Thoughts On Stuff » I Did It for Schmience

What’s better than one Sonya?

sunday — Tue, 13 May 2008 19:22:54 +0000

At least two Sonyas! During my last LibraryWeek in Portland, we decided that we could use some help getting everything done. We figured the best way to do this would be to clone ourselves and expedite the growth process. And then a quick trip for matching outfits (like all good twin sets).

during.

sunday — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:16:25 +0000

photo.jpg, originally uploaded by sundaykofax.

flash.

sunday — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:44:33 +0000

photo.jpg, originally uploaded by sundaykofax.

before.

sunday — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:40:01 +0000

photo.jpg, originally uploaded by sundaykofax.

Product review: Furminator

sunday — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:27:44 +0000

My new friend Trinity mentioned that he keeps cat-hair-levels down by using the Furminator.

I agree. Stella liked being groomed (she fell asleep), and all this undercoat fur came off. It’s kind of gross and kind of awesome.

Cherry Chocolate Dr. Pepper

sunday — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 22:46:23 +0000

When I lived in Chicago, a routine Sunday morning event would be for Jason, Jake, and I to haul our hung-over asses to Greatland Target on Elston. We could pick up kitty litter, and eat at the micro Pizza Hut housed within. The soda was available to customers, and there was a Coke-themed soda set-up to make yourself flavored Cokes. At some point, Jake and I discovered that Dr. Pepper and chocolate syrup made an elixir so wonderful that I swear to god, it cured our hangovers. (Not really.)

Ever since seeing the ads for the new (and apparently limited) Cherry Chocolate Dr. Pepper, I’ve of course been on the lookout. I’ve searched the gas stations and grocery stores of the greater southcoast area, with no luck.

Finally, post Boston-move, I found it. Kind of. At the Shaw’s (grocery store) in my neighborhood, I found 12-packs of DIET Cherry Chocolate Dr. Pepper. No 2-liters of diet, no un-diet options. I don’t like diet soda, and I certainly don’t like 12 of any soda, but the box said “limited edition”, so I decided this might be my only chance to try the effing Brigadoon of soda.

I came home, put away the groceries, and pulled out a CCDrP. My brother called, and we talked about my move, his multiple-snow-day week, and I mentioned my beverage. It turns out, he had been on the same quest, and had finally found diet CCDrP in 2-liters form.

We agreed it sucks.

It’s aptly named, in that it tastes more like cherry than chocolate. It totally tastes diety, which regular Dr. Pepper is famous for avoiding. You can’t really taste the chocolate, which was the big draw for me.

So, if you can try regular, non-diet Cherry Chocolate Dr. Pepper in a can, give it a try. Post me a comment. If not, BEWARE. You were warned.

Pare it down, girl.

sunday — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 16:09:18 +0000

I’ve been thinking lately about how wide and varied my interests are. I seem to have the personality where I get deeply interested in something, learn just enough about it to get it, then get distracted with something new … and repeat.

I have a few new up-and-coming interests that are of a professional nature. I’m going to be writing an article about youth librarianship, social web things, with my esteemed colleague Erin. I’ve been accepted as a reviewer of zines for Library Journal. These are both interesting to me, and all publishy.

Realizing that I could have professional success (or at least librarical infamy) if I keep this kind of thing up, I realized that I may just need to pare down some of my interests. I have simply too many things I want to do. I feel a list coming on…

Ongoing and Upcoming Projects:
Fix that accordion I bought, and learn to play it
Bind and cover books – with all the paper, board, and tools I’ve been hording
Master Knitter Level II
Knitting in general – and all the yarn, needles, and accoutrement
Letterboxing kits – carve stamps, write clues, hide boxes
Sewing wallets – sewing machine, giant tub full of fabric
Silkscreening – hoops and screen and paints and shirts
Painting – paints, brushes, and canvases
Develop last of the rolls of film I have – photo processing containers and chemicals
Wedding photography – take that camera I bought and shoot some people at their wedding (ha)
Making hollow books – random books I don’t want to read, but do want to hack apart
Learn more American Sign Language – I know about 100 words and can throw together a sentence
The 24 Hour Zine Thing – website, distro
Finish Outside Cat, the zine
Write a gyne zine
Work on DIY Reporter zine (bet you didn’t know that one even existed)
Play Pokemon Pearl on Shane’s DS
Practice the trombone
Work at a bike shop – sadly, I stopped, but I’m still accruing tools
Work as a children’s performer – I don’t know if I’ll have an opportunity to do this again, like I did with Toe Jam
Tell stories – I could get so wrapped up in the storytelling guild …
Work on Openknitting (bet you didn’t know that existed either)
Research for upcoming LJ zine column on medical zines
Start research with Erin for upcoming Library Review issue
Read books – like knitting, I don’t think I have a choice

Most of these projects require some sort of crafty supplies, and I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this, but Jason, Stella, and I live in a very small apartment. A lot of my crap is out and about, since looking at it inspires me to make something. (Or, like If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, it bounces me from idea to idea.) I think the tools and supplies of my interests are suffocating us.

So, I’ve decided that I’m going to pack up a lot of the crap. I’m going to focus on just a few interests, and let the rest be for a while. I get jealous of Jason, because a lot of his ongoing projects are computer-based, and therefore take up a lot less room (even if they incite the same amount of panic and overwhelming feelings I have).

I’m declaring my cleared head!
I would like to keep knitting, but stick to one project at a time, with no starting random socks just because I have nothing else planned. Much like Goodreads has focused my reading to books I actually am interested in, Ravelry should do the same for knitting projects. Lastly, I think I’d like to finish the zine of Outside Cat. It would be something you would subscribe to, and I’d mail it to you. I’ll post about that later.

I don’t know about you, but I feel better. I’m hoping that my intense list-making skills and cut-and-run tactics have left you breathless with wonderment, and willing to make changes to your own lives (as opposed to feeling overwhelmed and ADHD, as I fear you might).

Still high

sunday — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 16:54:09 +0000

I’m still glowing over yesterday’s storytime. I’ve vowed to buy a personal copy of The Lorax, so I can have it at the ready.

As I was biking to work this morning, I was remembering how awesome it was to throw together an opportunity, a solid story, and a really important lesson and make librarical magic. I was thinking about how great it would be if I could perform stories like this at a moment’s notice, maybe with a few finger puppets I keep in my bag, or a series of tattoos.

Then I remembered Richard’s idea of StoryMob. During our storytelling class in grad school, we had just finished a round of really stellar stories (and we were kind of high, like the children’s high I’m still on) and Richard had the idea of going out to the quad (open area at the University of Illinois) and running up to a group of lounging undergrads and telling them a story or two. The idea morphed into a guerrilla story performance crew.

I think at that point we went out for beers, and the idea was made into a Facebook group. It lingers there, and I know the UIllinois crew is working on it, but I’m wondering what I can do from here. Perhaps we need a site where we can submit stories, be they written, audio, or video. I’d totally record video of me accosting a group of children and making them happy. Maybe old people too.

Broken wing

sunday — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 16:08:00 +0000

I need to build a lightbox to display the sweet x-ray film I have of my clavicle.

This is the second x-ray taken of me. The first, at the emergency room, showed the bone broken but basically in shape. At some point (I shrugged a little) it disaligned. This is what it looks like now, but smoothed over with new bone growth. The jagged parts are filled in with my internally-created spackle. You can only kind of see the bump, although it’s easily felt.

Next time you see me, ask to touch it. It’s neat.

I got my bike out yesterday, and fixed it. I need to buy a new helmet, and I’ll start biking to work again. I’m sure I’ll bike slower, at least for a while.

Poopsmith in the House

sunday — Fri, 04 May 2007 21:10:21 +0000

Today I learned that I am not yet ready to handle kid poop. I can handle cat poop (there’s only so much poo a cat can hold), I can handle cow patties (because they’re outside), and I routinely deal with my own. As it turns out, I’m just not ready for the amount of poo that can be found in a 3-year-old’s butt.

I do give kudos to all parents, for I am certain that at some point while in public, some substance is going to come out of your child, and you have to deal with it.

On a different note, I have more to post about the MLA con, but I’m back at the library today, and had a stinky new experience I just had to share. I hope not all stomachs are turned.