Demure Lucinda

New Beginings

2010-03-25T15:40:00.000-04:00

I made it here safely and without too much confusion, with a great deal of thanks to my superb navigator/friend. What an adventure that was! We stopped in DC, Knoxville, and Memphis (and many little stops between- you know, lunch in Nashville, no big deal). The weather held out and I even got to play host to my friend for a couple more days in New Orleans, revisiting all the places I love to go to as a tourist- for the last time in such a context.

Jackson, Mississippi

I just moved into a little studio in the heart of the French Quarter. My apartment is the median point between a Catholic Church and a large concentration Gay bars- welcome to New Orleans! But I get to live alone, and I’m at the back of a large, peaceful courtyard. There is a little spot for gardening and I have a feeling my windows will always be open and all my meals taken on the patio.

The view from my kitchen

The weather has been lovely. The Tulip Trees are blooming and the temperature is heavenly. It has rained a few days, but in large part I am walking into New Orleans at its climatic perfection.

Spanish Moss in Audubon Park

I should be job hunting, but in the name of “investigation” I’ve been ending up in cocktail lounges- only to find I become “distracted” and lose sight of why it is that I’m there in the first place. I have met a couple of excellent people in the field- Chris and Laura MacMillian. Chris brings his own silver Julep Cups to use at the bar and I cannot speak highly enough of his Ramos Gin Fizz.

The friends I’ve made here are almost exclusively Lindy Hoppers. I’ve been feebly trying to learn and have yet to fall flat on my face. The good news is that even if I never learn, the music is reason enough to go out and keep on trying.

The next blog I write will have tell of my new employment- here’s to that happening soon!

Door handles at my apartment

Countdown is On!

2010-02-10T17:16:00.003-05:00

I'm only two weeks away from moving to a place rife with festivities! Between the Saints winning the Superbowl, and Mardi Gras- I'm bound to arrive just as hangovers start to seize the city. My timing may be poor... but hurricanes aside, is there ever really a bad time to go to New Orleans?

While trapped in my apartment, packing like crazy and avoiding the cold- I'm considering my options for procrastination. Tonight I believe I'll try my hand at concocting a Planter's Punch to submit to Tales of The Cocktail. My inspiration: Maine meets Louisiana, details to follow.

Yes, indeed. Turning up the heat and drinking Tiki cocktails. A mighty fine idea.

Image from hawaiiandays.com

Dr. Seuss's Portland, Maine

2010-01-26T01:01:00.000-05:00

Pop guns! And bicycles! Roller skates! Drums!

Checkerboards! Tricycles! Popcorn! And plums!

I realize I'm a bit late to be sporting holiday spirit, but for some time now I've been meaning to share my feelings about Maine in the winter- Portland to be more precise. This goes well beyond the holiday season, so bear with me here.

In most parts of the country, the thought of a Maine winter brings cringes to faces. Many mornings my face does just that too. But when evening descends, we Portland residents find ourselves graced with a special treat- it might well be one of the few things that carries us through these miserable winters (snow on the beach and snowshoeing *ahem*). I'm speaking so highly of our holiday lights.

To stroll down Congress Street on a chilly January night- perhaps not yet warmed by a whiskey drink- maybe on your way to see some bluegrass or some other such thing- hands in your pockets, ears snuggled tight in your hat- cursing that darn hole in your boot- only to look up and find you've walked into a Dr. Seuss fantasy land... that is the best part about Portland's winter.

Truthfully, I look forward to the lights going up as soon as they've been taken down. I wish they were a year-round affair.

I'll apologize for my pictures not doing justice, I'll have to leave you with the assurance of more and better images to come.

AThe lights of Longfellow Square; consequently my view from work.

Congress Square.

Party Hats!

2009-12-18T13:04:00.000-05:00

A recent project/ possible new favorite thing to make, ever:

Thank you Jenne, you truly are lovely.

The Big Easy

2009-12-10T13:08:00.000-05:00

And don't you forget it!

To those of you who have been around me these last two weeks, please stop reading. Now. You've heard it too many times already. I would really like to maintain our relationship, and if you hear nothing but the same from me you will grow bored and leave me. I simply cannot have that.

I LOVE NEW ORLEANS.

The favored vacation spot of my dear family, I was not exactly a stranger to the city when I returned on holiday. With the exceptions that I hadn't been since Katrina, and this was my first visit in which I could appreciate the cocktails.

Not only are the cocktails prolific, the cocktail culture is thriving. One can even find a bottle of Chartreuse or Pimms in dive bars with ease! There is a cocktail convention every year that brings multitudes of the world's best bartenders called Tales of the Cocktail... guess where it happens... yep.

New Orleans: the birthplace of the cocktail. The birthplace of Jazz. America's Paris. The most haunted city in America. The city that care forgot. As I have come to learn, the city of fast friendship. The most perfect place for a lady such as myself. Hence, a move at the end of February.

Work for someone in my trade should be relatively simple to come by, it is New Orleans after all. And booze is most certainly recession-proof.

The Sazerac Bar at The Roosevelt Hotel

So clever!

Quintessential New Orleans outlook.

Drunk undertakers laugh in the face of death.
-OR-
Wish you were here?

Pretty great graffiti in Marigny.

Multiple viewings of the sunrise over the Mississippi, followed by a Cafe Au Lait or two.

A long time coming!

2009-09-08T16:46:00.000-04:00

Hello Friends and Neighbors!

I'm making my grand comeback after what seems like years of non blogging. Did you miss me? I missed you.

I feel that my place of employment has not taken a center stage (you'll get the pun in a moment) in my writings and that really needs to change.

I work at a local arts and entertainment venue called One Longfellow Square. I've been here for nearly two years, which is nearly as long as the place has been open; working as a bartender and more recently as an all around office chameleon. The fact of the matter is, One Longfellow Square has changed the way I listen to music. The quality of the music that comes to our venue is consistently high caliber; be it Blue Grass or Blues Guitar, your ears will go home smiling. There are people that claim to listen to everything then follow up with a list of exceptions. I am legitimately a person with the ability to enjoy most everything with a beat or melody (...except reggae... HA!) and have developed an acute appreciation for really great tunes.

In my time here I've seen Burlesque Dancers, John Hammond (amongst other blues legends and up-and-comers), and ummm... RICHIE HAVENS. I'm extra grateful for the ones I wouldn't have known otherwise: Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams, Holy Ghost Tent Revival, Brave Combo, The Wiyos, The Low Anthem, Stephane Wrembel, there are just too many to rattle off. The experience of seeing an artist you love (or grow to love) in an intimate setting (with a beautiful cocktail in hand) is certainly not one to miss.

The point that I've been working my way up to making involves a tune you've all heard on the radio. Every time it has come on lately my insides start swelling with pride. And then I start singing along...

That's right folks, right here in Portland, Maine: Pure Prairie League. In what is soon to be your favorite venue, with 199 of your new closest friends, with a cocktail in hand, coming up this Thursday 9/10/09.

Tickets are $45, but if you call in and mention "Lucy's Blog" you can save $5 per ticket (up to 4 tickets, only by phone). You really don't want to miss this, and as an added bonus you'll be visiting me at the bar!

So Amie, whatchu wanna do? (207) 761-1757

Birthday: the Best Holiday

2009-06-28T22:36:00.000-04:00

Those of you who know me might recall that I absolutely love birthdays. Mine in particular. Birthdays are the one day out of the year that everything actually revolves around one single person, who is in turn permitted to embrace their inner narcissist- outwardly.

The proximity of the Fouth of July to my birthday traditionally pairs festivities with fireworks, perfect summer days, splishin' and splashin', and all the other lovely things that go on in early July. Festivities this year include a pot-luck barbecue and cocktail party- followed by a field trip to Boston to visit the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and embark on a cocktail tour. I'm knocking on wood, but let us hope the rain will come to an end this weekend.

Those of you who might have interest in hopping aboard the party boat ought be in touch with me, and, just in case you were wondering...

Vintage bar tools... and other accessories

A dome bubble umbrella with white trim

Dremel Cordless Rotary Tool

Some wholesome reading material and materials...

Thriller

2009-06-28T22:09:00.000-04:00

I'm certain that Michael Jackson has been on the mind of every devoted fan out there the last few days, and I am grateful that he is being remembered and honored for his contributions to entertainment above all else. My turntable has been blaring Off the Wall and Thriller since I got the news, and while this video may be old news to the rest of you, it put a big ol' smile on my face.

Certainly my fondest memory of MJ's music was when my friend Pamela and I tried to learn his moves from a DVD- It was a night of stumbling and laughter and the next day I was sore as could be. I never mastered the moves, but the man moves me just the same.

Cocktails!!

2009-06-21T18:10:00.000-04:00

You might read down below, in my previous post about my recent vacation, that I made some visits to some lovely nighttime beverage establishments. Some of my drinks proved to be inspirational- literally. Hence, a new love of beautiful drinks was born. I have always believed that a perfect beverage, be it tea or tonic, can cure any variety of mean reds, bygone blues, or sneezy flues.

So break out the shakers, citrus, and all manor of spirits and send me your favorite cocktail recipes! I want to build a book- ultimately- but mostly develop a portfolio and practice the art of the cocktail. Naturally, you will be included in the process- and if we're lucky, my lovely little shop will evolve into a lovely little cocktail lounge.

Should you find yourself lacking inspiration, might I suggest a trip to your local used book store to find an antique collection of cocktail recipes, the one pictured above never lets me down! Some other suggested reads include either of Dale Degroff's books, and this website.

The Big Apple

2009-06-15T12:56:00.000-04:00

Recently I took my first vacation in nearly two years. Moving to the city was something that has been in and out of my head for quite sometime, and I thought it silly to consider having not spent serious time becoming acquainted with it.

The flight from Portland was the easiest thing to do, if I had plenty of disposable income I would do it with regularity. Forty-five minutes is all it took to escape the banality of everyday life and arrive in what can only be described as a magical metropolitan area. Not to bore you with details, I will make a list of highlights!

Joe's Coffee Shop (West Village)

Magnolia Bakery (West Village)

Little Branch beautiful cocktails (West Village) shh, don't tell!!

Hell's Kitchen Flea Market (Chelsea)

Topshop (Soho)

Breakfast at Tiffany's (Upper East Side)

Central Park (Upper East Side)

The Rabbit Club (West Village)

The Cangelosi Cards at Banjo Jim's (East Village)

The Met

Exit the King on Broadway (starring Geoffrey Rush, Susan Sarandon, and Lauren Ambrose)

Billy's Bakery (Chelsea)

Little did we know, our vacation would become something of a cupcake tour. We went to Joe's on Waverley Place nearly everyday in hopes of getting an Amy Sedaris cupcake (to no avail). Thankfully, the lattes there were always worth the trip.

Magnolia Bakery skyrocketed to fame when it was featured in Sex in the City, and really is all that it is hyped up to be. Pictured way up there on the right is a caramel cupcake with caramel meringue frosting and caramel drizzle- it was the best thing I have ever tasted.

Billy's Bakery (above) was lovely, but no match for Magnolia.

The trip might be summarized as follows: great shopping, great eating, amazing cocktails, delightful company, thrilling entertainment, and a whole lot of walking. Needless to say, a move is still a pipe dream and a possibility.

Craigslist is the Only List

2009-05-05T15:01:00.000-04:00

Such is the nature of my ways that I am constantly reading ads on Craigslist. Many an item has been gotten, and many items have been gotten rid of in my life through this magical, wonderful website. Every now and again I find myself in the 'best of' section. This is where the real magic happens. Here are some of my favorites:

Found: Short, Fat, Smelly, Fugly Critter (I LOVE THIS ONE!)

Thumb tack "Push Pin" Wonderful Item !!! $0.32 (A bargain!!)

Vintage British 3 Speed Bicycle, Very Nice! - $30 (Dover) (I actually flagged this for Best Of)

Roommate needed, but try not to actually live here, just pay (I couldn't agree more)

I wanted to talk to you, but I had to take a shit - m4w (Sometimes we are a product of tragic circumstance)

Couch - Very Uncomfortable, Red - $3.75 (Any buyers?)

my house mice have a missed connection with your cat - seriously

Cat Found (ha!)

Green (outer) Space

2009-04-26T20:06:00.001-04:00

Don't you just love how lush they thought it could be!
http://www.baekdal.com/Design/Art/nasa-vintage-space-stations/

Six Feet Under

2009-04-21T16:50:00.000-04:00

So, I've been watching quite a bit of television lately. The habit is unbecoming to say the least, too bad.

Typically when I finish a TV series I watch a few episodes of Six Feet Under. I had it on good authority that I would enjoy it tremendously. This wasn't the case until a few weeks ago (when I finished Big Love). I've been watching it at every opportunity since then. I bonded.

Today I finished it. It was rainy, I've been sick, I felt justified. They must have made the entire series for the last 6:14 minutes. I cannot think of another instance in TV history when a fictitious storyline has come to a more beautiful close.

I'm linking to it here, please don't watch it unless you have seen it before. If you are really curious and haven't seen the series, suck it up or spend many hours catching up with your television. I've watched it twice today...

bicycle, Bicycle, BICYCLE!

2009-04-13T17:43:00.000-04:00

This is a story of perhaps the best thing that has ever happened to me. Ever. And then one of the worst.

On my thirteenth birthday my father took me to buy a BRAND NEW bicycle. This was truly an epic event. At his suggestion, we were about to spend a boatload of money on something we could have gotten used (where my thriftiness comes from should be evident at this juncture).

So we go to Andy's, the lovely local bike shop in my home town and spend upwards of $250 on a beautiful, shiny, red and silver Specialized Hard Rock mountain bike. I loved that bike. We rode to the pool in the summer, to work at my first job at the snack shack, to high school, to Prime Roast, just to ride... I took it everywhere, always.

After it was stolen and recovered (amazingly, three months later) I equipped her with a hot pink milk crate where her wire basket had been, to further insure the thieves wouldn't nab my bicycle again. You can imagine that this created quite an eye-catching ride, there was no mistaking that bike belonged to me.

So, one day I am riding this bike that I love down Main St, when an enormous, shady van slows WAY down behind me. They keep this speed going for about thirty seconds, enough to make me seriously concerned, before they pull up right next to me with the windows down. Not wanting to make eye-contact I am watching this all through my peripheries and experiencing their presence with every bone in my body (terrified, and still pedaling), and was jolted when at full volume they blasted "bicycle, Bicycle, BICYCLE. I want to ride my..." and drove away.

Here I was thinking I was about to die of abduction, instead I just died of laughter. It was perfect. It was one of those moments that I keep in my back pocket and pull out to look at on rainy days.

Naturally, I grew so confident in the fact that no one would steal my bike again that she was stolen. This time never to be recovered.

That bike taught me many things; the joy and freedom that only being on a bike can give you, how unnecessary cars are for most things, my father doesn't skimp when he knows there will be long-term value to his purchase, and a deep hatred of bicycle thieves. Stealing a bike is a very personal attack; the owner suffers more than the thief could know. Zarra's bike of fifteen years was stolen out of his house this morning and has brought some old emotions to the surface.

There are two morals to this story:

1. Don't steal bikes.
2. Listen to Queen.

On a side note, I now ride one of two beautiful bicycles on a regular basis (weather providing); A black and white 1970's Phillips English three speed by the name of Phillip, and a silver Puegeot ten speed with a pedal-powered head light (relatively new to the family and lacking both name and gender- but not at all lacking for speed). They are magnificent and bring me much joy.

As a friend of mine once said, "Bikes are pasta-powered."

And another, "Sex, bikes, rock-n-roll."

And me, "If I can't bike there, it isn't worth going."

Toy Camera

2009-03-29T17:57:00.000-04:00

Toy Cameras are fantastic. I was able to score a beatup Holga on freecycle a few months ago and have been experimenting. What I really want is a Diana. My friend Aaron was sooooo right about needing the look to match the effects. And today- I discovered something else I want.

Lovely Postcards

2009-03-27T17:02:00.000-04:00

In my many years as a treasure hunter, some of my happiest discoveries have been postcards. Here are two examples of such delights that make me smile every day, now you all can enjoy them too!

Spring Break!! Wooowhoooo!! Oh, that was last week.

2009-03-23T16:18:00.000-04:00

Many apologies for a prolonged internet absence. I have no excuse, I am sorry.

First- a building update: I'm not buying it. Unless it goes to bank auction, and I can come up with some serious fast cash.

I split my time between not going to school, cuddling with my cats, spending much overdue quality time with my niece and sister, going to a CRMA recertification in Augusta, and having a bit of a getaway to the greater Boston area with Zarra.

My first thought on acquiring my Subaru was, "IKEA TRIP!!"

Ikea doesn't really play into my philosophy or aestetic... and I had never been before... but with that kind of trunk it just made sense. So, when the opportunity for a getaway arose, Zarra and I set off on the grand journey. I managed to stick to my alloted Ikea budget of less than $50, and was wowed by the opperation without being wooed by cheap modern-ness. Here are the highlights:

Pretty little classic plates.

These wine glasses were the only ones in this series to come home with me.

This chair spoke to me. It screamed, begged, and pleaded to come home with me to sit in my sunny, yellow living room so that it might be spring all the time in its own, happy corner.

This one too. Only it was talking about my sorry excuse for a yard.

I've always wanted a daybed.

A Very Serious, Very Desperate Plea

2009-03-10T14:36:00.000-04:00

I just heard from the realtor who is selling my dear, sweet Congress St building. The contract has fallen through!! Hooray!!

And the bad news...

The bank will be putting it up for auction in two weeks if they don't get a reasonable offer in before then. One might think, 'great- better bargaining power' but the reality is quite contrary. They need a minimum of $400,000- and that is not great. I could take the risk of letting it go to auction, but then it probably wouldn't end up mine. I want it to be mine.

To reiterate: this building will be my whole life. I'll manage it, live in it, restore it to its full historical glory, have my little shop in it (planning is very much underway for that- different subject) and most importantly, I will love it the way it deserves to be loved. If you take a closer look at that picture, you can see a white Subaru parked in front... almost as if it were mine already...

So folks, I am asking you to maybe play a little poker and send me the winnings... or maybe you want to buy the building and lease it to me? Something, anything, please, I really need your help.

Spring Sprang!

2009-03-08T14:54:00.000-04:00

Both today and yesterday have been suspiciously warm. I'm not letting it go to my head, but will it not be delightful when the crocuses are in bloom?!

Spring Sprang! - by lucindainthesky on Polyvore.com

Nuno

2009-03-06T16:09:00.000-05:00

I've recently discovered the joy of podcasts, they are like portable professors. I've turned into something of a learning addict. That's right, addicted to learning. Where this is going is related to a tidbit on one of my favorite podcasts, Studio 360.

Asian cultures have always been something of a mystery to me, yet my curiosity was never quite piqued. I've read a few Haruki Murakami novels. I love Japanese restaurants. Ukiyo-e, or woodblock prints I find beatiful in their clarity. Beyond that, I've never felt the need to go and personally explore. Until now.

Modern Japan has quite a lot to offer, not the least of which being a textile company by the name of Nuno.

photos: 21:21 in Haslach

Reiko Sudo is the founder and creative force behind the fabric; using unlikely materials and technology Sudo is able to craft textiles that are works of art unto themselves. Rust dying, metal and plastic weaving, fibers first dissolved in chemical baths, spray plating (as used in the automotive industry), paper, biodegratable fibers, the more unlikely the material- the more likely it is to become something beautiful under her direction. When the average person looks at a piece of fabric they are likely to think of the texture, color, and drape. These textiles incorporate architecture and technology in a way that makes one forget they are looking at fabric at all.

photos: 21:21 in Haslach

Hear the podcast. I highly recommend subscribing.

Business, Business- Art - Business, Business

2009-03-03T20:38:00.000-05:00

That's a bit what my day has looked like. My eyeballs might fall out from all the midterming I've been working at, my break has been to go to my CS3 class... I'm feeling fried. Like an egg.

Subaru: for me and for you...

2009-03-01T15:15:00.000-05:00

After nearly a year of car-related misery and woe I am able to drive a car that makes me smiley, safe, and sane again. Not only that, but it has tremendous storage capability- right down to the roof rack. Call me Mommy, call me Mainey, call me call me, anytime. I'm going to go for a drive in the snowstorm!

"The Future" as brought to you by the past

2009-02-19T09:48:00.000-05:00

I have one of those automatic ingredient measure-outers!

As a matter of fact, we have been having a 'hair-raising' time since AD 2000. OOh, swish!

Getting Crafty

2009-02-16T16:33:00.000-05:00

Amy Sedaris really cracks me up. This is not what I was listening to while breathing in the delicious fumes of polyester casting resin earlier, but she is the queen of craft and baked goods (and bunnies!!!)- so I dedicate my efforts to her.

Library book sales? I think so!

2009-02-13T14:44:00.000-05:00

Library book sales are always fun, but they're even better when you find out last minute and still get there in time to be near the front of the line with the dealers. As was my situation yesterday. I went armed with a little tote and $40 and left with a huge box that cost $25.60. SCORE!

Check out the date on this beauty. $2. And it is filled with all sorts of pretty things:

Next up:

Ladies and Gentleman, boys and girls, this gem set me back $0.10.

And lastly, I share with you a treasure that will serve me well for the rest of my life:

Who knew crafting could be so glamorous? The copyright on this sucker is 1947. $2.

For the Girl who has Everything

2009-02-11T15:52:00.000-05:00

It might be a little much, but wouldn't it be lovely to have your very own Louis Vuitton Pacific Series Racing Yacht? It certainly would make me happy. I hope it comes with a skipper.

Miranda July

2009-02-10T23:24:00.000-05:00

Miranda July is the kind of person I'd like to become. She positively oozes creative genius. You might know her from the 2005 film Me, and You, and Everyone we know which she wrote, directed, and starred in. "I want to poop back and forth, forever," amazing, you remember. It was quite a smash hit. Her collection of short stories No One Belongs Here More Than You is both disturbing and comforting, when you read it you will understand. July is able to ask questions that simultaneously break your heart and make you scratch your head. While she writes and makes movies, she's really much more than that. She's a performance artist that does really inspiring things.

Case in point:

That's really just the tip of the iceberg, folks. Check this out.

Some fun facts from wikipedia which may, or may not be true. You understand.

July dated Radio Sloan from the Need when she first moved to Portland. She went on to date K Records founder Calvin Johnson.^[14] As of September 2005, July is dating artist/film director Mike Mills.^[15]

Johanna Fateman, of the post-punk band Le Tigre, has referred to July as being her "best friend from high school".^[16]

In a 2007 interview with Bust magazine, July spoke of the importance which feminism has had in her life, saying, "What's confusing about [being a feminist]? It's just being pro-your ability to do what you need to do. It doesn't mean you don't love your boyfriend or whatever...When I say 'feminist', I mean that in the most complex, interesting, exciting way!"^[17]

Still Dreaming

2009-02-10T16:47:00.000-05:00

It is simply awful not to own my beautiful, perfect building. I dream about it. I walk by it and peek through the windows. Every time I think about my shop, it is there.

Instead of sulking (about it being under contract with some lucky person that is not me) I am trying to focus on new ideas to make my shop financially viable on its own. I am hesitant to reveal too much about the concept and the details of exactly the shop I hope to open in such a public forum (Non Disclosure Agreements all around?), what I will say is that I am following my bliss. This shop does not lend itself to yielding handsome profits; hence owning the building whilst tenants pay the mortgage. While that was the ideal, I am now back to focusing on building a business that will at least break even.

I've always been a believer that with limitation comes innovation. So come on, innovation!! I've got limitations for you here!! What's taking you so long anyway? Huh?

I'm not closing any doors, just trying to open some windows.

Kitty Genius

2009-02-08T16:46:00.000-05:00

I was feeling dull and uninspired today, so I did a google image search for "pretty." What treasure I found!

I think they are simply divine! She has an etsy shop that is worth checking out.

Mental Vacation

2009-02-05T15:41:00.000-05:00

It is very, very cold outside. If I could be anywhere else it would be warm with a chance of rain. If I could be wearing anything else it would be mostly silk.

Mental Vacation - by lucindainthesky on Polyvore.com

Groundhog Day

2009-02-03T11:28:00.000-05:00

A few things about Groundhog Day:

- Punxsutawney Phil is super cute. He must be terrified to be in front of that crowd while being handled by men in top hats.

- On February 2 there is always a minimum of 6 weeks left of winter. So when he predicts an early spring it is (ground)hogwash.

- What a great Bill Murray movie.

- I can't think of a stranger American ritual, but if there is one- please let me know.

Sherman 'n Deering

2009-01-31T17:04:00.000-05:00

I make jokes about living where I do. Portland, Maine is a quaint city by most standards and has many small-town attributes in its favor. When I moved to this neighborhood that was all I could see. In the following months it showed me a different face.

Drug dealers would hang out on stoops under fluorescent lighting, cars would slow at night as they passed me walking- thinking I might be on the clock, I even started noticing that the street wasn't being cleaned on "street-cleaning" days. I let all of this fall into the background, choosing my choice apartment at an affordable rate to occupy my thoughts in its stead.

Then one night I awoke to the sound of a car horn. Not just a "beepbeep" from an impatient taxi, but one very long beep. Too long. To those of you who know me, know that I am talking about the time my little Honda was burnt to a crisp by some punk kid.

It was an upsetting experience to say the least. I considered moving. My neighbors considered moving. The people that lived in the house next door didn't get to make that choice, they moved. Yet here I am today, still living in the same apartment. I might even love my apartment even more now, after all that we have been through...

Really though, watching the neighborhood come together on that night opened my eyes to the reality of living in a so-called "bad neighborhood." We stick together. Cheesy, I know, but true just the same. My favorite time is just after a snow storm. Everyone comes out bundled up and with shovels to start on their own car, but before we go inside we've uncovered at least one additional car and usually pushed a few others out of spinning situations. The neighborhood unites behind a common cause, turning snow storms into a community activity.

But my most favorite thing of all is my neighbor across the way. I don't know his name, but I do know that he has bad allergies in the summer. I hear him blowing his nose all the time. Once, he helped me figure out how to use a gas can. And he has two cats. One is obese and orange. I just learned that all orange cats are male. The other is called the mirror cat. It sits on the window ledge directly across from my bedroom and looks exactly like my cat Bogart. Sometimes Bogart sees it and cranes his neck with curiosity. I would too.

I love where I live.

Funding is Fun!

2009-01-30T16:48:00.000-05:00

Dear Readers,

You all know where I am coming from. A former student of design, a current student of entrepreneurship; with an established esthetic and a BIG dream. I want you to know there are no expectations here- but if you got it, by all means give it! Thank you in advance, dear reader, your cause is worthy and good.

Don't mind if I do!

2009-01-30T13:07:00.001-05:00

Are they not just so lovely?

Championing my Cause

2009-01-29T17:33:00.000-05:00

So, I'm on craigslist today, as usual, and I figured, "why not..."

And did something silly and desperate.

On a separate note, my new camera is waiting for me at the UPS holding cell. Then I will start doing a better job visually documenting this life I am living and really beef up my etsy shop.

More to come!!

Happy, Hopeful Hunting

2009-01-26T21:08:00.000-05:00

While I might not be in the best position to be investment property prospecting, it seems something has come knocking at my metaphorical door. Tomorrow I am trekking down to the Greater Portland Landmarks' Library to dig up some history on this magnificent edifice.
Zarra and I checked it out yesterday. Built in 1890 by two esteemed Portland architects, it has four 1-bedroom units, four studios, and one large retail space. Holy crap. Did I mention I plan on opening a shop? Investors unite, I give you this common cause.

Here and Now

2009-01-22T16:17:00.000-05:00

After many months of wasting my days I started school full time last week. When I quit Goodwill I had the best intentions of starting an Etsy store and accomplishing all kinds of things with my free time. Instead I knit, watched tv series, and snuggled with my cats. My knitting has come a long way...
That wasn't really what I was looking to accomplish.

So now I am making big with the changes. Three classes at SMCC, three times a week, and one class at MECA once a week. I'm working on an Entrepreneurship and Small Business Ownership Associates Certificate. Woo.Wee. As far as degrees are concerned I see this clearly is lacking in ambition, however; I love it and am pretty darn passionate about it.

"But, Lucy..." you may ask, "what are you planning to do with that Associates Certificate anyway?"

A valid curiosity.

To whit I reply, "Open a shop."

So, if you need to throw copious amounts of money at something- by all means look to me for the catching of it. Shops don't open themselves. And I want a Volvo. I'll need it. For the shop...