Pretty As A... Doorknob

Sometimes it's just that simple.

via lolita

"Been Thinking About You"

"...and there's no rest."

In the office this lovely Saturday morning... end of month billing hell. Wondering, not about the jury instructions I'm working on, but who Mr. Yorke was singing about here... perhaps being a bit too literal or presumptuous, but that's the fun part.

Not Gonna Do It

but really want to. My french press did break a year or so ago (though I've apparently done fine without one)... and I haven't bought a new toaster in about a decade.... much to the chagrin of anyone who tries to use it and inevitably ends up with burnt toast. So maybe I will do it... Surely they will make life that much more cheery and bright. Right.

I Second That

via designismine

"She Never Loved Him Back"

"...it wasn't even close."

I absolutely love the sweetly sad storytelling of this song by the Fruit Bats...

"...but he was fine to just pretend that it was never gonna end... and it was worth it just to know... a little warmth before the snow."

Just a Bowl of Cherries

I recently mentioned the abysmal eating habits I’ve developed over the summer, consisting of nothing more than dine-in and takeout galore. I’d consumed every last edible item in my kitchen a couple weeks back, which is no small feat for a girl who’s been known to concoct and enjoy some very odd flavor combinations. What, I’ve still got some walnuts, pickles, a few grains of rice and cottage cheese? Feast!

It’d been so long since I’d gone to the grocery store that this weekend I decided to splurge and head to Whole Foods. There’s a new one in Lincoln Park, and I was curious. I hear they moved because the old one had a little “river rat problem.” Ew. This one’s still quite close to the river, so I’m hoping it’s hermetically sealed. The sensation of being entirely overwhelmed kicked in well before I even set foot in the store… just circling the parking deck I began to glaze over. I made it inside, spotted folks drinking at the full bar that neighbors the produce (Whole Foods barflies), got blocked at the bottom of the escalator by inconsiderate couples chit chatting, and found myself wondering how I was going to get my buggy back up the escalator… I was about to put in my headphones, but thought better… I needed all my faculties about me… otherwise I’d be dead in the water.

Somewhere between produce and diary I got lost and slipped on avocado pulp…. which simply reminded me to grab a few of those at an unknown price per pop. I spent about 45 minutes dazed and confused by the floor plan, recklessly throwing anything and everything organic and/or appealing into my cart without so much as a glance at price. A worker man asked if I needed help choosing olives, said I looked “in awe.” In shock was probably more like it. Five minutes later I walked away from the olive cart with about a hundred olives of 20 different varieties handpicked by Mr. Helpful. I forgot to mention that it would just be me eating those olives. The checkout guy who rang me up had to perform cardio pulmonary resuscitation on me within seconds of announcing my total. I’ve done unexpected damage at the grocery before, but this was seriously criminal, like I was tempting the fates to have someone rob me on the way home… or get fired this week. I’m still waiting. I wanted to put it all back, but it was too late… with tail between legs I sent my cart, clinking bottles and all, up its own escalator, eyeing the mofo all the way up with great resentment. For what it was worth, my cart clearly deserved its own form of transportation, but I was thinking more along the lines of private jet.

Flashforward a few hours… gg came over, and when we peered in my newly stocked fridge for a snack we couldn’t find one. Not one snack worthy item in the lot! I had jalapeno hummus (yum), smoked salmon (yummier), and cheeses (yummiest)… but not a cracker to put them on. I forgot crackers! I’d managed to spend a bloody fortune in Whole Foods and yet didn’t have a damn thing to offer my famished friend other than a string cheese. It wasn’t until the next day that I was mentally ready to take a gander at the receipt to determine how the devil I’d done what I’d done. Yeah there was a bottle of wine, some beer, and the salmon was Charlie Trotter, but mostly… I blame the cherries. The evil cherries. Yes, whilst scrolling down my receipt I discovered that I spent FIFTEEN FUCKING DOLLARS on a pre-packaged 2.8 pound bag of red cherries. A bag of cherries I would normally never be able to finish on my own, mind you. I say “normally” because you better believe this girl is going to finish that bag of cherries no matter what it takes. It’s cherries morning noon and night until I’ve consumed every last one of those suckers. Digestive tract, beware.

Spreading The Wealth

And Grizzly makes four... So I'm going a little overboard with the music today, but I can't NOT continue passing along this amazing video for Grizzly Bear's Two Weeks, made by a talented fan (yes, fan) named Gabe Askew. Oh to have that kind of creative drive... and skill to bring it to fruition.

via dooce

Book Of Haughty Bitches

tee hee via designismine.

Pretty As A Pencil

These are pencils! Creating art out of a pencil in an unexpected way... pretty cool, yeah. via at

"Tried to Sleep and Dream My Way"

"... back to you again."

And now the true earworm du jour (third's a charm), the one I actually heard this morning during my gray and misty commute to work. It fits the day.

"Chewing Fingernails In Her Shit-Eating Grin"

"... Sarah, I want to be like you. Youknow sometimes I want to live like you... so I know how it feels not to feel."

I'm not sure how I missed this one for so long, but now I'll make up for lost time.

"Kiss Me Like the Ocean Breeze"

Damn this is a badass song.

Do Not Open

via lenscratch

"If She Remembers"

"... she hides it whenever we meet."

Back when I was a junior or senior in high school I listened to this song over and over again. Flashforward 15 years and this song still kinda breaks my heart a little every...time... I hear it. Two minutes 20 and onward, most especially. Apparently iPod shuffle likes it too.

Laid Back

With his mind on his money and his money on his mind. God I love 'roos.

Profiles

Cool photo.... already forgot which site this came from...

If You're Wondering

I've never been a huge Weezer fan, but this is a great song title for the single off their upcoming album. The accompanying image ain't too shabby either. via stereogum

Impulse Buy

This would be one, if only I wore black t-shirts. via threadless (but of course) via rarebirdfinds

Hyper Real

Amazing paintings (yes, paintings) by Linnea Strid via as

"You're So Cute When You're Frustrated"

Dear.

Old School

These pics really bring back memories. The many libraries of my youth make up a pretty sizeable wedge in the pie chart of my subconscious.... so many research papers written, tests studied for, people eyed through spaces between the stacks, books smelled. My name is Jenny, and I love to stick my face in a book. The older the better. I never thought I'd say this, but I kind of want to go back to school. gg tells me that to go to med school we wouldn't have to go back to get any bio-me credits.... ALL we'd have to do is ace the mcat (yeah, that's all) and *ta da* we're med school bound. Piece o' cake. It would be nice to work in a profession that was inherently satisfying.... a place where you'd have no reservations about what you do.... and if nothing else (though there are other elses) you know for a fact you're helping some folks out. There's only so much one can bemoan their chosen profession before they become completely insufferable to themselves and others, so I'm not bemoaning... I'm just saying it would be nice.

pics by Alex Leme c/o lenscratch

Necktie Noose

I honestly cannot imagine having to wear a tie everyday like most of the guys here at my office. One of the few perks of being a girl in a once male dominated field is the fact that we have more wardrobe leeway. Sometimes it's the little things, ya know.... But really, I shudder to think how it would feel to face this job day in day out whilst a sliver of fabric choked me around my neck. Especially those guys with the thicker necks that pop out a bit. It looks painful. pic via as

"It's Got Lots To Do With Magnets"

"... and the pull of the moon."

More Frightened Rabbits. Because they good. Real good. Damn good.

She's Crafty

This is a great decorating idea for people with scraps of cool fabric laying around... a wall of coordinating embroidery hoops. I like it. It could really help soften the edges in apartments (like mine) that are filled with beaucoup de straight lines and ninety degree angles.

c/o at

What's There Left To Believe In?

Good music, if nothing else. I never did mention how great The Veils show was a couple weeks back at the Empty Bottle. The sound's shite there, yeah, but it's such an intimate setting, which is perfect for The Veils. I didn't take this photo (my iPhone decided to flake on me that night), but this was my view to a tee. The photographer was probably right next to me.... This article nicely sums up the feeling you get at a Veils show. They put it all out there for everyone to soak in. Finn's mesmerizing, which made for one of the better shows I've seen in a long time.

And if you're wondering how Lolla with a stranger was... it was fun! Saw The Bird (Andrew) and the Kings of Leon, who never fail to disappoint, even at a festival full of... festival issues. They are so humble and sincerely so. The lead Followill bro kept thanking the crowd and telling us how surreal it was to see all the people (there were loads of 'em) there for them when just a few years back they scared away the 10 people who actually showed up to see them play a small Lolla stage within 10 minutes. Between songs he'd remind everyone that he knows how lucky they are to be in this position... that so many bands deserve it as much if not more than them, and so on. It was actually really sweet and kind of touching. They played a good set, a few songs off each album, and it sounded surprisingly awesome. We perched to the side where we could watch the screen and hear them without getting elbow to elbow with too many 16 year olds blowing j smoke in our faces. Not that I mind a whiff here and there, no not at all, but it has a way of making one feel a bit ... old.

The rest of the evening followed suit... late dinner at Fox & Obel, saw a damn nice view of the city (how the other half lives), and got home via an empty Lower Wacker Drive (think Batman) at about 100 mph in a car that could take it. It's not often in the city you can go very fast... anywhere, so it sated my craving for a little speed. All in all, a very fun night. So often it's those nights I least expect to deliver that surprise me.

"Just Thinking Of A Series of Dreams"

I Second That

And so does GTA. via

Yummy

that's all. via lolita

E.T. Wants Home

Lawdy. Please please please for the love of all things so ugly they're cute, say some kind British soul (perhaps one with a fur allergy) got around to adopting this damn dog. My heart is hurting.

via fupenguin

Curtain Crib

That's one of the names B has so aptly given my apartment. If my crib weren't already so overrun with curtains (though my bedroom DOES remain curtain free...) I'd get one of these adorable tuxedo ruffle curtains from UO. I love the pretty yellow, though ivory would work better in my place. And how cute is the scalloped polka dot lamp shade? Just posting them here in lieu of an unnecessary purchase... and in lieu of doing the work I need to be doing... so I get can out of here... and get to the show. Is someone stalling?

"There Are Rooms In This House"

"...that I don't open anymore. Dusty books of pictures on the floor."

Contrary to my song choices of late, I'm actually feeling rather chipper. Well, other than yesterday evening's fleeting foray into the blues, which was remedied by finally cleaning up the mess that was my shower... it wasn't the act itself (though it was pretty aerobic) so much as the end product and no longer feeling slightly frightened by the shower corners, which had rapidly gone from that gross fleshy pink to a dark and foreboding shade of... black (cringe of embarrassment & horror). I'm starting to see a trend of laziness in certain areas of my life. Yeah, let's not even get into how long it's been since I took a proper trip to the grocery store. Last evening's dinner consisted of a small can of V8, a pouch of albacore tuna (yes a pouch), a quarter bag of popcorn (microwave's so small the bag gets stuck and only a quadrant of bag actually pops), followed by... a pancake. In a puddle of maple. And I wondered why I felt blue? Yes, my life has reached dizzying heights of... bachelordom. Ok, actually typing this out is making it real and scaring me more than a tad. I mean, I still appear totally presentable, but don't be fooled, some inportant nooks and crannies of my existence have been getting the serious shaft. Changes are in order for the love of god. This weekend. Grocery store. And a pedicure simply to remind myself that I am, in fact, a girl.

So this evening I'm going to Lollapallooza with a virtual stranger. I've never been to a concert with a virtual stranger... I've really never been anywhere with a virtual stranger other than down the pub... and this stranger is a "liberal Muslim," but not so liberal that he boozes. Darnitall, what is it with all the teatotalers I'm running into these days?? Is this a message from the universe? Or just crap coincidence? Is it weird that his use of the words "herpes" and "vaginal" (both) during our last phone converation actually served to somewhat encouraged me? Like, hey this guy might be muslim but he's not so uptight, he uses words like "herpes" and "vaginal." Would your opinion change if I mentioned that he's a doctor? Didn't think so. Well, Kings of Leon are playing the paloooza, as are The Decemberists, Andrew Bird, The Knux, and Depeche Mode (wha? who? yeah ok) to name a few. So pain of experience pending, shouldn't be too hard to lose myself in the music.... Wish me bonne chance, this could get awkward.

Straight To Hell

Sincing I'm on a major music therapy kick today... this just came in on iPod shuffle and, though I'm clearly a dozen days and dollars short on this one, I had no idea MIA sampled this Clash song for "Paper Planes." I'm sitting here listening going... "wait..what...that's..." and yes, it is. And everyone already knew this (as evidenced by a quick google search) except for me. And maybe you too? Probably not.

Pretty As A Blueberry

Or a blueberry-looking flower thingamajig. via lolita

Unsated

Another earworm du jour, because *like the blogger who introduced me* I now cannot get enough of this song. play play play play play. It's Iron & Wine covering New Order's "Love Vigilantes." Try to get enough, I dare ya.

via prettytothinkso

When Pigs Swim

"On the beaches of Big Major Spot Island, the Bahamas, a family of brown and pink boars and piglets live freely on the sandy white beaches and swim in the tropical surf. Because locals bring food, the pigs will run into the water and actually swim out to the oncoming boats, as if to greet them individually."

I didn't know pigs could swim!

via allcreatures

"Your Past-Times"

"... consisted of the strange and twisted and deranged."

Cool video for a cool song (Crying Lightning) by Arctic Monkeys.

thx to D for passing along!

A Word on Loss

"When we think of loss we think of the loss, through death, of people we love. But loss is a far more encompassing theme in our life. For we lose not only through death, but also by leaving and being left, by changing and letting go and moving on. And our losses include not only our separations and departures from those we love, but our conscious and unconscious losses of romantic dreams, impossible expectations, illusions of freedom and power, illusions of safety - and the loss of our own younger self, the self that thought it always would be unwrinkled and invulnerable and immortal."

— Judith Viorst, Necessary Losses

via ateotl

Take Me Home

By G.M.B. Akash. "Due to Bangladesh’s large population, inadequate seats on the trains and poverty, it is quite common to see a thick layer of people occupying the roof of a train. Frequent accidents, which occur when a free rider slips, are not enough to deter these stowaways of the railway.." See more at lenscratch.

Fables

My favorite song (so far) off The Dodos' new album, Time to Die, out Sept 15 in the US. In the meantime, you can stream it live here.

Overgrown

What an amazing photographic find. Imagine stumbling upon this. I wouldn't be able to take my eyes off.... or stop imagining the ghosts of the people who once circled the wheel.


Ok, and on an untimely and much less poetic note, this reminds me that I've wanted to complain (somewhere! anywhere!) about an experience I recently had trying to purchase a necklace in the shape of a ferris wheel online. It was so pretty and perfect and reminded me of the boardwalk and summers at the shore. And I was really excited about getting it. I paid $50 to Finch Metal through paypal. I even exchanged emails with Jill from Finch Metal requesting a longer chain, which she obliged (at no extra cost, how nice of her!).

Well, the necklace never came. We emailed again, she said "oh, it must have gotten lost in the mail, because I already sent it. But I'll send you another one." (oh how sweet of her! i thought). I kept waiting, to no avail, ferris wheel necklace never arrived at chez j. So I emailed her again and never ever ever got another response from that sweet Jill lady. True to my lazy form, I didn't complaint to paypal until it was too late to file a dispute, and even truer to my form, I also didn't complain to Bank of America until 62 days after the transaction. Doh, also too late. Would report to Better Business but... well, I'm lazy. So that damn Finch Metal got my hard-earned 50 clams and I never got my pretty necklace. The injustice!!

I've done a lot of online shopping in my day and never has a company charged me and flat out never sent me a product and flat out ignored me after the fact. Talk about the nerve.

In conclusion, Finch Metal ripped me off. Maybe I somehow fell through their cracks, but I'm done giving them the benefit of the doubt. They never responded to my exhaustive (and overly patient) pleas for my necklace and -thereafter- an explanation for the situation. I, therefore, hereby recommend that you NEVER EVER SHOP at Finch Metal.

There, I finally got that off my chest. The irritation of it has been clamped on a rib somewhere in my cage for a few months now. Maybe I can finally stop thinking about it.

photo via ateotl

review finch metal review

Beautiful Lines

by Monica Denevan via lenscratch