...You make mead, of course!
When I fell and sprained my wrist in August of this year, I had to stop knitting. I still haven't exactly gone back to it yet (I tried in September with really big needles, but I could only do about 10 stitches before my wrist would ache - and my usual sock knitting was an all-out, absolutely-freakin'-not, which still bothers me). I am going to attempt to knit soon (I've been feeling the withdrawal again, lately) but for the time being, I've switched gears again and I have been making mead.
Well, it wasn't because I was broken and unable to knit that I started homebrewing - I had wanted to brew mead for a while and when the husband announced he wanted to brew beer with our friend, I jumped in with my own interest in homebrewing. I have bottled my first mead just a week ago (Nov 28th, I think) and that was started back on May 9th. It's a strawberry melomel and it's bloody tasty, even as young as it is at the moment. I can't wait to try it as it ages.
Today, the husband and I did a chocolate mead (which will later become a chocolate chili mead - mmm...habanero!) and if the flavours survive the aging, I will be very selfish! It tastes wonderful with the chocolate and honey coming through and has the potential to be 17% alcohol! I'm really looking forward to making more batches so by next year, I will have some very lovely drinks to share...or not!
My first job was working as a make-up artist in my mom's cosmetic shop, which was located in "the dead mall" across the street from the mega-mall, where everyone respectable went to shop. The only folks who ventured into the dead mall were those with bizarre fetishes they wanted to try out in "public" without actually being too far out into the public sphere. My four hour shift was often punctuated with high school principals and construction workers in drag, trying out the new high heels they just scored at Payless; a 60 yr. old woman dressed as a naughty school girl being led around on a leash by her husband; your occasional flasher; foot fetish guy who would creepily make me show him the colors of "toenail" polish we carried and on & on...
Anyway, it appears that Vox is now the dead mall. Of course, I'm sure there are still many "respectable" folks on here...but more so, there are a lot just letting their freak flag fly. And I love it. You are my people and I'm happy to be back. But don't send me pictures of your penis. Thanks.
Are you shocked to see me here? Are you expecting another whiny/venting post? I don't blame you one bit, but I'm actually posting about a band I saw perform last night. :D
I took a friend's daughter to see Paramore at the Tabernacle last night, and you know what? It was a freaking kick-ass show. I caught a lot of grief for 1) taking a 15 year old to a concert and 2) for going to see Paramore in the first place, but I love teen angst music. So you haters can just suck it. LOL And that girl has some pipes and is just a phenomenal performer. So the show was so worth the crappy drive down there in rainy rush hour traffic. :D
Paramore had two opening bands, and I immediately fell in love with one of them...a little punk band from Michigan called The Swellers. Check 'em out:
http://www.myspace.com/theswellers
They have a new album out and I've had it on repeat all day long. Love the music, love their voices, just love everything about them...especially the fact that they're cute as hell. :D
So give them a listen. I'm sure they won't be to everyone's tastes, but I was totally impressed by their live performance. Especially since the lead singer had strep and still killed the show anyway. The guys were all really approachable after the show too, so I want to help spread the word. :)
Enjoy!
Last night in my fog of sleep something mysterious happened. I heard a thump next to my head. It was my laptop and I had thought maybe I just nudged it with my hand. So I did my whale flip as my husband likes to call it and went back to sleep. Working 70 hours this week and I am not going to stress over bumping my laptop. Well seven o' clock rolls around and I hear my puppy whining and the husband is not stirring so I decided that although exhausted it was time to get up because I didn't want to be late to work. I come around the end of the bed and I see my IPOD along with the connector that plugs into my laptop. I stood there and looked at it as if it were the most interesting thing I had ever seen. It was perfectly stretched out. Then the dread of oh no....they chewed on the wire. After some examination I didn't see any teeth marks so I think I am in clear in having to buy a new adapter or head phones. My IPOD has worked just fine today.
Here are my theories:
1. That one of my crazy cats decided to feel frisky. Pulled hard enough to yank the IPOD plug out of the laptop...unwind the earbud wires from around the IPOD. Then drag it to the front of the bed and leave it. Without chewing on it.
2. That guy in the invisible suit who is trying to take over the world is messing with me again
3. A ghost....If you look at some photo's taken in my house I have those weird orbie things show up. Which folklore says is spirits
4. Blake is trying to get back at me for all the dishes and laundry he has been doing.
6. Could it be Link...he does disapprove of owning cats and Boxer named Zelda
5. Lastly, I am doing so strange and awkward things in my sleep.
It's a mystery.....
Another great weekend! Some of our friends have access to a fabulous condo and a yacht. They wanted to have a couples weekend and they invited myself and the hubby down for the weekend. Ahhhh to live the life of the wealthy would be amazing I could easily slip into that lifestyle. To escape on the weekends and play on the water all day, soaking up the sun and spending time with either family or friends. It was so good to just relax with the wind in my hair and my fruity cocktail in my hand. I am a straight up lower-end middle class American who doesn't quite live paycheck to paycheck but it can get tight from time to time. So when opportunities arise like this I love to take it and enjoy the experience. Because really when will I ever get to do it? I will never own a condo on the lake and I will never own a 42 foot boat. It amazes me that people can afford a second or even third home with all the toys that go with it..... How in the world do people make this kind of money? I was never destined to be rich...I don't have that risky gene that will go out on a limb and invest. Or the entrepreneur who can go out and create a successful business. So unless I win the lottery (maybe I should play) I will enjoy these little blips on the radar when I can enjoy a day of the wealthy lifestyle and imagine what it would be like...................................................
I'm okay - all superficial and on the mend - but I'm still in a splint and that means I can't do anything that requires both hands. At least, still no knitting until I can take this bloody thing off.
Of course, this is driving me crazy, and since it's summer here - I decided to restart my love of mehndi, or "henna tattoos". It's been over a decade since I've played with henna and it shows, I'm sure. I am hoping to get some fresh henna (these were from pre-packaged cones) in time for a party/charity I'm going to in a few weeks, so I can doodle on more folks! Easy designs, mind you.
The rumour is that there should be about 500 attending and although I highly doubt all 500 are going to be aching for some henna, I'm sure I will have at least 20 lining up once they've been made aware. Another friend (who's hand I've decorated in photo #2) will be doing face painting, so we'll have a few fun options for people who may want something even less permanent than henna. It should be a lot of fun and I'm really looking forward to it all.
Anyway, to help me remember what I'm doing, I've gotten some guinea pigs - namely my husband (first photo) and my friend. I have recently put out the call, asking for more willing folks. Hopefully I'll get some takers... I also hope no one expects me to do anything too elaborate - 'coz I won't. Not for $5 a pop, anyway!
It's one more year away (and unfortunately in December), but I'm hoping to get professional mehndi done for my 10th wedding anniversary. I'd love to have both hands fully decorated! Nobody's touching my scary faerie feet, though.
Last night was AMAZING. One of my favorite bands was in town and I got to see the show. About eleven or twelve years ago I went to a Bluegrass festival and while there I saw Split Lip Rayfield. Just fantastic musicians and the energy they bring to their show is infectious. I have followed them ever since. So last night they were at Grinders and six bands played headlining was Reverend Horton. The night was filled with surprises that left me with a permagrin and my cheeks kinda hurt today!
I have met some fun and inspiring people that I am lucky enough to call friends. I was surrounded with good friends last night who like to have a good time and love music. The show started off with a KC band the Rumble Jetts and they were fun and good way to get the show started. Dirtfoot was next. I had never heard of them before and was pleasantly surprised I really enjoyed what they brought to the stage and plan on checking out more of their music. In fact I am streaming some of their music right now. I never been to bad Split Lip Rayfield show...my only complaint I wish they could have played longer. Reverend Horton Heat is classic I had never heard them live before and was impressed. I enjoyed the other two band as well.
It was a night of reconnection for me as well. I randomly ran into a few people that I was friends with in college. First was Kelly and Kari who are inseparable and always having fun. At one point last night they totally climbed a gate and got back stage. I saw them later and they were be escorted away from the backstage but give them credit they were back there awhile before anyone caught on. Funny girls. I didn't have a lot of time to visit with them. But found out they are both in the area and hopefully will get to catch up with them at some point.
My second reconnection last night that warmed the heart was with Travis. The hubby and I were sitting on the ground taking a break chit chatting and hanging with our crowd when he says..." I think you know that guy." I look up and have an OMG moment. I am thinking is it..no it cant be...but I follow and sure enough it is an old friend I haven't seen in a few years...YES it is the long lost Travis!!! He was doing sound for Split Lip Rayfield. After he was done with the show he tracked me down and we got to catch up a bit. He had all the access to back stage and brought me back there. It is so different being backstage watching the show. It is much more mellow and relaxed as oppose to the energy you feel when your in a crowd rocking out. I throughly enjoyed it and felt like a VIP....and yes I did get to meet the bass player for Split Lip and I don't think I acted like a total jackass. I have a thing for bass players.... I wanted so badly to be like um....will you take a picture with me..but I didn't. I didn't want to be that girl! Ha!! Anyway, what an awesome night!! To be surrounded by friends and good music....I needed it and I am glad I went!!!
It is frustrating living with intolerance and having no means to fight against it. I cant change peoples mind or perceptions. I was in a bar tonight a friend has a Karaoke show on Thursday nights. This bar apparently has a dress code that is not posted. We got that changed after this evening. A friend shows up tonight I haven't seen in awhile wearing a tank top. He was told he couldn't come in to the bar. First reason given health code violation....I call Bullshit. Second reason provided out of earshot of me was because they have to be consistent for when they kick (insert racial hate word here) out. What do you even say or do? It blows my mind that people are still using hate words and carrying these stereotypes around. People are people...You have good and bad PEOPLE why does it always come back to race? And why is an employee of this establishment using a racial slur? I know it is a dive bar but it is unacceptable. It was just another huge dispersement I have in people and thinking things will change. Pretty sure it wont...I was blessed with parents who raised me in such a way that I have never viewed anyone other than a person. And people make bad decisions and make bad choices but that does not give a right to anyone to use a racial or ethnic slur to describe people of a different race or nationality. Don't get it....never have.
On top of that I don't understand the purpose of a dress code. This bar reserves the right to throw anyone out. If someone is going to act like a jackass what will it matter if the person is wearing a tank top or not?
Mmmmm....a friend of mine introduced me to this chocolate at First Fridays in Kansas City. First Fridays are when the artist in Kansas City come out and show their work. So it is a lot of fun to go down and see my friends work and others. My friend Chris told me we had to go and check out this chocolate shop and I was down for that. It was the best surprise my mouth has ever had. Hands down the best chocolate I have ever eaten...AMAZING.....
Christopher Elbo Chocolate http://www.elbowchocolates.com/
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