Dear Prudence:

Winter Sale

2011-12-03T18:57:00.001-08:00

"As the winter winds litter London with lonely hearts..." -Mumford & Sons (Winter Winds)

It's been snowing all day in Omaha and after a morning of Christmas shopping, I've spent the rest of the day happily ensconced in my apartment. We have another Omaha Craft Mafia sale on December 10, so I've been getting my craft on. Our sale will be at the Urban Abbey (more on that in another post!) and will coincide with Dickens in the Old Market, so we should get a decent crowd. I have hats, cowls, photo coaster sets, note cards, thank you cards, Christmas cards, Hanukkah cards, and coffee cozies for your purchasing pleasure. Stop by pick up a few things before the holidays and support local crafters!

Craftacular!

2011-11-08T07:44:00.000-08:00

Join me and Rebecca at this year's Craftacular at Chez Hay in Lincoln, this Wednesday!

Miss Golightly

2011-10-31T09:52:00.000-07:00

"As Miss Golightly was saying before she was most rudely interrupted..." -Holly Golightly (Breakfast at Tiffany's)

Happy Halloween!

He Who Must Not be Named with the Dragon Tattoo

2011-08-12T19:56:00.000-07:00

"If you have writ your annals true, 'tis there
That, like an eagle in a dove-cote, I
Flutter'd your Volscians in Corioli:
Alone I did it." -Gaius Martius Coriolanus (Coriolanus)

This movie has a number of things going for it: 1) Ralph Fiennes starring. 2) Ralph Fiennes directing. 3) William Shakespeare. 4) Ralph Fiennes starring and directing a film adaptation of a play by William Shakespeare. 5) Gerard Butler. 6) Gerard Butler's Scottish accent. 7) Gerard Butler's beard. 8) Vanessa Redgrave.

I'm pretty sure a squeal of delight passed my lips when I heard that Ralph was going to be directing and starring in an adaptation of Coriolanus. I'd read the play during my freshman year of college not long after he had starred in the play onstage. I didn't have the opportunity to see him in that role, but I did have the honor of sitting front row to see him as Marc Antony in Julius Caesar. And let me tell you, the man can do Shakespeare like few actors can. He's the only actor to win a Tony for playing Hamlet, for crying out loud. Having seen him in Red Dragon, Ralphie knows how to rock a dragon tattoo. This is going to be amazing.

When I heard that he cast Gerry as Aufidius, I couldn't believe my good fortune. There are few things in life which make me smile like having two of my boys in a movie together. I've already been spoiled this year with Cowboys & Aliens (Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig as cowboys? Yes, please. Daniel Craig in leather chaps? Double yes!) Now I get the double dose of Ralph and Gerard?! Swoon.

Let's be honest, if you ever saw her in Nip/Tuck, you know Vanessa Redgrave is a bad-ass, so she'll only add an extra dose of greatness. I've also heard great things about Jessica Chastain, and she's beautiful so the girls won't be the only ones with all the eye-candy, and I'll try to keep my jealousy in check. If Ralph is as good a director as his sister Martha, we're in for a real treat.

Someday Ralph Fiennes and Kenneth Branagh need to have a duel and see who can out-Shakespeare the other. We'll all be the better for it.

Apartment Makeover Part I: Starting Small

2011-06-11T17:12:00.000-07:00

“Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up." -A.A. Milne

As I mentioned last week, I'm planning on rearranging my apartment over the course of the summer. Because I'm low on expendable cash until after my family's vacation over the July 4th holiday, I putting the bigger projects on hold. Thus I decided to start with a small but necessary task of organizing my knitting basket. It currently occupies far too much space in the spot next to my couch and it's slowly taking over the floor. I have a terrible inability to put things back in their places and instead create little (or not so little) piles throughout my living quarters. And my knitting pile is one of the most problematic:

The horror. The horror.

One of it's weaknesses is the knitting needles themselves. I had no place to put them. I did have some plastic bins in the other room, but throwing a bunch of sticks in a box is not the most useful means of organization. So I decided to invest in a knitting needle organizer. I found this beauty on etsy, made by sarahkincheloe. It is beautifully made and I love the cheery little fruit tree fabric!

Tres chic, no?

Once the needles were all organized, I collected all my printed patterns and folded them up neatly. I threw away all the yarn scraps scattered about and arranged my knitting books. I also weeded out the yarns I am not currently using. I was left with a tidy little knitting area. I wonder how long it will last...

Small victories.

I'd also like to give a shout-out to my parents who were married 34 years ago today! Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad!

Love the One You're With

2011-06-04T17:07:00.000-07:00

"How fickle my heart and how woozy my eyes." -Mumford & Sons ("Awake My Soul")

For the past few months I've been really antsy to move. I love my apartment, but lately I've started to only see its flaws. It's too big. It's on the fourth floor with no elevator. It's got a funny layout. It doesn't have any outdoor space. Et cetera, so on and so forth. And now that I'm finally finished with class, I thought I was all ready to move. I wanted a place with a dishwasher, a balcony, and would allow small dogs. But once I started looking for places that fit the bill in my price range, it was starting to look like I was going to have to move out to West Omaha. ::cue scary music::

That wasn't going to happen. So then I set my heart on a kitten, and that allowed for more options in midtown. But nothing was available. Then, oh joy of joys! As I was walking to work last week, I saw a sign for a one-bedroom three blocks away, in an adorable vintage building where some friends of mine live. Their unit is SO cute and I knew the place allows cats. It was just so perfect, right? WRONG! I called the guy and by the time I finally got a hold of him, I found out it was a garden level (read basement) apartment. At that point I was still envisioning my friends' charming apartment with built-ins and character, just on a lower level. My only concern was safety and flooding. I've been spoiled on my ivory tower of a top-floor unit in a secured building. If a burglar can get into my building, is fit enough to hike up four flights of stairs and make it back down again with my belongings, he (or she) is welcome to it. Assuming I'm not home to put up a fight, in which case he will be so worn out from the hike, I should be able to subdue him.

Anyway, back to my story... So Rebecca and I went to check out the place on our lunch break. I figured it would be good to have a second opinion and she could take pictures in case I needed to review for whatever reason. Unnecessary. It wasn't gross or anything, but it was just blah. It had no quaint built-ins, no charming layout. Nothing. It had crazy low hanging soffits and pipes running through the bedroom. It just sucked all the hopes I had right out its inadequate windows. It did have an air conditioner in both the living room and bedroom as well as the coveted dishwasher. But alas, it just wasn't worth the $65 a month I would have saved in rent.

After that disappointment, I became obsessed with Craigslist and Forrent.com, scouring any possibilities and totally stressing myself out. It was going to cost a considerable amount to pay deposits and movers and to acquire some furniture upgrades I was planning for the new apartment. On top of all that, my family is going on vacation in July so all of this was going to take a lot of planning and try my patience.

Then it occurred to me: what if I delayed moving and just made my current apartment the best I could make it for the time being! I could get those furniture upgrades, rearrange the layout and generally make better use of my space and not have to spend an arm and leg on moving expenses. I could even save up to buy a portable dishwasher if need be. And I immediately felt better.

So that's the plan now. I hope to be blogging my progress through the summer. I plan on buying a couple new pieces and hope to thrift and refurbish a few others. The rest will just be a matter of repurposing what I have now and weeding out all the things I don't use or need. Then at the end of the year or early next year, if I do move, everything will be ready for the new place.

When I thought I was moving, I searched high and low through my apartment trying to find a copy of my lease to no avail. But I did manage to go through a mountain of paper and sort out the keeps from the recycle/shreds. I wish I had taken a picture of the pile. Organic chemistry notes alone amounted to about a foot. Thankfully, when I rented my textbook from Chegg.com, they planted a tree!

Storm Clouds

2011-05-25T19:39:00.000-07:00

"The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater." -Haldir ("The Fellowship of the Ring")

I'm at last finished with Organic Chemistry. But before I return to more regular blog posts, I just wanted to take the time to be mindful of the recent storms that have ravaged the country. Although I've lived most of my life in "Tornado Alley," I have not actually been in a tornado. My sister is the only one in the family who has. She was in 5th grade and an F5 hit the Girl Scout camp outside of Tulsa where she was with her troop. Thankfully, no one was hurt, but I'll never forget that night as an 8-year-old watching the weather and waiting to hear that she was all right. Now I'm hearing about all the destruction in the Midwest and South, particularly Joplin where my aunt Amy works. Her office was destroyed and the building where my uncle Bill works was also damaged. So my thoughts and prayers are with the people of Joplin and in other cities that have been affected by more than their fair share of wicked weather this year.

If you would like to help, you can donate money to UMCOR, the United Methodist Committee on Relief. Because UMCOR's administrative costs are funded through the United Methodist Church, 100% of money donated goes directly to humanitarian aid.

Thank you!

Checking Out Romance at the Library

2011-02-22T15:22:00.000-08:00

"You will allow that in both [marriage and dancing], man has the advantage of choice, women only the power of refusal..." -Henry Tilney (Northanger Abbey)

We were outnumbered. I wasn’t exactly surprised, but when the final count was given, it was not encouraging. 16 to 45. The odds were stacked against us and the prospects didn’t look good. But next thing I knew, they were calling my number and I had to jump in the firefight.

What battlefield had I just entered, you ask? Why, speed-dating…at the library, no less! The Saturday before Valentine’s Day, three single friends and I signed up for speed-dating hosted by the Omaha Public Library. It was aimed a bookworms looking for love. As both a bookworm and someone looking for love, I thought it would be a good fit. I wasn’t wrong, per se, but I wasn’t right either.

The women outnumbered the men by three-to-one, so we were divided into three groups. I was in the first group. Just before entering, I was warned by one of my friends that they guy she had gone on a terrible date with the night before was sitting in the very room I was about to enter. Armed with his name and her phone call from the night before about how dumb this guy was, I at least felt that there was once creep I could avoid!

As luck would have it, the first person I sat down in front of was a fellow who is a friend-of-a-friend. Not someone I am interested in dating, it was nice to see a familiar face and start off with someone I found easy to talk to. We were chatting companionably about his research—DING, DING—the little bell rang out telling us our three minutes was up and alerting us to the fact that three minutes really isn’t very much time.

I then segued from a comfortable, albeit brief, conversation with someone I knew to being thrust in front of a total stranger! Guy #2 was actually quite nice and not too bad looking. We shook hands and introduced ourselves and spent a good third of out time filling out the little sheet they gave us that had space for the person’s name and the number on their nametag. With shuffling in and out of chairs, trying to read the random code on each other’s nametag and filling in the information as well as any notes to help us remember who we had just speed-dated (guy #2 was “blonde, lip ring”), our time was almost up!

In a pattern that soon repeated itself nearly 16 more times the rest of the night, the young gentleman across from me asked me what I did for a living. And as I learned very quickly, my job is not an easy one to describe. I can offer my job title, but that’s just not self-explanatory, and I spent the rest of the night just explaining what I do for a living. And as much as I love my job, it doesn’t define me as a person, and I can’t imagine it weighs all that heavily on whether some dude wants to see me again outside the confines of the library. In any event, my speed dating experience from then on out was just me describing my job to the men in front of me. Most at least seemed interested. But I didn’t learn much about them. A couple times I managed to get the first question in, and it being a book related event, I would ask a book question, only to be met with awkward silence or an answer to a question I did not ask.

There was only one guy that really sparked my attention. He was about number 4 in line. He was cute and seemed to have a good personality. He seemed as dumbfounded by the whole situation as I was, which was much more comforting than the guys who were clearly old pros at speed-dating. At one point, as the buzz in the room reached its crescendo, he leaned in and asked as loudly as he could without being impolite, “Why are we yelling?!”

For those that don’t know the rules of speed-dating, at the end you can mark “yes” or “no” for each date. The moderator then collects all the sheets and e-mails you a couple days later if you got any matches. You only find out if someone picked you if you had also picked him or her. I only picked guy number 4, so it was no real surprise that come Valentine’s Day, I rushed home from class to find no e-mail saying it was a mutual match. But I had the good fortune to have a spy on the inside. One my friends who attended with me is friends with the lady who hosted the event, so she offered to help count up the matches. She then told me that while my guy didn’t pick me, twelve other guys did. So that was reassuring. But like real life, it doesn’t much matter unless it’s mutual.

Overall it was a lot of fun. I enjoyed speed-dating so much more than online dating, although with the same results. I liked that I actually got to meet the guys in person. Only a few were obvious weirdos, and most were perfectly decent guys who just happened to not spark my interest. Perhaps a few more minutes would have helped. Although there was the initial nerves of meeting so many new people, it was surprisingly pressure free. No one knew who picked whom and no one knew who rejected whom.

I do wonder how the microcosm of that room really reflects the world at large. From my end, it certainly reflected my usual experience: I was confronted with a room of 16 available men, and only one interested me in the least, and he didn’t return that interest. But I would be shocked if the reverse is true. It just has not been my experience that 75% of the single male population in Omaha is interested in dating me. Maybe I just need to spend more time at the library…

This story (and this year's Groundhog Prom report) is also available at http://themediocrityprinciple.com

Dress Up

2010-10-31T20:25:00.000-07:00

"I, I will be King / And you, you will be Queen / Though nothing will drive them away / We can be heroes just for one day." -David Bowie ("Heroes")

I have always loved Halloween. Any excuse to dress up, I took it, and take it to this day. As a kid I didn't always care so much about Trick-or-Treating. I mean, I loved candy, but having to walk all over the neighborhood in the cold and dark? I was never quite sure if it was worth it. Plus, I was a big scaredy cat, and would cry at houses that had scary music playing outside. But the costumes always made up for it.

This year, I had the brilliant idea that Rebecca, Michael, and I should dress as different incarnations of David Bowie. I was to be Jareth, the Goblin King from Labyrinth. Rebecca was going to be Ziggy Stardust, and Michael was going to be Major Tom. But Michael dropped out because he had to work, and Rebecca had a dress she wanted to wear so she could get as much wear time out of it (it's pretty stunning, I don't blame her). She got a beehive wig, added plaster to create part of a bee- beehive, and even hand-made bees to put all around it. It was pretty cool, I must say. But I stuck with my Goblin King ensemble, and rocked it!

For the most part, I was a big hit. A couple people asked if they could get their picture taken with me and one dude with a lip ring asked if my crystal ball was real. I assured him it was not and that it was just a Christmas ornament from Mangelsen's. Someone asked if I was Jon Bon Jovi, and some other guy asked if I was Rod Stewart and if I thought he (the guy asking me this) was sexy and wanted his body. Negatory, all around, bro! Ick. Also, Bon Jovi and Rod Stewart never rocked eye makeup like this.

But the best part was that my completely fantastic costume only cost me $22. That was for the wig and a six-pack of glass Christmas ornaments. I borrowed the gloves from Rebecca, but everything else, blue tailcoat included, was from my own closet. And yes, I do wear the tailcoat in my day-to-day life.

Ooo! Before I forget to mention it: I am taking part in a new collaborative blog called The Mediocrity Principle. It is the brain child of my friend Julie.

The Mediocrity Principle* is defined as “the assumption of being unexceptional” by the cosmologist who coined the term, Alex Vilenken. That is, no place is more special than any other.

In the spirit of universal mediocrity, The Mediocrity Principle features contributors from all over, expressing what it it’s like for them to inhabit their space however special, or not, it may be.

My part is all about Omaha, obviously. You should check it out, and let us know if you want to be Mediocre, too!

A Year of Living Awesomely

2010-10-29T19:14:00.000-07:00

"Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary." -John Keating (Dead Poets Society)

Almost a year ago I posted about getting my first tattoo for my 27th birthday. I mentioned that I wanted to make the year special, and I quote:

Therefore 27 has taken on a certain significance for me. I sort of feel like I'm in uncharted territory. I've decided to make my 27th year on this earth meaningful.

Was I successful? I should say so! Here's a rundown of my stupendous year:

1) As noted above, I got my first tattoo. It's a lovely art nouveau-ish thistle which is the national flower of Scotland. As I went to grad school in Scotland and consider it my second homeland, it was meaningful for me to create a little piece of art on my body that I could look at everyday. A year out, I have no regrets and have enjoyed people asking me about it. So far I haven't received any negative reaction (at least not to my face), but a lot of people ask if it's a pineapple! ;) Far from being upset by them, I've found it's a good conversation starter and even learned that during colonial times, Scots rather liked pineapples because they reminded them of thistles! Alex Trebek even approved!

2) I got hit by a car and survived! Seriously. I was walking to Wesley Pub one Wednesday evening, crossing the street at 10th & Jackson, when I saw out of the corner of my eye, a big-ass van turning left. I had the right of way as both the pedestrian and having the little walking man glowing my permission to cross in the crosswalk. Seeing that the van was not going to stop, I stopped in the middle of the street to let him pass, and he rolled right into me! I basically got pushed about a foot down Jackson St. I proceeded to yell very un-Christian things at him, as he stared blankly at me. If I had been thinking clearly, I would have taken down his license plate number, but I was too angry and downright shocked to think of it. He just drove off, and I walked into Wesley Pub with a small red bruise on my knee and a sore thumb, but was otherwise unscathed.

3) I spent the night in a real haunted house! Last November, several friends and myself drove to Villisca, Iowa, to spend the night in the Villisca Axe Murder House. It has been ranked on several lists as one of the most haunted places in America. In June of 1912, the J.B. Moore, his wife, their four children, and two neighbor girls were murdered in their beds and the killer was never caught. And supposedly, the house has been haunted ever since. Now, I'm not one who has ever liked scary movies and I hated haunted houses as a kid. So how my friends talked me into sleeping in a REAL haunted house is beyond me. But we merrily drove to Iowa and got our pictures taken with what is supposed to be the actual axe that killed 10 people. Lovely. Our attitudes completely changed once we entered the house. I don't care how skeptical you may be about such things, but when you enter a house with no electricity and where people were killed, you'll be scared. I didn't see or hear anything, but I was pretty much in a constant state of terror. I was freaked the freak out for a solid twelve hours. But we all survived and I would say that it was one of the more memorable nights of my life.

4) I wrote a novel! Last November, I participated in National Novel Writing Month (or NaNoWriMo). It was hard, it was frustrating, it was challenging, and it was incredibly rewarding. I wrote the "backstory" to Edgar Allen Poe's "The Raven". The Axe Murder House certainly provided inspiration for a particular chapter of the novel. I need to get busy and finish editing it, and see if maybe, just maybe, it would be publishable.

5) I bought my first used car! I did it all by myself. I cried at the dealership and the car died before a year was up, but I did it on my own and learned some valuable lessons that have served me and will continue to serve me in the years to come.

6) I made my first visit to Washington, D.C.! Over the course of the first 26 years of my life, I had visited at least eight other countries' capitals, and not my own... It was about time. My best friend and I drove down for New Year's Eve Day and visited the Lincoln Memorial, the White House, and the Capitol Building.

7) I bought my first Christmas Tree! Ok, not the most amazing thing in the world, but it was an important moment. I'd never had one before, and finally had an apartment that was befitting of the symbol of the season.

8) I became much more proficient in my knitting! I made my first (and second) sweater. The second was too big, so I'm going to have to do it over again, but I feel my knitting skills have improved greatly. I've tried new stitches and patterns, and made some really nice things over the past year. I hope that it only gets better in the years to come!

9) I gave up Facebook! Best. Decision. Ever. I have had absolutely no regrets about leaving Facebook. My only complaint is that several friends just had babies in the last few months and not having an account makes seeing baby pictures a little more difficult. From time to time, my mom has let me log in on her account to see said photos, particularly of my nephew, so that helps. But when I log in an see all the inane babble people post, it just reminds me of why I left.

10) I became an aunt! Griffin is just the cutest little butterball on the planet, even if his parents aren't very good about sending pictures. He's such a happy, friendly baby. Unless he's hungry, and then God help you if you can't feed him. But otherwise, happy as a clam. It's like my family had a little round hole none of us noticed until Griffin was there to fill it. What a charmer!

11) I auditioned for Jeopardy! You can read all about it here. It was a fun little adventure, not only to try out for a game show, but a fun day to myself in the Windy City. It highly recommend it!

12) I hosted my first real dinner party! Sure, it was in the dark, and it was a pot luck so I didn't have to do all the cooking, but it was the first time I had work, non-work, and church friends all together at once and everyone got along swimmingly. It's always a good sign when your friends tell you that your other friends are cool. Thanks to all my friends for being cool! I clearly have good taste!

13) I acquired a green thumb! My friend Rebecca and I took on a plot in the community garden near our work. We had a surprising amount of success for two people with no gardening experience. We learned a lot, and ate a lot of spinach and tomatoes! Sustainable agriculture at it's accidental finest.

14) I marched in my first Gay Pride Parade! I am straight as an arrow, but I have gay friends and have always supported gay rights. When I chopped off my hair at 16, I definitely heard my share of Ellen and assorted other lesbian jokes, so I have only a very slim idea of what those in the LGBT community face everyday. I just don't understand why two consenting adults should be discriminated against for being in a committed, loving relationship. My best friend Grace FINALLY came to visit me in Omaha (which in and of itself is event worthy), and it just so happened to be the weekend that my church was going to be marching in the Pride Parade. I asked Grace if she would be interested in joining us. She, too, has gay friends, but her road to acceptance was a bit longer in coming. So I was never more proud when she ended up leading the group by carrying our church's banner! And just marching with a Christian church in a gay pride parade has to be one of the proudest moments of my life. It just affirmed all the reasons why I started attending First Methodist in the first place. It was very uplifting to be surrounded by friends and encountering nothing but positive responses as we marched along the parade route. I was surprised that we only had a single protester. And the fact that he was all on his own and the parade marchers and crowd far outnumbered him, it was just more sad than offensive. Grace even confronted him to try to reason with him, and I don't think I have ever been more proud to call her my best friend!

15) I bought my first new car! Yeah, you've probably already read about how my Subaru died before a year was up, so I had to buy yet another car. Instead of throwing money down a hole with a used one, I took the plunge with a brand new car. Shiny! I love my Versa. It's amazing to drive around and not have any warning lights flashing on my dashboard. I have to constantly remind myself that it's not going to suddenly breakdown anytime soon. ::knock on wood:: And it gets great gas mileage which is a life saver now that I have to commute an hour, round trip, three nights a week for class. Oh, little Versa, I love you!

16) I got to "see" David Gray in concert! David has been in my top four since my senior year of high school, but this was the first time I got to see him live. True, I wasn't exactly in the venue, but I did see him with my own eyeballs, so that's got to count for something. Right?

17) And last, but not least, I was on Jeopardy!!! You wouldn't believe how happy I was that I got to film my show before my birthday. After I auditioned, I hoped that the call would come before then, because I really wanted to be able to include it in my 27th year. Glen and the producers did not disappoint! It was a wonderful experience all around. Some people get weddings and baby showers--I got a Jeopardy Viewing Party! I call it even...for now anyway. ;)

So, yes, I fully realized my dream of making 27 the most kick-ass year ever! While 28 will be hard pressed to live up to the amazing year that came before, I at least want to continue to embrace the Awesome and take every chance I get to lead an interesting life. I won't ever be able to look back and think that my time on this earth was not well spent. I encourage everyone to embrace this idea. It's not about game shows and new cars. I would have been glad not to buy two cars in the last twelve months and have driven Gladys forever. It was just about the resolution to look on the bright side, have the motivation to do some things you might never have done otherwise, and find meaning in the little things. To quote Ron Burgundy: "You gotta live life."

This is Jeopardy!

2010-10-21T21:05:00.000-07:00

"We are all experts in our own little niches." -Alex Trebek

Where do I begin? At the beginning, I suppose. If you remember my post from back in May, I auditioned for Jeopardy that month in Chicago. They had told us that the earliest we could expect a call would be mid-June and the latest would be 18 months from then. In between, we would be totally in the dark. So for a couple months, I had to fend off the questions: "No they haven't called. It could be a year from now. I'll be sure to let you know right away."

Then one day, I think mid-July, I was sitting in the lab at work when the phone rang. I begrudgingly answered the phone and whose voice did I hear? Glen, the Jeopardy producer who had led the audition! I was so excited. I had been so nervous before anytime I thought of getting "the call". What if I chickened out? But the fact that it was Glen who called, someone whom I had met before and was so friendly and encouraging, how could I say no?

The dates were set for August 9th and 10th. I had to pay my way out to LA and pay for my hotel. But they recommended a hotel where the other contestants were staying and that there would be a shuttle to take us to the studio. So I flew out to LA for the first time all on my own. When I got settled in and took a quick nap, I called my friend Jocelyn who lives in the City of Angels, and she picked me up and took me to the Santa Monica Pier, and I got a feel for the traffic, the smog, and the sea. I even got my picture taken with the Zoltar Machine, which I seem to have lost :(. It wasn't quite as cool as the one in "Big", but it gave me a positive fortune. We got food, and I headed back to the hotel to crash before my big day.

The next morning, I got up, got dressed, and attempted to eat a granola bar as I was not exactly hungry. I did my hair, but had to leave my makeup for the professionals. I went down to the lobby to see a group of folks milling around the lobby with an extra change of clothes. These were my fellow contestants. Among them was Matt, who had been on the shuttle from the airport, and whom I had suspected was also a contestant.

We all got on the shuttle to the studio and introduced ourselves. I was surprised to hear how many of the folks had family who had been on Jeopardy in the past. We all seemed equally nervous, and equally happy to share those nerves with others. We were all on this crazy game show ride together!

Once at the studio, we got to the green room and had to sign our lives away. Then we had to practice our "Hometown Howdies." Not being a regular Jeopardy viewer, I had no idea what this meant. I was soon informed. The HHs are a shout-out to your home town, telling them to watch you. There's the short HH in which you say, "Hey [random town], I'm [name]. Watch me on Jeopardy!" Not so bad. Then there's the long HH, where you have to say something pun-y and/or cute. So lame! Omaha just doesn't lend itself well to Hometown Howdies, but I did my best being woefully unprepared.

Next we got the lowdown from Maggie, another producer. She was a riot and told me I looked like Audrey Hepburn. She automatically became my favorite person. Then another contestant who was a beautiful doctor said, "No, I think she looks like Julie Andrews." Can I live among Jeopardy people forever? I've never had such an ego boost, and I hadn't even played yet!

We got to play two practice games during rehearsals, which was a lot of fun. We also got to play with the writing boards for Final Jeopardy. The first thing I noticed was that the way you write out your wager and then your answer on Final Jeopardy, it is impossible to pull a Sean Connery a la SNL. There was no way I could have a pulled an "I ♥ Boobs!" moment, not that I would have wanted to, but it did cross my mind. During one of the practice rounds, I gave the answer "What is 'the pen is mightier than the sword'?" And I kicked myself later for not at least answering with a Scottish accent. Couldn't have brought myself to do the full Sean Connery impression on that one, but I could have gone halves-ies.

Anyway, back to the game. Jeopardy films a full weeks worth of games in one day. And the contestants are chosen at random, so I had no idea when or if I was going to get to play that day. Matt, airport shuttle guy, and I ended up having to sit through all five games on Monday. While it was fun to get to see all of it, I was at my maxed out stress level for an entire day. And all of us in the audience had to try with all our might to not shout out any of the answers during game play. But you could see all of us on "Contestant Row" frantically pushing our imaginary buttons with all our hearts whenever we knew the answer.

One of the most surprising things to learn about the show is that when you win a game, you have about 15 minutes to change clothes, retouch your makeup and get back out there to play. You've just won $20,000 and haven't had time to recover from the shock before you have to play again. You could definitely see the stunned expressions on the champs' faces afterward as they were rushed about. But because you spend all day with these people and you're all in the same boat, you are genuinely happy for those that win, and genuinely sympathetic with those that don't do so well.

After about eight hours of total stress overload, the day was finally over and Matt and I had to prepare to come back the next day. Everyone had told me how cute my outfit was and that it looked great on camera, so I was prepared to wear it two days in a row. It was my TV outfit! It was going to get on TV, dammit! I soon learned that the hotel will take you to the studio, but no one gives you a ride back. Thankfully, Matt had a friend in the audience and they offered me a ride back to the hotel. I made it back to the hotel to make all my obligatory calls, and then crashed for the rest of the night from mental and physical exhaustion.

The next day was more of the same, but with new people. Matt, Sara (the returning champ) and I got to fill everyone in on the ride to the studio. I was happy that I was going to get to play the second day because my friend Sterling was back in town and could come to the taping. Sterling gets the superhero award because when my sister and best friend both posted on facebook that I was going to be on Jeopardy, Sterling was the only person to actually contact me personally to congratulate me. Therefore, it was only fitting that he was able to be there. So props to Sterling for being Awesome!!!

During the official briefing, they told us not to wave or make contact with our friends and family in the audience. Apparently they instill the fear of God into the friends and family to not look at us at all or else we could be disqualified. Poor Sterling was terrified to even look to his right for fear that my Jeopardy chances would be ruined all because of him. It was particularly difficult at one point because we were both at the end of our rows, directly across from each other, looking dead ahead and not acknowledging each others' presence.

I had to sit through two more games and then FINALLY, my name was drawn! I was really happy because I knew it would air on a Wednesday and that meant No Class!!! So I got even more makeup put upon my face, and got ready to meet Alex! I was playing Tommy, the minister from Arkansas, who was extremely nice, and Matt, my Jeopardy Buddy. It was only fitting.

The game itself is mostly a blur. I only got one question wrong, but didn't answer that many questions. Matt and Tommy were both really fast on the buzzer, which really makes or breaks a game. And I got stuck with categories like "Lizardry," "Pulitzer Prize Winners," and "Not-So Don Knotts." Yeah. Knots. I don't know crap about knots. I'm neither a Boy Scout nor a sailor. Now if I had had a category like "Gerald Ford," "Harrison Ford," or "The Fiennes Family," I would have done just fine. But no such luck. During the first commercial break, Alex came up behind me for our official photo (can't wait for that to come in the mail!!!). And during all subsequent breaks, more makeup was applied.

When the Final Jeopardy category came up, I didn't know what to think. They had given all of us the advice that when you see a category, think of possible questions/topics that might come up. When I saw "Country Demographics" all I could think of was that at one point New Zealand had more sheep than people. But in the end, I was SO thankful to get the Final Jeopardy question right. I planned my wager to beat Tommy and hope that Matt wagered too much and got it wrong. I didn't want to bet it all and lose it all. So my wager paid off, and I came in second. Not too shabby.

The whole game went by so quickly. When you've been filming for 6000 shows, you know how do it. Jeopardy is a well-oiled machine, and it was all over in about 22 minutes. After the game, they had us come out to the middle of the stage to talk with Trebek. He asked us about the game and if we had fun. We were all smiles and nods. Then, all of a sudden, he grabbed my arm and asked, "What's this?" as he pointed at my tattoo. Yes, Alex Trebek asked me about my tattoo! Grabby Hands Trebek! When I explained it, he nodded approvingly.

As I walked off the stage, Maggie gave me a hug and told me she wanted to take me home with her. I told her I would gladly go and if they ever needed anyone for the Clue Crew, to give me a call. She encouraged me to definitely apply and give her a call next time they have an opening! We'll see. Maybe if conservation doesn't pan out...

I headed off stage to grab my clothes and things, and waited outside the Green Room for Sterling. As the audience filed out, I got lots of stares, smiles, and points, like "Ooo, I just saw you on TV." It was REALLY weird. But then there was Sterling to give me one of his signature bear hugs. As we waited for the elevator at the parking garage, he asked me politely, "So, I bet you want to go back to the hotel and change clothes, and...maybe...wash some of the makeup off?" It hadn't occurred to me that I might be made up like a whore in the natural light of day. I did change clothes and wash off a goodly amount of makeup before we headed out for food. He took me to Ford's Filling Station, the restaurant run by Harrison Ford's son Ben. Unfortunately, no Ford sightings. Then we drove up to the Hollywood sign and took perhaps the most unflattering pictures ever taken of either of us, and I am afraid I may have lost. But it's the thought and the memory that counts! I got to experience even more LA traffic, and got a nice driving tour of the city. Once again, I didn't get to enjoy the sites as much as I would have liked because I was so tired. But being chauffeured around town by a dear friend and enjoying good conversation made for an excellent evening overall.

Back at the hotel, I bid farewell to Sterling and made my obligatory phone calls once again. I managed to stay awake until it was actually dark outside, and promptly fell asleep before having to wake up and make my way back to Omaha. In the airport, I called my Grandma, and an older gentleman overheard my conversation and asked me what game show I had been on. When I told him, he wrote down my first name and the air date and said he would be sure to watch it with his wife. I hope he remembered.

A couple weeks after the taping, there was a package waiting for me when I got home from work. The following gift was found within:

Thanks, Sterling!

Matt and I have since exchanged e-mails and he even informed me last night, as a consolation for my loss to him, that all his friends now want to date me. Go figure. Maybe I need to move to DC. We could make a killing on the Pub Quiz circuit. ;)

Check It Out

2010-10-19T07:14:00.000-07:00

"Damn you and your daily doubles you brigand! One day it'll be my turn, Trebek!" -Sean Connery (Celebrity Jeopardy! SNL)

I'm not disclosing anything, but you should probably watch Jeopardy! tomorrow... Just sayin'...

Leave of Absence

2010-10-15T19:36:00.000-07:00

"No time! There's never any time!" -Jessie Spano, (Saved by the Bell)

We all remember that very special Saved by the Bell episode where Jessie gets all caught up in studying, dance videos, and performances at the Maxx and becomes hooked on caffeine pills. Oh, the innocent '90s! Over the past month-and-a-half, I've been feeling a bit like Jessie, only without the stimulant addiction or the brightly colored leotards. No, I've just fallen into the vast time vacuum that is Organic Chemistry. Three nights a week for the next 33 weeks, I have to drive half an hour to take a chemistry class. And that, boys and girls, is why I haven't updated this thing in awhile. But now that I'm settling in and feeling less of an need to break out into my own stirring rendition of "I'm So Excited," I hope to get back into the swing of things. Especially since I have SO much to write about: yearly updates, craft projects, super important awesomeness that I can't disclose for a few more days! Maybe I'm so excited after all. Now only if Zack Morris would show up to comfort me...

The One I Love

2010-08-29T21:06:00.000-07:00

"Jumpin' Jesus, Holy Cow / What's the difference anyhow? / Til your heart belongs to me." -David Gray (Be Mine)

I couldn't wait until tomorrow to post this, but I just got back from the David Gray concert over in Council Bluffs, and it was A-MAZING! I had been really sad last week when my mom went to buy a ticket online for me as an early birthday present, only to discover that it was sold out. Serves me right for waiting. I should have learned my lesson with Andrew Bird, but no.

Last week, I mentioned to my coworker Kenneth, that I didn't get tickets and he said that he and his girlfriend, Deb, like to go to the concerts out there, but they sit outside the concert area for free. And would I like to go? Um...free David Gray? Yes, please! Now, I feel a wee bit guilty as I am always happy to pay to support the artists I love, but c'mon! Free!!! Sorry, David. Another time. I've loved you for 10 years--we'll meet again.

We ended up sitting just across the road at about a forty-five degree angle from the stage. Through a gap in the fence, I could see David quite well. As long as I could see his distinctive head-wobble, I was happy. And the music was superb! Sometimes, musicians are better in concert, sometimes not. I would say David was at least as good in concert as he is on CD, if not better. It was just wonderful. And he played all my favorites. I believe there was a simultaneous squeal and clap on my part when he started "The One I Love." And I totally called that "Please Forgive Me" would be the encore!

My only complaint was the number of people that left in the middle of the concert. Seriously people, why bother paying for a ticket if you aren't going to stay for the whole thing??? There are perfectly willing fans sitting in the grass that would have loved to have your seat...(points to self) And I really couldn't believe how many people left before he played "Babylon." I figured most folks were there only because they knew that song. But to each their own, I suppose.

In any event, it was a wonderful evening, and Kenneth and Deb are now David Gray converts!

Cars, Cars, Cars

2010-08-21T16:12:00.000-07:00

"It appears my hypocrisy knows no bounds." -Doc Holliday (Tombstone)

Remember back at the beginning of the year, when I said, "Buying a brand-new car is probably one of the least financially prudent things you can do." Well, I'm a traitor to the cause. 'Cause what did I do last night? I bought a brand new car! Permit me to enter into thrifty apologetics as to why this was a positive financial decision:

When I came home from grad school, my mom made me a deal--either she could go to Scotland for my graduation or buy me an inexpensive car. $1400 later, I was driving Gladys the 1990 Cadillac Seville. We hoped she would last six months until I got a job and saved up to buy something newer. Two years and over a $1000 worth of repairs later, Gladys needed $1100 worth of work and died in the parking lot at work. She also got about 8mpg, so gas was a significant part of my budget, especially with gas over $3 per gallon.

It was in the dead of winter, and I needed to get to class, and basic reliable transportation (damn, you Midwest and your lack of public transit!). So I found Jemaine the 1999 Subaru Forester, who was nine years Gladys' junior and had AWD. It was love at first sight. I figured if the twenty year old car would last two years, surely the ten year old car would last as least three so I could pay it off. Au contraire, mon frère. Jemaine lasted all of eight months. First came the broken trunk latch just over a week after I bought him. That was going to cost several hundred dollars to fix, I so settled for some $15 bungee cords. Then the brakes started making a horrid creaking/knocking sound. Thankfully, that turned out to be only a warped rotor, and was about $100 to fix. Then, about a month ago, the engine started idling rough, and the check engine light came on. That can't be good. When the mechanic called, it heard the words I dreaded, "It's the head gasket." That was going to be $1500. He suggested I take it to a Subaru dealership, which I did. In the meantime, the death knell of a Subaru struck: the engine over-heated. Thankfully, it didn't stop running, but by the time I got it to the dealership, the head itself had gotten hot enough to warp, so it needed a new motor! $3200. Not to mention that the battery suddenly died, the cruise control stopped working and the airbag light was on... Needless to say, not worth fixing!

What's a girl to do? Serious look over her budget, and decide that it's more worth while to have a higher monthly payment and not have to empty my savings every year (or several times a year.) So I started looking at new cars. Now I know that a newer used car would probably be a better choice, but I have lost all faith in pre-owned cars. I don't car if they are certified. I want my money's worth. I'll be driving it till it dies (hopefully 10 years from now), so trade-in isn't very important.

But after the awful experience I had at the dealership when I bought Jemaine, I was not looking forward to going through it again. I made sure to do all my research and focus on what to say and what not to say to a car salesman. You would think in 2010 that car salespeople would know better than to take advantage of a single woman buying a car, but alas, that is not the case. The first place I went, I test drove a Ford Fiesta, which was cute and fun, but noticeably small. It felt as though the rear-view mirror was next to my head. No go. The salesman was nice and not pushy. The next place I asked to test drive a Honda Fit. But the guy talked me into test driving the Civic. He made some good points about the features that come with the Civic and not the Fit, so I let him talk me into it. I really liked it, but then it occurred to me, that what I really wanted was a hatchback, and had asked for a Fit, and he was trying to wrangle me into a more expensive car! Then it was up to me to really ponder what I wanted: a hatchback, with cruise control, automatic, and under a certain price. There were a couple out there, but some had weird features. Like the Yaris: it's speedometer and RPM gauge are in the middle of the dashboard. Who wants to look over to the right while they're driving? Not me.

Finally, I found the perfect car: the Nissan Versa. The 1.8S model came with all the features I wanted and not too many bells and whistles that I didn't. And it was in just the price range I wanted and I knew I could haggle down a bit. I e-mailed several dealerships to try to get quotes to compare. One guy did not take to the fact that I asked to be contacted by e-mail only and called at least five times in about two days. And then sent me an incredibly snarky and condescending e-mail. Dude, I don't want your car because you're annoying! Take the hint!

So I came across Lake Manawa Nissan in Council Bluffs. They had just the car I wanted. Reuben, the salesman, e-mailed me, as I asked, and told me of a big sales over the weekend, and the free extended warranty. When I went to the dealership, he offered the exact car I asked about for a test drive. It was lovely. When I went last night to make my purchase, everyone at the dealership was very nice. They took my offer seriously. And the finance guy was really nice and didn't look or act like Lord Voldemort as the guy who was mean to me when I bought the Subaru had. I walked out of there excited about my purchase instead of feeling like I had done something wrong. Don't get me wrong, I'm still in a little bit of shock over the fact that I just bought a BRAND NEW CAR, but I don't feel bad about it. It's well worth it to have peace of mind about my car. I don't have to worry about it breaking down! The only money I will need to put into it for many years to come is just maintenance, which I am happy to do. Oh happy day!

Isn't it the cutest!

Mari For Sale!

2010-08-12T11:13:00.000-07:00

"Being where I am today has been a series of nice surprises!" -Mari Forssell, Etsy Featured Artist Interview

My friend and fellow Omaha Craft Mafiosa, Mari, is the featured artist on Etsy today. Check out her interview and her glorious bags here! I personally own one of her backpacks, and it is beautifully and wonderfully made! Congratulations, Mari!

How Does Your Garden Grow?

2010-07-29T20:26:00.000-07:00

"It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato." -Lewis Grizzard

Several months ago, I attended a screening of a documentary film called No Impact Man, which follows a year in the life a New York City writer who decides to spend a year living with as little environmental impact as possible. It was fascinating and inspiring. While I don't intend to give up toilet paper anytime soon, it did motivate me to want to grow my own food. In fact, as soon as the lights came up, I turned to my friend Rebecca, and said as much. Immediately, the man sitting in front of me, who turned out to be a friend of a friend I had met before, turned around and asked, "Did I just hear you say you're interested in growing your own vegetables?" He then proceeded to tell me all about a new community garden that was being planned for the neighborhood in which I work. (He happens to live across the street from my workplace.)

A few weeks later, Rebecca and I were up to our elbows in mulch, helping to build a community garden, literally, from the ground up. We had no idea what we were doing. Neither did most of the people helping. But we were all enthusiastic and optimistic. I told myself, that if I could manage to grow one thing that was edible, I'd be happy.

A local garden club was giving away heirloom tomato plants, so Rebecca and I grabbed a few. We also bought chives, rosemary, sage, Thai basil, and New Zealand spinach (which, come to find out, is not actually be spinach, but it's quite good.) We also had a tiny heirloom pepper plant, but alas, it did not survive. I recycled the plastic dealer tags from my car to make garden markers.

I used colored pencils to draw pictures of each of the different kinds of tomatoes so we'd know what they are supposed to look like!

Thanks to an excellent balance of sunshine and rain, our garden plot has flourished! We have had to do very little maintenance. We stop by, maybe, once a week to see if it needs watering and to pick the scant weeds that may have popped up. But everything is coming up beautifully. We're going to have a boat load of tomatoes soon. There are a ton on the vine, and some really big ones, too, but not many have ripened just yet.

Top: Hillbilly Tomatoes, Bottom: Stupice Tomatoes

Top: Amish Paste Tomato (it's hiding back there), Bottom: Abraham Lincoln Tomatoes

Earl of Edgecomb Tomatoes

Using the New Zealand Spinach, Thai Basil, and Chives we grew, I made a simple pasta sauce, and it was delicous!

Today after work, I picked this perfect little Stupice Tomato. It was splendid.

Onesies!

2010-07-18T19:21:00.000-07:00

“Only an Aunt can give hugs like a mother, can keep secrets like a sister, and share love like a friend.” -Spanish Proverb

This week was not a particularly good one, and it's been uncomfortably hot. My apartment technically has an air conditioner, but whoever thought a window unit in a dining room would cool down an entire apartment needs to seriously reconsider their current profession. Seriously. It's so muggy in here, I just end up languishing on the couch like a wilting southern belle. Thus I have not been particularly productive.

Instead here are some photos of my nephew Griffin modeling the onsies I made for him at a recent Craft Mafia meeting. For the silk screens, we used photo silkscreen one of our members found on this website. They worked really well and were SO much easier to use than the framed silkscreens that I had used before. And far more reliable. Anyway, here's Griff being his cute self:

In the photo on the right, Griffin is wearing the aviator hat I knitted for him before he was born. It finally fits! And it looks like he has a beard, which is both hilarious and adorable.

And the Winner is....

2010-06-28T17:59:00.000-07:00

"It is easy to say how we love new friends, and what we think of them, but words can never trace out all the fibers that knit us to the old." -George Eliot

Congratulations to Sarah on being the recipient of the first Dear Prudence Giveaway! I did just as I said, and put the four names in the bag, and drew hers out. Apologies for the delay in announcing. I wanted to notify Sarah first. Knowing that she is an ardent blogger with a successful following (check her out at Oh, Kirby!), I asked her a few questions about her blog and her thrift store tips:

1) When did you start your blog? Why?

I started my blog in early 2008 after I opened my first Etsy shop. My blog was originally more art and craft oriented, but as time went on I realized that I was including more and more vintage fashion posts. I've always loved fashion, especially vintage, and I really enjoy the community of fashion bloggers. In early 2008 I decided to switch the blog to being primarily a vintage fashion blog. Blogging helps keep me in check creatively, especially since I am on such a tight budget. It inspires me to keep expressing myself through what I wear, even if it all came from a thrift store!

2) What do you look for when you go thrift shopping?

I really like to keep an open mind when I am thrifting. Of course, as a vintage clothing dealer, I am always looking for vintage pieces. I have a rule when I go thrifting that I only buy pieces that appeal to my own aesthetic and would wear myself. I look for feminine pieces, timeless pieces, and pieces that are really unique and unusual. I also try to look for things that may be improved through alteration. Perhaps that 1980s ankle length sailor dress is frumpy when you first look at it, but a hem to just above the knee can bring it up to date! I don't just look for vintage, though! I keep my eyes open for timeless modern pieces for myself. It's always fun to score an Anthropologie dress for $4 that would have cost $160 new!

3) Any thrifting secrets or tricks of the trade?

Don't overlook anything. Take your time and sift through every single item on the rack. Sometimes an amazing 1950s dress will be tightly sandwiched between two modern pieces, but the only way you'll ever find it is to flip through each and every piece of clothing on that rack. Once you've found a heap of finds, take them to a well-lit part of the store and do a thorough condition check. I like to bring my husband with me as an extra set of eyes - sometimes I miss things that he catches! The reason I do this is because there is nothing more disheartening than to find a fabulous piece only to bring it home and realize that there is a stain that those fluorescent thrift store lights obscured.

4) What are some of your favorite blogs/websites?

Lately, I've really been enjoying Bardot in Blue, A Thought Is The Blossom, and Blooming Leopold.

Since there were only four of entrants total, I will be more than happy to make a little something for the rest of you. If the other three commentators would like a similar eyeglasses case, or a small clutch, I would be glad to work out a deal for you through my etsy site in thanks for your support!

First Giveaway!

2010-06-18T18:40:00.000-07:00

"The only things we keep permanently are those we give away." -Waite Phillips

Waite Phillips and I go way back. Over the years, I have often joked that my life has revolved around Mr. Phillips. I went to an elementary school named for him. The art department at the University of Tulsa was in Phillips Hall, and I used to work at the Philbrook Museum of Art which was the Phillips' former home. Now if only I had been a Boy Scout and gone camping at Philmonte, everything would have been perfect...

In any event, I always liked the quote above. It was engraved on a stone plaque near Philbrook and I would pass it every day on my way to work. I won't try to compare this giveaway with the generosity the Phillips Family has shown over the years. But when I was thinking of quotes for this post, it kept popping up in my brain. I thought it worth sharing.

I've seen a lot of blogs that do giveaways to celebrate, say, getting 100 followers. I'm not quite there... Thirteen is a lucky number, right? Right? So instead I'm honoring having over 1300 hits! I was planning on doing this at 1000 hits, but I got behind in my knitting.

Which brings me to the work that I will be giving away! Although most of my followers are women, I know a few male friends and my dad, read my blog, so I decided to make something gender neutral. Also, there may be a man in your life you'd like to re-gift to. In any event, I knitted up this little eye-glasses case. It's 100% wool, hand-knitted in charcoal grey in reverse stockinette stitch with a seed-stitch vertical stripe. It's nice and soft, so it won't scratch your lenses.

The rules for the giveaway are as follows:

1) Sign up to be a follower of my blog.
2) Comment on this post about some totally awesome thrifty find you have come across: e.g. I bought a 100% silk Ann Taylor shirt at Good Will for $1.50!
3) On Friday, June 25, I will put everyone's name into a hat (or bowl, or whatever I have handy) and draw a name randomly to determine the winner! After the drawing, I will announce the winner and be in contact with them about where to send it.

Good luck and thanks for reading my blog!

Oh, Boy!

2010-06-14T18:35:00.000-07:00

"Snips and snails and puppy dog tails / That's what little boys are made of." -Mother Goose Nursery Rhyme

Something must be in the water because it seems everyone is having boys. So many boys! My godson was born just over a year ago, my nephew was born three months ago, a dear high school friend just had a beautiful baby boy, and one of my oldest friends is due to have a little man in the Fall. What's a crafter to do?

Not long after Griffin's birth, my sister asked me to make her some "pee pee tee pees." What the heck?! Apparently Griffin was having some trouble keeping himself and his surroundings dry during diaper changes. I did a quick goggle search, and sure enough, there was page after page of instructions for making pee pee tee pees. They looked simple enough. All you need to do is get some flannel and cut out circles approximately 5 in. across. I used a drain cover, but a CD works just as well. Cut out the circle, and fold in half, right sides facing. Stitch around the rounded edge. Cut a hole along the top straight edge and turn right-side-out. Fold this in half and stitch to close the open side, making a cone. Turn this right-side-out, and Voila! A Pee Pee Tee Pee for your little man.

I also stitched up a quick little matching draw-string bag to put a handful of tee pees for each new mother. Courtney says she has used them, and so far, so dry!

I think it's funny that my sister had a boy. Before I was born, she informed my mother that she wanted a baby sister named Magnum, P.I. And if she had a baby brother, she'd flush him down the toilet. Thankfully, no babies were offered to the porcelain god, and I was named Megan instead of Magnum.

Lastly, my sincerest apologies. I have been a neglectful blogger. While I intend to be more active in my posts, I will refrain from making any promises so as not to prove myself a chronic liar...

Dark Dinner

2010-05-27T18:42:00.000-07:00

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before. -Edgar Allan Poe ("The Raven")

You know me. I love being thrifty. I also like eating and friends and eating with friends (but not eating friends, that would be unfriendly.) With thriftiness and friendship in mind, I decided to host a dinner at my place this past weekend. But this was no ordinary dinner. No! This one had a little twist. A dark and mysterious twist. And that twist was just that: darkness. I, with the help of my friend Rebecca, hosted a Dark Dinner.

A dark dinner, as its name implies, takes place in the dark. The object of the experiment is to experience food and our senses in a different way. Without being able to see what you are eating, ordinary tastes and smells become exciting and new. To make the whole gathering more friendly to my pocketbook and to encourage guest involvement, I made it a potluck. I love potlucks: not only are they cost-effective, but they bring people together with shared dishes and experiences. A little bit of each person is, metaphorically, shared with everyone.

So Saturday night, ten friends and myself gathered in my apartment which had never held so many people. Everyone brought their dish and gave it an intriguing name. My guests were able to nosh on "Dark & Twisted," "Broccoli and Beyond," "Heaven on Earth," and "Honey, don't be Blue" just to name a few. Platters were passed around, everyone took their portion and tried to guess what they were eating.

I was really surprised by the responses to the dinner as a whole. I had been to a Dark Dinner before, and really enjoyed it, but I also understand that some people are not as adventurous as I am, particularly with their food. I was so pleased that everyone was so excited by the meal. People really liked the lights being out. They said it made them less self-conscious and more open and relaxed. No one had to worry if someone didn't like their dish, because no one could see their reaction! (But everything was tasty, so no worries there.) And when the eating was over, the lights still didn't come on until everyone was ready to leave and we had to clean up.

Friends from my first days in Omaha to newer friends from church all came and got along. It was so nice to have my "worlds" collide and every person get along. I am blessed to have found so many truly excellent people in Omaha. And there were so many more! I must do this again sometime.

Chicago for $200, Alex

2010-05-23T13:01:00.000-07:00

"Hah, Hah, Hah; My day has finally come, Trebek!" -Sean Connery (SNL Celebrity Jeopardy)

A few weeks ago, I went on a little adventure to audition for Jeopardy! Whoo! It all started several months ago with an online test. The test consisted of 50 questions, ranging from things like the atomic symbol for potassium to which river flows through this city, etc. They only give you 15 seconds to answer, so it's not like you can cheat and google the answer. And they don't tell you if you "passed." A month or so later, I got an e-mail saying I qualified for the auditions. Once I got there, I found out that not everyone who passes goes on to the audition, it's pretty much up to chance.

Anyway, when they sent the e-mail that I qualified, they told me the auditions were in Chicago on May 6 at 11:30am, and I had two days to RSVP to let them know I was coming. Not a lot of time, as far as I was concerned. But I took the bull by the proverbial horns and said I would be there. I bought a round trip, same-day ticket on Southwest to Midway in Chicago. When the big day arrived, I got up at four in the morning to make my 6:00am flight. By the time the plane landed and I took the train into downtown, it was about 9:00, so I had two and a half hours to kill. I found the hotel and stopped at a cafe nearby. I got a latte and a scone and relaxed for a bit. I wandered around H & M and Filein's Basement, but didn't buy anything. More aimless wandering, and then it was time to head to the hotel.

Once I got to the hotel, I had to fill out a form and provide five interesting facts about myself. They took a polaroid picture of each of us and gave us all Jeopardy! pens. Then we were herded into the conference room. The Jeopardy! folks gave us the run down of the rules of the game, and stressed the importance of not buzzing in until Alex has finished reading the question. That proved to be the hardest part for everyone. They went through a few rounds of just asking random questions, and telling us not to raise our hands until the question had been read. Then it was on to another 50 question quiz. It was pretty much like the online version: a question was put on the screen and read aloud, and we had to write in the answer. I did pretty well--better, I think, than the online quiz.

Next they called us up three at a time, and let us play a mock game with the buzzers. I don't think they actually called on whomever rang in first, because everyone got to answer a few questions and pick categories. Then they used our five interesting facts to have us tell about ourselves and what we'd like to do with any money that we won. Almost everyone said travel, I said "Pay off my student loans."

Once everyone had their turn, they went over what to expect if we are actually called to be on the show. The earliest I could expect a call is mid-June and the latest will be 18 months from now. Or I may never hear. Wouldn't that be sad... All in all, it was really fun. Even if I never get called, it was worth it just to have the experience of trying out.

My flight out of Chicago wasn't until 8:30pm, so I had several hours to kill. I walked down Michigan Avenue and got a good look at downtown Chicago. I stopped and got some lunch and ate at the park in front of this giant reflective bean-thing. And I totally dug this dinosaur sculpture.

I then stopped at the Chicago Art Institute and had my Ferris Beuller Moment in front of Seurat's La Grande Jatte. And generally admired the fantastic collection, and made a special stop at the Thorne Rooms gallery.

I had originally planned to also make a stop at the Field Museum, but by the time I walked down there, I stood at the intersection: to my left was the museum, to my right was the train station that would take me back to the airport. Having been up for over twelve hours by that point, I chose the train.

Sweater of the Red Death

2010-05-12T20:00:00.000-07:00

"The difference between perseverance and obstinacy is that one comes from a strong will, and the other from a strong won't. "~Henry Ward Beecher

I finally finished the sweater I started back in August. Thanks to Ravelry, I kept a record of my progress, so I will let it speak for itself:

8/21/09 I’ve looked at a couple of the other projects that are working on the same sweater. I knew it would be short, but it was good to see it on a dress form. As I’ve only just begun, I have decided to add about three or four rows at the bottom to make it a little longer.

9/3/09 I’ve completed 4 1/2 diamond pattern rows, which includes the three additional rows I added to the bottom for length. So that means I’m finally on to the real part of the pattern! It’s slow going, mostly because I’ve been working on my lunch break, and I can only get through about two rounds at a time. But I very much like the pattern and it’s very satisfying to be able to really see my progress as I go. It’s very simple so far, and I’ve only had to take out a couple rows as I got distracted watching “Walk the Line” (Thank you very much, Joaquin Phoenix!).

9/16/09 Slow and steady wins the race. I’m finally past the transition to the sleeves, and have just rejoined the front and back. I messed up somewhere, because now I’m knitting on the wrong side, but I’m able to keep in pattern. If I end up knitting the rest on the wrong side for the rest of it, so be it. As long as I get it finished!

2/10/10 It did not take me five months to get this far, I promise. I just put the sweater down and worked on other things, and sort of forgot about it. BUT, I did finish the body of the sweater and started on the waistband! The sweater looks great on top, but could probably use a little blocking to sort out the lumps you get around the yoke from the diamond pattern. It just doesn’t lay flat. But I don’t mind it, so if it won’t go away, I won’t be bothered. The body is still pretty short, even with the three added diamond pattern rows. The waistband and blocking should help with that. I remain hopeful! In Progress Photos coming soon!

2/15/10 Sweater has been blocked. Photos show before blocking (L) and after (R). Looks like I added some significant length, so I’m optimistic that with the waistband (in progress) will be sufficient! And the lumpiness of the top smoothed out as well.

5/10/10 O, brave new world! O, happy day! At long last, I have finished the incessant red sweater! Fear not, adventurous knitters. It is unlikely this sweater will take you nine months to complete. As I stated before, I picked it up, put it down, picked it up again, hid it from my sight, so on and so forth… But it is finished! And, believe it or not, doesn’t look half bad. I’m not thrilled with the way I tucked the body into the waistband, but I could conceivably fix it if I feel so inclined once it gets back around to appropriate sweater weather. But the neck line is flattering, and the body is less boxy than I had feared before the waistband was attached. I might think differently once I see it on me in photo form, but in the mirror, I’m pleased.

5/12/10 Now that I've seen a photo of myself in the sweater, I'm pretty happy. It's not the most flattering shape for my body type. I don't have much of a waist, and this doesn't help in that department. I think with a cute high-waisted skirt, this could work well. I'll have to experiment, but overall, it's a pretty good attempt at my first article of clothing completely made by my own hands. Perseverance at its finest!

Let's Go Fly a Kite

2010-05-09T14:56:00.000-07:00

"If you come to San Francisco / Summertime will be a love-in there" -Scott McKenzie (San Francisco)

Sorry for the long hiatus on the blog. I've been busy, busy, busy! And a lot of it had to do with almost finished projects that will soon need to be blogged, so expect be to back on a regular bi-weekly schedule.

Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending my friend Julie's wedding in Berkeley. It was so much fun and a really lovely ceremony. Julie made the most of the talents of her friends and family and her and Alberto's wedding made this thrifty blogger very proud. They held their wedding and reception at Tildon Park in Berkeley, a friend officiated, Julie's brother-in-law played the sax for the wedding music. And Julie's sister made the most delicious and beautiful red velvet cupcakes. Two of Julie's friends took photos, a classmate's family band played traditional Mexican music for the reception, and I made the mini-kite center pieces! It was a collaboration of love, joy, and shared talents.

Top: The darling ducky cake toppers. Bottom: The amazingly scrumptious cupcakes

The mini-kite centerpieces made by yours truly.

The day after the wedding a group of us took off to explore the city. We visited the Golden Gate Bridge, got ice cream in Saucalito, walked through Golden Gate Park, and had dinner at Fisherman's Wharf. Those of us from the Mid-West also had the joyous opportunity to go to Trader Joe's. It was like entering the Holiest of Holies. Not only was it stocked with the most delicious pineapple chips and other fruity goodness, but many of the items they carry are things I can get in Omaha, but at Trader Joe's they're half the cost! Needless to say, I'm ridiculously excited that Omaha is getting one before the year is out!

Left: The Golden Gate Bridge, Right: The view from Pier 39, looking toward Alcatraz.

Let's Get Some Shoes

2010-04-13T20:25:00.000-07:00

"The first shoe I put on a kid's foot, it was like, this is it. For every kid I saw, there was another I wanted to help." -Blake Mycoskie, Founder of TOMS Shoes

Like the ubiquitous Kelly from the YouTube hit "Shoes" by Liam Sullivan, I ,oo, love shoes. Some girls like clothes, some like purses, some like shoes. I'm not Imelda Marcos or anything, but I love an adorable pair of flats or heels. The only problem is that my debt-to-income ratio does not allow the budget to spend to my heart's content. And over the years, my heart has become less content with spending money anyway. I always think I'll need it for some emergency or otherwise more pressing need.

When it comes to everyday shoe-wearing I usually stick to three pairs: black flats, brown flats, and red flats. Every girl needs at least one pair of red shoes. (I have three...) But all three of these basics have seen better days. The black pair's sole is starting to separate from it's upper. The brown pair is completely worn in the heel and the inner lining is no longer attached. The red pair is scuffed and horribly malformed. Not to mention the fact that all three are pretty stinky... So I've been in the market for some new shoes of late.

I will wear a pair of shoes that I love until they literally fall off my feet. It has happened before. In Kenya, in fact, which as particularly significant as most of the children I was working with did not have shoes, and the few that did clearly were wearing their only pair of shoes until they, too, fell off.

Usually when I buy shoes, I go to Payless or some such place. I've had some luck with thrift stores, but that's hit or miss on finding the right size, not to mention the other feet that have been inside said shoes. This time I wanted something that would last, be comfortable, and was worth what little money I could spend. That's when I came across TOMS Shoes. I first heard about them in a commercial and thought the concept was pretty awesome. For every pair of shoes you buy, they give a pair to a child in need. You get to help another person get not only shoes, but often a chance to go to school because of those shoes, and you get an adorable pair for your very own. How much better can you get? That's a pretty sweet deal if you ask me.

Now that I had some extra spending money and three pairs of smelly shoes, I thought it was time to put my money where my mouth is and do some do-gooding! I decided on the red pair of canvas shoes. I will wear red shoes with anything, and I thought if I liked them, I could go back and order black and brown.

They came in the mail today!

They are SO very cute, and really comfortable. The real test will be tomorrow when I walk to work in them. But they feel like they give really good support, which surprised me. They look great, they feel great, and they go to a good cause. As Kelly would say, "These shoes rule."

Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with TOMS Shoes, and I am receiving no reimbursement for this blog post. I am just a happy customer that believes in the mission of the business and I am happy to share with my readers.

Stu-Stu-Studio

2010-03-30T17:51:00.000-07:00

"There is in every artist’s studio a scrap heap of discarded works in which the artist’s discipline prevailed against his imagination." -Robert Brault

Sorry for the lapse in posts. I've spent the last couple of weeks watching "Lost." And as of last week, I am finally caught up on Seasons 3 thru 6. Now that I am no longer at the mercy of the Island (except on Tuesdays), my time is considerably more my own.

Having been the artistic type since I was a kid, I always dreamed of having my own artistic space. Now that I am out in the real world, I am delighted that I have an apartment with a special space that I could make my own. When I first came to look at the apartment, I knew ahead of time that it had a dining room. So when I walked in and saw a small room just off the living room, I asked the landlord, "Is that the dining room?" She gave me the side-eye, and replied, "No...that's an alcove." That meant the apartment had a whole extra room I didn't know about, and I had to make it mine! Now that I've been here just over a year, I think it finally fits my vision. It's got my favorite movie posters, a big ol' drafting table I got a great deal on from a friend and looks out over my building's courtyard. I, a table for my knitting machine, my sewing machine (under the table cloth, purchased for $7 at Goodwill!), and plenty of shelf space. Granted, not an hour after I put up the cork boards, they fell off the wall, so I do need to get some heavy-duty 3M strips...

Now that I have a studio space, I need to get off my lazy artistic bum and use it more often. I have been working on that red sweater in the corner since August, and I'm thisclose to getting it done. But I've been dragging my feet, and not wanting to start anything else until I finish it. Procrastination must end! Tomorrow...

It's a Boy!

2010-03-16T17:08:00.000-07:00

"Father asked us, 'What was God's noblest work?' Anna said, 'Men', but I said 'Babies'. Men are often bad, but babies never are." -Louisa May Alcott

I am officially an aunt! On March 1, my nephew Griffin was born. I didn't get to see him for twelve whole days. And those were twelve of the longest days of my life. On Saturday, I finally got to meet the little man. And he's just perfect. He's so tiny and soft, and blessed with a powerful set of lungs that he used to full effect right in my ear. But he's beautiful and I can't wait to meet the man he will become. I've made Courtney and James promise that I get to introduce him to Star Wars whenever they think he's old enough to watch it. We're still not sure who he looks like, other than himself. He may bear a slight resemblance to my own baby pictures, so that could be nice.

Griffin and I spent all Sunday afternoon cuddling on the couch. It was bliss!

And Griffin modeled his hat for me. Unfortunately, it's a little big for him, but he'll grow into it. And when he outgrows it, I can just knit him a new one. It's strange to think that the next time I see him, he'll look like a totally different person! But such is the nature of babies...

Lenten Reflection

2010-03-11T20:28:00.000-08:00

"If you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view, until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it." -Atticus Finch (To Kill a Mockingbird)
click to expand

For the season of Lent, the wonderful folks at First United Methodist in Omaha have organized an exciting gallery for discussion of just immigration reform, and I had the pleasure of helping to assemble the show.  The exhibit features the photography of Michael Hyatt, a California-based photographer who has worked with organizations such has Humane Borders and No More Deaths.  Please consider joining visiting the exhibit and sharing this poster and invitation with others
 who might be interested.

Michael Hyatt’s “Artifacts”
Join us to explore ‘the migrant’s Journey’ through the skilled lens of Photographer Michael Hyatt in the reflective space of Mead Chapel at First United Methodist Church Omaha.

Sunday, March 14th, 12:00 - 4:00 pm 
Thursday,  March 18th, 5:00 - 6:30 pm 
Sunday, March 21st, 12:00 - 7:00pm 
Thursday, March 25th, 5:00 - 6:30pm
Sunday, March 28th, 12:00 - 6:30 pm

Interfaith Worker Justice Vigil, March 21, 6:00 pm

@Mead Chapel, First United Methodist Church
7020 Cass St, Omaha
www.fumcomaha.org