grandma + grandpa

grandma + grandpa, originally uploaded by marinatina.

So I was up north last weekend for my grandma's burial. I wrote a bunch of things about how it was at least three hundred percent harder than I thought it would be, but then I deleted it, because yuck.

Instead, enjoy this photo of my grandparents. My very straight-laced grandparents, who were 60+ when I was born and pretty much the platonic ideal of reserved Midwesterners. We always knew how much they loved each other, though I don't think I ever saw them show any affection to each other ever, and yes, it is pretty amazing to see how happy they were together. Amazing in a way that makes me cry, but still, amazing. I love my family a whole lot.

So I went up north last weekend

So I went up north last weekend, originally uploaded by marinatina.

Niagara (WI) and Iron Mountain (MI), to be specific. First visit to the UP
in years! The sign is from an antique store outside of Manitowoc, which is
barely up north.

tar-zhay

Today was a pretty even mix between awesome and totally fucking dumb. Oh, you guys, do not join a student club. Well, do not be an officer in a student club. STUPID STUPID STUPID decision on my part. UGH. I do not give a shit about your damn forms. I don't! I just wanted to hang out with people! We don't even spend any money! Do not treat me like I'm an asshole! When you put the notice about the Really Super Important Deadline in an email and then put "Monthly Update!" in the subject heading, I WILL NOT READ IT. UWM SENDS ME 234 EMAILS A DAY. Okay, not that many, but no lie, I get at least 10 emails a day from UWM. I read nothing unless it says "Required!" or "Important!" or "Free Food!" And only if there's an exclamation point; then I know they're serious.

FIRST WORLD PROBLEMS. Whatever. Target was awesome. I bought lots of things that are definitely going to make my life better. Except I cannot find the spray bottle full of chemicals that will bleach away the mold stains* on my shower curtain.

I could be at the Cactus Club, watching Nathan's new band's first show, and instead I'm here, reading about Chinese immigration during the exclusion era and doing all of the things that I forgot to do (by which I mean I keep thinking I'm caught up, then I remember something, and then I'm all [CURSE WORDS HERE] and looking for things to punch, and then I calm down and do it).

UGH. I will read and go to sleep early and wake up tomorrow morning at 5am and finish everything. YEAH.

*Yes, I know, GROSS. I know! That's why I'm bleaching them away. And if you can tell me how to avoid mold stains in a bathroom with no exhaust fan and zero circulation, then I will not have mold stains anymore!

The future is now!*

The future is now!*, originally uploaded by marinatina.

I'm posting this from my phone to flickr AND this here blog AT THE SAME
TIME!

(Photo is of one of my favorite buildings downtown.)

*unless this doesn't work again. Then the future is never.

downtown mke

downtown mke, originally uploaded by marinatina.

Hey Internet, guess what? I got a new phone! Doesn't it take nice photos? T-Mobile MyTouch 3G, yeah! (Is that a stupid name for a phone or what?)

This week is looking up. I was not feeling good about things on Sunday, as I just had so much to do, but then I buckled down and actually worked on things Monday & Tuesday, and now I am sort of ahead on grading, and sort of not completely behind on my own work. I really wanted to change my habits this semester, and so far, I am! Yeah!

(Okay, let's all hope that I haven't jinxed myself. Time to go do more work, I think.)

brooklyn what

manhattan, originally uploaded by marinatina.

Hey, guess where I'm going next month? New York!

Except if all goes according to plan, I'm not going to set foot in stupid boring Manhattan. Kira moved to Brooklyn, so I am hoping to spend her entire birthday weekend exploring all of the neighborhoods that I never visited, because I was too lazy to get on an F train or whatever to go all the way to Brooklyn. I'm already excited about all the fabric stores I'll be able to visit. I think there's one in Ridgewood (which is in Queens, so maybe I will set foot in Queens also, but no Manhattan!) that has super amazing deals, and I'm pretty sure there are a couple sweet craft destinations in Brooklyn. Oh, and there's a thrift store just for the plus-size ladies, which I am super psyched to visit. Oh, also have you flown somewhere recently? Because I have not, and apparently all of the airlines decided to charge for all checked baggage, even if you only check one item. What?! How does that work? I'm planning to send all of my fabric purchases home via UPS (are they open Sundays?) because, seriously, paying $15 to check a suitcase is just not something that I will ever, ever do. But yeah, besides the stupid luggage charges, I am super psyched! It has been over a year (really? damn!) since I've visited NY, and that is just too damn long.

dressed up

So here is my first blog post at Presserfoot. It's very strange writing something when you know people are actually going to read it. People you don't know; people who don't know you; people who don't yet think your special combination of cursing, digressions, and crushing self-doubt, is super duper charming. Um anyway. Dress #1.

Dress #2? Dressform.



It was cheap(ish) and in-stock when I bought notions for Dress #1 on Saturday, so I decided that I've sewn enough clothes (and have plans for enough new projects) to justify buying one. And oh, it is going to change my life. Or at least my ability to sew awesome, well-fitted garments.

There is more to share, but I find myself feeling a bit ill. UWM just sent around an email reminding everyone to wash their hands and avoid public places when ill--apparently there's a new case of swine flu on campus--and I'm hoping this current wooziness that I'm feeling is a hypochondriac thing, not an H1N1 thing. Probably I should go lie down just in case. Do you think red wine combats psychosomatic swine flu? Only one way to find out!

still here!

There are roughly 23 things that I've been meaning to write about (school started this week, there was a shooting at one of my favorite bars, other things too I think), not least among them my guest blogging stint at Presserfoot, and I think that I will finally have time to write about all of those lovely things this weekend. Although I am also planning to do some fabric shopping (lining + muslin for the Presserfoot dress project, solid color cotton for some quilts that I've been thinking about) and also hopefully phone shopping (that new t-mobile mytouch thing!) and probably some cooking and cleaning and such, so there's that. And I should really buy an external hard drive so I can move all 60gb of photos off of my computer (yes, I know, I have a problem). And also I want to get another week or two ahead in planning for the class I'm teaching (TA-ing? is that a word?) and also I have to take classes myself. Which, lame. But yeah, I'm gonna need to do some reading for school. What was I talking about? Never mind! I hope you are having a lovely day. I taught at 8am this morning, and I'm about to go back to campus for a class that ends at 9:40 tonight. FEEL SORRY FOR ME!

Alright, note to self, drink less coffee. Or maybe more?