Thursday Portrait

Happy Birthday Ian!!! Well now, it's been a couple of weeks since I've felt like smiling, but here ya go, I managed to squeeze out a smile just for my dear pal Ian, who's birthday was on June 8th. By the time I got 'round to ringing me old m8, it was half past too late! So today we had a nice chat online and he told me all about his celebrations, of which there were many! Oh no, I cannot tell! I snapped this pic while we were chatting!
If you feel like it, pop on over to Fortress Guinness and wish my pal Ian a belated Happy Birthday!
Have a lovely day!

Terrific Tuesday

Hi bloggy peeps! I know I have been about as much fun as a barrel of rotten apples lately. Things are starting to look up. I'm not gonna say I got my way about that dog thing, because I didn't. In fact, my landlord doesn't even have the decency to call us and let us know that he's decided she gets to keep the dog. In fact, I think they both see me as some sort of lunatic after how upset I got. Fuck them. Even if I didn't get rid of the dog, I made sure I spoke my mind to the neighbor, to the landlord, and how. Noone will ever call ME spineless!

As for the neighbor, she can just rot in lonliness with her stupid mean dog with her lame fence and stay the hell out of my life forever. She also owes me $308 but I'm not holding my breath.

Anyway... so tomorrow Little Rita gets her braces off. It's been just 11 months, and in two weeks she will get that retainer thing. Have you seen what retainers look like these days? Glittery, sparkly, purple, red, glowing, or even neon green if you want, with little designs all over em, your name, some kitties or some flames...lands alive! I can't wait to see what Little Rita picks!

So uh, now it's time to reveal the solution to the cat/dog thing. It is clear that dog will kill my animals, but since they are "just cats", noone really gives a damn. You know, the fact that the dog is still here really pisses me off, but I'm not letting it ruin my life, and I sure as hell am not letting that dog kill my cats! So here we are, 2 weeks later, I present to you:

"KITMO"

They can jump right out the window there where Gupta is sitting! We are going to make hammocks, and ramps, tunnels and hangy things for them to play with. It has a tree over it, and its breezy and nice. I really think it sucks that they cannot go outside, but they are not about to become dog food.

Whaddya think of my buildin' skillz? Not bad, eh?

So there you have it.

In other news, Joan as Police Woman's new release is out! It's awesome if you ask me. Can't wait for some stuff to show up on Youtube so I can share!

We are having a heat wave, I'll be on the kitchen floor by the fan.

Have a lovely day!

Ya know.....

Hope you're all having a lovely weekend!

Thursday Portrait

So things are pretty much still lame over here, with the main problem being that there is a handful of children in this orchard that are clearly not as important as a stupid fucking dog. I just cannot believe it.

My god if it bites anyone it's going to be horrible, please wish the best for these poeple to come to their senses.

So, moving on, I am trying to focus and sew. And, I do have a lot of work to do, and soon, I will also reveal my solution to keeping my cats safe.....after I build it.

So I was over at Limes place today, and she has the most awesome post in which you must focus on some of the favorite compliments that you have received in your lifetime. Thank you Lime!

After I read it, I knew I needed to think about good things also, but I had to do it my way. My favorite compliment of all...which I get all the time, especially from you bloggy peeps since I have forced my pearlys on you many many times.....

"You have the BEST SMILE!"

Hurray I feel better already!

How about you?

Make Me Laugh PLEAASEEEEE!!!!!!/Musical Monday

Gonna kill kill kill kill kill kill kill that dog

I see the little monster in my garden

So I grab an axe and off I go

And I try my best to get it

All I do is sever my big toe

My neighbour called the cops on me

I end up at the police station

Where I am told that I must pay

A 300 dollar fine

Wow, what a good value

I think I'll kill my neighbour too!

Thank you Logo for the lyrics and the ROTFLMFAO!

Heh heh...

I am in great need of some laughs, so please, tell me in great detail, how you would off the beast next door. Stop that! I'm talking about the dog, not the woman! : D

India 249 It's true! I bought my plane ticket last night!

A little light reading can make my life seem less hellish......

It takes huevos sometimes....

Thursday Portrait

I think this probably oughta just be my Thursday portrait. I'm Kali when I need to be.

There Is No Spoon

; )

Ok so the update on the home front is that the cat is going to be ok. Of course, I haven't let Gupta out of the house yet, and Oaty has been out just a couple hours in the past 4 days, but I have let her out reluctantly and with close supervision which is pretty impossible for a cat. I really do fear for their lives.
Now my neighbor feels totally justified in having this dog because "she's an old lady and needs a big dog"...oh lordy, lol...stop it now! (at least I can dredge up a little sick humour at this point, right?)
There are a couple things this lady doesn't know about and will never know about because she has never had it and never will, and that is what it is like to be a parent, and to have your mother lion instincts come out, to the fullest when your child, or your "animal children" are injured or in danger. I am in full mother lion mode. I would not hesitate to smash that dogs head in with a shovel if it comes anywhere near my family. I have my mace in my pocket, my other neighbor has a gun loaded. We are not messing around.
Sometimes the old lady reads my blog. Maybe she'll see this. She doesnt really care. Now here we have basically a 60 year old brat who has never been married, has no children, has never had to take care of anyone but herself, and you can best believe, she has gotten pretty damn good at taking care of herself, and only herself, first, foremost, only and always.
The emergency veterinary "strongly suggested" that I report this to animal regulation, so I did. They will be coming out to her house. She will then want to kill me. Bring it on.
Here's the lamest thing of all. How a human being can not feel bad at all for what she let happen which was totally in her control. What a careless bitch. And to not care about the safety of the kids around here. Mind you I live in an orchard, out of touwn, we are renters, this is a little complicated...
Animal control was just here at my house for an hour. They are now at the neighbors....keeping you posted...

ok
"if the cat got into the dogs yard, then..."
"but we dont actually know that that is true, you see there are multiple holes in the fence..."
"and noone saw it happen but the dog owner and she's admitted that it happened?"
"yes"
"well if the cat got into the dogs yard, then....."
"but we dont actually know that that is true, you see there are multiple holes....."

round and round, nowhere gotten.

I've just got 5000 more gray hairs. I have been told that her dog IS a preying animal which means it is/will prey upon any small animal or large maybe not sure who knows lets wait and see what happens.....and so pretty much my cats are dinner if they get into "her" yard. Mind you we are renters, there really is no "her yard" and since noone saw the attack we also dont know if the dog got out of the fence or if it actually happened in "her yard."
Next stop, the animal control guy, who was totally awesome and seems to be doing whatever he can do within his grasp, will visit my landlord....perhaps that will help, or not.
In the meanwhile, the cats want to go outside. They are now prisoners in a tiny house on 500 acres, oh the irony...
Calgon, take me away.

Musical Monday

This weekend my neighbors dog attacked Gupta and nearly killed her. To make a long story short, at this point I am having neighbor issues as my moron of a neighbor convinces the owner of our houses that her dog is a safe choice for this neighborhood.
For the life of me, I cannot figure out why this woman thinks it is ok to have a dangerous animal living in a neighborhood with children, and since this dog, who has been here a week, has "only attacked two cats" and no humans, the man that owns our homes does not think it is important.
I would like my neighbor to look my daughter in the eye and tell her that she doesnt give a fucking damn about her safety, about her pets safety, or that her dog about killed my cat.
I rarely use my blog to vent, rather to post creative stuff thats often fluffy and light. I cannot find inside myself anything fluffy and light. I am worried about my cats and my childs safety.
I have a $308. dollar vet bill, and I can't let either cat outside. I am just in hell people. Wish me the best and for some sense of this situation.
In the meanwhile, here's some Rufus. I love this song. I have posted in before. It makes me happy. Have a lovely day.

It's the weekend!

Very tough decision!

So unfair!Have a Lovely weekend, everyone!

Thursday Portrait

As we all know, finding a pair of jeans these days that fits is downright impossible. That is unless you have toothpicks for legs, and no VMT (that's visible muffin top.) And also, if you don't mind buying jeans that are pretorn, faded, and patched. I dont think so. We've also all been over the 2" zipper discussion!
So last month when I went to Seattle, I knew I was going to have to find some pants since I could not run around fashion savvy RAINY, WINDY, FOGGY, COLD Seattle in those same old 501's that I drag through India every year, could I? No! That simply would not do at all!

As I was contemplating heading down to the (ack!) mall to buy a new pair of 501's, I walked past a thrift store in my town and thought "ok, what the heck, I might as well look...but I doubt it...."

Well what do you know, if I didn't find not one, not two, but three pair of jeans that were not too faded, not torn, not dorky, not mom jeans, did not show my muffin top, did not show my butt crack, and I thought wow, this pair even makes my flat butt look cute!

Could this be real? Someone pinch me! Including the faded old "we've been to India and back a few times" 501's, I now have 4 pair of jeans. EEEKKKK!!! Don't look now, I might even wear shoes with 'em!

Is it Hot in Here?

Have you seen the June issue of Vogue? Well, I have, and it's loaded with two of my very favorite television people in the whole wide world. Pardon me, I need to drool. Here are just two of the totally cool shots for the Vogue spread. You are gonna have to loiter in the magazine aisle to get the rest.

Fashion SnobsSome of us subscribe to Vogue.

PHWOARRRRR!

Can I even wait for the movie to come out?

NOT!

Have an awesome day!

Musical Monday

Hi everyone! I had the busiest weekend at the market, did really well, I have like 12 custom orders, so you know what I will be doing all week! I was worthless for three days because of the heatwave so now I have some catching up to do.

Went to Berkeley on Saturday and bought 90 yards of Indian cotton, 9 samosas, 6 bagels, an orange kurta which you are gonna have to see, and some pizza at Blondies on Telegraph.

I have a little live Joan Wasser for you today. Her new album is due out in a few weeks and I am really looking forward to that. Guess who sings on her album? :D Uh huh! Rufeeee!

We Dont Own It ~ Joan Wasser

Have A Lovely Day

Thursday Portrait Scorcher!!

It's going to be 104 today and so you know what that means...

....you can find me down here on the kitchen floor, with my fan!

Have an Awesome day!

Did Someone Mention Sufi Dancing?

Have a great day, everyone!

Musical Monday

Happy Monday, everyone!
This is a beautiful song from a lousy Indian film called Aaja Nachle. This really isnt a video at all, I couldn't find one that showed a performance while also sounding good, so just let it load and close your eyes.... and perhaps the lovely Mona, who we all hope is feeling better now, will come by and tell us what Rahat Fateh Ali Khan is singing...something about love...it always is.

Isn't it?
Y
O Re Piya Rahat Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan


If you want to know more, click some of these links. Rahat Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (b. 1974) is a Pakistani musician, primarily a singer of Qawwali, the devotional music of the Sufis.
This is a lovely song, I hope you will take the time to listen to it. There is no Rufus in sight, I promise.

Happy Mother's Day!
~

Have a lovely weekend!

Thursday Portrait

Hello friends. I know I haven't been around blogland much. First I went to Seattle, then I had to do mountains of laundry, and catch up on my housework, then deal with the clothing thing. I have a lot of custom orders and so I have to step on it. Today I made this colonial style dress for an 11 year old girl. I have always wanted to make a dress like this, and it was really fun. It isn't quite finished yet, I still have to put all this lacy crap beautiful lace down the fronts. I couldn't resist trying it on stuffing my grown up self into it. So there you have it, me as an 11 year old colonial girl. BTW, in case you are wondering, that dress is NOT zipped up in the back!

And then just for fun, this bonus video of Black Sabbath live from Paris in 1970....check it out, it's pretty cool!

Have a lovely weekend everyone!

Musical Monday

I thought for today I would break out an old classic for an old friend. I hope you will enjoy it. I am sorry, I am not blogging much these days.

Be well.

S

May 1976

Idiot wind, blowing through the buttons of our coats,

Blowing through the letters that we wrote.

Idiot wind, blowing through the dust upon our shelves,

We're idiots, babe.

It's a wonder we can even feed ourselves

Someone told me it's poetry month and all that, so here's my favorite.

What's yours?

THE SONG OF WANDERING AENGUS
by: W.B. Yeats

I went out to the hazel wood
Because a fire was in my head
And cut and peeled a hazel wand
And hooked a berry to a thread

And when white moths were on the wing
And moth-like stars were flickering out
I dropped the berry in a stream
And caught a little silver trout

When I had laid it on the floor
I went to blow the fire a-flame
But something rustled on the floor
And some one called me by my name
It had become a glimmering girl
With apple blossom in her hair
Who called me by my name and ran
And faded through the brightening air

Though I am old with wandering
Through hollow lands and hilly lands
I will find out where she has gone
And kiss her lips and take her hands
And walk among long dappled grass
And pluck till time and times are done
The silver apples of the moon
The golden apples of the sun

Have a fantastic weekend, folks!

Thursday Portrait

American Splendor

Happy Spring, y'all!

Tuesday, and a Word About Excess

cigarettes and chocolate milk
these are just a couple of my cravings
everything it seems i like's a little bit stronger
a little bit thicker
a little bit harmful for me
if i should buy jellybeans
have to eat them all in just one sitting
everything it seems i like's a little bit sweeter
a little bit fatter
a little bit harmful for me
and then there's those other things
which for several reasons we won't mention
everything about them is a little bit stranger
a little bit harder a little bit deadly
it isn't very smart
tends to make one part so broken-hearted
sitting here remembering me
always been a shoe made for the city
go ahead, accuse me of just singing about places
with scrappy boys faces
have general run of the town
playing with prodigal sons
takes a lot of sentimental valiums
can't expect the world to be your raggedy andy
while running on empty
you little old doll with a frown
you got to keep in the game
maintaining mystique while facing forward
i suggest a reading of 'a lesson in tightropes'
or 'surfing your high hopes'
or 'adios kansas'
it isn't very smart
tends to make one part so broken-hearted
still there's not a show on my back
holes or a friendly intervention
i'm just a little bit heiress, a little bit irish
a little bit tower of pisa
whenever i see you
so please be kind if i'm a mess
cigarettes and chocolate milk

Tell it, Rufus....

Since I am too late for Musical Monday, this oughta do it!
I'm back, and boy oh boy, my liver needs a break!
More later....

Thursday Portrait

Look at this most fabulous pair of socks that I got on ETSY! They are handmade wool and come all the way from Finland. The makers shop is called Suburban Goddess, go check her out! These socks are just perfect for me because I cannot stand my toes to be warm.

I am wearing them right now, and they feel so cozy and fabulous! Thank you Miia from Finland!

I am also waiting for another ETSY purchase from 2 weeks ago, which is my favorite lavender scented bubble bath. The maker of this bubble bath is pretty slow to ship, however. You know, like EBAY, you have a rating for your customer service etc....it's really just not cool to give someone negative or neutral feedback even, but if I don't get my bubble bath soon........what?

A girl needs her bubble bath, dammit!

~

Speaking of ETSY, I did so well in the month of April, and there is still almost a week left! My best month ever. I love you, ETSY.

Now kiddies, if you need a gift, get on over to ETSY, forget the mall. You will not believe the awesome stuff you will find, at really reasonable prices, and most of it handmade. Most of it? What's that, you say?
Well, what you might not know is that ETSY also has a lot of arts and craft supplies such as fabrics, beads, jewelry findings, patterns, and a fricking ton of vintage clothing and kitchy stuff as well. Although the vintage stuff isn't handmade and has no business clogging up tags and categories, dammit!, it supports the reduce, reuse and recycling thing, and that is why I can barely fucking tolerate it it belongs on ETSY.

~
I am out of town until Tuesday.

Have a lovely week!

Y

Bloimey!

Sometimes, late at night, I get to thinkin' and drinkin'.

Musical Monday, Yaar!

This is one of my favorite songs from Monsoon Wedding. I would have liked to show you the part where PK is dancing in the rain with his new bride Alice, to this song, but I couldnt find it. So instead we have Bally Sagoo performing in this colorful weird video of Aaja Nachle, which means Come Dance With Me or Come On Dance (depending who you ask)!

I have never seen grass that green in India, yaar, isn't it?

And then, I felt like posting this video again of my friend Abdul, playing his own handmade drum. If you are ever in Hampi, be sure to look for Abdul and check out his awesome music shop and jam with him too.

Have a lovely Monday!

This film sucked.

55Flash Fiction Friday

Gustav Klimt ~ The Blood Of Fish

Oh deep river

vast and wide

Please carry me to the other side

Wash my worries out to sea

Carry me, oh carry me

I close my eyes and I am washed away

Will I be swallowed by a fish today

When a quiet hot bath is all I wanted

Calgon, please

take me away!!!

~

Gustav Klimt has been my favorite artist for as long as I can remember. Tonight we started watching KLIMT, a film about the artist, starring John Malkovich. Little Rita wanted to watch with us. Well, I knew there would be some nudity, given Gutavs subject matter and his huge libidoreputation, but I didnt expect a full on sex scene as the opener! Both Gary and I slapped our hands over Little Ritas eyes, we all started laughing, and I guess we will watch that movie later, when LR is asleep!

Have an awesome Friday, be sure to try to get over to read each others 55's, and of course, you can all now report to G~mans blog to post your IM UP thing.

Have a lovely weekend!

Thursday Portrait (I KNOW its TuesdayWednesday, so what?)

Annual haircut. Ta Daaaa!

Have a lovely day, bloggy peeps!

Musical Monday

Its not easy getting a good video of Joan Wasser. This is an awesome song that she performs on her album, with Antony from Antony and the Johnsons, but he is not, unfortunately in this performance. It's obviously taken from someone's cell phone.

Have a lovely Monday.

I Defy

by Joan Wasser

....and then, I had to show you this video of Rufus! It's from a terrible film made in the 80's in Canada...I saw the film....mostly a waste of time. This is the best part, of course, because it has little 13 year old Rufus singing! So cute.

Last Fair Deal In The Country, Sweet Susie......

If You Feel Like Lovin Me, and You Got The Notion....

YYYYYYYY

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MR RATBURN!

YYYYYYYY

20 years o' wedded bliss. Who knew?

Go Go Golden Gate!

I just love my city!

Good Enough For Reruns!

I've posted this picture before. It is one of my favorites.

Karenji took it last year in Mysore on Chamundi Hills.

Karenji also took this picture and of course it's hilarious because it looks like..well, see for yourself!

No, he was NOT going to hit her on the head with a coconut. He was throwing the coconut to the ground to crack it open!

And finally, another one by Karenji and also one of my favorites. School pen, madam?

No Longer In Hell

I'm better now.

I'm certain it was all the hugs!

Thanks, Mina, Soli, G~man, Bryan, RennyBA and Snavbean!

....i'm having a day from hell.....

is that enough words?

Thursday Portrait

Being a fashion designer and all, I like to always look my best...

You might also notice that I haven't had too much trouble fattening up since I came home from India, and that I still have the pink slippers, but dont tell Polt!

**UPDATE** I didnt say I was FAT, I said I did a good job fattening up after India. There's a difference! I lost 15 pounds in India, I got it ALL back! Oh Never mind! LOL!
Have a lovely day, everyone!

Dont forget to Wash Your Hands!

In many restaurants in India, there is just one sink out in the main area of the restaurant for people to wash hands. The separate men and ladies loo's do not have sinks at all, so all must share one sink. (Most of the time) Uh, ew.

I noticed the shadow on this pic after I posted it and then I remembered, this was an outdoor restaurant.

So there I am, washing my hands in Bangalore! Woo hoo!

So I kind of feel like it's back to blogging the old way. Back to when I had 5 faithful readers. And best of all, back to NO commitments! No schedules, no HNT, no 55 unless I want to, no Musical Monday unless I want to. Just random posts a la Lo style! Now, that's for me.

This would be me in some wierd restaurant in Bangalore where you smoke hookahs full of...flavoured smoke! I just had to try it. It was horrible, I got really nauseous, and I just do not see the point in inhaling chocolate, strawberry, coconut or mango chutney flavoured smoke! I chose the mint with some other flavour and ickkkkk!

This week I finally got my taxes in order. I have been working hard and, hey WDKY, I really DID make more money this year, WHOA! I'll bet you all think I am a millionaire by now!

NOT.
As all my 3 American readers know, the economy is just making it pretty tough all over. Gas, food prices, utilities. Unbelievable. SO you won't be seeing me driving all over town in a Mercedes any time soon just cuz I made more money this year.

Speaking of gas, even with gas at 3.67 a gallon here for regular, I still only spent $32. on gas last month! That's not even ONE tank! I must be in my hermit phase again, not leaving the house, not leaving town.

BTW I checked out some other Proclaimers tunes on Youtube. (I would walk 500 miles.....)Let me just say, there is a reason some bands are just one hit wonders.

So what is this post about?
I dont know.
But finally we have Mr Ratburn in a rickshaw on his first day in India!

Have a wonderful day.