Lovely things

Spring is in the air and I am inspired by bright colors and interesting designs. Below are a few things I am currently loving.

The ultimate cardigan
I may own this beauty in 2 colors already, but I can't help coveting even more! The sweater has some cashmere in it too, so it's warm and soft.
GAP ($49)

Chains Indoor-Outdoor Rug
Cost Plus World Market ($39 to $479 depending on size)

Vera Neumann Scenic Mugs
Anthropologie ($8 each)

A Week

Although we only have three days at the office this week, it's been more than exhausting. We have had a restructuring and a lot of goodbyes have had to be said. I've been listening to Bon Iver to take the edge off.

Happy Birthday Sesame Street!

Growing up we were only allowed to watch PBS and Saturday morning cartoons. I was (am) a huge fan of Sesame Street. The show had been educating and entertaining kids for 40 years now! I can't say I've adjusted to Elmo (I am more of a Grover fan) but I love the continual effort the show has put into holding the attention of each new generation of kids.

NPR replayed a great interview with Caroll Spinney, who plays Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch, this week. He explains how he morphed Big Bird from a simple character to a more childlike creature. I couldn't help but include the below clip that I remember watching when I was little, I think it was one of the first times I learned the concept of death. The adult political conversation at the beginning is also awesome, I don't think they have scenes quite like this on the current show. I will warn you reader, that I still can't get through the clip without crying.

Current Listening

In a few weeks I am going to see David Gray in concert. I have loved his music since I was a barista at Starbucks in college. White Ladder was sold through the Hear Music station in the store I worked in. It was one of the few albums that wasn't painful after the 500th listen. Believe me, there were some bad ones!

I have been listening to the newest David Gray album, Draw the Line, in preparation for the show. I can't quite pick a favorite song, but Jackdaw is in the top three. I love the song opening more and more each time I hear it.

Would You Rather...

One of my favorite books growing up was Would You Rather... by John Burningham. The book is filled with ridiculous dilemmas like, "Would you rather... get crushed by a snake, swallowed by a fish, eaten by a crocodile, and sat on by a rhinoceros?" or "Would you rather... your dad did a dance at school or your mom made a fuss in a cafe?" I found the absurdity of the book hilarious (and still do).

If given a "would you rather" situation today I would be least likely to accept a karaoke challenge. I would much rather be swallowed by a fish. I wish I could sing; I love the idea of being able to hold a tune or have rhythm, but I simply have none. Last night, however, I was listening to an old music mix and I found a song that I think I could do in karaoke. It helps that I listened to this song endlessly in middle school. So without further ado, The Lemonheads. Make sure to note the awesome dancing in this video too.

Warning

Warning: the below song is a little corny, but I love it! I love the Carter and Cash, via Phoenix and Witherspoon, vibe of the video. Please enjoy!

Sideways by Citizen Cope

My lovely friends Sara and Jay used this song as their first dance at their wedding last week and now I can't get it out of my head.

Her Morning Elegance - Oren Lavie

Well Played, Internets, Well Played

The newest and most entertaining time waster I've seen yet.

texts from last night

Now, where is my phone?

Literary Journal Publication

One of the photos I took on my recent trip to California was published in Wanderlust, a great new online literary journal focused on travel. You can see a larger version of my photo in Wanderlust here.

For information on submission guidelines read the FAQs here.

Redesigned Designs

Astrid Chair, Naive Tropical from Anthropology $1298

Gerber Upholostered Chair from Target $299

Canary Print Armless Chair from Target $299

Happiness

It's been a down couple weeks for me. After growing up in Seattle I thought I was immune to the winter blues, but I think working in a windowless office has finally done it to me. I went to the doctor and got a recommendation of a combination of vitamins to take and that seems to have helped a little bit. However, I have finally found something to cheer me up...


Griffey is coming back to Seattle! While I personally was always a little more smitten with Dave Valle (I met him at a fan forum when I was 7 or 8), I will always have a soft spot for Griffey and all the fond memories he provided for me and my family in the Kingdom. I especially loved seeing him play with his dad during the 1990-1991 season. I'm hoping this means the Mariners will be back in top form this season.

Somebody's Baby

Last night on NPR I heard a story I can't stop thinking about. It starts with Charlie LeDuff, a reporter who gets a call about a body at the base of an elevator shaft encased in ice. He goes on to investigate to see if it a hoax and find the body there exactly as it was described to him (you can listen to the story on All Things Considered). As LeDuff investigates further he discovers that the body has been there for a month and nobody made a move to call the police to try to get the body out or identify it. LeDuff was able to get the police to come after two calls and they exhumed the body and are now waiting to conduct an autopsy when the man thaws out. He has committed to do an obituary for the man. As he said on NPR, "Everybody is somebody's baby, right?"

Here is the original story (warning: it does contain images of the body),Frozen in indifference: Life goes on around body found frozen in vacant Detroit warehouse.

Yes We Can

Snuggie

Another Song I'm Loving

This week I've been enjoying, "Lovely Tonight" a sweet duet with Joshua Radin and Ingrid Michaelson.

Selected Holiday Links

Claymation Christmas "Carol of the Bells"

The Doghouse Video

Claymation Christmas "O Christmas Tree"

Terrible Santa Photo Advent

Betty Crocker Cookie Commercial (totally lame, but it still makes me laugh)

Claymation Christmas "We Three Kings"

This is What Shuts Down Seattle

Seattle was hit with an unusually large snow storm last week, with a city full of hills and where buses are the only public transportation we've been quite ill equipped for the storm. My boss is calling it Snowmageddon.

Here is the view from my bathroom window.

Some ducks walking on frozen Greenlake.

Below are a few quality news items around Seattle's inability to deal with snow:

Sledders take to area streets, and injuries sometimes follow

Crews Remove Buses From I-5 Near Denny Way

Snow Forces Metro to Shelve Its Lowriders

Seattle refuses to use salt; roads "snow packed" by design

Do you know me at all?

Click on the above to enjoy "Nobody Knows Me At All" by the Weepies, one of my favorites.

Oh Imogen!

Imogen Heap! How I love her! (see evidence above) On Imogen's vBlog last week she said that the first new song from her album had been illegally recorded at Pop!Tech. I spent a bit of work search for the song, but it was well work it! It's here, and it's amazing. Watch it while you can.