"Ballad Of Paul And Sheila" By Mason Jennings

October morning, little plane on the forest floor
Up on the TV between a rerun and another war
Here in a hotel, trying to make some sense of this
Two thousand miles from my family in Minneapolis
Hey Senator, I wanna say
All the things you fought for did not die here today
Hey senator, I'm gonna do
All the things I can to live my life more like you lived
A story of a love undivided for thirty-nine years
Strong when it counted through the hard times and the fears
Together forever, that was always what it was about
No hesitation, there was never any doubt
Hey hey Sheila, I want to say
All the things you fought for did not die here today
Hey hey Sheila, I'm gonna do
All the things I can to live my life more like you
Hey Senator, I wanna say
All the things you fought for did not die here today
Hey hey Sheila, I'm gonna do
All the things I can to live my life more like you 

This just came on my Pandora streaming music and I was moved to share - TC's middle name (not actually Cupcake) was chosen because of these two and their good works - "We all do better when we all do better" is such an important idea, and one I fear Minnesota is falling away from as we lose the neighborhood pools, libraries, arts programs, and other elements of community we used to support and embrace. Not to mention the empathy and responsibility to hold up those who cannot rise themselves, and the realization that by making the weakest of us strong, we make ourselves and our community stronger.

It still ends with ZOMBIES!

I'm skipping the excuses and apologies because really? Nobody cares. I'm the only one who feels bad about not posting, and I'm over it. This is life now. Kids knock you down a few levels on Maslow's hierarchy, but maybe they're also the key to climbing. Oooh, deep, especially for someone who is half zombie.

The Cupcake is a toddler! Maybe not in age, but she definitely toddles. And runs. And climbs. And tries to jump off tall objects. It's been a challenge to try and get a photo the past few months as they're all a big blur. She acquiesced to a quick snap in her otter hat and fuzzy pink jacket the other day, gotta love those big blue eyes. She's very into books at the moment (YAY!) and we splurged on a big ebay lot of them this past week, and at the same time found a big stash of board books in the basement we were saving until she was old enough, so mega score. And just in time, as "Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb" might have been shoved down the garbage disposal if I didn't get some relief soon. Other favorite toys are that strange Kewpie doll in her hands (yes, that was mine as a child - though I have no memories of it), and the big awesome slide/tunnel/crawling structure that was TC's birthday gift (and sort of mine too). The other love of of our lives right now is this CD by Jewel, which is completely addicting and not nearly as annoying as all the other songs that we are surrounded by daily (the stuff her bouncer played almost drove me to an ice pick in the ear). Seriously, this disc is awesome, thank you so much Auntie Lorla :)

In other news: I have an epic cold, which TC had a week before me and I now have new appreciation for why the poor bugger was so unhappy. I'm on my 7th box of Puffs Plus (Grammy is on her 12th...) and still somehow making snot. Egads.

Oh, is that not what you wanted to hear? Because with how much I talk about poop every day now, snot barely registers on the ooky scale. It's glamor all the time. TC started sleeping through the night at a year, then 2 weeks later she stopped. It seemed to maybe coincide with our switch from formula to whole milk, so we went back to formula, then she was sick, and now she is better and has slept through the night 3 days in a row. Basically, we have no idea, we're just delirious and zombi-fied most of the time, so we're thankful when we get a good night and too confused to question when it's a rough one.

And speaking of zombie-fied:
RUN FOR YOUR LIFE: 5K OBSTACLE COURSE ZOMBIE RACE!

Um, YES. Please. I have to think the only time I'd ever really run is if I were being chased by zombies, and even then chances are good I'd just give up and go brainless pretty quickly anyways. So not only is this an awesome race for athletically minded individuals, I think I may have to sign up as a zombie (shuffling zombie, not chasing zombie - you have options!) since I always seem to miss the "Zombie Prom" type events and have sadly never been turned into the living dead, despite my love of costumes and events. Sadly no ankle biting zombies allowed, but I'm looking into babysitting options already. Nothing says romance like a zombie date with the husband.

Coming soon (well, maybe):

-many musings on the future! (hint - more questions than answers!)
-exciting news and world events (at least for me it's exciting)
-must learn to watermark my photos now that Pinterest is co-opting them even more than google images

We came, we saw, we got GaGa-ed

Note: click for larger photos - if you link to my photos, please give me credit

Our seats were amazing. We could even see shoes (very important at a GaGa show!). The crowd was hilarious - same vibe as the mermaid parade, as far as glitter and lack of clothing, but somehow I'm even more impressed to see it in my own home town. Way to go, St. Paul. A few memorable fashions:



Light up headpieces = love.



Homage to "Telephone"



There was so much sparkle, shine, and glitter in the Xcel center, I'm guessing if you shone a strong light on it you could creatures on other planets. I ended up going a little more subdued, with a vintage-inspired polka dot dress, feather fascinator, and pearl accessories. I did choose the ugly but comfortable shoes, and I'm glad I did, a few times up and down those Xcel stairs and I would have been done for in heels.

I definitely got my fill in the VIP lounge:



Fun schwag bags filled with a beach towel and GaGa glasses:



Totally hated the opening band, so we'll skip them entirely - instead, a tiny peek at the Monster Ball in case you missed it:













I counted at least 15 costume changes, we got to hear the world premier of a new song from the upcoming album, lots of half naked backup dancers, an animatronic headpiece with matching wings, and the outfit I most covet (and Ryan could definitely start making...):



FULL BODY GLITTER JUMPSUIT. I bet it's made of something stretchy, and would totally adjust to maternity sizes. As long as I don't have to wear those heels with it. :)

I was a little worried about the babe during the opening act (someone tell this dude it's SINGING not SCREAMING! AAAACK!), but she didn't give me too much trouble:



Definitely a once in a lifetime experience, thanks again to my crazy Dad, Happy B-day to my BFF Ryan, and kudos to all the Little Monsters for the entertaining people watching. Peace, Love, and GaGa!

The fear of being boring...and the lady who didn't wear pants.

I had big plans to make some fabulous ensemble to wear to GaGa...

and somehow 4 months flew by, I exploded out of all of my "real" clothes, put a death grip on any frivolous spending (I hear these infant things get pretty expensive), and lost 90% of my energy and endurance.

Gulp.

Yesterday I had a momentary panic realizing that the concert is TONIGHT and I have nothing to wear! My book club compadres are all receiving A+ scores for creatively stitching and combining odd fabrics into what I am sure will be hilarious and fun arrangements, but my situation is a little complicated:

1. I'm huge. Even the clothes I *thought* would still fit (i.e. the random plus-size halter I was counting on from Torrid), don't, as of last night. Hmmm.

2. I'm weak. The idea of standing for hours is already killing my back, and that's before figuring in any sort of cute shoes (I've never sat in a VIP section before, but I'm just figuring we'll be on our feet the whole time again, sadly.) But cute outfits NEED cute shoes. I can't wear a vintage inspired dress with chunky new balance sneakers! My only comfy sandals are brown, but all my outfit choices are black...I have some chunky Mary Janes but even they kill my back after a while if I'm standing. Pregnant ladies + cute shoes = not my reality. But I don't want to spend the whole time worried about my back and not having fun. Hmmm.

3. I'm broke. There is no last minute shopping spree option on the menu, nor any real time to do so.

4. I'm out of time. I'm also working all day today and will have less than an hour to get ready, so as Tim Gunn would say, this is a "make it work moment!"

I'll let you know what I came up with tomorrow...don't hate me if it's completely boring, I'll take photos of people dressed much more boldly to make up for it.

“A year from now, I could go away, and people might say, ‘Gosh, what ever happened to that girl who never wore pants?’ But how wonderfully memorable 30 years from now, when they say, ‘Do you remember Gaga and her bubbles?’ Because, for a minute, everybody in that room will forget every sad, painful thing in their lives, and they’ll just live in my bubble world.” - Lady GaGa, via Vanity Fair Daily, The 10 Strangest Lady Gaga Quotes from That New York Magazine Piece

Sorry I cannot hear you I'm kinda busy...ka-kinda busy...

Thought: If baby reacted like this to karaoke, how will it tolerate the Lady GaGa concert? Screw wearing fun "GaGa-Tastic" costumes, is it possible to soundproof your womb? These tickets were way too expensive to leave early...

Onesie sold here.

TGIF - Happy Thoughts

- Dad fixed my ipod adaptor (that my brute strength destroyed)

- Krista's GOTH HOUSEWARMING is this weekend, and I'm so excited to create a dark alter ego. A few of the pieces I've picked up:

This leather corset was on clearance on Etsy - EXCELLENT:


I scooped up a black leather pencil skirt at the Salvation Army for $12.99, similar to this:


And boots similar to these for just $4.99 @ the Goodwill:



I've got some accessories & makeup from Hot Topic, and a half-formed plan for my hair - let's hope it cooperates :)

I'm also making a couple of "dark desserts" that I hope to feature on here - I'm only 1/2 sure they will work, so stay tuned...

- I went skating again last night (after missing Monday with my cold) and I have to say, I'm feeling good. But I'm pretty sick of the Black Eyed Peas and Justin Bieber.

- We're heading down to the Lone Star State next week for a mini vacation to visit relatives. I'm considering fed-exing a gallon of sunscreen ahead of us, since the 4 oz (in a clear plastic bag) that I am allowed to carry on will in no way sustain my pasty complexion for multiple days. Perhaps I shall have to pick up a 10 gallon hat as well.

The day (after) the music died...

I'm so disappointed, last night I ran into a store before "book club" and quickly hid my ipod and adaptor - but when I pulled the adaptor out, I broke it :( Boo!

The oval "head" had come apart from the cigarette lighter "stem", which wouldn't have been a problem to reattach but the wires running between the two parts had snapped when I pulled. Boo again!

I was really happy with this little sucker, and will probably try to replace it when my finances improve, but for now it's just a mega bummer.

I want your drama, the touch of your hand...

There are important reasons behind my craft slacking this week, mostly being that I am basically destitute at the moment. You know, just livin' the "American Dream" :) It's a combination of taxes + mortgage + Lady GaGa tickets all colliding in the same pay period, and should be slightly better in a week or so...but until then I'm definitely not allowed in or near any stores, so starting Halloween or costume projects is on the back burner.

Yeah, that's right, I slipped Lady GaGa in there. You you can't feel too bad for my financial misfortune, since I clearly dug that hole myself :)

But on the bright side, LADY GA GA!

Could there be a more craftastic entertainer? She's following in the footsteps of Bette Midler and Cher with the kooky costumes and true "PERFORMANCE" art.







While the event is a long way off (end of August) it's still pretty exciting. I can only imagine what outfits we'll see - and did I mention I should be able to see PRETTY DARN WELL?

That's what I hear anyways, seeing as my dear old dad got a pair of tickets in the VIP section...

VIP? Me?!?!? Oh yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!

Flashback to hilarious moment at the Bon Jovi concert last week:

Dad: "I'd really like to see that GaGa Lady sometime. I think that would be a really interesting show."

Flashforward to the present: Whoa, I guess he was serious!!! VIP Baby! I'm actually not sure what that means, but I'm excited to find out :) And add that to the list of amazing events I need serious costumes for - clearly I can't pass up the opportunity to wear something Ga-Ga-esque, and the Book Club seems willing to follow suit. Maybe whip up something for dad too :) GaGa doesn't abide the "street clothes" look:

"When I meet celebrities and they’re in casual clothes, I’m always like: ‘Whaaat?’ I don’t mean to be judgmental, but it would do them better to be who they really are, all the time. This is really who I am all the time. When I get out of a car and there are 30 fans waiting for me, I know I’m dressed the way I should be. There’s a reason they have that emotional reaction."
— Lady GaGa doesn't wear casual clothes / March 31, 2010

Happy Birthday to ME:

Don't you just love it when birthdays stretch out for months? Back when I hit the big 3-0 my parents gave me a set of concert tix, and the date finally rolled around last night.



When an evening starts with two peach daiquiris and prime rib, you know it's going to be gooooooooood.

When you sail easily through unfamiliar streets, find your parking ramp, and nail a very decent space, you know it's going to be excelllllllllent.

And when you climb into these seats at the Xcel Energy center, and take a look at your sweet view:



You are ready for the AWWWWWWWWWWESOME!!!!!!!



(it's called the circle tour, get it?)



The pics don't really do it justice, my "real" camera lens was over 2" and I didn't want to risk it being confiscated, so these are all from the tiny point & shoot which doesn't like zoom + low light. I think they actually make us look farther away than we were - we had GREAT sight lines, even though everyone stood the entire time. Click the pics to enlarge.



It was a FULL HOUSE, and the crowd was really diverse:



On the way in we passed a lot of teeny boppers who clearly weren't even alive during the hair band days, a lot of girls in skanky tank tops and stiletto heels, and also a lot of 40-something soccer moms flashing back to their youth. Four of the latter were seated in the middle of our row, and hadn't come to terms with their incontinence yet, so there was a lot of shuffling back and forth for them to get in and out every other song.



Of course we sat behind some middle aged douche bags who were wasted before the show even started, and they were not hot enough to be grinding on each other the way they were in public, but everyone's pal KARMA stepped in when the wifey basically passed out halfway through the show and they left. SCORE! Back to the awesomeness:



I had a little laugh about the T-shirts - the stands were MOBBED, and people were buying them hand over fist, but take a look at the prices:



Ha! I get irritable paying $12 for a t-shirt, $50 just wasn't happening, sorry Jon Bon. You'll have to be happy with the $300 we paid for tickets (shh, don't tell mom!).



The lighting and video boards were the real stars of the show - they had elaborate backgrounds and moving parts for every song.



Ever wonder how Jon stays so fit at 48 years old? It's easy to understand when you see him run around on raised platforms, jump, and dance like a madman for two hours a night:



Loved "I'll Be There For You," "Bad Name," "(You Want to Make) A Memory,"Who Says You Can't Go Home," and my favorite is "It's My Life."



We ditched before the encore, which I'm assuming was "Livin' on a Prayer" and would have been awesome, but getting out ahead of 18,000 people was pretty awesome too. :) I also would have loved to hear "Bed of Roses" and "Wanted," maybe next time. Overall, it was a really great show - I haven't been to a big arena concert in a long time, and I was scared the sound quality would be crap, but it was wonderful, and not even too loud! My ears rang for most of the way home, but I'm fine today.



Thanks again for the excellent 30th b-day gift, Mom & Dad, it was FANTASTIC!

I ain't gonna be just a face in the crowd...

Actually, I probably will. But I'm okay with it :)

I have a delightfully abbreviated work day today, so that I can go home and relax before my big date with these guys:



And this guy:



(that's my dad, about to get doused on Splash Mountain at Disney World)


At this point in my crazy week I'm just as grateful for the few hours of downtime this afternoon, but the show is sure to impress as well. I don't go to concerts very often, mostly because I'm cheap & broke, so this is quite a treat! We even appear to have some pretty fancy seats. The venue said cameras will be confiscated if they have a lens over 2" long, so I'll probably be stuck with my tiny point & shoot which doesn't do well in low light zoom situations. C'est la vie. If you really want to know the JonBon awesomeness, I hear there are still tickets for tomorrow night's added show.



"It's my life
It's now or never
'Cause I ain't gonna live forever
I just wanna live while I'm alive"

iPod Case

I love it! This is the little padded pouch I just got for my iPod. It fits the cords and everything:




From Wiggletiggy via Etsy. They come in all different sizes, or a variety of other monsters too. This little guy matches my coat, and my iPod.

Love is in the Air...and MUSIC too!

My last and final prize expenditure from the Amazon windfall was this car adaptor for my ipod. I used it on the way to work this morning and I love it!

Flash back to 1997 cruising in the Plattmobile with Rancid and Green Day blaring on the radio, I'm definitely LOVING having my whole music collection available in the car! Whoo hoo!

I wasn't quite sure what to expect as I've heard mixed reviews on these adaptors, but for me it looks like it'll work out well. It plugs into the cigarette lighter, and you tune your radio to the frequency it lists and voila, the ipod is broadcast through your car radio. I'm so glad I went with this for my last gift, I'm sure I'll use my ipod in the car all the time now.

Rocking and Re-Living...

Such excitement: I finally sat down and got my iPod up and running! Over the course of the past two nights I uploaded all of my cds into iTunes, briefly feared when I couldn't find half of them, cheered when they appeared, and fought off bountiful criticism of my musical taste from the evil hubby. Him: "Wow, you really are trapped in the 90's, aren't you." Me: "Is that supposed to be a bad thing?"

The only tragedy so far is that Everclear is missing, and I know my Dave Matthews Crash CD disappeared 10 years ago with my discman, though I still hold on to the liner notes. I have duplicate liner notes for Dixie Chicks and Counting Crows - but only one of each CD. Who knows what happened there...

For someone "trapped" in a musical past, I actually managed to fill my iPod pretty fully! I was surprised at how many CDs I had, and how I never really listen to any of them now (since high school, when we always had a "soundtrack" going) except in the car. Hopefully that will change. Next step is to learn how to make playlists, since the current flow is fairly schizophrenic. This morning I went from Ani DiFranco to Fozzie Bear. Both excellent artists in their own right, but not exactly a seamless transition. But listening to my high school orchestra performance in between Avril Lavigne and Reel Big Fish really cracks me up...

Flashback Birthday

I've shown you a few of my fab birthday gifts, but I have a few more I thought I'd feature - including one I don't really "get" for a few more months, from my parents. Let me give you a hint:



I'm going to the Bon Jovi concert this spring! With my dad :) Adorable you say? Well then just look at the gift card he put with the tickets:



"Happy Birthday!!!
Like the movie 13 going on 30.
You were 13 for your first Bon Jovi concert.
Now at 30-you return.
Love You,
Mom & Dad"

Bon Jovi was my first "real" concert, which I attended with BOTH of my parents and my cousin Mindy in 7th grade. It was the night before my Odyssey of the Mind competition, and I distinctly remember not being able to hear the next day. We thought we were SO COOL. I think I might have even held on to the concert T-shirt, though it's somewhere in the pile waiting to be assembled into my T-shirt quilt (MOM: The one you promised me 11 years ago. Just a small reminder.)

I can't wait to figure out my iPod so I can get the most recent album and start practicing my air guitar and lighter waving. Thanks so much, mom & pop!

You're just giving birth now, you're not Mother Earth now...

I've had this in my head for two weeks now (thanks "book club") so there's no reason why any of you should be immune. It's right up there with the Garmin Holiday Commercials as far as witty lyrics are concerned.



Lyrics - by Garfunkel and Oates

Pregnant women are smug
Everyone knows it, nobody says it
Because they're pregnant
Effing son of a gun
You think you're so deep now, you give me the creeps
Now that you're pregnant

I can't count all the ways how
You speak in clichés now

Riki: So, do you want a boy or girl?
Kate: Oh, doesn't matter as long as it's healthy
Riki: Really? 'Cause I don't feel that those two things are related. It's not like one or the other.
Kate: Oh, really, as long as it's healthy.

I can't wait to hear someone say
"Don't care if it's brain dead
Don't care if it's limbless
If it has a penis"

Pregnant women are smug
Everyone knows it, nobody says it
Because they're pregnant
This zen world you're enjoying
Makes you really annoying

Riki: So, is it a boy or girl?
Kate: Oh, we know, but we're not telling.
Riki: What you're gonna name it?
Kate: Oh, we know, but we're not telling.
Riki: Who's the father?
Kate: Oh, we know, but we're not telling.

Bitch, I don't really care
I was being polite
Since you have no life now
That you're pregnant

You say you're walking on air
You think that you're glowing
But you've been ho'ing
And now you're pregnant

You're just giving birth now
You're not Mother Earth now

Riki: Oh my gosh, I've got so much going on. I got my novel published, I moved, I got married.
Kate: Gosh, you know, everything seems so trivial now that I'm pregnant.
Riki: Well, I also helped end gang violence in Mexico when...
Kate: You know, I can't even remember what I did before I was pregnant. Everything else seems so meaningless.

Pregnant women are smug
Everyone knows it, nobody says it
Because they're pregnant
Effing son of a gun
You think you're so deep now, you give me the creeps now
Now that you're pregnant