Amber & The Perfect Blendship

Hippo:Monkey::CRD:Amber

This work of Paul Frank fine art is so perfect and fitting for my friendship with CRD-- not only because he loves hippos (alot) like I love primates, or because we both blog about and know how to ride bikes. It also sums up our friendship, if smiling and riding a bike can be read as an allegory for sitting on the couch watching programs. It's also symbolic of how two seemingly different things can have so much in common: I am a monkey, CRD is big and red, but we both pedal along. The one unrealistic thing about this portrait of our friendship is that I, the monkey, am not wearing a helmet. Everyone knows I always wear a helmet, and even sometimes wear specialty headwear around the office.

You know what other two things have a special bond where each is made better by their friendship? Pickles and fleece blankets.

He's not hiding from the vacuum. I was resting, trying to horizontal off my horrible headache, and he nuzzled and suckled his way into the middle of the blankets. You can't tell from this photo, but he is purring so loudly that you can feel his purrs vibrating in the bed frame.

OMG. I love that buddy.

Amber & They're Coming

Jimmy just sent in this evidence that the Ape Revolution has started.

Fitting that I should be wearing my Amy t-shirt today. This is actually the oldest novelty shirt I own, dating back to at least 1997, when Kevin bought it for me after immediately recognizing that Amy must have modeled for it. The printing is a little cracked, but it's still in pretty good shape.


This December, Amy will have been in my life for 29 years. I can't tell you how much joy she has brought to me throughout our friendship.

I wonder what will happen when Amy and I choose sides in the Revolution.

Amber & Treats I Have Loved

Back in the Glory Days when CRD and I were sitting around thinking up brilliant novelty slogans for t-shirts and not making homonym errors or typos or getting lost in the middle of our sentences, there was an awesome icy place right down the Avenue B from me.

Those were heady times. After Buffy Club, you could just walk down the street and get an NYC Icy in some amazing flavor like blackberry or coconut or thai iced tea or bubble gum. Good grief that stuff was delicious.Then, I moved to Wisconsin, and NYC Icy closed (maybe because without my patronage, their revenue plummeted?) and then moved to Hell's Kitchen, but then apparently closed, but also moved to Brooklyn where it was rumored to be closing but apparently still offers frozen bliss.

I wonder if they also still offer such fun novelty t's.

Amber & Novelty T's

I have decided to make this Novelty T Week and feature, on my person, a different novelty t-shirt from my extensive collection. Really, I had started this theme week without thinking about it, but it's working so well for me, I decided to run with it through Friday, especially since crew necks cover up the fact that my odd anti-antibiotic rash has moved down my neck to my chest and upper arms.

I love novelty t-shirts. Back in the Avenue B Days, CRD and I used to come up with different slogans that we thought we should put on shirts. They were super witty and funny. But, I can't remember any now. And, I used to make t-shirts featuring illustrations of Amy drawn with crayons: Amy as an astronaut, Amy wearing a birthday hat, Amy as a chef. Etc. (If any of those still exist, I would love reader-owner photo submissions. I would also be pleased to feature reader submissions of your favorite novelty t-shirts.)

Yesterday, I wore this great shirt from BoyGirlParty that Nick gave me for an occasion.

This shirt does what every great novelty shirt should do: it raises questions. Where are the kitty's legs? What's he doing with that yarn? What's he looking at? Why is he so cutie and round?

Today's shirt was a birthday gift from CRD.


I don't know if you noticed, but that's a raccoon buddy playing the drums! But his drums are garbage cans! And he has a crazy look with pink eyes and some of the sound effect illustrations say "BOOM." ! What's going on there?

Of course, you've already seen some of my collection featured on this blog. My very third post ever featured CRD and I wearing our matching brown smoking bird shirts on a DC edition of Awesome Club.And, I added this timely one to my collection in January 2009.


I had blogged about that one before it was given to me by Nick on a trip to Boston. At the time, I even made a crack about not wearing novelty t-shirts to work. (Those were the old days.) I bet you can't wait for tomorrow's shirt!

Amber & My Thing

Anyone will tell you that I know how to rub a cat. I know the secret magic touch places and the right amount of pressure to apply.

And I never even watched this video.

Amber & Gambling

I know the lottery is a tax on the poor, but....

Amber & Sedatives

Goodnight, Moon.

Amber & Household Chores

I was making my breakfast this morning and felt something ticklish on my foot. I looked down, expecting to see one of my many cats, instead I saw a kitten-sized clump of one of their furs. And so I got out the vacuum. Vacuuming is not a popular activity in my house. Pickles disappears under the bed, and Woody sits on the window sill in the kitchen just waiting for it to end. (Of course, Ginger follows the vacuum around, every now and then rubbing his face on it.) But, poor Tiggy Winkle is the scarediest of them all.

I swear I did not touch any of the blankets or position the cat within in them in any way.

This photo was taken about fifteen minutes ago. I stopped vacuuming at 9 am. She's still in her hidey cave. She's actually under the pillows, with just her head sticking out, surrounded by the edges of the sheets. It actually looks quite cozy.

And it definitely looks safe from the Cat-Killing Machine that vacuums the house. I wonder how long she will stay in there....

Amber & Farm Share Week 14 (I think? maybe 15?)

Guess who got to write the chalk board today? And guess what our seasonal bread share delicacy was? Challah!

Amber & What's Mine is Yours, Except Sandwiches

Anyone who has read more than two posts on this blog knows that I love my cats. A lot, a lot, a lot. In fact, I let them take all kind of liberties that maybe I shouldn't. Some of which might land me with a visit from a stern British woman in a jumpsuit who would tell me that my cats really want me to be more in control of them and take back command of our home.

One example of something I recognize needs to change is Ginger's need to milk tread and push his cold, wet, purring nose on my face at 3 am every night. Luckily, he's stopped doing it since I made him a sleep spot at the foot of the bed with a towel because how could I tell this cutie little face that I didn't want him to show me he loved me?


And, not only do I let Woody have his own pillow in the bed, but the cats are allowed to use my dresser drawers as nap environments... which explains the coating of fur all over my clothes.


But look how happy he is!

But, today, we defined the limits of what I am willing to share with my animals. The border lies between sandwich crumbs and the actual sandwich. Licking the plate after I am done is fine, but attacking and eating the sandwich while I am on a professional business call is Not Okay.

Moreover, it is even Less Okay if you steal a giant bite of my sandwich and then start to make mournful noises because you are going to puke it back out onto the couch during my professional business call. And, even Fewer Okaynesses apply to then, while I am busy cleaning up your puke discretely while talking to my boss about print order projections, go over and take some giant licks out of my Cafix.

Cats, be aware: I love you more than fur-free clothing, more than having space in my own bed, more than a solid night's sleep... but not more than my lunch.

Amber & Breaking News

I am taking a moment out from my anti-antibiotic biological reactions to bring you this hot news item. Although I don't really care so much about all the controversy at that award show, it did lead me to do some research and discover this great song by Beyoncé called "If You Like My Hand Then You Should Have Put A Ring On It."

Now, I know. I know. You got the criticism; I am aware of it. But those are some awesome dance moves and that is one physically fit lady. And she has a robotic hand thing!
I totally want one of those. Heck, I already wear leotards all the time to amortize the cost of the dance equipment I bought for that tap class in Wisconsin and because I like to pretend I am Ruby Keeler while making Excel workbooks.

After I saw the video and compared favorite dance moves with CRD, he pointed out THAT was what that whole SNL skit with Paul Rudd, Justin Timberlake and Andy Samberg and that chubby guy in leotards was all about. Who knew?

And then Nick was all, "Did you know it's an hommage to that Bob Fosse choreographed Gwen Verdon dance number called 'Mexican Breakfast?'" Apparently, really recently (2007) someone dubbed a contemporary song over the original score and dance fun ensued. Here is the current song with those original dance moves.



Remember folks: you learned all about it here on Amber & first.

Amber & Farm Share Week 13

Nectarines, assorted tomatoes, hot peppers, cobbed corn, kale, fennel,
eggplants, onions, celery, lettuce, green beans, and eggs.

Amber & Three Out of Four

Today I am wearing...

...something old, or at least Ye Olde Amber style, in the form of a headband. James used to call these Amber-bands, and I wore them pretty much straight through my first two years of college.
Today I am wearing it because my bangs decided to stand straight up. I am also wearing...

... something new. It's a kitty pin that Nick gave me to show my support of the kitty cause. Plus, it matched my shirt which is... something borrowed.


Diana loaned me this shirt because it fills the light-weight long-sleeve void in my wardrobe which is now required due to my aforementioned sun-sensitivity. It's real nice, and I appreciate it. Especially since it is far sunnier today than I had thought it was going to be.

But, nothing blue. After all, I'm not getting married.

Amber & Long Weekends

As regular Amber & readers may have noticed as they watched the kitty with eyebrows video for the fourth day in a row, I took a little break from blogging. I've been feeling a little under the weather, although the weather has been quite late summer pleasant of late.

On Friday, I had some sun-damaged skin removed from my face. Back in the day, Grandma Louise and I would lay out, slathered in baby oil and try to get a "good burn" which we felt would not only fade into a tan, but got rid of all that dead skin on our outsides.


Only, it was actually doing damage to our inside skins, too. Anway, I am now all bandaged on my face.
And, I am on an antibiotic to facilitate healing which makes my tummy feel unwell. And, I have a skin cream which makes me hyper-sun-sensitive. At least I have to cover up so much when I go out that you can't even see the Hello Kitty bandaids.
I blame it all on Esther Williams.

Amber & A Post for Jimmy

Jimmy, this one is all yours.

Amber & Biznuss Correspondence

I got this memo from my HR Lady when I asked her to change my Transit Flex Account allotment.

In my official capacity as the changer of WageWorks deduction denominations, I hereby communicate to you that this change will go into effect on, or near about, the 9/30 pay period as reflected on the 9/30 paystub, impacting your commuting benefit amount for the month of November as stipulated by you in your WageWorks account between October 4th and October 10th. Should you have additional questions, comments, or feedback, please examine the attached explanatory government memorandum prior to submitting them. Thank you, and have a nice day. Signed, The HR Lady

This was the government document attached. (NSFFCSP*)

I love my professional colleagues.

*Not suitable for curse-senstitive peoples.

Amber & Farm Share Week 12

Damn! Theys alot of vegetables up in here tonight.

Amber & The More the Spookier

Bat Dots!I have to say they are pretty darn tasty, although a sweet orange flavor isn't very scary. (I'm not sure what a scary flavor would be... and please don't bring up those gross flavors of Harry Potter jelly beans.) And see how the little Bat Dot Guy has a blood orange slice for a mouth so it is fruit juice, not blood, dripping on the box?

They do look kind of scary, though.
Kind of like, well, bat droppings.

Amber & Corn & Potato Chowder

Yum! CSA poatoes, corn, onion, pepper plus carrot with bread share
toast.

Amber & Wrap Up

As regular Amber & readers already learned, my trip to Windflower Farm, birth place of my CSA vegetables and flowers, and visit with Farmers Ted and Jan, was awesome. It started with saying farewell to the kitties, including Ginger who has decided that peaches are his momma and likes to milk tread and suckle their fuzzy skin.

(You can't tell, but he's purring like a happy motor here just being next to his fruit momma.)

The weekend ended with some animal visits, including his Cotswold sheep buddy who liked to have his ear scratched.

(You can't tell but he's super scratchy and scruffy.)

I've upload some more photos, including ones I took of the farm trip and some from Kevin taken during our visit to Elihu Farm (where our egg share comes from) and then at the Washington County Fair.

There's even this one from Kevin of me live blogging the tractor pull.

I think it really captures my journalistic process.

Amber & Seasonal Spooky Delights

Kevin's love of, and lack of self control pertaining to, Dots is one of his Distinguishing Characteristic Properties. He has eaten them for longer than I have known him, and often remarks on the freshness or the particular gumminess of each batch. He is a Dot connoisseur.

Yesterday, he partook of a new seasonal offering, the Ghost Dot, which you can read about in greater detail here.Essentially, it's a spooky green dot in some mysterious unnamed flavor. (Although the web buzz seems to be that maybe each one is a different flavor.)


For the forthcoming holiday season, Dots also come in blood orange Bat Dots and Candy Corn Dots. I can't wait for Kevin to try them all. I think he liked the Ghost Dots on account of how he ate the whole box.