michelle my belle

Still want to follow me?

2010-12-02T16:01:00.000-05:00

Fret not, dear readers, though Michelle My Belle may have moved to a slightly less-updated tumblr location [look for more there soon], there are other blogs from yours truly to check out:

Experience Preferred...[but not required.]

contains my thoughts on dating & relationships.

Meanwhile....

Vegans Taste Better.

provides insight into my newly vegan lifestyle:

complete with interviews, recipes and product recommendations.

I hope you follow me there too! Enjoy!

Tumblr Testing.

2009-11-07T01:35:00.009-05:00

Admittedly, I'm a bad blogger.

I just don't seem to have the attention span lately for anything longer than an 140 character tweet [which is addicting].

I even planned on jumpstarting my motivation again by participating in NaBloPoMo, but alas, the first of November came and went without a posting so that idea was scrapped.

So in an effort to both combine my tendency for a shorter attention span and also renew my interest in posting, I've started a Tumblr account.

If I've set everything up properly, this should be where everything I post comes together, from twitter to facebook to this blog, all under one colorful little roof.

Check it out.

Young @ Heart.

2009-10-29T00:13:00.001-04:00

New on Miseducated.

New Blog Design!

2009-10-25T15:03:00.004-04:00

What do you think?

New on Miseducated.

2009-10-23T14:43:00.003-04:00

my apartment + my verse

on Miseducated.net.

Blog Action Day, Save a Polar Bear.

2009-10-15T23:45:00.005-04:00

It is mere seconds after I posted the following tweet: @michelleshea wishes she had the energy to do a blog action day post, but instead you can check out those who did:

http://www.blogactionday.org/en/blogs

I felt a tug of guilt immediately after pressing 'send'. I mean, I work for Greenpeace, the least I could do is send a Climate Change blurb into cyberspace before crashing into dreamland.

For those of you unaware, today is Blog Action Day. Apparently, every year a topic is chosen for bloggers to write about, raising awareness and creating cyber discussions worldwide for a specific subject. I would probably be totally unaware of this event if it wasn't for the fact that this year's topic is Climate Change.

For six hours every weekday, I stand on the [very cold] streets of Chicago and convince strangers to talk to me about this very topic. So, in honor of Blog Action Day, here is my spiel:

You've heard of Global Warming right? You know, that tiny little problem that's been nagging at us for the past several years [for those who can't read sarcasm, there's a big chunk of it on 'tiny'].

Well did you know that the US is actually a HUGE part of that problem? 25% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions [those pesky little pollutants that cause dangerous climate change] come from the United States and we here in the States only make up 5% of the world's population. If you're not good at math, you should be told that this means we're doing WAY more than our share of polluting our amazing planet.

So what can you do to help?

1. Sign up to be a member of Greenpeace. [ok, I'm half kidding...I'd actually prefer you track me down on the street to do this. ;)]

2. Cut back on your individual greenhouse gas emissions. Walk, bike, carpool, or take public transportation. [nothing new right? It's because simplicity works.]

3. Eat your Peanut Butter and Jelly. Or at least eat less animal products [I said LESS, Carnivores! So please stop threatening me with your steak knife] in order to reduce your meal's carbon footprint.

And

4. If you're in the area of an event on October 24th, you might consider participating in Climate Action Day. Same concept as Blog Action Day, only replace the avatars with real, live people

Do NOT attend AIO.

2009-10-01T18:32:00.005-04:00

A situation regarding my online degree with the Art Institute has plagued me over the past few months and I wanted to share it with the online community in the hopes of helping others avoid similar frustrations.

However, because I am absolutely exhausted with the amount of times I have had to re-hash this situation in writing, I will simply share with you the email explaining the situation that was sent to the head of the financial department just this afternoon:

Mr. Kiss,

I am writing to inform you of a situation that I hope has been brought to your attention already. I am a recent student of AI Online and was signed up under the Digital Design program. Because of your institution's lack of clarity and communication, I am now deeply upset by the financial situation that has been forced upon me.

Upon enrollment, I was contacted by Silny Arcia regarding the payment options for my tuition. According to Ms. Arcia, I had two options: 1. to pay the tuition in full with a one time payment or 2. to make several payments over the year that would also include interest charges. Not wanting to accumulate interest on an already high amount [$8996.00 after financial aid and loans] and also not wanting to worry about making payments over time, I agreed to pay in full.

However, about a month later, in October of last year, I received a stipend check in the mail for the amount of $5839.18. There was no explanation accompanying the check to let me know why I was receiving said amount so I did some investigating. Since my emails to Ms. Arcia went unanswered, I was left with no choice but to call the general student hotline for finances. It took quite a few calls to receive a clear answer, but eventually an explanation was given. Apparently, the amount of the stipend was a portion of my payment being sent back to me to hold until further billings arrived. I told the representative that I had chosen to pay in full to avoid interest charges and he said that he understood and that it must be 'because there can only be a certain amount of money in the student account at one time.' This, in and of itself is a frustrating concept after being told that I would be able to pay all at once, but I simply put the funds into savings and left it untouched.

Unfortunately, when I received my final tuition statement in the mail I was shocked to find that it's amount FAR exceeded the remaining amount of the stipend. Since email and phone inquiries to Ms. Arcia continued to go unanswered, I contacted my academic advisor in hopes of some directions to another financial contact. He in turn directed me to Tobe Resetar. Upon explaining my situation to Mr. Resetar, he too found that the numbers did not add up and said that he would have to contact the accounting department and get back to me later that day...he never called back. After about a week and a half without response, I contacted Mr. Resetar via email to find out what the progress was. This email was responded to via phone call in which he informed me that the money in question had not yet been 'put back in' my account. Now, why said money was supposedly missing, Mr. Resetar didn't say, but he did inform me that he would contact accounting to find out what the issue was and call me later that evening...again, I never received a second phone call.

Finally, at the completion of classes, tired of the lack of communication and the constant misunderstandings regarding my account, I simply paid the remaining amount from my stipend [$812.22] and sent Mr. Resetar an email informing him that, since the remaining balance was still 'missing' from my account, I would assume he could take care of it with the help of the accounting department. I, in turn, considered myself paid in full based on the information gathered in our previous conversations. That is, until Mr. Resetar's response informed me that I did in fact owe the remaining $919.66. He claimed that this was due to the fact that my 'full amount' payment was actually only for the first academic year from Oct-May AND that I had signed paperwork informing me of such.

HOWEVER, when it is stated at the start of enrollment that a person can PAY THE FULL AMOUNT, one assumes that this is what is happening. Furthermore, had that initial payment not been partially returned to me, I would have been aware of the additional charges sooner when statements containing an unpaid balance arrived at my door. The fact that an institution of this size and stature cannot figure out what to do with a large tuition payment is ridiculous. If a student expects to pay in full to avoid messing with future payments, this option should be fully available. They should not be forced to deal with the hassle of making payments once a large payment has already been made. And on another issue, students of an online organization should be able to expect excellent communication on the part of the school's staff. If face to face is not an option, one should not have to pull teeth in order to get a response from financial advisers and staff. To this day, I am still unaware as to whether Ms. Arcia is even still employed with AIO. I had contact with her for the first few weeks during enrollment and then NEVER HEARD FROM HER AGAIN. This is unacceptable. Staff should return phone calls and emails promptly and follow thru when they say they will call back.

In closing, I wish to leave you with a story about Prudential insurance. Not long ago, Prudential faced a class action lawsuit for the very complaints that I lay before you. In this situation, new clients of Prudential were informed verbally that they could pay for their new insurance with the interest from their existing insurance and never face any out of pocket expenses. However, when interest rates dropped and the first insurance no longer had the amounts predicted, the new clients of Prudential faced unexpected charges. When complaints of this issue were brought to the company's attention, clients were informed that they had signed paperwork that stated this could be a possibility. This mattered not to the clients who had been verbally promised their finances would remain untouched. So, in gathering numbers, the disgruntled clients of Prudential filed a class action lawsuit against the company for falsification of their information. AND THEY WON.

Sometimes what you have in writing doesn't matter as much as what you say. I suggest that you look into improving your lines of communication and clarity before your institution faces a similar fate, perhaps not far in the future.

.......

Michelle Shea Walker

Cactus Flower.

2009-09-06T02:35:00.010-04:00

My newest cinematic obsession: Cactus Flower.

I'd caught pieces of this one way back when [in the days that I had access to cable], but it wasn't until last night's Netflix viewing that I was able to appreciate the whole zany start-to-finish experience.

I love most Goldie Hawn movies, but particularly those from her early days. Not only are her characters adorably free spirited, but her clothing is amazing. Standing at a diminutive 5'2", I'm a fan of the mini dress, and in the 60's Goldie was the mini queen.

Here are some of my favorite leg flashers from Cactus Flower [excuse the screen cap quality, I only recently lost my Ctrl + Prnt Scrn virginity and I'm still a bit of an amateur]:

From the very first scene, this costume captures my heart. First of all, it's pink [I've become such a girly cliche, but I'm okay with it]. Even better, it's also short and pleated and ruffly, my other fashion favorites.

This jacket/scarf combo is another aesthetic I'm starting to love. Moving to the Windy City, I'm learning to appreciate the value of cute outerwear. And I love that this jacket clearly isn't even the length of an average dress, yet there's nothing else underneath.

I wish I was talented enough to have gotten a decent full-length shot of this scene. It's another short jacket/no pants combo, but with an adorably tailored flair. And have I mentioned ruffles?

Now if you'll excuse me, I must get back to my Netflix...I might miss a mini.

Sugar-holic's Return

2009-08-23T01:48:00.007-04:00

It's that time of year again, apparently the fall is when I get just crazy enough to try some self-experimentation.

Once Again:

30 Days. No Sugar. No Sanity.

Just a Tease.

2009-07-22T01:55:00.006-04:00

I've always thought something big would happen at 25. ;)

Sweet Home Chicago.

2009-07-13T02:10:00.008-04:00

"Come and show me another city with lifted head singing
so proud to be alive and coarse and strong and cunning."
[Carl Sandburg, Chicago]

Views from the top of the Sears Tower:

Beauty.

Suspense.

103 Stories High.

Right at Home. :)

I'll say it again:
I ♥ this city.

Birthday Wish List.

2009-06-30T14:28:00.014-04:00

I am always a bit hesitant about wish lists. First of all, it's rather presumptuous to assume anyone plans on buying you a gift at all. Secondly, it's hard to walk that line between what you want and what you feel comfortable asking people to spend on you.

However, on the flip side, I find it very helpful having a list of what my friends would like on their special occasions...registries are my friend.

So friends, in that spirit, here are some gift ideas [and one dream item thrown in just for fun] for my 25th on July 17th.

1. It Happened One Night DVD-I can actually watch this on Netflix online for free, but I've viewed it at least once a week for the past month so I think that qualifies it to be added to my collection.

2. Sofia Minis-Anyone who's been to The Corner Wine Bar with me knows that this is a favorite. I've found it in bottle form up here which is great, but the mini's are much more practical for this single girl.

3. Lipstick Jungle, Season 2-My guilty pleasure. I really only watch for Victory Ford's story lines, but the fabulous clothes and colorful decor make the viewings totally worthwhile.

4. L.A.M.B. Rosebury Boots-This is my dream item. No one I know would be able to afford buying these boots for me, nor would I want them to, but I just adore them too much not to at least mention them. :)

5. Urban Outfitters Gift Card-I finally live just blocks away from an Urban Outfitters and I can't afford to shop there. It's torture.

6. Pushing Daisies, Season 2-This one is for the late-givers since it's not actually released until July 21st.

7. TCM's Katharine Hepburn Collection-Having Netflix has made me realize just how much I miss watching old films on TCM. The Philadelphia Story has been on my wish list for forever, so why not include the other Katharine greats while you're at it?

8. The Book: An Actor's Guide to Chicago, Sixth Edition-Do I really need to explain why I want this one? There's actually a Seventh Edition out now that is probably more up to date, I just couldn't find an image of its cover.

9. ~~Priceless DVD~~-Another Netflix find, this movie has become a part of my top ten. Loosely based on Breakfast at Tiffany's, the story walks the line of imitation perfectly without stepping on the toes of the original.

10. ~~Itunes Gift Card~~-I like music. And movies. And TV shows. Enough said.

11. Burlesque and the Art of the Teese-I ♥ Dita. And I'm a notorious collector of beautiful coffee table books like this one. I've wanted it for ages, but can't bring myself to buy it on my own.

12. ~~Chinese Laundry Tabb Boots~~ [size 7 1/2]-This wish list item was actually inspired by item 13. In How to Steal a Million, Audrey Hepburn throws together a last-minute ensemble that includes a nightie, a pink pea coat, and a pair of patent leather rain boots. There's something about this combination that I adore and I've been obsessing about these boots ever since.

13. ~~How to Steal a Million DVD~~-Again, blame Netflix for this one. I'm always adding to my Audrey collection anyway and this is one of few DVD's I'm missing.

Help me, Twitter-verse!

2009-06-29T23:07:00.006-04:00

Alright, dear readers, I'm currently working on applying for a summer internship dealing with online social networking and I need 500 followers on Twitter and 500 friends on Facebook.

Here's what you can do to help out: follow me and RT [that's re-tweet] my pleas for help!

If you don't already have Twitter you can join and follow, which I highly recommend.
Twitter updates can be linked to other social networks such as Facebook, making posting on the go easy via text messaging.
It's addictive and fun. :)

Happy Father's Day. ♥

2009-06-21T23:34:00.005-04:00

Favorite Things About My Dad:

♥ Growing up he had an arsenal of nicknames for me, none of which had any reasoning behind them whatsoever [Chellie-Pie, Chellie-Bear, etc.].
♥ He smells like cigarettes and Zest soap.
♥ He has the best laugh ever. I'll pretty much do anything to try and make my dad laugh.
♥ His hugs are the greatest.

This is one of my favorite photos of my dad, taken around 1962.
I found it one evening pouring through old photo albums at my parent's house.
It's now on display in my livingroom.

Another favorite, this photo was taken by me at age 1 1/2.
I love that he's clearly trying to help make sure he's in the frame.

And in other, equally important news, today is my little sister's one year anniversary with her husband, Cody. I couldn't wish for a better brother-in-law.

Redecorating: Catwoman Style

2009-06-21T03:47:00.005-04:00

This is one of my favorite movie transformations ever:
from doormat to sex kitten.

And frankly, I'm not sure that years of watching it as a child hasn't influenced my adult decor choices. My apartment theme isn't that much unlike post-Catwoman Selina's:
covered in pink, but with a slight destructive edge.
I even have LED lights in my bedroom.

influenced by Influence.

2009-06-18T01:42:00.012-04:00

Throughout my life there have been three references people often make upon hearing my name:

The first, and most common, is the oh-so-evident Beatles song, the inspiration for this blog's moniker. Now I adore the Beatles as much as the next vintage loving twenty-something, and I feel very special to possess one of the many names that brings about a reference to one of their songs [something only the lucys, sades, and prudences of the world can understand], but I've also heard far too many off-key renditions of "MEEESHELL MY BELLE..." rattled off at the sound of my name.

The second connection made is usually much later, once the person has been let in on a little of my past and become privy to the information that I was in the band for six weeks in sixth grade. I had to quit because, despite my best efforts, I was unable to produce any sound whatsoever from my...flute. [You see where this is going?]

The third reference is the most interesting kind to witness [or perhaps a close second to the serenade]. It's often made during a discussion of favorite TV shows of the past. Without fail, someone will bring up Full House and again, without fail, someone will feel the need to point out that Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen played a character named Michelle...just like my name! Why these people feel that this fact might have escaped my attention over the past 22 years, I have no idea, but often this realization excites them more than it probably should. But as annoying as this reference may be, as MK and Ashley have grown older and their sense of style began to draw attention, I became a closet fan. Both in fashion and in fascination, I sort of admire them. I guess you'd say they're a bit of a guilty pleasure, though I often show little guilt in my indulgence.

So of course, when I heard word of their book Influence, I immediately had a craving.

Unlike the teeny-bopper fare that the Twins have been so famous for over the years, Influence is for the grown up fashionista. With interviews with style Mavricks like Diane von Furstenberg and Christian Louboutin, it's like a grande-sized fashion mag, complete with eye-catching imagery [who doesn't love a close up on a Louboutin heel?].

Having only owned the book a few days, I'm currently still pouring thru the pages. However, there is one interview that has caught my interest from the first thumb thru. It's with former Interview editor and Warhol friend, Bob Colacello. In his conversation with Mary-Kate, Bob talks about how anyone can create their own Factory environment simply by being open to meeting new people and embracing the creativity in the ones around you. As a wannabe Factory Girl myself, this idea intrigued me. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that I've already surrounded myself with a Factory of creative spirits, each with their own appeal and specialty.

So here's what I'm thinking: Why not feature my very own Influence interviews right here in this blog?

Stay tuned for more 'influenced by Influence' blogs featuring the cast of my own personal Factory.

past life personas

2009-06-15T23:35:00.005-04:00

There are certain things in this life that feel inexplicably familiar:

The pad of my bare feet on my apartment's hardwood floor.
The breeze of the El train as it rushes by on the platform.
And the comfort I feel from watching an old black and white film.

Netflix has become an addiction as of late and through this addiction, I've found a new favorite film: It Happened One Night.

There's something about the strength and gumption of the female characters in the 1930's that sucks me right in.
Memories of a past life perhaps?

Be the Lorax ♥ Captain Planet.

2009-06-10T19:12:00.003-04:00

New Greenspiration.

Lorax Update: Greenspiration.

2009-06-08T10:00:00.002-04:00

Read the first installment of Greenspiration on BetheLorax.com.

Naptown Girl in a Chitown World.

2009-06-07T22:22:00.004-04:00

It's been just over a week and I'm in love...
in love with Chicago,
in love with the El train ride,
in love with my little home.

And since I finished hanging posters and paintings today, I figured I'd give you a glimpse into my Chitown haven:

Color-coded cinema. :) [who knew so many DVD's were white?]

Yes, those are shoes. They're not very comfortable to wear, but they make for interesting decor.

I have lots of scarves, why not make a mini curtain?

This theater shows mostly old hollywood films and new cult classics.

Notice the massive collection of vintage purses that I never wear.

My little reading/music nook. ♥

Hallway view. [Excuse the laundry.]

Walk-in closet! ;)

Tiny bathroom filled with pink.

Canvas-covered hallway.

and finally*, where I lay my head [at either end].

*There's also a kitchen at the other end of this
room, but in order to capture it's image properly I would have had to do dishes
...perhaps another day. :)

gracious gifts from farewell friends.

2009-05-20T19:57:00.005-04:00

J'adore my friends.

The following was a goodbye gift from my bestest Miss Kiley K. given to me during a farewell feast for two last weekend.

Crafty little minx, isn't she?

Gift Explanations:

*Harry Potter 3 & 5-A true addict turned pusher, Kiley recently turned me on to Harry by loaning and/or giving me a few books at a time [hardcovers she wanted back, paperbacks were for keeps due to her ownership of multiple copies...told you she was an addict]. I had just returned an unfinished book 3 to her that night, now I can continue reading.
*The Book of Lost Things-Yet another addiction being pushed on me, but rather willingly. Supposedly this book contains everything fairy tale lovers like she and I hope for and more...we shall see.
*Vegetarian Cookbook-No, Kiley is not a veg head. This is simply an addiction of my own that she has decided to become an enabler for...and amazingly it is the first cookbook of its kind in my collection.
*Green Apple Soy Candle-It's soy and that's environmentally friendly, need I say more?
*Little Shop of Horrors-This is perhaps my favorite in the collection. Kiley and I first became friends while portraying the Skidettes/DuWop girls of Skid Row at FC so this has a very special double meaning. ♥
*The Cat's-Eye View-We're crazy cat ladies together. That's really all you need to know.

Love you, Ki. :)

bzzz-y, bzzz-y bee.

2009-05-14T01:43:00.005-04:00

Life comes at you fast...
here are some quick updates on mine:

1. While the rest of the world takes a school break for summer vacation, my online classes are still in full swing. I've finally reached the halfway point in my year-long trek towards a digital design diploma so to commemorate I've added the amateur beginnings of a design portfolio to my flickr sets, perhaps you'll notice them fly by the sidebar slide show from time to time.

2. My newest little brain child, Be the Lorax, has admittedly been neglected over the past month. But fear not, I do have a few tiny tidbits scheduled to be posted in the next few days. Once my life in the real world settles down a bit, I'm hoping you'll be able to count on more consistent updates...just hang in there with me a bit longer.

and finally, the source of my current time shortage:

3. I'm officially moving to Chicago at the end of the month. My lease technically begins Friday, but the move is scheduled for the 29th. Why such an overlap? Because I jumped at the chance to have the cutest little apartment that my vintage-covered mind could ever dream of: 1920's building. Garden courtyards. Walk in closets.

What more could a girl ask for?

be the lorax.

2009-04-23T01:09:00.006-04:00

I've planted a very small seed...

After months of mulling over ideas and stumbling across inspiration, I have finally created my own fledgling webzine dedicated to environmental topics.

Water and sunlight are still needed, but check it out and watch it grow.

what claudia wore

2009-04-16T21:55:00.003-04:00

Hot off the inter-web: I have a new obsession. Or rather, I've rediscovered an acceptable 20-something way to obsess about my former pre-teen obsession: The Baby-sitter's Club.

Me and the BSC go way back...and I was not just a casual user, I was hardcore. I've read Every. Single. Book. [that's 131 regular series, 12 super specials, 36 mysteries, 4 super mysteries, and a few other odds and ends]. I was so excited for the BSC movie that I wrote fan letters to every actresses in the club [and most of the them wrote back, resulting a guilty pleasure collection of autographed photos].

Why am I sharing this somewhat embarassing information? Because today I found this:

A blog dedicated to the clothing choices of BSC's most fashion forward character.

I'm in ♥.

Photo Vote.

2009-03-26T01:20:00.013-04:00

You're invited
to help me choose my modeling portfolio.

Why?: to promote my efforts in the worlds of fashion, film, and print all under one url.
Where?: my future dot com page.
[to be created within the next year]
Your mission: access the photo selections here to leave your votes [in comment form] for the images that should be included.
Keep in Mind: I'm looking for the images that 'sell' me best.
[Yes, I'm a fashion whore.]
To My Photog Friends: which photos show qualities that you would look for in a model?

Steap in Tea.

2009-03-25T17:52:00.002-04:00

New article on Miseducated.net.

check it out.

Poetic Inspiration

2009-03-23T23:46:00.011-04:00

As a poet, I find myself inspired by lyricists more often than traditional poets. There are the rare exceptions to this rule [e.e. cummings has my ♥], but for the most part, nothing gets me more jazzed up to write a rhyme than a set of well-worded song lyrics. So, as I sit in need of inspiration, I present you with my top three poetic role models:

1. Christina Aguilera. Perhaps my all time favorite, Christina's songs endlessly inspire me, particularly her 'Stripped' album. Full of heartache and emotion as well as brilliant phrasing.

Favorite Lyrics:
'I'm addicted to your allure and I'm fiending for a cure.' [Walk Away]
'My heart has been bruised. So sad, but it's true, each beat reminds me of you.' [Walk Away]
'Trying hard to fill the emptiness, the piece is gone, left the puzzle undone, ain't that the way it is?' [Beautiful]

Can't you just feel it? Brilliant.

2. Gwen Stefani. I ♥ Gwen for so many reasons: her style, her hair colors, her obsession with Asian culture, but mostly because of the raw honesty in her song writing. Her word choice and metaphors are flawless.

Favorite Lyrics:
'Take this pink ribbon off my eyes, I'm exposed and it's no big surprise.' [Just a Girl]
'I pacify problems with kisses and cuddles, diligently doubtful through all kinds of trouble, then I find myself choking on all my contradictions.' [Bathwater]
'As we die, both you and I, with my head in my hands I sit and cry.' [Don't Speak]
'I'm full of artificial sweetener, my heart's been deceitful.' [Artificial Sweetener]

[Yes, I realize this video contains none of the lyrics I've listed, but I love it for being the perfect example of Gwen's capability to write exactly what's on her mind. That, and the Alice in Wonderland theme. :)]

3. Mandy Moore. And no, I'm not talking about Candy. Her most recent album 'Wild Hope' flew way under the radar, but I think it's an absolute gem for simple yet poetic lyrics.

Favorite Lyrics:
'Well I put so much thought in the getting ready, now I know that was the best part. It's so easy to get caught up in what I'm regretting, forgetting what I got from a wounded heart.' [Gardenia]
'I'll miss the version of you who loved me and all that they don't see. You said you could be good, but somehow you're guilty and you're not even sorry.' [Ladies Choice]
'Lost inside of my head, empty side of the bed, I feel misplaced without you. I keep pushing the blues 'cause I don't want to lose what I loved about you.' [All Good Things]

Honorable Mention: Eminem. Surprised? I've always loved Eminem. Though he's not on heavy rotation on my I-pod [he should be, I just haven't downloaded him], I still feel that he really is one of the best of the modern day poets. And I say that without an ounce of sarcasm.

Sex on Paper.

2009-03-14T23:44:00.010-04:00

sexy, smart [and often humorous] finds in ad research [for class]:

And I ♥ PETA ads so these must be included:

GOOP is good.

2009-03-13T01:23:00.010-04:00

I have a new obsession. Actually, I've been following this one for several months, but just now got around to sharing it.

It's GOOP.com. Written by Gwyneth Paltrow and scoffed at by the media, I personally adore this advice site with weekly newsletters over subjects from fashion and travel to cooking and spirituality. The site itself consists of six categories: make [recipes], go [travel], get [shopping], do [proactive lifestyle tips], be [spirituality], and see [books, art, and film]. The advice comes from Paltrow's own life experiences as well as tips from the people in her life that she admires [life coaches, film directors, fellow actresses, etc.]. Basically, it satisfies my need to be a foodie, a fashionista, a worldly traveler, and a complete person all in one url.

And speaking of fashion and Miss Paltrow, I adore her post-Iron Man style. It's a sort of sexy-dominatrix-meets-60's-sexpot: extra short skirts and super high heels [my own personal style M.O.].

[Image via fabsugar.com.]

And then there's the shirt worn as a dress for harper's bazaar last year:

[If you know me, you're quite familiar with this concept. ;)]

Now if only I could have access to Gwynnie's shoe collection as well...

Flies on Cake

2009-03-10T23:58:00.007-04:00

Check This Out:

Miss Capps [of the cupcake photos fame] has officially entered the world of photo blogging:

Drop in and check out shots from her past, present, and future artistic endeavors.

Everything's just Dandy.

2009-03-10T04:32:00.008-04:00

New article on Miseducated.net.

check it out here.

A Pastrytale.

2009-03-06T18:12:00.011-05:00

Once upon a time, there lived a curious cupcake princess...

...she was taken captive by an evil scientist...

...who forced her to eat cookies and cake all day long...

...jealous? ;)

The End.

High Gloss Finish

2009-03-06T01:18:00.008-05:00

This night owl really should be in bed [especially after 72 hours of illness behind her and a morning shift ahead of her], but I just received these hot-off-the-Photoshop images from Ashley Capps, the genius behind January's cupcake shoot:

And, by far my favorite [for the old hollywood glamour look]:

More coming soon. ♥

Down the Rabbit Hole.

2009-02-26T00:54:00.006-05:00

Inspired by a project I'm doing for class, but bored by the restrictions of the assignment, I created something just for fun tonight:

Now Available: Your Very Own Pink Elephant.

2009-02-23T09:51:00.005-05:00

It's official:

My sister's painting from yesterday's preview post is now available for purchase on Etsy. Buy it here.

Pink elephants not your thing? More paintings will be available soon. And if you have any subject ideas, she also takes requests.

A Preview.

2009-02-22T01:57:00.004-05:00

And now for this week's surprise:

I have an amazingly talented sister. As a former art history minor and a current art enthusiast, I envy her. She's very talented. And she's also gearing up to sell her fabulous paint work on Etsy. ~~Her seller profile is not up and running quite yet~~, but here's a preview of the amazing artwork that will soon be available:

Adorable, no?
Look for this painting and more from seller WhitneyElyse coming soon to Etsy.com.

Fabulous Finds and Worthy Causes.

2009-02-18T23:37:00.015-05:00

Ok, dear readers, I still have an upcoming surprise to show you later on this week, but until that's ready, here are a few sites that I have to share.

The first is a webzine created and run by one of the most original girls I've ever met. Miseducated.net is a great place to read up on a bit of whimsy and build community with creative chicas from around the globe. Be sure to check out the penpal cafe where you can post a personal ad for your very own snail mail pal.

Next up, a fabulous find and worthy cause combined into one. Found thru MadebyGirl's blog, Improv Everywhere is a group dedicated to spreading joy thru random and massive acts of hilarity. Spend some time browsing their many 'missions' including the Look Up More dance sequence. In the meantime, here's a taste:

[FYI: I plan on participating in this one next year since I'll be in Chicago and actually have access to a subway.]

And finally, the sexiest of the worthy causes, a commercial deemed too scandalous for the Superbowl:

I'm seriously contemplating going full veggie [and not just for better sex], I've been slowly making the transition for years and I'm thinking of kicking it into high gear soon.

I'll keep you posted.

sweet like sugar, salty like soy.

2009-02-15T23:55:00.022-05:00

First, another adorable Etsy find: CozyMoments bath goodies.
My favorite? The buttercream scented cupcake soap.

I haven't tried it yet, but it just might be my next Etsy order.

Up next: two design projects.

The first is a mock up for a GoVeg.com infographic ad.
[Can you tell I got to pick the subject matter?] I'm actually pretty proud of my little concept. And pretty impressed with my pen tool progress as well.

And, of course, there's Apple #5, or rather 'Apple: submerged'.

I included pink in the design in honor of it being due on Valentine's Day.

And speaking of Valentine's Day, mine was spent with sushi, sweets, and sugary cinema.

Lauren and I spent the evening watching chick flicks in front of a platter of delicious sushi rolls and followed it up with wine, cupcakes and spiked hot cocoa [though not in that order].

Stay tuned later this week for one of the best Etsy finds yet...it's a surprise that's very near and dear to my ♥. ;)

Le Love

2009-02-10T17:00:00.006-05:00

Two things:

1. I made my first official Etsy purchase yesterday. I've been raving about this craftier alternative to ebay for about a year now, but had yet to actually create a profile or make a purchase, but I fell in love this this T-shirt by EveryLittleCounts and simply had to have it.

The quote is inspired by Dr. Zhivago and hand printed on soft cotton. A very special thanks to designer Amy, who has been patiently waiting for me to sort out some paypal/debit card issues in order to get her the payment.

2. In searching thru EveryLittleCounts blog site, I stumbled upon another love at first sight, Le Love. A romantic's dream, this blog is dedicated to found and donated photos of lovers as well as romantic quotes and graphics. So sexy. ♥

Sofa's Choice

2009-02-09T23:05:00.005-05:00

Today's journey involved a trip to the fabric store in search of velvet heaven for my sofa. This proves to be a rather difficult task since I have very specific tastes and no idea what I want. I need something that will match both my green velvet chairs as well as my swivel armchair. This armchair is the bane of my fabric shopper existence in that my mother and I simply cannot agree upon what color it actually is. It's a faded velvet fabric that looks so amazingly interesting with darker shades around the seams and lighter hues toward the center. I swear that it's a faded maroon color [aka somewhat pink], my mother on the other hand swears it's a burnt orange color. I have a problem with any of my furniture being orange. Why? Because I plan to continue my collection of pink decor as I collect more home items and pink and orange simply do not work. A safe compromise would be to call the color 'peach' [think NARS blush in orgasm]. Pictures do not do this color justice so I cannot post for an opinion poll, but please, if you've been lucky enough to witness this mystery color chair [otherwise known as 'the conversation chair'] feel free to weigh in with your opinion.

As for the new sofa fabric, I believe I've decided to go with a multi-pattern approach like this:

Granted, my couch has no back cushions so that area would be the same fabric as the bottom, but you get the idea. These are my preliminary fabric choices:

The second swatch, much like the armchair, does not come across the same in person as it does in photos. It's really more of a shiny, golden peach. But, as I said, these are just preliminary choices, more research must be done.

valentine's veal.

2009-02-08T21:35:00.007-05:00

I'm actually quite into Valentine's Day this year. Yes, I'm solo for the first time in years, but I think that's actually increased my pleasure. With no strain on my wallet, I'm free to enjoy the cutesy cards and pink packaging of Hallmark's favorite holiday without actually having to purchase gifts [unless, of course, they're for myself].

Tonight, I googled 'vintage valentines' in attempt to find ideas for an e-card design.

Among the rows of colorful cartoon cuddles, I found this:

Does this disturb anyone else? Perhaps it's the [almost] pescetarian in me, but I don't exactly find references to the slaughter of cute baby calves to be endearing for my valentines wishes. At first, the poet in me was frustrated that 'veal' doesn't even kind of sound like 'be,' but then realized that they were going for a rhyme for 'feel' which still makes the connection rather weak.
[Note: I do realize this image was probably created for humor, but it's just such a waste of an adorable little picture.]

These cards, however, use their cuteness to the max:

Frankly, I want this first one for my personal calling card.

And I find the extremely elaborate puns in this one both hilarious and adorable.

[Check out more like this last one here on Etsy.
Unfortunately, this particular card has been sold.]

daisies, tea, and fancy free.

2009-02-08T20:09:00.009-05:00

This weekend involved tea for four at The Ruby Pear.
Highlights:

I ♥ daisies...

...and tea...

...and chandeliers.

And of course, this weekend also involved the creation of apple #4:

[Not one of my favorites, but at least I'm learning new things.]

Merci pour vous.

2009-02-07T04:32:00.011-05:00

Overnight, my blog has become much more international [see the traffic feed for what I mean]. This is due to a thank you post on MadeByGirl's blog.

Two things:

1. Jen, I thank you for the publicity.

and

2. For those of you stopping in, I hope you find something worthy of your return. Please feel free to leave comments and check out any links located in the sidebar. :)

Pretty in Pink [cupcakes]

2009-02-04T19:48:00.010-05:00

Today, I passed my server test. [insert happy dance here.]

So tonight, I treated myself by purchasing Pretty in Pink on DVD.

I have a love/hate relationship with this movie. I, like most children of the 80's, am a huge fan of the Molly Ringwald/John Hughes movies [i.e. Pretty in Pink, The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles] and I love this movie for the quirky characters and vintage fashion. BUT I hate the way the plot pans out. It's like a how-to for not picking the right guy.

Let's examine:

Molly's character, Andie, is caught in a love triangle between popular rich boy, Blane, and quirky best friend, Duckie. Throughout the course of the movie Blane does his share of wooing: not trying to get into her pants too soon, kissing under the stars, blah, blah, blah...but he also spends the whole central part of the film ignoring her because his friends are teasing him. He bails as her prom date and lies about his reasons all for the sake of his high school reputation. Granted, these are typical teenage boy mistakes and Blane clearly is a nice guy simply making bad decisions, but he's still an ASS.

Meanwhile, adorably awkward Duckie is COMPLETELY in love with Andie and utterly devoted [almost to the point of stalking, but still, that's devotion] and at the conclusion of the film, when Andie arrives at the prom dateless and almost chickens out on going in, he's RIGHT THERE to hold her hand, even if she did ruin that gorgeous 60's prom dress to make her shapeless burlap sack of a gown [ok, the collar and sleeves are pretty cute, but the rest is just a lost cause]. In my mind I like to imagine that the movie continues past the credits and Andie spends the next few years finding herself and then eventually returns to Duckie to live out their friendship forever in holy matrimony.
The End.*

But still, I love this movie.

And someday I'll find a Duckie of my very own.

In other news, Ms. Capps sent me a few cupcake shots via snail mail that arrived today:

I ♥ the skirt in this shot.
Ashley made it herself the night before the shoot.
[She's an absolute Superwoman.]
I'm still trying to convince her to let me have it.
And yes, I'd wear it out in public. Often.

But this last shot is actually my favorite of the three:

It looks like a scene out of a silent film so I feel like I look totally in my element. ♥

*As I wrote this blog, watching the special features on my Pretty in Pink DVD, I found a feature that explains that, in the original ending of the movie, Andie and Duckie DO end up together. However, the chemistry between Molly and Jon Cryer simply didn't leave the audience feeling sparks so the ending was re-shot. Clearly, I should have played Andie.

Poetry in Pictures

2009-02-03T21:24:00.011-05:00

Two quick updates:

1. Server Certification: noun.

:the immensely stressful final process of training with the Cheesecake Factory in which a trainer stalks the trainee for a day of critiquing their every move.

Ok, perhaps the above definition is a bit dramatized, but it was still a stressful morning. But I passed! One more hurdle to jump tomorrow by passing the written final and I'll officially be a Factory employee [and finally able to keep my tips].

2. Design Project: I've been hesitant to post this next design simply because it was done during the craze of training last week [and therefore not as impressive as I would have hoped]. However, it involves both my poetry and my illustrations so I feel it should at least be noted.

The assignment: three spot illustrations for a body of text. I chose my own poem.

For those of you unfamiliar with this poem, these are three stanzas taken completely out of the larger context. I hesitate to post the full version online just yet [I'm hoping to publish it as an illustrated book eventually], but if I have any requests I'll either post it or mail it to you directly.

Sofas and Chandeliers

2009-02-02T09:31:00.018-05:00

I've been on an interior decorating kick lately. [I'm not quite sure why since I have no money and it seems a bit pointless to try to decorate this apartment into perfection when that just means I'll have more stuff to move come June.] Regardless, in my searching I've found that there are three items that are like decor porn to me: velvet sofas, chandelier lighting, and bookshelves.

The first is actually my mother's fault. Over the past year she's accumulated for me several beautiful vintage arm chairs, all velvet upholstery. Meanwhile, the other day I mentioned something to her about perhaps wanting a different couch. The one that I currently own is a hand me down from my parents and the upholstery is tan with hunter green stripes. My apartment on the other hand is decorated in colors closer to Marie Antoinette: pinks, sage greens, baby blues, etc. In short, the couch simply doesn't fit; but, much as I enjoy beautiful decor, I'm also a practical kind of girl that feels if something's serving it's purpose, there's no need to spend money on something new. However, when I mentioned my mismatched conundrum to my mother she started asking what type of couch I would prefer [she has connections for cheap vintage, hence the armchairs]. "Would you want a velvet one to match the chairs?" she asked...and with that one question an obsession was born. I believe the decision has been made to simply re-upholster my current couch into velvety goodness, but there have been a few google finds that I've fallen for in the process of searching for ideas:

One of my favorite things about the velvet is the way it ages, fading more in some areas and less in others. Two of my four chairs are like that and I adore the multi-shade effect it creates.

This sofa's called 'The Garbo.' Love the name, love the shape, love the color as well, but it wouldn't go with anything I own. However, the site does allow for color changes.

The chandelier obsession started a few years ago. Miss Kiley and I took a trip up to Toronto for a week and stumbled upon an adorable little boutique packed to the brim in vintage furniture and knick knacks, including a ceiling full of chandeliers. Unfortunately, this discovery also resulted in the realization that I won't likely be buying a chandelier in the near future since even the smallest and cheapest ones start at around $150. There was a time when I considered purchasing this Target knock off,

but I think I'd rather wait for the real thing.

Like this:

Or like the one in Victory Ford's apartment on Lipstick Jungle:

[Frankly, I wouldn't object to simply living on this entire set. Click on the image to see what I'm talking about.]

And now for the most erotic of the decor porn: bookshelves. Words cannot express how obsessed I am with bookshelves. My dream in life is to live in a place where there is an entire wall of built-in shelves, ceiling to floor. Part of this desire comes from an obsession with books, I think the other half comes from my obsessive compulsive need to have a place for everything. This is why this next image is absolutely orgasmic to me, these shelves not only allow for maximum storage of CD's, books, magazines, and movies, but they do so in a visually stimulating design. My only complaint is that the sides are open ended, I need a boxed-in frame to fulfill my desire for structure.

♥ ♥ ♥

A is for Adorable. C is for Cards.

2009-02-01T00:54:00.007-05:00

Another adorable find in article research.

This one actually made it into the final list, but I just had to post it here as well. Made by Girl is an artist-owned company that I just happened to stumble upon [it reminds me of something one of my creative college friends could come up with, entrepreneur-style]. Adorable and quirky, Girl's designs are right up my alley [and printed on recycled paper, of course].

My favorite: the 'you're my peanut butter, i'm your jelly' valentine.

A is also for Apple. As in Apple #3 for my design class.
I went for a children's book theme:

This one was actually harder than it looks since I had to teach myself how to change the gradient tool from grayscale to red [which took me about a half an hour...I'm not proud of that, but at least I got it].

Last Note: Be sure to check out my article on WUNT that resulted in this fabulous find.

heart of glass

2009-01-30T22:30:00.004-05:00

So I'm working on composing an article on environmentally friendly valentine's day gifts [hopefully I'll finish it up tomorrow]. Anyway, this evening as I googled for eco-fabulous gift ideas, I stumbled across a find that might force me to make room in my cabinets for more glassware.

The Green Glass Company not only recycles wine, beer, and soda bottles to make their products, but they also use environmentally friendly production and shipping methods to produce their oh-so-adorable cups and goblets.

My favorite: the multilingual 'protect our Earth' goblet.

Another favorite find: [given my fetish for all things bluebird] this baby bird ring made from recycled silver.

And my last love would be perfect for V-day cards: I Wheelie Like You Cards printed on cotton rather than paper.

What's your flavor?

2009-01-29T20:53:00.005-05:00

So I'm a bit of a Factory nerd for checking this out already, but we just started a new promotion at work that involves, among other things, a 'what's your flavor?' quiz on the website. They've been talking about it all week during staff meetings and tonight I decided to see which of the delicious flavors matched my personality.

I'm Adam's Peanut Butter Cup Fudge Ripple
[which, incidentally, is AMAZING!].

Here's what that [apparently] says about me:

The incredible mix of qualities that makes you so appreciated is nothing short of miraculous, much like this cheesecake. A lot goes into this flavor, all delicious. This mouth-watering mosaic is comprised of our Original cheesecake swirled with caramel and real chunks of Butterfinger candy bars and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Just like you it's an awe-inspiring combination of ingredients not soon forgotten.

FYI: I'm now the cheesecake QUEEN. Ask me anything about your favorite flavors and I'll tell you all about 'em.

Tomorrow's training: Food running, my first on-floor assignment. Wish me luck. Six more days 'til the final.

cheesecake tastings and cupcake shoots.

2009-01-26T19:14:00.003-05:00

This weekend was an absolute blur.

1. Friday night involved a celebratory dinner at The Cheesecake Factory with my favorite girls. Originally, the dinner was planned to celebrate the end of my job at Reeves, how fitting that it also became a celebration of my being hired on as a Factory server that same afternoon.
The Food: delicious. The Server: flawless. My Company: priceless.

2. Saturday marked day two of my nanny/maid adventures. I really enjoy my job, but I became distraught when my cell phone was submerged in the toilet while I cleaned. [Shallow pockets + lots of movement = unfortunate accidents.] It's been temporary replaced with a spare from my mother, but I'm still praying for a drying out of my beloved original.

3. Sunday began my Factory training: 8 am. Not a bad morning, especially when it ends with a tasting of up to 20 items from the menu, cheesecakes included. At the end of the 5 hours, we were all out like a shot to frantically locate white pants and white shoes in the middle of winter. Personally, I had an even tighter time limit considering that I had to be up in Noblesville by 2 pm.

Why you ask?

4. For a cupcake-covered photo shoot, of course. I'd made shoot arrangements with creative visionary Ashley Capps weeks before and had to push back our start time due to training. The concept: rather secret, but I can tell you it involved crazy vintage costumes and a set covered in cupcakes and candy. It'll be a few months before I have any official images [Ms. Capps is having some computer issues], but I had her take a shot with my personal camera. Here's a taste:

piece of [cheese]cake.

2009-01-22T22:29:00.009-05:00

Some quick updates before dreaming:

1. Job search: I have my third and final interview at The Cheesecake Factory tomorrow. If I don't have the job after it's done, I must have taken off my clothing and asked the man to help me find my spaceship during the interview. Ok, not really. But seriously, if I've made it this far don't you think I deserve the job?

Note: some of you may be thinking 'The Cheesecake Factory?!? I thought you quit your last job to find something more inspiring.' But here's the thought: waiting tables will [ideally] get me more money in less hours, therefore freeing up more time for me to pursue other interests.

2. Speaking of other interests: I wrote another article Tuesday [see sidebar]. Working half days this week has allowed not only the time to write, but [more importantly] the time to find the inspiration to write. This week's inspiration came while watching the presidential inauguration. Words cannot express the amount of inspiration and hope I get from watching our new president in action so I won't even try. See my previous entry.

3. And finally: another apple.

Is it sad that this progress excites me?
I guess you have to start somewhere.

Stay tuned next week for info on my celebratory last day at Reeves and [hopefully] my first day at the new job.

too optimistic for words.

2009-01-20T22:42:00.003-05:00

"There has never been anything false about hope."

Congratulations, Mr. President.

apples and...lemons?

2009-01-16T17:01:00.011-05:00

Today at lunch I made an amazing food discovery. I wanted pasta, but as I boiled the last of my spaghetti, I opened the fridge to find that my canned pasta sauce [chunky garden vegetable...it's amazing] had about a tablespoon left in the jar. Perhaps this is enough sauce for some people, but I prefer my pasta coated in tomato sauce. So I improvised: a little sauce and a little butter...good, but still missing something. So I glance in my fridge and notice the lemon half left over from my salad. The idea of putting lemon juice on my pasta sounded counter-intuitive [like the blueberry puppy chow], but I went for it anyway. And guess what: it was AMAZING. As a matter of fact, I might start doing pasta, olive oil, and lemon juice as a normal meal. Maybe topped with a little cheese. Yum.

In other news, online classes have started back up. This session: Digital Illustration. I am in desperate need of this subject since I am CLUELESS when it comes to anything more than basic shapes and gradient effects in Adobe Illustrator.

There's one particular assignment for this class that I actually find quite fascinating: each week we are required to create an apple and each week it must be a completely different apple. I love this idea, not just for the challenge, but also because I know my own designs will be changing both in skill use and in creativity from week to week and I'm anxious to see that development. So, as a total amateur, here's my first apple:

This probably looks really basic to most of you, but I was ecstatic to teach myself both the warp and the fill tool [two foreign concepts to me before last night].

Stay tuned for future adventures in apples and entrees by yours truly.

blueberry and peanut butter don't mix.

2009-01-14T19:59:00.004-05:00

So tonight's kitchen creativity has left me a bit nauseous. Frankly, it didn't even sound like a good idea. Point: when I told my sister what I was making she said 'that sounds disgusting.'

See, I was craving puppy chow [the dessert, not the dog food], but the only cereal in my cabinet was a box of blueberry frosted mini wheats. [do you see where this is going?] Somehow I thought that the chocolate and peanut butter might cover the blueberry flavor...I was wrong. Ironically, I'm pretty sure regular mini wheats would have worked. It was only the slight after taste of blueberry that turned my stomach.

In other food news, I took stock of my supply tonight in an attempt to accurately plan out future dinner adventures. I found stuff in my cabinets that I didn't even know I had [I'm a short girl and the cabinets are high]. Sadly, the entire contents of my kitchen [minus the fridge] fits on the top of my coffee table:

There's also a dwindling supply of produce in my fridge that I need to eat before it goes bad. I stocked up for my juice fast at the start of the year and there's a bit left over. Tonight's dinner [unlike dessert] was quite delicious: spinach salad with red pepper, red onion, and mushroom burger crumbles topped with olive oil and fresh squeezed lemon juice. Yum. Unfortunately that was the last of my baby spinach so I'll have to find the green for my meals elsewhere from here on out.

Job countdown: 7 more working days at Reeves. Next friday can't get here soon enough.

improv cooking for the soon-to-be-unemployed.

2009-01-13T18:30:00.007-05:00

Ever since I handed in my resignation letter Wednesday of last week [technically I gave two and a half weeks notice], I've been mulling over the idea of extreme budgeting.

Anyone familiar with my WUNT articles knows I'm a fan of self-experimentation. If a curious thought crosses my mind I research, I analyze, and then I usually try it out for myself. After all, experience is the best learning tool. So, in the face of potential unemployment, I've been pondering just how far I can stretch my measly dollars.

On a normal basis, I'm actually rather frugal with my spending, but over the past few months there is one thing that I've splurged on: groceries. I love good food too much to sacrifice my taste buds for my budget. While, even on a budget, I still plan to buy the same quality of foods [vegan, organic, fresh produce, etc.] I've now resolved to see how long I can go between grocery trips.

Normally, I make about two grocery-related trips to Target a week. These are usually only about $20 spending sprees, but I still have other perfectly edible food in my pantry when I go. I'm an impulse eater and I buy whatever I'm craving in bulk while the rest of my food stock remains untouched. I have canned veggies that have been in my cabinets since I moved here a year ago and items in my freezer that pile up unused while I go thru toaster waffles by the box. My plan: to eat as much as I can stand of this untouched food supply before stocking up again. Things may need to get creative.

Tonight, having no particular cravings and feeling a bit bored, I decided to see what I could make with what I had stored away in cabinets and coolers. As always when I'm in the mood for food prep, I turn to RachaelRay.com and found the following Asian-inspired recipe:

Peanut Butter Sesame Noodles

2 teaspoons natural style creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons Tamari (dark soy sauce), eyeball it
1 teaspoon sesame oil (eyeball it)
1 teaspoon ground ginger or 1 inch of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1/4 pound whole wheat spaghetti
1 tablespoon light sesame seeds, toasted over medium-low heat for 3 minutes (optional)
Shredded carrots, scallions, bean sprouts or other veggies (optional)

Preparation: In a medium microwaveable bowl, heat the peanut butter in the microwave oven until melted, about 15-20 seconds (or heat peanut butter over low heat on the stove until mushy).
Whisk honey and Tamari into the peanut butter, then whisk in the sesame oil and the ginger.
Toss the spaghetti with the sauce, and top with the sesame seeds and veggies.

I have peanut butter. I have spaghetti. I have honey. But the only soy sauce I have is a stray takeout packet that probably doesn't equal 2 tablespoons and the closest veggie on hand is red bell pepper.

I decide to go for it anyway.

Here's what I came up with:

While it didn't taste bad, peanut butter and pepper don't exactly go well together.

That's when I remembered I had a bag of peas in the freezer...

...much better. And to make it even cuter, the left overs now sit in my fridge in an actual takeout bowl I saved from a previous Chinese night.

And now for a job search update:

I've always believed that things happen to you exactly when they are supposed to. Earlier this evening, my cousin called me and randomly asked if I'd be available to come clean their house/watch their kids/run general errands for them on Saturdays for a bit of extra money. She was hesitant at first because she thought I'd be insulted to be offered a glorified baby-sitting job at 24, but right now it's just what I want.

And here's the real kicker: she didn't even know I'd put in my two weeks.

So now I have Saturday employment down for the next few months. I just have to figure out what to charge. Suggestions?

And of course, come July there's always the possibility that this will be my job. I plan on applying and then trying to forget about it. You can't bank on something that fantastic, but you can't disregard it either. I mean SOMEONE has to get it, right? :)

job search: day one.

2009-01-12T20:47:00.011-05:00

For those of you who don't already know, today marked the official start of my last two weeks at Reeves. Last week, I took a leap of faith and put in my notice at a job that not only barely pays my rent, but that also does nothing to fulfill my creative desires.

Ideally, I'm hoping to find a job in the fields of writing or design, but my professional experiences in both areas are still in their infancy. At the very least, I'd like to find a job with a schedule that allows for me to pursue these careers outside of my work hours. And if I get desperate, I can always wait tables...even that sounds more fulfilling than my current position.

Tonight's assignment on the job front: re-vamping the resume.

I decided to askew the formal guidelines slightly in the hopes of creating something a little more noticeable. Here's what I came up with [minus the personal info for safety's sake, of course]:

Note: this is a general resume for office or clerical work. Thoughts?
Next I might try tackling something with a writing theme. Though that one will be a bit sparse.

Question for my writer friends: any ideas to bulk up what could potentially be a two-line resume without having to rely on publishing?

Tomorrow's task: getting it all online and making phone calls.
[Today's tasks also included an unanswered call for a beauty shop receptionist, but there's more on the list for tomorrow.]

Resolutions for 2009.

2009-01-10T22:45:00.004-05:00

♥ write something every day.
[journal entries. blogs. articles. poems.]

♥ publish a poem.
[via magazine or book. doesn't matter which.]

♥ do another movie.

♥ volunteer at something I care about.
[art. theatre. animal rights. environmental issues.]

♥ travel someplace new.
[two years ago was Toronto. last year was Australia. this year...]

♥ learn something new.
[digital design. another language.]