guess what I'm watching?

marcel the shell with shoes on.
he is really rather adorable I think.

he hang glides on a dorito for adventure.

librarian chic

R.E.A. (check out that cleverly disguised name!) started laughing today when he saw me, and he told me that it was because my outfit was very 'me'. he continued to add that I looked like a librarian. I'm taking it as a compliment. (I think that it was? maybe?)

I'm glad that my sense of style can be equated to that of a librarian. LEVEL UP! my dreams of being a childrens librarian are that much closer to being achieved.

I'll be recommending my favorite books to kids and having story time and doing craft projects and playing peek-a-boo between the shelves before you know it. as soon as I learn my alphabet I'm going to be totally ready for the rest of my life.

QUESTION

does my enjoyment of running (especially hard workouts and long runs) make me a strong and dedicated runner, or a masochist?

just a question for all of you. it has been bouncing around in my head for the past few days and I want to hear your answers.

is it worth more than 1000 words?

oh no not again. I'm so indecisive and so I think that I'll wish on spare change and fountains. started a couple of weeks into summer vacation, and have been folding them while I watch tv. at least I got it done before the school year started? (t minus two days now)

they're really rather small- 1/16th of a regularly sized piece of origami paper. (because I don't want to have to deal with the storage of 1000 full sized paper cranes. you understand- don't you?)

this is my second time making 1000 paper cranes with this paper- it's all left over from the origami page-a-day calendar that my parents gave me in 2006. I'll use it up eventually. (I hope.)

best wishes to all of you for the academic year- and for cross country season- and for autumn- and for the year- and for life. :)

Darleen

went out thrift shopping two days ago- summer is drawing to an end and I felt the need to go back to school shopping.

I went a little crazy and ended up buying five sweaters and four button down shirts and one blanket. (for the impressive price of $9.50) I fell in love with the cool floral pattern on one dress, and being inspired by New Dress A Day, decided to throw it into my (rather tall) pile of purchases.

so, here it is in all of its pre altering glory. complete with some monstrously large shoulder pads. (I have such good tastes in clothing.)
I took a pair of scissors to the dress and went wild. First went the protective football gear attached to the shoulders, then the lace from the neckline, then seven inches from the bottom, then half the sleeves, then the other half of the sleeves when I decided to go the sleeveless route. I took a scoop out of the back, removing the top button, and making it ever so slightly more possible to breathe. altered the front neckline as well and sewed my first button hole. (write it in the baby book- this is a big accomplishment.)

and, ta-da! no more of that three quarter length sleeve nonsense or six inches below the kneecap skirt shenanigans. just a new dress to spend the last few days of summer lounging about in.

While I was pinning up the arm holes, my home phone started ringing and somebody started asking for Darleen- a wrong number, but a good name. I wouldn't be a very good crazy person if I didn't try to name this project with clever alliteration. so, I give you the Darleen dress. (I'm just so clever!) started as a prairie dress, ended like a prairie mess. can't deny or pretend like I don't love it.

winning and losing

you win some and you lose some.

won:
a delicious lemon pie
14 new (used) books for $3.50
a new running companion (and somebody to watch a very potter sequel with)
an ebay auction for series 1-4 of Doctor Who + the complete specials
a delicious milkshake made from the remains of failed meringue batter


lost:
battle with a garden hose
$5 in my pocket in New York
3 egg whites in an attempt to make meringue
15 minutes spent listening to an irritated man trying to buy an old copy of Les Mis

on the topic of winning and losing, I suppose I should mention that I also lost my evening to ants. in my pantry. which was unnerving and more creepy crawly than I would have liked. but, like my dad said, it could have always been worse. The ants could have been spiders. or crickets. or roaches. or tiny raptors.

while my dad and I tend to agree on a lot of things, I disagree with his opinions on having a raptor infestation in our pantry. I've always wanted a pet that could fit into my pencil case. I'd name it Nellie. we would have been the best of friends.

Missed Connections

dear frankie valli-
you told me that you were geeking out over my mighty morphing power rangers t-shirt. I don't know if I thanked you for making my day, so here it goes: thanks. also, you were really rather wonderful and I can't remember if I told you that, but I sincerely hope I did.
-girl with the power rangers t-shirt