The Move Isn't Done

But I think I am.

I moved them four days straight.

And until 3:00 a.m. last night. There again at 8:00 a.m. today.

I'm hurting.


Do yourself a favor. Get rid of any dusty, unused crap in your basement that's sitting in boxes that disintegrated long ago.

Your hip sockets will thank you.

Tales from the move

Over the next few days, and once I get my energy back, I'll blog about the move from my parent's house in Washington Heights. They lived in this 3500 square foot beauty for 34 years. Many memories, some good, some bad. But all in all, not bad for a house in the city on a corner that sold for $33,000 in 1973.

Speaking of 1973.

Mi Madre was hot caca in this little number back in the day!

Heh

Leg overload, loves it!!!!

For the record y'all, I was pretty burned out when that pic was taken!

Brady Street Fashion Show

Seeing your creation cheered on, in public, on stage, is hard to describe.

It's hard to describe seeing it on someone's body...and seeing that person thrilled to be wearing your creation. And knowing it's so, because of how hard they're working it. How the crowd receives it.

Hearing your name over the PA system, albeit mispronounced, couple with the words "local designer".

It's hard to take in, and is a little overwhelming.

But afterward, I felt, like I said before, I needed a moment.

--------------------------------------------------------

I hustled it down to Brady street. I didn't want to be late. And I was overdressed. I made myself a copy of the outfit but in another color because you know... I can't pre-empt the display :)

Soon I met up with Nick, who was on the east side to attend the Downer bike rally event. Even though we were on the east side, it was a hot one on Brady Street.

We went to find our vantage point at the main stage, but there was no escaping the hot sun. We settled on a spot near the curb by the side of the small runway they had set up. The strangest thing happened, I heard a familiar voice near my feet. My boss was sitting on the curb in front of us. She, her husband, and their two out-of-town guests! For the record, my boss is a tough, smart lady. And we don't always see eye to eye. It meant the world to me that she was there.

The show flow had groups of models showing fashions from different shops on Brady Street, about 4-5 outfits per store. Not every shop did a great job and some of the "models" were amateurs. One of them was a great model though, I mean, there are some things you just can't pay money for.

The models were entering stage right which was near where we were sitting. I couldn't always see who was coming up, but I saw a woman with a green headband, and I knew that my 15 seconds was about to come true. My outfit was to be accented with green accessories.

She came out to the stage, she was tall, leggy, and perfect for the outfit. As she walked across the stage something in me just went WOW!!!!!!!! The way the outfit looked, the way she worked it, the crowd's reaction... it all came together like planets lining up.

As the model went offstage, my boss said audibly, "now THAT'S cute!" The boutique owner was standing near my boss, and she turned to her and said "it's a local designer!!!"

Afterward... I was ready to go. A whole month of hard work and anticipation and all I had been holding with it had been released. It was hot and I was exhausted. Nick and I went to get something cool to drink and get out of the sun. We sat and chatted for a while at Anodyne coffee, it was the perfect end to the afternoon.

It meant the world to me to have the support of friends and colleagues throughout the process, and on this day to share my special moment. And thanks to all my readers for their interest and support - and patience when I didn't get MRQ up until late :) As you can see, things turned out just great!

A huge thank you to Nick for taking the pictures!

I Think I Need A Moment

Moving, sewing, deadlines...

Today was the fashion show... I will write more about it later and share some pictures and possibly video.

But right now... this place is a STY!

Not terribly, really, but it's probably best to relax and take stock :)

Incriminating Photo Time

As promised....

Oh the things you discover when moving out of a house after 34 years....

In the midst of packing day at my parent's house, this is the best my mom could come up with...my sophomore year class photo. 1986. This is about the best quality of scan you can get with a quick scanner :)

Quel Horreur!!!

They say it's your birthday!

They say it's your birthday!

dunanunanunaaah..... it's my birthday too yeah!

Incriminating photos later....

Carbon Credits

Using the idea of a "carbon credit" is like buying your kids a present instead of being at that important game. It's like buying flowers for your girlfriend when you've.... uhm. It's like calling bagels and frappuccinos "food" and wondering why the yoga isn't making you "slimmer".

It's like doing whatever pleases the heck out of you without consideration of a simple fact. If something is actually important and requires you to change your behavior, you can't credit or buy that away. And you shouldn't be surprised when someone follows your lead while little seems to be changing.

For What It's Worth

My favorite Flickr contact, Roadsidepictures, is back from a trip to Reno. He's just full of great images of Americana and other elements of life that anyone over uhm, 36, can appreciate. It's worth the side trip.

His set is located in his Flickr Reno set

Well Said

In my half awake, un-caffeinated stupor, I read through this post over at the Wigderson Library: Poking a Stick In The Bear Cage. Wigs offers some quick commentary on an image posted over at Carrick Bend, and the flood of hits it's received in response from Pundit Nation.

So I went over to Carrick to see what the buzz was all about. I read this response to Pundit readers:

The post that so very infuriated your blogger is of an F-Troop (old TV show) image with Doyle and Lawton put into the places of the two calvary soldiers who are corrupt and stupid.

I will leave it up to you to decide their place. But before your self righteous glands go into overtime keep in mind the irony of a blogger who links to another claiming that it is insensitive after they post a compilation of cartoon Jesus/God jokes. I do understand that the American left has no moral compass but at least they should attempt to hide their hypocrisy.

I just thought that was very well said.

That is all.

"That Casino, is NOT Gonna Bring Jobs To Milwaukee"

No, you whiner. It's because it's supposed to be in f'ing KENOSHA

By Tomorrow I Should Know

....what time my outfit goes across the runway on Saturday at the Brady Street Festival. I'll post it here, but I'll also post pictures from the event. That's hoping that I get close enough to take pics, being as short as I am. It all happens after 3:00.

A Sleepy Jones Greeting

Well y'all, I delivered the first three outfits to the boutique today.

Nothing could have been more satisfying than the look on the owner's face when she saw my work. She was visibly smitten with the quality and the design. She said, and I quote, "This is Boutique quality work, and I can charge boutique prices for it".

One of her models was there, and she asked her to try it on. When she came out to show us, I can't really explain how it made me feel to see my work on this person. Even the owner tried it on and she looked great in it too. She fell in love with the top and I don't blame her, it's very pretty.

She asked if I would be able to make the top in two additional sizes, she doesn't expect them by this Saturday's show, and I don't know if I can make it by then, but I'll do what I can. The top will retail at $120 apiece, so that's motivating. I already have the pattern sized for 10 and 12.

But tonight, I have to sleep. My work here is, well, not done. But a huge milestone has been met. I can't wait to see it on the runway this weekend.

Go Wayne :)

I Could Very Well Be Too Incensed For Words

"Residents and scientists are aware of the negative effects to Lake Michigan created by runoff from farms fertilized with manure, yet regulators say their hands are tied on testing"

Since I don't want to waste perfectly good energy on something so stupid, I'll just link to the article.

Really, these people can't be helped.

The Great Irony of Flickr

Most of my life if someone plunked down next to me with envelopes of pictures I would have started thinking of ways to escape.

I'm not saying that the pictures people used to show me and what I view on flickr are the same, but when one of my new contacts posts their pictures, I can't wait to go see. One of the blessings of online photo technology like flickr, is that you have to make some choices about how many photos to upload because it takes a darned long time. So people are more inclined to sort through and show you the best photos. And most of the time I have to admit, I really like the images that my contacts put up there. Whether it's desert junk and old Vegas imagery from Roadsidepictures, the picture perfect family of Bo Darville, or Scott Feldstein's snaps which I am newly inclined to caption.

It's nice to actually want to sit down with someone, albeit virtually, and look at their pictures.

Friday Music

Oh durh.....maybe I'm still under the weather. I meant to post the second video - which is "Story of My Life". One of the most excellent Social D songs, evah!

I am in a Social Distortion/Mike Ness kind of mood today. And when I say mood, I don't mean a moody mood. I'm finally starting to turn the corner and feel better from whatever I came down with that flattened me. Last night I even sewed a bit, which I haven't been able to focus on for about a week and a half.

But today I have my Social D cd's in the car, and all is good in the world :)



Here's Mike Ness looking like Jason Priestly, c. 1990.

You woke....

of course from the one and only icanhascheezburger.com

So It Isn't Just Me

Tim Cuprisin gives a little unneeded but rather accurate airtime to the Victoria Beckham show, which debuted this past Monday night. The basic gist of Cuprisin's article, which reflects my own sentiments, is as follows:

Who frickin cares?

I'll admit, this blather was playing on my TV. I just left it on as I went about more important things like yanking the gobs and gobs of hair I seem to be losing, out of my bathtub drain. It was much more mentally challenging.

But from time to time I heard all kinds of enlightening gems from Ms. Beckham, such as:

"I can't be seen being happy. Especially in a photograph"

"these or these? these or these? these or these?"

There is no hope for this woman, period. Think about those two statements. She can have anything she wants - or both - and she can't be seen being happy.

There are times when I would like to return to the old methods of immigration, where certain diseases and defects were filtered out. Although nowadays, I'd add megalomania to the list.

Fab Weekend

So really, that sums it up. My weekend was outstanding. I didn't get anything done and I'm sure I put on a few pounds from drinking a few evenings in a row, but that's alright. It's been a few years since I've gone to Bastille days, and I do like it.

We saw a band called Liam Ford and the Band in Black. Little Johnny Cash cover band as you can guess by the name. My friends love Johnny Cash. And they love this song, but bless their hearts, they only know the first couple of lines.

Cheaterama 2007 at the Nite Owl

Howdy folks,

I have my photos up on Flickr from the 2007 Cheaters Car show which was held at the Nite Owl on Layton. Many of you enjoyed the photos from 2006, so I thought I'd bring it all to your attention yet again.

See'em here on Flickr!

So As A Person With Food In Your Mouth, You Have A Couple Of Responsibilities

Well, you have multiple. But let's start with these:

#1: Don't make smacking noises. This can be solved by chewing with your mouth closed and breathing through your nose. Most people are physically and cognitively capable of doing this.

#2: Under no circumstances should you speak. Ever. This can be solved by having common courtesy, manners, and a basic lack of barbarism. Most people are physically and cognitively capable of doing this. If you are, at the moment, behaviorally incapable of doing this, you can be trained.

And if you are physically and cognitively capable, but unwilling to do either of the above, you should look out because you deserve what's coming to you.

Freebird!

I just felt like sayin' it!

"I'm Going In"

Given the choice between a colonoscopy and dental work, I tell you this:

Knock me out.

Too Hawt. Questioning Usefulness Today

This is about the extent of it. I seriously have not been able to do too much today for whatever reason. And I was wondering why my knuckles seem kind of raw. Somebody gotta hold this here sofa down tho....I mean in this heat it might float away and all.

Dramatically Fewer Murders: Coming to A Country Near You

Eugene, my friend. Take your two hands out in front of you. With your own two hands, you can make the mathematical symbols for Greater and Lesser.

These mathematical concepts are not subjective. Even if you work them into your column and put your opinions around it.

In today's column, he talks about the beating of an Indian man at the Juneteenth riot. Not racially motivated, by the way. So Eugene is preaching to us about how this victim has gotten accustomed to our uber violent society. Unlike in his home country where there are "dramatically fewer" murders.

Dan at the Early Spin brings us this graphic:



India is the most murderous country worldwide at 37,170 murders per year, compared with the US which has a dramatically fewer 12,658.

How many in Eugene's audience will likely accept his presentation of the "facts", no questions asked? Dramatically higher than I want to think about.

How many Indian citizens will write to the JS, asking them to hold Eugene accountable?
Dramatically fewer, I presume.

How hard will the JS come down on Eugene for presenting nonfactual information?
Not at all.

The larger question for me, is how and why Eugene can habitually and predictably step in it all the time. He always does. And he always looks just as clueless each and every time. If he was my employee, there would have been some type of review process by now. I'm not a journalist, but even in my yearly review, "judgment" is a category.

The Man In Orange

A little Sunday morning treat for you all. Johnny Cash at Folsom doing my very, very favorite song ever: Orange Blossom Special

Maybe I Should Have Tried to Get Some Sleep at Live Earth

Again, I slept pretty lousy. But from today's reviews of Live Earth, it sounds like it was a real snore. I read the Times.uk - which I had expected to give an overblown, exaggerated review - but it sounded uneventful. There are other reviews linked at the Drudge Report, check them out if you have time.

But this brings me to two larger questions:

- Does our music nowadays really suck this bad, that they can't create any momentum or make a memorable event?
- Are we just burned out on all the causes. Every time we turn around someone wants our most precious, most expensive, priceless resource - our attention and everything that gets bundled with it.

Or is the whole "Imagine" concept just that - an idealistic unreality based on do-gooding that has nothing to do with real giving. Nobody likes to be told "you should". Massive, large-scale transformation isn't easy for anyone either, so are people wanting all this so-called climate change, but are unwilling to put their time and way of life on the line? Everyone else should really get a move on with that changing the world thing?

Because if they do have that kind of time and energy, we have some other things that are threatening the planet and mankind that have a lot more reward if we conquer them. Genocide, oppressive dictators in third world countries, slavery, hunger, disease, and a hefty new little crisis called terrorism.

Sleep on that!

Update from the Jones Sweatshop

.....because it's HOT up in heah....

Things are rolling along well. My goal is to be able to show these to the shop owner on Tuesday. Tops should be done Sunday, snaps and stuff should all be on by Sunday night. There are other quality checks I need to make and other finishing (you know, so sht doesn't unravel in the wash, or anything). And I need to press them.

To be honest with you, it'll be kind of hard to part with them, as crazy as that sounds.

But I have to make more, at least two more shorts in sizes 4 and 6. And um, I want to fit a pair of them in to the next run for little old me. I do have a pair that I made in these pictures, but now I can make them better and according to scale because of what I've learned throughout this process.

I'll tell you this. What I've learned so far could never have been given to me. The motivation to be able to create and sell something that won't be returned in 30 days, is powerful stuff. And upon hearing that many fledgling local designers were turned away from this shop because of:

- Inability to create more than one size of their design
- Inflexibility to alter a pattern to be appropriate for other body types
- Crappy work
- Not meeting deadlines
- Not seeing an opportunity and being able to change in order to take advantage of it

...have all been motivators to outdo the competition and do this really, really right. Something that is giving me a little bit of a shot in the arm to do this and other things in my life a lot differently.

Now don't get me wrong. I haven't spent my entire week off sewing. I've alternated it with copious partying, nursing hangovers and subsequent crappy attention spans, getting a little exercise in spite of a messed up knee, and doing all the things that a young single woman should do in order to enjoy her life. Today I had to turn down a boat party - which don't get me wrong, I wanted to attend - but right now I think I've had enough partying and I want this just a little bit more.

So I'm writing this as if I'm done, but I'm not. Besides, sometimes at the end of a project you're so thrilled at finishing that you've forgotten all the little thoughts you might have wanted to write down, anyway.

But by next weekend I want to have my own new pair of shorts complete to wear to a specific show at Bastille Days. It'll be appropriate for me to get my Jones on and be fabulous. Having an extra week to relax or make more outfits before the show is also a really, really nice option.

Dear Vianna

...none of us are amused, either.


I agree with Fred.

Great column, Mr. Nichols

Live Earf: Brought to You by Investors of Big Oil and Other Earf Killers

Ah yes, do as I say, not as I do. All parents must be liberal at some point in their lives at the simple, sometimes mistaken, utterance of these words.

Here we go again. Live Earf headliner Madonna is green. Here's how green:

"The companies include Alcoa, Ingersoll Rand, Weyerhaeuser, and several others associated with oil exploration, digging, and refining including British Petroleum, Schlumberger (a chief competitor of Halliburton), Devon Energy, Peabody Energy, Emerson Electric, Kimberly Clark and Weatherford International.

In 2002, the University of Massachusetts' Political Research Institute ranked Alcoa No. 9 on a list of all-time toxic American companies. And I don't mean toxic as in toxic bachelor. This is toxic as in air pollution.

The same UMass PRI study ranked Ford Motor Company at No. 7 on the Toxic Top 10. Northrop Grumman was No. 17. Weyerhaeuser was No. 42. Emerson Electric was No. 56. 3M Corp was No. 70. Kimberly Clark was No. 96.

You get the picture. Madonna's Ray of Light Foundation has stock in each of these companies. Her last published tax statement claims $4.2 million in corporate stock, and only $620,000 in donations to other charities including her pet project: the Kabbalah Center.

Madonna even has 175,000 shares of Ford Motor Company, which in 2005 — the last year for which Ray of Light Foundation's tax form is available — had only one hybrid SUV in its fleet. Even now, but certainly then, Ford was/is not known as a green company. The only obvious thing Ford and Madonna have in common is Detroit — although it could be argued that only Ford has retained its Midwest accent."

Fox news reports it, and I give mad props to Michael at Dlisted, who always has great commentary

That's a Pretty Heavy Score

Over the past few days, I have thought a lot about the assortment of drugs that were found on Al Gore's son when he was busted. It's really disturbing to me, and it has nothing to do with any political preference or affiliation.

Pot is one thing. But I consider pot to be absolutely harmless in the light of all the other drugs they found on him: Xanax, Valium, Vicodin, and Adderall. This is a very hefty lineup and I think that Al Gore would be well served to take some time out of what he's' doing in order to straighten out his adult son. Albert III is 24 years old. There is a major issue in his self identity that needs to be addressed and if it's not done now, it's going to be a long, difficult, co-dependent life for both Al III and Al II.

Xanax, Valium, and Vicodin are all downers, ways to deal with anxiety. Adderall is a major, major amphetamine that should not be played with. A doctor better know very well what they're doing if they prescribe it. But this combination, I think a lot of people can deduce, is designed to keep Albert as far away from the reality of his life as possible. The litany of drugs he's taking coupled with something to keep him awake and cogent is serious business.

I say this as someone who is actually concerned about what is going on here.

And any of you smarty-pants out there can very well say "duh, Jones, all drugs are meant to keep you from reality". This is not the same. And if it's not taken care of, Albert will permanently alter his brain chemistry and he might never have the chance to differentiate himself and life a satisfying life.

Yes, it is a great Idea. Too bad we're one of the last to do it

Triticale has set up a site dedicated to concealed carry in Wisconsin.

Stop by to visit the Wisconsin Personal Protection Referendum site. I know that some of my audience would fit the bill quite well for what's needed to get this passed.

Besides, other states in the union aren't exactly imploding due to an armed citizenry.

The Quotable....

"Luckily his daddy is a liberal, so we can safely assume he won’t get spanked."

- Fuzz Martin

Real Convos

Friend: Baaahhrrp

Me: Piggy

Friend: It's ice cream, it always happens to me after ice cream

Me: Oh I know how you feel, I get like that after a can of Reddi Wip

.....

Me: Yes... I did say a can of Reddi Wip

Friend: I was going to let that one slide...

Happy Independence Day!!!

YouTube Break

Did anyone out there know that Steve Martin can play banjo? Much less in bluegrass style?

Here he is with Earl Scruggs. If you're not familiar with Earl Scruggs, he and Lester Flatt were big time bluegrass starting in the 50's. They wrote and performed the infamous theme for the Beverly Hillbillies.

Jones Fact: Lester Flatt is the first celebrity I ever met. After Santa Claus, and stuff. I was 6.




For the record, my all time favorite bluegrass album is "Will The Circle Be Unbroken" which was a studio effort hosted by the Nitty Gritty Dirt band, and featured performances with Maybelle Carter, Vassar Clements, Doc Watson, Roy Acuff, Merle Travis, it's legendary and I highly recommend it.

Good for Scoot

I'm heinously happy that Bush commuted Libby's sentence.

Why?

He didn't commute the sentence of a criminal. That's the proper use of a commutation.

Dearest Harry Reid...

Listen here, Petunia.

Before you start grousing that "the Republicans" spend too much on national security and not enough on infrastructure consider this.

We'd have a hell of a lot more cash on hand if we weren't trying to fund the socialist utopian, war on poverty programs of your ilk.

And once we fund all of the illegals, we'll have even less.

Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

Go Time

Well, tomorrow is go time :)

Tonight, I had to get the place prepared so I could focus on just this one project. And I don't know why I'm doing this, but I've done a lot of photographing this production. Hopefully that doesn't mean I'll grow to hate sewing. I've done pretty good on snapping out my prototypes, I've gotten them finished in a matter of a couple of hours a piece (hour or two for top, hour or two for bottom).

I spent most of the past week redrawing the patterns so that I have three sizes to sell (4/6/8). I started with a size 6 and kept whittling it down until it fit me. Had I known some of the techniques that I've learned in the past few days, I'd have a better looking pair of shorts. But, that's kind of what this is all about. Today I put the protoype shorts on a few people and something kind of came over me. This was real. My work was about to become real and wearable.

It was also necessary to learn how the serger works and how to know when it's wrong. That took about an evening. Oh, and plus during that time I coined the phrase: "My kingdom for a threaded serger". Now I would really like one of my own.

As I prepare this place this evening: putting away parts of other projects, seeing the serger threads go from quad color to all black, preparing the fabric, I feel a sense of happiness that I didn't give in (entirely) to my urge to rush into things and ask questions later. I can't risk any fabric or time. Or ill fitting garments. The goal is to have a top and bottom in three sizes, but I would like to have more ready at least of the shorts in the event that they do really well. If not, there is always ebay and other outfits throughout town where I can sell them to the right crowd. I'm banking on them selling. Like Tiger Woods, there is no plan B, only to win.

Here in two parts is me walking along and rambling about how prepared I am. Twas the Night Before production. This isn't riveting stuff, and I figured out that I have a lisp. I can't stand people with lisps, that's my pet peeve. Whooknew....

My Problem With Fireworks

It's too difficult to know the difference between gunshots and fireworks. Usually I can tell, but now whenever I hear that telltale noise, I have to think about whether what I hear is gunshots, or fireworks.

And of course, was I right.

And if I was, how far away was it.

I Slept Like CRAP

And I really needed some good solid sleep. But I forgot that even the most stealth of earplugs are no match for fireworks. Not the pretty Park kind, but the ignorant setting them off in the street kind. And their ignorant igniters, who in all their stupidity, seem to understand the exact drift-off interval of a person who is trying to fall asleep. Because every time I started to drift of, those sob's would light that sht off again.

My civil neighbors are accustomed to those very special occasions where I open my front porch door, step out, open my mouth, and loud menacing noises coming out of me, usually within the formation of "if you don't stop your dog from barking, I'm going to call the police".

But the back porch after 11:15 p.m. would have been a little out of place.

If I had a catapult and a cow, I might have tried that, too.