So lots of things happened in the past few non-blogging months. Things like cool blog reader Rochelle, whose hubby happens to run a surf school in sunny California, and one of his clients is the Armstrong family, as in Billie Joe Armstrong. As in Green Day Billie joe Armstrong. She kindly offered to have something autographed by Mr. Armstrong himself, for Coley. I never got around to sending her anything, so Rochelle seized the day, grabbed a surf shirt, and got the deed done. When it arrived in the mail, Cole almost stopped breathing for roughly a minute. And really, how cute is it that Billie Joe's happy faces have x's for eyes. Awwwww. It's so punk rock.
Speaking of t-shirts, my little buddy Tara sent me this cool find from Target. And again, Cole couldn't breathe, but especially so when he found out it was for me!
[and to be fair, there is a story behind this photo, and that story is, i took this shot SEVERAL times, until I was pleased that my ever-growing muffin top was camoflouged through precise angles and hip leanings. Remember people: it's okay to distort your own reality. Twenty pounds, schwenty schpounds. But perhaps more disturbing than my refusal to acknowledge the increased difficulty of buttoning these only jeans that still fit me, is the missing eye of John Deacon. At least my armpits were more or less shaven.]
Oh, and knitting.
Yes. I can do a long-tail cast on. The garter stitch RULES. Bring on repetitive the stress injuries! Woo hoo!
Music wise, I've got to thank my music soulmate Krista (who's actually in the audience in Neil Finn's Sessions at West 54th dvd performance) for tipping me off to Gomez. Never had heard them before. Only have one album, but it's in heavy rotation. That, and the Imogen Heap CD, Speak for Yourself. I'm not really a fan of the techno, but there's a song on there called "Hide and Seek" and it's hypnotically beautiful, once you get past the electronicky sound. Good stuff.
And really…I think that about covers what i've done since October. Throw in a several loads of laundry, a few hormonally-induced meltdowns, numerous pots of coffee, erratic Oreo binges, and a series of superbly met deadlines for Simple, and you've pretty much got it.
Now that's a hell of a fall, wouldn't you say?
Michael Ann says
Cathy, It’s so glad to have you back blogging! You amuse the heck out of me. Take care!
tara w says
id say!!!
🙂
Erica says
Glad you started blogging again!
I’m not sure if you’re taking music recs but have you listened to Belle & Sebastian? Lovely Scottish group that never fails to make me smile.
My BF has been a Gomez fan for years and has seen them play live. Try some of their older material. I think you’ll like that as well.
And congrats on the BJA autograph! Very exciting.
melanie says
Well, if you lived near me, I’d probably try and steal that t-shirt from Cole, you can keep the Queen one though. 😉 How awesome is that for a 7(?) year old????!!!! Totally green with envy, pardon the pun. :p
susan says
my dh LOVES all those retro concert shirts at Target! he could totally make over his entire t-shirt wardrobe with them! lol! coolio for Coley and his shirt! (and totally ignoring the whole knitting thing)
Ellie says
oOoOoO…imogen heap rocks my socks! Nice to know other people are appreciating her as well 🙂
I’m glad you’re back!!
Michelle says
Funny you should mention the pits. That’s the first thing I thought of (well after being completely annoyed, err jealous, that THOSE are your FAT jeans. puhleeze girl, you can do better than that. single digit jeans are NEVER fat jeans) anyway, that’s the first thing I thought of. It went something like this, “damn, check the perfectly shaven pits. and she works from home…I’m sitting here (working from home) in yesterday’s “real” fat jeans and she’s got shaved pits.”
overachiever!!!!
Jodi says
Sometimes I think “is it weird that I’m 22 and Cathy and I like the same things?” and then I realize you are no average woman. I have that Queen shirt.
jenn says
hehehe I think you look FANTASTIC 😉
julie k says
‘ever-growing muffin top’… ha! just wanted to say that i’m glad you’re back – your words always make me smile! 🙂
Cindy Wheadon says
So glad you’re back! I love to read what you have to say about your everyday life. Hilarious! 🙂
Cindy in Nampa, ID
Krista says
I’M SO HAPPY YOU ARE BLOGGING AGAIN! (There, I shouted it!) And not only that, but you name-checked me today. As your “music soulmate”! If that won’t pull a girl out of her post-holiday slump, I don’t know what will. Maybe it would be that PLUS the layout you did about Neil Finn… which gave me GOOSEBUMPS when I read the journaling… Welcome back, my friend, and here’s to much email dissection between us (because we MUST go over every detail!) when Neil unleashes his next work of art this spring. (And I’m SO GLAD you are digging the Gomez record!!!!!)
Robyn says
Ran across this blog accidentally when googling your book title, and I love it! I’m a graphic designer and a mom of 4 who has a LOT of scrapbooking stuff and who doesn’t do much real work on the scrapbooks lately. I wanted to know if there were any graphic designers who scrapped, and voila, I found you. I’m desperately trying to run and scream from the gross drippy scrapbook style that is so popular where I live.
I also love rock music, esp. alternative, and am always being accused of being the cool mom. That scares me. My whole family loves Queen and Monty Python. We are weird in a good way. Right?
It would be my freakin’ dream to work for a magazine from home! I’m an in-house designer for a pet food manufacturer in the Midwest, and don’t get me wrong, it’s a great job. But yours sounds so much more fun!
Lisa Smoot says
I haven’t been on the computer since before Christmas (other than tracking Santa) and have to say that after deleting hundreds of spam/viagra/sales emails, I was feeling rather that I hadn’t missed anything at all and then! found out your blog was back! Woohoo! So glad you’re back…and I think you’ve inspired me to start my own blog too….it would just be nice to write down all the things I think of each day but never actually write down in the journal I carry around….seems typing is just faster and easier and great to look back through and find things you need! Welcome back, you were missed! Happy 2007!
Sue says
Thank you so much for blogging again! You are such an inspiration to me with your scrapping – simple and clean. Thanks to you I even started my son’s school scrapbook based on your last book. And not to mention the last few issues of the mag have rocked! Espec the january ’07. Anyways thanks for coming back! I missed you. Have a great and balanced 2007!
candice says
lol-love the punk rock smiley & the queen shirt!
april says
Should I be worried that I recognized Freddy Mercury’s head before the rest of the pic showed up?
That yarn is GORGEOUS! Cant wait to see what you create with it!! 🙂
Rochelle says
ok, the blog post made my day, I’m glad that Cole likes his shirt. By the way, my COUSIN, Todd, runs the surf camp, although my hubby would probably like to ditch his job (he’s a chemist) and go to S. California and hang on the beach!
Rochelle
Joanne Smith says
did i tell you i’m
glad your blogging again?
well, i am!
Annie says
Welcome back to the blogging world. I’ve missed it. Sorry to hear of the sad news of your friend. I too have started knitting again because of Donna! You ladies have a lot to answer for – LOL!! More things to spend my (or hubby’) money on – LOL!!
Take care now.
Annie – NZ.
Pam says
There is a website called Pandora.com. If you type in Neil Finn (or any other favorites) it will play his songs as well as songs from others that are similar to his. It’s a cool way to find different music.
elisa says
NO STINKIN WAY!
I would have sent my BODY for BJ to autograph. Heavy Sigh.
Marion says
Laundry Tip (saved my sanity):
What I used to do: combine the family’s laundry, wash, dry and then let it sit until I get around to SORTING IT!
What I’ve done for years: Laundry comes out of bedroom in a basket, gets washed, dried & goes back to the appropriate bedroom. Kid puts it away (with or without my help).
End of piles of clean laundry in my family room, waiting to be sorted.
Have a good day –
Marion in Rochester
Marlene Jackson says
Welcome back to blog land – you have been missed!!
Shelly says
What’s on the needles? The Yarn Harlot totally rocks! So glad to see my fav SBers knitting. You should try socks! Waaaay more addicting than scrapbooking even.
Diane A says
I am soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo glad that you are sharing with all of us again!!Good times!!! Love ya!!!!
Alison Shearer says
20lbs!!!? What 20lbs? Maybe trick photography but you look pretty damn good to me….especially those arms – must be holding and lifting that Nikon all the time – very toned. I only take self portraits of my face these days LOL.
Alison
deb munn says
I would certainly say so!!
You’re rockin’ that tee baby!!
Altered self reality or not!!
Peace
~deb~
Jennifer Kolakowski says
SO, SO glad you’re back!
scrappinkay says
so glad you are back and I am lovin’ your hair girl.
Dee says
Cathy,
Was it you that talked about Ben Harper a few months ago? Im sure it was you that put me on to him. If so, I have a fab Australia guy you need to hear. Email me if it was you, and I will send you a couple of the songs to listen to. He is locally grown.
Dee
Heidi says
WOW! I am so glad I saved this link and kept randomly clicking on it every few weeks to see if you were back. I love reading your blog. Thanks for returning and sharing again! 🙂
Tara says
Oh, those t-shirts are so funky! Love the Queen one. Pity about that eye.
sue says
You’re too funny!
Sue
Lisa Cohen says
I’m on a Billie Joe kick myself. I just finished reading Nobody Like You and I’m on my 4th guitar lesson! And I have to listen to Green Day when I’m running or else the run doesn’t happen. How cool that Cole has an autographed surfer shirt! Awesome! And you go, you knitster! Love the color of the yarn. Looks yummy!
suetreiber says
where are you hiding the 20 pounds?
tied behind your back? seriously.
Dolly says
Oh woman you are a breath of fresh air in my over polluted world…can’t tell you enough how happy, happy I am that you are blogging again! Just your tidbit the other day about Aveeno’s new lotion was a genious nugget…my dry, itchy, flaky hands and forearms will forever be in your debt. Thank you!
Angela Hancock says
Cathy love the term “muffin top”. I seem to have started growing one. hehe. I KNOW my 9 year-old son would probably need medical attention if he received that T in the mail. So glad to have you back! 🙂
Kelli says
I love your Queen shirt. Geez I wish Target was in Canada! Off to find a US friend to do some shopping for me!
Ania says
Woah too cool! I LOVE Green Day too!! 😀
Sara says
Hahaha! Love the rant about the muffin top. I think we’re a muffin top generation, and I blame it entirely on the low rise jeans and long thin shirts. Love those jeans BTW. If it were me I’d squeeze into those as long as possible.
That’s so wicked cool about the autograph. Must have that framed.
Sara
sue mylde says
Hide and Seek is my favourite song for the moment too (actually probably since September).. They like to use it on-screen too – The ‘Last Kiss’ movie, Grey’s Anatomy – first episode this season also used it.. !!
I like that you’re knitting – Stephanie (Pearl-McPhee) is major cool and lovely in person.. (i’ve met her!) You’d love her (if you don’t already – reading her books!)
– glad you’re back!
Sue
Pam says
OMG, Cathy!! I think we are living parallel lives!! My ds, RC, is totally into Green Day, I have that exact same Queen T-shirt (& yes, the missing eye bugs me too),I too have gained about 20 pounds and only have one pair of jeans that “somewhat” hide my ever growing muffin top! And last but not least, isn’t knitting a blast? I saw that you have the “Knitting Rules” book – it’s a great 1st book! You should also try “Visually Teach Yourself to Knit”, it’s awesome! I get together with a group of girlfriends 1-2 times a week to sit, sip coffee, chat & knit! Oh & sometimes we go on field trips to the various knitting boutiques! (Friday we are heading to Rosemount to check out the Yarn Garage – we hear it is awesome!) Next I want to venture to the stores in White Bear! Happy Knitting! And I am SO GLAD you started blogging again!
Pam
kelly says
i love the term “muffin top”
oh how i know it and love it.
Jennifer says
OK, but check out Best of the Ventures, musical surfer girl (or, mom of surfer boy but into the music herself)! No boy OR girl can resist Hawaii-50.
melly says
Welcome home, Cathy. You. Were. Missed.
jany says
add another to the fan club… really glad your blog’s back. maybe i’ll be inspired to start scrapping again! yay! thanks!
p.s. do you ever get chills when you hear “hide and seek”? or does it make you stop whatever random thing you’re doing and just… listen? just wondering. 🙂