BenCo!

Upcoming shows include:

Bishop Allen @ Skully's, 1/19
Cursive @ The Summit, 1/21
Passion Pit @ The Summit, 1/30
Marah @ Circus, 2/11
Lovedrug @Skully's, 2/15

More information about these and other shows at bencopresents.com. He's kind of a big deal, that man of mine.

Oh, to be a window dresser...

I know that while my love for taxidermy chic may not be waning, it's becoming a bit of a cliche in the design world. HOWEVER, the folks at Bergodrf's created extravagantly beautiful windows for Christmas this year (unlike, say, Simon Doonan's windows at Barney's, which were yuck) . It's like a Russian Fairy tale or ballet snuggled up close to Deyrolle , got very tipsy together, and made diarama babies. Love it to death (get it?).

I did not see these when I was in New York a couple of weeks ago; the closest we came was being nearly crushed to death as we were walking from the Onassis Center to the American Girl store*, 1 block and 15 minutes apart, because in between was Saks Fifth Avenue and their windows, which we could not see at all, due to all of the bodies, including at least one unfortunate gentleman who was so overcome by the glory of it all that he passed out.


*This was, in retrospect, a really terrible idea- the girl perfectly understood that this was to be what we call a "museum experience", ie looking at pretty things that we did not allow ourselves to actually want, and I just wanted her to see the place- a long ago promise- but did not count on the Saturday after Christmas in Rockefeller Center being being crazy-populated and my father visibly seething with actual hate for the masses that were, in actual fact, teeming around us. I actually love the American Girl dolls and stories, but the whole experience was kind of vulgar.

Wise words

"There is something immoral and sick about using all of that power to not end brutality and poverty, but to break into people's bedrooms and claim that God sent you."

And,

"It amazes me," he said, "when I looked at California and saw churches that had nothing to say about police brutality, nothing to say when a young black boy was shot while he was wearing police handcuffs, nothing to say when they overturned affirmative action, nothing to say when people were being [relegated] into poverty, yet they were organizing and mobilizing to stop consenting adults from choosing their life partners."

"I am tired," he went on, "of seeing ministers who will preach homophobia by day, and then after they're preaching, when the lights are off they go cruising for trade...We know you're not preaching the Bible, because if you were preaching the Bible we would have heard from you."

Sometimes, I just fucking love Al Sharpton.

16 things

I was tagged by Bridget, one of my favorite people ever.

1) I am so ADD that I can't do anything that requires concentration if there is anything going on around me. Making a phone call, doing basic math, emailing, anything. When E was a toddler, she knew to stop talking when we were going on the freeway, because, "Mama's merging."

2) I think about people, strangers and friends, all the time.

3) I will never be as good a person, or a mother, as my mother.

4) I'm never sure whether my complete lack of ambition is pathological, self-destructive and indefensibly lazy, or heroically sane.

5) I am very sure that my feelings about tidiness are pathological. Sorry, those that live with me.

6) I am regularly astonished by how much I don't know.

8) I still believe all the nice things my parents ever said about me, despite plenty of evidence to the contrary.

9) I get teary 6 or 7 times a day; not from sadness, just goofy tenderness for us all.

10) I could happily sleep 13 hours a day. Sometimes I even do.

11) Despite the difficulties of not having any money, I feel proud of how simply we live (yes, only in comparison to the rest of the US, and of course we could do better).

12) After years of having a subscription to the New Yorker, it's only been in the last 4 or 5 years that I've actually been reading it.

13) I feel grateful everyday for the people I love and the life I get to have.

14) I really wonder what's going to happen.

15) It makes me uncomfortable to find our new president so hot.

16) I don't tell B that I love him ofter enough. B, I love you and am glad for everything.

Pure goodness

The Heifer Project is just good. Give them money. Some people are discomfited by the Christian element, but I say to you as a devout non-Christian (very different, please understand, from anti-Christian), get (the fuck) over it. Send $10 for a share of a goat or some bunnies.

OMG people are coming over and they expect to be fed

What does one make when a) there is no money, b) there is no time and c) there is no inspiration? To the (bare-ish) cupboard I go.

This time, it was Curried Peanut Soup (it's not that I don't like solid food, really).

Saute 1 onion until translucent, add 1 T good curry powder
Add 1 can coconut milk
Add 1 cup peanut butter
Add 6 -8 c vegetable broth
Add 1 cup brown rice

Let come to a boil, then simmer

When you feel like it, add some vinegar (I used a white balsamic- is that even a real thing?- but any kind would do, I think) and lots of salt- add teaspoon by teaspoon, tasting all the while, until it seems right, and maybe a bit more curry. Let cook at least until the rice is done, but longer if you like.

Fini.

Also, I told people to bring their own damn wine, and this seemed to work out. For me, at least.

A note on editing

I KNOW. I SEE THEM, TOO.

Sorry, I didn't mean to shout, but it is beyond maddening that I cannot figure out how to edit after I have posted something. I am a smart, literate person, I swear. The daughter of an English professor and even a part-time (paid, even!) proof-reader, I am just so ADD that I cannot edit my own copy. Please know that I know where to put the parenthesis, semi-colons and and apostrophes, and I generally know how to spell. Leaving these errors in feels like I'm in 7th grade and bled through my white (Esprit, pegged) pants and everyone is laughing at how stupid I am.

Someday I will figure it out, I think. Probably.

Paint it black

All I really wanted for Christmas was to paint my living room black (why did I have to wait for Christmas, you ask? Because I could not justify spending $30 frivolously, but reasoned that Christmas money didn't count. Reasoned might not be the right word.) . As soon as we got off the plane from our trip (it was lovely, that you for asking), we went straight to Lowe's, came home, and started painting. I even sacrificed going out on New Year's to get it done (note to A, who graciously let us crash her family thing down down the street- thanks, and I hope that strange man was gone when you woke up.). So up went the paint, and after rearranging things literally a million times I think I know where I'm going with everything. I'm kind of being angsty about putting fresh holes in the wall, but I'm sure the feeling will pass.

I foolishly thought I would be done with both the living room and the kitchen (which is being treated to a new, more vibrant green), so I told friends that while they couldn't have the pleasure of my company for New Year's, they were welcome to come over for soup and wine (my usual offering, and I'm glad I found someone to appreciate it because my family is finding it increasingly less charming) on Saturday, and now it's Saturday and I spent all my money on paint so what an I going to make?

The black is working, though; I'm glad I did it, even if I did have to ghettoize a bunch of furniture to the basement. I'm sure I'll figure out where to paut the art and mirrors. Now looking for a smallish wood bookshelf, if anyone has any leads. And, always, more art; must bribe child into making something outsider-y.

Oh, and the above picture is from Domino (*swoon* although they need to cool it with the randonm celebrities- Katie Joel, I'm talking to you- and send Miles Redd to go live on a kibbutz somewhere before they give him another spread), not me, and I will even say that I like our room more.