idon't know about the ipad...

i think i'd rather have this. is it the font? could be. is it the fact that it looks more like a regular computer? maybe. is it because i had such a positive experience at christmas with the eeepc that i got for jocelyn at christmas? very likely. whatever the reason, for the time being i'm not in a big rush to embrace the ipad. and, yes, i do think it's the most ridiculous name ever. so sad.

don't be ugly...

"In fact, not forgiving is like drinking rat poison and waiting for the rat to die"
— Anne Lamott (Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith)

i've been thinking a lot about language and behavior, mine mostly, and i've been trying to be more conscious of the things that come out of my mouth and how they shape my reality. i discovered via a sort of experiment last year that if i stopped describing myself as "crazy busy" every time someone asked i felt less harried. i had to take a deep breath at first to keep myself from my automatic overreaction but as time went on i began answering in more honest and calmer ways. i've tried to extend that into other areas of my life by removing some negative language from my vocabulary and not indulging as much in negative talk. okay, it doesn't always work. i like to blow up just like the next guy and it's so pleasurable sometimes to slip into that muddy pit of complaint.

this morning i was smacked right between the eyes with a fine example of why i should work harder at my goal. i read a message from a person who has been away for quite some time but even with the passage of time still cannot let go of bitterness that has no affect on those it's aimed at but is clearly eating at him. it was such a profoundly sad display and so toxic that it made me sick to my stomach. i may just use his name as my mantra when i'm on the verge of blowing up or when i'm feeling ugly. unbeknownst to him, in his ugliness, he's done something beautiful.

To make pearls you've got to eat dirt.
:: Frank Chimero

take my breath away beauty on friday morning...

sometimes objects stop my heart. i guess it's an occupational hazard. maybe it's how you know you're going to become a designer. i remember cherishing things as a child that other people would have tossed away. little tin boxes and shiny rocks. things that felt smooth or had colors that i couldn't resist found their way into an old trunk that i stashed my finds in. this morning i found this gorgeous website full of amazing pieces of furniture, mirrors, and such that i would build a house around if i could. they have the power to transport. they stopped my heart. take a deep breath and enjoy.

good things/bad things on wednesday

good things: new mixtape release from mixtapeclub. the princess purse...it's sparkly & a purse...double score!
bad things: both found on the princess purse link to sewing world magazine, "tactile twiddling" and "Style Clinic – disguise a crepey neck"

this is one yin that could do without the yang.

the first day back at work after christmas break

it's always a challenge to get up and get going on the first day back. one day when i was feeling particularly grouchy in the morning my daughter, alex, said to me, "it's not like you work in a factory or something, you're a designer." nothing like the straight shooting voice of a child to bring you back to reality. so, I'm here at my desk and focusing on being happy to be a designer. now to do something designery.

dv is a woman after my own heart...

“I’m terrible on facts. But I always have an idea. If you have an idea, you’re well ahead!”
:: Diana Vreeland

i do love me some cheesecake...

and i especially love this recipe from tyler florence's food network show. it's lighter than traditional cheesecakes and it's nice and lemony which i love. i've made it a few times and it's always a hit. this time i was short on sour cream and had to substitute half greek yogurt and it still worked. go make it. i don't know what you're waiting for. it even takes fewer ingredients than regular cheesecakes.