Wednesday, August 29, 2007
A Completely Non Sequitur Entry on Moving, Accountability, and Jim Halpert
I've been completely remiss in providing any insight to creative pursuits of my own lately; mostly because I am guilty of NOT doing anything during the move. Even with the scanner set up and the kitchen/crafting table bought off Craigslist, there's still the little problem of the internet not getting installed until September 11. Do I complain about this enough? I should probably channel the energy into pummeling the cable company with calls. Gees, what did the world do before the internet?
For your visual pleasure, here are a few things I recently bought off of Etsy:
I'll post the shops once I receive the items, so that I feel assured in recommending these amazing shops.
Here's something I've wanted to write about for quite some time: independent crafters/artists accountability. There's an understood but unspoken rule of trust and solidarity among crafters and DIY-ers, especially on the blog circuit. But I was sorely disappointed by one person when I ordered two art pieces last October, and to this day still haven't received anything. I don't anticipate that I'll ever receive anything at this point, but after several, really-awkward-to-write emails from me (why is it so hard to stand up for yourself?) and uncomfortable but unfortunately empty promises from her, this whole experience has left a really sour taste in my mouth for independent designers. Which is really unfortunate, because I know many of you really rely on the internet to sell your wares. It makes me much more cautious to ever buy something from an independent source (the aforementioned blogger/seller had been a girl I've read and known of through friends for at least 5 years); and though Etsy has been a great, other people who want to be completely DIY are also feeling the repercussions of irresponsible "independent designers".
How do you regulate something like that so that other people don't have the same terrible experience with that crafter/artist? And why would it feel terrible to call that person out on it publicly when it was that person's fault in the first place?
To completely digress to a better story, via Craft Magazine's blog, I spied this adorable remixed old shapeless cardigan to a pretty swingy sweater. It's the perfect project for when I get my sewing machine back from my mom and figure out a serger is find a serger/substitute for a serger. (Thank you, glorious resource of the internet).
And happily, finally, tonight I get to see my friend Monica and we're going to see this guy:
 Labels: 826LA, arts+crafts, covet, things i hate
Monday, December 18, 2006
It's Like I Knew.
What I didn't expect from the "real world" was how on-the-edge-of-my-seat it all is. Instead of waiting for quarters to end, and vacations to come, I get to pick and choose when things end and begin. I suspect this is supposed to give the false illusion of freedom to "adults" in their "adult lives", but naturally, things that are normal to other people terrify me and give me great inner anxiety that I don't even tune into until it manifests itself as some sort of physical ailment. I'm sure that I'll die of a heart attack or ruptured brain aneurism, and all that I'll think as I'm floating away from my corporeal body is -- "Oops, how did that anxiety get there?"
To tie that into the rest of this entry so it doesn't seem meaningless is that I think I have TMJD, which is better than what I thought was the case: my wisdom teeth growing in, and much much better than the case of a friend of a friend whose jaw hurt and it turned out to be cancer. But I won't go there.
So the eye of this anxiety storm is not necessarily something I want to delve into at the moment, except to say that there are offers on the table that activate the part of my decision-making right brain that agonizes over every decision. The thing about your early twenties is that you think that every single little decision you make is going to greatly impact the rest of your life. And the truth is, well, I don't know this for fact, but I'm beginning to suspect -- that it isn't.
As soon as there is news, I will tell you all about it. But for now, I'd rather not be dooced.
Two weekends ago was chaos in the 826LA category, with a fundraising event (where I met the beautiful and delicate Fiona Apple) and a fantastic DIY Holiday workshop, where the students created their own holiday and sent the volunteers and interns scattering to make it happen in two hours. The most rewarding part of the weekend was during that workshop, while as the students were busy putting together a pageant for "Cheese-A-Lot" Holiday. A few students came behind the partition to get water, and they saw me and fellow intern Megan spreading plates of cheese in accordance with the holiday's traditions. They whispered to each other, "It's like they knew."
I'm going to enjoy the next few days with Ryan's company, as he's on winter break, and revel that while the weather outside is frightful (highs of 54! in Los Angeles! Absurd!), inside is full of fun things to do. Tonight I'm going to bake pumpkin cupcakes, have dinner with an out-of-town friend, FINISH my holiday cards, sew some stockings, and perhaps watch the new Bond film.
How are your holiday seasons going?Labels: 826LA, twentysomething
Monday, December 04, 2006
"Trusting people is nice sometimes."
Apologies for being MIA recently. A lot has been happening in shaking up my little snowglobe corner of LA, and I'm happily stimulated to say the least.
First a little tidbit -- Anthropologie had an incredible sale on Black Friday; I bought several things (including the above skirt) on an assistant-in-LA's budget. I know. Mark your calendars for next year.
Last Wednesday, I taught a workshop at 826LA with my fellow intern Stacey, where we had a wonderful turnout (we scrambled to make more books as two unexpected students showed up!) It was so fun, albeit exhausting, to teach a group of excited kids how to crochet cozies for their books. And so fun to work more closely with other interns and volunteers!
At work on Monday, we had received a call at the office to facilitate an event on Friday for Corinne Bailey Rae, whose music as you know I'd been adoring since the summer. Yes, as in in four days Friday. Although a little chaotic and subject to some miscommunication, we pulled it off and it was incredible to meet and then sit in on a SoundCheck session with CBR - she is so sweet and talented. I loved her delicate yet powerful voice, with a hollow edge that sounds like crackling firewood in early winter.
Last night, Ryan and I went to MOCA's Skin+Bones exhibit. We had a minor incident where both of us had no cash for the cash/check only parking lot in the middle of downtown LA. But the parking attendant let me park and pay him after visiting the ATMs upstairs, based on the fact I'm trustworthy because "you're a lady". (Did he not notice the 6'5" male in the passenger seat?) When we went to pay him, he seemed surprised.
He said, in his wide-eyed accented English, "Oh, you're back so quickly?"
As I gave him my twenty and he found change, he remarked slowly, thoughtfully, "Trusting people is nice sometimes."
That was incredibly refreshing to hear in a place like LA, for a cynical girl like me.Labels: 826LA, losangeles, photolog
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