I picked up a copy of Reunion 9 with some of my Christmas cash - which means that finally (FINALLY) I'll be able to make some sense and have a time line of all of the family names, dates, stories, etc that I've been absorbing for as long as I can remember. Luckily, my mother was long elected as the family archivist so she's got a nice little stash of photos and notes and important paraphernalia (but not the family bible, that is in an archival box under the bed in my Grandfather's guest room - along with P-Boo's scrapbooks from her Graduate Studies in the early 20s.) There are meticulous notes on some of the photos and coupled with the powers of the interweb I've been able to scrounge up interesting little tidbits - like contact information for the church my great-grandfather helped found in 1921 in Rock Hill, S.C. And since googlemaps is so thorough now I can even see the sites of the homes my ancestors (so odd to use that word, yet so appropriate) lived in.
I've got some odd names up in the branches of the tree - my great-great-great-great-great (?) Grandmother liked to give her girls multiple names: Katherine Margaret Rosalie and Hermine Helene Julianna Antoinette. But it was the 1860s and neither of them survived more than a few months. No cause of death that I've found. Steve speculates poverty, but actually the family fortune hadn't been squandered, yet. I like knowing all of these little tidbits. I like knowing where we came from. Mostly I've just done my Maternal Grandfather's side. My Maternal Grandmother's side goes back pre-revolution (this will all be used to get me in the DAR, eventually) and that makes me tired just thinking about it.
I've got an ulterior motive in all of this, too. Well...maybe it's a side-motive? It's not the primary objective, but it's in the top 5 for sure: figure out what the hell is going on in my husband's family. There's a branch very close to his (1st cousins) which is filled with people we can't keep straight. So I'll start up a file for that family here in the near future and get that sorted so that my nephew will know who he's talking to at the large family gatherings. Clearly I've got time if that's my reasoning for embarking on that little project.
Who knows - maybe in the process of all of this I'll uncover something exciting. Well, more exciting than my great-great-great-grandmother being a double agent in the civil war, that is ;-)
Ok...back to scanning and archiving...
Will leave you with the song I've had stuck in my head all day:
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Friday, January 11, 2008
Little Boxes
This is perhaps my favorite version of the opening song (which is totally stuck in my head) from my current favorite television show...which of course I watch on DVD. This is Death Cab. They rock.
Completely unrelated: next week is a nuthin' but heels week. I think the major demo is over for right now so it'll be safe to totter around job sites. In order to work out my calves for such an undertaking, I'll be tottering around in my Doris Day mules all weekend. You know you're jealous ;-)
Completely unrelated: next week is a nuthin' but heels week. I think the major demo is over for right now so it'll be safe to totter around job sites. In order to work out my calves for such an undertaking, I'll be tottering around in my Doris Day mules all weekend. You know you're jealous ;-)
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Like a Refrigerator
Withdrawal happens in three main parts:
1) Not much happens the first couple of days, which lulls you into a false sense of security.
2) The tip of your nose tickles incessantly and you get a slight rebound headache.
3) The medication starts to vacate your body like rats from a ship and you hum with the vibrations of millions of tiny little rat feet running over your nerve endings. Put your hand to a refrigerator while the compressor is on. Now imagine your entire body doing that for DAYS. Add in a headache, some dizziness and nausea....and you've got a cranky, cranky Emily all weekend. Poor Steve. It's a good thing we're already married because I was Heather Chandler all weekend. (My Damage? Withdrawal) I canceled plans and even though the people on whom I canceled just felt shafted, they have no idea how much the quality of their evenings improved without my presence. There will be penance baking, I just know it.
It's finally wearing off. Just my scalp tingles a bit now, but I assume that's because the concentration of the medication was there - you know, keeping my membranes from re-inflaming themselves.
The googlepage has been infuriatingly slow and free-thinking lately but I think I wrangled it into submission. Check it out for some New Year Week in Conroe Highlights. Not pictured: Howard and Leigh. But we did have lunch with them Sunday and we did finally meet Leigh and I do genuinely like her. So there's that. For what it's worth.
It's on the vacation page of the googlepage. Follow the link at right.
1) Not much happens the first couple of days, which lulls you into a false sense of security.
2) The tip of your nose tickles incessantly and you get a slight rebound headache.
3) The medication starts to vacate your body like rats from a ship and you hum with the vibrations of millions of tiny little rat feet running over your nerve endings. Put your hand to a refrigerator while the compressor is on. Now imagine your entire body doing that for DAYS. Add in a headache, some dizziness and nausea....and you've got a cranky, cranky Emily all weekend. Poor Steve. It's a good thing we're already married because I was Heather Chandler all weekend. (My Damage? Withdrawal) I canceled plans and even though the people on whom I canceled just felt shafted, they have no idea how much the quality of their evenings improved without my presence. There will be penance baking, I just know it.
It's finally wearing off. Just my scalp tingles a bit now, but I assume that's because the concentration of the medication was there - you know, keeping my membranes from re-inflaming themselves.
The googlepage has been infuriatingly slow and free-thinking lately but I think I wrangled it into submission. Check it out for some New Year Week in Conroe Highlights. Not pictured: Howard and Leigh. But we did have lunch with them Sunday and we did finally meet Leigh and I do genuinely like her. So there's that. For what it's worth.
It's on the vacation page of the googlepage. Follow the link at right.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Resolutions. And Clothes.
Ok, so in an effort to spend less crazily (this feels like the same new year’s resolution I make every year...spend more thoughtfully....of course, I feel like I am making fewer impulse purchases so something must be working) I’m going to do a full-on closet inventory and then purchase the basics I’m missing. You know, round things out a bit. This only sounds easy. You have to take into account the fact that it took me two years to find a pair of brown boots that I like. Love. Adore. Wear all the time. It’s like a hunt for me. Not looking for the bargain, really. What I’m looking for is a pair of boots that will make even the bums outside the library sit up and take notice. (This pair did exactly that, by the way)
I’ve stolen a list from a blog I just discovered (yay google!) - if you want the exact link it’s this:
http://highfashiongirl.blogspot.com/2007/12/wardrobe-basics.html
and the list is this: (in () are my comments)
Basics:
1) A well-fitting bra and well-fitting underwear (duh - this should include slips and shapers)
2) A fitted black jacket
3) A basic white button down
4) A great pair of jeans (or 3 if you have my job.)
5) A tailored pair of slightly wide-leg black trousers (or more - gray, brown, and navy should be on this list as well)
6) A cashmere cardigan
7) High quality black, navy, white and brown turtlenecks (MUST BUY)
8) A little black dress (or 2 or 3....what was it Madame Coco said...?)
9) A silk camisole in a pretty jewel tone
10) A black pencil skirt
11) A trench coat (I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to take myself seriously in a trench coat...)
12) Hanes plain white tees (I actually prefer Mossimo from Target. They’re soft and not see through. The $5 Ts at Forever 21 are also nice to have in many colors)
13) Ballet flats
14) Classic pumps
15) Classic tall boots (brown and black - need black)
16) A great handbag
17) A peacoat
18) Belt (a few of these - sometimes a funky belt is all it takes to keep an all-black outfit on the chic side of funeral chic.)
Great extras:
1) A classic watch
2) Pearl necklace
3) Diamond studs
4) A gold chain (Silver if you don’t wear gold)
5) A vintage rock and roll t-shirt (fake vintage works, too. Hello, Target)
6) A trapeze/swing jacket
7) Oversized Jackie O sunglasses (Not necessarily in black. Mine are cream)
8) A classic tote bag
9) A gorgeous cocktail dress
10) A leopard print coat (less seriously than a trench coat. I couldn’t even be ironic in this)
11) Jeweled cuff
12) A beautiful clutch
13) A v-neck sweater
14) A black and white striped t-shirt (what...for convict-chic?)
15) Wrap dress (YES)
16) Neutral pumps or slingbacks
17) A pashmina
18) A sequin tunic (this is so fall of 07 - can we move on already?)
19) Leggings (NO. NO. NO. If you are old enough to have worn the trend the first time around...)
So my list is fairly short. And in two more years, it’ll be complete. Yippie!
What are my other resolutions, you ask? Surely it can't just be the same one year after year, can it...? No, it's not. In addition to making the wardrobe make sense there is:
1) Floss. Regularly and as directed.
2) Regain my pre-brain-swell workout routine (this coincides nicely with being off the pills. I'm not able to downward dog just yet, but perhaps in another week or so....)
3) Be more organized in general - cooking, grocery shopping, general storage. I've been in enough houses by now to know how easily it all gets away from you. I've actually got a client who doesn't know what's in half of her closets, up in her attic, in her garage, in storage...she just keeps collecting stuff and then not remember what she's got. And it's not because she's old and forgetful. It's because she's got tons of stuff. I don't know how many times she's wanted to see the inventory list from the storage facility and I've handed it to her and all it says - apart from furniture pieces - is "1 box, packed by client. 12x12x2" with varying numbers and sizes. She has no idea what's in those boxes and they're unlabeled. She's paid well over a grand in the past year to store all of her shit. If that's not a cautionary tale, I don't know what is.
Anyway, I should start dinner. Something with fish. And maybe pasta....?
ciao!
I’ve stolen a list from a blog I just discovered (yay google!) - if you want the exact link it’s this:
http://highfashiongirl.blogspot.com/2007/12/wardrobe-basics.html
and the list is this: (in () are my comments)
Basics:
1) A well-fitting bra and well-fitting underwear (duh - this should include slips and shapers)
2) A fitted black jacket
3) A basic white button down
4) A great pair of jeans (or 3 if you have my job.)
5) A tailored pair of slightly wide-leg black trousers (or more - gray, brown, and navy should be on this list as well)
6) A cashmere cardigan
7) High quality black, navy, white and brown turtlenecks (MUST BUY)
8) A little black dress (or 2 or 3....what was it Madame Coco said...?)
9) A silk camisole in a pretty jewel tone
10) A black pencil skirt
11) A trench coat (I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to take myself seriously in a trench coat...)
12) Hanes plain white tees (I actually prefer Mossimo from Target. They’re soft and not see through. The $5 Ts at Forever 21 are also nice to have in many colors)
13) Ballet flats
14) Classic pumps
15) Classic tall boots (brown and black - need black)
16) A great handbag
17) A peacoat
18) Belt (a few of these - sometimes a funky belt is all it takes to keep an all-black outfit on the chic side of funeral chic.)
Great extras:
1) A classic watch
2) Pearl necklace
3) Diamond studs
4) A gold chain (Silver if you don’t wear gold)
5) A vintage rock and roll t-shirt (fake vintage works, too. Hello, Target)
6) A trapeze/swing jacket
7) Oversized Jackie O sunglasses (Not necessarily in black. Mine are cream)
8) A classic tote bag
9) A gorgeous cocktail dress
10) A leopard print coat (less seriously than a trench coat. I couldn’t even be ironic in this)
11) Jeweled cuff
12) A beautiful clutch
13) A v-neck sweater
14) A black and white striped t-shirt (what...for convict-chic?)
15) Wrap dress (YES)
16) Neutral pumps or slingbacks
17) A pashmina
18) A sequin tunic (this is so fall of 07 - can we move on already?)
19) Leggings (NO. NO. NO. If you are old enough to have worn the trend the first time around...)
So my list is fairly short. And in two more years, it’ll be complete. Yippie!
What are my other resolutions, you ask? Surely it can't just be the same one year after year, can it...? No, it's not. In addition to making the wardrobe make sense there is:
1) Floss. Regularly and as directed.
2) Regain my pre-brain-swell workout routine (this coincides nicely with being off the pills. I'm not able to downward dog just yet, but perhaps in another week or so....)
3) Be more organized in general - cooking, grocery shopping, general storage. I've been in enough houses by now to know how easily it all gets away from you. I've actually got a client who doesn't know what's in half of her closets, up in her attic, in her garage, in storage...she just keeps collecting stuff and then not remember what she's got. And it's not because she's old and forgetful. It's because she's got tons of stuff. I don't know how many times she's wanted to see the inventory list from the storage facility and I've handed it to her and all it says - apart from furniture pieces - is "1 box, packed by client. 12x12x2" with varying numbers and sizes. She has no idea what's in those boxes and they're unlabeled. She's paid well over a grand in the past year to store all of her shit. If that's not a cautionary tale, I don't know what is.
Anyway, I should start dinner. Something with fish. And maybe pasta....?
ciao!
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Free to Be Drug Free!
That's right, folks. Pill #The Last was consumed yesterday morning. I've been clean for going on 30 hours and so far just a little headache by way of withdrawal. I'm not writing it off, though. I anticipate general crumminess to ensue any time now....
The New Year came in with a bang for us - freezing our fingers off in Conroe setting off fireworks. I'll get those images edited and up on the googlepage soon. You're excited. Admit it.
So that's all I've got right now. It's definitely lunch time.
PS - Steve is playing Welcome to the Jungle on the Guitar Hero III.....the word you're looking for is "addict" ;-)
The New Year came in with a bang for us - freezing our fingers off in Conroe setting off fireworks. I'll get those images edited and up on the googlepage soon. You're excited. Admit it.
So that's all I've got right now. It's definitely lunch time.
PS - Steve is playing Welcome to the Jungle on the Guitar Hero III.....the word you're looking for is "addict" ;-)
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