Ambivalence Defined

I love the Chesterfield style of furniture and it has long been my dream to add a Chesterfield chair to my home decor. After searching through thousands of chairs on dozens of sites, I found a purple velvet one on Wayfair.com. I was so excited to get this chair that I scheduled to work from home so I could be there when it arrived. FEDEX refused to bring it to my apartment, but after about 20 phone calls, I was finally able to get FEDEX to bring it to my door. I pulled in the 70-pound box and tore it off and screwed on the legs and placed it perfectly on my area rug. Then I made the mistake of sitting on it. I was ready to sink luxuriantly into plush velvety perfection, but instead I landed with a hard plop that was as surprising as it was  painful. Sitting in this chair is like being enthroned on an ironing board. The seat cushion is like a 2 x 4 and the chair back is just as uncomfortable. Even my dogs won't sit in it. My beautiful purple Chesterfield dream has devolved into a nightmare only the Marquis de Sade could appreciate. Guess I've got a new bookshelf now.

Coffee-Flavored Cheesecake? Yes, Please!

Kikicakes is a company that makes a damn fine cheesecake. They make samplers of all kinds as well as more custom orders. Last week I ordered coffee-flavored mini cheesecakes with salted caramel topping and Oreo crust. Needless to say, they were AMAZING! I was quite depressed when I ate the last one.

Doggie Snacks

Got this great recipe from my dad who spends a lot of hours surfing Facebook. He sent me a video of someone frying up some sweet potatoes with coconut oil and then sprinkling time roc and cinnamon on top. I was intrigued and bought the ingredients at Kroger during my lunch break yesterday. Should I feel stupid that I didn't realize that coconut oil is sold as a solid? Anyway, although the recipe was for a doggie snack, I found it quite tasty myself. The dogs loved these sweet potato chips and I can't wait to make these for them (us) again soon!

Revisiting the 1980s "Bodice Ripper"

So, I'm going back and reading all my favorite "bodice rippers" from the 1980s when it was fashionable, not to mention socially acceptable, to swoon over domineering males getting what they want through rape and intimidation. A refreshing alternative to the typical boss/secretary yarns that were popular at the time, these historical romances were a bit more graphic and a lot more detailed as far as description and character development. I have the hardback original printing of this book "The Tiger's Woman" by Celeste De Blassis (her real name? I don't think so) and I've been feverishly reading it for days...ignoring my dogs, missing my shows, forgetting to return my library books. While E.L. James has proven decisively that there is a time and place to call things what they actually are, there is still something to be said for leaving some things to the imagination. When we read we provide our own soundtrack and movie reel to accompany the words we read and "The Tiger's Woman" keeps the fantasy going from start to finish. There is nothing more annoying than being deep in the throes of a good story only to be jolted out of it by a typo or incorrect grammar usage. I have 100 pages to go and I cannot wait to get home and finish this book tonight...this book that is just as great today as it was when I first read it 30 years ago.

A Tale of Two Roxies - or Gradient Fun with Photoshop;)

Now that I have learned just enough to be dangerous with the gradient tool in Photoshop, I am now more sure than ever that Caleb Carr was right when he wrote, "information is not knowledge." That has probably been for me, one of the most profound statements of the digital age. We can never again believe in what we see as any image can be expertly manipulated by just about anyone. How do people determine what is true today in the absence of Google and Wikipedia? Makes we wonder how kids today go about constructing what will be their worldview. 

But doesn't my dog look too cute, though?

Idol Chatter

She's my pick for American Idol this year. She's cute, she's personable, she's got undeniable stage presence (even if she is a bit pitchy at times) and she has a big personality for such a little girl. Even Harsh Harry has nothing bad to say about this wild card pick for American Idol. Barley has the potential to blow the competition wide open if I can just get her to stop licking her privates on stage. Vote Barley and vote OFTEN!

Grandma, Hot Mama!

This is a picture of my grandmother when she was 17 and newly married, circa 1945. Of course I knew her a bit differently, but I can see we have much in common in our smiles and the mysteries in our eyes.

Valentine Posies

A friend at work presented me with these lovely Valentine flowers from our workplace "flower shop." All proceeds benefit our social committee for events like our biannual bowling tournament. Saying howdy with flowers is always a good idea, especially if you've got a great camera to make the posies last a lifetime.

Graduated at Last!

So here it is, folks! My diploma for my bachelors degree in Social Science and History from Ashford University (cum laude). Not only was I the first of my family to graduate from high school, but I am the first to graduate from college. This is an amazing achievement that was over 20 years in the making. Next stop: Graduate degree from National University. October 1st is my start date for my MFA program in Creative Writing. I'm so excited about this. Who knows what comes next...paging Dr. Lee...?

A Little Desktop Peek-a-Boo

A friend gave me this lovely paper pen for my birthday. I put him in my soapstone seal pen holder on my desk. He looks like he's playing peek-a-boo with me--and what could be more productive and fun at work than playing peek-a-boo?

IT'S BLUEBERRY MONTH

Someone at my office made a glorious rainbow cake in honor of Blueberry Month. The cream cheese frosting was amazing;)

Woody Woodpecker's Car

STM Love

I LOVE my STM bag for my new 3rd generation iPad! This bag is compact, sturdy and keeps my iPad safe from harm in padded splendor. This sage color is amazing. So bored with black and brown cases that cater to the corporate crowd. This bag is made by a great little Australian company that knows what the heck they are doing when it comes to portable machine storage. They have all different sizes to fit any laptop or tablet. Learn more about them at www.stmbags.com

Dip Pen Set Extraordinaire!

Not at all practical, but when you feel like writing like it's 1869 this lovely glass dip pen will make you feel oh so Nathanial Hawthorne. Use heavy stock cards and stationery and dip often for best results.

Chachkas

Recently got some boudoir bling from One Kings Lane (www.onekingslane.com). After my first order they sent me a lovely embossed thank you card. It was one of the most pleasant buying experiences ever...other than the three-month wait to get my stuff.