See a Little Light? Well, maybe just a little.

In the last few weeks, I've managed to actually read a couple of books, which has always seemed like an impossibility when school is in session.  I'm hoping I can maintain the momentum as the semester goes on.  We'll see what happens when all the papers start coming in.

See a Little Light by Bob Mould with Michael Azzerad was the first book I read this year.  Hüsker Dü has always been one of my favourite hardcore bands, and I was excited to read Mould's (a primary member of the trio) memoir.  Hüsker Dü definitely expanded the range of music to be found in the punk scene of the '80s, and the fact that Mould is now an out gay man added another dimension of interest.

Stuff I'd Wanted to Blog About But Didn't

I've been playing with the camera my ladyfriend bought me for Christmas with the intention of blogging about a variety of things like fashion, crafting, and my friends.  Somehow, I just never got to it, so here's a new category - what I'd intended to blog about.  Think of it as an (highly) edited abstract of what's been going on. 

What I Wore to Teach on my second day of classes:
     Love the action shot!

     But seriously.

Top & Dress: Gail Berry

Knitting!

Alpaca hand-dyed by Janine Stewart - Give it a Whorl

Celine's birthday! (day before celebration)

Celine and Emma

Emma

Okay, now I can go onto new posts.

Something to Crow About

Photo by Liss Platt

There's almost nothing better than when someone you love gets credit for their work, and when the credit is glowing, it's nothing short of transcendent (at least for me). Please join me in congratulating my ladyfriend, Liss Platt, whose current show at MKG127 in Toronto received an amazing review from RM Vaughan in today's Globe and Mail. 

Shoe of the Week: Where's the Fire?

Prada

I can feel the heat from here.

What I'm Wearing to Teach Today: Authority Figure?

Thought maybe I'd exude authority on the first day of class although in this photo, I'm just laughing.  I'm also holding onto the plant so I don't get blown away.

Dress:  RM
Shoes:  Alexandra Neel

The Marble Game

Image from Layoutsparks.com

Happy New Year! 

I lost interest in making "resolutions" a couple of years back.  Maybe it was because it just turned into a giant, impossible to-do list that almost always seemed insurmountable.  (One of my middle names is "I'm-nothing-if-not-ambitious.")  Anyway, this year, instead of listing things I want or need to do, I'm adopting a theme:  energy.  Simply put, it's about evaluating the amount of energy I put into something or someone based on what I can honestly expect back from it/them.  It's not some kind of one-to-one ratio or cold self-interested analysis, but more of a reality check.  If you can't make time for me, why am I chasing you around?  If I'm not excited by what I'm doing or learning or don't have time to enjoy it, why am I doing it? It's gotten a little masochistic over the last few years.

Sometimes It Lands the Way You Want it To

 There are two parts to this story, but they both involve the same person/same blog:  Kate Davies of Needled - a favourite blog of mine.


Last year I sent a "get well soon card" to Kate who had recently suffered a stroke.  I was, and still am, moved by her struggle and how well she seems to manage.  I'm such a crank that I'm sure I'd alienate all but those with the strongest intestinal fortitude.  I'm sure Kate has her days, but she actually communicates her struggles (rather than internalizes them as yours truly would do).

Checking in with her blog, I saw that she'd archived the correspondence she's received, and I found the card I sent her.* Yes, I'm a dork (what?); it was so gratifying to know that my card actually got to her.  Snail mail still has its merits.

The second part is related to yesterday's covetable dress.  I found out about Cabbages & Roses from her blog; she'd interviewed their designer as she is often asked about her wardrobe (much of which is Cabbages & Roses) so I went to their website where I fell in love with the red wool dress, which - by the way - is on its way to me (via a friend) right now (yay!).**

Visit her blog, buy her patterns, make something covetable.

*Thanks to my mother-in-law who I believe gave me those cards.
**Quite the compound/complex sentence.  I wonder if I'd let my students get away with that one.