Just yesterday, an old friend from my hometown emailed to say she bought a house - "So the next time you visit Sweden, you'll have a place to stay in town!". Cringe. I hadn't told her I'm coming to Sweden, because the agenda appears fully booked just being with my parents, who live an 8 hour drive away from my hometown and gas is $9/gallon over there.
I don't know why EVERYTHING is a big huge deal with me these days.
"Are you an employee?" she said. (I thought "crap, there must be a mess in the bathroom")
"Uhm...not yet, but I will-"
"The Titanic is on the KATU in five minutes!"
"Oh...?"
"You tell everyone!"
"OK."
And that's how he got introduced to working retail.
( Many videos under the cut! )
In fact, it seems that the Disney princesses that followed are all variations of Ariel: independent, headstrong, adventurous and longing for something more. But despite this, they all reacted to circumstances and compared to her, I find them all bland. Too perfect. Ariel was very flawed, but I welcome that, as the alternative is presenting another ideal that girls can't possibly live up to. Not every character has to be a rolemodel, sometimes they just need to be relatable.
I have a cold. Will go back to bed now.
PS: I haven't watched Princess and the Frog. Tiana might be an exception.
And then I see THIS.
What makes the recording remarkable (and debate-worthy) is that she does not add the sexy inflections that other singers have put into the song. Eartha Kitt’s 1953 version and Madonna’s 1987 version are the most notable. They feature a more sultry style of a woman gold-digging Santa for pricy gifts. The teen country star however guides her version briskly through without stopping to purr in Santa’s ear.
Some members of my family think Taylor missed the point of the song; that being, the attempt to compromise Santa. I’m not convinced Taylor missed the point. No one sells millions of records and sells out stadium shows by missing the point.
In this era where teen (especially female) singers attempt to propel their careers via sexually charged content, Taylor Swift again has taken a road that is more chaste than what our culture expects.
Santa, if you are listening, put an extra present under Taylor Swift’s tree. She’s been a good girl who does not need to pretend to be bad.
So, in other words, it's OK that she is asking for a sable, a light blue '54 convertible, a duplex and checks, a yacht, the deed to a platinum mine and a ring, because she doesn't sound sexy when asking for it. That makes her a good girl! Oh, if only we all could be like Taylor Swift.Screw'em all, I won't let'em ruin my Christmas. I love Santa Baby. Eartha Kitt's version, that is. Which, as far as I'm concerned, is the only version ever made. Just shut up, Taylor Swift (and Madonna). Just. shut. up.
And while I'm at it, "Simply having a wonderful Christmas time" is the worst Christmas song of all time. Why is it on so many compilations? And "Baby, it's cold outside" is the creepiest. Can't they just stop playing it? Doesn't anyone ever listen to the lyrics?
I am clearly entering into a new phase in my life (ie: getting old), since I used to prefer modern Christmas music, but now avoid it like pestilence. The old stuff just has so much more atmosphere. So this year's Christmas CD, burnt by me, goes:
I'm gonna lasso Santa Claus - Brenda Lee
Everybody's waiting for the man with the bag - Taylor, Brooks, Stanley
The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer - Jack Johnson (not old, but it has a much better ending than the original. You go Rudolph!)
Santa Claus got stuck in my chimney - Ella Fitzgerald
Santa Baby - Eartha Kitt
Have yourself a merry little Christmas - Judy Garland
December - Billy Butterfield
The Bell Medley - Classic Christmas singers (yeah, I don't know who they are - it was free on Amazon!)
You don't have to be a Santa Claus - The Mills Brothers
O Holy Night - Nat King Cole
Maybe I should go and actually prepare for Christmas?
Then he gave me a hug and made me more coffee.
/sheepish.
I discovered the site findadeath.com, but I won't actually link to it, as a symbolic gesture, because I feel it's kind of gross, though morbidly captivating. What drew me in was the Perelson mansion (WARNING: sad story behind the cut - don't click if you get depressed by that kind of stuff), which has stood uninhabited since 1960 since a murder/suicide and is slowly rotting away for unknown reason. Seriously - it's a gorgeous mansion and the owner hasn't done anything with it for fifty years other than use it for storage. The case led me to the findadeath forum, where they discussed it, and one of the neighbors posted, complaining about all the trespassers on the property. He was promptly chewed out, which still irks me. It's not that I can't understand the thrill of looking into an old abandoned mansion with fifty-year old belongings left in it - no problem. I'd definitely feel tempted. But at least REALIZE that you're not exactly a moral paragon when you trespass on someone else's private property, abandoned or not. You ARE breaking the law and you ARE disrespecting boundaries and when you get called out on it, the very least you can do is act humble and not like it's your god-given right to go wherever you please. You-don't-have-the-right-to-be-pissed. End. Geez.
Speaking of abandoned places, though, I found these to be insanely moving: Kathy's house and Patrick's house (check all of Brian Mac D's galleries, if you like).
Now: food.
It hasn't been bad, really. I've eaten a lot of good stuff and I finally incorporated an exercise routine into my life, which I will maintain. I will also keep eating pretty much the same my hubby (who's still on the diet) is eating, though with more carbs, partly to maintain this weight and partly to make dieting easier on him. But I can have sugar now! SUGAR! *squeals*
Halloween was awesome! Except for one kid who didn't bother to wear a costume and still nicked TWO candy bars! Gross.
More later. I have pictures!<3
I've posted this before, but here's how Busy looked when we first got him, three (four?) years ago.

He had a bad cold, but the first thing he did when let out of his carrier was come up to me and climb up on my back. The shelter had named him Crow. I quickly changed that after seeing the amount of energy he had - even while sick! This skinny little bundle tore apart three cat wands - one in less than two minutes!
He's settled down some since then, but not that much. He's still very energetic, playful and hilariously high strung, but also very respectful (if that word can be used about a cat). He knows not to use claws on our bare skin, he makes requests with little whines and soft paws. He loves cuddles, but doesn't ask for any when Markus is around, because Markus is the higher one in rank. He still always kicks Markus' butt in a fight, though.
He loves blanket tunnels and chasing after cat wands. He can bat a ball in mid-air with perfect precision, but doesn't know what to do with it once it stops. He never eats full meals - only many small ones throughout the day. He's always a dream at the vet and has the most wonderful medium-length silky fur, shiny and soft. He likes to groom us - reaching for my hair with soft paws and lick it until it's all clean or polish my husband's scalp to perfection while purring so loud any stress just melts out of you. He's our little bundle of joy and here he is, in a picspam of his very own:
( Busybeans )
On the bright side, I've noticed some muscle tone popping up here and there. And I can now do 30 proper leg lifts whereas I had trouble with just five when I started.
Anyway, November 2nd we go out to indulge ourselves. I've been extra strict this week, because I want to reach the 120 mark by Saturday. Not sure it's going to happen at this rate, but we'll see. I will then have lost 20 lbs.
I guess I'm supposed to chalk this up to his Asperger's now.
I'm also a complete psycho and need to somehow learn how to finish a drawing without tearing the paper to pieces and throwing the materials across the room. Seriously, is there therapy for this kind of thing? It's a genuine problem.
I made this the other day, and we had it with steak. It was lovely. However, if you don't have access to wasabi-strength radishes handpicked on an organically grown farm (which we didn't), I recommend you add pepper. Next, we will make this.
I've had my very first French macaron (yes, on a day when we went off the diet). They are now all I can think about. They dance before my vision. Especially the pistachio flavored kind, but I know there are so many more! I want sugar, have I said that? SUGAR. Gah. Only 4.5 lbs left.:(
There are several sites out there that sell and ship Swedish candy abroad, but when I signed up for one, filled my cart and proceeded to checkout to calculate shipping, FOUR ITEMS cost $50 to acquire! $50!!
*cries*
But, in brighter news, fall is here! I bought a purple pea coat and a purple hat! I'm ridiculously excited about all of this. Oh, and I have a curling iron now. Which I'm slightly afraid to use.
I have tomorrow off. I will celebrate by temporarily going off my diet and buy pastries and sugar. Yes.
PS: I want to live like this. I mean look, just look. More here.
We would totally ruin that place with our neglect in no time, though. Sad, but true. Oh well. Maybe after we grow up.
I've been tired, tired, tired, with the cats waking me up over and over again, mornings and nights, by scratching at the carpet underneath our bedroom door. I spent one work shift being dizzy and had to go sit down repeatedly. Water just made me nauseous. Still not sure what was going on there. No, I'm not pregnant.
I did buy two pairs of boots for $50 combined, got a haircut, bought a lovely sweater and a big planter with wine red mums, to shield my pieris from the sun and wind (of course I didn't get around to that until after the end of the heatwave - you go, girl). It's finally getting cooler. I'm more than ready for fall.
I Skyped with my grandparents! They were so cute! My grandmother made sure to point out, though - as she will every single time - that they're old now. Just in case I missed it. But oh! I'd so missed her shrill voice and Grandpa's baritone and they were so excited to see me.<33
I've also Skyped with my dad, whose wife has moved away because she has trouble dealing with his Aspergers. It's only supposed to be temporary and they'll be seeing a counselor, so here's hoping. I really don't want Dad to be alone again.:(
In other news, I ordered three Astrid Lindgren books in English! I'm extremely excited. Astrid Lindgren...how do I even put into words what she meant to me and most other Swedish kids growing up...she's written so many stories, created so many little worlds which all ring bright and true. Some worlds are darker than others, but she has such a firm grasp of all her characters and their humanity, that they never get TOO dark - (even when the protagonists DIE in the very beginning). Her stories can be hilarious, gruesome, dramatic, sad, idyllic and bittersweet, but they're always memorable.
Oh well. Other than that, I'm merely tired and have links to share for anyone who's bored:
Games:
Wonderputt - a golf game. Perhaps the cutest, loveliest, most brilliant golf game that ever came for free. There are frogs and submarines and torpedoes and cows being abducted by UFOs! Let your cursor hover over the ball and you get an arrow that you can spin around in whatever direction you want. Pull the cursor back and the arrow will widen and turn red - the wider and redder the arrow, the more force in your putt. After you've played the first 18 holes you unlock the "Wonder Mode", where you have to complete a rainbow by hitting every rainbow colored drop on the course. You can also win achievements as you go. Have fun!
Tanooky Tracks - Tanookys are mischievous little spirits that like to hide in objects that resemble themselves. This house is infested with them! Find the hiding spots of all twelve Tanookys and lure them out by either attracting them or repelling them. A hint book is provided, with riddles for each Tanooky, designed to give you a clue. (Here's a walkthrough if you get stuck).
Vision - one of the most gorgeous escape-the-room games ever created, and a well-made game, too. It's just stunning from start to finish. (Here's a walkthrough, just in case.)
This is just because...do I really need to explain myself? :
Adam Savage as Gollum sings "I will survive".
Oh, and have a kitten.
Now: I will draw.
Also, I Skyped with my mom! It was lovely! She's tanned and blonde and looked so happy and pretty. I miss her!
I am supposed to spend at least 5 hours on my days off in the studio, drawing. I have spent, at most, an hour and a half and I am currently NOT in the studio drawing. Bad Roily. Bad.
OK, so I'm not actually DRAWING, but INKING, which is something I'm really not good at. It's HARD and it looks like crap and I'm messing up and I'm just letting myself, thinking "no one's gonna see this no one's gonna see this etc." Because no one is. But I will get better. Goshdarnit.
I better go do it now, though.
- Yes, I am dieting. Me and hubby both.
- I think maybe I might not have arthritis after all.
- There's really no difference between Madagascar Vanilla and Regular Vanilla.
- There is, however, a difference between Regular Vanilla and Sugarfree Vanilla.
- *cries*
- *wants cupcakes*
- I got a webcam!
- I will start drawing again!
There. Out of steam now. Later. Have some Maru, to inspire:
And now off to work. Maybe I should bring Markus with me?
We got something extraordinarily beautiful and new! I'll show pictures later, but for now, I just wanted to flail about it. It's new! And amazing! And gorgeous! It was there when I came home from work last night, hubby and his buddy had gone 50/50 on it and now it's ours!
Eeee!
Yesterday, I made a fool of myself cashiering and some customers rolled their eyes at me. Then I found a curtain, neatly folded like a flag.
But, before that, we went to IKEA and bought two shelves, which I will put pretty things on. And I got Dark Shadows in the mail, which may be my favorite Blade of the Immortal volume for the Anotsu/Magatsu conversation. Emotionally repressed boys saying goodbye!<3
PS: Did you guys know I spilled blueberry drink (from IKEA!) on the carpet yesterday? Did you know I actually GOT the stain OUT? Kneel, please.
I'm also getting back into Blade of the Immortal, and re-acquainted with Magatsu, my favorite character. Quite the manchild, but such a joy to read, dynamic, complex, sympathetic and entertaining, and he's growing up, too! *sniffles* Also: the ART.
Other than that, not much news! Oh wait, hubby witnessed a robbery at a nearby 7/11. He hid behind The General Lee.
I'm still writing that Lynne post. It's turning out mighty long and it's, like, the third version or so. There will be pictures! Character manifestos can be difficult, especially when the character is peripheral, like Lynne is. There is so MUCH and so little at the same time.