Click on the image to visit the page!
31 August 2009
Phenomenally Proud
I just finished my first freelance web design project. There are a few changes that the site owner would like to make, but my part - the design and coding - is done!
Click on the image to visit the page!
Click on the image to visit the page!
24 August 2009
Seen on the Boston Globe
Non-motorists include children, construction workers, cyclists, family pets, farm/wild animals, homeless, illiterate pedestrians, those confined to wheelchairs. Traffic laws were expressly written to protect them. None of them require a license to be on a public right of way. Motorists, however, do. All the onus for safety falls directly upon them. If you don't agree, as you signed on when applying for a license, you should immediately surrender yours
23 August 2009
getting better
I had a rough night last night, but it was one of those situations that you simply can't do anything about. The resulting conversation actually made me feel way better, so even uncomfortable and sad situations can happen for a wonderful reason. I read this quote in zen habits after I'd calmed down, and so creating this today felt natural.
15 August 2009
08 August 2009
05 August 2009
04 August 2009
Bike Accident - For Real This Time
So, earlier this summer I was involved in a "hit and run" of sorts with a Boston cab driver (Boston Cab Associates, for the record - one of their hybrid cars). On the [very busy] Mass Ave. bridge, the cab had "stopped" [for me], but when I took my right of way he decided to go instead. He just hit my back wheel, and I managed to keep control of my bike and more importantly, I stayed on. It all seemed so scary at the time, but it really wasn't. I wasn't even hurt—just shaken.
But I survived it. I survived my first "accident." I felt victory as an urban rider.
Well, I spoke too soon, because on July 25th, I was thrown from my bike here. It was actually kind of funny because there were no cars involved in the accident part of my accident. I was too busy paying attention to the cab (go figure) that had cut me off, and my wheel got stuck in the train tracks, locked, and then I was thrown.
I lost a little bit of blood, but mostly I felt stupid. I felt stupid because it didn't occur to me that coming parallel at the tracks would catch my tire and that it would lock when I tried to turn.
Anyway, I had a lovely array of injuries:
I also had a pain in my shoulder. I couldn't move all day Sunday, but I laid on an ice pack for hours and then went to bed with one, and I felt fine on Monday. Again, I was grateful. Again, I had avoided a "real" accident. Yeah, I fell off my bike, because I'm stupid. I wasn't thrown in traffic. I wasn't hit by a car.
Well, I had my laughs about it, but I'm not laughing today. Mostly because it HURTS to laugh. It hurts to cough. It hurts like HELL to sneeze. I think I have a rotary cuff injury.
Has anyone experienced something like this? Is physical therapy the way to go? I'm running out of Ibuprofen and also the hope that this will heal itself. I thought it was a bruise, but I know I'm not qualified to diagnose my insides.
But I survived it. I survived my first "accident." I felt victory as an urban rider.
Well, I spoke too soon, because on July 25th, I was thrown from my bike here. It was actually kind of funny because there were no cars involved in the accident part of my accident. I was too busy paying attention to the cab (go figure) that had cut me off, and my wheel got stuck in the train tracks, locked, and then I was thrown.
I lost a little bit of blood, but mostly I felt stupid. I felt stupid because it didn't occur to me that coming parallel at the tracks would catch my tire and that it would lock when I tried to turn.
Anyway, I had a lovely array of injuries:
I also had a pain in my shoulder. I couldn't move all day Sunday, but I laid on an ice pack for hours and then went to bed with one, and I felt fine on Monday. Again, I was grateful. Again, I had avoided a "real" accident. Yeah, I fell off my bike, because I'm stupid. I wasn't thrown in traffic. I wasn't hit by a car.
Well, I had my laughs about it, but I'm not laughing today. Mostly because it HURTS to laugh. It hurts to cough. It hurts like HELL to sneeze. I think I have a rotary cuff injury.
Has anyone experienced something like this? Is physical therapy the way to go? I'm running out of Ibuprofen and also the hope that this will heal itself. I thought it was a bruise, but I know I'm not qualified to diagnose my insides.
03 August 2009
Where to Seat the Attendants
by Talley Sue Hohlfeld, Etiquette ExpertOr you could forgo the seating chart, put everyone your age in the wedding party, seat them all at the enormous head table while the "sweetheart" fends for herself, and then accuse the "sweetheart" of knitting during your wedding—but not to her face, of course.
After the guest list, the seating chart is probably a bride's biggest headache. And the hardest part of THAT is, "Where should our attendants sit?"
The classic is the head table with all the wedding party, including bride and groom. But this has its flaws; if your attendants are married, or if their sweethearts are attending, this means you'll have to find those people a seat assignment elsewhere that they'll enjoy* (I'm sure you can imagine some of the complaints that result). You can weave the spouses into the head table, of course, but that can get to be pretty big!
Have you thought about seating for your attendants? What are you considering? And have you seen a solution you particularly like?
*emphasis mineto finish reading the article (which offers a great solution), you can go here
It seems like a sure way to make your wedding the funnest fun times, ever.
31 July 2009
On Disordered Eating
I just read this on a website I stumbled across while looking for reviews about outofyourlife.com:
I re-read the sentence a few times, and I know where she was going with it, but I think that the
I read something on sparkpeople.com recently about eating disorders and just how scarily common they are. Obviously all eating disorders have self-esteem issues at the root of them, at best, but by broadening the definition of "eating disorder" to include "disordered eating," one starts to include many women they might know... it's sad, really.
Anyway, that was my lol for the night - except for the part where the topic isn't particularly lolsy.
Show me a woman who loves her belly (thighs, ass, nose, etc) and I'll show you a woman with an eating disorder...I literally did a double-take.
I re-read the sentence a few times, and I know where she was going with it, but I think that the
I read something on sparkpeople.com recently about eating disorders and just how scarily common they are. Obviously all eating disorders have self-esteem issues at the root of them, at best, but by broadening the definition of "eating disorder" to include "disordered eating," one starts to include many women they might know... it's sad, really.
Anyway, that was my lol for the night - except for the part where the topic isn't particularly lolsy.
27 July 2009
it's the little things
from tea and toast
I saw these adorable journals on flickr today: what a wonderful idea it would be to document things I am thankful for every day. Also a creative use for those gocco supplies hiding in my drawer.
24 July 2009
Friday Inspiration
This is such a clever video! It's a creative idea with a brilliant and well done set-up. It makes me want to go to design school.
21 July 2009
Gift Idea for Architects
This awesome memo book from geografia would make a pretty cute gift for any civil-design oriented people in your life. The contours and altitude marks make each notebook a playful and unique landscape.
The only problem is that I don't know if I'd be able to bear to write on these, myself!
The only problem is that I don't know if I'd be able to bear to write on these, myself!
17 July 2009
Beautiful Stop Motion
I couldn't help but share this beautiful stop motion save-the-date video. What a beautiful way to announce your wedding.
22 June 2009
Monday Spark
J and I have been traveling a lot lately which means I have gotten behind on a lot of things. Aside from work, which piled up like omfg, the one I regret the most has been my diet/exercise routine. I had a pretty good thing going about a month ago, and I even lost some weight. Sure, most of my weight loss was directly involved with swine flu related loss of appetite, but I'll take the help where I can get it.
from Articulate Matter
In the past three weeks, I have dropped yoga, entirely, and my back, hips and asthma have not thanked me for it. I haven't taken a class in about two years, now, so all of my yoga has recently been done either with help from free internet videos, or the Basic Yoga Book which is a decent guide for beginners and people who, like me, have a hard time coming up with sequences on their own.
This morning, I did Yoga Today's Happy Hips and Hamstrings video. By the end I had my heels on the floor during a downward facing dog, which is not something I have been able to accomplish since I was taking yoga at MIT during my undergrad years. So here's to yoga and its amazing ability to make me feel like I've accomplished something even though I have barely started my day.
from Articulate Matter
In the past three weeks, I have dropped yoga, entirely, and my back, hips and asthma have not thanked me for it. I haven't taken a class in about two years, now, so all of my yoga has recently been done either with help from free internet videos, or the Basic Yoga Book which is a decent guide for beginners and people who, like me, have a hard time coming up with sequences on their own.
This morning, I did Yoga Today's Happy Hips and Hamstrings video. By the end I had my heels on the floor during a downward facing dog, which is not something I have been able to accomplish since I was taking yoga at MIT during my undergrad years. So here's to yoga and its amazing ability to make me feel like I've accomplished something even though I have barely started my day.
04 June 2009
Wierd Dream Week
For some reason my dreams have been much more vivid (and strange) this week, so here's another one for the vault:
I was lying in bed, which I tend to do after J leaves for work, because both of us would wake up a little later when he was in school, and damn if I'm going to break that habit just because his commute changed.
His iPhone rang, and I wasn't sure if it was an alarm or a text message, so I picked it up, and it started freaking out on me and suddenly I was in his google reader. I saw that there was porn in his reader (do porn sites have rss feeds?), and not just a little bit of porn. We're talking massive amounts of porn. I just kept scrolling down because I couldn't help myself. And I kept seeing more and more porn.
This one I knew was a dream, but let's face it - a little too close to reality for comfort, brain (I was in my bed, with my own covers, sheets, bedroom - every detail exactly as it would be in life). I'm a realist, and I know porn exists. I even know my boyfriend looks at porn, although I have no idea when or how often (and I like it that way. Even though technically I don't disapprove of looking at porn, it's not something you want to walk in on your S.O. doing). But on his iPhone?! That's the part that was gross.
I was lying in bed, which I tend to do after J leaves for work, because both of us would wake up a little later when he was in school, and damn if I'm going to break that habit just because his commute changed.
His iPhone rang, and I wasn't sure if it was an alarm or a text message, so I picked it up, and it started freaking out on me and suddenly I was in his google reader. I saw that there was porn in his reader (do porn sites have rss feeds?), and not just a little bit of porn. We're talking massive amounts of porn. I just kept scrolling down because I couldn't help myself. And I kept seeing more and more porn.
This one I knew was a dream, but let's face it - a little too close to reality for comfort, brain (I was in my bed, with my own covers, sheets, bedroom - every detail exactly as it would be in life). I'm a realist, and I know porn exists. I even know my boyfriend looks at porn, although I have no idea when or how often (and I like it that way. Even though technically I don't disapprove of looking at porn, it's not something you want to walk in on your S.O. doing). But on his iPhone?! That's the part that was gross.
03 June 2009
Did You See My Pajamas? That's Because I LIVE HERE.
One of the perils of city living is that I occasionally frequently have to kick people off of our stoop. Usually it's some drunk or drugged up homeless person who is yelling at passersby or has passed out on our stoop so suddenly that they bang the doorway on their way down. Part of me has intense yuppie guilt about asking them to move it, then telling them to move it, then telling them that I'm phoning the police. The majority of my other parts have a short fuse, though, and would like to be able to step onto our threshold without also having to step on a vagrant person, so I end up calling the police about 70% of the time (I call often enough that I am heeded from time to time by the regulars). Occasionally, though, it's not a homeless person. Sometimes it's people in business suits. Or small families with noisy children. And for some stupid reason, it takes me longer to deal with them than it takes me to deal with the homeless people.
Tonight, as I was sitting at my desk trying to think of a good blog entry, I was debating whether or not to ask a woman who was having a cell phone conversation on our stoop to move it along.
Tonight, I finally reasoned that I kick bums off my stoop without a second thought, so why not someone who is clearly on the phone with work or their family, who might be on their way to a nice dinner, or a warm home? They have equally no right to loiter on the property I rent and bother me. Maybe there are quiet persons chilling out there more often than I know, and to them I say chill away - I only use my door a handful of times during the day, anyway, so rock on, because you're not bothering me at all.
This woman, however, was bothering me. So why was I sitting at my desk trying to enjoy a glass of wine instead of kicking her off my stoop so I could actually enjoy it? She was breaking both of the rules I use to determine whether to call the freakin' cops about the homeless people (being noisy and being relentless about being noisy), so why on earth wasn't I telling her to leave?
And now I segue to honestly ask: what the hell is wrong with people? I don't go and stand on her front porch and have loud, chatty conversations. There is nothing really so different about an urban stoop. I don't know how to describe why it's not okay to people not in this situation, except to tell you that it's private property (and that there are noise ordinances). I get that for some inane reason it probably seems okay to you, to stand "innocently" on my stoop and talk loudly (I'm sorry, at your natural volume? Really?), I really do. However, as a first floor urban apartment dweller I am here to tell you, world - it is not okay. It is not okay for you to be on someone else's stoop doing anything. Ever. Especially if you're doing it loudly!
In the end, I didn't even kick her off my stoop because she was that annoying - I did it because of the principle of the matter. These poor homeless people have nowhere to go, but they drive me bonkers, so I ask the police to help me deal with them. This woman was wearing her "I'm an entitled cunt" business suit and having a chatty cell phone conversation on my front porch even though the weather outside is beautiful (i.e. no rain or snow she was taking shelter from). Let's take a moment to reflect on that. Poor homeless person. Noisy entitled asshole.
The only question I still have for myself is why did it take me so long to open my door and stare at her with a deadpan face, holding a glass of wine in my pajamas, until she got the hint?
Tonight, as I was sitting at my desk trying to think of a good blog entry, I was debating whether or not to ask a woman who was having a cell phone conversation on our stoop to move it along.
Tonight, I finally reasoned that I kick bums off my stoop without a second thought, so why not someone who is clearly on the phone with work or their family, who might be on their way to a nice dinner, or a warm home? They have equally no right to loiter on the property I rent and bother me. Maybe there are quiet persons chilling out there more often than I know, and to them I say chill away - I only use my door a handful of times during the day, anyway, so rock on, because you're not bothering me at all.
This woman, however, was bothering me. So why was I sitting at my desk trying to enjoy a glass of wine instead of kicking her off my stoop so I could actually enjoy it? She was breaking both of the rules I use to determine whether to call the freakin' cops about the homeless people (being noisy and being relentless about being noisy), so why on earth wasn't I telling her to leave?
And now I segue to honestly ask: what the hell is wrong with people? I don't go and stand on her front porch and have loud, chatty conversations. There is nothing really so different about an urban stoop. I don't know how to describe why it's not okay to people not in this situation, except to tell you that it's private property (and that there are noise ordinances). I get that for some inane reason it probably seems okay to you, to stand "innocently" on my stoop and talk loudly (I'm sorry, at your natural volume? Really?), I really do. However, as a first floor urban apartment dweller I am here to tell you, world - it is not okay. It is not okay for you to be on someone else's stoop doing anything. Ever. Especially if you're doing it loudly!
In the end, I didn't even kick her off my stoop because she was that annoying - I did it because of the principle of the matter. These poor homeless people have nowhere to go, but they drive me bonkers, so I ask the police to help me deal with them. This woman was wearing her "I'm an entitled cunt" business suit and having a chatty cell phone conversation on my front porch even though the weather outside is beautiful (i.e. no rain or snow she was taking shelter from). Let's take a moment to reflect on that. Poor homeless person. Noisy entitled asshole.
The only question I still have for myself is why did it take me so long to open my door and stare at her with a deadpan face, holding a glass of wine in my pajamas, until she got the hint?
02 June 2009
The Naked Dream
I had that dream last night, the one where you're naked in impossibly uncomfortable situations.
I was shopping at a Payless with my mother, sister and grandmother, and for some reason didn't have clothing on most of the time (at one point, I put my ipod into my pocket, so why I couldn't keep that skirt on the entire time is beyond me). I was actually fine with it (I've been working out, lately), until I noticed someone from my former job was there, also. As it sunk in, and I started panicking and feeling very self conscious, I noticed large pockets of people from my former job milling around, for some reason taking a tour of the building (why a typical modern Payless in El Paso would be architecturally significant to a firm in Boston is beyond me).
I jumped behind a clothing rack, fully expecting to be able to throw a dress over myself and have them ring it up as I walked out, but in between me and the women's clothing section was a group of people my age being dominated by someone I particularly dislike, and she was coming my way, talking loudly about herself, as usual. I pretended to be casually browsing the toddler's clothing in my birthday suit while she kept creeping up around the corner, and I was willing myself to become invisible or sink into the floor, somehow.
Fortunately, this is when my alarm clock rescued me.
Maybe on a related note, I start my first class at MassArt tonight.
I was shopping at a Payless with my mother, sister and grandmother, and for some reason didn't have clothing on most of the time (at one point, I put my ipod into my pocket, so why I couldn't keep that skirt on the entire time is beyond me). I was actually fine with it (I've been working out, lately), until I noticed someone from my former job was there, also. As it sunk in, and I started panicking and feeling very self conscious, I noticed large pockets of people from my former job milling around, for some reason taking a tour of the building (why a typical modern Payless in El Paso would be architecturally significant to a firm in Boston is beyond me).
I jumped behind a clothing rack, fully expecting to be able to throw a dress over myself and have them ring it up as I walked out, but in between me and the women's clothing section was a group of people my age being dominated by someone I particularly dislike, and she was coming my way, talking loudly about herself, as usual. I pretended to be casually browsing the toddler's clothing in my birthday suit while she kept creeping up around the corner, and I was willing myself to become invisible or sink into the floor, somehow.
Fortunately, this is when my alarm clock rescued me.
Maybe on a related note, I start my first class at MassArt tonight.
26 May 2009
Global Warming
I thought this video presented something Really Important in a way that is both visually stunning and easy to swallow. I made a mental note to add even more energy saving measures to our list after this.
I just hope the message gets through to more people, and that instead of dismissing it as a myth, or crazy liberal bunk, they get on board with simple, everyday changes that can make a difference to the future of our planet.
It's really not that hard, and it doesn't even have to be more expensive, to stop supporting companies that don't do anything to change the current situation. Believe me, there's a lot more that J and I could do, but just think of what we as a city, a country, a planet, could do if every household simply reduced their waste, and stopped to think about their environmental impact every time they purchased something, or drove somewhere, or shopped for things. It would just be a start, but what a great start it would be.
P.S. The song, Treeology by Shady Bard (myspace), was also featured in an episode of Grey's Anatomy this season (as well as two other songs in other episodes), which is why it might sound familiar.
I just hope the message gets through to more people, and that instead of dismissing it as a myth, or crazy liberal bunk, they get on board with simple, everyday changes that can make a difference to the future of our planet.
It's really not that hard, and it doesn't even have to be more expensive, to stop supporting companies that don't do anything to change the current situation. Believe me, there's a lot more that J and I could do, but just think of what we as a city, a country, a planet, could do if every household simply reduced their waste, and stopped to think about their environmental impact every time they purchased something, or drove somewhere, or shopped for things. It would just be a start, but what a great start it would be.
P.S. The song, Treeology by Shady Bard (myspace), was also featured in an episode of Grey's Anatomy this season (as well as two other songs in other episodes), which is why it might sound familiar.
21 May 2009
Sore Throat
I have had a persistent sore throat for exactly two weeks, now. I can barely remember a time when I didn't have a sore throat. I had my throat swabbed, and an initial swab test didn't indicate strep, but the lab results haven't come back, yet.
This is seriously hampering my ability to a) be a nice person and b) get shit done.
It may or may not have been swine flu. That's definitely what I told everyone at Josh and Chana's wedding I had. Heh.
For now, MedlinePlus recommends the following:
Also, apologies if I gave anyone the swine flu (kidding).
(I'm not really sorry).
This is seriously hampering my ability to a) be a nice person and b) get shit done.
It may or may not have been swine flu. That's definitely what I told everyone at Josh and Chana's wedding I had. Heh.
For now, MedlinePlus recommends the following:
drinking warm liquids like honey or lemon tea.I suppose this is all I can do for now...Hopefully settling back at home will help, since I've been traveling quite a bit these past two weeks.
Gargling several times a day with warm salt water (1/2 tsp salt in 1 cup water)
Cold liquids and popsicles (yey, popsicles!)
Sucking on hard candies or lozenges
Using a cold mist humidifier
Over the counter pain medication (I use Ibuprofen)
Also, apologies if I gave anyone the swine flu (kidding).
(I'm not really sorry).
07 April 2009
Dear Upstairs Neighbor
Why has your stomping gotten worse?! For all the complaining I do on the Internet, I am wholly certain you have no idea that this blog exists, much less that I'm your irritated downstairs neighbor, and therefore your elephantine stomping can't possibly be retaliatory.
The only explanation I can venture is that you went away on spring break (which was sweet heavenly silence, you should go out of town more often. Like, permanently), where you spent the week eating cheeseburgers and small children.
And now you're eating trails of Cheetos that have been laid across your apartment (J's contribution to the theory) for exercise, since you clearly weigh 350 lbs, but I have to say - you would benefit more from a stationary bike, and so would my sanity.
Signed,
Please Sweet Jesus do not renew your lease.
The only explanation I can venture is that you went away on spring break (which was sweet heavenly silence, you should go out of town more often. Like, permanently), where you spent the week eating cheeseburgers and small children.
And now you're eating trails of Cheetos that have been laid across your apartment (J's contribution to the theory) for exercise, since you clearly weigh 350 lbs, but I have to say - you would benefit more from a stationary bike, and so would my sanity.
Signed,
Please Sweet Jesus do not renew your lease.
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