People Make Weird Choices

I've been really good lately at taking chances on new movies instead of just watching Season 3 of The Office for the 500th time. I chose the 2007 documentary Crazy Love because it was on Netflix's list of Oakland favorites, and I thought I should see why the rest of the city liked it so much.

Crazy Love is the story of Burt Pugach, who hires thugs to throw lye into his ex-girlfriend's Linda's eyes after she jilts him. She goes blind, he goes to jail, and 17 years later, they get married. It's a really sad, fucked-up story told in sort of an offhand, jovial way, which I found interesting. The tone really differs from the subject matter; kind of like, "Hey, look at these two goofballs," as opposed to something much darker.



I do love character studies, though, and while it's clear that Pugach is a sociopath, Linda was a little harder to figure out. This was a great sewing movie because like most documentaries, it didn't have much action, just lots of talking. Recommended if you want to feel weird for the rest of the day. Do not watch on Valentine's Day.

I decided to go out on a limb and watch a movie I've never heard of before this afternoon. Bunny Lake is Missing is, well, about a kid who goes missing/may not have ever existed. It's a whole genre now, but I think this was one of the first ones.

It was a little campy and not that suspenseful, but fun, and I always like looking into the weird blank eyes of Keir Dullea (you may know him better as the weird blank-eyed astronaut in 2001--"Open the pod bay doors, Hal"). One of the oddest parts of the movie was the occasional incongruous appearance of The Zombies, being adorable on a television screen and singing their jangly hits. I can't tell if it shattered the attempted dark mood of the film or just made it awesomer.

I'm also super jazzed because I found a book for $1.00, Common Culture: Reading and Writing about American Pop Culture, which are two of my favorite things to do. I'll be starting a heavy-sounding new day job soon, so I gotta cram all these enjoyable activities in while I still have the time.

I am Larry David.

As the people who have to deal with me on a daily basis can tell you, I've loosened up a lot over the years. But it still makes my blood boil when citizens break certain grocery-store related rules.

I was at Berkeley Bowl the other weekend, and I witnessed at least two people casually eating out of the bulk bins. I've always assumed it's common knowledge that one doesn't reach their filthy hand into the bin and chow down on some sesame sticks or what have you. But I've seen this too many times. I might be more forgiving if said snackers were clearly poor and in need of food. But these two were wearing very expensive shoes! And one of them wasn't just going in to sample; she returned repeatedly to the SAME BIN.

I wish I could summon up this kind of outrage for things that really matter, but I am wired to be a petty freak. Next week: how I feel when people crack open their bag of un-paid-for potato chips in the line to pay. Because they're just that hungry!

Dare I say it: OMGOMGOMG!

Spicy Labels // ReadyMade Blog, originally uploaded by giant dwarf.

Hey, friends! Some big news: I have a fancy new gig: craft blogger over at Readymade.com! I am so insanely excited about this. I'll be putting a lot of my crafty content over at Make Nice from now on, but I'll still be here doing what I do! Please stop by and let me know what you think--eeek!

This may be a surprise to most people, but I had never made a cupcake in my life before last night. How did this happen, you may ask? There are a few factors at play. Firstly, I'm not wild about cake. I much prefer a cookie, a pie, or a piece of candy. Secondly, it seemed like too much work. I haven't done much baking in the past few years.

But with 2010 feeling like a real fresh start (PS. I accidentally typed "shart" and cracked myself up before fixing it. Sigh.), the holiday gift of Chronicle Books' Cupcake Kit, the appearance of some cupcake pans in my kitchen, and a glorious month off, the time was finally right!

Yes, I used a boxed mix. Yes, I used pre-made frosting. But I'll be damned if my first cupcakes are not the greatest cupcakes ever! The little flowers came from Miette. So proud!

Old, but new to me....

Etsy Front Page 10/15/08 smugcat, originally uploaded by Etsy Front Pagers.

I like it when I get on the front page of Etsy and find out like 2 years later. Yay!

It's been five years since I left Portland. Although I don't regret moving for a minute, sometimes I really, really miss it. Conveniently, there's a beautiful song about missing Portland to listen to during these times.

drawing by Mike Conway

As I sit here quietly drinking coffee and eating spoonfuls of Nutella out of a teacup, it seems mad to think that a month ago I was scurrying around like a chicken with her head cut off. I guess that's the difference between December and January. Therefore, I'm finally put together enough to share these highlights from a hectic December.

Sometimes your nail polish perfectly complements that of your bff's. Such was the case at this Big Sky Cafe brunch.

Amazing wrapping job by the amazing Erin; the rest of our family had issues this year, so we mostly threw presents into old Starbucks handlebags and haphazardly crumpled some tissue paper. Erin really stepped up to the plate; thank goodness!

A super-cool non-Starbucks gift bag from my mom; perhaps I exaggerated before.

Bathroom wallpaper at the Verdi Club in SF, where I did the Noise Pop Holiday Shop. I'd never taken a photo while sitting on the toilet before, but there's a first time for everything.

I got to hit Miette for one delicious moment. Magical!

My purses adorning the bookshelf at ISSUES during my pop-up shop! We had a great time on a rainy December night; I'm so lucky to live practially next door to a place that is so deeply awesome. They work hard to make this neighborhood more than a yuppie paradise by promoting really cool community-building events and by selling the finest selection of reading materials.

The lovely ladies of Fat Bottom Bakery! Not only are they adorably clothed, but their vegan baked goods are fantastic. I inhaled a wee Red Velvet cupcake, and it was divine.

My neighbor returned from his cross-country holiday vacation the other day, and said, "I hope my astral body catches up with me soon." I secretly laughed at the hippie jargon, but I know what he meant. I think a part of me is still in December.

Renegade Craft Fair!

Reunited and it felt so good! It seems like eons ago since Sue and I worked together at our beloved Finnegan's Toys and Gifts. But we immediately got back into our tag-team shopgirl groove a few weekends ago when we shared a booth at Renegade Craft Fair in San Francisco.

We both sold like crazy and had the best time doing it.

It didn't hurt that this was Sue's first West Coast show, and the California crafterati was clamoring for her beauteous creations.

We used to stand like this behind a counter for eight hours a day drinking coffee and shooting the breeze! Man, it was great.

Our cozy corner of Fort Mason.

These two days were truly the highlight of my year; it's hard when your dearest friends are scattered around the globe, but it makes it that much more magical when you get to see them again.

Without sharing too many sordid details, I think the following video sums up the insane bureaucracy of my most recent temporary gig at a large corporation.



I had to make ten thousand phone calls just to find out if it was actually my last day at work today, because no one in the office seemed authorized to give me a solid answer. This kind of stuff drives me loco, man. But enough venting! Onward and upward, as usual.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Ooops! Time flies when you're having "fun!" I truly don't understand what happens to the passage of time once the weather turns cold, but all of a sudden Christmas is over and it's the crazy robotic future times of 2010!

I'm starting off this magical year with the Pollyanna post-holiday classic, an oozing coldsore that appeared once the clock struck midnight, but I'm not letting that deter my excitement for what the next few months have to offer. Luckily, I don't have to show my hideous face to the general public because I'm back to working at home! I'll be taking a short break from corporate drudgery while I prepare for a major new project that I hope will blow your mind as much as it's blown mine. Keep your ears open!

Since I won't be sitting in a cubicle reading about the varying types of conjoined twins or the Reverend Sun Myung Moon (thanks, Wikipedia, for all the entertainment during the past few months), I'll have a few more hours free to get down to PC business. That means more time for blogging, picture-taking, and making, making, making!