Amber & Floral Arrangements

Amber & Art

If there is one thing you know about me, it's my answer to the question, "Do you like art?"  Why, of course, I do!  I can't get enough of it.

So, imagine my surprise when I came home tonight to find a stack of this postcard on the sharing table in my lobby.

On the front, as you can see, there is Art.  Really, really great art.  Art that really makes you think.  I immediately was thinking, "Why are these doggies and kitties so colorful?  Why is that one kitty wearing a mask?"

On the back is information about this event, Art Dogs and Cats of NY Exhibition & Benefit, which is a benefit for  a group of local animal rescue groups.  It also has a really descriptive name.  And it is sponsored by a pet store in between where I live and where the rest of my New York universe lives.

I sure am excited about all the art I will be viewing.  I need to get me down to the Upper West Side and check out the exhibition.  Like, right now the art is making me think.  Like right now, I am thinking, "When am I going to be motivated to take the local train to the 80's to see kitty art?"  and "What is that mousey guy doing with that robot kitty?"

I love art.

Amber & My Gift

So, today is a super big day for me for two reasons.

First, I got a chiropractic jaw adjustment, my first ever.  Dr. Cooper is a miracle worker.

He started off my massaging the inside of my mouth which was not very enjoyable.  And then he did that scary magic thing with the cracking sound.  And now my jaw is in a different place; I am actually biting my tongue a bit and have a lisp, which the doc says will get better as I adjust to the correct position.  He said it moved a whole centimeter.  Crazy stuff.  And, now I am wicked sleepy, likely from the release of all of the tension.  Maybe tonight, I can sleep through dawn?

The second big thing today, maybe even bigger than my jaw miracle, is that maybe I will get my big dancing break tonight.  I mentioned to my chiropractor that I was planning to go see Nick's sister dance tonight.  (Also, I asked to leave postcards in his waiting area.  Seriously, it sounds wonderful and you should go.  It's about the Forest, which is very timely for me--stay tuned.)  Dr. Cooper asked what I had been doing to prepare in the event they asked me to join them on stage.  Why, I have been born to dance, as readers of this blog know.

But, even those with natural gifts sometimes need to use them lest we lose them.  To this end, I have spent the week watching Shakira videos.



See?  Anything I want, anything in the whole wide world.  And what I want?  Is to share my gift.

I only hope the world is ready.  I fear the crowd might yell, "Give us Barabbas!"  And then my dance would be silenced.  Not to use too heavy of a metaphor.  Or to bring to mind my favorite summer reading.

More than anything else in the world the Procurator hated the smell of attar of roses.

Amber & Things I Meant to Blog

About a week ago, Diana and I went to my favorite Restorative Yoga followed by beverages and thrice-fried french fries at the Restorative Breslin.  Proper Diet is one of the five central points of the yogi lifestyle.  And, french fries served with cumin mayo are certainly about the most proper potatoes you could ever meet.

While we were there, Diana became inspired by the beautifully renovated space and its animal-theme.  She created art of her own.

I had her take photos of her art just for the very purpose of blogging them.  But then, I don't know what happened but certainly something did.  And I didn't blog.  I am doing it now, but I can't quite recapture the original spirit.  But maybe there is a new spirit?  Like, a backward-looking nostalgic spirit for the days before Diana went to the River House?

My original post concept had me somehow tying in this song.



I don't remember how I was going to do it.  I'm sure it was smoother than this.  But maybe that's how looking back is?  Bumpy?

Amber & Gallery Seen

Remember when someone was throwing this amazing work of art away?

Someone decided to mount it in what was once my trash alley and is now my local art gallery.

Who said my neighborhood wasn't up and coming?  Why even our trash is artsy.

If only it weren't blocking the recycling guide.

Amber & Scary Biznuss

AAAAAGH!

Art scares me.  Why would you send me a link to this if not to terrify me?

Amber & One Man's Junk

Why on earth would someone be throwing away Art? You can't see in this photo, but at the bottom it is entitled "Garden of Eden." Amazing.

Amber & Some Things New, A New Thing Old

I feel like I am constantly in a struggle with the Entropy of Clutter in my home.  It's hard to carry out myself and the trash and the recycling--especially since the refuse area is down five flights of stairs, around the corner, and in an alley out behind the building frequented by what I like to think of as sleek-tailed squirrels.  And, I seem to accumulate stuff: direct mail samples, Fresh Direct boxes, books of to-do lists, cat fur, etc.  It's crucial to do a weekly Junk Round Up to make room for new, magical space-occupiers.  For example, I'd much rather have this weird sushi wind up robot that Nick gave me than a stack of Con Ed billson my desk.

(Seen here with Big Nose Felted Guy, another keeper from Nick.)

That's two pieces of inari on the left (my fave) and two pieces of tuna on the right.  And I can't show you because I got my phone before they invented video for iPhones (drat to early adapting), but the two sushis sort of bicycle up and down and round and round when you wind it.  Why?  Because it's amazing.

Gifts are not always keepers, but this new Ganesh statue that Diana brought back for me from India sure is.

(Like the mechanical sushi, Ganesh is not as blurry in real life.)

And that reminds me that my blurry-making phone is actually another place to collect wonderful, and muladhara chakra comforting, things.  Like this Ganesh application.

 (See how the bell is all lit up? You can pick it up and ring it. That is mostly what the app does.)

And, Jimmi referred me to this absolutely essential app where you can gong a mokugyo or the metal gong on the left and induce nagomi ("harmony").

(I won't spoil what "With Cat Mode" is.)

And, speaking of cats, this guy came to live with us a few weeks back.

(He's actually laying on a pile of books to return to other people, on the theme of getting rid of old stuff to make room for the new.)

This new buddy is actually an old artifact from the Boxing Day Heritage Booty.   I molded him from greenware, painted his eyes, paw pads and nose, and then glazed the heck out of him in ceramics class.  Proof?

Every great artist signs her work.  In 1981, I was apparently trying something new with my R's.

Amber & New Career Paths

I just signed up for ice skating lessons!  On Mondays at 7:00 pm, I'll be refreshing my on-ice skills and, I hope, developing new ones.

Now, I just need to get my mom to make me one of those outfits over the weekend.

When Kevin gets back from his doctor's appointment, I'll break the news to him so he can start finding my replacement.  Nick told me the shocking news that Ice Capades are out of business, but I think I will make a great Princess Jasmine.



Or, I could be the skating alligator, like in my second favorite ennui comedy.  (Wait for it.  It's in there.)

Amber & Neck(lace)ing

I like jewelry.  There's nothing wrong with that.  I like rings and necklaces, mostly.  In both, I have a dual loyalty to two designers who have similar sort of products.

First, there is Small Things Designs. I have a few of her pieces from the "originals" series-- a lotus flower on a black background large ring and a swallow on a red background as a necklace.  A bonusly joyous thing is that when Amy Bee got married, she gave her bridal party necklaces from this designer, with whom she became acquainted when I gave her the two flying bird necklace one Christmas.  So, wearing my necklace and/or ring (but never both at the same time) makes me think of Amy Bee, whom I love.

The other jewelry studio I really like is Blend Creations.  Very similar concept: you pick a shape and then a thing to go in that shape, but the things you can pick are pretty papers or natural textures or mah jong tiles. My Halloween Haiku won a Facecontest and so I just got this beautiful piece in the mail.

It's a purple washi floral pattern.  I think it's lovely. Happy New Year, Neck!

Amber & Halloween Haiku

Pumpkins, ghosts and frights
Things that go bump in the night
And candy, of course

Amber & It Takes One

Exciting news! There are two full additional seasons of everybody's favorite criminal-working-for-the-good-guys show, It Takes a Thief, on Hulu.  I bet you can guess what I'll be doing this weekend.

Al Mundy was one of the first Hulu Heroes I discovered.  In season two, he says things like "swinging place" and refers to women as "birds."  He also wears alot of white pants.

Hulu is also featuring a modern day re-telling of sharp-dressed caper-creator working for the G-Men, somewhat against his will in the new series White Collar.

It's the same premise: cunning con-man gets out of prison, works with a disdainful cop, has secret heart of gold, smarter than the Feds, handsome, hair parted on the side, etc.  The new one stars that handsome man who looked really familiar and then I remembered he played the handsome spy on Chuck.

He's good at playing handsome men.  The pilot itself was pretty good--not great, but good.  I'd watch the second episode.  One highlight was that it featured Miss Diahann Carroll as the widow of an Old Time con man, donor of the thief's wardrobe, and owner of a fancy New York penthouse into which the thief moves.  Miss D added a nice touch of elegance to the show, as did the art forgery plotline and blue contact lenses worn by the lead.

 I sure love the handsome criminal shows.  Thank you, Hulu.

Amber & Self-Avatar-It

I know what I look like. But, I can't seem to make an avatar that looks like me. CRD made this one of the two of us in the style of that show all the kids love these days.  The coffee is the only real give-away that it's me; the body type is 100% me, but the nose is not-quite-exactly-Amber.

I made this one.  I got to pick from lots of different faces and noses and eye shapes.  I still don't think it looks like me.  It has the right hair and bangs, maryjane shoes, brown eyes, and $35 jeans, but it's still not quite right.  It just doesn't look like me.

It sure is hard capturing my essence in pixels.  Maybe because there's no avatar setting to coat yourself in cat fur?

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 & February Updates

James updated Snapshot Artifact through the end of February! There are some super shots in there, including a couple of buddies you might recognize from this blog.

There's one of Woody which I think he would rather forget.

And one of Pickles when he was even more baby than he is now.

Plus, some beautiful night shots from Egypt. I hope we get caught up to the present day soon. Or, maybe Jimmy could take a page from the Amber & play book and skip some days or blog twice when he has two good images ready to go? I check the site daily, but I am also one of those people who eats all the cookies in one sitting. So, feast or snack; I am happy.

Amber & Blogging from the Road

Eddie B., my New York co-worker's brother-in-law who once made me the best milky coffee drink with chocolate in it I ever had and who is an all-around swell guy, very helpfully sent me this link.

Eddie points out how handy this would be when I am traveling. I could take my blog with me.

Click on the image to see it bigger. I didn't want to offend the very talented artist by infringing on his copyright. What foresight!

Amber & Kate

Last night on the way back from the soup party (I was running late), Shuffle decided to play me two Kate Bush songs in a row, "Moments of Pleasure" and "The Morning Fog." I think these are arguably two of the prettiest songs ever. They're both about happy things, like laughing with friends over absolutely ridiculous things like saying, "don't talk to me like I'm listening to you," or singing "Closer" in the Broadway-style, or being excited about the Witch Mountain movie. There I was on the A train and Kate got me a little choked up on account of singing beautifully, reminding me of my youth, and making me appreciate all the special little moments... like watching this video.



Thanks, Kate, for being important to who I am. Listening to Hounds of Love in the early morning on headphones and my dual cassette player while petting Megan is my root story. Or at least it explains my love of interpretive dance, red lipstick, and my friends.

Amber & Dumplings

Yesterday, after a hard day at the office listening in on conference calls, Kevin and I went back to his house, where Diana, who was home on vacation, had separated a whole chicken and turned it into dinner. Diana had wanted to greet us at the door, wearing a '50s housedress, and I wished we had briefcases to set down before our martini. But, instead, we got the most delicious chicken and dumplings I have ever eaten.

Those are delicious collards on the side. And I got some kind of breast of meat that I ate in its entirety. Also, that is champagne! We toasted to my new job, Kevin getting fat, and Diana being free of back pain.

Amber & Good Uses of Time

CRD told us about this website today. I made this.

And that is why I was late for work.

Amber & Sunday Browsing

While doing my Sunday morning web browsing rounds over what I like to call a London Mist Latte, I noticed James has updated his photo blog SnapshotArtifact.org.

There are some great shots from his trip to London and some things you'll recognize from having been posted on these pages.


It's a perfect Sunday Browsing Morning now!