Magic Jewball

The funniest thing happened today! I woke up in the morning and remembered I had a blog!

Actually, I forgot the password. It’s been a tough time.

No, in reality, I think anyone who is remodeling will tell you that even if you have a contractor, you’re essentially managing the whole project yourself and if you’re me, you have to research and examine every step you take. This all equals both little blogging time and little to write about which would be of interest to anyone not renovating. This has been incredibly exhausting and disorienting. I’m thrilled to be doing it, don’t get me wrong, but I will be even more thrilled to be done. Maybe I’ll even have something to say that is worth blogging about.

I wanted to blog about Veterans Day. I even took pictures of the parade. I wanted to blog a funny story about a band that came to the office. I wanted to tell you the bizarre tale of the refrigerator that I’m still not entirely sure I sold on Craigslist. It might actually have been stolen. I considered telling you about the past I tried to forget but rediscovered through some stuff on Facebook. I had an idea for an iPod Song of the Week based on a song I never knew was a remake. I had a whole post in my head about the show I went to of the artist who changed my life.

But, in the end, I was overtaken by marble tile and brushed chrome faucets. Some people will not believe it, but I even stopped tracking my blog stats. I couldn’t bear imagining people coming and thinking I’d stopped blogging. I wanted no evidence that anyone was here while I was in kitchen hell.

The good news is, I am single-handedly keeping our battered economy alive through my over-budgetness.

So! In case I don’t get to it, happy Thanksgiving, and I’ll be thankful for the extra space in my brain that I’m soon to have once this project ends. I intend to blog before then, but, if you’ve visited lately, you know that good intentions don’t always lead to blog posts.

And in case you were wondering, the kitchen picture site hasn’t been updated because the most recent changes have been under the surface. I hope to be able to show some progress later this week or next.

In the meantime, I’ll be here making dinner in a hotpot.

Simple Minds – Alive and Kicking

I’m not especially good at decorating, and if you knew the excruciating way I’ve made decisions in my kitchen, you’d know this. I should really have put quotes around decisions, as I usually begin to doubt them within twenty-four hours. Sometimes, I troll kitchen forums for ideas but this is hard, really. These people have huge, elegant spaces, the better to put in islands and baking centers and butler’s pantries. While I struggle to find a refrigerator both shallow enough and narrow enough for my space, they wish heartily that fridges came wider than 48″. So instead, I went surfing though the local real estate listings where galley kitchens and spaces so narrow they look like they’re being photographed through fisheye lenses predominate. I assumed that these would be the crème-de-la-crème. They’d need to be to sell, right? Fantastic place to get design inspiration, yes.

Let’s have a look, shall we?

I like to call this one, “field of ugly neutrals.”

And this one, the “hallway of bland.”

This was a common theme in for-sale kitchens. The all stark white look. I’m not sure if it’s “I just couldn’t pick a color” or “I’m afraid color will ruin my resale value – can’t you see yourself in my milk-white cucina?” I chose this one in particular because the pictures seem to say, “no! No! I’m not all white, see?” Where instead they just seem to make everything whiter.

Still not as bad as this one, though. Ice cube, anyone?

But both are better than bisque. The white fridge next to everything else bisque is a nice touch.

Or maybe it’s just horrible lighting that causes half the kitchen to look like it has a bad case of jaundice. I’m not sure which is worse.

They tell people to de-clutter before sale but some people don’t get the memo.

This kitchen broke my brain.

By the way, this is the most popular fridge in all Manhattan. I know why. It’s from Amana (and now Whirlpool) and it has excellently narrow and shallow dimensions. I should have gotten one, but no, I had to get the one with actual handles. Now it can’t open all the way without banging into the cabinet across. Anyone want a fridge?

Speaking of appliances, I think this kitchen is my favorite. Yes, it’s ugly. Yes, it’s cluttered. But the best part is, it’s tiny, and yet the owner used a major chunk of real estate for a full-sized dishwasher. I’m betting he stores the dishes in there too.

Don’t forget, follow kitchen “progress” here!

Vanilla Ice – Ice Ice Baby

How can people not like this dress? I adored it. I want one for myself, maybe two. KP agrees with me and I thought I would share her plan with you.

Becca and I have having ones made for ourselves.

Then we are going to the American Girl store and buying dolls with the same dress.

Then we are going to buy huge cupcakes.

Then we are going to walk around NYC in our Obama dresses rocking our dolls and flaunting our cupcakes.

I can’t really see any flaw in this.

Well, tomorrow’s the day, everyone. Tuesday, that special day between Monday and Wednesday. Don’t forget to drink your coffee! The free coffee you get from Starbucks after you vote. Because who the hell still needs to be reminded to vote? Do you live under a rock? And I’m pretty sure it’s clear even to those people. Relatedly, if one more person sends me that “I donated my status to getting out the vote” cause on Facebook, I’m going to shove a campaign poster up their… anyway! Don’t forget the coffee.

Of course from my title and song, you already know which way I’m voting, but don’t let that stop you from choosing whichever kind of coffee you prefer. Pike Place Roast is pretty insipid but the other kinds always taste burnt, so it’s a tough call. All I know, personally, is that I’ll be getting one of those Berry Stellas to accompany it. It’s just like the one on the flag and not only because I could eat 49 more.

Tears for Fears – Change