Monday, January 16, 2017

Monday midday things

* On ITFF (a group for academics on Ravelry), we got an idea rolling for a "fake" music festival, based on the band names that different people proposed "that would be a good band name." It's essentially a series of in-jokes, and I am so seldom "in" on "in jokes" that it pleases me to be in on this.

What pleases me even more? One of the bands I proposed (Rändöm Ümläuts - a Spinal Tap tribute band) got a plurality of votes and is therefore a "headliner."

One person who does a little graphic design made a logo/band list and Redbubble is doing t-shirts and bags. I ordered a bag (hee. maybe I need to take it to the natural-foods store to see if anyone points to a band name and goes, "Oh, I saw them back in 2013!" or something) and also a sticker to put on my laptop.

* My landline is messed up again. Best guess: water in the lines, again, because we had v. heavy rain last night. I'm going to give it a day (also on the grounds that some workers will be off for the holiday) and see. I found out because my mom called me, her number came up, and I picked up and got nothing but static.

Of course I was slightly concerned. Called her back on my cell phone (mein Handy, and yes, I still love the German name for it). Turns out she wanted to remind me to put foil over the pans of spaghetti before they go in the oven so they won't dry out.

Facepalm. (And I already knew that)

*Maybe it's time to drop the landline, especially if they're not maintaining the cables/lines like they should. I know a lot of these companies just want people to go to mobile phones (I'll spare you the long story of my brother and sister in law trying to get a landline from Verizon some years back) but if I drop the landline, A T and T will get zero dollars from me, because US Cellular is my cell phone carrier and I have been sufficiently happy with them to not want to switch.

I LIKE having a landline for various reasons but it would also be nice to have the cost of the monthly bill back and also not have to go through this mess every time we get heavy rain.

* The sleeve for Hagrid is growing slowly, but it feels less slowly than the first one grew, partly because I know precisely how many rows I need to knit on this one.

Still debating "next sweater project" -Harvest? Or maybe the Grasse Matinée I was talking about earlier? Or something totally different? Probably I need to dig out all the "sweater yarn" I've bought down through the years and pair it with the pattern I intended it for and choose that way. (I also have an old Knit Picks kit - a cardigan made of laceweight held double. As I remember, knit in the round and then steeked. I need to learn how to steek some time anyway....)

* Another minor resolution: wear lipstick more regularly. Because I'm pale, y'all. And lipstick seems to help. I bought a new one at the Target the other day - Burt's Bees, the color is called Ruby Ripple - a darkish true red. (For years, I struggled with lipstick colors, I would buy ones that are too orange. Now I've learned "go with blue undertones and you're probably good")

I wore it to church on Sunday and several of the older women (my biggest fans seem to be women in the 60s-70s year old range) commented on how "beautiful" I looked that day so I assume it had to be the lipstick as that's the only thing I have done differently (other than the change-up in how I wear my hair from bangs to swoop).

Also lipstick makes me feel ever so slightly more grown-up on days when I am questioning myself.

Lipstick, I think, is kind of like nail polish - or I could MAKE it kind of like toenail polish for me. It's a little indulgence - you can find it for a not terrible price (though there is some v. expensive lipstick out there, the Burt's Bees kind is like $10). And it's pretty. And when you put it on it does kind of remind you "I haven't given up yet." That it's just a tiny bit of extra effort, a tiny push towards brightness or prettiness in a world that might not be that bright or pretty some days.

(I'm not going to go so far as to say "maybe make the effort to be pretty in an ugly world," because I think prettiness is very superficial and the "ugliness" I deplore in the world isn't cosmetic or aesthetic ugliness as it is something deeper, and something I try to combat by being kind and honest and a "light" or perhaps rather a "mirror" that tries to reflect the Light)

For years my mom wouldn't leave the house without at least lipstick on. She wore very little other makeup - no eye stuff, no nail polish - and I guess I kind of internalized "lipstick equals grown up woman" and maybe that was part of my resistance to wearing it when younger, but, my thinking is changing now.

Oh, I'll probably forget it a lot of mornings, especially when I'm mired in midsemester doldrums and worries, but at least having it sitting on the vanity might remind me to put it on at least once in a while.

(I did also buy a new nail polish at the natural-foods store: Pacifica in a deep dark red called "Red Red Wine." And yes, I sung the song in my head all the way going home so I don't feel so very bad if I've earwormed you now. I think it's next up after I change out what I have on there now; maybe do it for Valentine's day)

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