Sparkles and Sticks

wandering under overcast skies

I went on a walk this early evening.  It was the first time I left the house all day (after driving my husband to work in the morning) and it was lovely.  The sky was grey, which made all the pretty greens, blues, pinks, of the plants, trees and other general signs of life seem extra bright.

Just like my grey shoes and highlighter color socks.

The air was light, and nowhere near cold or hot.  Just perfect.  The clouds had woven themselves into an airtight blanket that let some light seep through while hiding the brightness of the sun.

I realized that it was the sky that was making me feel so light, happy, and safe.  Most people hate overcast weather, but I love it.  There is something about the way the cloud blocks out the rest of the universe that allows me to focus on the universe inside my head.  I know I can let the ideas floating around in my head out for a little run without worrying that they will venture out to Jupiter and get lost in it's perpetual storm.

I can wander without getting lost.

The skies here, at The Real Home, tend to tinge blue when grey.  The skies in The Home Away From Home tend to tinge pink.

I became an independent, roaming, life loving adult in The Home Away From Home.  Today, I miss it's pink skies.

Christmas in the United Kingdom...

.. parties, huge Christmas dinners, loads of booze, winter wonderlands with ice rinks and carnival rides, the possibility of snow, cadbury's advent calendars, shops that actually close on Christmas Day and even boxing day... and they absolutely rock the twinkle lights. Twinkle lights on trees that line the street, twinkle lights on the giant Chritmas trees that top the city centres, and arches of twinkling snowflakes that shine across all the main streets through out the entire U.K. (it seems like it at least).

I love Christmas in the U.K.

.a royal wedding does not a fairy tale make.

I have just one thing left to say about The Royal Wedding.  No, it's not that Kate's dress was beautiful (it was).  And no, it's not what Harry whispered to William at the altar (which was "right, here she is now" FYI).  It is this:  Despite how many times television commentators might have said it, Kate and William's wedding was not a Fairy Tale.

Fairy Tales are not a white dress and a carriage procession through one of the most beautiful cities in the world.  Fairy tales are a vain girl's feet being chopped off, a wolf eating a girl and her grandmother, and girls depending on kisses from boys in order to awaken in a new state of being.  Yes, sometimes Fairy Tales end with a Royal Wedding.  But a Royal Wedding does not a Fairy Tale make.

William and Kate have been together for nearly a decade.  They have both gone to University, built their relationship through tough times, and helped people in their nation and beyond.

William and Kate did not arrive at Westminster Abbey on April 29th because of a magic kiss or a fairy's spell.  They arrived through forces much greater: hard work, commitment, and love.

William and Kate's wedding was not a Fairy Tale.  It was a love story.

.a wedding for an anglophile.

Tomorrow morning, I am going to wake up at 3 AM, shuffle out to the living room, throw myself on the couch, flick on the TV ad watch the Royal Wedding.

Some might think it is quite silly to miss half a night's sleep to watch a wedding for two people that I never have and never will meet.  Some are sick of hearing about the Royal Wedding in general; my (British) husband in particular is fed up with all of it.

I am going to watch it anyway, because I love weddings, I love London, and I love waking up at silly hours to do things that I will probably only have one opportunity in my lifetime to do.

So there.

In the meantime, I suggest you enjoy some of the sweet lovelies that Etsy crafters have made in honor of this sparkly ceremony.

1. Dessert Plate: Kate Middleton, House That Lars Built, $22.75

2. William and Kate Royal Wedding Print, Taylors Type, $20

3. Red Sparkle Heart Fascinator, Dark Pony Designs, $20

4. Fairy Queen Soap, Soapy Chica, $6.50

5. Prince William and Kate Middleton Royal Wedding A3 Print, 2DScrumptious, $27.32

6. Royal Wedding Engagement Ring Desert Plate, House That Lars Built, $22.75

7. London England City Skyline Series Notecards, Architette Studios, $16.75

8. Royal Wedding Union Jack Desert Plate, House That Lars Built, $22.75

9. Kate and William T-Shirt, Kate Garey, $47.81

10. Blue Bayou Navy Hair Fascinator, Silver Pencils, $20

11. Union Jack Hand Carved Rubber Stamp, Skull and Cross Buns, $9.39

12. Westminster Abbey Cushion, Helena Carrington Textile and Design, $65

13. Custom Wedding Cushion, Heli Creations, $45.54

14. Prince William Commemorative Desert Plate, House That Lars Built, $22.75

.neville.

Please excuse me for a moment while I tape this picture of Neville up in my locker.

Neville was always one of my favorites, and I always knew that even though he was a awkward and forgetful boy, he would turn out to be a brave and heroic man.  He always had it in his heart, he just got off to a bit of a clumsy start.  His actions in the final book always make me well up when I read, or heck, even just think about them!

I see the new movie on Saturday, and if they end up taking away any of Neville's shining moments in either of the last two movies I swear I am going to stop liking the Harry Potter stories.

For five minutes, at least.

.monster of the week- Daleks.

I herby dedicate this month's collection of Monster of the Week Features to the monsters of Doctor Who.  Because Season 5 of the New Who's is out on DVD and Netflix this month.  And I am excited to watch it.  And decide if I like the new Doctor.  And his sidekick, Amy.  Also, because I am a huge geek.

Hence, we begin with Daleks, the most well-known Who Monsters.

The funny things about Daleks is this: they scare the crap out of the bravest, fiestiest, and cleverest characters in all of Dr. Whoville, but it took several decades of terror before the creators decided that Daleks should be able to manuver themselves on type of terrain that wasn't a flat surface.  So really, the characters in past seasons of Doctor Who could have just run upstairs to get away from them.

On a more serious note (as serious as we can be when talking about squishy, brain looking creatures who have built themselves R2D2-esque metal armor in order to take over all planets) Daleks do have a way of doing the exact right thing to totally devestate our hero, The Doctor.  They played a huge part in destroying his home planet, and they made Rose fall into a different dimension.  Also, they probably did lots of other really horrible stuff in older episodes I haven't seen.

So just remember, folks.  Whenever you want to appear truly terrifying, just shout "Exterminate!  Exterminate!!!" in your best synthesized voice.  That should do it.

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This post is part of a weekly series- Monster of the Week- designed to celebrate and examine the little gremlins that lurk around our media and culture.  Check back every late Saturday night for your monstrous fix.

.scrapbooking the same old same old.

It was two years ago, but I can't bloody well seem to stop scrapbooking about the two months I spent in Swansea with Ashley in summer/fall 2008.  But, considering the following three prominent elements in that period of my life, it's no wonder I am still obsessed.

I adore Ashley.  No one in the world makes me feel more safe and comfortable in my own skin.

I adore Swansea.  I had so many important growing up experiences the first time I was there, and since I had so many of these experiences alone, I feel like that it is a place that is just mine.  Just mine and 228,100+ other people's, sure.  But none of those people are part of my life here.

I adore letting my spirit wander freely around the UK.  Nothing makes me feel more alive and independent than mapping my way through trains, tubes, roads, and buses in this area that is so familiar to my soul.

Here's the most recent page I made about that magical time of my life:

My three favorite things about this page:

1. Using a file folder as the base paper.

2.  Stitching "love" down the side.

3. The way I accidentally stamped "honeymoon" all wonky.

.kate nash is a rockstar.

Well, duh, right?  It's not like she's known for fixing cars or painting puppy portraits.  She writes songs.  And my friend Tati and I got to go see her perform at The Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco.

The concert was awesome, but first thing's first.  Check out the killer shoes we wore:

I am wearing my current favorite pink bow shoes, but Tati wins "the cutest shoes of the evening" cupcake.  I mean, they have faces on them.

The opening act was a band called Super Cute.  Their band was composed of three girls who looked about 16.  They wore giant bows in their hair and metallic costumes with short skirts.  They hula hooped on stage, and sang about candy and how they were not going to write songs about boys.  There's really only one word to describe these girls.  Go on, you know which words I am going to say...

Super Cute.

Then, came my hero Kate Nash. 

Even though I had listened to her new album all day the day before, and had therefore noted her new edgier style, I was still a bit surprised when she came out in a leather jacket and gobs of black eye makeup.  I think I expected a cute little granny dress (like the one I was wearing), and maybe a little curtsy, followed by a sassy comment.  The concert was sort of like being served a new flavor of Guinness instead of the spicy honey that I was anticipating.  

As it turns out, I like new flavor Guinness better than spicey honey.

I liked her angrier songs and frequent use of the "f" word.  Usually, I don't like these types of songs- I find them stressful.  But instead of feeling like she was shouting at me, I felt like she was shouting with me, or for me.  And the more I listen to this album, the more I feel like it came along at a very opportune time in my life.

I think I needed someone to demonstrate that they know what it is like to be me.

Here, have a preview of one of her more "Spicy Honey" songs.

.my fingertips are holding on to May 8.

I'm going to see Kate Nash in concert!  With the gals who run TV Rots Your Mind Grapes!  In San Francisco!

My life cannot get better.

.my creative hero- danny wallace.

Danny Wallace is one of my creative heroes because he comes up with some of the most silly, insane ideas that you could possibly imagine.  Then, instead of telling him self that he'd fall flat on his face and look like a complete moron if he tried to execute one of his ideas.... he just does it.

Like placing an ad in a London newspaper that says "Join Me."

Like deciding to say "Yes" to every question that anybody asks him.  For a year.  

Sometimes the purpose of the project is evident at the start of his adventures, sometimes it shows up later.  Either way, he follows it confidently and genuinely through to the end.  Then when its all over, he writes a book about it.  And sometimes that book is made into a movie.  And some times that movie stars Jim Carey.  (Or more importantly, Zooey Deschanel.)

So, Danny Wallace is one of my creative heroes because he has the confidence and courage to follow through with his creative convictions.

Also, he's a hot English dude with spiky hair and glasses. 

And, he's really funny.