I want a shoe rack. Right now I have a shoe basket, but it is much too messy for my likings. So I've been looking at different types of shoe racks on the clickyweb. Here are the results:

A more traditional look:

A less conventional look:
A clean, put-away look:

A hipster look:

And, my personal favorite, something with a little spice:
'Tis a bit big for the space I have, and I don't really want a bench, but its nice, dontcha think?

just finished:

I'm soooooo ready for winter. Can I get an "amen"?

i think...

that Chloe's becoming [more] flamboyant in her old age...

a song for dying

I had a wild dream last night. It was very convoluted, so I'm not going to go into it other than to explain that in part of the dream, I was about to die, and I knew it. I grasped the hands of those who were with me, and begged them, "Sing Blackbird...," and they did. Odd, eh? So I've been listening to the song off and on today and thinking about it and why that would be the song I would demand on my deathbed. Here are the lyrics, in case you don't remember them by rote:

Blackbird (The Beatles):
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these sunken eyes and learn to see
all your life
you were only waiting for this moment to be free

Blackbird fly, Blackbird fly
Into the light of the dark black night.

Blackbird fly, Blackbird fly
Into the light of the dark black night.

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise,oh
You were only waiting for this moment to arise, oh
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
....

I should probably mention that in the dream, I didn't actually die, but moved on into another life. If you really want to know about it, call me up for coffee or something and we can chat it up

awwww....

The sink/kitchen is mostly done! Woohoo!Here's the before on the sink:And then the now:Awwww... that's better. Not perfect, but way better.
Me likey. And I just know my mom's gotta be proud... but now I wanna paint the cabinets.

joe frank radio

I'm listening to "Bad Karma" again. I do this when I get into a particular mood which is pensive and/or introspective in a dark, quiet way. It is my favorite episode of my favorite of Joe Frank's radio different radio serials, "The Other Side".

The radio show is a mix of stories, telephone interviews, dreams, music, and philosophy. Wikipedia describes him as:

an American radio personality, known best for his engaging, often philosophical, humorous and sometimes absurd monologues and radio dramas. His radio programs span contemporary concerns with humor, insight and irony and are matched by a mastery of modern production techniques.


The official Joe Frank website has a free membership program, which includes entire shows as well as excerpts from shows and other works. I hope you go check it out. Listen to "Bad Karma". You'll be better for it.

Oh, yes, if you want to take a listen to some of his work without having to get a free membership, you can listen to some bits on his myspace. "No More My Lord" is part of the "Bad Karma" show.

If you don't believe me, then listen to these guys:

"The very first national public radio show that I worked on was Joe Frank's. I think I was influenced in a huge way ... Before I saw Joe put together a show, I had never thought about radio as a place where you could tell a certain kind of story." -- Ira Glass, This American Life

"To me, he's what radio is really for ... his show makes me think he's getting to some great truth ... so completely captivating and just unlike anything else." -- David Sedaris, Writer

sink update

okay, so the grout looking stuff is kinda like caulk, and yet kinda like grout. I'm succeeding at getting it out with a putty knife, so, um, yeah.

crafty kitchen

In my crafty endeavors this week is fixing up my kitchen. The sink and tile needed a little loving, and since my landlord thinks I walk on water or something, I get to learn and do it myself. So, a trip to Home Despot and quite a few youtube videos later, I have begun work. I'm repairing the grout on the tile and doing something about the seal around the sink, which I haven't decided yet how I'll do.

Here's the tile before (actually a photo of the side I haven't done yet):

And after (photo of the side that's done):
Pretty, eh?

Here's the dealio with the sink: Someone used grout rather than caulk around the sink. It is now really grody to the max, and leaks water down to the undersink when water splashed, as so often happens in a sink. Now the grout is all cracky and moldy, etc. The general consensus so far is to tell the landlord to do it, but I feel up to the challenge.

Here's the question: What is the best way to remove the grout? Thoughts? Here's a photo for reference:(And, yes, this is AFTER scrubbing with bleach. It doesn't get any cleaner. Ew.)

HELP!!!

mi vida loca

Pasé mi clase de español con tal Un sólido que no he incluso tiene que pasar el final! ¿Cómo impresionante es que? Oh, y he aprendido a usar google traductor, también. Yo no soy un tramposo, no obstante. Estoy jugando con él para ello. Sí. Eso es todo.