Too early?

Even though the weather has been sort of lame the last couple days, there have been promises of a warmer-than-usual start to May. Also, I picked up some free minor league baseball tickets yesterday at Trader Joe's. What do these things have in common? Welllll...they're among the reasons I'm chomping at the bit (gross expression, I know) for this semester to be over, and for summer to hurry up and get here, already. Every summer, I like to make a list of Things I Must Do, For I Can Only Do Them During the Summer-- like enjoying warm weather (yes, I am extra-picky because it's not like our weather is ever that bad) and the occasional baseball game. Other than these two, I'm looking forward to a trip up to Sonoma with the in-laws in August, and a kayak outing in Monterey for which a Groupon has been purchased but not yet booked.

What are you looking forward to doing during the summer? (Keep in mind that I am incredibly jealous if your weather is nicer than today's cloudy bluster. Sigh.)

Drumroll, please

Much to everyone's surprise, I'm sure, here are the winners of the Cooking, Travel, and Paper 200th Post Giveaway Extravaganza...

Cooking - Mrs. Gallery Place (Email me your address!)

Travel - RA (I feel like I should have your address somewhere, but my address book says otherwise. Email, por favor.)

Paper - Arielle (Got it covered. Get excited!)

In completely unrelated news, I think I'm getting some sort of seasonal urge to Eat Less Science. Maybe we can blame Jamie Oliver and his Food Revolution (actually haven't seen the show, but am definitely in favor of kids-- and adults-- eating Actual Food), but I think it's the burgeoning abundance of goodness at the farmer's market. Anyone else getting this feeling? Bueller?

Wouldn't trade it

In the scheme of all the weekends in one's life, it's doubtful that this one would stick out. Nothing life-changing happened, no completely new experiences were had. But still, after a Friday in which I not only got to see the friend who was my maid of honor (for the first time since the wedding, nearly six months ago) and meet her boyfriend for the first time, but also have our house's inaugural barbecue with another set of friends, and a Saturday in which we were visited by cross-country friends and did our typical "look how great California is!" tour (wine-tasting on a gloriously sunny day), followed by a barbecue dinner and movie-watching, I have to say: I wouldn't trade it for anything. (You get ten points if you made it through that sentence. I don't think I should be able to write anything before 9 in the morning.) We're calm, we're happy, and we have all that we need. (Don't worry, though, I'll be back to writing unsent scathing letters in short order.)

Oh, and by the way: if you haven't entered the 200th post giveaway extravaganza...you should. Because right now, there are three entries. Three. And, um...that's how many things I'm giving away, and even I can do that math.

Have a wonderful Sunday, internet loves!

Dos mil

In thinking about what I would write in this space for my 200th post, I thought a retrospective of sorts would be in order. As I'm not one for year-end reviews, and as a friend remarked that her "special occasion" posts tended toward the Oscar-speech end of the spectrum, I was determined not to veer too sharply into "You like me, you really like me!" territory. On the other hand...wow. Seriously. I know that I have lately been semi-regular at best about posting and commenting, and I know that I'll never be one of the Really Cool Kids, amassing hordes of blog-friends, but I have to comment on how much I appreciate what blogging and bloggers (two words which, the more I type them, sound sort of gross) have brought to my life. There is a handful of people in my life, a little pocket of my world, that just wouldn't exist without blogging-- and I'm so glad it's there! Not being a Big Deal means that I've never (knock on wood) had to deal with horrible anonymous commenters (Commentors? I can't decide.) the way others have, and the chances of being incriminated at work for something awful I've written about a colleague are slim to none. However, I am happy to know that at least there are the dozens, maybe, of you that care to read and even take the time to comment. Thanks.

Spring break has come a bit early (at least work-wise-- trust me, it's not a very interesting story), and I'm feeling generous. As such, I'm proposing a multi-part giveaway, having to do with things that play a big part in my life: paper (I'm a sucker for pretty paper, and do like a good bit of correspondence!), travel (I take trips, even if a good third of them are Disney-related), and cooking (uh, yeah.) I'll be giving away stuff from each category, so tell me what you'd like most! I'll choose winners at random, and announce them in, say...a week? Yes, on March 29. That's it.

And now, the booty. (Heh.)

Paper
A set of cards (pick your favorite) from Dots and Dahlias Etsy shop. Leave a comment telling me your proudest paper moment-- did you manage to get Christmas cards out on time last year? Remember Grandma's birthday? Carry on correspondence with a far-away love?

Cooking
An assortment of gadgets and goodies from Crate and Barrel and Sur la Table, two of my favorite fancy-supply stores. Tell me which gadgets you wish you had in your kitchen, from a Silpat to a citrus reamer, and they just might be yours.

Travel
Either a set of luggage tags or a passport holder (it says womens, but I think the red, green, and blue are plenty butch, for my male readers) from Flight 001. Describe your most memorable trip, and share your fantasy vacation-- a trek through the rainforest? Meandering through the streets of Prague? Sipping champagne in Champagne?

The bits and the pieces

I've been feeling so scattered recently-- I don't think it's because I've been that busy, exactly, but when I stop to think about it, I guess I have been. So...you get bullets!

• epic amounts of Gilmore Girls-watching. Because the syndication on ABC Family just came back around the horn, I had the strange experience of viewing the final episode and the pilot back-to-back. At this very moment, I'm watching the second episode, where we meet Paris (who I love to little teeny pieces) and also contains the truly awful Chad Michael Murray, calling Rory "Mary." Could definitely do without him.
• does anyone else have a truly evil cat (who is actually usually very sweet and completely lovable) that insists on chewing on the mini-blinds? No? Just me? Gah, this fricking cat.
• spent last weekend in Tahoe, the highlight of which was making food for the six of us that went-- including pizzas, soup, and amazing balls of fried eggplant filled with smoked mozzarella. As I am only a fan of snow that I don't have to interact with (seriously, I am even underwhelmed by sledding), this worked out well.
• next weekend will be full of wine-tasting. Love, love, love.
• I gave up meat for Lent, and so far my only slip has been lox, which I ate by accident (but totally enjoyed, sorry baby Jesus). Giving up meat is way easier than giving up cheese was, but I have come to the conclusion that there is no way that this will end up being a weight-loss experience for me-- I just keep filling the void with more and more cheese and carbs.
  
• velcro rollers. Thoughts? Techniques? I am afraid.

Oh, by the way...the next post will be number 200! As I likely have only about a dozen readers, your chances of winning one of the things I'm thinking of giving away are pretty good.

The Dude on the Couch

Oh, Valentine's Day. I feel like there is something of a spectrum of the way people feel about Valentine's Day, but people seem to cluster on either end, either declaring that they absolutely hate it or totally love it. Personally, I've never had a tremendous issue with it-- I like that there's a special day when you tell people you care about how much they mean to you (should there be a comma in there somewhere?), even if it is mostly made up by greeting card companies. Granted, I am a sap, and completely susceptible to marketing ploys of all sorts, but I can get behind the sentiments behind the celebrations. On the other hand, it seems sort of disgusting that so much of it is obligatory-- a dozen roses, heart-shaped boxes of chocolates, and Jan Seymour-designed jewelry? No thanks. I'm happy with the daffodils, and the fact that my husband just rewound the DVR to show me a commercial where dogs and cats are driving cars in a parking lot. Last year around Valentine's Day, Dooce posted something of a meme about her husband, and I think today is as good a day as any to trot out my own version.

What are your middle names?
Mine is Elise, and GP's is Peter. His mom once told me a story about how, as a youngster, he wanted to go by his middle name (as his father does). But when she told him that he'd have to learn to spell it, he was like, "The hell with that."

How long have you been together?
We met/started dating in September of 2006...so, what is that? Three and a half years? It seems simultaneously longer and shorter.

How long did you know each other before you started dating?
Well. We exchanged emails for a good 36 hours before we met...so, about 36 hours?

Who asked whom out?
Look. We met through the Magic of the Internet, and if you want to get technical about it, he was the poster and I was the responder. Craigslist, it turns out, is a good place to find things like, housing, furniture...and a spouse. I think the fact that we were both obviously looking for someone to date cut out a lot of the "Will we? Won't we?" b.s. that hangs around a lot of new relationships. We had no idea whether we would actually like each other once we got more familiar, but I think that the way in which our relationship began helped us cut through a good bit of the mess.

How old are each of you?
I'm 26, GP is 28.

Whose siblings do you see the most?
My brother lives about 15 minutes from us, and his sister lives across the country. (Oh, and my stepsister lives in San Diego.) So, unsurprisingly, we see my brother much more.

Which situation is the hardest on you as a couple?
I wouldn't say that this is a constant source of tension between us, but it certainly came out a good bit when we were planning the wedding: we have different ideas about what degree of closeness we want, both individually and as a couple, with our families. GP lives thousands of miles from 99% of his family members, whereas my entire immediate family lives within driving distance. At the same time, he has expectations that our parents will be Best Friends, and I don't think of that as a priority. This has been the topic of many a...discussion, but we haven't had to overcome very much in terms of "Oh God, we're completely different people!"

Did you go to the same school?
Nope. Not at the same time anyway. (I'm looking at you, grad school.)

Are you from the same home town?
No. I'm a California girl, and he's quite the mid-Hudson New Yorker. That means he does charming things like dropping the "t" from the word "mountain." Yes, charming...we'll go with that.

Who is smarter?
I don't think we bother to compete here-- our intellectual interests and strengths are pretty different. He did do better on his SATs than I did, though-- a 1420 to my 1400.

Who is the most sensitive?
Um, me. Crying is pretty much one of my hobbies.

Where do you eat out most as a couple?
It really depends-- we're homebodies, so takeout/delivery is usually preferable. We do have our favorite local sushi and Italian restaurants, but I think now is the time to confess that we have a weak spot for the very-shameful Chili's.

Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
Australia.

Who has the craziest exes?
Probably GP, as I have definitely been The Crazy in past relationships. Luckily, though, there is very little intrusion by exes into our lives, literal or otherwise.

Who has the worst temper?
Me. I feel all the feelings, and generally have to put more of an effort into keeping my shit together. GP, however, loves himself a Principled Argument...but I guess that's not really an issue of temper.

Who does the cooking?
Me. I love to cook, friends.

Who is the neat-freak?
We each have our Things That Drive Us Crazy in terms of neatness. For him, it's that I leave my shoes in the living room (I just kick them off when I come in), and for me, it's his "spit cup," into which he spits his sunflower seed shells. We're a charming pair.

Who is more stubborn?
Remember when I mentioned those Principled Arguments? This is a man who, when I pointed out how stubborn he is during one of our wedding-related heated arguments, asked me to detail the ways in which he was stubborn. "Uh, hello? Like right now!"

Who hogs the bed?
Me...but I can't help it! I need to be positioned just right in order to fall asleep. Unfortunately for those sharing the bed with me (you know, GP and the cat), it is rarely the same position from night to night.

Who wakes up earlier?
Unlike some people who can sleep happily into midmorning with their head in a little pillow-sandwich, I have to get up early to head to the internship.

Where was your first date?
We met at a bocce ball restaurant, then made our way to a pizza place. The rest of our marathon first date played out in a local park (I like to talk, y'all).

Who is more jealous?
Hm. GP? I guess.

How long did it take to get serious?
About 45 minutes or so. Really, things escalated pretty quickly-- we went from seeing each other three or four times a week to every day within about a month and a half. We moved in together less than six months into our relationship.

Who eats more?
GP, but I can give him a run for his money in dairy-containing things. I have no restraint when it comes to cheese, ice cream, etc.

Who does the laundry?
Whoever has the fewest pairs of clean underwear at any given time. He's not the best at folding and putting things away, so I don't mind doing it if it means wrinkle-free shirts.

Who's better with the computer?
The man has "engineer" in his job title (which is a funny joke between the two of us). He knows how to build Actual Websites. And he has the patience to explain why just smashing the computer and getting a new one isn't always the best best solution.

Who drives when you are together?
He does. He claims that I make him nervous when I drive, and I have no interest in learning to drive stick (which his car is)-- how would I be able to nap on long drives if I was the driver?

If you feel so moved, feel free to borrow this meme for your own blog purposes, or leave your responses in the comments! Also, Happy Valentine's Day...may your lives be filled with love every single day of the year.

Project Runway: "Run for Cover" recap-ish

So, okay, this started out as a recap and quickly devolved into me making notes and comments. I'll divide my thoughts and unrequited crushes from actual commentary on the show...you're welcome.

Episode-specific commentary
I get that Project runway has to show off its sponsors and affiliates and all, but come on-- it's the fifth challenge and you're doing two back-to-back? Campbell's was more egregious, but the editor of Marie Claire (who looks a bit like Tilda Swinton, don't you think?) is a bit much as well.

Other shows might do well to show off their also-rans, given that they are sometimes more popular than the actual winners (I'm looking at you, American Idol). On the other hand, does it diminish the win...? Oh, also, it seems sort of needless to have not-Tilda explain that magazine covers are cropped. None of the designers looks that blown away by this opposite-of-earth-shattering news, which is reassuring (good thing Jesus went home last week, otherwise we'd end up with a sick Tiger Beat look).

What's the twist? Is Heidi pregnant right now?

Let's review the things that we know Heidi likes, as evidenced by her judging over the years:

1. shiny things (season 2 floral challenge)
2. expensive-looking things ("It looks cheap, no?" Budget for this challenge is $150, which isn't terrible by PR standards.)
   
3. things that make her boobs look good (She always seems very concerned that the models' breasts look ok. I think this must be because of Victoria's Secret.)
   

I wonder how the fittings will work-- will Heidi just be traipsing from designer to designer? Oh...so the models are showing the clothes, and Heidi just picks what she thinks will look good on her? This seems less interesting than Heidi actually working as their model, but doesn't necessitate an extra judge.

Oh, also-- do these designers never have to deal with time pressure? I know that 24 hours to complete a piece is extreme, but they must have at least had to work with timelines before.

From the clips of judging before commercials: Janean cries (again!), Michael says they've never done something before (what could it be? Kicking off two people at once? I feel like that's happened before...).

Now for the runway show, pictures from which can be found here (and judging, in italics)...

• Amy: I'm glad I didn't have to watch you construct this monstrosity. Heidi can be boho at times, sure, but that print! Jebus. Also, the rosette? Yikes. She does appear to have stuck to the aesthetic she has going on, though, as this looks a bit like her piece for the farm challenge.
• Seth Aaron: A suit? With what appear to be mutton-chop cleeves? You can't "guarantee" shit, buddy.
• Jesse: The new Jesus? I can see that model's vajay. I do like the basketweave on the bodice.
• Anna: Maybe you will be one of those girls who is great at making clothes for yourself and for others with your same look (cute and hip and a little Anthro-like, but pretty straight-up-and-down rather than curvy), but I can't see you being a mass-market designer. Nina thinks it's shapeless, not-Tilda uses the phrase "slightly nauseous," Michael thinks it looks too young for Marie Claire, Heidi thinks it's well-made but doesn't push the envelope.
  
• Anthony: I don't love it, but it might look pretty cool on a magazine cover. The color really pops, but we'll see what the judges say. Heidi grins at him and says it makes the model's body look beautiful, Michael declares the costume drama over (yay, Anthony!), Nina likes it and Anthony is proud to have won some praise from her, not-Tilda loves the color.
  
• Janeane: At least you don't suffer from the hubris that some of the other designers seem to. The skirt looks a little stiff, and the little cap sleeves/sleeveless bolero thing? Not a fan. Michael is not impressed by the "sea" inspiration, Heidi thinks it's not fashion-forward, not-Tilda calls it a "polluted sea" (damn, girl), and Nina comments that it looks bridal. (After Janeane voiced the same concern as she was sewing! Follow your instincts, designers!)
  
• Mila: Of course you love your dress. Those colors are going to wash Heidi the frick out, though. Michael tells Mila her "peach" looks a little more like "Ace bandage," Nina notes that the "arrows" are pointing right at the model's crotch (like in Naked Gun?), not-Tilda harps on the color again.
  
• Emilio: Good color choice...but it looks a little like a nightie. I am not convinced by those straps. Michael appreciates that Emilio made the silk jersey look structured, not-Tilda says that it would make for a very strong cover, Nina loves the color but says it feels a little "junior" to her, and Emilio cuts the straps off and makes it all grown-up-looking. Apparently that's what's never been done before. Yawn.
  
• Jay: WHOA. That, sir, is volume. Crazy, monochromatic volume. This moves well, and I like the one-shoulder, but I feel like it's the wrong kind of Too Much for a magazine cover.
• Jonathan: Um. Is that a shirt? And...tap pants? Oh, a romper. Not a fan.
• Maya: Eh. That front seam looks wonky. Not crazy about the colors.
• Ben: Loves it! I'm happy he replaced the belt, and the colors are cool. Maybe not for an April issue (it just hit me why there are so many pastels), but this might be my favorite look of the episode. Michael thinks it's a good choice, Nina thinks it looks very modern and likes the color combo, Heidi likes the back, not-Tilda says it's a contender. (YAY!)
  

The winner (does not get immunity): Anthony, who yelps and asks if the judges "are for real." I want to hug him. Instead, he hugs Emilio on his way off the runway, and everyone seems very excited for his win,
The loser: Anna. Which makes Janeane bawl. Get it together, lady! Anna, who is sweet, appreciates the opportunity and gives a nice little goodbye.
Next week: New models-- little girls! I DIE. Also, oh my god, Jesse is going to snap and kill one of them.

Contestant notes
Mila, stop complaining that people didn't congratulate you on getting second place last time. I know you're a special snowflake, but come on. You are too old for that shit. Ooh, are you speculating about copying now? Don't be such a hall monitor. Turns out everyone hates you, and I can't say that I find anything that compelling to argue against them.

Jay, you are adorable, and appear to have some skillz. You know, apart from the insect-thorax you put your heart disease survivor in last week. Your hair looks fine, trust me. Also, I love your little towel turban! I must confess that Jay and Amy are two of my favorites because they are awesome and are representin' the Bay Area. Also, chances are slim that there will ever be a contestant from San Jose, so I've got to root for whoever is even remotely near.

"Icy color pallette...silver, light blue, and charcoal gray." Oh, Anna. You are so sweet. But those colors are going to make Heidi look like shit. Also, now is not the time to try to make a crazy amount of pieces. Seventeen minutes in, you are getting the loser's edit. I'm going to miss you.

"Short but not slutty." Good idea, Anthony. We do not want any "tootie" showing. I love you for saying that you "wish [Seth Aaron] would stop..." and not being a bitch about it. If only people on reality shows were more like grownups! "Did you smoke anything besides a cigarette when you went outside?" Anthony, can we have lunch sometime? I'll even buy. Oh, honey-- that sketch looks like something that Hollywood Montrose would like. (Can we have a Mannequin reunion, please?)

I like Ben. He could very well sneak into the top 5... "The magenta is looking fuchsia." Heaven forbid!! "Madame Butterfly on acid" is fine, but I hope that Carefree bubblegum pink doesn't make it into the final look.

Janeane: figure out your color story before you go shopping! Dude. Also, this "spewing out factor" (thanks, Tim) is going to look sort of strange on Heidi. What is Janeane going to do when Anna is gone? It seems that Anna functions as a sort of touchstone for her, at least in terms of seeing her as a kindred spirit. We need to get Janeane something to smoke outside "other than a cigarette" (thanks, Anthony!)...maybe it'd calm her down.

Jesse seems to be containing his murderous rage pretty well...so far. (We are nine minutes in.)

Seth Aaron is (thankfully) not this season's Jeffrey Sebelia, but should stop his singing in the workroom before I change my tune. (See what I did there? Yeah, I'm sorry.)

Jonathan, you may actually be a jerk, but at least you are funny about it. (Witness the exchange between him and Anna: "Are you making a dress?" "No, I'm making a spacesuit.")

Emilio, you are pretty badass-- and fairly awesome at following not-Tilda's advice about putting extra detain above the waist. I hope this works out for you.

Where is Amy? She's participating in this challenge, right?

Um, does anyone else think that Maya's look this week is really reminiscent of the look from her partner challenge (with Jay)?