Amber & Lessons Learned

Before Thanksgiving, I had to take a course in anti-harassment training.  In it, a bearded supervisor with really developed shoulder muscles feels bad for "Dawn," who is a dead-ringer for Gwyneth Paltrow.

He just tries to make her feel better.

Is that so wrong?

YES.  YES, IT IS.

Amber & Keywords

A bit too literal, Google.

Amber & Arts and Cat Crafts

Over the weekend, I made an environment for the baby boys.

To make this deluxe duplex cat condo, I took two of my grocery boxes and cut strategic holes in them: one for an entrance in the bottom box, a hole to lead from the bottom box to the top box, and an escape door in the top back (or a place for Pickles to attack).  Then, I taped them together with the blue tape from my as yet uncompleted painting project.  And, I lined them with blankets both for comfort and to send the clear signal that my gift was not a homemade covered litter box.

Ginger seems to approve.

Of course, he really loves anything he can chew to shreds.

Amber & Turning and Facing the Strange (Changes)

When you are enmeshed in your own drama, you seldom think that the rest of the world is undergoing its own changes and challenges. But then, your own controversy subsides, or your flank feels a little less ouchy, and you venture out into the world and discover that the universe waits for no Amber.

Imagine my surprise when I came into the office today to discover we had a bike rack!

That's my bike, the second one in from the right, suspended there.  Some of those other bikes belong to Hope, our former officemate, and I have no idea whose the fourth one is.  How organized and space-saving.  Why, I can actually get to the window now without playing one of those parking puzzle games.

Much of the box clutter has disappeared from the corners as well.  The coat rack has been moved to a new convenient location near the door.  I'm not sure who is responsible for this flurry of restructuring and organizing, but I bet it was Kevin.  But maybe with help from Emma the Architect, seen here with her world-rocking graph paper.

One thing that has not gone away, though is this fascinating and mysterious handbag.

The handle is made from pink ribbon, but the bag itself is made of-- brace yourself-- white, uninflated balloons.  For a long time, when it was hanging from the coat rack, I thought it was a bathing cap.  But now that I know it's a handbag, I am kind of in love with it.  But maybe that's just the flank pain clouding my fashion judgment.

Amber & Relief

I am applying a kitty compress.

It's a home-ee-oo-cat-ic remedy.

Amber & Drama

So, my week has had its bumps and challenges.

It seems I have injured a muscle in my left flank.

To celebrate, I invited Nick to spend 12 hours in the ER with me.  Let me tell you, it is nothing like on House or Grey's Anatomy.  First of all, it's much messier.  My stretcher (because it was too crowded for every patient to get an actual bed) was parked in the hallway in front of the supply shelves.  And let me tell you there were some intubation tubes misfiled with the standard masks and a copy of Real Simple stuck in next to the one liter displacement jars.  And, most people there seemed to be complaining of the flu--except the one woman who was there because her eyes were itchy.  Interesting time to be there during the health care debate, I tell you.

I told Carlos, our really sweet nurse, that it seemed like there were just too many sick people.  He replied the problem was that there were just too many people who weren't really sick.  He swore he didn't mean me.

Another thing you don't see on the medical shows on the television is that, in the real ER, there are more sandwiches.  Mysteriously, a pleasant employee went around offering near-about everyone but me sandwiches.  Nick ate his and his Snackwells in front of me.  Oh, and no one told me anything about their personal life.

Anyway, I am home and nearly fine--except for the pain in my left side.  My final diagnosis was "flank pain" according to my discharge slip.  Which was basically what I told them when I was admitted.  Anti-inflammatories, rest, and saying "ouch" alot seem to be the only course of action.

I'm good at the saying "ouch" part.

Amber & Fancy Dress

I am all in my fancy dress today, mostly in the American sense but also a little bit in the British sense since my costume is someone who dresses up.  Really, what constitutes fancy for me centers around three main elements which I will outline herewith.

1.  Princess Eyes

You probably can't tell at all, but I am wearing mascara and eye shadow in order to create a princess-like sparkly-ness around my eye area (not to be confused with Sparkle Eyes from that Goats movie).  I went with shades of a coppery-pink today instead of my usual purplpe princess look so they would match my shoes (discussed in depth below).  It's really important, when displaying princess eyes, to open your mouth and stick out your tongue a little-- you know like a princess.

2.  Giant Earrings
When asked to name one adjective to describe my earrings (seen above), Nick described them as "hoopy."  So, true.    My personal choice has been, in the past, HUGE.

3.  Kitten Heel Shoes with Copper Roses

See those little roses?  They totally match my eyes, which I am sure everyone at tonight's event will notice.  My favorite thing about these shoes is not that they have two straps or the fact that kitten heels remind me of kittens, but rather the purple racing stripe on the back of the heel.

Vrooom!  Meow!

Amber & Persistence

Why I still love Jimmy Fallon.





Does it make me laugh out loud?  No.  But it makes me smile on the inside.

Amber & The Five Senses

Right now, my sense of balance is pretty messed up.  I have an inner ear infection, the primary symptom of which is vertigo.  But not in the mysterious, San Franciscan Kim Novak style.

More like the Jimmy Stewart on the film poster kind of vertigo.

(If you really want to know what I am experiencing, you should view this great image in its full glory here.)

The inner ear infection also makes my hearing a little wonky in my right ear--everything sounds like it's under water.

But, my Camper monkey shoes are still in good shape, featuring the see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil monkey triplets.

I don't wear them very often, mainly because they are a little squeezy on the top of the foot, but also because they are brown, and additionally because they are more like a collectible than a shoe.

In conclusion, 3 out of my five senses are monkeys.

Amber & Know Thy Audience

Who is looking up "tiggy of the wink" seventy-one times?  Has Tiggy Winkle gone viral?  Here's a new one for you, just in case.

And "slanked"?  Who are you people?

P.S. Beacon gray is the fabulous color I used for my bedroom walls.  I love it.

Amber & Widgets

Look, ma!  I made another meme.

I put my baby face on your cover.

Amber & the Uncanny

This morning, I was greeted by a pleasant e-mail message from Nick.  In it, he conversationally mentioned that he had a dream last night about walruses and penguins going to church.  Nothing so unusual about that, right?

But, when I got to the office, Kevin was looking through some mail samples and pointed out this incredible piece of direct mail.

That's right.  Homelitics is the magazine devoted to making sure you preach "compelling sermons... every week..." to penguins!

Amber & Handmade

Over the weekend, I made this scarf to celebrate the cold weather in Boston.  It's made with Cascade Yarns 100% Peruvian Highland Wool, using a garter rib stitch.  It was my first venture into a bulky yarn with a needle above a size 10.  I found it fast and easy, and it only sort of felt like cheating.

It has been pointed out that I forgot to smize in this photo.  That is because, for some unknown reason, I am incredibly dizzy today.  Like when you drink way too much and have to lie down on the bathroom floor after Margaritas with your boss from the music theater licensing place at a Mexican restaurant at your first job after college?  And then you swear off tequila? Only, I am not drunk.  It could be sinus congestion, or it could be an ear thing.  I am waiting for the doctor to call me back.  I really need the room to stop spinning.

Amber & Autumnal Buds

It was a lovely November weekend, complete with fuzzy buds on this tree. Which reminded me of my kitties.

Amber & Differences

This is a blog post about Boston vs New York. In Boston, there are no kitties, but there are mugs with little animal buddies at brunch.

Amber & Smooch

It is now my custom to greet Bostonians with cheek kisses. C'est arrive!

Amber & Quiet Car

Simmer down, people. This be the quiet car. You know what a library is?

Amber & I'm Off

Environments? Check. Lowell the World's Best Cat Sitter? Check. Kisses for each baby? Check. Boston, here I come.

Amber & Stuffed Stuffer Mushrooms

And the fat lady ain't sung yet.

Amber & Turkey Meatball Dolma