Aunt Abby...

is going to be an aunt times two in July!

3 Quick Blips

My new favorite ridiculous snack is Orville Redenbacher buttery salt and cracked pepper popcorn. It comes in individual sized bags, and it is stupefyingly delicious. Of course, you can grind some pepper into a freshly nuked bag of regular popcorn (which I did as a test), and probably over regularly popped popcorn also, but I like the small bag thing, because I am inclined to eat rather more popcorn than I should. Today, I am going to be that annoying person who microwaves popcorn in the office building and then doesn't share.

I have been getting a whole slamming of catalogs I've never gotten before lately, and am not sure what's prompting this; the holidays aside, someone is sharing my name, obviously, but some of the catalogs are pretty intriguing. Unfortunately, I can't tell you what they are because I might be ordering some things from them for people that read this blog.

There is a new Librarian movie coming out on December 7. You can bet that my bottom will be parked in front of the telly on that date. The second one wasn't that great, but I find the trilogy's premise entertaining, this one is directed by Jonathan Frakes (William T. Riker), and it's going to involve vampires. I expect I shall probably eat some popcorn and look at some catalogs while I watch.

Things at which I am bad but love doing anyway

(A tipsy comment about bowling is now a blog post, thanks to a suggestion from Carrie.)
Normally, I hate doing things at which I'm bad, or suspect I might be bad. But some things are just delightful no matter what, and here are four of them:


1. Bowling. I think I might have broken 100 once in my life, and that was surely an anomaly. On Saturday night, I got two strikes, but probably about eight gutters. I can usually get pins down now, unlike in my youth during which, when my youth group went bowling, I was the She-Ra of bowling only because I was so terrible (we were being ironic...get it?), but I'm no great shakes. Yet I love it and will continue to love it, especially if it means I can hear "I Kissed a Girl" and "Crank 'dat" for the first time, mixed in with "Ice, Ice, Baby."

2. Ice Skating. To be fair, I am not as bad as some people. I can usually stay up on my ice skates, can skate forward fairly steadily, and a tiny bit backward. When you grow up on a lake and it is the fashionable thing to have skating lessons, you will tend to pick up a little, but beyond that I can't do much. It is my dream to learn how to skate backward with the panache of a hockey player, or at least to learn proper backward crossovers.

3. Crocheting. I don't crochet much these days, but I go through stretches when that is all I want to do. The only problem is, I usually end up ripping out whatever I've done, because I forget to count, or can't see a stitch. Good times.

4. Painting. Like, art painting (I can paint a fascia board like I was born doing it). Yes, I'm terrible at putting paint to paper, and making something pretty, but the activity is so soothing to my mental state that I sometimes wish I had a little studio set up just for painting. Two apartments is probably enough, though.

Is it Tuesday?

Well, I just did my interview for my current job.
Yes, you heard me right. My contract is ending, and the director decided we'd all go through rehiring rather than renewing, in case we can get raises.
I did okay, I think, especially on the later questions. I screwed up the first question because it was about pedagogical/composition theory reading and faculty development. To be frank, I'm not doing any reading besides reviewing textbooks. I'm too busy reading Amelia Peabody mysteries and the faculty discussion list emails (which brought me as close to incensed last week as I've ever been about them).
Anyway, my interview was at 9:30 am on Tuesday.
On Monday, I woke up at 9:20.
You can imagine how I'm feeling just now.
I was going to take a nap, but I think I might press on (figuratively and literally, because I fancy me some French press-made coffee) and get some work done before then. We'll see how long I last. I have some essays to finish and two syllabi to write.

I would like to finish a dress tonight...I was finished with it, I thought, but something weird was going on in the back, and so I'm redoing the back, possibly several times, until I can get it to work. I had to make an 8 because that was the pattern, and the fit is weird in a few spots. Plus the zipper, which I had sewn in beautifully, is also interfering with the fit for some reason. I anticipate at least three hours trying to fix whatever is causing the problem. The rest of the dress is completely done and ready to go, because of course I couldn't tell the fit was going to be odd until it was finished. Fingers crossed that I can fix it without ruining it, because I've been meaning to make this dress (in black peachskin with small reddish and orangish flowers) forever.

While we're on the subject: Friends, I have a pattern that I particularly like, one that I've made two dresses with, one with gold and brown brocade/satin (for special occasions), and one with a print and satin sleeves. I really like the dresses and have been tempted to make another. Would that be weird? How many dresses in the same pattern is too many?

Veterans, I celebrate you, for giving me the opportunity to wonder about such unimportant things.

In case you were wondering...

...yes, yes I can fit into Girl's size 14-16 pajamas, purchased at Target last night.

I ended up with two sets: one a satiny set with the Cloud Nine pattern, and one that is pink, with kittens and the days of the week on them. Did I need two sets of jammies? No. But my resistance where pajamas (and shoes, which I also bought) is practically nil.
I am torn between embarassment and amusement about the whole pajama-buying incident.

This was clearly evident when I skulked through the girls' department, grabbed the jammies, and then walked as quickly as possible to the ladies' fitting room to try them on. I guess I'm proud that I can fit into the same size I could wear as a teen, and I am tempted to look at my old pediatrician cards to see when I reached the height and weight closest to my size now. There's also a certain amount of pressure to maintain this size, since I've done it up until now.

True, the jammies were just a touch short, but not really appreciably, and the top was actually just right. I don't expect looking in the girls' department will be a habit, but considering the size small and even XS in the misses' wear at Target is too big for me, and I have to shop in juniors most of the time, I may have a new strategy for when I want something and can't find it in ladieswear.

More rejected Facebook statuses

Abigail seems to have poured too much creativity into her classes and can't come up with an original post.
Abigail spent a very busy weekend grading papers and has been a slug since they were finished.
Abigail has been nursing headaches that make her teary-eyed.
Abigail found out today that she is willing to drive to Rossford, try on Girls' XL jammies, and buy them if they even remotely fit, so that she can replace her old Nick & Nora Cloud Nine jammies that basically fell apart from overwear.
Abigail's birthday is coming up. What will she be getting herself besides the aforementioned jammies?
Abigail is wondering if she will finally get up the whatever to find a new place to live next year. One that has good parking, wood floors, and no neighbors on the other side of the walls or ceiling.
Abigail has been trying to make a dress, but thanks to the aforementioned sluggishness, she has not made much headway.
Abigail, for once, did not freak out when she saw a house centipede, but as it was small and on the other side of the house, she does not think that's worth much applause.
Abigail did, however, write a charming searching for causes essay about house centipede phobia, during her classes, in like manner to a performing ape, while her students in turn worked on their essays. See prior note re: creative energy.
Abigail is changing the closet tonight, 70 degrees today or no. She is relieved at last to have clean clothes.
Abigail forgot to take the pork chops out of the freezer.
Abigail was wondering how hilarious Pushing Daisies would be tonight, then realized it isn't on. This is evidently a prime time to go to Target and purch some jammies.

Abigail, if she gave in to her Facebook status whims.

Abigail has a new favorite driving-radio song, entitled "North by North," by the Faded Paper Figures. She only heard part of it, but she got all calm and wanted to sing along.
Abigail was not pleased that the first morning she has to sleep in for a week began with the neighboring house's company using saws.
Abigail is wondering if she can avoid electrocuting herself while listening to the 11 pm hockey game while she takes a bath.
Abigail truly enjoys watching Falcon Brandon Svendsen play keep away with his puck handling skills, especially during penalty kills.
Abigail thinks she is developing a widow's peak...is this even possible?
Abigail is freaking delighted that her new office computer is actually (sort of--it seems to have trouble with song openings) playing her birthday CD from last year, because she almost broke her old computer's CD player with it when it refused to recognize the CD. "Is There a Ghost," "Harvest Moon," "Bitches in Tokyo," and "These Friends of Mine," you will be the first to arrive on my Shuffle. Get ready to be put on repeat, if I can get you to transfer.
Abigail has not seen the house centipede for a day, but is positive it will reappear tonight while she is relaxing in the bath and listening to the game, thus at her most vulnerable and least attentive.
Abigail has just wreaked havoc with her "Scared Straight: Anti-Plagiarism" program on an unsuspecting student.
Abigail is sizing up the revisions pile, which she forgot about, having only ten or so rough drafts yet to read, and is now brutally annoyed and considering whether the revisions ought to have a tragic accident involving her fourth-floor window and heavy rain.
Abigail spoke too soon about the CD, she reckons, but at least the player will let go of the CD. It seems more than willing to play "I Feel It All," interestingly enough.
Abigail is not looking forward to doing her job application this weekend. Duh.
Abigail wants to play with kittens.
Abigail feels like she really wants to buy something, perhaps one of those cute coats with the a-line-shaped bottoms (and if so, what color?), or maybe a shower radio.
Abigail needs to develop some pictures and write to her granny.
Abigail feels very annoyed indeed by some of the faculty discussion list commentaries.
Abigail resents the idea that a "university of this caliber" doesn't need "remedial classes" like ENG 110, particularly when many of the messages on the faculty discussion list are incomprehensible, or at the very least contain poor grammar and spelling.
Abigail also resents people who complain about clutter on the discussion list in a direct personal criticism, while simultaneously contributing to the clutter with said pointless attack, which was also wildly inaccurate.
Abigail has been storing a lot of animosity and irritation (read: is freaking out), which is why she feels the need to buy something.
Abigail wonders when she and Steve are going to find the time to shop for birthday outfits.
Abigail hearts Jensen Ackles, and about laughed her bottom off the couch while he did "Eye of the Tiger" last night. So when the show itself ends, people who DVR such things, don't stop watching. She also wonders if we are going to get a show by Jared Padalecki at any point.
Abigail is in the mood for a truly horrific Ghosthunters episode, something that gives her shivers and makes her scared to turn out the lights.
Abigail wonders if Grudge 2 is worth a look. Your thoughts?
Abigail mildly regrets getting back into the habit of playing Nabsicoworld MahJongg, and apologizes to her sister for potentially getting her hooked also.
Abigail has found this a super time for putting off work, but she expects she really ought to prepare for her next conference, and research some recipes for a project for tomorrow.

Oh, Indy...Again

So, I bought Kingdom of the Crystal Skull because, obviously, I want a complete collection, I have in the not-too-distant past been obsessed with Indy, and there are parts that I really liked. But as I was sort of watching it while doing some other things last night (like make pumpkin bread!), I realized that it is actually a movie that might improve with repeat viewings. I really enjoyed re-watching it, and some of the things that bothered me the first time did not bother me in the second round.
Plus that graveyard scene is pretty awesome. Scorpions.

PR Final Report

Dear You,
You have been very patient, for which I thank you.

I finally (!) got a chance to watch the PR finale last night, because I had the sense to look at the tv schedule and find out when I could record it, so I could watch it at my convenience.
In actual fact, I don't have very much to say that is different than my picture-based preview, except that it was good to watch the garments move in sequence. I liked looks in every collection, for instance:
From Kenley's, I liked the black dress with the high feathery collar, the floofy-collared green top (strangely, I can actually picture myself wearing that), and the cream dress with the painted flowers, because even though it was old fashioned, it's the old fashioned that I like. I did not care for a few of her Joan Crawford-esque looks. I feel like I have an advantage over the judges, actually, because they could only see her alleged derivatives, whereas I could see the collection from her perspective--and I still thought it was a third-place finisher.
From Leanne's, I liked both of her tan skirts, the white structured jacket, the aqua skirt (same material as her bridesmaid dress) with the white top (or was it a dress? I'm not sure), and the long gown in blue. I know people have picked on both her color scheme and their concern that she is overly into her architectural thing, but I think her inspiration was clear here, and I thought her garments were very sleek and interesting. She has a way of making fabric look like frozen cream or candy, but still making it move well. I really respond to that.
From Korto's, I liked her new tan dress with the puff sleeves--I actually thought that was one of the strongest pieces. I also liked the white silk pants suit, the short green dress, and the long green dress. I liked Korto's collection as a whole, and I respect what she does for the female curves. However, I also felt like a few of the pieces were a little less relatable--I hesitate to say "too ethnic" because that's not quite what I mean. But some of them felt like real African dresses rather than reinterpretations of that style. The outfits I liked felt like reinventions.
I'm not sorry Leanne won, but I would have been equally satisfied to see Korto win, and that's pretty cool. I actually liked that Tim Gunn was the judge; I know that there might be suspicions of conflict of interest, but aside from it being a nice challenge for him, I think it makes sense to have his input in the most important show of all.

I do wish these designers would practice their runway speeches--they always sound like someone just found them off the street and said, "hey, want to present a collection today?" Why? You know about this for months. Tell me a story, or give me some heart. I know when you're tired it's hard to come up with stuff, but I feel about this the way I feel about athletes giving interviews and using one dead sentence after another. I need more life than that.

So, there's one more hour opened up for me in my TV life. I think I will not watch Top Chef regularly on this go round, merely catching up with it in weeks I don't have a lot to do. This week, I'm grateful for the extra hour, because this kid is busier than ever.

Back in Action

It's okay, everyone, Kevin the Time Warner guy came over and fixed my cable yesterday, long before Supernatural (Dracula on a moped? Yes.). The problem? Well, evidently a "Road Runner only" filter was put on my line. It was marked with my apartment number, but clearly, since I do not in fact have their internet or phone service, this was a mistake.
As you can imagine, I will be catching up on Ghosthunters and Project Runway as soon as possible. I do know who won Project Runway, but I am anxious to see the process and hear the deliberations.
Kevin also said that the big kahunas are not telling them exactly why we do not have Fox right now, but what he has heard is that the networks are asking for money from the cable companies (evidently NBC did this with Buckeye recently), even though network TV channels are in fact free with an antenna, at least for a while. This is all very confusing and relevant to me only because I can't watch House or Fringe.
Anyway, thanks Kevin. And do take my advice on attending a college hockey game. It will change your mind.

A Little Vicarious Nostalgia

OK, go with me on this...
When I was at MSU, I was an Honors College student, but before I even got there, my sister was an HC student, and lived on an HC floor in Mason-Abbot. I met a number of her friends during sibling weekend and other activities, and they were always a little madcap and wildly smart. One of the people I met was Edric, and I was reminded of both the genius and the madcappery today when I was reading my sister's journal. She posted this video, and I'm reposting it here, because I think you should watch it. In it, Edric uses the groom's facility at the Kevin Bacon game to come up with a unique wedding gift, and his delivery is priceless. I laughed out loud, not because I know who Edric is, but because it is really that funny.

Also, Edric was known for putting up a "happiness board" on his dorm door for people to write up happy things. I was looking at the list, which is now posted online, and I think I actually remember part of the list from 95-96, and I certainly get some of the inside jokes, which is kind of alarming. Here is the list:
The Happiness List

PR: The Beginning of the End

In a magnificent effort to avoid the crap going on in my personal life, here is my input on the last two PRs. I know you were waiting, you patient public, you.

So, the nature challenge was scary, but also uplifting in a way, because it was pure inspiration. I did have a problem with some of the judging comments.
Jerell: Once again, the top of his dress is too short. I wish he'd figure that out. I found his design intriguing, and loved that sort of swish of color underneath, but the construction issues were really distracting. Things were just puckering at the bottom, and I really don't think that should be happening at this stage.
Kenley: To be honest, I think she would have been better off if she'd gotten off the snake reference and compared it to, say, a tiger lily...the sort of spotted petals some of them have might have been more compelling. I didn't mind the shape, though it reminded me a bit of a Barbie, but it was just a bit garish all together. It did feel costumey, which was one comment I agreed with.
Korto: I couldn't see eye to eye with the judges on this one. I really liked her dress. I might have liked to see some more fiery color in there, to match her flower, but I thought the dress was genuinely pretty and flattering, and not cliche at all.
Leanne: This dress was not my personal aesthetic, and I admit I was afraid she might go home because of the back of the dress. Tim did not mind that fabric back there, but I could understand the judges' concern with it. It seemed sort of stuck on. That being said, the rest of Leanne's construction is always immaculate, and she achieved a sort of confection without being saccharine about it.
As for the judges' cop-out, well, I don't care that much about it this year. No one had a slam dunk in this challenge, and based on the results of this week alone, I wouldn't have wanted to make that decision either. One could have made a case for any of them, and that's no one to determine who gets a whole lot of money.

On to the next, as Jay and Grant would say.
I did not realize that part of the finale challenge was a bridal gown--must have missed something of the parameters on my video tape. I like that, though. It's realistic, since so many collections have such a gown, and it was interesting to watch how the collection's vision was laced through the gown. And, while the designers were pissed, I loved that they then had to make a bridesmaid dress. Having been a bridesmaid twice, both times in pretty gowns, I can testify to the good thinking behind that challenge.
And--hear me out on this--I think the right three people are in the finale. I know Kenley is unpopular, but she definitely has a distinct point of view and I'm excited to see how her collection moves down the runway. I also love that she painted her fabrics. My bet is that I like the collection better in motion than in the still photos.
As for the gowns themselves:
Jerell's was simply too messy. I could see what he was after with the front, but the back was tragic. It looked like he'd clipped it the way they do when it's too big in the shop, when they're trying to see how it will look when it's altered. I really loved the color of his bridesmaid dress a lot, and actually liked the shape to it. I'm still not clear on why the judges disliked it so much. Something isn't translating.
Kenley's wedding dress was, as Kors pointed out I think, a fantasy, and I liked it for that. It showed gumption and drama. I dislike bubble skirts with a passion, though, and I don't think any bridesmaid on the planet would wear a dress that short. At least I hope not. I think the judges sort of forgot the wearability component of the challenge there.
I actually liked the pleating at the shoulders of Korto's gown, though I do think the fabric was a bit voluminuos for what she wished to do with the middle. I did agree with the judges that there were some relationship problems between the gown and the bridesmaid dress, but I think they made the right decision between her and Jerell--that's how strongly I felt about the back of that bridal gown. And, on a personal note, I was really touched by what she said about the other designers in this show.
While I personally would not wear the wedding dress, I think Leanne was the most successful in pairing two garments together. I really liked the bridesmaid dress and I think both garments fit in really well with her collection. She really seems to have control now of her architecturally inclined design elements.

So, the finale approaches. Should be good times. While I realize this may be a forlorn hope, I do kind of wish it could be personal dramaless, and focused on the fashion. I want it to be down to Leanne and Korto, as I mentioned before, but I really think this will be a chacun a son gout finale, and that excites me.

PR Follow-Up

I am in full support of Daniel V's PR blog this week--and also feeling like he and I shared a brain...note his vision for a better hip-hop outfit, and his comments about Jerell's look in particular. Oh, Daniel V. How I enjoy it when you agree with me.

PR: Countrifying Korto

I was nervous about this challenge because I didn't think the designers would handle it well. At least, I didn't think anyone but Jerell would handle it well, because that guy is just not perturbable. But I didn't think that only two of them would create something really good. Oh, well. Let's chalk it up to stress (which seems true if you saw all the runway tears they edited into next week's trailer!).

Jerell: There is no question that Jerell's look was pop. It looked expensive and met the challenge. I hope, in fact, that Kenley realized how many favors he did her, helping her realize that she does actually have a very nice body. That being said, I did not want Jerell to win this challenge for one major reason (and LL Cool J is also on my X list because of this): He leapt straight to skin and body showing. Yes, Brit is an example of a pop princess, and one can think of plenty of others that would wear less...but one can also think of examples that wear more and still look sexy and even over-the-top. I realize you have to convey a lot of information very quickly on the runway, and Jerell's styles have often been revealing, but I guess I might have been more interested if he'd found a more unique way to get us to know "pop" at first sight. In a way, it was more expected than Suede's look, though certainly better executed. Pop should not equal skin. Thus, for my own reasons I concurred with Jerell being in second. (The look also had overtones of Austin Powers' fembots--anyone else notice this? Just me? Okay.)
Kenley: Ouch. Did anyone else think it was weird when she was talking about sagging as "old school" hip hop and then was supporting the high-waisted jean like it was brand new? Girl was alive in the late eighties/early nineties, right? In my opinion, the high-waisted jean is a trend that should never, ever come back, at least not with skinny legs. I can understand how making a hip-hop outfit might be a struggle, but there's more to it than sagging, and I don't think putting Leanne in a pair of nonsagging pants with wide legs (like Michael's travel look a few seasons ago) would have been that much of a stretch, and may have even flattered Leanne. Hip hop dancers wear tons of classy clothes. I was, needless to say, completely disappointed in Kenley this week, in practically every way I can think of.
Korto: Much like Kelli in the first challenge, I thought Korto's efforts to make her materials more than they were was worthy of many extra style points. Her top, as Tim points out, was a little bland (though probably consistent with the average punker), but those pants were really incredible. Also, I have to give Suede major credit here for completely embracing the persona of the punk. He may be a classically trained musician and think of himself as a classicist, but dude's got blue hair in his everyday life, and it was pretty clear there was a punk waiting to come out. In any case, the look fit the client very well and completely met the challenge.
Leanne: I have to be honest...I didn't feel Leanne's look was cohesive. It wasn't the worst look on the runway by far, but as I was listening to the feedback both from Tim and from the judges, I realized I was seeing something different. Checks, purple, gold, and black? This is one of those times when fashion color coordination derails for me, as does style coordination. I know I tend a bit toward matchy-matchy, but still. I was a little flummoxed. I do think she did a beautiful job on that skirt, but I think a different style belt might have countryfied the look more, and maybe been more cohesive with the top. I knew Leanne would be in, I was just confused.
Suede: Suede's look was very 80s European synthpop to me, not rock and roll. It wasn't an ugly outfit, but it didn't fit the challenge, I thought. As someone on the show pointed out, it wasn't transformative. The pieces, neither singly nor together, did anything special. On a more positive note, the U-neck shirt might have been very interesting as part of a dance costume, for a modern piece.

So, it was a tossup for Kenley or Suede. Since I wanted Suede to go before because of poor runway showings, I was mentally voting for him, and for Kenley to go next week. As much as I would like an all-girl runway, I think Jerell has done some interesting work this season and I'd like him to get a third-place finish. (I'm not usually this specific, so it's a little weird.)
One more challenge!

Spoilers, sort of, not really

I've now sneak-peeked at the collection pictures on Bravo's website. I wasn't going to last year, and then I did, and I'm glad I did this year, too, because it actually makes me look forward to seeing the runway show more. I'm going to give my gut reactions here because they really fit with what I think of the designers' work after watching them all season--it's like they lived up (or down) to everything I already think. Here's what I saw, as vaguely as possible:
Suede...yikes. The garments in the photos look really poorly fit. The silhouettes are often unattractive as well. That dress he did with the strips of fabric back in the day was so sleek. What happened? Also didn't enjoy the "color story." It seemed like he wanted to go a little punk 80s, but never arrived.
Joe had a few cute pieces, but the collection as a whole was not cohesive at all. He was sort of all over the place, and I couldn't see the story he was telling. This was a "decoy" collection, but even so, I would have liked to see the collection better as a unit.
Kenley has some flower detailing that I like, though her overall collection doesn't work for me...it's a little too confectionary, rather than reeling that in and letting it emerge as a surprise with a few garments. Nevertheless, she did have several garments I liked.
I liked several of Jerell's looks a lot, especially the first dress shown in the pictures. But a few of his outfits have that old problem of looking messy to me. Creative, yes, but too many go overboard in the busy category and make my eyes hurt rather than making me want to put on the clothes. Also, they are all shiny fabrics again.
Leanne and Korto...I'm glad I looked at the pictures for this reason, too. They are my two favorites, and their collections are the ones I like the best. I would wear just about every one of Korto's garments, but Leanne also has some really innovative Leanne stuff that is unique and beautiful. Both of these shows look like ones I'd actually like to see in person, things I'd like to ahh over in Bryant Park if I ever went.
So, if you're feeling bummed about the season, consider going to the look book, because you may be like me and get a little excited about the final show.

On another note, I have caught the Rachel Zoe Project a few times on Tuesday; this isn't really my kind of show, but I have to say I kind of enjoy it. I think being a celeb stylist is an interesting job; not sure I'd want it, but I think Zoe would be an interesting person to shadow for a few days, as she picks out garments and jewelry and so on, and does fittings. This show is sort of a guilty pleasure.

And finally, Supernatural started last night, and I think we can all agree that we're in for some crazy business this season. Carrie and I were feverishly texting regarding the appearance of Sam and Dean, and the grossness of eyes being burned out of people's heads! When Sam made a body throw up a demon, I just kept saying "omg omg omg" in my head. I Die! as Rachel Zoe would say.

PR: Frustration again.

First, two notes:
1. The final six designers evidently all showed at Bryant Park, and there is a lookbook on the Bravo website if you want to see.
2. The Top Design episode last night with Project Runway alum was interesting. Jeffrey's design was fairly staid but was inspired by Blade Runner. The window wasn't warped enough, unfortunately, and one of those designers got cut. Sweet P's window team won, and it really did look pretty. Daniel Franco's team's window was also pretty good. Anyway, it was interesting to see the fashion design from a different angle, and I'm always interested in window design, especially since I did a little of that at Pier 1.

I am completely baffled as to why Suede is still on Project Runway after the last two weeks. Did not the judges call his garment horrendous this week? Did they not have nearly the same reaction as they did to Blayne's, in thinking what he did was almost comical, in a bad way? Sure, Joe's look was a little cliche and a little off in the sewing, but Suede's garment was completely out of control, and not attractive. WHY?

The clothes:
Jerell: I think Jerell did a nice job responding to his client. I accept that the client wanted androgeny, but I also think he didn't do her shoulders any favor. I have shoulders that tend to slump and are very narrow, and I frequently notice in pictures that whatever I'm wearing exacerbates the problem and makes me look thinner than I am. In his client's case, perhaps some posture lessons might have helped, but he could also have mitigated the issue. Note, once again, a shiny fabric, though this time more tasteful. All in all, this is the look I'd most likely wear myself. The look was a little formal (a point also made by Tim Gunn, who calls it cocktaily). Tim says that the hat Jerell was wearing was originally meant for the model, and asks us what we think about that. I was glad Jerell wore it.
Joe: Now, people have called Joe's look cliche for his graphic designing client. In some ways that's true, but I am here to tell you that ad design offices and many other graphic design scenarios are still looking for professional looks in their people. There are ways to dress that up, but I thought Joe's sin here was much less than Suede's, as I described above.
Now, was Joe's look great? No. It had flaws, and Joe was a bit single-minded in his approach; but, he incorporated a few more small twists that, as I noted, would be in keeping with a professional graphic design office that works with more conservative or formal clients. There was too much belaboring of a point that wasn't fully correct in Joe's case. I don't know what these people are expecting graphic designers to wear.
Kenley: I am done with Kenley's attitude. I have reached the point everyone else has, in other words. It's like having a boyfriend that seduces you with a few particular strong points, but then eventually, maybe long after others have figured it out, you just realize you can't change him.
I liked Kenley's dress. Not a big fan of the vest, though I realize that she was using it to make the look more officey. I would really like to see her do something truly outside her comfort zone, though.
Korto: I really liked Korto's jacket; it was pretty and original, and it had a great structure to it. The dress was kind of blah; the print was pretty, but the construction just looked a little boring. I was really glad Korto did well, though, because her jacket was my favorite piece produced.
Leanne: I liked Leanne's look on the runway better than I do in the still picture; however, I, like Tim Gunn, was baffled as to why she got such low marks. I didn't like the sleeve of the jacket, but I thought the look was very appropriate to this woman's job. When she took the jacket off, the judges seemed so much happier, but I think it looked less appropriate for her position--especially since some schools are too chilly. I remain convinced that the judges are often in a fantasy world about what they think a job or an experience entails (as in the prom challenge last time around!) and lack the experience themselves to know anything about it. I also applaud Leanne for listening to her client's troubles and editing her design carefully so that it still spoke of her aesthetic but met the client's needs. Her model looked adorable.
Suede: I can't say enough bad things about this look, and I'm not normally like that. It looked like a costume from the movie Toys, but a poorly made one. The fit of that jacket was terrible, and at this stage of the game for me, that is a more horrendous problem than something that is a little overdone. Bleh.

In other TV news, Supernatural starts up tonight. Dean, come back from hell!

ps

By the way, if you like Project Runway you might want to check out Top Design tonight at 10 pm on Bravo for a crossover episode. A few PR alum, like Jeffrey, Santino, and Andrae, are having window designs based on a fashion creation.
Good times.

PR: One of my new worst episodes ever

There is so much dreadful stuff happening "out there" right now, touched on by my other dear friends in their blogs. But I just spent two days in the company of my beloved niece (and sister and brother and parents, of course), and am relishing those memories as my week gets busier, and I'm going to try to keep a glow for at least another day and a half.
So, business as usual, about PR last week...
Boo. It's well known that I hate episodes where designers come back. There is literally no point to it except to create artificial drama, and I don't like that one bit. As an additional problem, I don't "get" much about avant garde fashion. For me, avant garde is French for "trying to hard" or "self-conscious," which I also don't like. Now, sometimes I enjoy learning about what avant garde is. Last year's avant garde team challenge was actually pretty interesting. This year, it just bothered me. So much so that I saw only part of the episode, caught up on what the challenge actually was with a quick view of the beginning, and feel no need to watch the whole thing.
First, let me say that Suede should have gone home. I know that Terri didn't work well with Keith. I know that there were some problems with her garment, and I learned from Tim's Take that Terri's outfit looked worse at the party, which I didn't watch (somehow it makes me even more mad, since she did some editing that showed she was listening to criticism). But Suede has been a consistently weak performer, this week included. It made no sense. It's one of those times when credibility is lost.
Blayne: He deserved to go. The design was hideous, and if anyone has ever had questionable taste at any moment on the show, it is Blayne with this outfit. My eyes! My eyes!
Jerell: For me, Jerell is just a little too tied to shiny fabrics. Many of his designs look like they are employing lame', and despite certain of my perferences as a teen, I'm not that fond of the look now. I respected Jerell's skirt, am ambivalent about the sweater, and am not at all fond of the blouse.
Joe: I actually liked the look of Joe's outfit, though Tim says that Daniel had a very large role in its execution. It looked a little couture and wearable, and I liked the color story. Put a pair of wings on it, and it might be an Amy Brown fairy picture. Things said about the "team" dynamic turn me off, though.
Kenley: No one seemed to understand Kenley's design. While I don't get the Aquarian angle, I do see what she was going for with the dress. I'm not sure what that says about me, but I see a power struggle between sweetly feminine and uber-strong and severe. Tim called it cartoonish, but I prefer to think of it as caricature, maybe even of Kenley herself. I don't care much for the color story, and I'm enormously tired of bubble skirts, but I as I said I "got" what she was after and could interpret it in my own way. The fact that no one else seems to be able to is perplexing, to say the least. I was sitting there thinking people were being prejudiced against "getting" Kenley or didn't want to see the look. I just don't know.
Korto: I'm not really a fan of this design. Normally I'm all about blues, but sometimes I feel like Korto's color choices are not refined enough. On my TV (and computer screen) at least, they end up looking a little less expensive than I feel they ought (same trouble with the yellow last week). The look had some interest, but not enough.
Leanne: I didn't "get" Leanne's look. Tim and Daniel loved it, so I'm guessing there is something about it that doesn't translate on TV. Maybe if I'd seen the construction, I might have seen better how the thing came together, but I just wasn't with it onscreen. I like the dark red and the black together for Scorpio, and I like the thought of an exoskeleton, and I like that Leanne and Emily got to work together, but in the end...I just don't know. Can anyone help me? It certainly wasn't my pick to be auf'd, but I didn't fully understand.
Suede: I felt like Suede was designing for Aladdin's bride. The look was costumey, the proportions were strange, and the back piece was incomprehensible. Suede should have gone home.
Terri: Editing was a problem for Terri in this challenge, and the color story here was also a little weird. Unlike Suede, though, I could see what Terri was after, and I liked some of the structural elements.
As you can see, this episode bothered me on multiple levels, and left me confused in a manner similar to Blayne's design. I can't even talk about it anymore, I'm so annoyed.

So, based on who is left, I want Leanne and Korto in the finale and don't really care about the last spot or two.

This week's consumer plug

A story demonstrating why you should shop at Best Buy in Rossford:
So, as some of you know, I'm getting a new computer in my office, and due to the transferral process from old machine to new, and all its myriad complications, I decided to get an external hard drive, since I don't have a truly functional computer at home anymore, and storing things just in the office environment suddenly seemed dumb.
I have had no time to work on this. The deadline is Monday.
I was feeling panicky on Wednesday night, latish, so I did something I would never do otherwise, and went to Wal-Mart. They were nice to me there, but their selection was ridiculous, and evidentally they've had some things stolen because they were out of what I needed even though the records said otherwise. I toyed with the idea of traveling to the next closest Wal-Mart, but I wasn't feeling well and I knew that the lateness of the hour was probably going to make me make a bad decision and get something that didn't fit my needs.

Instead, I chose to wait and head up to Best Buy in Rossford on Thursday after a long day of teaching and conferences. I got some McDonald's, hit the highway, and arrived at a clean, cheerful store, bustling with activity even though it wasn't really that crowded. I looked at what turned out to be a vast selection of drives, felt bewildered, and then walked out to an open space to wait for someone to ask me if I needed assistance. Ordinarily, I like to do things myself, but I have no experience in this particular item, and I wanted input.
I ended up with a gal who first went to get another option, an online file service that would hold 25 gigs, and then we together perused the drives, ranging from 160 gigs to 1 terabyte. I told her my situation, and she listened patiently and provided advice. We picked me out a MyBook from Western Digital and discussed the reviews it's had and how popular it is. Now the great thing is this: The 119 dollar item, 320 gigs, was on sale for 80 bucks. I felt confident that she wasn't trying to scam me; she listened to my price concerns and my needs, and as she correctly pointed out, probably any of the items would work just fine for me, but this one was on megasale, and she's never had one returned.
Then, she came with me when I went to pick up a new flash drive. The 4 gig model was also on megasale, so I grabbed one of those. Do I need that much space to store my poetry? No, but I feel like I now have some other storage options. She walked me to the checkout and told me about the MyRewards program. I don't know if I was just feeling relief or goodwill because of McDonald's or what, but I decided to join. But then, halfway through the line, I realized I wanted to look at irons, since mine has stopped steaming and leaks on me. Back she went with me to the small appliances, where she introduced me to Stephanie, who has one of the irons they sell and loves it (she bought one for her grandmother, but then decided she wanted it and had to buy another). The three of us plus the autotech guy had quite a chat about crockpots, their recipes and new liners, and about toaster ovens. I also picked up the iron. It was more expensive than I might usually get, but I also reasoned to myself that I am sewing a lot and really do need a good iron.
Those three items together? About 150 bucks. That's all.

I have had my share of good and bad shopping experiences, and I really felt like this was a great one. I was helped well, by friendly people, and I ended up with what I think are some good products. I am anxious to work with the MyBook today and get things reorganized, but amazingly, I don't feel daunted, after weeks of stress about the whole thing.
So, cheers, Best Buy in Rossford. You rock.

PR: 00-Diane

This will be a quickie about last week, since I'm behind.
Blayne: Gah! What is up with those hideous pants? I was intrigued by the jacket; however, those pants were clownish and ruined the coat's ability to be taken seriously.
Jerell: I liked Jerell's jacket, too...I liked the blue stripe in the sleeves. As I often feel with Jerell, though, the look didn't cohere for me at all. When he's on, he's on, but when his pattern/fabric choices are off they are way off and we end up with awful.
Joe: Joe is an interesting case. I didn't get his outfit at all. The individual pieces were interesting, but I'm not sure on what planet they would go together. I actually liked the backless "cinnamon" top (that's not cinnamon from where I'm sitting, but that's what they called it), but concurred with the judges that construction fell apart in the back. No matter what, I'm not sure how hot fuschia was supposed to go with his top. Bleh.
Kenley: I'm glad that Kenley stuck to her guns, and I'm glad that she was more human this week. I didn't love her dress. I have fairly specific tastes in prints, and her tastes and mine do not seem to line up much. But she met the challenge and put together something stylish.
Korto: You know, everyone seemed really gung-ho about Korto's design, but I didn't care for it. I really didn't enjoy that shade of yellow for one thing, and I didn't really see how that dress would fit in any of the places they mentioned the spy as traveling. In a different garment that shiny print might be nice, but I just couldn't see this dress as fitting the challenge.
Leanne: How completely proud of Leanne am I? Her look was intelligent and sleek, and I loved the combination of that jacket and the dress, both of which I now want in my closet. Pretty colors, sweet fabric choices, and believable as part of Diane's collection. I also thought she was funny during the episode, pretending to be a spy (well cut, editors!). Honestly, I felt like this garment was designed for me. She totally deserved this win.
Stella: On Tim Gunn's blog, it has been increasingly obvious that he wanted her gone--and Tim is not usually like that. He just completely dismissed her after the first couple of weeks. I didn't mind that Stella had a little cape, but the construction of this issues cannot be overlooked. Yes, it is difficult to get different fabrics to mingle in fitted vests. But this really looked like a school project (did someone say that about this outfit? Or was that about Suede's?) and I am glad that Stella is finally able to go back to what she does and didn't want to stop doing even for a minute.
Suede: Suede missed the mark. The dress was kind of pretty, but like Korto's choice, I didn't think it met the concept of the woman they were all designing for. It didn't tell the right story. Much like Blayne's pants, I find the vest Suede created to be completely incomprehensible. It was poorly shaped for the garment and the color story hit my eye badly.
Terri: Terri's coat was pretty bold and seemed well constructed, and I might want her pants for me. On the whole, though, I didn't feel inspired by this look. It didn't have anything original to set it apart.
That's all I got! I have to go read essays now. And buy an external hard drive.