That's how my 4-day weekend went.

Huh--it must be LJ wide that we can't make cuts. My sis just posted and said that she couldn't, but neither can I. Oh well, I won't take up too much space.

Thanksgiving: Slept in pretty late--about 10. I think I had stayed up really late with Jim on Wednesday watching Web Soup (tis addicting). Fed cats, started my Apple Pudding, and did somesuch nonsense I can't recall because I was basically just a zombie. The pudding cooked longer than anticipated, so we left later than I wanted, but it came out looking and smelling absolutely perfect. We went to pick up his Gramma, but she was having dizzy spells and decided to stay home. His mom was cooking veggies to take to my mom's and we piled in our respective cars and headed to the homestead (not before giving the kitties love--espech my little Bu-Bu, see above).

Dinner was well under way when we arrived. Mom and Carly were happy that they didn't have to cook veggies and there was no other place to keep my still-warm pudding, so Mom stuck it on the stove to keep warm. Feeling in the way, I went into the living room with Jim and his Mom. I felt guilty, but I couldn't do anything with 4 adults working in the kitchen. Probably just as well, because at some put I heard what sounded like some dropping a glass and it shattering. I though "damn, must be on of those green glasses she never uses." Nope. I went to investigate and my perfect pudding was still perfectly perched on a burner, missing the pyrex pie plate that had shattered in a 6 foot radius across the oven and hardwood floors. Mom had went to heat up something on another burner....and turned the wrong one on. Yes--the pie plate 'splodered and my poor pudding was a shrapnel ridden victim. I couldn't help clean up (4 adults in one room), but I didn't feel bad not being in the room when they tossed the pie in the trash. That would have been too much. I'm not a saint, however, and I'd be a liar to say that I wasn't pissed at first. I didn't say anything to my mother when it first happened--I left the room because she always mixes burners up, even after having the stove for 5 years. And I was really looking forward to eating my first Apple pudding of the year, cooked with some really tart apples Jim found at a farm market. Mom felt really bad, and to be honest, it was easier and more fun to laugh about it than be pissed. The wonderful turkey, thankfully, was shielded from the debris because of the awesome space-ship like roaster that my sister brought.

Aside from exploding pies, this Thanksgiving was the best that I can remember having at my parent's house, or anybody's house for that matter. We crammed at the table and had a really good time, and all the food was really delicious. Jim brought his laptop to work on his presentation , but was still sociable. He even had a good time and was pleasant (a sharp contrast to his first visit to my parents nearly 4 years ago). His Mom left around 8, and we didn't leave until midnight.

Black Friday: You think I go to a store on this day? Ha. Black Friday is one of the reasons I hate Christmas, but I digress. I had been invited to a Day After party through Facebook by a friend from college. I was the only non-parent to come, but that was okay. Her little boy was very quiet unless he fell, the other couple's 6 year old girl seemed pretty well behaved, but when her and the other 3 kids 5, 6 and 8 got together it was a whole lot of shrieking, but for the sake of friendship, I could deal with it. It was mostly Vegan and Vegitarian food, with an exception to a turkey that she made for her husband. What impressed me about them--their house was sparsely furnished, a little bit dirty (happens when you have a toddler), and they didn't have matching silverware, dishsets or a table big enough for all of us to sit at, but they still invited friends to partake in a feast with them. And that was really nice. I haven't had a friend over to the new apartment since I moved, because I always feel it's too messy or dirty, or because I only have 2 chairs and a couch. They helped me see I don't need any of that. It was really great.

Problem was, I don't think the turkey was all the way cooked. My friend made a comment about it to her husband, but he said it was fine. I only ate a little bit, but was having gut trouble all night and am still having some gut trouble. It's a shame because the rest of the food was so damn good!

Black Saturday: No, no shopping. Jim's cousin had a Thanksgiving party. Made another Apple Pudding. He had to go somewhere before we left and was still working on his presentation when I dragged him out to go get Gramma. There were only two of our relatives there and one is antisocial (long story). Food was really, really good, and there was a lot of it. Company, not so much. Most of his cousin's husband's family that was in our age bracket acted as if we didn't exist. I sat at a table with Jim's and his cousin's relatives and was bored out of my mind. Jim was like "I should have brought a book." I couldn't resist--I said I told you so. His Gramma seems to think that her youngest daughter will take care of her in her old age (ha, yeah sure, the princess) and his cousin's cousin is a bitch. I was ready to throw in the towel when his other cousin and young girlfriend came unexpectedly (they were in Harrisburg). I nearly bowled over other people to get to them. Not long after, Jim's mom arrived (she was at a Baat Mitzvah). The rest of the night was nicer after that. I told Jim's other cousin that my High School reunion was that night and I was still a little on the fence about it. He went to the same high school ("they want $50 for the reunion at the Buena Tavern? I don't see anything good enough there to be worth that"), and we both hated it. In the end, I didn't go, and looking at the pictures posted on facebook--I'm really glad I didn't waste my money. Looks like a cringe-fest to me.

Sunday: I was really looking forward to staying in, but my best friend who lives in Florida called to say she was in the area, did I want to hang out? I drove an hour to her parents place and we had Indian food (mmmmm, Tandoori Chicken and samosas), talked about stuff and gawked at her mother's sinfully fat cat (like a couch cushion with cat legs). I can't recall much of our conversation, but she had said she was there since Monday, and stayed in Philly for three days (???!?!) She forgot I lived in Woodbury, not Woodbine, which is about an hour and a half away from Philly, that's why she hadn't called me sooner. Oh well. I stopped at my parents house to borrow a casserole dish and clip some ivy for Friday's festivities. I should have grabbed one of her bowls, too, for punch. I got home around 8, and Jim was meeting with his professor, so I watched Animation Domination alone and lamented my return to work. :P

The end.

Over the turnpike and through the guidos to Grandmother's house we go!( So my cousin comes by after being awake 16 hours... )

In other news--I just cooked up some 18th century style Mincemeat. Next time, I think I'll use Deb Peterson's dried fruits and currants instead of grocery store high fructose corn syrup fruits and raisins. It was a bear to shread everything (especially the *free* beef lard), but it was kinda fun, and the whole thing smells delish. It's cooling right now, and I'll add the rum and brandy before bed and stick in the fridge. It won't be ready for the Mifflin Christmas, but it'll be ready for Mt. Holly in 3 weeks. I think I might make pasties out of it instead of a pie so we can eat them at the event.

My weekend was busy, and full of food. The Holiday Horror season has started early this year.

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Siege was...interesting this year. Flickr Pictures If you have an account, friend me to see the farbs.
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I'm on Vacation! I'm on Vacation! Yay Yay yay!

Halloween was a bust for me. We had a Halloween party at work that rivalled most weddings (lump crabcakes?). I didn't win anything this year in the contests, but neither did I expect to. I whipped up a skirt the night before with a butterick middle-evil pattern (butterick 4827) using a dead-dinosaur taffeta flocked with velvet. It came out pretty nice and the dead dinosaur was actually easy to work with for once.  I thought I would wear it Halloween night with my new corset top from the renfaire. I was going to put rats (hair ones, not real ones) and feathers in my hair and paint a mask on my face, since I wear glasses, and can't wear a real mask (though, there was a lady at Saloncon that made them for people with glasses, but I can't recall her name). I ended up just taking my MIL for tea and watching little kids trick or treat in Millville. I visited Jim's grandma, cousin and aunt after that and went to see my parents. My folks do a really nice setup for Halloween and the last one I saw was in 2006. My aunt and uncle were there, so I had dinner with them and gave candy to kids.

No one on my phone list was doing anything, or I hadn't been invited, so I ended up staying home and watching a program on The Real Wolfman--I had no idea that Brotherhood of the Wolf was based of a real incident! If you've never seen it, it's a great movie--look for it under foreign or action films, but it's dubbed in English. Not really historically accurate, but really, really fun. It felt like Halloween crept up on me, and I didn't feel the way I normally do. This time of year is usually filled with magic for me, but not so much this year. Or last year. I have to change that.

Around 9 pm, I got a call from my parents. A kitten had wandered up to their porch and put her little paws on their front door. Imagine if it had been any other night beside Halloween, they would have never seen her. They didn't know what to do with her, did I want her? I've been thinking Earl needed a friend for a while, but our lease only allows one animal and I had to talk to my landlady first. In the interim, they actually considered keeping her because she was so sweet, which really floored me! Their house is like a museum, and even before it was like that, we were never allowed a cat. Our landlady okayed it, and they delivered the little sweetie last night. She is nameless as of right now, and she's a messy looking little tortie about 3 months old. She's got lots of orange, and teensy bit of white on her feet, an orange face and black ears.  I thought about naming her Chai (haha, Chai and Earl Grey), but her name hasn't spoken to me yet. She needs an autumny name. Earl is fussy about her, which I expected, and will be for a week or two. She's got balls though--the little one-pounder strutted in front of big-ass 14lb Earl to eat his canned food. He's done a lot of growling and posturing and staring, but I think it'll be okay after they get used to each other. She likes to cuddle and purr and be in the same room as us.  So, by accident, much like Earl, we have a new addition to the Bock-Davis family.

I'm very happy not to be at work today. I cleaned part of the apartment last night, and am in the mood to clean and straighten out the rest. I also want to put up my wall things that have been laying around since I moved in May. Maybe I'll get rid of some things. I need to take my broken sewing machine to get fixed, and some shoes to get re-heeled, soled and polished. I'll use the borrowed machine to try and finish the machined part of my stays before Williamsburg.

Tomorrow, the car needs servicing, so I'll be at my parents for that. I need to clean out the car, so that may be the day to do that. Wednesday, Jim and I need haircuts and I a brow-waxing (I feel like a man) and we'll go see his mom and the cats for a while. Wednesday night, I'm going to Nocturne with my young friend Tyler and his new girlfriend.  Then I'll wear my corset and taffeta skirt. I haven't been there in nearly 6 years, so I may have outgrown it, but I'm going to be open to fun, since this is their first time going there. 

Thursday to Sunday, it's Williamsburg! I may not be able to do all the things suggested by our host, but I will definitely do the CW in Colonial kit on Saturday. I'd like to see Jamestown while I'm there, and visit my cousin Dave and friend Brandi. They live about 45 minutes away--Dave is in the Navy and Brandi's husband in Air Force, so they both live in the same town. Brandi had a baby two weeks ago, so I'd like to go meet  him. Everything else will be costume/history geek related.

Okay, Jimbob needs this computer so I'll end my ramble fest. Off to enjoy my vacation!

 I had gone to the bathroom yesterday and our Administrative Assistant was at the sink.

"I have to dress as Morticia Addams for a segment," she said.

"That's pretty cool." I meant it. I briefly related how I had the thought the other day while at Walgreen's makeup section that as a teen, all my make up was from the halloween rack and black women's cosemetics. They were the only places you could find incredibly dark lipsticks that I could afford on my meager allowance from my paycheck.

"Well, we all grow up sometimes--I just hope no one sees me while I'm in this goth getup."

Who said anything about stopping when I grew up? I thought. I just don't buy cheap makeup anymore. Granted, I don't do dark lipsticks, either, but I still do goth or whatever subculture group you want to throw me in. Does that make me a non-grown up?

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I took yesterday off in celebration of my 28th birthday. I usually work on birthdays, starting with my 20th (school and unemployment fell on the others prior). My 23rd happened to fall on my regular day off and I took my 25th off to go to Cape May for the day. I've been a bit stressed with work, especially since baseball is still in full swing. One of the women in my department is bringing in a celebratory bottle of rum for when the season ends in 10 days.

I didn't do much, really. I had ideas of going to Winterthur or New Hope or Olde City Philadelphia (where I was born, I might add). Jim was like "why do you want to go anywhere?" I decided to just walk downtown. I passed the Historical Society which happened to be open! I had to run down the street for donation money, but I ended up spending two and a half hours in there. A lot of artifacts from the area were on display, many dating back to prehistory and some dinosaur fossils. I loved some Jacobean chests  on display, one that came from England with the founders of Woodbury in 1683 and another from about 1710. Woodbury in the late 18th century had it's own clockmaker, which I found very fascinating, since Philadelphia was only a ferry ride away (granted a couple hours, I'm sure). The current display was WWI, with many propoganda posters from the era that were incredibly beautiful, some of them quite scary. I swear, I have not seen good poster art since the mid-90s. Computers have sort of ruined it. I had forgotten my crazy quilt teacher works there, she and another woman were putting gowns from the teens on mannekins. One beauty that really threw me off--a lace and black organza blouse decorated with raspberry velvet ribbon with an incredibly high neck and matching skirt made of a black damask with chenille. I though it dated from about 1909, but it was from 1917! It had been specially made in Philadelphia for a woman who had been born in 1870--she was adhering to the fashions that she prefered. I loved a cute little gym outfit that had a simple batiste blouse with navy bloomers--all you steampunk gals would've loved it! I know I did.

I was really tired after spending so much time in there, I was quite happy to just trudge home. Now to the work I did--I finally made my stays mock-up! Jim was pretty useless in lacing me in--he missed the first hole, and he laced them over-over rather than spiral.  The fact that I was using an extra long corset lace didn't help. I decided to do it my self, bra style, if you know what i mean. Earl kept grabbing the lace, so I locked myself in the bathroom.  Everything felt like it fit--it felt like I had to make the fingers shorter. Then, when I tried to lace it a little tighter, a hole tore at the bottom. Since I had turned the mock up around like a bra, some of the duct tape on the back pieces got dislodged from the cardboard and they came apart. I pulled it off and called it a night. Now, since it had been around 11 pm when I tried the mockup on, I'm wondering if everything was all right. It felt fine, aside from the fingers, but now I'm wondering if the bust points were in the right spot. I think I'll try to put it together again tonight, reinforce the lacing holes, find a shorter cord and try it on. I'm hoping by this evening, I will at least have the interlining cut out.

Now I'm thinking about the entirety of this set of stays, and my working pair yet to be started. I think about all the work that goes into it and I feel a little overwhelmed, especially when I think about binding. This set will only be partly boned, and I worry if I'll get the directions right and get the eyelets, boning and binding done by October 10. Then I wonder if I'll have a gown ready for the W*burg trip. :P

So many projects, so little time.

I'd like to wish a very happy birthday to jehanni, Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, Joan Jett, Nick Cave, Anne of Cleves, Anne of Austria (Sun King's mother), Erich Von Stroheim (one of my fav silent movie directors), Hans Scholl (member of the White Rose), Anna Karina, Matt Sharp, Emilie Autumn, and me. :)

Lot of Annes and Rock Stars born today.

And a very happy First Day of Fall 2009, Autumnal Equinox, or Mabon to everyone else! I hope it's sunny, beautiful and cool where you are, and the skies sapphire blue and the leaves beginning to turn.  

A  video lifted from ismiseniamh , but it's pretty damn funny. I want to watch the 1778 one with the giant wig.
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Almost finished the shift--I finished the armhole seams Friday night and the hemming last night. The neckline still needs to be finished and some sort of closure on the sleeves. Since the hole is a little too large, I think I might bind it with a strip of linen rather than roll hem it and run a cord through the sleeve cuff until I become more confident in my buttonholes. I'll probably have a real shift by the end of the week (yay!)

I went to Fabric row with Jim's cousin Will and his friend Robyn. Will was looking for fabric to make Robyn and his girl-friend-not-girlfriend-by-her-insisting (long story, but I have the feeling if he were to screw someone else she would be very upset) Renfaire costumes. And yes, RenFaire--not renaissance. Robyn picked this loud red and gold brocade, but I think it will make a very nice costume. We ate at Jim's Steaks instead of my customary 4th stree deli, but I had never been there, so I figured why not. I'd like to try the Middle Eastern place across the street someday. Will's girlfriendnotgirlfriend called to tell him one of her silly friends was stranded in Philadelphia and could we pick her up? He agreed to go after we were done shopping. The silly friend had the nerve to call us and ask us to hurry up. Robyn and I scoffed at her rude behavior--she was the dumbass who got herself stranded there and she had no right to try and spoil our fun. Geez--kids these days...We did pick her up, and I thought she was very silly, stupid and rude. I don't know how Will stands these people.

I didn't really need anything but handkerchief linen and something yellow to cover shoes with. I bought 7 yards of linen and found a nice golden yellow damask with a leaf and lozenge pattern to cover shoes a la bauhausfrau . I actually considered throwing together a hemd and kampfrau gown for the RenFaire trip next month, but took a look at my other projects (18th century fancy and flapper) and decided it would be too much. I'll try and get my half-boned stays done in time, and I'll wear those with my petticoats, a blouse and my leaf circlet, and no one will be the wiser (except those who know better, which won't be many at the Renfaire). I cringe at the thought of another year going by without a proper outfit, but I have to remind myself who usually goes to these things. Halloween and W*burg frolic are more important to me right now. I could always have Will throw me together a cheesy costume, if I wanted, but what would I do with that? I saw some very delish taffetas and wools while I was at Jack B's. They had a plum velvet and plum and green stripe taffeta I could see made as a fancy Mantua.

Well, the Diderots are next on the list. I have everything I need except for a binding material--I'm torn between white linen or a colored wool tape or silk ribbon, I don't really want to deal with leather just yet. I'll be looking for a box to cut pieces from.

For a while, I've been quite dissatisfied about my sewing. I hadn't done one stitch, one cut, one anything since we got Earl two months ago. I did some pinning of facings to the Banyan while I worked at Resorts last month (I worked wardrobe, which is basically guarding the dressing room of half-naked ring girls and fixing wardrobe malfunctions while hanging around a bunch of sewing equipment).

Halloween is coming up, plus Williamsburg trip the week after, and I need things to wear. Last night, i said to myself "now's as good a time as any" and finally hand-sewn the sleeves to my shift. I had wanted to machine sew them, but there's no place to use the machine right now. I back stitched them in, and it didn't take me that long, except for a break when Earl decided my lap was the best place for a nap with my arm as a pillow. I tried it on, and it fits very well, except I think I made the neck hole just a tad too wide. Now I just need to finish the armhole seams, hem the bottom, finish the neck hole and attach closures to the sleeve cuffs. All easy stuff, especially the hemming. I'm unsure of how to finish the neckline, because it's a tad too wide, whether I should hem it or bind it. I'm also unsure of whether to add tie closures or a thread button to the cuffs on the sleeves. If anyone has any recommendations, I'd appreciate it. But the shift has sleeves now! I love the linen I made it out of, a fine and crisp handkerchief linen I bought for $5/yard a couple years ago. I'll be going to Fabric Row tomorrow with Jim's cousin who's making Ren Faire costumes for his family and I hope I find some linen at a reasonable price.

Because of the upcoming Williamsburg trip (which I have a chance to dress up) and just in general, I'm going to make my fancy stays, using Reconstructing History's 1740s-1790s Stays pattern (www.reconstructinghistory.com/rh833-1740s-1790s-stays.php). The fancy ones are going to be based off of Diederot's 1776 model, which is the pink one in the lower left of the picture. I have some burgundy damask in a viney leaf pattern set aside for this. My regular, day to day stays are going to be front lacing, like the red one in the upper left of the picture. I have green linen for that. The everyday set probably won't even be started until after the W*burg trip, and I hope to have the red pair finished long enough before to make something nice to go over them. I have plenty of silks laying around to make something, I just don't know what yet. Undies first. I'm also hoping on making a couple of caps, as I'm quite sick of my dormeuse.

I'm doing the 1920s for Halloween, a flapper evening gown, inspired by this, www.antiquedress.com/item9981.htm but having leanings toward this, dressmakingresearch.com/1926_the_new_draped_vogue.htm or this dressmakingresearch.com/1928_draping_a_magic_dance_frock.htm. Plus, I have the 1924 One Hour Dress book, so I feel pretty confident. Colors mainly red and black, because that's what I have already. I have appropriate shoes and stockings and a czech glass necklace from the era. I just ordered a book from 1923 on Ribbon Art to make garters, a headress, and possible belt ornament. When I do a Halloween costume, I want to do it right!

I realized last night there is no excuse for my lack of sewing. Now's lets keep this ball rolling.

*****

I remember what day it is. I'm afraid I'm not as eloquent as kass_rants , her connection is more personal than mine. I remember I wore a green skirt with a white tank top with my fake tooled sandals with the giant soles. I remember how nice a day it was, compared to today, warm and sunny, with clear blue skies. I remember I got to school at 8:40, 35 minutes before class and that I went to the Commuter Lounge. I remember leaving that room with a friend at 9:10 and passing by a TV with people surrounding it.  I remember the horror and fear I felt once I realized that it was no accident.

I remember other people on campus panicking because their family and freinds lived near or worked in the buildings. I remember watching in horror one tower, then another, crashing to the ground. It was the first time I had ever seen a live video feed online. I remember not being able to call home because the lines were so jammed. I remember that the nation's attitude changed. The world didn't change, but how many viewed it did. I remember the many acts of heroism, by those in uniform and ordinary folks. I remember how New York pulled together. I remember the prejudices that were spawned that live to this day.

My mother in law saves just about everything. In the second week of September, the Catholic Church normally has a Day of Prayer. Ironically, in 2001, it was Tuesday, September 11. I can only trust that things will get better. The pain of loss will never go away, but I just hope that this world will eventually be less scary than it has felt in the last 8 years.

I'm not kidding. I don't think I could ever go to another show and enjoy it as much as I've enjoyed this one. Next time they come around, I'll be the first to get tickets--money or no. I'll starve a week if I have to.

It was at the Borgata, where amazingly, I have never been. I guess because I usually go to AC to work, not to play. The event center was pretty small for a band as big as Depeche Mode, but it made it all the better. It was a room a little larger than the Electric Factory, if you get me, but even if you were in the back, you could still see the faces of the band members. The intimacy made it all the better. Meg and I got there in the middle of Peter Bjorn's set, which wasn't bad, but hey, they didn't really get me that excited either. We managed to get about 1/4 to 1/3 distance to the stage. Depeche Mode probably came on around 9 and played for two hours. The had the video backdrop that I guess is pretty typical of their shows, but it was unlike anything I had ever seen, except, maybe when I saw Le Tigre, but that didn't compare. The energy in the room was amazing, I never saw a crowd so into the show, it was so fun! It sounded great; man the quality of the sound! Some shows you go to in small places it sounds like noise, but these guys are pros. What I really loved was that they seemed so into performing--especially Dave Gahan. Jumping around, dancing, smiling, swinging the microphone around, singing 25-year old songs like he never sang them before--he was enjoying himself and it showed! And it made the show so much more enjoyable. Martin sang a couple songs. Jezebel and a version of A Question of Lust with just his voice and a piano. His voice is so beautiful--I love both of their voices, equally, for their different qualities, Dave's seems to suit the side-to-side music and Martin's the circular, that's how it makes me feel. I think I saw true rock stars last night. They ended with Enjoy the Silence, but encored with Stripped and Personal Jesus. When it was all over, Dave acknowledged everyone in the band, including the two guys who play at shows, but aren't really the "face" of the band, if you catch my drift. Andrew Fletcher is an easy guy to forget--he's not as "rock-star' looking as the other two, but I know he does most of the behind-the-scenes stuff that's kept the band together for so long. Being someone who has been behind the scene for years, I can respect that. They all linked arms and bowed like it was a Theater performance.  I don't know, it was really awesome, and I guess I'm just trying to share with you all what I felt and saw.

The only downside was the heat--I forgot how hot it gets in those standing-room onlys, it's been a couple years. But i didn't care I was as sticky as taffy when I left, it was totally worth it. That show was so damn great; I'm really disappointed I didn't get the chance to meet them, not in a geeky fan-girl kind of way, but more in way they seemed like a really awesome bunch of guys and I really wanted to thank them for making the night wonderful for me, my friend, and everyone else there. I've been to a lot of shows, some big venues, some small; some big bands, some unheard of. Some have left me high and dry, most of them have made me happy, but this one--this one filled me with joy.

/end geeky fan-girl transmission.

Depeche Mode tonight! Squee! I guess some of you saw my last post in which I won tickets had a chance of meeting the band--well, I don't think I won that chance, but oh, well. I still get to see them in AC!

I realized that I had nothing to wear, really. I have two dresses--one  that my mother gave me almost 10 years ago from London--an asymmetrical one shouldered shimmer-dot dress--except my legs are still a little thick to be showing off like that. The other one is a Tripp dress that I've worn to three concerts already. I got rid of most of my going out clothes when I moved, except for a few things. I felt like I needed something new, and I deserve it! So I went shopping at Express for the first time and bought a pair of skinny jeans in size 10 (size 10!) and a couple of ruched cross-over tanks, one in leopard print and the other in shimmer black.

I managed to get an appointment for a brow waxing and haircut; Karen, my hairdresser is a fan and'll probably be a little jealous, but she's good at fixing my hair so it looks nice for an evening. I'm really itching for a new pair of shoes and some jewelry or makeup. My purchases have actually helped me get back on the exercise wagon. I'm the lightest I've been in years at 155 lbs and I look great in those jeans, but I see I could look better. So much of my money goes to bills and needed things, like food and gas, it's nice to be able to get a little something for myself. Nothing like a little self investment.

I'm taking my friend Megan from college and she's totally psyched, too! Jim was lame: "I don't like Depeche Mode, concerts or Atlantic City." He can stay his ass at home while I'm dancing the night away.

So psyched!

Just a vacation, for god's sake! I need time off work. I don't have enough money  to take a real vacation, but I can take some day trips.

But a dream vacation would be in Italy or the British Isles.

I've been kicking around the idea of getting another cat since we moved into this place, feelings which increased after my girls died (yes, I'm sure Dorothy Vader is gone, too). The old place we weren't allowed any, and this one we're allowed one with a small deposit. A woman at work had a friend with an extra cat, called Sadie, and I thought about taking her in. Jim wasn't too keen on the idea, but he wasn't going to tell me 'no.'  Sadie Mae is a very pretty kitty--a mostly white dilute calico with green eyes. I was on the fence about taking her in, feeling like I should wait to the end of the month, once I had things and events straightened out, then I would decide.

Then this--my friend Jen from college posts this on her facebook: www.facebook.com/ext/share.php. If your eyes aren't welling up yet, she said "listen to this while reading the ad: www.youtube.com/watch. Yeah, try it. I would have really liked to give Sadie a nice home, but she isn't at risk of being killed where she's living.  Jen would save him, but she's got 4 or 5 cats already. So, yeah, I saved the kitty.

The lad will be delivered on Wednesday evening--this is what this lady does in her spare time--she finds homes for cats, and will drive them to wherever their new home is. One time she drove a cat from Princeton to Ithica, NY. In the meantime, I need to cleam my living room up, and get food and a litter box for him. I wish I could take Sadie in, but with a one-pet limit, I'll either have to work on my landlady, or find someone else.

I'm saving a kitty!

...for Depeche Mode tickets---as I have just found are sold out for the Atlantic City show. It is a Black Day, not a Black Celebration. Stupid me--I've been Stripped for cash since I found out about the show several months ago, but I knew it was only A Question of Time before they would sell out. I should have gotten my ass Behind the Wheel and just gotten them when I found out, or saved my money better. Everything Counts.  But no, I had to buy a New Dress at Macy's in March and I just couldn't Shake the Disease of procrastination. I Suffer Well from that and it's A Pain that I'm Used To.

I admit I have a Strangelove for their music and I Just Can't Get Enough. I really hoped that I could see them live. I could get one stinking ticket from Livenation for $125, but I really don't have that kind of money, and I won't go to AC at night by myself, having seen that World in My Eyes.

Though Somebody would really be my Personal Jesus if they could give me a tickey and Playing the Angel if they could find me a ticket cheap. It's No Good. God, I'm Useless. If you were Walking in My Shoes, you'd know why I feel like putting something up to a Barrel of a Gun. I guess I'll just sit at Home on August 1 and Enjoy the Silence. It would have been fun--Something to Do.  I Want it All, but I'll have to just Dream On until The Dead of Night when I'm Comatose.

When I read your posts, I Feel You. When you guys talk to me, I Feel Love.

:D

"Oh, haha" you say. "I see what you did thar!"  I know. Corny---but I am really bummed about tix being sold out.  Doing this has actually given me a giggle, so I feel better.

It appears that the East Coast Reenactorfest has been cancelled, due to the (possible) closure of the Clarion in Cherry Hill. Mandie_rw notified me about it on Sunday, after I had gushed to her about how excited I was about it. “But!” the happy website says “We still have the one in Chicago!” So, I guess it’ll be a while before I can go to a Reenactorfest.

 I’m really bummed out by that. Even though I live 20 minutes from Cherry Hill, I was going to do all three days. I wanted to rent a room Saturday night with my friends, so we could all have a room to change into our finery for the ball and have a place to crash in the wee hours of the morning. I blew off Costume Con in Baltimore because I was going to do Reenactorfest (then again, I was broke and ready to move during the time of CC27 and would have had nothing to wear). Next CC is in Milwaukee, so no play-dress-up inside for me. L

 Saloncon has also been cancelled for this year. The planners are all pretty young—most of them are about my age, and it’s been too much stress to put together another one for this year. However, there will be a 2010 one. This cancellation was more of a relief for me. Don’t get me wrong—I’m sad that I won’t get to see all those lovely ladies from Virginia (Viennabelle, Jehanni, ginerva, Anglst, Bauhausfrau and others), but I feel relieved that I don’t have to worry about creating costumes, which I neither have the time or funds to make anything other than what I need for my regular gig (18^th century—and no, 18^th century isn’t steampunk in my brain).

 As for other cancellations---still no word on Manahawkin (a September NJ event, cancelled last year due to funding cuts), it may or may not happen this year. Brandywine Battle is also still up in the air. I guess I should take the extra time to work improving my kit.

In other news, I'm halfway finished the Banyan--only halfway because I decided to put facings in. :) Pix when finished.

( A lot under here. I mean a lot. ).</div>

Pretty much settled in here at the new apartment. It's a little messy, so that must mean it's home. I'll probably clean up a bit on Saturday...

I had made many a-trip to Goodwill's donation center before and after the move, and now I've discovered I got rid of some things I kinda wish I hadn't. Like hangers. I had a million, now I don't have enough. Foo. And my Folkwear Turkish Dancer pattern---that was really annoying. It's not very historically accurate, but it was an easy pattern with a nice look and some embroidery tracerys. So, I bought Reconstructing History's Turkish Dancer pattern instead. I've been poking around online for info on colors and fabrics for Ottoman women and I found this book on google books: books.google.com/books, Haremlik, by Demetra Vaka, a Greek Ottoman, revisting her home country after 6 years in the US. The book was published in 1909, but I gather she made the visit in late 1901, because she mentions McKinely's assasination. It's a very fascinating book, and I read it in a short period of time. The Turkish suffragettes were almost sickening in a way, and I found it ironic that they wanted "freedom and equality" but adopted the incredibly restricting corsetted fashions of Paris. Ms. Vaka also wrote another book, The Unveiled Ladies of Stamboul, after a visit in 1921, after WWI and the apparent fall of the Empire (though I think it was official in 1922). It seems she's disapponted that the Turkish women she grew up and loved lost their turkishness to the more Homogenized western culture. I don't know, but I really like to read it and find out more about Demetra, who died in 1946. I also want to try my hand at Turkish coffee. I young Serbian man I worked with a while ago told me about it--said it's really strong and comes in little tiny cups. He said it's so much better than this American crap and you drink a lot of it. I worked with him and his father, and occasionally his brother. They were from Belgrade--his father actually worked for one of two tv stations there in the 1990s. During the bombing of Belgrade, the other station was bombed, and 12 people were killed, but Vojislav's station was spared. They all moved here in 2000, figuring they'd be better off.

I've always been fascinated by Turkey and the Balkan area---maybe I was Turkish or Slavic in another life. I remember in 7th grade we had to do a project on a country that was in the news. I did Turkey--I think it was because I liked their flag; I can't recall why they would have been in the news at that time.

Projects...aaah. I found a slat bonnet pattern online for the timeline even in two or 3 weeks. Pretty simple. I need to make a pinner apron, too, and if I have time, I may whip up a corded petticoat (machine sewn, I don't have a death wish). I need to start/finish/repair some 18th century stuff, but I'm just not in the mood. I'm going to see Nine Inch Nails on Friday, and I sliced up a t-shirt using Generation T: 108 ways to Transform a T-shirt. It's mostly sliced up in the back, and now I'm afraid that might be a little chilly, since it's an outdoor concert on the Delaware river. For June, it's still kinda cold. I may screw around with another one, since that other one I did was a "complicated" design, and it only took me an evening. I just tried it on again, and it seems too loose and the sleeves look funny. Arg. I'll have to rework it.  I also picked apart the abomination of a Bridesmaid dress and the bodice to my Blonde Bombshell. I haven't resized the bodice as of yet--need to do a mockup. I don't know what I'm doing with the bridesmaid dress, whether reworking or scrapping it.

Tired. Need my bed.