10 Things That Make Me Happy

1. Chanel Vamp and OPI Vodka and Caviar nail polishes-- two reds that could take over the world and which equal a nail color for every situation.
2. Leave It Better Than You Found It by Bruce A. Nordstrom, which I am reading and loving.
3. Thanksgiving plans with friends who are my family, since family is far.
4. Valentino's Nuage bag, in black calfskin. Someone else, is going to get a steal on this bag and going to look fabulous with it for the rest of their life. How I wish it were me. As Valentino is retiring, this iconic bag will be even more special next year, and in the years to come.
5. Ultrasound photographs of my niece or nephew.
6. Tom Brosseau finally in my same city again, tonight!!
7. Brian Atwood Tonya pumps in purple suede.
8. Picnics
9. Clean sheets freshly put on the bed.
10. Church bells and fog horns heard from my bedroom window.

judgement

I try hard to keep an open mind in fairness, kindness, and in want of self-improvement. I don't even know where to begin my thoughts now.
I had a conversation tonight that broke my heart. It's good to know, that while I think I'm growing, and recognize that I am a work in progress, not everyone sees it that way.
While I put strong weight on the perception of me by others, the question now becomes: do I continue to be what I am and simply publish a more carefully edited version, or do I try to become more what other people want me to be?

Oh Brian.

Brian Atwood and Tony Dear are a dangerous team. A winning team, but a dangerous one. Another case where I gave into lust, but man, are they fabulous.
Brian Atwood Purple Suede Tonya Pumps. In: my closet come Tuesday night, thank you very much.

you + me + mistletoe

Things to include to my holiday to-do list are:
i. Ice skating at embarcadero plaza
ii. Find roasted chestnuts and eat them hot
iii. See the Barney’s and Macy’s (with puppies!) holiday windows
iv. Make mulled wine and watch “It’s a Wonderful Life”
v. Egg nog latte in a red cup held with two hands
vi. Attend lighting ceremonies around town, beginning with the Market Street Lighting on the 16th.

Sign-up sheets will be available in the foyer after the service.

because it's what i'm thinking.

I think it unreal and slightly shifted that California voters think that selfish and irresponsible 16 year old girls should be able to have abortions without parental notification but that consenting and loving adults should no longer be allowed the freedom to be committed to each other for life through civil marriage.

We the church chastise the gay community for their sexual escapades but refuse to realize that we are a significant part of their uncommitted sexual lifestyle. We refuse to recognize them as citizens entitled the same rights to enter into a legal covenent of love and committment, with more severe consequences to infidelilty. More importantly, how the Bible defines marriage should be completely irrelevant to our legislature.
I'm so glad we are able to lead the way with a high-speed train, but cannot set the example with committing to civil liberties. California is not as forward-thinking as it would like to think.

H-A-LL-O-W-EE-N Spells Halloween.

THIS was a great Halloween. I love Halloween. It's a contender for favorite days of the year, especially when you have friends like mine who throw awesome parties and come up with clever costumes. Fan-freakin-tastic, I must say.

See how they run!


David takes my milkshake, two blind mice, and Larry Byrd





We carved an Exploding Dog pumpkin and WON funniest pumpkin in the contest Andy's building at work sponsored.

in one ear and out the other

and




At The Independant. Such a great show all in a whisper. love.

Happy 27th Birthday

10 Things That Make Me Happy

1. Saying it best
In seventeen syllables
Is an obsession
2. Dinner parties on warm evenings with warm friends
3. Boston cream pie martinis
4. Rain boots
5. Fall cooking with squash
6. feathers
7. my flatware and it's prescence in my life again
8. Dark and rich colored dahlias in beautifully constructed boquets
9. Handmade jewelry with found/rebirthed items
10. pretty dresses and cozy cardigans

We are the stars of San Francisco

Sometimes I feel so happy about my life that I want to just scream. (In a few days life at work is going to get so full and creep over the rest of my life like a fungus that suffocates a plant.) Perhaps insert background Mates of State song gleefully bounding out happiness.
Praise the Lord for my spirit which is renewed and for the joy I'm finding in life these days. May was a little shakey, June was a rough one, July broke my spirit, August was a blessing, September full of lessons and sunshine, and October has started so well and continues, brimming with hope.


I live here. Come join please.



Unexpectedly went dancing Saturday night which ended up being the best and fullest night. I've missed dancing and I've missed adventures, the random nights are the best. After dancing til wee hours we were sweaty and went in search of sprinklers at my favorite park. Instead what we found was a soapbox car and race lane left over from that afternoon's Soapbox Derby (I so love my city). We of course pushed it onto the street and up the hill to ride down. The second time we went higher, and got busted by the 5.0. It's okay, the Po' can't hold us down.




"One more night, that was a good one." -Stars

sorry to say you're not going to meet your husband this weekend.

Dear Boston,
We love you and thank you for hosting us this beautiful weekend. You are fantastic and will not shortly be forgotten. Thank you for treating us so well, for your history, your beautiful weather, housing and fostering incredible thinkers and makers, one particularlly lovely lady, a baseball team and stadium so well-loved, and for making delicious beers, martinis, a touch of fall, and foder for Yelp!ing.
Darling city, please do not hesitate to call should you need an occupant, a letter of recommendation, or some fashion advice.
Yours,
Miss Kerry A [and Company]





We did, ate, drank, saw, and talked so much. A blessed few days with spectacular weather and wonderful friends who remind me of what love is.





A short list of what we drank that was outstanding:
-Basil Lime Gimlet (!!!) and Stella 75 Martini at Stella
-"Bannana Bread" beer at The Other Side (Young's Chocolate Stout and a banana beer of some kind?) yum!
-Blueberry Beer and Peanutbutter Porter at Boston Beer Works
-Pumpkin beer (in mugs rimmed with cinnamon and nutmeg = delicious)
-Boston Cream Pie Martini(s) at Omni Parker House [incredible, soo yummy]





A short list of things we did and saw:
-The South End Market
-Beacon Hill
-Some of the Freedom Trail
-Fenway Park tour
-Rooftop party on Newbury Street
-Harvard Square
-Yousuf Karsh and Art Nouveau Jewelry exhibits at The mfa
-MassArt and The Speaker Project
-Wally's for blues and Guiness

My heels are high, my eyes cast low.

Stars at the Fillmore. A fantastically good show and night.



Yes please and thank you very much.
No poster, what?

obey

Shepard Fairey show at White Walls Gallery
through Oct. 4

Brilliant.

Critics call Shepard Fairey unoriginal because he recycles images he has not created, but I find his work incredibly amazing and exciting; powerful and beautiful, his message combined with the detailing makes me think. Mostly it excites and inspires me.

small men must keep silence

Therefore, my dear Sir, I could give you no advice but this: to go into yourself and to explore the depths whence your life wells forth; at it's source you will find the answer to the question whether you must create. Accept it as it sounds, without enquiring too closely into every word. Perhaps it will turn out that you are called to be an artist. Then take your fate upon yourself and bear it, it's burden and it's greatness, without ever asking for that reward which might come from without. For the creator must be a world for himself, find everything within himself and in nature to which he has attached himself.
--Rainer Maria Rilke [February 17, 1903]

my thursday was better than yours

Pretty sure. Thank you SF Moma and great company.


Frida Kahlo exhibit.

Serious highlights from the rest of the night:

Half-Life of a Dream: Contemporary Chinese Art from the Logan Collection

"This is the land of dreaming, in which the context is vivid, but the particulars are hard to grasp." --Jeff Kelley

and

I love this Rothko, and my time spent sitting in front of it.
From the permanent collection.


This is how I understand the world and what it feels.
This is how I see/meet/know.

WHAAHOOOO!!!

I'm an aunt!!

The Adventures of Baby Stenz

The Stenslers are going to be parents, and I am going to be an aunt, I'm going to be an aunt, I'm going to be aunt!!

he was deep like a graveyard, wide like tv

things at home are coming together. today was a great day of making things beautiful-- in my home and out. i love this wall.

Radiohead is for something special.

There is a list of people I do not know (as well as several I do know) whom I feel permanently indebted to for the affect they have had on my soul.

Thom Yorke is definitely on that list.

"i dont wanna be your friend, i just wanna be your lover, no matter how it ends no matter how it starts. forget about your house of cards and i'll do mine."

Autumn blew the quilt right off the perfect bed she made.

I've been called "different" by several boys on multiple occasions lately, and it's piqued some thought in me. Phrases have included "intriguing," "a-typical," "not-cookie cutter," and the ever unifying word "different." It occurred to me earlier this summer how interesting it is that so few years ago we aimed for homogeny, being like everyone else, fitting in while now we strive for the opposite, to be unique, noticeable, distinct; I drive at my own created style and signature touch.
Even tho it has been my unrealized goal to be different, my inability to attract or retain a boys attention, and the recent comments on my being "different" begs the question of is different an attractive quality or a hindrance to getting a date? Where is the line drawn between different-attractive and different-weird? Also, if I'm so different, why do I attract the same type of boys?

Man on Wire

"If I die, what a beautiful death to die in the exercise of your passion." --Philippe Petit



Absolutely tremendous. Exciting and beautiful. Everything I'd hoped it to be.

Philippe Petit on Wikipedia


And: I got promoted today. I am now the Narrative Manager at San Francisco Centre. woot. I start Tuesday.
Thanks Krista for leaving me your job. Miss you already.

Boots all dirty, sexy and thin

Oh MAN, Ryan Adams rocked me again, how he does me right. He always delivers and last night was absolutely no exception. I sold my extra ticket and went alone, so it was all mine. They played until 1:30am, (started at 10:15) and I danced all, danced all, danced all night. YES. I love how he absolutely brings the rock, and everyone danced, because you just can't not. He and those Cardinals man, they know how to do it.



Set highlights (and he played two sets) include:
*Beautiful Sorta
*Shakedown on 9th ST
*Wonderwall
*Cold Roses
*When the Stars go Blue
*Easy Plateau



Ultimate happiness, feeling and life is a Ryan Adams show.
He gets me through.