Rockin' at The Bottom Lounge

Monday night was a blast. The band The Duke Spirit was awesome and we had great fun chatting with Scott and Leanne, Pete's friends. I have to admit, I was very taken with the band's style. Lead singer Liela Moss had on a black cat suit, a sequined mini dress over the cat suit, elbow-length black fingerless gloves, and some kickin' black boots. She definitely had some stage presence, and was dancing and gyrating all over the stage, which was pretty wicked.

And the guys were no less impressive in style or talent. Most had on either dress shirts and ties or something similar, and they just had a really cool, funky, circa-1982 vibe going. They were really jamming and keeping up quite well with Moss's dynamic lead. I was very impressed with them all, and I really got into the music, but I couldn't take my eyes off Moss's sequined mini dress, or her hair, for that matter. Oh, that hair! Many call the style "skunk hair" with the dark color underlaying the blond, and it's often ridiculed and sneered at. I, however, have always liked it for some reason, and on Moss it looked pretty awesome. It was very piecey and choppy looking, which looked very rocker chick. Moss grabbed her hair in passionate moments during several songs, moaning out the words, which made her presence all the more cool to me.



After The Duke Spirit left the stage, another band came on and Pete and I decided to head home. It was late and we were dead tired, so we went outside, where Pete was immediately drawn to a pretty sweet Triumph bike parked near the club's entrance. Here he is checking it out, smoking a cigarette while holding my purse. I don't quite remember why he was holding my purse...




I finally maneuvered Pete away from the Triumph and we headed home, exhausted but content, and we eventually collapsed in our nice cozy bed. It was after 12:30 a.m. before we got to sleep, and we had to get up pretty early the next morning as always (4:30 for me, 5:15 for him), so neither of us got much rest and were draaaagggging all day Tuesday.

Anyhow, on that note, I'm off to bed. I plan to sit down with my tea tomorrow night and do a little blogging and blog-reading, which I can hardly wait to do, and which is long overdue. I wish I had the energy of Liela Moss when it comes to just the mundane tasks in life, like doing laundry or running errands. Oh, to be a rock star, eh?

The Bottom Lounge featuring The Duke Spirit

Well, fellow bloggers, I'm off to see The Duke Spirit at The Bottom Lounge in Chicago tonight. I've never been to the Lounge, and I've never seen TDS, either, so this should be interesting. Needless to say, I won't have any new or exciting posts for you tomorrow. Nor will I be able to read all your wonderful blogs tonight, sigh...

But I will be back tomorrow night, after our trip to the vet with Spanky and Adora, and a little running for me on the ol' treadmill. So I hope to be back in the safe confines of blogland soon enough. Hope you're having a great Monday night, whether you're vegging on the couch or whooping it up at some dance club.

See ya tomorrow night!

(Photo courtesy of The Duke Spirit)

John Clark: pen and ink in words and images

Love these bold and powerful portraits? Well, you're not alone. The work of gifted artist John Clark is featured in the November issue of Domino, along with other rather talented portrait artists. Upon first view I was blown away by his sheer talent and imagination, and I loved his fresh take on the traditional portrait. Clark takes random pages from books and draws portraits right over the words, leaving key phrases highlighted. His style is very graphic and minimalist, yet I think there is an element of whimsy and the tongue-in-cheek in his work. And you can request a custom portrait, too, which would be insanely cool to have or to give. Check out his Etsy shop and see for yourself.

(Images courtesy of John Clark)

I'm so tired...

{Dollie, dreaming of catnip and playing in my closet...}


{Huh?}

...but I have slept a wink. Many, many winks in the last few days. Doesn't seem to be helping though.

These pictures of Dollie sum up how I feel today, and how I've felt this weekend in general (although Dollie is normally the most energetic creature in this house). It's so cold and dreary outside that all I want to do is sleep, read, watch tv, each chocolate, and drink lots and lots of hot chamomile tea. I had to go to Target today to get some supplies, and it was like pulling teeth just to get me to get in the car and go. I froze my butt off out there and had trouble remembering what I needed to get, and even that Starbucks soy green tea latte didn't give me much of a boost. I did peruse the shoes, but only half-heartedly, and I didn't linger long to examine the latest skirts and shirts on display, either.

I must say I rarely get weekends like these where nothing major is going on. But this weekend, however, I have had the luxury—yes, luxury—of puttering around my house, cleaning and doing laundry and such, being cozy with the animals and Pete, and simply doing a little hibernating, just in time for winter. And since I've been feeling under the weather for the last several days, due to some nasty canker sores that have wreaked havoc on my immune system, it's been nice to just rest and relax to let my body catch up. I know, yuck, canker sores, but I'm prone to them and they're not fun, and I ain't gonna pretend I'm feeling all sunshine-y and happy. They like to mess with my Hooveritis, too, which flares up whenever I get them (which is frequently), so it's a double health downer for me when that happens.

Well, my weird medical maladies aside, I hope you've had a relaxing and cozy weekend. Or perhaps you were wild and crazy or got lots done. More power to ya! Don't mind me, I'm just going to get back onto that nice warm spot on the couch that I've created and throw a few snuggly blankets over me. See ya Monday...zzz...

Structured clutches

I love a good clutch, especially if it has ladylike details like snap closures, satin linings, and a pretty and sparkly outside. Take these clutches from DSW, for instance. Several times I've been in that store looking for my latest and greatest pair of shoes, only to be lured to the accessories end caps where all these lovelies sit, gleaming and perfect in their appearance. They beg to be lifted off the table, touched by delicate fingertips, opened and closed, bounced weightily in the hands and checked for suitability. I've had a hard time walking away from them in the past, but I feel the siren call loud and clear, especially with today being the day after payday. And Lord knows I love a good patent croc in candy colors...

Sweet turquoise for a dreary Friday

These were my shoe of choice yesterday. Not a great shoe for fitness walking, as I found out during our afternoon break, but what high heel is? Anyhow, they were delightful the rest of the day, I can assure you. Lately I am finding myself wearing heels on Casual Fridays. Why? Perhaps to put a smile on my face, to make me feel more put together (which I haven't felt lately), and of course to wear pretty shoes!

If you like these, why not get a pair for yourself? They're on clearance right now at Target (although apparently only in the stores and not online, judging from these prices). Get 'em before they're gone, because they are already one of my favorite of mary janes, and I'm sure they'll be yours, too. Oh, and I have them in sunny yellow, too.

Vintage pins

You can find some really gorgeous yet inexpensive pins if you peruse the pages of eBay. There are thousands of pins to choose from, and the styles range from Art Deco to Mod. With pins and brooches being so popular right now, this is definitely a good source for all of your fashion jewelry needs. I've found many a good deal on eBay, and have a few pins of my own that I've added to my limited (yet growing) collection. Check 'em out!

Photo of the Week: "Drowned Rats"

In honor of all the wet, dreary weather (and slushy weather to come this weekend), I thought I'd post this image of our dogs, Spanky and Adora. This was taken after they had gone on a two-hour walk with Pete through the woods, hills, and streets of Warrenville. They had an absolute blast with him, but it rained almost the entire time, so the three of them came back totally soaked. Did it bother them at all? Not one bit. In fact, they were all gleeful and happy when they came crashing into the nice warm and dry house, getting mud and leaves all over the place, Pete included. Of course I tsked tsked and grumbled about the mess, but I found it hard to stop smiling at my three adventurers.

Hope this weekend finds you having a thrilling time doing whatever it is you love!

How men and women view a fight

It's funny how different a man's perspective and a woman's perspective can be...



(Us arguing at a restaurant in Lake Placid, New York)

The other day, Pete and I had an argument. It wasn't a huge fight, but it did stir up a little drama between us. Afterward, I felt like Pete was acting cold toward me, and he didn't seem to want to talk or cuddle at all. That in turn colored my mood, and I was touchy and irritable all night, and went to bed troubled and sullen.

During work the next day, I spent my time complaining and commiserating with my friends and coworkers about the previous day's fight. We women agreed about men and their mysterious (but aggravating) ways, and everyone sympathized with my plight. I could think about nothing but our fight all day, and it colored my mood in deep, dark shades of gray and black. When it was time to pick Pete up after work, I was withdrawn and somber as he got into my car. He, on the other hand, was fairly chipper, happy, and affectionate. Pete seemed genuinely confused as to why I was so quiet. When I told him why, he said, "Really? I didn't think it was that big of a fight." And then he lapsed into discussions about the Ford Motor Company and Shelley Fabares (not necessarily together). He pulled out his iPhone and started reading facts to me from the Internet about car engines and corporate politics while I sat there, stunned. Then showed me countless images of famous pop starlets from the '60s while I nodded absentmindedly at his commentary about each woman. I thought about this man, my husband.

I was flabbergasted. Why wasn't he upset like me? Why didn't he brood about our fight all day long, like I did? Why was he able to just snap out of his funk and be happy again? Didn't he realize how emotional and traumatic this was to our relationship?

No, of course not. Because that's the key difference between most men and women that I know. Women take so much to heart. They worry about pleasing others, about what others think and feel, whether their relationships are still okay and healthy and normal, and so on. Men? Men worry, but they worry more about the actual yelling and fighting. And after a short period of time, once things seem to be okay, they move on with their lives and file that fight or argument away under "Resolved."

How do they do it? I don't know, but I certainly can learn a lesson from how men behave, including Pete. Not to say that I shouldn't worry about any issues that stand between us, but I should realize that hey, we're married, and we've been together for years. If some minor argument can come between us and have a huge impact on our relationship, then we have problems. The fact that we have weathered so much together says a lot about us and why we're together. We work things out and have a laugh about it later. And yeah, fighting is normal, even healthy. Plus, making up can be so much fun, if you know what I mean...

Happy birthday, Adora!

How could I forget? Today is my Dodo's third birthday! I just realized it when I sleepily looked at the calendar on my wall here at work! So of course I had to do an emergency post and let the world know it's my girl's birthday. She's going to get quite the treat tonight in celebration. Boy, they grow up so fast, don't they? (sniff)

(Pix from my old cell phone)

A quickie

A photo from our honeymoon—Pete in Maui on the Internet



Since Pete was hogging the Internet most of the night, I wasn't able to write the lovely posts I wanted to. It was okay, because I worked out and relaxed during that time, but I had so much to say here. He did try to let me get on around 9:30, but I was too tired by then. Oh well. Back tomorrow!

Pretty, pretty pages

Just got the new Anthropologie catalog in the mail today. And let me just say that I am blown away by the styling, set design, props, clothes (of course!), models, everything. The train story setting is very romantic and alluring, and each photo seems to be better than the previous. I get so excited when I see a new Anthropologie catalog arrive in my mailbox that I sit down with it and read it cover to cover. And not just for the clothes or home goods it offers to me, the intoxicated viewer, but for the sheer artistry of it all.

Shall we sit back and browse its many pretty pages of loveliness?











Oh, and the home section isn't anything to sneeze at, either.





Drop by Anthropologie for a visit here.

(Photos courtesy of Anthropologie)

It's getting better all the time

As I write this, the results are still coming in for the election, but there is definitely a feeling of promise and hope in the air. No matter who you voted for, I think we'd all agree that we are so fortunate to have the opportunity to voice our opinions in this country. I think we have a real chance to make a change, to turn this crazy bus around and point it in the right direction for once, to create a future that we can pass along to our children without fear or shame. So tonight I'm going to sit back and enjoy the election results, marvel at the American electoral process in action, and enjoy the ride.

Finally!

Run, Chris, Run

Well, I did it! And I surprised myself. I was toying with the idea of at least walking on the treadmill tonight, but not necessarily running. I figured I'd mix a little burst of speed into my walk here and there, but otherwise just do a brisk walk.

All that changed once I got on the treadmill, however. For some reason I just had the urge to run, maybe because I wasn't able to on Sunday, and because I've been absolutely itching to do so for a while now. And I kept up a pretty good pace for a long time, until the last five minutes or so, when I started to get really tired. I'd say I did almost 30 minutes of straight running, which was about two miles at my pace. Not too shabby for someone who hasn't run at all since late July, and who has been eating cheeseburgers and fries and candy and cookies for the last few months. That kind of eating is something I used to rarely do, but for some reason I gave myself the green light one I was back from my honeymoon to go crazy on the snarfing.

Anyhow, I wanted to share my news with you all, and I've been very touched by your words of encouragement and kindness. And to those of you out there who are thinking of doing the same thing, or struggling with your current exercise or diet program, don't despair. Give me a shout and we can chat about it if you want. I've been there and back so many times my head spins when I think about it. I used to be over 50 pounds overweight back when I was 18, and I dropped all that weight and have kept (most of) it off since then, which hasn't been too hard. So struggling for the last few years with my weight has been difficult and discouraging, but every so often I get motivated, and I try to run with that (ha ha). So seriously, if I can help you the way you've helped me, just let me know.

And now that I've showered and I'm all clean, I'm getting sleepy, so I'd best be bloggin' before I conk out!

A splash of red among leaves of gold

These were Monday's shoes of choice—red quilted ballerina flats from Sam & Libby. Very comfy, and they blended quite well with my leafy surroundings.

(See the artsy "Lolo effect" version on vivid.)