Hell Has Frozen Over

Please note electoral college map on the coffee table...the state of the household. This weekend we took a break from the simultaneous blogging and reading of the latest poll results to attend a raucous Halloween party at Justin's--check out the pics! It's amazing what a waterbra and tight bodice will do for a girl...these might be the only photos EVER to show me with cleavage.

On the knitting front: I finished the Yorkshire Fable hat last week! Here's a view of the top:

And the obligatory knitting blogger in the bathroom mirror shot:

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Books, Books and More Books

I'm diving into "Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell". I really want to like this book. The reviews are mixed--it might be one of those, "if you like that sort of thing" books. Which is fine by me--how dull it would be if everyone liked the same sort of thing. I haven't read enough to really have an opinion, but I like it very much so far. What sold me on reading this one was this section from a review in the New York Times by Gregory Maguire: "What keeps this densely realized confection aloft is that very quality of reverence to the writers of the past. The chief character in ''Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell'' isn't, in fact, either of the magicians: it's the library that they both adore, the books they consult and write and, in a sense, become. Clarke's giddiness comes from finding a way at once to enter the company of her literary heroes, to pay them homage and to add to the literature, to slot this big fat book into our own libraries of spells. In this fantasy, the master that magic serves is reverence for writing." Doesn't that just sound fantastic? I love worshiping words.

Which leads me to the one piece of fluff over there on the reading list. "Lazy Ways to Make a Living" by Abigail Bosanko. This book was a freebie with the UK edition of Marie Claire (October issue). I love reading fluffy novels. I freely admit it--I LOVE CRAP NOVELS! I don't usually count them on my reading lists though because they can be polished off in a night--it's like paging through a chick magazine--not worth counting. I have to recommend this one though. It's still fluff, but it's fluff with a brain. The heroine is a lexicographer for heaven's sake! She owns all the volumes of the OED (secret desire of mine own). She plays chess--really, really well. The book features chess as sexual metaphor, excellent vocabulary (oeillade--she uses the word OEILLADE!), and wonderful literary references. At one point the love interest asks our heroine for a book recommendation:
"He looked deeply miserable. 'Are you Very Despairing, Slightly Despairing or Don't Know?' I asked. It was like doing market research for the Samaritans.
'I've not got any hope for my future happiness but I have to keep going.'
Try Albert Camus. Try "The Myth of Sisyphus". That'll stretch you a bit.'"

Abigail Bosanko's books aren't available in the US--too bad. If you can still find a copy of the October UK Marie Claire "Lazy Ways" is bundled with it. We're going to London (have I mentioned that? I'M GOING TO LONDON!) in January and I'm going straight to the bookstore to buy her latest. Foreign fluff!

Late breaking news...I just Googled Abigail Bosanko and she has a blog! I would love to be able to send her an email and let her know how much I loved "Lazy Ways to Make a Living". But alas, no email is given. I love the entry on how much time she spends in pajamas--apparently being a writer involves as much pajama wearing as my being a designer does...

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Reasons to not clean the apartment

Later that night I was lying on the heating pad and Dave was talking to me:
Dave: Why are we echoing in here?
Me: I don't know...maybe it's all the crap I finally threw out?
Dave: Shit, maybe you shouldn't have done that--it was good sound absorption.

Sweetest? I want a cleaning person!!!

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Crafty!

When it grows up it's going to the hat that is pictured on the front cover of Rowan's A Yorkshire Fable. Here's what I have so far:

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Unemployment is fun!

Many, many thanks to Liz and Connie and Brian who went out with me Friday evening to find solace (or was that celebration?) in beer and hamburgers. The evening just kept rolling with Jason and Theresa's NYC wedding party. I amused myself by getting the camera stuck on the black and white setting and forcing everyone to pose for silly photos.

Sunday I worked at the Medieval Faire at the Cloisters and stupidly left the camera at home. I'd finally finished my costume, was wearing said costume and wandering around the most beautiful park and I HAD NO FUCKING CAMERA. Sorry Debbie, I'll have to take some costume shots just for you. The faire also served to reaffirm my fear of people who are addicted to working faire. When you are backstage and talking to me--YOU DON'T HAVE TO KEEP SAYING THEE AND THOU IN A PHONEY ENGLISH ACCENT! Christ.

I've been unemployed for two days and have nothing to show for it--well, I did clean the bathroom this morning! I will now turn the computer off and spend the afternoon being a good girl and working on a new design...maybe I need some coffee first? Or maybe I need to see what's up in blogland? Or maybe I could go workout? Grocery shopping? Anything? This whole no structure thing is NOT GOOD!

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This is just getting silly...

I do have to say though that I find it very strange that a company can't be flexible enough to keep a contractor on. The rule is one year contracts so no one can get pissy about benefits, etc. I've been on your benefits for FOUR YEARS! That nice guy, Dave, over in there in that cubicle--he's my husband, check with HR--I'm already on your freakin' benefits! I will never understand the corporate world--I went to drama school, people. I'm not meant for these mind games!

I wonder how late I can sleep in on Monday...

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