Whew...

Sometimes there's just no substitute for hard and fast statistics.

Growing Molds?

Spotted on Restoration Hardware's website: a set of four eyeglass molds from the 1950s. You know how I'm always on the hunt for mad specs appeal.

Needless to say, I really like these, even though they're quite useless and fall under the objets d'art category. And I probably don't have to tell you how the price is simply prohibitive--even with their 20% off deal, which ends tomorrow.

Hang in there for more apartment updates; I'm working on things slowly but surely. And have an excellent week. Thanks for stopping by.

Ray, Ray, Don't Go Away

I had made reference to Ray LaMontagne in a comment on my endorsement of Patty Griffin, but this time it's his turn for a full-on thumbs up.

It's hard to put into words the style of Ray LaMontagne. It's definitely folk with a blues tinge. He has a raspy voice and sings with tons of heart. With so many of his songs being about loss and heartbreak, it's easy to get the sense that somebody "done him wrong." Plus, he's decidedly anti-celebrity. Until just a few years ago he was a carpenter in Maine. (Oh, and as if being a carpenter were not enough, in the picture to left, he is a dead-ringer for Jesus.)

In the last few months or so, Ray has appeared on several TV and talk shows, most notably Saturday Night Live, but I don't know that lots of people are very familiar just yet. Many of his songs have been in soundtracks to TV and movies, but he has a very distinct and very gravel-y voice.

Several years ago my pal Jennifer tried for months to get me to listen to his music, and I'm so glad that I finally did. I have seen him in concert twice, and much like my brief time in front of Patty, it was practically a religious experience. Try out Shelter (one of my top favorite songs) and You Are The Best Thing, which is a bit peppier.

You may even recognize a newer Ray connection in the form of this commercial from Travelers Insurance. It's a pretty crappy job of cutting the vocals from such a wonderful song, but it made me smile--not unlike the guy on his shirt here.

Thanks again, Jen!

Pushin' Cushions

Ehh...dumb title for a post but cool couch*! It came in last week, and I'm glad it's here.

After looking at countless places and encountering models that were either too 'country' or too 'showroom' or too expensive, I found this one at Macy's (of all places), and it was on sale. The pillows were some that I've had for a while now, so they may not stay. It kind of reminds me of a Hershey's Kiss.

That's a good thing, right?

*To my more northern friends and readers, this word is synonymous with sofa.

Movin' On In

Well, this post is sort of more picture-heavy than what I usually do, so I'll keep this part short. Here are some shots of my apartment on the day I moved in.

Notice how everything is just slightly off. And try not to notice the only overhead lighting source. It's soon on the way out. Some things have changed--for the better--and I'll be posting those pictures in the very near future.

New Beginnings

I won't even try to say how quickly October went, especially in light of recent changes in my life.

Let's just get to the (somewhat abbreviated) lists, shall we?

On the to-do list:

1. Be thankful! What a great month to remind us of this. Despite all the crappy stuff that happens, we're very fortunate to have our freedom and to be able to afford things like Internet access.

2. Finish moving in. Ok, so my 'stuff' is pretty much at my new apartment, but it's not quite home yet. I'll be posting updates on rooms and areas as I go.

What not-to-do?

1. Get overwhelmed at work. Yes, I realize I posted this in September, but it holds true again. There's just so much information. Whew.

2. Find a broom handle to jab at the ceiling. The people who live above me seem to be alternatively moving heavy furniture, knocking on their own doors, and committing heinous crimes against nature at all hours. It's not ideal.

3. Lose sleep. My mind has enough going on in the background right now to mess around with unreasonable bed times. :) With that in mind, I'm signing off for now. Have a great November, and thanks for reading!

Scary Antiques and Such

I had a great birthday weekend with my pal Ann Marie! On Saturday we went to Franklin, where they were having some type of Halloween/Fall Festival. Main St. was blocked, and there were kids and adults in costume everywhere.

Chewbacca was even there.

It would be great to be a kid who lives in that area. The shopkeepers were giving out candy; there was kettle corn. Enough said.

Then we stumbled into an antique shop.

I know I just posted a similar picture from the flea market trip last weekend, but a really cool grouping always strikes me and my shutter finger.

One of the booths had this completely awesome lab chair...

...and this even better lab stool.

Apparently, the booth was closing down for good, and there was a sign that said to make an offer. Now I really wish that I had. This is definitely along the lines of my ideal design aesthetic.

It reminds me of a great post recently done by my blog friend Jenn over at Department of the Interior. Check it out sometime.

And thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes!