beer, cats, and organizational tools (and decoration, too)

Imagine the surprise, the little dance of beer-victory when I went to Sam's yesterday and, lo!, there was London Pride! It's not what you could get straight from the pub where they have it on tap but it's pretty damn fresh tasting. Yum.

Observational side-note...the bottle is heavier than American ones.

Settling in to the new apt. and getting things organized is a slow process. So much still to do! Once it looks photo-worthy you'll get a peek or two at the wee new place. Hey! The apt now has a name...the wee new place. Wonder if that'll hold up in a year or two...

Here are a couple of fun things bought for the new place that, in theory, should aid in cheeriness and organizational zing:


This was nailed up on the side of a bookcase. Magazines and anything else can be placed in this nifty hanging bit of cloth from Reisenthel. What amuses me is that it looks like the little pocket at the bottom is for a pack of ciggies.


This bookcase (of which I have four and once were available cheaply at Target)...is where it was hung. Which, sadly, is no longer available from Target...as far as I can tell.



Look at this bit of cheery grassland (which is overdue for a mowing.) It's perfect for pens and any other items that can be shoved between the blades of green. Toothbrushes, makeup brushes, shorter paint brushes, anything that wants to be nestled between the blades. Umbra can be hit or miss with their designs. This one was, imo, a hit. On one side the grass is closely spaced for narrower pens and as it progresses to the other side it's wider spaced for bulkier pens.



This blue bit of cheeriness is on the desk awaiting quick write-downs of bands heard on internet radio or appointments made or brilliant, spontaneous bolts of creative ideas. It's blue, it's on an easel that you can tighten, and it's light enough to lift and place on your lap for horizontal ease of jotting. It also is fab for magnets.


Other than the above items...four 9" x 12" sheets of black wall stickers were bought and placed on a wall of the bedroom as if they are pictures. They're mini chalkboards and can be the home of a rotating art show. ;)


Paperboy has a kickass collection of wrapping paper that, cheaply, can become artsy wall decorations. The above were selected and decisions are still being made as to where to put them and how to utilize them.

cellphone snaps

My wee little pebl phone takes crappy photos and sometimes...the crappiness looks kinda cool. It could be the subject matter.


Doesn't this have a spy-like vibe? All clandestine and voyeuristic and from long, long ago.


Just a smidge of a Diana feel.


Wee little robot graffiti, how you cheered me up on a cloudy, miserable day.

random pet photos and ponderings

This photo was a happy accident. It was taken with my Dad's long-stolen Fuji digital camera and though I now have the more recent model...his took way better photos. The dog was moving and it was overcast and I think those two factors caused something lovely to happen.


This dog would happily carry the newspaper for his master, a silver-haired fellow in his seventies, and the dog would walk, sans leash, next to him to and from the estate they lived on in south London. The owner had the thickest of cockney accents and that was a thrill for me.

A few years after the photo was taken I saw the dog again but this time with a young woman and they were following the same routine. Gal would go into the store, dog would sit outside, newspaper would be given to the dog, and then both would head home. I was too shy to go up to them and take another photo. I should've because then I could've offered to send them copies. Or maybe that would've been strange? Maybe next year when I visit...


This is my Gizmo...Giz, Gizster, Mr. Minty, Señor Pooglins, Dorkus, Pumpkin, etc etc. Again, a happy accident with the light. Him and a glove that he and the other cat had played with earlier that week and I was too lazy to pick up. If I had been more photographerly...the shadows would be very, very dark and you wouldn't see hints of things in the background. Still...it's total Giz. That oddly displeased look on his face. The one paw held out. The long hairs on his posterior...his speed stripes. All Giz.


Pips stretching at the old apartment.


Pips enjoying sunshine on an empty Corona box.


And...Pips intent on a fly ensnared by the beauty of the almost translucent lampshade.

Lastly...attack of the killer bra!

Poor Giz...he didn't stand a chance.

I'm not a good photographer...yet. Right now the two cameras that are working are a wee digital one and a Diana+ that takes medium (larger and square) format photos. Despite a lack of knowledge (and a horrible grade in one photography class) it's still fun to take photos. It's going to be a while before I learn how to achieve contrast and the intricacies of speed. Meanwhile...

...I carry at least one camera with me at all times.



It's been raining for quite a while here in Chicago and on the way to the L last week the Y building and its neon letters stood out strikingly. With umbrella held precariously in place between arm and armpit and rain threatening to cover the lens I was able to take about 6 photos. This one turned out okay...except for how flat it is and how those trees in the bottom right corner kinda mess things up. What I do like is that you can see the forced atmospheric perspective created by the foggy skies behind the Y building.

Scanfest 2008

Well, the scanner has been hooked up and it's time to finally share the tons of images from my collection of vintage textbooks. This "project" is going to be an on and off thing so please don't expect constant updates. Today? Only one scan and it's okay. The other illustrations in the book can be a mite wacky as seen from our cynical 21st century eyes.


Opening spread from the Cadette Girl Scout Guide. Year and illustrator unknown.

As someone in the publishing industry it's fascinating that the title of this chapter allows for the gutter yet the illustration doesn't. Was this intentional, is it the norm, or was it accidental? I have no clue as I work at a place that frowns mightily heavy on text crossing the gutter...but there's exceptions to every rule, eh?

The illustration is lovely. A bit sketchy, you can see lines that normally would've been erased, and also a bit polished. What I like about this illustrator is how their lines go from heavy to light following the contours of the body or object and how sometimes the stroke of those lines are heavy to indicate shadow.

Oh, the joy

First blogger in a while...whole new name, unsure of what direction...but, it's been years and, my oh my, how things have changed.

Have a new place and am still unpacking and sorting and, egads, still discarding.



Got two of these...they'll come in handy for...um...things. And conversation starters! Certainly that!

A lot of stuff like this:



...was donated. And when I say a lot...there is no exaggeration. Some, though, was just left haphazardly near the old building's dumpsters and, amazingly, people did come by and go through it all and take what they wanted.

I, meanwhile, get to see this on a pretty regular basis:



I'm *not* a Sox fan...and that feels like a betrayal. Does it help that I've been to more of their games than to Cubs games? No? Well, pfft! on you! ;)