Live journal, the other white meat

Costume Sale

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 21:55:29 GMT

Hey DC people!

Come check out the Shakespeare Theatre Company's Costume (and props) sale!

Sunday 1p-6p
Sidney Harman Hall
610 F St NW

Sure, there's lots of poofy sleeves and doublets and cosets, but we also do a lot of modern dress shows. The prices are great! (I think I might have a whole new Renn Fest outfit for $35).

Just in time for Halloween :-)

Artscape 2009

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 17:50:37 GMT

Artscape is this weekend!

The largest ourdoor art festival in North America ans it takes place in my back yard! Lots of vendors, music concerts (including Dionne Warwick, Robert Randolph, and CAKE), indoor theatre performances, dance shows, wild installation art, art cars, and no open container law!

All the festivites are FREE!

Any of you in the area, please come by! It's in the Bolton Hill neighborhood of Baltimore, so Chris and I will be having an unofficial open house Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Come soak up our air conditioning, use our bathroom (instead of the porta-johns), hang out on our deck, grab a cold beer, and then head back out to the festival on the next block.

It's the same weekend as Otakon, so all you who are down in the inner harbor cosplaying, grab the lightrail north to Mt Royal and come kick it with us!

I thought she was a sandwitch

Tue, 12 May 2009 03:45:27 GMT

I've always wanted to have John Lennon's bed from Help!

Balmer, Hon

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 00:50:45 GMT

About a year ago the Maryland Lotto filmed a commercial on our block. I totally forgot about it (Tivo allows me to avoid commercials entirely), and just today thought to look it up on YouTube. Our house can be seen at about 43 seconds (where the man is being wheeled out in a gurney).

Daft Hands - Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

Sat, 07 Mar 2009 06:01:40 GMT

How am I just now learning about this You Tube video? Awesome

Lazy Town featuring Lil John

Sun, 22 Feb 2009 02:58:05 GMT

Hilarious!
Lyrics NSFW.

2008 retrospective addendum

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:02:31 GMT

I have decided, forthwith, to include a new question in my annual year-end meme (which I posted earlier this week).

What are your favorite books read in 2008?
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Johnathan Safran Foyer
The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides
A Rumor of War by Philip Caputo

I only read 13 books this year, and, admittedly, a handful of those were manga. I'll try to do better in 2009. I'm always looking for suggestions!

PUPPIES!

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 05:32:24 GMT

This has totally made my day :-)

Jetset

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 01:52:13 GMT

Chris and I had been planning on honeymooning in southern Asia this February. A week in Vietnam, a week in Thailand, and maybe drop by Mumbai, India to visit our friends for a weekend.
However, due to the recent developments in Thailand and India, I'm starting to think we may want to re-consider our options.

So, I'm taking suggestions. Where do you think we should go? Think exotic, nice weather and somewhere that the dollar is relatively strong. We still like the prospect of Vietnam, so maybe something in that region (that has a protest-free airport). Bali? Singapore? Macau? Or something else entirely? Seychelles? Greece? Bora Bora? Argentina? Yucatan Peninsula? Cuba?

Maybe this Thai unrest will blow over and we'll go back to the original plan, but I'd like to buy some plane tickets soon...

Giving thanks for viral videos.

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 03:47:22 GMT

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade got Rick Roll'd!
Epic.

Fight fight inner light....

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 05:39:12 GMT

Our newest Sidwellians

Yes we did

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 05:25:51 GMT

I am so relieved.

Moments after the announcement, our neighborhood resonated with cheers, whistles, car horns, and people banging on pots and pans.

Even though I know my Maryland vote didn't count for much, it's so nice to be on the winning team for once!
(Well, as close to the winning team as I can get. I voted for Hillary in the primary.)

Now, let's see if we can weasel ourselves out of this outrageous recession and debt.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for my California friends. No on prop 8!

It's a post-apocalyptic wasteland, hon!

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 03:02:13 GMT

Kudos to Fallout 3 for use of the word "Hon".
Yea for video games set in the DC area and made by a Maryland company :-)

...and in other news, holy crap! 3 posts in 2 days. This is unprecedented!

Partnership

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 19:40:09 GMT

From dmlou...

Copy this sentence into your livejournal if you're in a heterosexual marriage, and you don't want it "protected" by the bigots who think that gay marriage hurts it somehow.

Billy Wigglestick

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 18:21:20 GMT

Shakespeare's Characters

Score: 100% (12 out of 12)

DRAMATIC CAT

Sat, 16 Aug 2008 03:39:58 GMT

ahahahaha!

Just 'cause

Sat, 12 Jul 2008 04:07:01 GMT

No more (and no fewer) than 2 words can be used... Have fun and try not to use the same answers as the person before you.............

..1. Where is your cell phone? ..............Other cushion
..2. Your significant other?.................Unspeakably awesome
..3. Your hair? .............................Needs cutting
..4. Your mother? ...........................Kick ass
..5. Your father?............................Friendly handyman

..6. Your favorite thing?....................World travel
..7. Your dream last night?..................The Who
..8. Your favorite drink? ...................Bubble tea
..9. Your dream/goal?........................Got it
..10. The room you're in?.....................Living Room

..11. Your ex?................................Long ago
..12. Your fear?..............................Stealthy slugs
..13. Where do you want to be in 6 years?.....Happy healthy
..14. Where were you last night?..............With husband
..15. What you're not?........................Always sensible

..16. Muffins?................................Preferably bagels
..17. One of your wish list items?............New car
..18. Where you grew up?......................Washington DC
..19. The last thing you did?.................Copy, paste
..20. What are you wearing?...................Work clothes

..21. Your TV?................................HD, baby!
..22. Your pets?..............................Sadly nonexistant
..23. Your computer? .........................Relatively new
..24. Your life?..............................Remarkably happy
..25. Your mood?..............................See above

..26. Missing someone?........................College friends
..27. Your car?...............................Needs replacement
..28. Something you're not wearing?...........Prom dress
..29. Favorite Store?.........................Craigslist ads
..30. Your summer?............................Air conditioned

..31. Love someone?...........................For always
..32. Your favorite color?....................Berry hues
..33. Last time you laughed...................Venture Brothers
..34. Last time you cried?....................Not recently
..35. Who will repost this?...................I dunno

Hoopty

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 03:44:10 GMT

On my drive to work today, my exhaust broke. Again. (In a new place, though. Jason's welds were wonderful for the old break.) I drove through DC dragging my muffler behind and parked at work. I shimmied under the car and lashed the sections of tailpipe together with bailing wire, which held up for the drive back to Baltimore tonight.

And, of course, the air conditioning doesn't work.
And the trunk could be more watertight.
And the back window doesn't really go all the way up.
And there is a small, slow oil leak.

I think it's time for a new car. The lack air conditioning is going to kill me.

If I'm going to have a semi-hoopty car with no air conditioning, than it should be something with style like....

or

instead of

So, what should I get? I commute a lot, so gas mileage is important, and I feel the need to haul lots of stuff around, so I'd prefer a small SUV or a hatchback. A Prius would be perfect....except it costs a lot of money. I also like the Toyota Rav4. I refuse to buy new--used only. Does anyone have suggestions of vehicles I might like for storage capacity and gas mileage??

Kitchen goodies

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 20:52:49 GMT

chronoxaos and I have received many wonderful matching kitchen items since our wedding last month, which have taken residence in our cabinets. Our old stuff has been evicted to the kitchen table and is looking for a new home!
Before I post all this stuff on Craigslist, I thought I'd check in with you lot to see if any one is in need of kitchen accoutrement.
Everything is in excellent shape, just mismatched. Prices are listed, but really, I just want it gone, so gimme your best offer on...

3 Fluted Glasses -$3

3 Margarita Glasses -$3

3 Stemmed Water Glasses -$3

3 (crunk) juice glasses -$3

3 Champagne Glasses (Short) -$3

4 Champagne Flutes -$4

SOLD!!! 5 Whiskey Glasses -$5

SOLD!!! 5 Old Fashioned Glasses Curved. From Target -$5

$5 Toaster Oven. Black & Decker. Works wonderfully, but could use a good cleaning.

1 Iron. Works well on dry settings, but is missing the cap for the water resevoir. -Free

SOLD!! 4 Large Bowls. Perfect size for cereal or pho. A little chipped at the edges -$4

Wedding: The Planning Stages

Sun, 25 May 2008 17:08:41 GMT

So, I totally neglected to post here in the lead-up to the wedding detailing all the preparations, so I hereby present the following truncated description of

ENGAGEMENT:
Chris proposed 2 and a half years ago, and we knew that wedding planning took a long time, so we put it off....and put it off some more...and planned a trip to Japan instead.

SACRAMENT:
Chris and I were both baptized Catholic, although neither of us practices. For family tradition, and for lack of any other ideas, we decided to have a Catholic ceremony. I begrudgingly, chose St. John the Baptist as our ceremony site. I went to school there for 6 years, and by the time I graduated 8th grade, was fully disenchanted with established religion. (Instead of a pretty white dress for graduation, I wore black. I'm such a rebel.)

LOCATION:
We visited every damned wedding reception location in the DC area, or so it seemed. We needed a place that was near a church, with a pretty exterior, but with an interior just in case it rained. Ultimately, we chose Brookside Gardens, where we had our first date ten years ago.

THE DRESS:
I bought the dress in November at Betsy Robinson's Bridal Boutique just north of Baltimore. For those of you who don't know, couture dress shopping is unlike normal shopping. At the store they have one of every style, but all in one size (10, which is a street size 6). So, brides try on these "sample" dresses. If they are larger than a size 10, the dress does not get zipped up, smaller than a 10, binder clips hold it closed. Measurements are taken, and a dress is custom made for that particular bride. As luck would have it, I fit perfectly into the sample size, and this store was having a sale of floor models to clear out old inventory. My dress was a Reem Acra, and still donned a price tag of $6,000. With the sale, though, I walked away having spent $450 on it. SCREAMING DEAL! I actually didn't like it when I saw it on the hanger, but the sales girl insisted I try it on, and she was so right!

THE GUEST LIST:
Selecting people to invite was one of the most hateful tasks I have ever had to endure. We neglected a large number of friends and family members based on the fact that we could only fit 125 people inside for dinner. I feel awful for seemingly have overlooked many people with whom we are close, but there was no way we could seat everyone, nor afford to feed all of them. We therefore elected to do an Afters Party, in the British tradition. Even though we couldn't give everyone steak, we sure as hell could give everyone beer!

INVITATIONS:
The short version of the story: my mother and I could not decide on a style, and when we did, she didn't order them, despite telling me that she would. Paniced, and in a huge time crunch, I drove to every Michael's Art and Craft store in the DC area and bought them out of cardstock. I spent countless hours at work printing, cutting, and gluing to make my own. Had I known I was to make my own invitations, I would have given it more thought, but it was a shock to me, and so I slapped together what I could. Drama ensued over envelopes as well, but that's another story.

CATERING:
Is stupid expensive. We were quite pleased with the people at Windows Catering. They were so thorough with everything that we determined a co-ordinator was unnecessary.

TENTS:
Likewise stupid expensive. I pulled an "industry discount" at Parties Plus though, for name-dropping Atmosphere Lighting. We needed a tent for the number of people we would have for dancing and dessert.

PHOTOGRAPHER:
I haven't seen the photos yet, so I reserve my final judgment until that time.

FLOWERS:
I trusted Devers Design to make the bouquets, corsages, and boutonnieres, but did the reception flowers myself with the help of Chris' mom, sister, and Shruti. The vases came from Michael's, the twigs from the set of Hamlet, and the lillies from a wholesale florist in DC, McCallum Sauber, which was surprisingly much cheaper than a normal florist, or a grocery store.

AMUSING DETAILS:
I designed a monogram for Chris and I, which is a familiar symbol to anyone who has ever done theatrical drafting--it marks the Centerline of a stage. Chris' sister was awesome enough to incorporate it onto our unity candle and ring pillow.

TASTY DETAILS:
Cake is okay, but pie is awesome. Especially pie made by punk rock bakers in Baltimore at Dangerously Delicious Pies.
Likewise, champagne is okay, but Belgian Lambic Ale is tastier (and more meaningful to us).

THE BRIDESMAIDS:
...Were comprised of my favorite ladies (and one fellow) in the world! My sister, cousins, my oldest friend, 2 high school friends, and my college roomate. I let each lady choose her own within a given set of parameters. That way, they could each find something that suited their budget and style.

THE MORAL OF THE STORY:
I will forever be the most gracious guest of all weddings I attend in the future. I will never again take for granted a wedding program and the hours the bride must have spent in Kinkos xeroxing them.

Standby for future posts of the wedding day itself!

The play's the thing...

Sun, 25 May 2008 04:37:23 GMT

Every summer, the Shakespeare Theatre Company puts on a FREE performance outdoors at Rock Creek Park's Carter Baron Ampitheatre. This year, the production is Hamlet.

It runs every night at 7:30 from now until June 1 (no performance on Monday, May 26).

I highly encourage everyone in the DC area to come see it. How often do you get to see professional theatre? How often can you afford it?

Pack a picnic and bring a friend! Free evening of entertainment!!

After the show, come knock on the booth at the back of house left, and say hi to me :-)

Why Eurovision is better than American Idol

Fri, 23 May 2008 15:20:10 GMT

Latvia rocks.

Happily ever after

Mon, 12 May 2008 04:11:03 GMT

Chris and I have finally tied the knot!

Thanks to everyone who came to the festivities on Saturday, and those who were with us in spirit.

More pictures and updates as I recover from the madness :-)

All the cool kids are doing it.

Sat, 19 Apr 2008 03:51:22 GMT

Camel Toads

This changes everything

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 18:18:59 GMT

Disney has just developed a line of wedding dresses based on their trademark princess attire.
Awesome.