Playing Cards

Mirrored from my Tumblr, rinsquared:

This weekend, at a friend’s birthday, I learned how to play Settlers of Catan (finally). Which was … interesting. I think I need to play a few more times to see if I like it. Right now it is still mostly confusing (I never really got which picture equaled what resource). But beginner’s luck hit, and I won, so that was neat.

After, we ended up playing Spoons and Deuces. I feel like I hadn’t played actual card games in years – not strictly true, but that’s how it feels. I love playing cards, and in high school and early college it was a huge part of my life – especially hearts, gin, spades and cribbage. Sadly, I don’t really even remember the rules to the latter two.

New goal in life – play more cards! I need to relearn these games I loved and play more, so I apologize to my friends who I will likely bug about this in the near future.

Side note: When in high school, I always associated playing cards with working run crew. I think my love of theater and my love of cards grew up together at least a little bit.

Good-bye, Eloquii

I have meant to do a blog on plus size fashion for a long time. And, like all my blog ideas, I never got around to it. This past year I have been loving Eloquii (plus-size from the Limited) and now they are closing… phasing out by the summer.

I am super sad! I just bought this dress from them:

I really liked the store – good quality, reasonably priced and work appropriate while being fun. Here are some thoughts cross posted from my tumblr and excerpted a much smarter blog than mine with an open letter to the company:

As WifeyJD put it:

Eloquii has really helped me develop my personal style this past year by offering chic blouses, classic dresses, and cute, well-fitting (!!!!) suiting separates that can take me from a job interview to a dinner date. Frankly, Eloquii filled a niche for the young, fashion-obsessed plus size customer who lives in the real world.Your target demographic remains massively untapped, and I can tell you why.ASOS Curve is great, but overall skews edgy and doesn’t have a lot of pieces that work for me every day (in addition to being above my price point). Lane Bryant caters to an older demographic, and Avenue works better for women on the larger end of plus size. Lines like Rachel Pally White Label and Igigi have great products, but as boutique labels they a) are out of many folk’s price ranges and b) can’t offer a broad range of styles that appeals to the mass market. Eloquii, as part of The Limited brand, has a huge advantage here, and you capitalized on it by not only offering many The Limited styles in Eloquii, but by going beyond being a copycat line to develop your own aesthetic.

The bottom line is, I am a loyal Eloquii customer because the concept is great! …

Although I’m deeply disappointed in your decision, I will continue to shop Eloquii until the site closes down. However, I hope that you will do your best to put the brand in the hands of someone with the fortitude and foresight to give it a real shot of succeeding.

I’m not even sure how it could work, but I hope someone takes over the brand. I have purchased something like 6 dresses in a year, plus a few tops and skirts. I will miss Eloquii very much!

Feel the burn

I told my trainer to “murder my arms” at tonight’s workout and he really listened….

I can’t believe that I have done 51 personal training sessions, and am averaging 4x/week at the gym (two with the trainer and two by myself). I’ve been meaning to blog about it, but haven’t. Its hard to talk about – its a challenge each day but I’m very … proud about it. And I’m trying to not be arrogant or weird but this is a HUGE step for me, and I’m glad that it has happened.

5 months, 51 sessions. I’ve lost over 10 pounds (the over part varies but the first ten is really, truly gone. This is way below my goal, which was 25lbs less by December, but I’m still happy). And I am so much stronger.

My trainer is great (go see Andrew at the 24 Hour Fitness in Pacifica!) – he pushes me hard, but isn’t an ass or patronizing. I lucked out, since, I think, it was basically randomly assigned.

I have a lot more thoughts on the whole process, but for now, this will be a more simple and personal post – one I think that is important, as this has become a major part of my life in the last few months. I also just finished AJ Jacob’s new book Drop Dead Healthy so working out and diet is really on my mind….

Brief Book Rec: Anya’s Ghost

Just finished Anya’s Ghost by Vera Brosgol. It was a lovely graphic novel, with an interesting story. I had it my wish list thanks to a rec by Glen Weldon from ages ago – very glad I used it to round out my book club book order.

Here’s what he said:

This debut YA graphic novel about Anya, a bright if sullen schoolgirl who falls down a well and befriends the ghost she finds there, stakes out an unusual patch of narrative real estate: it’s both seriously creepy and … really kinda sweet. From the very first page, Brosgol’s artwork charms — Anya is a real kid, navigating the emotional minefield of high school

Recommended! Here’s the Amazon link.

(I’m at 48 of my goal of 52 books for the year – I’m still hoping to make it, as I have 3 book club books to read before the end of the year. Plus, I still need to finish the last three volumes of Y: The Last Man.)

Adventures in Seattle

I really really liked Seattle. I just got back from a three day trip – one day for work, and two days to explore. And I always suck about blogging about my trips (where is that Hawaii blog? NYC July trip? huh!)

So, I liked Seattle – I liked that it was walkable, I liked the sky/clouds, I liked the neighborhood feel, I liked the food, I liked the fall colors. It got very grey and rainy and I was even hailed on. But, honestly, I didn’t mind. I don’t know what it would be like to live there full time, perhaps it would be tiresome, but for three days it was great. And I hope to go back, so that I can explore a whole lot more.

I also saw some excellent art at the Frye (including the above painting) and the fabulous elles:pompidou exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum. So much to say about that…. but for now a quote from the website:

Elles: Pompidou is a landmark exhibition of more than 130 works of art made by 75 women artists from 1907 to 2007. Organized by the Centre Pompidou in Paris, home to the Musée National d’Art Moderne—one of the largest collections of modern and contemporary art in Europe—this exhibition is an unforgettable visual experience that will challenge visitors’ assumptions about art of the past century. This ambitious survey of daring painting, sculpture, drawing, photography, video, and installation by innovative women artists offers a fresh perspective on a history of modern and contemporary art

There is a lot more to say about this, and the whole trip. Hopefully that will happen soon.

A list of things, making life possible

It has been a totally crazy week/month. I am now only 6 days out from a huge fundraiser gala, that I have been working on for all of the last year. The only way I’m keeping my sanity:

• having a really kick ass assistant, who pushes back when I’m not being practical.
• Giants winning NLDS. I wore an orange ribbon in my hair, while I ran errands all around the City yesterday. I could hear the cheers from various bars and homes all over.
• Going to see Jordan Jesse Go! Live tonight, as part of the new SF Comedy and Burrito Festival.
• Also! Getting to introduce new friends to JJGO & MaxFun tonight.
• Adorable photos of my friends’ adorable tiny, new baby
• Actually going to the gym/personal training, when normally I would let my work take over completely. (Sticking to my goals!)

• This sky in San Bruno on Tuesday night
• All of the great music that has come out in the last few weeks: Amanda Palmer and the Grand Theft Auto, the new Avett Brothers, the new Mountain Goats, the new Mumford & Sons.
• Especially the Want it Back song and video by Amanda Palmer & GTO. (I still can’t get youtube to embed in a post… help?)
• Going to the Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival this weekend

• Dinner at Two Sisters Bar & Books, followed by Smitten ice cream
• Gone Girl – goodness, what a book.
• John Scalzi novels in audio book form
• Slate Political Gabfest
• Weekly round up emails with two good friends about all the Slate podcasts
• New Fall TV – Have you seen Go On or the Neighbors? If not, you should, ASAP.
• Knowing the season premiere of The League is on my DVR as soon as I can get to it.
• jamming in a quick latte with Lysandra in the midst of the insanity, and having a serious Disneyland squee moment.
• Bittersweet – drinks at the excellent Churchill bar, to say good-bye to Kate & Alex as the go on to their next adventures
• All the Joe Biden gifs from last night’s debate.
• And finally, that after next week, I get to go to Seattle. Very excited about that!

25 Years Ago, Grandma and Me

Grandma and I, September 26, 1987

Yesterday, I talked about the importance of my grandfather on my belief in of voting. And today, my Aunt Ann posted this lovely photo of Grandma Olly and I from her wedding – 25 years ago, today! Crazy!

Grandma affected me in so many ways – mostly with the way she was always there for the entire extended family. But also.. so many other ways. She was a strong woman, and I always admired that.

I love this photo. My aunt said when she posted it that it was “So Olly… So Erin.” It took me a little while to understand why. But I think it is – she is holding me close, telling a story. I’m listening, but ready to talk in as soon as she is done. I still bite my tongue like that when I’m thinking. However, that may be the only major social occasion I have worn white to.

I don’t have many memories from Aunt Ann’s wedding – something about dancing on my dad’s shoes but that might be more from a home video than an actual memory. However, my memory is littered with memories of my Grandma, many of them bittersweet, because of her current health.

I’ve been meaning to blog about Grandma basically this entire year. I have snippets in my notebook that refer to her:

• sky-blue pink (her favorite color)
• “Better than canned beer”(a phrase I adore, and had never heard, until I took part of an oral history)
• Reading “The Summer Without Men” and seeing “4000 Miles” in New York – both of which dealing with an aging parent or grandparent

Right now, I have to run because I’m going to the Amanda Palmer concert. But I’m promising myself, I’m going to do a full post about her, possibly tomorrow. But for now, I’m going to leave you with this awesome, if blurry, photo.