Sophie Blackall

Oooh.  If you're up late because of a cold like I am, this might make you feel a little better about being awake.

 

This blog by one of my favorite illustrators (she illustrates Ivy and Bean books, and I get the books just to look at the pictures...ok.  I read the stories too...) showcases her illustrations of missed connections. 

I would have posted one of the illustrations here, but I'm a weenie and don't want to email her first to get the ok.  So here's the next best thing:  links to the pictures!

I love the knitting one and the collar one and the ice skating ones the best.  Her etsy site sells the prints for $40. Just sayin'.

--Lu

Earthquake

I've been organizing my junk memorabilia this last week, and I came across this little gem from when I worked with handicapped kids one summer during my undergraduate days.  I retouched it a little (because I didn't go to graduate school for nothing, dang it.)  Hopefully you enjoy it.

***

Norm is sititng on my lap, his short red hair spoking out messily from his head.  I'm watching someone on the other side of the room.  I notice Norm shifting position, and I look down.

He's leaning closer and closer to me, his tongue poking out of his mouth.  He doesn't seem to mind the close proximity of my face, and it isn't until moments before impact that I register his intent and push him back. 

With his plan to lick my mouth (an ongoing battle) thwarted, I watch as his face twists into a boyish mask of anger.  He throws back his pale arm, balls his hand into a fist and glares at me.  Slowly and deliberately (almost painstakingly) he yells, "YOU STUPID!"  Each letter almost is highlighted with a small pause before the next is articulated.

I calmly look at him and state one simple phrase: "The earthquake is coming." 
His face remains tense, his arm still poised for bonking me.  That is my cue.

Quickly, catching him off guard, I grab him tightly and start rocking him back and forth, bouncing my knees wildly while happily yelling, "Oh no!" (smile) "The EARTHQUAKE! Run Norm!  Save yourself!  Don't worry about me--I'll survive somehow!"  He starts laughing and snorting hysterically.

I stop jostling him.

His laughter slows; one last giggle bubbles out.
And he's back on his old theme.  He manages to say, "STUP--"
But I beat him to it.  "EARTHQUAKE!" I yell as I bounce my knees as violently as I can. 
And then he's laughing again. Loving every minute of the "earthquake."

When I stop this time, his face relaxes--his eyelids lower, he breathes heavily, slowly.  He quietly whispers, "I'm sorry."

Corinne Bailey Rae's New CD

NPR ran this story on Ms. Rae's new album, and then set up a beautiful FREE link to let you listen to the album until it's released on Jan. 26.  Enjoy.  --Moo

Birthday Boy

My old roomie Jamila and her brother came to stay the night on Friday, and on Saturday I cooked The Rock and the Jamila's the biggest fattiest greasiest yummiest birthday breakfast EVER.  There were pancakes made with half and half, and freshly made berry syrup and whipped cream, and a Whole Package of Expensive Costco Bacon fried in it's own greasy goodness, and eggs fried in the bacon grease.  Wow.  It was heavenly. No four people should eat an entire package of thick bacon in one sitting--so we didn't.  We left two pieces for breakfast on Sunday.  And also, we didn't eat until noon, which turned out to be a good thing, because we would have exploded had  we actually eaten three meals that day. 

Annnnd...that's all. 
Happy Birthday to The Rock who can now say he is the same age (number wise) as I am, and that means it actually seems like we're the same age, and I can't play the I'm Older And Smarter card for a few months now.  Bummer.

Really Missing

I was just remembering this one time I lost my jump drive at the UofA library.  And by "lost" I mean I left it in the usb port of a public computer.  When I realized I'd left it behind I went back to look for it. 

I didn't find it.

A little while later, I received an email from one of those sites that makes up anonymous/untraceable email addresses.  The sender of the email informed me s/he was making the files from my jump drive available to me (I can't remember if it was on the public portion of the computer, or through a web site or what.  All I remember is that I had access to my missing files.)

Who does that?  Steal a jump drive and then give the person back their files. 

It was a really odd mix of feelings: I was grateful, a tad freaked out that they had figured out my email address, and annoyed that the person stole the jump drive in  the first place.

Dumb Burnette?

Wow.  To prove my title is not so much of a question as I wish it were, I just published this post.  Before I'd written it.  So, if you are lucky enough to be on the blog before I finish typing this, you will see just a title question.  (and no, I'm not taking a poll on this one because I fear the results.)

Here's a story for you.  And maybe, probably, it is about me.

 Ok.  Here goes.
Once I left my house in a rush to get to work (because, although I wasn't running late, I didn't exactly have time to dawdle).  I locked my front door and skipped down the steps to the garage.  I threw open the door and---the garage was EMPTY.  Oh, no!
Me: Where is my car?  Someone stole my Honda!

I was shocked and sad and really mad because we'd made it through several years in Tucson without the car being stolen and then it happened in the teensy, tiny town of the FP of all places?!  What kind of ridiculousness is that!
So I ran back up the steps, fumbled for my keys, and called The Rock at work all at the same time.  He picked up and I said, "Dude!  The car is gone!"
The Rock: Um...I don't know where it is. (he drives the truck and when he left that morning, the car was in the garage).
Me: Someone stole our CAR!  It's gone!  I don't know what to do.
The Rock: [hopefully] Did you drive it anywhere today?
Me: I didn't drive it anywh--Hey.  I had it when I went to the fitness center.  No, it was definitely here.
The Rock: Did you go anywhere else?
Me: Uh...Yeah.  The grocery store.  I went there, so that means it was stolen after that.
The Rock: Is it possible, that maybe you left it at the grocery store? [note: we live almost directly behind the store, so we usually walk to the store]
[stupefied silence from me as reality dawns; The Rock is trying not to laugh]
Me: Oh. My. Gosh. I'm such a dork!  I drove it to the store and forgot that I'd driven and I walked home with the groceries and left the car in the parking lot.
The Rock: [still trying not to laugh too hard] Ok.  Well, you can go get it, right?
Me [giddy with relief]: What a dork!  Wooee!  Ok, well, Bye.

So, our car was not stolen.  It was misplaced.  By me.

And now it's back in the garage where it belongs.

The end.

Best Class

This is the Christmas card I meant to send to you this year.

I drew it and edited it myself, and I get quite a kick out of it, because, Hey! Someone did eat all the fudge at our house....

So, I wanted to show it to you even though my sneaky plan was to just send it out to you all Next Christmas (...maybe I still will and you can pretend to be surprised). But! I'm showing it to you because it is directly related to the topic at hand.

It came to me tonight what one of the most useful classes I've ever had is...and I thought I'd share.

My friend Megan is a digital scrapbooker. That means shes uses a version of Adobe Photoshop (Photoshop Elements, to be exact) to make scrapbook pages. (see her blog for examples)

I'm not much for scrapbooking, but when I saw the things she could make, I was intrigued. Because she's cool, she offered to sit down with me and show me how she did it. So we set up a time when I could go to Megan's house and The Rock and Megan's husband could go play raquetball (or some other such manly activity).  The appointed time came, and we settled down in front of her computer for her to show me the ropes.

I still have a page of notes from that night, and even now, over a year later, I still refer to the notes and think back with fondness on that night. I can't think of notes from any of my college classes that I still have, let alone, refer to.

Even though it was an informal meeting, it counts as one of the best classes I've ever had. The teacher was knowledgeable, enthusiastic, kind, patient, and funny. She taught me a skill I value. And she did it so well that most of it stuck with me--all I need is that one page refresher. And, best of all, Megan expanded my ability to create artwork and gifts that brighten my life and the lives of others.

Thanks, Megan, for giving me one of the best classes I've ever had.

--Lu

Credit's Note: the snowflake background on the card is Golden Girls Jack Frost paper 2.