24 May 2008

The Richmond Bridge


Everyday I get the pleasure of driving over the Richmond Bridge. This bridge is not nearly as spectacular as the Golden Gate or immense like the Bay Bridge. I think the best part about it is that you get a great view of San Quentin Prison. Anyways, this post is about the first time I got stuck in some severe traffic on this bridge. I remember a few months ago when people were stuck for hours on the Bay Bridge. I remember that in particular because I was trying to get a parking spot at the West Oakland Bart Station and so was everyone else because of the bridge being so backed up. Last friday I was driving up the approach to the Richmond Bridge toll plazas and things slowed down like they normally do, but I soon realized this was different when nothing was moving. Turns out there was a accident and the whole bridge was closed. I was past the last possible exit so there was no way out. Everyone just started getting out of their cars. People were reversing on the shoulder to get to that last exit. I had forgotten my cell phone, so I walked up to someone's car to borrow theirs so I could call my work. We sat there for 1h45min. I had left for work at 7:30am and got there at 10:00am. It was quite the morning.

21 May 2008

Miss Manners


I'm a huge fan of old etiquette books and Miss Manners' Guide to Excruciatingly Correct Behavior has to be my favourite. Here is a quote from her chapter on Modern Romance. Keep in mind that I have a 1982 edition.

"There are three possible parts to a date, of which at least two must be offered: entertainment, food, and affection. It is customary to begin a series of dates with a great deal of entertainment, a moderate amount of food, and the merest suggestion of affection. As the amount of affection increases, the entertainment can be reduced proportionately. When the affection is the entertainment, we no longer call it dating. Under no circumstances can the food be omitted."

Everyone should model their dating after that description. I also love it because it could probably be written as a nice equation. 

10 May 2008

Product Packaging Part 1



I've always been interested in font choice and packaging. I have been noticing that for the past few years gum packaging looks a lot like cigarette packaging. More recently I have been noticing gum and other products that look more like condom packaging. Condom font I like to call it. Stride gum and Hershey Bliss are good examples. It is even more apparent on the Bliss commercial when they show a square a chocolate in that packaging. Being a Hershey product, I am sure it will taste like wax, so I refuse to buy it even for it's subliminal packaging.

09 May 2008

new business card front


new business card front
Originally uploaded by theseawithin
This is the front of the new business card that http://fauxtograph.etsy.com designed for me!
I really wanted a 'golden book' animal feel. It was tough to find an image. I really happy with the result! I put my order in tonight to overnightprints.com. I can't wait to get them.

New business card


new business card back,
Originally uploaded by theseawithin
This is the back of the new business card that http://fauxtograph.etsy.com designed for me!

08 May 2008

8 May 08


8 May 08
Originally uploaded by theseawithin
Front Page! Yes. That's always a good day.

07 May 2008

The Party Dress


I have been on the hunt for the perfect 1950s "style" party dress for about 10 years. "Style" because the authentic ones are impossible to find and when found are usually size two. I have found and bought two so far. They are almost my idea of the perfect party dress. Today I found the penultimate to my search, but it's a Betsey Johnson and really not something I should be spending my money (or lack thereof) on right now. Even though I do have the perfect shoes and handbag for it. Oh goodness.

06 May 2008

New Pumas


New Pumas
Originally uploaded by theseawithin
I bought a new pair of Pumas today. For some reason they carry these at Macy's but not at the Puma Store. Oh well.

05 May 2008

One Great City!


Just so happens that the San Francisco International Film Festival is on right now. So far I have seen three movies and am going to my fourth. The movie I want to talk about is "My Winnipeg", Guy Maddin's homage to his/our city. I was particularly impressed at the mention of the "Winnipeg Coincidence". Now I can't remember if that was something Guy Maddin told us in his introduction or if that was actually in the movie. It was the typical "Winnipeg Coincidence" that I was even at the movie with my sister. Just the fact that my sister and I are both coincidentally living in the Bay Area. I knew about the film festival but didn't know about the movie until I was buying tickets for another movie and the description for "My Winnipeg" was in the description for the movie I was buying tickets to. Who would have thought that I would have ever seen a movie about Winnipeg in San Francisco with my sister. We checked out the audience for familiar Winnipeggers, but didn't see any. I guess Guy Maddin was the only one. The Q&A after was awesome. Guy Maddin could seriously do a spoken word which could possibly rival Henry Rollins. Seriously.
Running into other Winnipeggers in random cities is part of the "Winnipeg Coincidence". When I moved to Oklahoma, I ran into one on my first day. We would have never have known each other because we were in completely different graduate departments. I also ran into this same person when I my sister was visiting. I could think of a myriad of other examples, but I have already broken my rule of making really short blog posts. Oh well.

06 May 2008
I feel like I need to add some post scripts to this post that I forgot to add earlier. I was wondering if maybe only Winnipeggers will enjoy 'My Winnipeg'. Just like Coupland's "Souvenier of Canada", nobody really gets it unless they have an intimate connection to Canada. Although I must say the audience seemed to like it, but I think they were serious Maddin fans.
More on the "Winnipeg Connection" I could probably think of a million of these. I was visiting a friend of mine in Victoria, BC, where she had recently moved. We were just walking downtown and just happened to a guy we went to undergrad with in Manitoba. The "Winnipeg Connection"!

04 May 2008

Damask Coasters


Damask Coasters
Originally uploaded by theseawithin
I started to make some coasters. I always like making new things. I get really tired of making the same purses all the time and don't have the same excitement about sewing when I do. Making new things brings back the fun.

n


n
Originally uploaded by theseawithin
I bought this at Omega Salvage yesterday. I think I really like it.

...

I always start these with grandeur ideas, but in reality I don't know if this will last more than five posts. We will see about that.