June 30, 2005
Guest List
Holy guest list batman. I just started collecting names and addresses from Pa so we can start sending out invitations for the reception in Michigan. It's pretty long. Easily over 100 without getting too far in to extended family. Or even my mother's side of the family. I suppose it could've been much, much longer. I now understand how some couples end up inviting several hundred guests to their wedding.
Posted by criminal at 05:47 PM | Comments (0)
June 29, 2005
My First Road Trip...
...of the basebal fanatic variety.
Jon and Steve picked me up Friday evening and we headed down to their parents' house in Connecticut. But not before we stopped for Moe's. Mmm... Moe's. Anyway. Come dawn on Saturday we were piling into the mini-van Jon's parents rented for the occasion. I sat in the way back, happily knitting away on Tempting, the never-ending ribbed sweater. We made it through scenic New Jersey and to the ballpark in Philadelphia by about 11:30, which gave us plenty of time to sit down for lunch and wander around the park.
Having only ever been to Fenway, I have to say that the Phillies have a pretty nice place. I liked how open the concession areas were, always giving you a view of the field. And our seats were good too -- section 119, row 28, which put us in an infield box on the first base side looking straight down the third base line just a few feet under the first deck. Although it was easily a humid 95 degrees and relentlessly sunny, we were the first shaded row for most of the game. It figures... The one time I was prepared and wore sunscreen I didn't actually need it. The Sox won handily, even without my man Millar.
The game was a smidge on the long side, so we had just enough time to take a quick shower and get dressed for dinner at Morimoto. I've never really been a fan of Japanese food, but it was great. I don't think I can describe everything, suffice it to say that I steered clear of fish on my own plates, but sampled plenty of raw fishy things, including caviar. I have to say my favorite was Jon's Ishi Yaki "Buri Bop," king yellowtail and rice cooked at the table in a hot stone bowl. Even the fish was good.
Because dinner ran so late, the only bits of Philadelphia we saw were through a car window on the way from the restaurant to the highway. I caught a quick glimpse of the Liberty Bell though, so the trip was pretty complete. We left at a reasonable hour the next morning and were back in Chelmsford in time for dinner. It was fun, even if it was missing the dose of touristy things I'm used to. I think I would really like to visit again, especially since it's only about five hours from central Massachusetts.
Posted by criminal at 06:57 PM | Comments (1)
Oops! I Did it Again
I let my domain expire again. This time I had it on my calendar and got the date mixed up with the expiration date for my old hosting plan. That's why I've been quiet since last week. I mean, if no one can get to your site, is there any point in posting? I had my domain renewed by my old host yesterday so it should be back any time now...
*twiddle*
Really. That's what they told me. So I'm writing this even though I can't get to criminalgrace.com yet, just on the off chance that your DNS servers are faster than mine. I really ought to buy several years in advance, just to eliminate this whole problem.
Posted by criminal at 06:53 PM | Comments (1)
June 23, 2005
Just Another Bystander
I'm so worked up. I want to drive to New York and kick some butt. And then Boston. I have a couple wonderful friends who are wrapped up in lousy relationships. Some days it feels like I'm watching a trainwreck. And every time I hear what petty things their girlfriends have said or done I want to beat the snot out of them. Mostly because of the stress and agony they put my friends though, but also because of the bad name they're giving women. We're not all selfish and hard to please. There are plenty of good women out there. Good women who would be thrilled to have caring, respectful relationships with the likes of these friends. They deserve so much better than what they've got, but I usually stop short of saying it. I guess it's time to say it.
Posted by criminal at 03:16 PM | Comments (1)
June 22, 2005
Slip and Slide
Time has just been slipping away from me lately. At the end of every week when I try to figure out just what it is I need to do next week I keep coming up with the same things. Except for the changing weather, I would swear I'm stuck in that Groundhog's Day movie where time never seems to advance. But it is. Just yesterday I realized that the Fourth of July is right around the corner. That means June is almost over.
And I have nothing to show for it. I'm just floating through the month in a daze. I feel disconnected, like a cartoon character with a balloon for a head. I can't stand that I can't focus on anything long enough to finish it. And now that I know I'm in some sort of funk, I can't figure out how to get out of it.
Posted by criminal at 02:30 PM | Comments (0)
Note to Self
Do not wear pearl earrings if planning on participating in a conference call.
Posted by criminal at 02:28 PM | Comments (0)
June 21, 2005
Web Savvy
I wish more yarn stores were web savvy. And I don't mean that they have to be HTML gurus or slick webmasters. They don't even have to have online stores. They just have to know good from bad. Any maybe how to hire someone who makes good web sites. No flash, no frames, no flashing text. Just good content and a little photography.
Come to think of it, I wish all companies were more web savvy.
I have turned into such a web snob. I almost didn't go to Ewe'll Love It in Nashua because their web site wasn't so hot. Not to mention unfinished. From the looks of the site you'd never know that it was a great big store with all kinds of yarn I've only ever dreamed about touching. It was like one big yarngasm. I wanted to stay all afternoon, but they did have to close after all. Because they really don't have a store front on the street, they could really use a super spiffy web site to help generate traffic. Maybe I should ask them about it next time I'm there.
Posted by criminal at 10:56 AM | Comments (1)
Sweltering
It's over 80 degrees in the office and it's not even 11 yet. I can hear the air running, but it seems to be losing the battle. I think I'm starting to wilt...
Posted by criminal at 10:53 AM | Comments (1)
June 17, 2005
Winos
I'm meeting up with the ladies at Carol's house tonight for a wine tasting party. I have a bottle of Saracco Muscato d'Asti, which should be fairly light, sweet, and effervescent. OK. I have two bottles, just in case it's really good. There will be twelve thirsty women there. I don't want to take the chance that someone won't get to try it or have a full glass if they really like it. I'm also bringing a fruit pizza -- sugar cookie crust, cream cheese sauce, fresh pears, strawberries, and blueberries, topped with white chocolate and fresh mint. It should be a great match for the Muscato. I can't wait.
Posted by criminal at 04:06 PM | Comments (0)
Five on Friday for June 17, 2005
1. What color ink pen do you like best? Black. It just looks more professional. And do you have any idea how hard it is to match blue inks? And since we're talking about it, I'm a ball-tip girl. I hate roller ball and felt tip pens (with the exception of my double-ended sharpies, which are essential for labeling) with a passion.
2. Do you prefer lined or unlined paper? For writing, I love lined paper, preferably college-rule. Like my Mead Five-Star 9.5x6 wirebound, 2-subject notebook. It's perfect, although a little large to carry in your average handbag. That's why I carry it's little brother (7x5, single-subject) everywhere I go. I've tried others and they just don't compare. Did I mention they have little pockets? *swoon*
3. Which way do you prefer to read material: printed or on-screen? I much prefer printed material, although I'll take what I can get.
4. Which would you rather get: email or snail mail? Good question. As much as I like e-mail, it's not as nice for personal correspondance now that I get so much of it. Before I depended on it for work, filtering through hundreds of messages a day, it was great.
But now I'm more likely to put off reading (or replying) to personal messages because of the sheer bulk I'm dealing with. Snail mail tends to be handled when I'm not busy with something else.
5. Is letter-writing a thing of the past? Definately a thing of the past, and not just because kids today can't write. It's the instant society that makes it hard. Why write a letter to talk about what you're doing or ask questions when it'll be old news by the time it arrives? We're so used to getting responses immediately that we don't know what to say when we know we have to wait.
Posted by criminal at 03:50 PM | Comments (0)
Sick and Tired
I've been pretty quiet for the last few days for several reasons. First, I've been a bit under the weather and just run down. Yesterday I stayed home with a nasty migraine. Second, I left my laptop at Jon's house, which means no access at home. And finally, I spent most of my spare time tinkering with the wedding site instead of adding to my journal. It's good to go now. I will admit that it still needs more content (like maps, directions, and the link), but those will be along soon enough.
Posted by criminal at 02:51 PM | Comments (0)
June 14, 2005
We've Got Alotta Culture Here
Cheesesteaks here I come! I found out this weekend that I'm going to Philadelphia with Jon and his family.
In two weeks.
See, we talked about the possibility a couple months ago when they were planning the St. Louis/Chicago trip. For budget and vacation reasons, I opted not to go with them and do just Philly. I hadn't heard much since then, especially not in regards to me. I even made plans for that weekend and discussed them with Jon. I guess it was just forgotten in the buzz about the St. Louis trip, bachelor party, and wedding. But now I know and I'm excited!
The plan so far is to drive down on Friday night and head back sometime Sunday. We have tickets to the Red Sox game and reservations at Morimoto. That's the extent of my knowledge about the trip. Is there anything else we just have to see while we're in Philly?
Posted by criminal at 03:17 PM | Comments (2)
10 Weeks
We're getting married in 10 weeks. Eeek! Thankfully the invites are in the mail and I can turn my attention to finishing the Web site and creating reception invitations.
Posted by criminal at 09:56 AM | Comments (0)
June 10, 2005
Five on Friday for June 10, 2005
Meet the Parents. You know, both of my parents read this journal, which puts a little more pressure on me as I try to answer this week's questions. Perhaps thinking of these traits as good traits and bad traits might be easier.
1. Name one thing you like about your mother, and one thing you dislike.
I love my mother's self-sufficiency. She can and will do anything that needs to be done, without fear or complaint. I'm not sure there's a needy bone in her body. Because of her I know I can do anything I put my mind to and don't need to rely on a man to do it for me.
I was going to say that I wasn't crazy about my mother's fashion sense (or lack there of), but the older I get the more I realize that making sure your kids are wearing socks that match their outfits isn't nearly as important as making sure they're read to on a regular basis. It's not so much poor fasion sense and different priorities. I think the one thing that bothers me is that sometimes she's self-sufficient to a fault. She doesn't ask for help nearly as often as she should and ends up shouldering a bigger burden than she has to.
2. Name one thing you like about your father, and one thing you dislike.
I love my father's amiable nature. He's friendly with almost everyone, and downright charming at times -- not in a ladies' man sort of way. He just comes across as a genuinely friendly guy.
On the other hand, he did inherit his fair share of his father's gruffness and mood swings. He can be a real bear when he's not happy -- like when his favorite football team makes a turnover in a bowl game.
3. Which of the above four felt easiest to answer? The likes were the easiest to answer because I've found that I really like both of my parents as people. I think my mom's best trait was easier to pick than my dad's because it's so much more powerful. It just had a lot more impact on my own personality.
4. Name a trait you inherited from your mother, and one you inherited from your father.
mother: the desire to hand-craft things
father: knowing at least a little about everything (aka: know-it-all)
5. Do you get along with your parents? These days, yes. My mother and I used to argue when I was a teenager, but that went away as soon as I left home. Turns out part of the time she was just trying to press my buttons and get a rise out of me. Hee hee.
Posted by criminal at 02:28 PM | Comments (1)
D'oh
I guess the DNS propogated much faster than I expected. I asked them to switch it over around 5 p.m. last night and yet it was redirecting to the new site by 7. All of the estimates say it takes 24-48 hours, not 2. That means that I didn't have access to the old site to move the rest of my stuff over, so now I'm waiting on a help desk ticket at cyberpixels. Hopefully I'll be able to move over my supporting pages and galleries tonight. In the meantime, all the links in my menu are broken. Oops.
Posted by criminal at 11:03 AM | Comments (1)
June 09, 2005
Ugly Site of the Day
Newport Folk Festival. Can you guess who the sponsor is? I have never seen a more garrish color scheme on what seems to be a professionally-designed site. And I use the term professional very loosely. If you click through it gets even worse. For the first time ever, I have found myself writing an e-mail to reprimand the owners of a Web site. It's that bad.
In the future, please consider using text-based menus and titles, a user-friendly color-scheme, and a designer/developer that is thorough in their testing and proof-reading -- your visitors will thank you for it.
I tried to be nice in the e-mail, but it's hard when a site is that rough on the eyes. I can forgive a lot of things in Web design but I refuse to comprimise on readability.
Posted by criminal at 03:25 PM | Comments (2)
Last Straw
I've been slowly moving my things over here to my new host. But now that my site is down, I think it's time to switch it all over for good. That means it may be a few days before you see this entry. It will take a while for the DNS servers of the world to get clued in on my new location at bluehost. Hopefully I'll have all of my image folders and documents moved over before you see this, but if not, I apologize for the mess.
Posted by criminal at 11:49 AM | Comments (0)
Quick and Dirty
| Your IQ Is 140 |
 Your Verbal Intelligence is Genius Your Mathematical Intelligence is Genius Your General Knowledge is Genius |
Posted by criminal at 11:26 AM | Comments (0)
Go Fork Yourself
You are a Fork.
You are special, unique... and shiny.... but you just don't know it. Many admire you for your outward appearance, but you haven't truly expressed all of the great stuff inside of you. You have the potential to do great things and help others, and this will help you in the future. When you hold a grudge at someone, however, this can be dangerous. Despite your calmness that most people perceive about you, you keep a lot of feelings bottled up inside that one day can make you explode and stab something. Instead of resorting to that, you can say, "Go Fork Yourself!"
Most compatible with: Knife, and Sock.
Click here -- What Random Object Represents Your Inner Self?
Posted by criminal at 11:14 AM | Comments (0)
June 08, 2005
Meow
After watching Queer Eye last night I can totally see why Jami and Amy make fun of Tek's wife. There's just something less than harmonious about her face. Can't really say much about her body as it was swollen with child. Mirabelli's wife, on the other hand, is super cute. She's beautiful in that non-threatening, All-American, MILF sort of way.
Posted by criminal at 10:47 AM | Comments (0)
Progress
This last week has seen loads of progress on the wedding front:
- The design for the wedding site is done and waiting for more content.
- Our deposit for the Marriott has been paid.
- I picked up my dress.
- I have not one, but two pairs of bridal shoes. A pair of white silk mules and red patent kitten-heeled thongs, both from Walmart. Now I just need to pick a pair.
- Thanks to a couple well-timed sales at JoAnn's and Michael's I have all the flowers I need for the wedding, including some better-than-real roses.
- I picked up my dress and veil this weekend. The best part? No alterations needed... yet.
- The ceremony invites have been designed, printed, and assembled. They just need to be addressed and mailed.
Still to do this month:
- Finish content for Web site and change DNS.
- Address and mail invites.
- Collect and create reception guest lists.
- Design and make reception invitations.
- Knit more corsage flowers.
- Find a suit/tux for Jon.
- Hire a photographer.
Posted by criminal at 12:45 AM | Comments (1)
June 07, 2005
Tuesday Topics
You could call me a slacker for not updating in four days, and maybe I am, but there are just too many things to talk about to devote enough time to each. I'm just overflowing with ideas and news this week.
- I like this whole Mondays off thing. If you're not taking an actual vacation it works out so much better. I always overestimate how much I'll be able to get done during any given weekend, so having Monday off gives me a whole day to finish up and relax.
- Jon and Steve (and their father) are on a Red Sox vacation this week, catching the team in St. Louis and Chicago. I am kitten-sitting Silly. While she and Tia seem to be on good terms, it still took her a day to warm up to the apartment.
- I set two bowls of food down this evening before heading to the bathroom. Tia followed me in but had to keep checking that Silly wasn't eating her food. It's unusual to see her so paranoid.
- I want to kiss the person who invented breeze mode for fans.
- On a whim I bought a package of Fruit of the Loom underwear at Walmart. I wore a pair today and have decided that vanity sizing is a very bad thing. I bought a size 10, which according to the sizing chart on the back of the package corresponds to the 47-48.5" hips I hide under my clothes. These underwear were easily that big before I put them on. Big, baggy granny pants that rode up and bunched around my butt all day. So not what the photo and the size chart predicted. I understand that this might make some women feel good, but I expect honesting in sizing for something I can't try on. Duh.
- I had to wait all weekend, but I finally picked up my final package from my secret pal this morning. Or should, I say not so secret pal... because Jane really outdid herself with the reveal. Those photos show the great books, tote bag, accessory bag (complete with knitting accessories and stickers), notepad, and manos del uraguay yarn. Did I mention the yarn? Yum. I've been eyeing that colorway since the holidays. I think baby needs a new pair of fingerless mittens for work. Thanks Jane!
- I've been working on some crafty things for my own secret pal, so I'm running late. I hate that. The last thing I want is for her to think she isn't being thought of.
- Kevin Millar is on Queer Eye tonight. Squee!
- Cocoa butter is divine. It's so satiny and soft. Not to mention it smells like chocolate. I want to make more things with it.
Posted by criminal at 11:54 PM | Comments (0)
June 03, 2005
Five on Friday for June 3, 2005
1. How much of your time do you spend outside? Very little. Although that's not really an accurate reflection of my feelings for the out of doors. It's more a reflection of my current lifestyle.
2. Do you have seasonal allergies? I never have, but I suspect that could be changing.
3. Do you take outdoor-oriented vacations? Day trips? Not really. When I was going to Maine with Eric almost every weekend we spent most of our time outside (or just inside at the dining table looking out the open windows) at his family's camp. That was the most tan I've been since I was a kid. In fact, it makes me want a house on a little lake.
4. What's your favorite outdoor activity in the summer? Fall? Winter? Spring? Summer: berry picking and barbeques
Fall: apple picking and football games
Winter: walking in the snow
Spring: flower-gazing
5. Do you always wear sunscreen? Bug repellent? Do you always remember to bring a coat/umbrella/rain boots? I always wear a moisturizer with an SPF of at least 15, but I often neglect to use sunscreen unless I intend to spend more than a couple hours outside. I inherited just enough of the native skin tone to prevent instant burning. I usually have bug spray on hand but don't use it unless I've been overcome by swarms. I'm good about packing a jacket but rarely carry an umbrella, even when it's raining.
Posted by criminal at 02:21 PM | Comments (0)
June 02, 2005
Strawberry Shortcake
I bought a two pound box of strawberries at the grocery store last night for $5. Half of them are gone already. They're just so big and juicy this season. And did I mention fragrant? The strawberry crop this year has been so good that I can't stand it. Everytime I walk through the produce section I smell them and end up with a box of them in my cart.
I had a big bowl of strawberry shortcake for dinner last night. And before you start thinking about how unhealthy that was, let me explain what strawberry shortcake is in my family: fresh strawberries with sprinkle of sugar, cut and mashed with a serrated biscut cutter, over a slightly sweet bisquick biscuit topped with fat free cool whip. Ohhh god, it's heavenly. I also made a strawberry banana smoothie for breakfast. In fact, I think I've probably eaten several pounds of strawberries in the last few weeks. Too bad blueberries aren't enjoying the same kind of boom because I like them even more.
And on a semi-related note: Does it irk anyone else that Strawberry Shortcake, the cartoon character we loved as children, has been modernized? She wears trendy clothes and carries a purse now for pete's sake.
Posted by criminal at 11:37 AM | Comments (3)
June 01, 2005
Bo
Jon Stewart is interviewing Bo Bice. He's took his shoes off and started cracking silly jokes. And I love it. How long is it going to take for him to get an album out... Oh wait. I have my answer. His single hits stores June 21.
Posted by criminal at 11:24 PM | Comments (2)
Sneak Peek
I was finally able to make real progress on the wedding Web site last night. In fact, I've made enough progress to give you a sneak peek. It's still lacking quite a bit of content and the style sheet needs to be tweaked. But it's a whole lot more site than I had last week. Now I just need to move my regular site over, switch the domain and we'll be good to go.
Posted by criminal at 04:23 PM | Comments (2)