A penguin walks into a bar with a slab of asphalt under his arm and says, “A beer please, and one for the road.”

Ba-dum-dum!

So.. what silly stupid joke made you laugh lately?

According to the blurb accompanying this on youtube “The duo have just released a new album titled, 11:11, which pays tribute to the pair’s heroes — Jimi Hendrix, Carlos Santana, Astor Piazzolla and Pantera’s Dimebag Darrell.”

Seriously?!?

I think I’m a little in love.

I’m going.

Too excited for real words.

It’s been two years.

Why, yes, I have embraced [and snuggled] my geekdom.

If you’re in the Vancouver area and want tix, Happy Bats still has a few left…

I know this is going to end up being a series of posts, so skip on if it’s not your thing, or delve deep if it is…

I’m fully obsessed with all the little facets of my new home, and how I want to tweak them.

It’s a weird sensation, suddenly finding out that some truth you’ve believed in all your life, is in fact, a complete falsehood. In my case the truth is that after years of being happy ‘enough’ in the places I’ve lived, and having a laid back approach to home decor because, well, I was renting, I’ve got a previously undiscovered fount of squirreliness, and will probably drive my honey to distraction soon.

My circa notebook bears witness to this new wrinkle:

• I’ve a list of home repairs [actually two - one for right now, one for laters]
• A home improvements list.
• An inspiration list.
• A furnishings list.
• A lighting list.
• An accessory list.
• A clipping file.
• A resource list.
• A “YES” list, that incorporates ideas found while out and I had no idea what to categorize them as.

It’s a little silly, really.

The lists help though – it’s easier on me to write it down somewhere and get on with life then try to remember it and let it slip away.

There’s a part of me that would love to get up one morning and see the nest complete in every possible detail, but I think ultimately it wouldn’t be as satisfying as finding all the elements that are just right for us. Besides — Ironhead and I both agreed before we even moved in that we wanted to live with the place for a while, get a feel for it’s personality, before starting to fill it with schtuff.

So for now, I’ve got lists. An obsession, albeit a reasonable one, and will continue to collect ideas, sketch and blog stalk.  If you’ve got any favourites feel free to share!

There hasn’t been a lot of activity here this year and up until last night I was pretty sure I was going to just going to hit delete button and get on with things.

Things, you see, have Been Happening.

It started mid-April when I was laid off from my job [Remember that pesky economic down turn? Yup, I was a casualty]. I figured that with my experience and skills I’d be able to find something fairly soon, and did my best to be positive, but after the nth interviewer said to me ‘you have too much experience’ like it was a bad thing, I got a little depressed. Since when is being good at what you do a deterrent?

Then, in June, Ironhead and I decided that we really did want to make the jump from renters to homeowners, called our real estate agent brother-in-law, and had him set up viewings. Within two weekends we found a beautiful flat that met all our requirements. Including a fireplace and hardwood floors! By the end of July we were homeowners. August was lost to a haze of packing, while September was spent unpacking, settling in to a new postal code and a whole different way of doing things, and more interviews.

Now we’ve hit the midway mark in my favourite month, we’re settled in enough that we’ve actually set a date for a housewarming party, and life as I know it is nothing like it was 6 months ago. I’m still searching for the right job, and am lucky enough to have a network of professionals I can count on. I’m also looking at the possibility of going back to school full-time, something I never thought I’d get another shot at.

Not having a job to go to everyday has been both blessing and a curse though – my sleep-loving body no longer has to get up at the crack of dawn, and I have a lot more control over what I do every day, but there are days when it’s a real struggle not to feel like I could stay in bed all day sulking and no one would know.

[Well, except me. And the cats, but they're totally on board with that plan any day of the week.]

I see less people on a daily basis, but more of the people I adore. I’m cautiously re-vamping my social life, and making new friends.

I already knew I would not miss the sounds of the sirens or the rock concerts, but I didn’t know how unsettling the constant traffic noise was until I no longer had to deal with it.

I’m getting used to neighbours who remember my name, who say hello and have a thoughtful word to say, and being within walking distance of a whole new set of interesting places.

There are days when this still scares the heck out of me, and things are so shiny and new I could crack at the slightest push, but those days aren’t happening as often as they were. Things aren’t what they were, and they never will be again, but I can’t help thinking that that’s a good thing.

~ Cin

It’s September, my second favourite month of the year, and I’m loving…

Irony-Free Nesting – I loved our place downtown, I did, but I’m more than a little in love with our new home and all the changes we have planned. It makes me want to cook and bake and decorate and nest and watch Martha. Unironically. And dammit, why don’t I yet have this?

Warehouse 13 – My favourite shows got really heavy last season, and this show is the antidote. Steampunk, antiquities, Indiana Jones subterfuge, gadgetry via Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison and Philo Farnsworth, and unabashed geekery and discussions of physics? What’s not to love?

Cook’s Illustrated – It’s not food porn. There aren’t any tantalizing photos, just some very useful illustrations. But that’s kinda why I love it – I’m learning as I read.

The latest issue of Victoria – I had some serious concerns about the revamp of the magazine (98 pages? That’s it?? And why is it almost always food on the covers?) but the September/October issue is their Britain issue, and it finally feels plentiful…

Love – The possibilities a fresh week provides.

So… what’s on your list today?

My home is a jumble of boxes, packing paper and chaos.

Considering how chaotic this year has been, I ought to feel more comfortable with it than I do. I’m not a neat freak by any stretch of the imagination, but I keep wanting to play condo Tetris in the hopes that if I pack the boxes together seamlessly, they might disappear and magically transport themselves to the new place.

It hasn’t happened yet, but I live in hope.

The thought that’s keeping me going is that in less than a week, I’m going to be unpacking all these boxes and settling into a home where I pay a mortgage, not rent. Every once in a while I have to stop and think about that. I honestly never thought I’d get to the point where I actually owned a home of my own.

Funny, I don’t feel like more of a grown up.

Well pets, it’s been a while since I did one of these, and I’m not even sure what number we’re at! I stopped at 55 and then renumbered for 2009, so this one’s either #6 or #61…

Love: Eric Hutchinson. “OK It’s Alright With Me” is on my perfect summer songs list. I do love a talented pianist/lyricist/singer.

Love: That despite the dreariness that is the news, there are so many wonderful things to celebrate amongst my circle of friends – new babies, engagements, home purchases, new projects…

Love: Spending an afternoon watching classic movies with the boy. Yesterday we opted to stay home, hang out and watch two: The Great Escape (Classic war movie with an amazing cast list) and Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid (Paul Newman + Robert Redford – need I write more?).

Love – The possibilities a fresh week provides.

So… what’s on your list today?

My first attempt on the typewriter.

My grandmother gave me her old Smith Corona typewriter last week. It’s a heavy beast, possibly capable of smashing toes at will, and more than likely possessed, but I’m utterly in love.

Apparently I’m also very bad at typing on a typewriter and will have to practice. I’m used to a fairly soft touch on my apple keyboard, but this typewriter requires a more, shall we say aggressive approach?

There’s something distinctly satisfying about banging out a letter – in my mind, it’s akin to slamming the old house phone down.

Musical accompaniment for today’s post comes courtesy of Michael Hedges, a musician who passed way too early…

How do you get reacquainted after a long time apart?

Do you make small talk?

Say “I missed you”?

Jump right in and pick up like you’d never left off?

Usually I just jump right in and aim to get caught up…