Y
Friday Unrelated Information
1. Have you noticed I haven’t had any local political commentary lately? I’m only getting the Tribune on Sundays now and it’s been lovely. The less I know about what the patriarchs in the Utah Legislature are doing, the happier I am in the mornings. (Of course, the paper boy decided to deliver the paper every day this week, just in time for Buttars to disgrace himself again.)
2. Since I mentioned WWII on Tuesday, I have to mention that Yesterday was the National Day of Remembrance for the American citizens who were put into internment camps during WWII. Families could only take what they could carry–what about their pets?
3. And I was so excited to post the quote about pie on Wednesday that I forgot Wednesday’s tune. To end the week of sad stories and WWII on happy note, here’s Big Rock Candy Mountain, “a song about a hobo’s idea of paradise,” according to Wikipedia.
It Was A Nice Dog, Too
So I went to the main library yesterday around noon. Nothing makes you feel more fortunate than seeing a homeless dude who’s smuggled his dog into the library with him by hiding the dog under the blankets on his wheelchair. No, I don’t have a job, but I don’t have to smuggle Toby into a warm place to spend the day. Nor am I in a wheelchair.
Comparatively, I have no problems at all.
Did You Know Last Saturday Was International Pie For Breakfast Day?
I missed it, but I learned about it and found this fantastic quote on my daily read, EvenCleveland:
Pie is the American synonym of prosperity, and its varying contents mark the calendar of the changing seasons. PIE IS THE FOOD OF THE HEROIC. No pie-eating people can ever be vanquished.
The New York Times, 1902
I need to make some pie!
Tuesday Project Roundup: Thrifty AND Prepared, Just Like The 1940s
After all the knitting lately, I finally used my sewing machine again last week. I cleaned out the closet when I got my craft shelf and found some extra pillowcases, so I tried out the embroidery stitches on the Bernina:Something new to decorate with for free!
And I pulled out an unfinished project from a couple of years ago–this pencil skirt:(It’s finished but too dark today for a modeled shot, so here’s the pattern. Early 50s, I think?)
I had originally thought I would sew this to wear to the second job of Christmas 2007 but ran out of time, and by the second job of Christmas 2008 I had made more than enough dresses to wear. But while thinking of the job search these past two weeks, I realized that a plain black straight skirt would be all kinds of useful, so I finished it up.
It’s my interview skirt. I don’t have any interviews yet, but–in keeping with the 1940s theme here–I did it before and I can do it again.
If I Could Make This Link Sparkly, I Would
So my oldest and most helpful friend–who very conveniently studied graphic design while I was learning music theory–sat me down last week and got my portfolio cleaned up and got my portfolio site redesigned and up again.
Check it out: portfolio.karenkaminski.com
I even got a mention on her company’s site, which she also designed! I am so going to have a job soon. (Hey, “Yes, We Can” worked for Obama, didn’t it?)
Friday Unrelated Information
1. The weekly baking report: I made the French chocolate granola (awesome), the chocolate cookies (awesome and getting made again this weekend), the slow-rise bread that appeared in the NY Times about a year ago, and a light wheat sandwich bread. And today I’m making cheesecake for our Valentine’s Day dessert. It takes 4 packages of cream cheese. That’s two pounds. I guess love is being able to eat a pound of cream cheese with your sweetheart?
2. Speaking of Valentine’s Day, how about some Wilson Pickett to express our feelings?
I also like Elwood’s addition to the lyrics (which you can watch here):
“You know people when you do find that somebody hold that woman, hold that man. Love him, hold him, squeeze her, please her, hold her, squeeze and please that person, give ’em all your love. Signify your feelings with every gentle caress because it’s so important to have that special somebody to hold, kiss, miss, squeeze and please!”
3. Why yes, I have learned how to embed video. How could you tell?
Valentine’s Day Is Coming Up
Click the last one for bigger, and find more “I love you more than____” hearts here. I love that someone said, “I love you more than Arthur C. Clarke.”
Wednesday Work Tune
I realize that “Work Tune” is kind of a stretch, because I’m not playing real work songs like “Union Maid,” but I think the blues count, right? Here’s Robert Johnson’s 1936 recording of “Walking Blues” for your Wednesday listening.
Why this one? I like the nervous energy in it, and I like the verse around 1:30:
Well, some people tell me that the worried blues ain’t bad
Worst old feelin’ I most ever had
Some people tell me that these old worried old blues ain’t bad
It’s the worst old feelin’, I most ever had
Tuesday Project Roundup: I’m A Versatile and Experienced Knitter
…and I’ve been writing cover letters way too much lately. Although I’ve been getting a fair amount of knitting time in, too: behold the tan sweater, finished after three months! It took three months, yes, but it’s exactly how I wanted it to be. I used this pattern to start with, but I kind of had to fake the measurements since I was using a different yarn size. So I’m glad it turned out so well.
Of course, I’ve had lots of help these past two weeks at home. Someone even had to help us with the photo shoot last night: