Health and Beauty

I recently ordered this from Inspired Mama Creations on etsy.  I would like to stop using regular deodrant, and have tried a few different store brands, including Jason (which made me smell worse) and Tom’s of Maine.  The Tom’s of Main works ok, but isn’t great and sometimes irritates my skin.  I’ll report back on this new home made kind.

Also?

I have recently started using a neti pot on a regular basis and I believe it works really well.  Yes, you use it to pour water (warm salty water) through one nostril into the other and down a sink.  Its sorta gross, but I think that on nights that I remember to use it, I actually sleep better.  I didn’t think that this would work for me with a deviated septum and allergies and such, but it really does work!

Sarah

Watch CBS Videos Online

I don’t mean to be mean, but shouldn’t there be like an oral exam before you are selected as Vice President?  I am actually embarassed for her.

MTV Nostalgia

So I’m watching VH1′s best of the 90s and it is taking me back, way back, flashing my life, my memories, and my relationships before my eyes.  Seriously back.  Back to the days of MTV.  Of good MTV, before boy bands took over, and before continuous reality television.  Do you remember?  Really remember?  MTV used to be the place we went to to learn about new music, new genres, to see what our favorite bands looked like, to learn about music news, to relate, to celebrate and to grieve.  I watched the premier of Thriller on MTV, swooned over George Michael, and pretended to understand when Freedom hit.  We watched John Norris on MTV continuously when River Phoenix died in 1993.  And we mourned 6 months later by watching Kurt Loder on MTV when Kurt Cobain died.  I was a freshman in college.  I also was watching MTV years earlier with my brother when I first heard Nirvana  and their video for Smells Like Teen Spirit changed music forever.  Even earlier, I watched 120 minutes with Matt Pinfield, who told us about new alternative bands, and watched MTV Raps that got me dancing with early rap, before Eminem, Tupac, Coolio (remember him?), and Dr. Dre took over.  Kevin Seal, Adam Curry, Martha Quinn…they were early, funny, music smart, and influential.  The serendipity of videos and therefore music that you were introduced to was wide, strange, annoying and awesome.

When my dad had to go in for an emergency appendectomy when I was in elementary school,  we had an ever ending line of babysitters for three days solid, but one constant (much to my mother’s chagrin) during a hard time…MTV.  Just ask Andrew.  I won’t say it got us through a hard time, but it was there.

Pop music.  Huh.  It has shaped my generation, shaped my life.  And really, MTV was there for me though much of my adolescence up to about my sophomore year in high school.  The next generation, our kids, what will they call on for their music memories?  YouTube?  MySpace?  Do I lament, or do I celebrate the new media?  MTV and  Unplugged created some of the best music ever.  What is the impetus for groundbreaking music these days?  But maybe music these days is freed from the confines of MTV.

I’m sure I am not the only one to write about the nostalgia and demise of MTV, and surely not the best.  I admit that my music preferences aren’t the most sophisticated, and I understand and credit the critics that derided MTV as glamorizing music and focusing on everything else besides the music, even in the heyday of the mid 90s.  But to misunderstand the impact it had, is to underestimate.

Once upon a time I wrote about songs that reminded me of friends.  The list is endless, forever swirling memories of good times and bad…but mostly good.  My memories are tugged harder by music than they are by almost everything else, more than movies, more than tv.  Remember a good/bad time and think of the song that goes with it.  You know what I mean.  I hope you also think of me when you hear these songs. Here we are now, entertain us.

Earth Machine

Thanks to a friend who picked it up for me while I was at work and Tim in Indy, we now have a new composter, the Earth Machine.  The co-op was having a 1/2 price special, so how could we resist?  I am excited to start using it this fall and winter, and hopefully have some compost ready to go next spring.  Yay!

I was also able to see Jenn and meet Malcolm this weekend.  Mal was born while we were in Europe, so this is my first time seeing him.  Too cute.

Very Purple Catepillar

I love the texture of a quilt fresh out of the dryer, all crinkly and soft.  Normally I like the crispness of fabrics that have been line dried (even towels – I know!), but quilts love a dryer.  Baby Isabela is doing well, though the family has been a week without power in Houston.  Hope that gets fixed as soon as possible!

Snail for #404

This little guy has been a long time in the making.  Can I claim that the heat of summer bogged me down?  Anyway, he is on his way to Alexandria, to chill at a new home.

Baby Isa’s quilt is also done as of this morning.  Just needs a wash and a photo session, then it will be on its way to Houston.  Next up?  Mom’s quilt.

I am about 1/2 way through Breaking Dawn.  I feel like I know what is going to happen, but will continue!

Skull Bus

I have no idea what goes on up the street from me.  I swear that this skull bus is in the exact same place that the Ghostbusters Volvo was a few weeks ago.

We had some sprinkling rain all day and heavy winds with Ike yesterday.  A few larger limbs are down in my neighborhood, but no major damage at our house, thankfully.

Fabrics, Finally

Back in May, I decided to make a quilt for my mom for Mother’s Day.  I wanted it to be just right, but couldn’t figure out colors and pattern.  But in the past few weeks, I’ve found a pattern and today with the help of Bonnie at Shiisa Quilts, picked out fabrics to compliment the large floral on the right that I knew I wanted to use.  Also to go with it is a very pretty cream colored not pictured.  I don’t want to show any more pics until it is done!  I am very excited and think that it will be beautiful.  I hope to have it done by early November, when I head out to Colorado for a vacation.

**Baby Isa couldn’t wait out Hurricane Ike and was born at home in Houston early this morning!  Hope everyone in the Meouw family are doing well.  Good thing there were two doctors there!    Can’t wait for pictures.

Lightening Bug

Phew.  I know, its been a month since we’ve been back but I finally put up all the photos from our trip that are fit for public consumption on my flickr.  The last day in Amsterdam, there were only two pictures involving Tim and a Cary Grant film ad in Vondel Park, that you just sort of had to be there to understand.

Tim and I haven’t really gotten into any tv shows lately, but we got the first season of Heroes on DVD and have been enjoying them in marathon fashion.  There are about 46 episodes from the first season, and we are almost done.  I don’t love the violence, and I am totally confused about who is on what side, but the characters are great.

I am fearing the worst for Ike.  I hope my friends and family in the area are all safe!

Wood Block Print

Maybe its because my mom loves Gustav Baumann, or that I had just seen M.C. Escher’s early wood block prints at the museum in the Hague and loved them.  But I went to the 4th Street Arts Fair here in town and was drawn to the two booths selling wood block prints.  One of the artists was doing goofy prints, but the other one had fun but also beautiful ones.  I told Tim I actually bought something and he didn’t believe me until I got home and had proof.  I NEVER just up and buy something.  And?  I don’t even have buyer’s remorse.  I love it.

Worked 1 out of the past 4 days, which has been nice.  Still hot here though, but thinking of those affected by crazy storms.  Even though it didn’t turn out too bad, I’m glad Mitch evacuated.  Hoping everyone else is safe.  Working on a quilt for baby girl Meouw.  Here’s to hoping that she likes, no wait…that she loves purple!

Tim starts back at school tomorrow with a stats class.  At least it isn’t with a certain SLIS professor, but still wish him luck anyway!