Savage Beauty

Went to see the Alexander McQueen special exhibit at the MET yesterday. Gorgeous stuff. I'm not really a follower of fashion, but it's easy to see how he crossed into visual design and art in general. No wonder the community was devastated at his passing last year.

Tick Tock

So I always interpreted the "biological clock ticking" phrase as feeling like you want kids because your body/mind insists it's time and you feel this urge to procreate. Kind of like an alarm, indicating "hey, it's time, get to it!"

But now I think it means something else. Not hormones or a switch which signals "time to have a baby!" but instead, it's a "have that baby before your body fails!" message. More like a bomb ticking than an alarm clock.

Pandemic

Not to worry, there isn't some outbreak. We played the board game Pandemic last night and I really liked it! Unlike most games, it's cooperative rather than competitive. You are essentially racing the clock, to cure diseases and prevent their spread across the world.

There were two advantages to working with the other players, rather than against: that nice sense of team accomplishment (though we lost the first time we played...) and it went by so much faster, since you didn't have to sit idly by while your opponents determined their next move.

I think cooperative games are probably harder to design well, since you have to prevent the players from becoming too powerful when banded together, but still ensure they are motivated to work with each other. I think Pandemic handles that pretty well. I definitely want to play more!

Bath Suds

About two months ago, I tried a sample of Villainess Soap and I've been smitten ever since. It started with a thin little sample slice, and now I'm contemplating buying half a dozen bars at once.

Starting at $5 per 3.5 oz bar, they are definitely luxury items. But I love, love, love how they feel on my skin. The lather is smooth and silky, the fragrances are delicious without being overbearing, and the formula manages my oily skin without turning it to sandpaper.

It's actually kind of sad - I wish I could take more showers each day!

Closing Time

Sign of the economic hard times: my favorite bagel place, ice cream vendor, framing store, and Italian restaurant have all closed within the past six months.

I guess there just weren't enough customers, no matter how good the product or service. It saddens me when small businesses go, especially these little mom-and-pop places which offer something unique at a reasonable price. I can only hope the owners bounce back when times get better.

Emerald City Comic Con

This is more than a month old, but I wanted to state for the record: We had a blast at ECCC! Seattle is my favorite US city and though we only stayed the weekend, it was still great. I loved the friendly vibe and not having to wait four hours in line to get in!

The biggest highlight for me was meeting Kurt Busiek, who turns out is not only the most talented writer in the industry, but the nicest man in the world!

There was a charity art jam at a local bar, where we watched David Mack go nuts with paint, and local artists mix it up with big names to make some beautiful pieces.

And as usual, we got some quality original art. A few examples:

Axe Cop! Dinosaur! Dinosaur Gun Arms!


I adore Scottie Young's style. His work on the Marvel Wizard of Oz is just gorgeous. We got a cowardly lion and FROG THOR cover! Yay, FROG THOR!



Ryan Ottley, of Invincible fame.


I've just recently gotten into Elephantman, which is a freaking amazing book. They did these sketches for free!



Panel from The Darkness, a guilty pleasure of mine.


We got prints and lots of other sketches too. Since it was so laid back and chill, we spent a fair amount of time just talking to the artists and writers. While NYCC is a great event, it's good to attend a smaller Con and get away from the crush of people and attitudes. I think we may have to make an annual trip to ECCC!

Tax Season

Alternative. Minimum. Tax.

We got hit with AMT this year. This must be how Republicans are made.

Victory Sleep

Having slain the terrible fuzzy stuffed cow, the warrior pup takes a well deserved nap.

Sometimes I think she's a little cat trapped in a big dog's body.

Verse

This weekend I read through my T.S. Eliot collection and remembered how much I like his work. Today, I had images inspired by these lines running through my head:

       I do not know much about gods; but I think that the river
Is a strong brown god - sullen, untamed and intractable,
Patient to some degree, at first recognised as a frontier;
Useful, untrustworthy, as a conveyor of commerce;
Then only a problem confronting the builder of bridges.
The problem once solved, the brown god is almost forgotten
By the dwellers in cities - ever, however, implacable.
Keeping his seasons, and rages, destroyer, reminder
Of what men choose to forget. Unhonoured, unpropitiated
By worshippers of the machine, but waiting, watching and waiting.
His rhythm was present in the nursery bedroom,
In the rank ailanthus of the April dooryard,
In the smell of grapes on the autumn table,
And the evening circle in the winter gaslight.

Excerpt from The Dry Salvages

It's been a long time since I've written poetry. This month I plan to read more, in celebration of National Poetry Month. Maybe I'll turn out a verse or two of my own as a result!

Three Zero

Where did Q1 2011 go? We're on the prowl for a new house, work is ridiculously busy, and oh, I turned thirty. Yeah. Thirty used to be mid life. Half gone. Crisis time.

Well, maybe not. Certainly we're living longer these days, so 30 isn't exactly panic time. I hate the thought of getting old, though. Despite all the shit life dishes out, ultimately, I'm content and don't want it to end. It's still early, but I'm finding it difficult to come to grips with aging.

It seems I've spent most of adult life fulfilling petty childhood dreams. I own a dog. I went to San Diego Comic-Con. I own a Lego Star Destroyer and Death Star. I routinely feed my insatiable appetite for books. I collect original artwork. I order from Previews. I indulge in pretty paper, paint, and all manner of art supplies. I have awesome sex. I watch whatever TV shows I want. I own more than one corset. All these things I wanted as a child, all these small wishes, I've spent the last two decades fulfilling. It sounds selfish and ignoble, but in the end, the little pieces add up to a significant whole.

The best is that I've achieved financial independence. As a teenager, this was my wildest dream, my greatest hope - that some day I wouldn't need to rely on anyone else for money. In my thirtieth year, I can pay my own bills, provide for my loved ones, and plan for the long term. I'm proud of this fact, and while I'm sure the inevitable fall will come, at least for now, it makes turning 30 not so bad.

But then again, mid-life crisis is a good excuse to buy a Maserati...