Um....thanks? I think?

On Friday evening I was out to dinner with my grandparents, who were in town for a short visit.  We were having a lovely discussion about the arts or our family or the memorial service at which my grandfather was to eulogize the next day, when, out of the blue, I received a text message from my friend Ashley.  Ash's husband Jason is....well, I don't think it's a stretch to say that he's a fan of me.  As evidenced by this:


So Jason and I were just discussing the new show on TLC, "Sister Wives,"** and he says to me 'I wish Hannah could just move to Saint Louis and I would become a polygamist.'


How do you resume talking about funerals after that?


After some thought, I decided to take it as flattery, rather than a sign that I should invest in some Mace. And after further thought, I decided to share it with all of you, because it cracked me the heck up.


**This show looks horrifying, by the way.  

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Did any of you read the old design/lifestyle magazine Blueprint? Or, when it (sadly) went out of print, Domino? Which then folded itself, after only a year or so? Well, I did, and I adooored them. I don't think I looked forward to any other magazine before or since the way I anticipated those. I saved all of them and still pull them off the shelf occasionally --where they are lovingly filed in a magazine box covered carefully with decorative paper (the editors would be so proud!)--when I need inspiration.


But today, this momentous day of days, I found something. that made my heart leap with glee (or "leep," as I first typed it in a delirious fervor of joy):


www.anthologymag.com


It's NEW. It's a PRINT publication. (I love my blogs, but there's just something about that glossy paper....) It looks SO MUCH like it's in the vein of Blueprint and Domino. I could not be more excited. And, yes, it's quarterly and kind of unbelievably expensive for a magazine, but I don't care! I am subscribing straightaway, forthwith, immediately! Or whatever.

100 cats in IKEA (not a metaphor)

Like cats? (Perhaps.) Like IKEA?  (Obviously. Who doesn't like IKEA?)  Then please enjoy this utterly pointless and yet completely awesome video.

The most wonderful time of the year

No, not Christmas, though that's pretty excellent, too. I'm talking about fall. I love fall. Looooovvvvve. For a number of reasons, among them mild days, crisp nights, Tennessee football, scarves and sweaters, pumpkin spice lattes (which, not caring for lattes, I've never actually tried, but they SOUND delicious), and the onset of boot weather. I bought new fall boots three weeks ago, and it's killing me that I can't wear them yet.


But last week, the weather started to turn here in DC. It was over 90 degrees again this week, but instead of the oppression of summer, the humidity remained at bay, and it still felt as though the end was in sight.  Fall is, indeed, imminent.


I've spent the last couple of weeks wrestling my calendar in an attempt to shoehorn a few weekend trips in amongst the work-related symphony concerts, jazz shows, and piano recitals. Among the destinations: home to Tennessee for a football game at my high school alma mater's brand new stadium; a quick trip to upstate New York to glimpse the autumn leaves and perhaps go apple pickin' with Jules; and a solo jaunt to New York City to catch a few shows and maybe see an old high school friend. Last weekend was spent in West Virginia with my sister, featuring a bit of shopping, visiting with my cousin and grandparents, and watching hours and hours of Sports Night episodes and DVD extras.  (However, despite the fact that the US Open was on, we watched NO tennis, much to G's great joy.)


Hopefully all these trips will work out, but if not, I'll be content here in DC.  The summers are brutal, but Washingtonians are rewarded by beautiful, glorious falls. Stay tuned...