Oreo Milkshakes- maybe I am just focused on junk food because I know it is all about to go away for awhile. But man, an oreo milkshake is just about one of the best things in the whole world. We both got treats in the Dulles airport (to lessen the blow of being at the Dulles airport) and it was worth the calories. Amazing.
5. Our apartment- I really really hate having to leave Pennsylvania, but after those super long days of traveling, there is no better feeling than getting back into our own space (which was even clean!) and back into our own bed. Home will always be Franklin, but our space feels like our own little nest/oasis. It is nice to know that is even possible. It is also nice to drive places in our own car, without feeling like we are annoying people. I think this has to be one of the secret pleasures of being a grown up.

Picture of the Week- Happy New Year

2012-01-02T11:19:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!!

2011-12-31T09:03:00.000-08:00

Top Ten Goals for 2012

2011-12-30T19:49:00.000-08:00

1. Keep learning to be healthier- to me this year, this means making exercise more of a priority, as well as continuing to work on the things we are eating. The goal is to cut some of the nasty habits (really, anything that has to do with carbs and sugar) from our diet, especially by buying more ethical food and shopping more at the farmer's market and so forth. This also little stupid things like remembering my moisturizer and sunscreen everyday. Nothing that is all that shocking, but I learned last year that I feel much better about life when I can turn these things into habits. The goal this year was 500 stickers and I got in the 420's. Next year, the goal is 550, and I am hoping to get almost 400 by the wedding at the end of August.
2. Rework old papers- Now I have all of these old projects that I want to return to, to give attention to, and to hopefully make a lot better. I would like to take this time to figure out how to be better at these things.
3. Get involved in a charity, and in generally being a better citizen of where I live- it is well-established that I am not too crazy about where I live, but it is time to stop complaining and have a more positive impact in that place. Some of this is just being more willing to be an engaged citizen and to make an active commitment to help other people.
4. Have a good conversation with a stranger that intimidates me- it's time to buck up and stop letting myself be so intimidated by like everyone I meet in a professional context. As some point, you have to decide what you have to say is worth saying to. I am hoping 2012 is that year.
5. Really be moving on my Dissertation- in a lot of ways, this is the most important thing I can do for myself and my life at this moment. I feel like I have hit a major stall in productivity in the last month, and when I get back to school it is time to hit it out of the park. It is a sort of impossible decision, but like so many things in my life right now, I just need to suck it up and make the leap.
6. Have our wedding be a good thing that happens, but not the only thing that happens- Obviously, I am excited about getting married and so forth, but I think life this year will be a sad thing if it becomes the only happy thing that is really happening, so that it overtakes my energy, money, and time in every way.
7. Eat a meal in Napa- we live so close to fussy food land, and it is time we try the grub.
8. Figure out that whole life balance thing- This one comes with a lot of pressure, because 2012 will be the first year of my life since I was a toddler that school and classes doesn't naturally structure my time. Now I have to structure my own time. I want to dive into my dissertation, but I still want to live in a healthy way as well. We will see how I do, but I feel like this year sets the tone.
9. Throw someone else a really good party- I am not sure whether it would be a shower, birthday, or bachelorette, but I want to do it up big for somebody else.
10. Get that cupcake tattoo! Seriously, this is getting ridiculous now.

2011- How'd We Do

2011-12-29T18:55:00.000-08:00

Ok, so last year at the end of December, I made a list of my goals for 2011. I didn't exactly blow it away, but here's the score:

1. Go see Machu Pichu- I am not sure whether this trip will really happen, but boy do I want it to. I watched the Bourdain trip to Peru the other night, and other than the eating guinea pigs part, it looked awesome. I've been thinking Nick and I should go on some mountain hikes to prepare ourselves for all the high altitude stuff.- This one we made happen. Pretty soon after Christmas, we bought our tickets and had one of the best (and most delicious) trips I've taken so far in my life. I loved it. It was definitely the highlight of 2011.
2. Get a tattoo- I just keep talking about doing this, but next year I think I will really do it. The only question is where should I put it? Major Fail! I was hoping to get it sometime this week, but it still hasn't happened. I need to just not be a wuss and make it happen, because I would still really like to get one!
3. Run a 10k- This is pretty self explanatory. Right now the furthest I have run is 5 miles, but 6.2 isn't really that much further. Plus, I wouldn't care if I won or anything, I just think it would be cool to run one race. I actually gave up on running about mid-way through the year when I discovered the wonder which is Zumba. I still run every so often, but I find I am better at aerobic, cardio-ish workouts rather than running, because I just get bored! I guess I failed at this one, but I am proud of my general progress.
4. Figure out this whole Blog Thing- Obviously, I don't really know what I am doing with this whole blog. It mostly has become a journal-y sort of thing, which I am pretty sure no one would ever want to read. But I like actually keeping up with it, and it's better than only ever writing formal papers. But I need to figure a way to make it more interesting. I don't know if it is a success or not, but I certainly blogged a lot more this year than in other ones. Plus, when you blog about wedding stuff, people care a lot more about what you are saying. On the other hand, all the rest of the stuff has pretty much stayed the same, and I am still not sure there is much for people to be interested in, but maybe I will have it figured out more next year.
5. Weigh in the 130’s- Because that would be nice. I did this!! It was very exciting. Still could do better (especially around the holidays), but I am pretty excited about how much healthier we are living than we were before. Plus, I like more vegetables than I thought! How about that!
6. Get a 4.0 for at least one quarter at Stanford- also would be nice. Still possible for this quarter, actually, but let's see how it goes. I think I did fulfill this goal that semester, so I basically gave myself a head start on that one.

7. Survive Wedding Season- apparently everyone in the world is getting married next year. I think the majority of our travel will be from one wedding venue to the next. I would, as a side note, like to throw one really good bachelorette party. We definitely went to a lot of parties this year, and I think we had some level of fun at all of them. The strangest thing I am noticing now is that next year won't be any better, as if these things never really stop.

8. Learn to make my own bread- Got a breadmaker from Nick for Christmas, so the odds of this one working out seem pretty good. I did this! Yay bread (and lots of it)!
9. Meet a famous scholar- we are going to CAA this year (oh I need to buy tickets for that!) I am hoping to meet a feminist scholar without making an ass of myself. We'll see if it happens, but if nothing else, we can try. I met a whole bunch of famous people this year! And I was super awkward to all of them!! Still, it was pretty amazingly cool for an art nerd like me.

10. Go somewhere unexpected- I am just hoping for a little adventure. I am not ready for my life to be totally settled yet. In February, we went to New York for CAA (which is where I got to see so many big fancy artists and art historians and critics), but I also got to go on a long walk in Central Park, eat New York pizza, and go to the Met and MoMA for free! This one was great!

5 Things I Loved This Week

2011-12-27T21:34:00.000-08:00

Ok, first off I have to say that there could be 50 other things on this list this week. I truly really love the holidays a whole whole lot. But since that long of a list would probably get boring, here are a couple of the highlights:

1. The Teenie Harris Archival Show at the Carnegie Museum- I am plotting a whole blog entry on this, but the show is probably the best I have ever seen at the museum- it was insightful, forward-thinking, and reflective of both the life of a single artist and the world that made him. It runs until the spring, so if you are anywhere near Pittsburgh and are interested in photography, the history of the city, race relations in mid-century America, or things that are really very beautiful, I highly recommend this show.

2. Cookie night at my Nana's- this is definitely in my top ten favorite nights every year, where some collection of my cousins (it started with Shelly and I, and now my cousin Zach has taken up where she left off) bake a ridiculous number of Christmas cookies. Every year since the boys got involved, the cookies just get kookier and kookier, so this year we had bigfoot cookies, helicopter cookies, the pacman set, an alligator, and a cookie diarama of "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds." It is so fun, and this year there was only a few regular cookies!

3. Christmas Eve- I love everything about Christmas Eve, from going to church (every year I cry, because we stand in this big circle holding candles and Louis Ann Schafer sings "O Holy Night". It may not sound like much, but the feeling in the air is amazingly uplifting and crushing at the same time. It makes me happy to celebrate my faith), to eating lots of seafood at my in-laws (crab legs for holiday meals should be a requirement for everyone, not just Italians), to finally getting to watch Christmas stuff and play Battleship with my brother, it is seriously the best kind of chaos. I love every second of it, and I am sad when each step is over.
4.Threadless- I got some of my biggest hits of Christmas presents for other people from this website this year. I am not all about the ironic t-shirts, but they do things that are pretty fun.

5. Getting to watch my boyfriend's family open gifts- I have been with the Boy eight years, and every christmas we only get to unite mid-afternoon after doing our own family things. Eventually, something will have to give with our crazy schedule, but since this year Christmas was on a Sunday, we could both come to each other's Christmases which was so nice. Every year, I never get to see people open up their gifts! This year, I felt just that little bit more like a part of the family, and that was really special and exciting to me.

Picture of the Week- Christmas!

2011-12-26T23:22:00.000-08:00

It was a great year. We are really blessed.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

2011-12-25T07:02:00.001-08:00

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them,

Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

All I Want For Christmas - Puppini Sisters - Café de la Danse

2011-12-24T10:02:00.000-08:00

This was totally Pag's find. Really adorable.

Hometown Glory - Katee and Joshua

2011-12-23T23:39:00.000-08:00

[SYTYCD8] Lauren Froderman & Tadd Gadduang [Jazz] "Another One Bites the...

2011-12-23T23:23:00.000-08:00

Top Ten Favorite TV Shows this Year

2011-12-23T22:33:00.000-08:00

The caveat here is that we watch very little television with much depth. We pretty much only watch things that require very little of our attention, as that is all we can really offer. Also, if I can't mostly ignore it, it better cheer me up, because our day to day life is depressing. So no Breaking Bad or Homeland here. Maybe someday.

10. Watch What Happens Live- Ok, part of what makes this show awesome is that it is barely like a show, so I think by this time next year I might hate it. Andy Cohen is both adorable and super likable and down to earth for a big executive in New York City who hobs and knobs with all the famous people and so forth. Despite that, I think he genuinely adores his guests, especially the real housewives, which is so endearing. I also love Ben Weiner, because this is definitely the only late night show that regularly takes phone calls from a deeply devoted 13 year old. The whole thing is just cute.
8. Conan- Ok, sometimes Conan annoys the crap out of me; I think he is a little loose with both pseudo-ironic homophobic and sexist jokes that super intelligent men do, because they think as long as they throw some scare quotes on things they aren't accountable for what they say. In real life cases, it's infuriating, in Conan's case, it is also really boring and infuriating that he isn't trying something more creative and interesting (seriously, does he have the writers from SNL writing this stuff? Because I have stopped watching that). On the other hand, when the show is good, it is really good. He also has some great musical acts on there. It's getting better, and I hope they keep at it, because I guilt watch that show all the time.
7. The New Girl- I know some people hate this show, but I think it is cute thus far. Cute, but not "adorkable," which is definitely not cute at all.
6. Modern Family- I used to love this show, and in some ways I still do, but I am not as crazy about it as I was. It is still a hoot, but I think some of the best moments come from the young members of the cast, who have generally not garnered the same level of attention. I do get sick of the lame celebrity cameos, which are pushing the show into the really awful periods of 30 Rock kind of category. Also, they all live in some sort of world I don't totally understand, but I do love seeing the relationships between the varying characters and watching when they do develop.
5. So You think you Can Dance- No reality competition comes close. Best host and by far the most interesting performances, partially because they depend so much on close collaboration. I still miss earlier seasons (I wasn't as into Melanie as everyone else seemed to be), but this is still the only talent competition that becomes as heart-wrenching, or sends me straight to youtube the next day.
4. Gold Rush Alaska- One fateful weekend, Nick's parents came to visit us in California, and this is really all they wanted to see. This show is actually super compelling, in a wanting to reach through the screen and slap them kind of way. An interesting look into an occupation that certainly doesn't get much attention now (but i guess that is a lot of what that channel does).
3. How I Met Your Mother- This show has come a long way from its premise (seriously, those kids are the best listeners in the world... not to mention the math on when they were conceived and born is getting more and more sketchy... not to mention why ted mosby turns into danny tanner), but in fact the more the focus turns away from Ted the more interesting, fun, and touching it can be. I am forever committed to Lily and Marshall, and after last season you can't help but root for them. A great show that has received so little attention, but I think must have a pretty strong cult following, because it keeps chugging along.
2.Top Chef Texas- Top Show is probably my favorite reality show of all time, and it is made all the better this year because there is a general lack of Gail, who is the worst. Tom Collichio is probably the best reality tv judge on tv, and he actually does come off as cool, while still caring about what is going on and having some actual integrity. No one feels like they are trying too hard, and it never becomes less compelling or easy to invest in. The best thing bravo has to offer, and it annoys me that they just show the housewives of atlanta on a loop instead of marathoning this show instead (I like every housewives better than the two that are on right now... they are all just mean and the things going on in their lives are truly awful).
1. Parks and Recreation- Ok, this is like the least surprising big winner ever, because I am constantly talking about how much I love this show. But the second half of season three may be the best chunk of the show ever. Also, they have had a strong start so far this season, with a super sweet episode just last week. Also, I think Andy Dwyer is the physical manifestation of what my soul looks like (other than a jellyfish, of course).Anything with something as amazing as Ron Swanson has to be good. Fantastic writing, ridiculously great cast, some of the best-written relationships on tv, especially between women, and really captures some of the great things about living in a small town with a penchant for festivals.The show's first season may seem to derivative of the Office, but it has totally rid itself of any cringe-worthy moments to just be genuinely funny.

Wedding Wednesday- The Most Important Part... Cake

2011-12-21T22:29:00.000-08:00

So yesterday, we went into wedding planning overdrive, meeting with our caterer (/florist/baker/whatever else) at JPC and our DJ Jeremy Ganss. Both meetings were really great (and really long) and it probably added up to the most productive day of wedding-y stuff that we will have for months. That is absolutely fine with me. We decided on tablecloths and menus and whether or not to have a smoothie bar (unless we win the lottery, the answer is not), but it also brought to light some of the things we have left to do.

One of the biggest questions we have left is what do we want for the cake? It is becoming obvious to me that the Boy is going to put the kibosh on most of my kooky ideas, so I would really like a cake with some personality. Everyone also keeps telling us we should really do a cake in fondant since the August heat might melt the buttercream, but I honestly haven't given up on that dream yet. I absolutely love this cake, where each layer is a different really bright fun color, and I think this is still the one I am rooting for, though you would have to be careful to avoid the kiddy birthday party vibe (we are pretty much riding that line through the whole thing).

This is one option that still has the fun, color block sort of feel (and it is already in our colors!).

I also really love this one, which looks like a slightly demented version of a traditional cake because the layers are a little bit off center. I would say this is my third favorite, but it is still running pretty far back, because I want something with real color!

This one was my favorite for a while, because I like how it is a little bit curvy. I think this, with more dramatic flowers might be more our style, but it is still so wedding-y!

So I have been thinking of other (more natural) colors to make the cake, and I am pretty into these ones where the cake is brown and chocolatey looking. You have to admit looking at these that actually make your mouth water a little. Anything that looks chocolate-y will seem more delicious, I think, even if it is fondant. They had us try their fondant, and it really was pretty good (for fondant), but it is still a hard sell.

The only other thought I had about playing with something more fun is to do something with texture and proportion, like these cakes. So obviously, I am all over the map here, but i think we will come up with something good. If I have to have some pretty chill detail, thanks to my much neater and well-behaved groom, I think the cake is a place to be at least a little kooky. Of course, the most important thing is that it tastes good, so I am looking forward to the cake-tasting to check that out.

The real point of all of this is that we actually got some stuff done! And we really like working with our vendor people so far! And there will be a techno-swing version of "No Diggity" at the wedding. Life is good, and now we can just enjoy Christmas!

5 Things I Love this Week

2011-12-21T10:56:00.000-08:00

1. Nick Offerman on Parks and Recreation- It is well-established that I love that show, but it is truly ridiculous to me that he wasn't nominated for a SAG award or a Golden Globe for Ron Swanson. One of the funniest characters on the funniest show on tv right now. For realsies.

2. My grandmothers texting- Of course, they are awesome anyway, but this adds a whole new level of coolness. Plus, my Grammy was really hilarious learning. (My cousin Shawnie taught my Nana).
3. The Virgin Suicides- I watched it again this week while wrapping presents, and it really is a beautiful movie. Yay Sofia Coppola! Bigger yay Jeffrey Eugenides!
4.Christmas music- I could listen to Noel, Noel or Oh Come all Ye Faithful about a million times in a row. This time of year is so happy, even if there isn't any snow!

5. Kraynaks- Kraynaks is a floral store in Sharon Pennsylvania (you know it might actually be on the Hermitage/Ohio side). At Christmas time, it does these really elaborate Christmas displays with semi-accurate representations of every cartoon character possible. The most egregious representation, in my humble opinion, is Joseph father of Jesus, which looks like a Forever 21 manikin with a sweater on her face. Usually, if you go on a weekend, you wait in a really long line to see this, but it really wasn't very busy on Monday and we had a great time. Plus, Petey got to tell Santa he wants a train and we got to eat wings at the Lube. All in all, a wonderful celebration of Jesus's birthday.

Picture of the Week- Christmas in Pennsylvania

2011-12-19T22:34:00.000-08:00

Top Eleven Movies I Saw in 2011

2011-12-15T22:05:00.000-08:00

11. Half Nelson (very close to Lars and the Real Girl)- Alright, it's barely worth noting that Ryan Gosling is adorable, and i don't want to add to the inevitable overkill moment, but he is fantastic in these two movies, which I watched in the same day, but I think Half Nelson, structurally, is a better film. Smart and really sad.

10. Howl’s Moving Castle- Totally bizarro plot, but this movie was a hoot to watch and a feast for the eyes, though I will never get why anime pairs these super deep and rich backgrounds with such flat and sometimes washed out characters. Still, I loved the story and I think I would add this to the list of films I would show my children, because the heroine could probably beat the crap out of all the Disney princesses (Mulan included).

9. Meet me in St Louis- So, when I ta-ed musicals, the professor was all about Vincent Minelli. I will put myself out on a limb and say I don't totally get it. I really did not enjoy Brigadoon, and I am not sure that I totally buy some of the arguments about him. On the other hand, I did really like Meet Me in St. Louis. That movie is such a sweet piece of Americana, and Judy Garland is at her campy girl next door best. She just looks beautiful and works it, big time. Her numbers are so good, and she looks beautiful. I think the film just resonates in my soul where I am right now, because it is all about the home and the community where you are in, that truly the only horrible thing that could happen in the world is to have to leave. I understand that feeling (or more like fantasy) so well!

8. The Pajama Game- Ok, the first time we watched this we didn't love it. I still think John Raitt comes off as extraordinarily creepy as the male lead, but the film is shot well, it has a hilarious ensemble, and Doris Day is amazing. She and Raitt's fast number together might be in my top three favorite musical numbers ever (ooooh, I should make that list).

7. An Education- This movie got a lot of attention when it came out, so I can't possibly have much to add, but it really is a lovely film with a fantastic performance by its lead. It is no wonder that she has become such a star since then. Also, kudos to Peter Sarsgaard for playing the charming douchey guy yet again. It was a great movie to watch on a lazy Saturday afternoon.

6. Everything is Illuminated- It was an interesting adaptation of the book, leaving out the more mythical side of the novel, but it was really a beautiful film, with great shots and a real eye for these complex amalgamations of detail. At the same time, the sort of soul-crushing climax didn't have the same emotional depth that I felt in the book, but the performance of the Eugene Hutz carries so much of the weight. I wish this guy was getting more work, because this film is worth seeing for him alone. He is able to carry both the sort of dry absurdest humor and these crushing emotional moments. He makes this movie.

5. Whoopee- Super super racist. I think that has to be said first, and there is a real and good reason that this film hasn't persisted through time (it's interesting how often race is a central debate in the early musical; ta-ing that class makes you kind of face these histories of vaudeville and blackface, which seem so ridiculous now). At the same time, Eddie Cantor, at his best, is like Woody Allen before Woody Allen, except even sassier. It's just the strangest movie, but I could watch Cantor sing "Makin Whoopee" about a million times. Glad I saw it, though it is such a mixed bag that it is hard to say I enjoyed it as a whole or need to watch it again.

4. Tangled- Disney's newest Princess movie is definitely a mixed bag, but it has a lot of fun moments and the best passive agressive villian mother ever. In fact, part of what makes this interesting, in light of their history of instilling really conservative gender roles in these movies, is that the evil character is manipulative through a kind of striving for stasis and passivity. The heroine actually wants to be active. I also loved the first number, where the princess does all the stuff a good princess does, Snow White style, then sings about how bored she is. Also, the lanterns were like the prettiest thing ever. Not flawless, but it did feel like a good step in the right direction (and it sort of passes the bechtdel test, which is pretty impressive for them).

3. Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner- Ok, so I just watched this yesterday, but it is fresh in my mind. I did not expect this movie to be as good as it was, but parts of it blew me away. I think it may have been my first Katharine Hepburn movie, and she blew me away. When Spencer Tracy gives his final speech, she is totally out of focus and you still can't take her eyes off just the beams of light reflecting off her tear-filled eyes. She is literally a blur, and she is still amazing. It also is surprisingly forward for such an early movie about race. Everyone should have to see this movie, because it really captures the moment it was from. Let's us remember things we now take for granted (but also makes us think about what of this moment remains... the Boy was telling me that there are still very few films with interracial couples). I was expecting to be repulsed, and there are certainly some awkward moments, but it is surprising at every turn.

2. A Fish Called Wanda- This movie is ridiculously hilarious, and no one is better in it than Jamie Lee Curtis. Also, I really like comedy Kevin Kline more than serious Kevin Kline. Just perfect in every step it takes. Great performances, great movie.

1. Swing Time- This movie has inspired a whole year of Ginger Rogers obsession, so you know it must be great. It's not exactly progressive in terms of certain politics, but in other ways you see a lot of kind of great power plays going on. And seriously, forget any hipster now, Ginger Rogers is the ultimate hipster dreamgirl. And she is ridiculously beautiful and powerful in her own weird way. I also think it has some of the best dance numbers ever. These two got their reputation for a reason, and if you want proof, go see this movie.

Wedding Wednesday- Bridesmaid Dreams (and Actual Decisions!)

2011-12-14T17:45:00.000-08:00

This week, driven by the Christmastime sales, my bridesmaids bought J Crew dresses in Spiced Wine in chiffon (the same basic deal that are in these two pictures). I think the color is beautiful, and I saw the swatch, but the girls have started getting their dresses in and they say it looks pink. Now technically, I have no problem with the color pink, but it does kill one of my favorite wedding dreams, which was that everyone would wear red shoes with me at the wedding. The MOH says it will majorly clash.

I mean, in some ways this is no surprise. People don't often talk about putting plumy/ red-y purples with straight up red. Maybe it does clash, but it was the dream, and I think it could have been really cute and fun (see if some hipster would like this combo, I think it could still work). Plus, if it does look like the red hat ladies, we can all just see it as reflective of my old lady personality. Red and purple are a nice combo and I think they go with the flowers I am thinking of.

At the same time, maybe having all these things going on is major overkill, and it certainly doesn't go with my general plan to potentially tone my crazy Barbara color lusting down. Plus, if the dresses really are more raspberry than purple or plum (which, if that is the case, boo hiss on J Crew for making them look so purple! They look purple in the pictures up top, right?), that really truly does clash big time. I can't probably find any ads with hipster starlets wearing raspberry and red together. Which means that maybe I will have to choose between neutral shoes (grey probably) or having people return their dresses for the grey.

At the same time, I can't help but feel kind of sad and indignant if these things really do look bad together. I mean, people do much crazier color things at their wedding!

(Come on though, those fans are ridiculously amazing, you have to admit).

So, this weekend I will head back to Pennsylvania and hopefully at least see my two future sister-in-laws' dresses. If it really doesn't work, I guess everyone can exchange them (I actually know that is pretty easy with J Crew, but it is still a pain for them). I am kind of dreading it, because I don't want people to think I am being a bridezilla or whatever, but I do love color, so that part has to work. So we will see. Maybe the key is to give up the red shoes instead, but I love that idea so much! Silly dramas, but I can't really decide until I see the dresses anyway. And either way, it will be fine!

Sidney Poitier and Spencer Tracy

2011-12-14T15:07:00.000-08:00

I expected the whole movie to be ridiculous and uncomforable, but this is kind of beautiful.

Katharine Hepburn - Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

2011-12-14T15:05:00.000-08:00

Katherine Hepburn is amazing. Watching Guess Who's Coming Together and finishing Christmas cards.

5 Things I Love this Week

2011-12-13T22:29:00.000-08:00

1. The Boy- this is the ninth anniversary of our first date. Spending the night eating Snow Ball cake and listening to music from 2002. Picked our first dance tonight; I'm thinking No Diggity will be a real crowd pleaser.
2. Relevant Magazine- they wrote a nice article this week that got passed around on facebook. Interesting to have a Christian site where they talk about topics that aren't necessarily Christian, and not in some sort of damning way, but in a way where most Christians, unless they are a crazy fundamentalist is still in the world, doing lots of worldy stuff and watching some worldy tv and so forth. It's very cool and so far I am into it. You can check it out here:
http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/deeper-walk/features/27487-is-your-coffee-break-hurting-you
3. Having a fantastic grading moment, where someone really learned something or improved. It happened to me twice this week, and it just reminds me of how much I really love that whole part of what I am doing with my life.
4. Christmas shopping- I love buying other people presents. It is very fun. I especially love shopping from Etsy, but I don't want to post what I bought this year, because I don't know who is reading the blog anymore.
5. How I Met Your Mother- We stayed in most of this weekend and watched the first four seasons of the show (we have seen the first three plenty of times, and skipped our less favorite parts and are finally onto the seasons we have never seen before. The show really is a lot of fun, and they do a lot of fun stuff playing with the temporality of the narrative.

Squirrel Nut Zippers - Ghost of Stephen Foster - High Quality

2011-12-13T16:29:00.000-08:00

Just saw this when I was looking for Christmas Music. I knew there was a reason I loved this song. Totally demented and amazing. I have never seen Betty Boop cartoons (not to mention the Cab Calloway ones) pilfered in such a brilliant way. I cannot get over how fun this is.

The Squirrel Nut Zippers - Sleigh Ride

2011-12-13T16:27:00.000-08:00

Picture of the Week- Baking Weekend

2011-12-12T09:46:00.000-08:00

Shows I've seen Lately

2011-12-11T22:56:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I have gone to see a couple of really great/ interesting things in the last few weeks that I wanted to write about.

Firstly, Dorian Katz and Jamil Hellu just opened a show "People We Know" last week at the new Center for Sex and Culture (if you are in the area and want to see it email info@doriankatz.net). I wrote on Dorian last year in her final MFA show at Staford, and I think her work is fantastic. In that show, she had a variety of large scale drawings of herself playing different roles- Salome, St. Sebastian, etc; her representational work is simultaneously representational (and moderately mimetic) and totally performative. Each work is a sort of fantasy space where she can inhabit totally different bodies and roles.

In this exhibit, Katz instead represents people she knows (hence the name?) as strange fusions of animals and St. Teresa's; because I am one of the sitters (ok, sidebar, how freaking cool is that?), I have a little more insight into her process. The work is fueled by an idea, but that idea is catalyzed by a performance (in this case, a dependence on) of others. In each drawing, the "sitter" makes an Ecstasy of St Teresa face (if you don't know what this is, bing it. Bernini. Amazing) while simultaneously inhabiting the body of an animal or creature. They are fabulous portraits, containing the same humor that you can see in the majority of Katz's work, being simultaneously sexual, personal, and art historical. The Boy enjoyed trying to figure out what all of the animals were, but the work often has a depth coming from a playful iconography given meaning by Katz's relationship with her creatures. The drawings are paired with the photographic portraits of Jamil Hellu, another Stanford grad from the year before.

Paired together and placed in the Center for Sex and Culture, both artists consider what it really means to "know" someone, focusing not only sexual relationships but the erotics and humor of friendship (and even annoyance??). These aren't necessarily people they love, but in the act of making them into portraits, they know them. Their work resonates in their consideration of the relationships that fuel portraits. I'm not kidding, go see the show. It is worth it to see a small sampling of two Bay Area artists who both have real and fantastic futures. If you aren't in the Bay Area, but want to check out more of Dorian's work, you can look here:

http://doriankatz.net/Main.html

SOMArt's Man as Object: Reversing the Gaze

Earlier in the week, Dorian and I went to the closing of SOMArt's Man as Object, a screening of Carolee Schneeman's Fuses, and a panel with Schneeman, the ever-fantastic Annie Sprinkle, the curator of a show, and some other lady who was pretty awful. I wanted to really love this show; there is something satisfying about the idea of men being the object of art, reversing the age old tradition of the female nude. Walking around the work, I found a lot of it endearing, and some of it was pretty smart and interesting. Annie Sprinkle had a great little photo installation. Other things, like the photograph above, kind of prove why this idea of simple objectifying reversal is ill-conceived and would never work. It comes off as funny or heavy handedly inclusive. This photograph was one of a series of men, many of whom I am sure someone finds attractive, but I am willing to bet it is not the photographer. This isn't about erotics, or the history of the nude, at all. I wasn't sure what the curators were thinking, and further discourse with them did not help.

First, in introducing Fuses (which is a great work. I loved Carolee Schneeman before, but I really really love her after hearing her speak and watching this short film), the curator had literally nothing to say about it. I think he called it important like 4 times. If you can't tell me why, just don't say it. Later, in the panel, among a chorus of kind of inane questions, he asked a downright rude one about how Stan Brackhage influenced her (Brackhage was infamously awful to her). The curator of the show seemed rather muddled about what she felt the show was doing, at points it was being inclusive, opening up an intersubjective sexuality (because God forbid women actually take, rather than just share); she was sure it was doing something, but I don't think she knows what. I also didn't hear much discussion influenced by the other recent discourses on the subject, namely the panel with Joan Semmel and Richard Meyer during CAA. So I left the show kind of disappointed, but hopeful something could be done (though one has to ask how useful an enterprise like this is anymore). I feel ambivalent about it.

Earlier this month, I headed to SF MoMA with my class for a field trip. Beyond feeling like something between an elementary school teacher and a chicken herder, I got to enjoy the truly beautiful photography of Francesca Woodman and the new show of Richard Serra drawings. I thought they were great, but it did make me think more about the mythos Serra is designing for himself. I wonder how these sort of dramatic dark expanses literally cover up the architectural design needed to make the monuments which he is most famous for, again rejecting the persona of an architect. I love that the drawings themselves are almost monumental in size (hence the photograph). I am still ruminating on this, but it is a great collection, and everyone should enjoy SFMoMA while it is still open.

It really doesn't matter (Subtitles)

2011-12-10T00:42:00.000-08:00

Watching Pirates of Penzance and baking cookies. It was a good night!

Eddie Cantor- A Girlfriend of A Boyfriend of Mine

2011-12-08T12:20:00.000-08:00

Eddie Cantor- Makin' Whoopee

2011-12-08T12:18:00.000-08:00

Top 10 (ok 13) Pictures of the Year

2011-12-08T09:08:00.000-08:00

The Muppets

2011-12-07T21:22:00.000-08:00

This weekend, Nick and I finally went to see the Muppets. I would say, this is the only movie that came out this year that I was dying to see. I wanted to see it with my family over Thanksgiving, because I come from a long line of Muppet lovers, but alas we didn't get to see it until all the dust settled from Thanksgiving. I went into that theater, ready to guffaw it up, especially because I love Jason Segal, but I honestly came out of it disappointed. I liked it plenty, but I didn't love it like I thought I would.

I don't want it to come off like the movie isn't good- it mostly is, and it's probably the best comedy I have seen this year. Anything with Chris Cooper rapping can't be wrong. I also loved the twist at the end and the film's constant 4th-wall breaking self-knowingness. It also gives the Muppets a deep emotional resonance coming straight out of our general cultural nostalgia. When you hear that banjo at the beginning of Rainbow Connection, it actually can choke you up. Way more than it would if you just watched the original Muppet Movie.

I think partially that is the beauty and curse of the movie; it just makes you so aware of how much you miss the Muppets. You can tell the film makers genuinely love these characters, but as can often be the downside in stories that are so nostalgic, the film doesn't soothe or satiate the loss, it only makes you so aware of how much you miss it. I came out of the movie wanting to watch old episodes of the Muppet Show. It's not a bad thing, but it's not the same as leaving and wanting to see the movie again.

Still, the Muppets in the movie are fabulous. Even the new muppet character they brought in was pretty sweet and effective. They all felt very true to the Muppets- on the other hand, the humans really screw with the tone (did I mention that I love Jason Segal? I really do. I like Amy Adams a lot too). I felt like they were way too campy, as if they were trying to act as Muppets, so rather than adding a level of reality, they took away from the nuance of the Muppets emotion. I know that humans can have numbers in Muppet Movies and that they can be over the top, but I think the most fun Muppet films actually have somewhat realistic humans, or at least human humans. Even in something like Muppet Treasure Island, the characters have a grounding influence on the puppets.

Here, the introduction is way over the top, and Amy Adams has a number in the diner that makes me want to whack myself in the face. It reminds me of Enchanted, where she is an animated character in a real body. Here the humans are the same way, and the puppets are real within animated bodies. It creates this very awkward tone, where the stakes never feel real and the characters actually push you away from caring about them.

It made me think of a Muppet Christmas Carol, where Michael Caine interacts so effectively with the Muppets. They add magic and heart to his existence. Gary and Mary are already cartoons, so what do the muppets really add? The acting is so campy that it is both narratively useless and borderline bad. Again, I did not hate this movie, but it reminded me of Steve Martin and Kermit or Tim Curry or so many other great performances. So, I am going to get out my DVD's of the Muppet show, and see if I can't ask for the old Muppet movies for Christmas.

Also, Nick pointed out that the movie fails the Bechdel test. The 2 female characters never speak to each other and they only talk about their relationships. Which isn't that surprising considering all things/ who wrote it. So all in all, a mixed bag. Still tremendously better than Cowboys and Aliens.

Wedding Wednesday- All Eyes on the Groom

2011-12-07T14:38:00.000-08:00

Alright, now that I sort of have myself figured out, The Boy and I have been talking about what he is supposed to wear to the wedding. I looked through the broom stuff I have slowly picked out, and I noticed a trend. Grey suit red tie. Every so often, an orange tie. Even less often, a light grey suit. The Fancy would never ever wear a light suit, but I am pushing for charcoal!

The bottom line with all this stuff is that the groom stuff doesn't give you much variety except for the color tie. I have also really been pushing for a suit rather than a tuxedo. Tuxes seem really really fussy, which isn't really working. I also think he looks so nice in a suit!

Of course, the black suit is probably easier for the bridal party, because everyone has one. If we do grey, it might get really complicated. We'll see.

I am not sure what else I could do to think about this particular topic. I really am pushing for funny socks or something, because I would be so bored with him. Basically, Nick just wants to look sharp.

So I know this isn't the most exciting, but other than this, Nick and I have been talking about actually making purchases. We are buying each other wedding stuff for Christmas so it doesn't count into our budget, so favors and guestbooks and other details like that are starting to make their way into our conversations. Otherwise, we are just prepping to talk to the priest and to our caterers over Christmas break (oooh! I should email our dj too!).

Circus Amok 2008 Jennifer Miller and Michelle Matlock

2011-12-07T13:35:00.000-08:00

5 Things I Love this Week

2011-12-06T14:12:00.000-08:00

1. The Original Muppet Movie Soundtrack- we saw the new one this weekend, and I have a sort of mixed opinion about it, but it mostly made me really miss the old songs. "Moving right along" and "Hope that something better comes along" are both kickass songs. Plus, putting that banjo right at the climax of the movie kind of turns it into a tearjerker.

2. New Christmas decorations- nothing is better than decorating for Christmas each year, but what I have noticed as an adult is that its watching things slowly accumulate that constantly adds meaning. We buy ornaments on our trips (this one is from Peru) and it is weirdly exciting to put them on to the tree for the first time. It makes me so happy!

3. Shutterfly- this site continues to be the best spot for Christmas gifts. I like making family calenders, and this is a great site for it. I highly recommend it to anyone who really loves playing with their pictures, like I do!

4. Top Chef Texas- I used to be very committed to this show, but with seasons of Richard Blaze's passive aggressive douchery and anything that has to do with Gail Simmons (she just bugs me. super condescending) I was feeling worn down with the whole show. I have to say, getting back to basics this season is winning me back (when Gail isn't hosting, she speaks so much less... I like that). I am getting attached to chefs again and I am always so excited to see the episodes on Wednesday. It is nice to watch the creative aspects again, to root against people (other than Gail), and to enjoy the wisdom of Tom Collichio.

5. Space Heaters- Ours died this week after a Christmas ornament dropped on it, and our apartment is just so freaking cold. Seriously, the coldest ever. I keep considering going to take a hot shower again just so I can remember what it feels like to be warm. The Boy has been talking about moving lately, and I think by the end of this winter, I will be on board. Tonight, we are going to buy a new one, and I could not be more excited about it.

Picture of the Week- Getting ready for Christmas

2011-12-05T10:15:00.000-08:00

The Muppet Show Intro

2011-12-04T13:20:00.000-08:00

The Muppet Show: At the Dance (Episode 1)

2011-12-04T13:19:00.000-08:00

In the Spirit of the Holidays

2011-12-03T15:21:00.001-08:00

Christmas Goldendoodles!

Perfect companion to decorating our tree

2011-12-02T13:02:00.000-08:00

10 Favorite Meals in 2011

2011-12-02T12:47:00.000-08:00

Ok, I am no foodie, but this year I had a lot of great meals- this is my my first Top Ten of 2011.

10. For one of our best dates ever, Nick and I went strawberry picking on the coast (you could actually hear the sea lions while you were picking). The strawberries were great on their own, but we made our first ever strawberry pie, and it was super delicious.
9.Pizza in New York City- After a long day and a trip to the MoMA, Dorian, Sanaz, and I went to a pizza place in New York that was super great. New York Pizza has a great reputation for a good reason!

8. Fish with Garlic sauce and papas a las Huancaina- There is a lot of food from our week in Peru, but what can I say, they have some of the best food ever! I ate the garlic fish twice, and we had Papas Huancainas pretty much everyday. This particular time was our meal out the day we got engaged, so it is sentimental too!

7. Salmon Kabobs and Grapefruit Rice- Before Nick and I went to Peru, we tried making our own Peruvian food. The ceviche I made was truly awful, but this grilled salmon with cilantro and grapefruit in the rice. It was awesome!!! Putting cilantro (and eventually corn) in rice was one of the best things we worked up this year.

6. Quinotto- We had this at Fallen Angel, which it probably my favorite restaurant I went to this year- they turned Francisco Pizzaro's old house into a super campy restaurant and part time gay club. This is quinoa cooked with cream and lots of veggies like a rissotto. It was so amazing, but I couldn't even finish it, because it was so rich! Plus, you get distracted from eating when the table is a bathtub filled with goldfish.

5. Amanda's Sprinkle Cupcakes- Paige and I tried this for my dad's wife's shower. You basically make five different colors of cake batter and make the cake look like rainbow sand art. They tasted like vanilla cake, so it wasn't exactly a mind blower, but they were so fine to eat out of and they looked even prettier in real life. Definitely one of my best baking experiments thus far.
4. Salmon Ravioli- Last night, we went out for a department dinner at La Strada. I got a special which was salmon and halibut in ravioli with peas and tomato sauces with big prawns on top. I know it doesn't sound that awesome, but it was freaking amazing. I am already trying to talk Nick into coming back with me, but only when I know that special is back! Plus, I am a sucker for anything with peas, which are pretty much the greatest discovery of my adult life.

3. Chocolate cake from Cafe de Inka- This is the best cake ad the most delicious ice cream ever. In the course of one week, we came back three times to eat this. It was even better because it came with an all Shania Twain soundtrack and it was an easy walk from our hotel. If you go to Cuzco, you have to get dessert at this restaurant.

2. Prawn and Potato Appetizer thing- Ok, so I don't know exactly what it was, but this stuff was so good! Another gem from Fallen Angel in Cuzco. Also, it seems very dorky to adocate for micro greens, but man micro greens are delicious. I can tell I am really a grown up now, because I liked this even better than the cake. Probably one of the most yummy things I have ever eaten in my whole life.

1. Moffitt family Thanksgiving Dinner- Ok, so the food was pretty much what you would expect for thanksgiving dinner, but it was like the happiest meal ever because we were all together. Also, there were crescent rolls and stuffing, which is pretty much enough to make me happy forever. Best meal all year!

Carolee Schneemann

2011-12-01T00:38:00.000-08:00

Saw her speak tonight at SOMArts. She is amazing!

Wedding Wednesday- What you Need to Know to go to your Own Bridal Shower

2011-12-01T00:35:00.000-08:00

To take advantage of all the family togetherness of Thanksgiving, my aunt Ann and matron of honor Shelly threw me a bridal shower! Even though I have done a bunch of these as a bridesmaid or just a lay(wo)man, I felt really intimidated by the whole thing. So if you are like I was, frantically googling various tenets of lady etiquette on the interwebs, here are the things I learned:

1. No, for serious, it does not matter what you wear- For a few weeks before, I kept poking around looking for some former bride to tell me what is proper to wear to my shower. The answers varied from "who cares" to "you must be the best dressed person at your shower" to "look like a stepford wife" (see the picture on the left... which I honestly enjoy, because who knows where that hair ends?). None of these are true. You should wear something you feel cute in, because everyone will be looking at you. It doesn't have to be super formal or nice unless the shower calls for it. You just need to feel cute and have the nunjas covered up.

2. Unless you are having the most epic shower in the world, it is really nice that everyone introduce themselves- If everything goes really really well, people will cross out of their God-given clique (their family) and talk to someone that they don't know that well. Then they will know each other, at least vaguely, on the big day, making for a party that looks less like a middle school dance!

3. Favors and fun stuff are the best- Ok, so if you are the bride you probably don't have much control over this, but having a bunch of built in activities takes some pressure off of you as the bride. The wish tree was really cool, and I am not sure what I will do with them, but I really loved reading what everyone said.

The lollipops are actually wash cloths. Just genius/adorable. If you want to know how to do it, you would have to harass Shelly for the answer to that.

4. Embrace the Silliness- Of course, this may actually be my life philosophy. If they bring you a princess (or queen, whatev) crown with a veil attached, don't be embarrassed, just go for it! If it makes you look like a dork in any way do it as soon as possible. Whether you like it or not, people are looking at you to set the tone, so if you act annoyed or too cool for something, that is the kind of tone you will get coming back at you. Plus, how often will you get to look so silly?

5. Take a second to notice all the women who love you enough to put on the shower in the first place- wow, putting on a shower is a lot of work. A lot of work you get yelled at if you try to help with it. Not only do they do this really nice thing, but it is always so great to just see everybody working as a team and really enjoying it.

6. Lean on small children- If they are cute, let them do whatever they want. Cute kid= distraction. If other people are paying attention to them, then there are fewer eyes on you! Plus, there is nothing you can say that will be as cute or funny as what a four year old will say. Embrace it. As long as they stay happy they are a major asset.

7. Prepare to be really surprised- Going into this, I was expecting like a spoon and two towels. I thought the boy was ridiculous for registering for as much as he did, but people are super generous. And they surprise you with things that are super thoughtful and creative and fun, like cool felt wreaths and this amazing quilt that my Aunt Patty made us. It kind of blew my mind, and I really have no idea what I am going to do with all of this stuff, but I am sure we will figure it out.

8. Scrapbook it! I did a scrapbook shower for Shelly when she got married because we couldn't all get together, but I would highly recommend it for showers where everyone will actually be together too. It gives everyone something to look at, and it is the best memento ever. It was so thoughtful and touching, and some of them are pretty hilarious too.

10. Just enjoy it! You love these people for a reason, and they love you too, so chill out. Just keep moving around the room so you are sure that you see everyone. Other than that, I am not sure there is a trick to doing the whole thing. Enjoy it. This really will be the only time this happens to you, where people give you kitchen goods and mixers and other fancy stuff for literally doing nothing. I did nothing. A boy gave me a piece of jewelry, and now people are giving me towels and such. It's pretty bizarre, but in the best way possible. So just enjoy it, for realsies.

Wedding Wednesday- Design your own Wedding shoes?

2011-11-30T11:04:00.000-08:00

So, for a while, I have been poking around on this website called Milk and Honey, where you can design your own shoes. To me, this is absolutely genius, and I get to wear these shoes but with really tiny heels. I am so excited about them! I debated about what exactly to get, but I think it will be nice to wear a little heel on my wedding, to feel fancy.

Not only is the website great (and it gives you an opportunity to basically get whatever shoe you can dream up) but when I had tech problems, they had a chat online so I could talk to this really nice girl named Dorian who helped me work it out, joked around about their tech problems, and even gave me opinions on what would look the best. She wanted to know my wedding date because they like to get things moving for their brides, and she asked me to send them a picture of me on the day with my shoes! As I poked around the website, I realized that Dorian wasn't just a really exceptional employee, but she is one of the owners! So if you are like me and want to give your money to small businesses, I would highly recommend this one, based on the super pleasant experience alone (I don't usually think of online companies like this, except etsy, but I bet you can run into as many small companies on the interwebs as you can in the real world, if you know where to look). Yay Milk and Honey!

5 Things I Love this Week

2011-11-29T16:13:00.000-08:00

1. A Christmas Story at the Barrow Civic Theater- I'll be honest, I never totally got the appeal of the movie, but watching the rehearsal for the show at the Barrow this week, I just kept laughing! The cast is adorable and the play would be absolutely perfect to go to as a family. If you are going to be in the Franklin area the first two weekends in december, be sure to get tickets for the show!
2. This blog is the story of my life. It may be even more fun than the Ryan Gosling thing- http://uglyrenaissancebabies.tumblr.com/

3. the Pictionary card game- We had so much fun playing this- everyone was screaming and having a ridiculously good time. I love when you are playing something and you realize that this will be something you will joke about for a long time. It makes me so happy!
4. Everything about last week- If my life could be like that in Pennsylvania, I would be the happiest person in the world. I love having so many people to see and places to be. Nothing makes me happier than feeling like we are all together. Just thinking about it makes me want to cry again!

5. Hanging scrapbook pages at my shower- I am not sure whose idea it was, but it was one of the best ideas from the shower, and it gave everyone something to look at. When Shelly got married I had a scrapbook shower for her, but she got the whole thing packed into the book. It was nice to see them spread out everywhere.

Picture of the Week- Home for Thanksgiving

2011-11-28T19:33:00.000-08:00