martinimade

Once upon a time, Lisa and Adrienne worked for the same alternative newsweekly. Now, both spend their respective days mining their creative souls and leading hermit-like lives. And so an idea was hatched. Every week, one would send the other a sketch - either in illustration or word form - and the other would make a companion sketch. The result would be posted on both their blogs every week, just for grins. Even if the result isn't award-worthy, the exercise might make both minds more nimble. Hopefully.

And, thus, on that day, Zachary’s little brother Earl was thrust into his true calling. We celebrate Earl, the first human skateboard ramp, and all of the many feats of true stupidity he inspired. Bravo, Earl. Bravo.

* How gas can be so cheap here.

* It is a subtle art.

* If we tried to put #14 on our cat Barney, we'd need new hands.

* I actually laughed out loud.

* Cats are untrustworthy. (HT to Tracey.)

* What geeks do in Vegas. Related: when the kids were younger, I would have paid serious money for that first gadget.

* I stumbled across this story again and still love it to bits. 

* Stage management taught me all of this and more.

* I, um, huh. Might need to try it.

* UGH.

* Pete Wells writes the best bad reviews.

* This would be the best job ever.

* I love Mel and Sue.

* The sort of thing I think of whenever anyone mentions the Good Old Days.

* Amazing what good lighting (and skill) can do.

I totally meant to mention this before now -- but didn't even realize how close the trip was until, um, the Monday. It's a good thing I write things down.

I'll be giving a presentation at Slater Mill's Knitting Weekend on Friday -- and sticking around through Saturday. The Mill is in Pawtucket,* Rhode Island, a state I've never been to. The Knitting Weekend also features classes from folk like Bristol Ivy, Thea Colman, Ellen Mason, and Gudrun Johnston. While they work, I'll be hawking books and restraining myself from using that money to buy all the yarn. I'll have Mary Tudor** with me, too, if you'd like to try it on.

If you're in the neighborhood, stop on by. And, also, if you know the area, what baked goods/local treats should I not miss?

* I suspect the hardest part of presenting will be not making the obvious rhymes with "Pawtucket" while wandering off on a limerick-filled tangent. As one does.

** The Sweater, not the former member of the royal family. Because, ew.

"For the next two years, Governor Robinson continued his attack on the normal schools. He did not believe the state should support any education above the level of common schools because people would become 'discontented with their condition' and would lose 'the strong incentives which impel those who are really able and worthy to win for themselves high positions in learning and usefulness.'"

-- from Carey W. Brush's In Honor and Good Faith, which is about the founding of SUNY Oneonta. 

The above quote is from the late 1800s, by the way. The Governor didn't want to educate the rabble beyond the basics, like counting to 100. The essence of the argument, which is that the bulk of the population should live in misery so that they have a reason to achieve (which is often uttered by a wealthy white man who was born into his station), still rings true, eh?

Like so many other Netflix subscribers of a certain age, the Husband and I are re-watching Friends. Because we can. And because it makes us both happy. 

You know how sometimes you revisit something Younger You loved only to discover it has been visited by the Suck Fairy during the intervening years?* Friends holds up, mostly because the jokes are so well crafted and the characters so well drawn, even from the start. Even though the pilot is a little rocky -- and could Joey have any more hair? -- it settles into a great groove by The One with the Monkey. I know that during its ten years, the show wobbled and settled and wobbled again, as any long-term pursuit will. Still, it's a damn solid show.** 

What hasn't aged well is the technology and fashion, as you'd expect. The first time we see a cordless phone, it's as big as a shoebox. Pleated khakis are all the rage as are sleeveless denim vests. I'd forgotten what the 90s actually looked like. To which I say, wow. Kinda glad I forgot.

Friends is like a Neil Simon script, really. The furniture might be dated but the writing is bulletproof.

So if you need either the Spouse or I during this long, really freaking cold winter, we'll be on the couch, captivated by Jennifer Aniston's nipples*** and Chanandler Bong.

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* I'm looking at you, Piers Anthony.

** and I'm not just saying that because my Matthew Perry crush has been re-kindled. Well, not just because of that.

*** how cold was that studio?

Once upon a time, Lisa and Adrienne worked for the same alternative newsweekly. Now, both spend their respective days mining their creative souls and leading hermit-like lives. And so an idea was hatched. Every week, one would send the other a sketch - either in illustration or word form - and the other would make a companion sketch. The result would be posted on both their blogs every week, just for grins. Even if the result isn't award-worthy, the exercise might make both minds more nimble. Hopefully.

New business plan:

Sneak into houses late at night. 

Wash all of their dishes.

Dust all of their baseboards. 

Quietly, mind.

Lay out a freshly pressed outfit for the next day, complete with a travel cup of coffee just the way they like it.

Sneak back out.

Send a bill, asking them to leave, like, $20 in an envelope under the potted begonia. 

If they don’t pay, take their silverware.

Crazy? Or just crazy enough to work?

Text ©Adrienne Martini; illustration ©Lisa Horstman. Until the end of time. Or something.

* That can't be good.

* No matter your politics, you'll enjoy the photos, which are so well framed and timed.

* In case that first link didn't make you want to stab someone.

* David Bowie and Proust.

* Show of hands: who is shocked?

* Really, it's not that hard.

* Who, whom, and spiders.

* On addiction.

* Brilliant.

* I guess I have to go back to London.

In all of the hectic holiday stuff, I forgot to mention that my beloved bought me a rack for Christmas:

It's a nice one, eh? And, no, my first name isn't "Denise."* It's actually Janet. Ms Jackson, if you're nasty, of course.

* I ran the Philly Half wearing Denise's number since she was registered and I was not. I kept doing double-takes whenever one of the cheering masses would yell "Go, Denise!" I'm easily confused.

"Runners with less talent have more room for improvement," says Daniels. "How much fun is that?"

-- from Runner's World Jan/Feb 2015 profile of coach Jack Daniels (not the booze). 

And, so, with fun in mind, my goals for 2015 at Another Mother Runner.