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.

From the dept. of my weird dreams

If you're wondering whether I had a long, kerrrrazy, Supernatural-related dream last night, the answer is yes.

I wish I could remember more of it--something about an old hag trying to lock us up (I think there was some Elizabeth-Peters-novel-before-bed stuff mixed up in here), and we escaped. The building was like a lavish hotel on one side, like a church basement where we got trapped, and then when we escaped we came out through an abandoned storefront in a mall. One of the stores in the mall was selling incredibly ritzy clothes, and of COURSE Dean had to go look at mad expensive leather jackets. Since the store was also selling perfect cancan style feather plumes, I didn't care too much. I wanted a pink one.

All I know is, I was Sam for a while, but then later I somehow was a woman wholly unrelated to either of them. I think it's because I wanted to make out.

PR: Saturn Guts

So, as a Saturn owner, I don't mind saying that I was cringing as soon as I realized Saturns were involved in this challenge; given the way the designers tore apart their apartments one season, I was reluctant to watch them do the same to the cars. However, the cars were simply stuffed with the kinds of things that are on/in Saturns...at the same time, this made the whole mysterious adventure of going to the parking garage and seeing the cars lined up end with an anti-climax. Also, while I realize Saturn is a big sponsor, I'm not sure they were the best choice for the challenge, since the colors employed within the cars are not super-varied (for instance, all the seatbelts seemed to be tan, which is what I have in my car). I suppose many car brands would be the same, but I might have liked to see more color anyway.
I do like innovation challenges, and I did feel like the designers learned a lesson from challenge 1...most of them. So let's see what they did.

Blayne--I liked Blayne's idea, and also liked that he was trying to do something a little less over-the-top. And while I do not normally enjoy embellishment, I liked that he took that extra step to decorate his garment with the glass. But that sort of unfitted fitted top really only works with lighter materials so that there's a sort of float to it. The seatbelts were so firm that he had uneven bunching instead. Not so pretty. Blayne himself was significantly less weird this week, which was nice.
Jerell--I have to say I hated the hairstyling Jerell chose for his garment. However, I liked that he was thinking of the decoration of his garment, in terms of his pairing of the plastic things and the inset vinyl or whatever it was. Much like the cocktail challenge, I felt like his garment was too small all around, though it seemed well made and sassy.
Joe--Something struck me as a bit wrong about Joe's garment and I can't quite put my finger on it. It might be fit...I love that splash of red, but the garment seems a little baggy to me, or insufficiently tailored.
Keith--Keith's garment also suffered from a poor fit. From the front, in the picture, it doesn't look too bad, but I recall that on the runway it didn't move very well and looked a little shapeless in parts that should have been shaped. The back was a disaster...I was actually surprised when the model turned around because it looked like the back of a completely different outfit, and was very haphazard. I sympathize with the rip problem, but that wasn' t what tore the look for me. The back of the top was more horrible. I felt like Keith was hampered by his handling of the judges' criticism. I can also sympathize with his wanting to please them, but ultimately it's finding what about your aesthetic you can adjust--not change outright, but adjust--in order to bump up the taste level. Witness his outfit for Brooke Shields. It was his aesthetic, but refined. I don't think he ever understood the distinction. The designers need to show the judges they are listening and learning, not that they are changing who they are to fit the judges. It's a big difference. I actually think Keith's auf-ing was related heavily to how he handled himself on the runway, at least from what we saw. (Tim is sick that Keith went home, btw--he finds Stella incomprehensible.)
Kenley--I liked that Kenley sort of created her own design; it reminded me of what Kelli did with those coffee filters in challenge 1. On the whole, the look didn't fully come together for me, mainly in proportion of the skirt, but the creation of the zebra print was an interesting move that I support.
Korto--Korto is so good at coming up with wearable designs, no matter what her materials. She also has a distinctive point of view, one that leads her to produce very structural garments that look like they came from the same mind. I have to confess I like that her garments are so often voluminous...it's so much better than the cheap-looking ubershort outfits that keep popping up, and is more realistic for an actual woman. It's an important characteristic of her aesthetic and makes me want to see what she'd do for a whole collection. I think it would be really beautiful.
Leanne--Leanne has grown on me. I really loved the design she did on the top of her top, with the frayed belts...that interesting spiky wave effect was really clever and I'm still not sure how she did it. Her look was brave and avant-garde, and I was not at all sorry to see her win. Her look wasn't my favorite, but she totally deserved this, and I hope it's a confidence boost for her to make her more amazing. In his blog, Michael Kors says, "She found a way to take something ridiculous and actually make it covetable..." which I think summed up this look perfectly.
Stella--Oh, Stella. I actually thought the skirt was kind of cute, if not well fit. I, like the judges, had trouble with the top with that skirt. I was glad she wanted to do something pretty as a different line for her, but surely there must be a way to do so from within her aesthetic? If the top had been more fitted, more vestlike, it might have been a cute workday outfit, but as it was, things didn't cohere.
Suede--Suede's garment was a little too B-movie futuristic sci-fi for me. It was sassy (and sparkly like a holiday), but when it came down the runway I remember thinking that it didn't have enough oomph for the win. Just not quite enough danger for an innovation challenge.
Terri--Terri went back to her street aesthetic look this week. I actually thought those pants were pretty cute. Both elements of the garment looked like something you might pick up in an edgy store, but the pants looked more expensive.

So, next week Diane von Furstenberg gets in on things. I like her, and hope the strain the designers showed in the preview at least leads to some fabulous garments. My mental top three or four has definitely taken shape since about two weeks ago, so we'll see how things go.

You're In/You're Out

Following are my top and bottom 5 PR episodes of all time...I think. I had to comb back through some blogs to remember my thoughts on some of them. Favorites are generally based on both the results and the challenges themselves, producing synergistic enjoyment. Least favorites made me angry or annoyed for some reason, or were boring. I have also completely left the finale fashion shows out of the mix, because the final runway shows are always exciting.

My Top 5 PR Episodes:



Grocery Store, season 1

I love this episode not just for the challenge, which sort of established the PR "way," but also because when I think about it I feel a little excitement, like the Earth is new. Rose-colored glasses and whatnot.

Postal Uniform, season 1

I loved the idea of completely revamping a truly everyday and almost invisible element, and I loved the results of a couple of the designers--it gave you the feeling like PR could change the world.

Garden Party, season 2

How can you not love designers creating things with plantlife? Despite their difficulties, some of the designers knocked out truly amazing dresses.

WWE, season 4

I lovedlovedloved Jillian's results for this challenge, but it was also fun and relatively dramaless. The drama had its proper place, rather, in the challenge itself. Also, one of my favorite lines ever: Thank you, Spandex House!

Drag Queens, season 5

Fun, madcap, and with a lot of great results.



My Bottom 5 PR Episodes:



Makeovers, season 2

Some truly tragic results here. This episode made me feel bad, and I don't like that. Kara and Chloe both managed some good results for Santino and Nick respectively, but in all this was very disappointing.

Trash challenge, season 3

The result of this episode (the ousting of Alison) made me feel genuine outrage, and I considered quitting PR with this challenge, and several of those following this season, as noted below.

Everyday Woman, season 3

This should have been such a glorious episode, but instead there were tears from clients and ill will, and the results from some of the designers were truly horrible. I'm sorry, but you just don't mess with people's moms.

Black & White, season 3

I wrote in my blog that this was a truly wasted effort. While Laura won, which was good, I really felt like my time got robbed this one. The shenanigans in response to the "no wasted fabric" element and the bringing back of Vincent and Angela were ridiculous.

Denim, season 4

There are probably episodes I disliked more than this one, but it stands out in my mind as being kind of dull, and its results dubious. I'm generally not a fan of denim outfits in general; I like jeans and the occasional mini-skirt, but I associate denim other things with the 80s and 90s and had trouble getting around that.

PR Follow-Up

Well, not only was this drag queen episode one of the best ever Project Runway challenges, but it also sprouted some of my favorite comments from my colleagues, especially on the Joe vs. Terri issue, and the issue of listening to helpful advice. Also, if you haven't checked out Hedda's blog courtesy of SECP, do so. I don't like giving this particular queen more hits, but if you ever have a chance to see her show, maybe this will put you off.

SECP also asked what my top five favorite PR episodes are, which is a great question to which I will be devoting some thought over the next few days. What a good distraction from work! :)

PR: In which Terri gets robbed.

How Jem-Totally-Outrageous was drag queen Project Runway? Yet in the guest-judge blog on PR's website, RuPaul notes: "The biggest misconception about drag queens is that they want to be women. It's more of a celebration of personal freedom, color, texture, and humor." This suggests that, as much as this is about big life, big color, big comedy, there is also to be a sense of the raised eyebrow challenge about the whole thing. A sense of the wry "wink-wink."
Now, I don't know if I could actually hang out with a drag queen. I'm not generally a "big" person (a person who seems to take up the room not in size but in personality/ego), and while I can get crazy or temporarily take on the bigness, I feel uncomfortable that way and with people who are that self-concious. I don't mean self-conscious in the traditional sense, but in the pure sense that this is all put on. Literally, a drag queen must be completely conscious of the put-on self and display it all. I can take it in small doses (like, say, temporarily being around typical "theater people" when I was in Evita), but at that level I couldn't manage it. It's not disgust or hatred, as I think some feel about drag queens, and it's really nothing to do with a man dressing like a woman (I think Dame Edna is hilarious). It's more I get the feeling I want to, depending on the persona, roll my eyes or cringe, or even just leave for a very, very quiet place, in response to the hugeness. It's just not that funny to me. I feel the same way about clowns, and often masks in general. As my mother might recount, when I was a kid I was always looking for what was inside the giant costume in the mall. Right, Mom?
I think some of the designers were the same, and we were able to see those who could adapt to that feeling and get past it, and those who couldn't. The results were awesome TV.
Blayne--Blah. And when I say Blah, I don't mean that it wasn't colorful, because it certainly was, but there wasn't really anything clever or unexpected about this look. It looked like a backup's costume from The Birdcage. It should look like it belongs to a headliner!
Daniel--I was so ready for Daniel to go this week, and I felt the judges made the right decision. There was nothing even remotely drag about his dress; in fact, from conception to fabric to execution I kept thinking, "I've seen that exact dress in a dance costume catalog before." It had no personality.
Jerell--I was actually surprised that Jerell got called out so badly this week. Granted, the proportion of his dress wasn't great. I was really impressed with the views I saw before the runway show, because I couldn't actually see the dress. The collar (minus the fringe) was clever and the whole thing seemed vibrant (Tim points out the color problem with the model's face, which I do understand). Yes, the dress was either too long or not long enough (imagine that collar with a long cutaway dress, which is what I thought he was doing when I first saw the top part). But I really thought Blayne would be in the bottom three instead of Jerell. Daniel V. had a good point in his blog, that the look didn't fit his model's personality, which I thought at the time and forgot about. It was "too loud" for what she projected. So maybe he did deserve to be in the bottom 3 on that challenge parameter.
Joe--Yes, Joe did a good job, and he actually fit that jumpsuit really well, which had to be difficult. Yes, Varla was delighted. But someone who commented on one of the blogs had it right on the money, in that if Varla hadn't helped Joe with that collar, this could have been a disaster. Joe, you got saved by your model this week. I am glad Joe is doing better, and he did what I mentioned above; while this was completely outside his comfort zone, he found a way to deal with it (in this case, pretending it was a Halloween costume).
Keith--I didn't think Keith's outfit was all that bad, but I could see what the judges were saying--especially seeing it in the still shot on the website. In motion, it looked fine; very Tina Turner. It had a punk element that I didn't find inappropriate, but it didn't really have a drag vibe to it, and I kept thinking that with a little more restraint in the top and with a smooth black skirt, you'd have an interesting club outfit (evidently, acc. to Tim, RuPaul said she/he would wear this dress).
Kenley--Kenley's outfit was safe this week. It looked nice and had body and a definite drag flavor about it. But it wasn't super-special, either. It suited her model's persona, but Kenley also suited her model's persona. I don't think she challenged herself this week, just wanting to make something beautiful. (Daniel V's blog is totally with me on this one, as he often is, in a creepy way.)
Korto--Korto also got saved a little this week by Chris' suggestion to make the skirt removable. The result was something a lot more effervescent and more classic, if that can be said about a drag dress. I also liked what she said about fitting full-figured people. She was very realistic about it and welcomed it, which was good to hear. I also think she did well in providing a fully realized vision, one that was conistent, which she has struggled with in the past. It wasn't my favorite garment, but it met the challenge.
Leanne--Leanne kind of picked herself up this week. She's still a little frumpy in the workroom (and I don't mind that, since I'm that way, too), but dolled herself up for runway things. Someone said something about Suede's dress being Jetsonish, but I thought Leanne's was more. Not that this is a bad thing. It was a lot like Kenley's situation in result--it met the challenge and had some structural elements to it, and it was styled well. It didn't feel like a winner, though. (Tim thought it should be in the top 3).
Stella--If Stella's model were a goth Scottish chick, I think this would have been perfect. I didn't really get an idea of what her drag queen's persona was. I think I need to watch the rerun and see how she introduces herself. I had a problem with the weird plaid flap in the front of the dress, how it hangs down below the lacing. Surely that could have been done better, like maybe hoist and gather the dress up higher with the lacing? And then have a valance effect with the plaid hanging down a bit? That flap was just sort of incomprehensible to me. I liked the back of the dress, though ultimately I didn't get a truly drag feel out of this look. It was almost too understated, which feels strange to say about Stella.
Suede--What a strange battle between Suede and Hedda Lettuce. I thought Suede's glove idea was cute, and it made the outfit more interesting. I didn't follow what the problems with the dress itself were, or what was fixed. On the whole, it was simply safe to me, it didn't stand out.
Terri--As I said, Terri got robbed. I know Joe's outfit was good and made sense, but Terri's look was practically monumental. Kabuki drag queen? Yes! You could see on her face that she felt she should have won, and while I would ordinarily be annoyed by that, she was totally right this time. What does she have to do to catch a break? Hang in there, Terri. You are doing a great job.
Daniel V. points out that the look was a bit too androgynous, which is an interesting point, but I really liked that it took drag in a different and less expected direction, which fit her client's needs. Femininity isn't just about big boobs and hips! And she was wearing a bustier anyway, for heaven's sake! Did it look more like a costume or a drag costume? That's a tough call, but as I said, I like the idea that a drag costume could go in a new direction. Tim says he and Terri had a fight about this look, and he doesn't like the "discordant" nature of the white with the red corset. I'm sorry, Tim--have you ever seen Kabuki makeup? I am totally on board with this outfit, and I will defend that position.

Finally, I like that these outfits are being auctioned off for charity. That's a great touch. Next week? Cars.

Good Times--It's Neat!

Things have been a little wild at Avaciousworld. Wild for me, anyway.
I went to a fabulous party last night, full of cute children and chili/gazpacho/cornbread/melon/pie/etc. eating, Olympics, and sorbet. That's right, sorbet-- knowing that Carrie was making pie (peach and cherry, to be exact), I decided to put together some sorbets--just some fruit, simple syrup, and a blender, that's all you need. Pie is always good on its own, but I wanted to bring something to the table that would go well with it and be different. I think it went pretty well--especially the ones I put alcohol in :) Some might find that putting sorbets together is a nuisance, but it's actually pretty easy, and easy to make it to your own taste.
Anyway, I talked, laughed, helped small children get up and down the steps, and ate too much. I also got a little angry about technology and drank some pink champagne. Goodtimes.

How great were Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin on beam, and Jonathan Horton on high bar last night? USA! USA! I also totally forgot about the champions gala. I'm not sure how that's going to work out with Project Runway (drag queens, remember!) and the Ghosthunters International season finale. Guess who's not doing anything productive tonight!

Time to get to work. I have four things on my to-do lst today, and would be completely over the moon if I can finish them all.

More Olympics Miscellany

As bad as I felt for Alicia Sacramone, who got robbed on vault, in Bela's words, my heart broke for Cheng Fei on floor exercise last night. Her routine is my favorite--I love the unique choreography and the homage to Chinese theater, and her execution in the team finals was perfect. I thought it was much better than the other Chinese girl's that everyone was fawning over all week. While I wanted US on top in that apparatus, I wanted Cheng Fei to get a medal. So sad. Oksana Chusovitina's vault medal, though? Awesome.

A good sport to watch if you simply love camaraderie, and the thrill of actually finishing at all, is the triathalon. The first US woman crossed the line fourth, and she was beaming all over. But even further down, way out of medal contention, the women crossing were often waving to the crowd and looking delighted. Considering the Canadian's broken wrist earlier, I guess that's no wonder.

Carrie and I were talking the other day about how men's volleyball is kind of boring. I like the beach for men's, but I watched today's indoor match with interest, trying to figure out why it's not exciting (which seems paradoxical). I think it's because there isn't much real digging or hitting the floor. You're either by some miracle in front of the ball or you're not. It's too much muscling and not enough finesse. I'm sure there's skill involved, but at times it looks like dumb luck--and the appearance of the sport is often more important than the actuality.

I have kind of a problem watching high-pressure situations. I usually look away during vault competitions, and pommel horse, and just watch the replay. I wish I'd been looking away with some of the other mens' routines--I thought someone was going to be killed during the all-around. So, you might very well wonder what I was doing during Michael Phelps' final swim, and the answer is that I was walking around my very small front room and peeking at the screen when it seemed safe. It's a miracle I went to sleep that night.

Have I mentioned how much I like that the equestrian events are co-ed? I really appreciate that component, and I think there are more sports that should go that route. I know badminton has mixed doubles, and one or two others. But why, for instance, have shooting and archery separated by gender? It's just silly.

Still crossing my fingers for some synchro and rhythmic gymnastics footage!

PR: Appropriately, associated with lipstick

I finished my syllabi for the first four weeks of my classes, which means I get to do my PR post...that's right, I'm bribing myself to work with blogging about fashion. Actually, I am looking forward to getting lots of handouts and lessons taken care of so I can relax a little next week.
And, as a side note, there are few things more frustrating than knowing that your lips will react to your lipstick (having done so on command a few times), knowing that your back has reacted to a chemical that is in your lipstick (namely, propyl gallate), but not having your back or your arms react to your lipstick. I'm chalking it up to skin thickness and sensitivity, but who knows? It really is a nuisance. But I have a new lipstick, which seems to be okay, and I'll be testing the one Outlast type that doesn't contain gallates on Saturday-Sunday. It is worth noting that, if that one works okay, I'll be able to purchase it in a color called "Tutu."

On to the fashion!
I admit that, with GHI and the Olympics going on, I was worried about catching PR. I did, in fact, miss a few minutes here and there, like the first two outfits of the runway show. I saw enough, though, and of course the PR website has the pictures.
I have made no secret about the fact I don't care much for team challenges. I understand the use of it, and I think pairs challenges are better than the en masse "make a collection" groupings, but I still am not super-thrilled. Ah, well. It was time, I guess. Did anyone notice that all the teams were boy-girl? I wonder how that happened.
Blayne, with Leanne--I did think that Blayne's pieces were a little mundane, but I also think he made a bad styling choice. He didn't show what the outfit would actually look like at work, as he did when he showed it to Tim, so the transition from day to night was completely lost. I don't think that the outfit showed boho chic, either. I liked the colors, though not together, and the whole thing just didn't come together. I missed Blayne's pitch to Brooke Shields, and I'm baffled on why she picked him to be a leader. (Also note that for the second time I get a Victoria's Secret catalog vibe from Blayne!)
Jerell, with Stella (bobbarella)--Okay...personally, this look didn't appeal to me. It's too busy, and while Brooke liked the colors, I'm not sure I did. I also didn't really feel like the look would work for the workday or for evening, but maybe more for the ladies who lunch or for shopping. I don't live in a lipstick jungle, though, so what do I know? I am a little confused on why Kelli was busted for leopard print, but Jerell's skirt and belt tie looked jungly and he escaped criticism. Oh well. Anyway, lucky Stella this week, no? I did like watching these two work together. They got along well.
Keith, with Kenley--You know, Keith has really come on for the last two challenges. His oufit was my favorite this week. I really liked that skirt, and while I personally probably wouldn't wear that print (but definitely not the print Kenley was gunning for--girl, what are you thinking?), I liked the transitional design of the top, which was clever. I think this pair unexpectedly worked well together in execution, and their finished outfit was definitely TV worthy. While Tim is skeptical of the day-night move, I think it could be achieved with the top's changeability and a hairdressing shift. Easy. I don't want to talk about Kenley this week because she was completely bizarre.
Kelli, with Daniel--This pair was doomed. I really liked the color of that greeny-blue offset in the jacket, and as I believe Brooke pointed out, the shape was interesting. But Kelli's work has been all over the place since her creativity of the first challenge, and Daniel's weird attitude combination of Eeyore and snobbery is really getting to me. I, like Nina, have not seen evidence of his so-called "high fashion" design--only the attitude. Alas, I was hopeful for Kelli and her Ohioness, but leopard print? Really?
Korto, with Joe--This is a look I didn't get a look at on the runway. While I do not think the shirt looks like a giant sweet potato, as Tim said in the design phase (he's getting snarky this season, no?), I don't think it fit the challenge. It was eyecatching, and might be interesting as the "pop" piece in a travel ensemble with a pair of pants (the piece you bring that is completely impractical but which cheers you up and gets you some attention in the midst of your trip, like when you finally buy a real dinner at a real restaurant...am I the only one who does this?). The skirt was bland, though. (Actually, Tim's Take informs me this was a dress and overshirt. Hmmm.)
Terri, with Suede--I feel like this was Terri designing for Terri. While not unattractive, I don't think the outfit reached the sophistication level necessary--the "expensive look" that Brooke spoke of. Her model also did a very unattractive job of demonstrating how the sleeves can sit on the shoulders, not just off them. I think this might have gone better on the shoulder with a cute vest for work, then off the shoulder and no vest for going out. A different neckline, in other words. Almost like a ruffly cowl. I don't know what you call it, to be honest. Anyway, I didn't dislike the look, but I didn't see it for this show--even though I've never seen it. Also, I don't know why Terri insisted that Suede do that top, even when he expressed discomfort. She knew he could do it, but...I don't know, the whole thing seemed off. And if they'd been called out, it would have been easy for Suede to call Terri out on poor leadership. Bad dynamics.

With all that said, who's ready for drag queens next week?

Invisibility Cloaks and Olympics Miscellany

An update on cloaking technology. Good times. Bring on the Klingon Birds of Prey!

Re: World Records, I feel completely sorry for this guy. I don't know what alternate universe of Olympics he's been in; maybe it's different when you see events in person. But I've been watching quite a bit of the swimming and have watched the little green WR line moving with the swimmers on NBC, and every time a swimmer is looking to beat the WR mark, it gets pretty exciting. It's true that a lot of World Records have fallen at these Olympics, in lots of different events, but swimming's rules and such have only been in place since 1908, according to olympics.org. The sport has changed dramatically in 100 years. Running has grown in technology also, but its rules have been well established for much longer than swimming. The different type of growth in the sports would certainly lead to different world records changes. But back to feeling sorry for the man, he seems very jaded and inaccurate, and I hope they don't have him do any more coverage of swimming.

Re: Swimming commentators, there is a woman doing poolside interviews that I can't stand. She kept badgering Natalie Coughlin yesterday and asking her about getting close to the lane marker, and did that spoil the race, and why is it happening, and are you focusing on that in the rest of your races. She was obsessive, even though Natalie had already told her no, it was just a bad habit and she needed to focus on other things. Geez! Talk about sowing seeds of doubt. She was like that with Brendan Hansen, too, and a few others. I think the woman is a spy working for another country and trying to shake up our Olympians or get them down. In any case, at times I'm a little embarassed for her because she really doesn't have the Olympics spirit. Shut up, already.

Re: Swimming, OMG how exciting was the men's relay win last night? I thought there was no way, and then could not believe my eyes. And the color commentator was so excited it made me even more excited. I love moments like that, and that's why I watch the Olympics.

Re: Gymnastics, does anyone besides me think the names used to differentiate the gymnastics types are completely backward? "Artistic" gymnastics are based completely on rhythm and, while I enjoy them very much, are really not that artistic--aesthetic "choreography" is often overlooked. "Rhythmic" gymnastics certainly include a rhythmic component, but they are based almost entirely on artistic merit and choreography. What genius thought the nomenclature up?

Also Re: Gymnastics, I actually cried for that little Chinese girl when she fell off the bars. Her release skill was so amazing and then to have that freak accident. Our girls had more than their share of hard knocks, and I felt bad for them, but they are such fighters with clearly positive attitudes, and something about this tiny girl trying not to cry really got me.

Re: Opening Ceremonies, my favorite part was the dancing scroll writers. How awesome was that? It was simple but dramatic, and looked amazing visually. It was like all my major interests combined into one package. It seems like in every OC I always love the parts where they do historical nods. In Athens, I loved the parade and the Cupid and, while I loved the later helix, too, it was that sense of the ancient I loved best. When things start to get neon, I lose interest.

From the Dept. of Psychic Research

So, I was watching the Olympics but also channel flipping, and I landed on the "Puppy Games" on Animal Planet, and found myself watching a bit.
I noticed one very little dog, and she proved within seconds to be fairly quiet vocally but all over the place with tenacity. I thought to myself, "She reminds me of me and I shall call her Abby in my mind."
Then they put her name and "vital stats" up...do you see where I'm going with this?

Her name is Abby.

FREAKY!

PR: Olympic "Glory"

Double-posting today, yippee!

I really liked the challenge on Project Runway this week, and I liked hearing about the designers more, hearing their stories and inspirations. Certainly, some of them missed the mark, but I actually liked watching this entire show, which I can't say about many because of the drama. This week it kept my attention. I also had a really hard time picking my favorite--and least favorite. I also am really glad we haven't yet had a team challenge, because we have gotten to see a lot of outfits. Finally, has everyone noticed how many designers are doing several pieces, and how many have included a sleeve of some kind?

Blayne: This sort of made me think of something I might see in Victoria's Secret for a new take on workout wear. I think he is the first of several designers to forget that skimpy high heels on athletes during the hours-long Opening Ceremonies would be an exception, not something many would do. The outfit was kind of cute, but not terribly appropriate to the challenge-in-hand. Perhaps if the top had bolder red and white and had been paired with a loose pant that could be worn with different shoes.
Daniel: WTF? Airline stewardess much? The only other thing I will say about Daniel this week is this: Even if you have never seen an Opening Ceremony in your life, you surely have heard about them, and barring that, being told by Tim and Apolo that it involves every country parading in and standing around a lot, with some other countries having designers do their outfits, you could still come up with something better than this.
Jennifer: Poor Jennifer. At times I found her a tad annoying, and at other times I related to her as my ten years ago self. Nina (who repeated herself) did make the point we all were thinking, that she designs for herself...but since I do, too, I can't complain. Her outfit looked like something you might pick up at Target--and that's not an insult. I thought her skirt was very cute. But an Opening Ceremonies outfit for the USA it was not. Her auf'ing this week was also down to her previous troublesome work. Her outfit was not the worst of the bunch, but she hadn't shown as much creativity as others previously.
Jerrell: Once again, WTF? Though I don't like Siriano much, I have to bring in his "hot mess" here. I don't know who on what planet would wear this, let alone when representing one's country in front of lots of other countries. Stretch pants? No fewer than four patterns? A pink shirt? The scarf was endearing for the challenge, and I think that's why Jerrell scraped by. You could see the athletes wearing that, maybe. The rest...*shudder* I was a little surprised he wasn't auf'd, actually.
Joe: Joe got the picture. Kors was right in pointing out the disparate length of the skort--it became a sort of sign instead of a skirt, but that could be considered kitschy in a way, and appropriate to the occasion. It certainly wasn't vulgar. While a bit dated, his design was streamlined and eyecatching and I was glad he was in the top 3, though I would not have picked him as the winner. Holla at your boy, Michigan! (I can't believe I just typed that.)
Keith: Keith's outfit wasn't bad, but I think the design (in different colors, of course) might be better for a country like Italy. I don't know why I feel that way. Maybe because it's not quite as "wholesome" as the Americans tend to wear, whereas Italy can get away with a bit more unusual design. The skirt was just a little too short, though with that shape I don't think it could have been longer. It did at least look modern. So not bad, but not a top 3, either.
Kelli: Oh, Kelli. Your design was cute in a throwback sort of way, as an outfit for a person to wear to church bingo or the club's BBQ, but not for athletes in the Olympic Opening Ceremonies. It crossed the line to cute-sy.
Kenley: Kenley's outfit, while sassy, had a similar problem to Kelli's. I can see them being part of the same slightly eclectic closet, this time to wear to the Ladies Afternoon Tea or shopping on the Drive. It had a Pretty Woman thing about it, you know? The skirt wasn't completely out of line for the Opening Ceremonies, but I don't think that top would suit a well muscled athlete--this is something that has to look good on the tiny gymnasts, the shouldery swimmers, the sleek distance runners, and the burly shotputters. I don't see it. (I also don't really follow Tim's comment on this outfit...he seems to be doing a lot of paraphrasing these days.)
Korto: Korto, on the other hand, made an outfit anyone could enjoy. I thought the jacket was a wee bit too boxy/swingy, but I liked her concept and thought it a good update. I think it was she who said "it's 2008. I'm designing for 2008!" and she did. It was wearble, could be dressed up or down (though some might say it was a bit too casual), and utilized a splash of color in just the right place (since during most Opening Ceremonies we're looking down on the athletes first). I thought it said USA without being over-the-top. I never did pick a true favorite, but I'm not sorry she won. (Tim points out something I was thinking, which is that this look could be easily adapted for the men on the team...Tim and I are back on track!)
Leanne: Leanne's design was edited well again this week. I would have placed this fourth, I think. The lower half was a tiny bit frumpy, but I thought she brought her style vision out with the top of the top. Unlike Keith's garment, it was both designed unusually and practical. I never could see what was going on with the stripe on the side of the top and wish I could see it better in the picture. But I could picture athletes wearing this during the walk-in as something a little different but not completely out of whack. (This is the one spot where Tim and I totally disagree this week. I could completely see what Leanne was after, did not think her collar was haphazard, because it was aiming to be scarflike, and thought she was the only one who succeeded at least partially with retro-modern. She was definitely not near the bottom.)
Stella: Yikes. I am impatiently waiting for her to get called out in a big way for her lack of versatility and vision. She has a point of view, yes, but no vision. Really? A belly-bearing black leather top? Why? I could sort of see what she was after, but her attachment to her old ways kept her from reaching it and it ended up looking like a recital costume.
Suede: If Jennifer were going to walk in the Opening Ceremonies, this is what she'd wear. While not completely out of whack, I can't really see this on the athletes. It was pretty, but didn't really have power. It was too little girly. Sueded has seemed very attached to floofy skirts.
Terri: Terri is another one who got it; a bustier might have been pushing it a little, but as someone on the panel pointed out, one could wear her outfit a lot of different ways. It might be just a little too busy, but that isn't unusual in the ceremonies either. It was pratical and classic with a few nice twists, and you could totally see athletes wearing this outfit. Another solid effort from Terri.

Korto and Terri clearly did the best with this challenge; I really liked Terri's take on the scarf, and thought she fully conceptualized the event at stake. Her look was similar to traditional Opening Ceremony wear, though--for some that's a plus and others a minus. Korto's look was a little different--again, for some a plus and others a minus. Her look may have been a little too simple, but as I said I think it was practical and eyecatching. I am glad this wasn't my decision to make because they both had high marks from me. On the bottom, well--it wasn't hard to figure out the bottom three for me, and if I'd had the choice and just based it on this week I would probably have chosen Jerrell to go, even though I really liked his dress last week. His look was just that incomprehensible. I hope he does better in future to redeem himself.

How Much We Move

I may have mentioned this before, but I move a lot during the day; I don't notice, though, until I really can't, much.

As some of you already know, I have 109 different substances adhered to my back. They are on little disks attached to adhesive strips, and they are all taped down with lots of paper tape. I think too much tape, actually, because the strips have a tendency to stick to the tape rather than my skin as I move...the whole thing becomes a shell that shifts a bit too much. I'm trying not to move too much, and not pulling t-shirts and whatnot over my head because I can't really lift my arms too far. I also lean against things to get the tape to stick down properly. This part of the process I find pretty hilarious.

I am hopeful that something will happen, because the specialist dermatologist I saw Wednesday is not. He doesn't believe me that this lip thing is an allergic reaction to my lipstick. As you can imagine, this is infuriating, and I have to confess that I bordered on the rude in a few of my reaction comments...or not rude so much as short. It just didn't feel like he was really listening. His assistant doctor and the nurse, however, were much more my speed. The female doctor was very nice and acknowledged my intense preparations with approval--as she said, I am an educated woman and I want to know what is happening! That's just what I needed to hear.

I told the specialist that I would be putting on the lipstick and topcoat and wearing it for the next few days so he can see (I phrased it almost exactly as a "you'll see"). I am hoping for a big reaction, as painful as it is. I'm already having soreness, tenderness, and little blisters from the experiment. I am going back tomorrow to have the substances removed, and I anticipate being read once tomorrow, and then again at my appointment on Tuesday. I will be, for once, showing this crazy mouth off boldly, and hoping that I finally convince this new set of people that my condition is not so easy as they think.

On a better note, here is a picture of my beauteous morning glories:

They have grown so fast this summer, and I'm delighted they've been flowering so well. I have been worried about not watering them enough because it hasn't rained...like, at all...but I put a jug on them every few days and they're still kicking and trying to climb under the siding and up the eaves.

PR: The Town

Well, Emily is out. I'm sorry to see her go, but I won't miss the same feeling my sister had that she looks like...SOMEONE from SOMETHING. I thought I had it nailed down with Comtesse du Barry from Marie Antoinette, but that's not it either. We're not the only ones trying to figure it out...I've seen message board posts addressing the same issue.
I wasn't super-geeked about the challenge this week. I do like inspiration challenges, but I didn't feel a sense of purpose driving the process. Some designers came up with a story, and I think it would have been appropriate to demand that as part of the parameters--they've asked "who is this person?" before. All in all, it felt like another version of the cocktail dress challenge.

On to the clothes--
Blayne: I Hated the pink part of that skirt. Hated it. It looked very eighties and sloppy. I was intrigued by the top of the garment and felt that he was sort of doing what Emily wanted to do, a bit better, but the bottom half completely ruined the impression. (Tim called it elegant and sophisticated. Guess what I think of that?) Thus far he has also seemed kind of indolent to me, and I don't like that in the workroom.
Daniel: I was a little bored by Daniel's garment. It was very much in the middle--I didn't love it or hate it. It reminded me, though, of one or two of Jillian's late-season garments, which were inspired by a painting. I would have liked it better had it been, say, an evening gown challenge, with a long and sleek skirt, sort of badass elegance; I think that would have set off that twisted part of the top really well.
Emily: For once I agree with Michael Kors, this time regarding placement of that ruffle. I admired what Emily was going for, and her inspiration, but I don't think she met her goal. She also failed to listen to Tim. I did not, however, think her garment was the worst up there.
Jennifer: Oh, Jennifer. I did not agree that her garment was matronly--all you have to do is pick up a Delia's to see that faux frump is way in with the young (where are these people getting their impressions of "young and hip" anyway?). I think matronly is a fall-back word and it doesn't work here. The construction of this dress had issues, and I didn't think it was genius, but I liked the idea of it and was glad Jennifer wasn't out.
Jerell: Jerell fancied it up this week. I prefered his garment to Daniel's, but it did seem a tiny bit over the top. Despite the smallness of the top (why do people think women want to wear things that almost show their nipples and could fall off at any moment? I don't want to wear anxiety.), I liked something about this garment and haven't quite figured out what it was. Maybe it's the vague resemblance to a cancan or flamenco skirt in a sassy new color. The garment had oomph.
Joe: Once again, I'm kind of ho-hum on Joe. He hasn't really shown me anything I can really get behind, and I'm afraid he's going to get skewered one of these days if he doesn't step it up. I really don't have much to say about his garment. (Neither did Tim, who called it humdrum.)
Keith: My least favorite garment. It looked like a costume in a show, for a tap dance. Had it been more drapey, had the pieces been perhaps more tendrilly or curly, maybe. But it didn't happen, not even as an editorial piece. I wasn't as concerned as the judges about fit and the model's shape, I was more concerned about drape. I'm really not sure why Emily went home and not Keith.
Kelli: While ho-hum on the skirt, I think it was a good choice to balance out the top...I couldn't see the middle very well, so I might like it less, but I really liked the top of the top. If it were on me, I wouldn't have styled it that way, but I like that black webby sort of fabric she used. I'd like a whole top just out of that. (Tim called the look busy and overdesigned, which is probably true, but I'm seduced by that top of the top.)
Kenley: While I was glad Kenley got a win, I wish it hadn't been for this dress. It was well made, and presented a vision that strikes me as very Kenley, but I really didn't care for that print. It's the kind of thing you might see in a dress show and admire, but never conceive of wearing.
Korto: Korto's look was very wearable, but also kind of dull. I've seen similar garments in catalogs and didn't really feel the allure of anything special here.
Leanne: I really loved Leanne's skirt and want it. I was sad she didn't win, because she took exactly what was wrong with her last garment, learned from it, and put out an adorable garment this week. She was true to herself but edited appropriately. Perfect.
Stella: Boring. If I took this correctly, she basically "did what she does." Her top and pants resembled something you could get at Deb--higher quality and better made, perhaps, but not new in any way. Had she made an amazing top with those pants, I could have gone for it, but she didn't. She made a vest that you could see in any bar movie or commercial. Wearable? Yes. But mundane.
Suede: I'm tired of Suede. His garment was wearable and, unlike last week's, probably very marketable. But he seems very self-important and his third-person reference thing is wearing.
Terri: Terri had a vision, and the fact that the judges got it is great. But when they're talking about "I would want to meet this person" I have no idea what they're talking about. I liked the print she chose better than Kenley's, and I'm all about backless, but the cuffs on the garment were just silly, and I was not feeling the style as a whole.

Product Loyalty

I know people have a lot of brand loyalty, especially where cosmetics are concerned. I know there are a lot of ethical considerations involved, as well as simple preference. I, for instance, am a CG girl. I have used Cover Girl products for years, long before America's Next Top Model existed. I have just found them to be the best priced for what I want, and the makeup comfort level is good for me. I've had items from other makers, but the core is CG. I always wore it both in life and on stage.
Despite this problem with my lips, which seems to be related to my CG Outlast lipstick, I hope to continue to use CG, and if possible find a new CG lipstick. Here's why:
I contacted CG in a few different ways over the last few months, starting with a "live beauty chat" with a lady who directed me to the Proctor and Gamble Material Saftey Data Sheets, where I got every ingredient list for my products. The other day, I emailed them asking more specifically about whether there was any chance thimerosal made its way into their lipstick, even though it wasn't indicated on the MSDS. They emailed me back the next day and told me a: they were passing my info along to their health people; b: they would like to follow up with me by postal mail; c: while they couldn't give me further ingredient info personally due to confidentiality, I could have my doctor mail or fax them with the allergies I have and the suspect product. I emailed them back with a few more details, and thanking them for their consideration. They once again emailed back within a day thanking me for the info and restating that they'd be sending me some postal mail--and a check to cover the cost of my suspect product.
Now, I realize companies don't want to get sued, but they didn't have to give me any money and they have been courteous and helpful. I feel that when I do get my allergy straightened out, they'll be glad to know...I also sent them a post from a discussion board I found that described almost the exact same symptoms linked to the lipstick, and I think they'll be interested in that, too. I could be wrong, of course, but it's the fact that I feel they'll care that matters. They have shown solid customer service, and I believe they will be getting my cosmetic dollar for a long time to come.

Another edition of good news/bad news

Good news:
My allergy test had some positive responses.
Bad news:
The responses aren't really anything I'd find in my lipstick.

Good news:
My box of LUSH goodies came in the mail.
Bad news:
There isn't any. It's LUSH.

While researching food allergies...

Treatments

Crab intolerance:
Person should avoid offending crab.

That's good advice.

PR: "Green"

General observations:
First, I was surprised that none of the models seemed to know anything about fabric. I can understand being nervous and not having much expertise, but seriously--NO one had a gran who sewed, or a sister who taught them to use a machine? Really? They wear clothes...to me that translates into at least a basic understanding, but maybe I take that for granted.
Second, I could not believe how many dresses were super-short and tight. Cocktail length is not really supposed to almost show your crotch. It's traditionally thought of as just above the knee (ie, Terri-length). I think a lot of them blamed fabric quantity, but in some ways that supports an idea I have had for some time that these designers often have a lot of waste fabric. Now, I'm not a designer, and I'm not doing a lot of structural things, but I often cut it pretty close for fabric quantity. I don't like to have a lot of discard because it makes me feel bad. You would also think designers would look at the quantity their models got and plan accordingly...design something that fits the quantity without being vulgar. I think some of them were so thrown by not getting their own fabric that their creativity+common sense shut down.
Third, when Heidi Klum was on some talk show the other day she mentioned the vast amount of crying that went on this season--did you notice we're already seeing that?
Fourth, Tim and I are more in sync this week, particularly about what baffled us. Off in a few of the details, but several of the same things caught our eye.
Fifth, I wondered if any designers, just for a second, thought that "everyone will use green fabrics" meant the color.
Blayne: Blayne redeemed himself this week. When I heard side panels I was nervous, but actually the garment was cute and had structural interest to it, even though it was a mite too short for my tastes.
Daniel: I liked Daniel's garment a lot. It was black, which can be boring, and was also insanely short, but I didn't mind the shortness in his dress so much because it wasn't tight to the leg. It didn't look whorish but sweet and kind of dainty. I think this is one of the two dresses I would actually wear. I am concerned about Daniel's time issues and hope that doesn't get him.
Emily: I was intrigued by the top of Emily's garment at first, but for some reason it didn't come together for me on the runway. Maybe it was just too small. Y'all know I'm not a big fan of braiding usually, but I thought this would work. It wasn't ugly, but the proportions of the whole thing were just too small, like she was wearing a child's dress.
Jennifer: I think the Rate the Runway site has their pictures mixed up...Jennifer's is the orange and grey one, no? I was not a fan of this garment. I'd be interested to see the colors in person--on TV they looked frumpy together. On the whole, the dress confused me.
Jerell: Kudos to Jerell for utilizing the peacock feathers his model brought him, which might have thrown off another designer. I felt like the model's and designer's visions came together on the dress. I didn't care for the fit of the top, and it's not something I'd wear personally, but the dress seemed hip. Very club-oriented.
Joe: When I saw Joe's completed dress I was nervous because it was so simple (or even boring) and not as smooth as I'd like to see. But I really liked that cut-out detail, which is confusing to me because usually I don't care for cut-outs. For some reason, though, that perfectly circular and rhinestoned hole helped.
Keith: Had the bottom of Keith's garment not been bubble-skirtish, maybe more flippy, I might have liked this better. And again---WAY too short. You literally almost can see her business. As a runway statement, fine, but this was supposed to be a wearable cocktail dress, wasn't it? Even for a model that's too short.
Kelli: I didn't care for Kelli's dress this week. It wasn't horrible, but it really didn't complement her model client, and in a way it looked sort of like a flight attendant on The Fifth Element. I liked the way it was constructed in shaping/piecing, though, so I remain interested in what she has to offer.
Kenley: Loved Kenley's dress. Duh. It was tasteful and sassy, it looked great on her model, and along with Daniel this was my other favorite that I would actually wear.
Korto: I could see what she was going for, and it worked in the top of the front, but the shaping of the bottom was incomprehensible. A nice A-line with the same size seam all around would have been better and sleeker.
Leanne: Oh, Leanne. Tim's advice completely washed over you, and since I agreed with him, I didn't have much sympathy with your distress. What Leanne wanted to do was noble, but needed some serious editing in execution. The fabric being what it was, a sleeker and simpler detailing with the loops she's made would have been better. The back of the dress particularly suffered from the "overworking." I want Leanne to do better but like Blayne last week, I questioned her eye this week.
Stella: I am rapidly tiring of Stella. I like her pigtails, but "this isn't what I do" and "I wish I had some leather" are not appropriate attitudes for Project Runway. I mean, have you ever seen this show before? The judges want to see your point of view, yes, but also adaptability. Anyway, her dress reminded me of something and I haven't quite put my finger on it. A dance costume, maybe? On the whole its aesthetic didn't appeal to me.
Suede: I was a bit piqued that Suede won, and it is complicated to explain. When I saw what he was doing on the mannequin, I was baffled. I was interested in what he said about tulle, but those strips were confusing. When it was completed, I understood what he was going for. It's not something I would wear, and I am genuinely bothered by the neckline--maybe a sharper, lower point would have done it there. But, it was interesting and original, which is why I think he won; however, how many people going into a store would actually buy that dress? It seems like more a one-0ff you could sell for lots of money rather than a marketable item to the masses. Perhaps I need to investigate Bluefly, because I may simply misunderstand it. Anyway, I didn't at all mind Suede being in the top two, but I had hoped Kenley would win.
Terri: Terri's dress seemed a little cataloguey to me...that isn't necessarily a bad thing, and it fit the model well. I just wasn't excited by it...but I didn't hate it, either.
Wes: Poor Wes. I was sad to see Wes go because he reminds me of somebody I know, which was entertaining. I also think he has a lot of talent. But it cannot be avoided that he midjudged his material, before and during construction. Ooh, La.

Crazy Girl

I tried to have a nice, easy Saturday out shopping. For some reason, though, the day just wouldn't come together.
For instance, before I managed to get on 75 to go up to Perrysburg, it started raining buckets. I had to pull off the road and wait a bit for it to let up so I could see.
My first task was to take my CD Walkman, which lives in my car, to Best Buy to see why it isn't functioning properly. The answer is I will probably have to get another one because the motor on mine is worn out. However, I did find out (and I honestly don't know why I never thought of this) that I can run my iPod Shuffle through my car's tape deck with the adapter I use on my Walkman. Really, Avacious? Is technology really suddenly so elusive? Anyway, I'd rather have a CD Walkman in there also, because transferring my entire collection of CDs into iPod form is a pain in the butt, and I usually just keep the one full gig of songs on there without changing regularly. But it was a neat thing to find out.
I then tried to go to Bed, Bath, & Beyond, which I thought was right next to Target, but had mistaken its placement for Linens n' Things. Where is B, B, & B, you ask? Yes...right next to Best Buy. I crossed over the busy Pike for nothing. Anyway, I made it, and traipsed about the store putting things into my basket, things that would improve my life, like antibacterial towels and a hanging jewelry caddy (the latter of which has already improved my life and organization). At the checkout, though, I had trouble getting things together, and ended up flustered, which is a feeling I hate. It just makes me feel dumb.
I carried this feeling into Meijer back in BG. I had to go back and forth across the store three times getting stuff (the charcoal, for instance, is on the opposite side of the store as groceries, which I forgot). When a young man asked me if I was finding everything okay, I said, "I'm all thank you." I stopped dead, and enunciated very clearly for him, "That should have been,' I'm all right, thank you.'" It didn't get much better from there.
Eventually, I made it home safely, but honestly I was worried about my sanity. Even my outfit and hair, which I thought looked so hot that morning, was in a state of disarray that just made me look crazier.
I've decided to blame the barometer and also the fact that I took a shower that morning. I usually do so at night, and didn't sleep well because I hadn't. Ultimately, I fixed everything by having a nice cool bubble bath and dreaming about the Lush products that are on their way to my house soon!

PR: Back to the Store

Okay, so maybe last night didn't go exactly as planned...as Steve so aptly put it, longest.room.scan.evah.
For those of you not in BG, the cable froze...like it was on Pause (you should have seen Sally Field's sad face stopped on Steel Magnolias!)...in the middle of Ghosthunters (the plan was to watch GHI at 9 and then PR at 11), and didn't come back on for an hour. At 11, I had to watch PR. So, I will not know for a while if the demonic black dog ever made an appearance. They might put the episode online at some point, which would rock.

Anyway, let's PR it up.
I was excited when they decided to re-do the grocery store challenge, and surprised when one of the designers fessed up that he never thought about what he would do. Are you kidding? How can you not? I also thought it was fun to have the irrepressible Austin Scarlett back. His dandyism was in full foppish glory, and his first outfit was very "The Blue Boy." Sadly, it seemed to me that more of the designers this year had that "I'll play it safe for a while" mentality; they should have known what to expect, but they weren't really aiming for extraordinary. I hope Tim was permanently successful in jolting them out of their creative inertia, so we don't run into that season 2 nonsense where no one embraced the final dress challenge. I also can't believe that the designers were all surprised at how many people picked table cloths. Really, designers? REALLY?
An interesting note on this season--no surprises as to the challenge itself. You can find out what all the challenges for this season are on Bravo's website.

Ok, the runway rundown.
Blayne--Yikes. Making some hot shorts for the bottom with some weaving for the top might have worked...but somehow the weaving ended up with the bottom of the onepiece. I could see the shape he was going for, but the garment was hideous. He seems incapable of seeing flaws--as further evidenced by his addiction to tanning. You look like a carrot, dude. Not cool, or good for you. (Tim's Take seems to see the materials more than the final look also, which is irritating--yes, he met the parameters of the challenge, but his product was awful!)
Daniel--I was worried about Daniel's cup plan, but impressed when he carried it out. He created a confection more than fashion, but I agreed with his placement in the top 3. The design was vivid and sassy...and probably intensely difficult to produce.
Emily--I liked the asymmetrical line of the bottom of her skirt, and her idea for the big scarf thing, though I was not in fact that interested in the "Scarf" itself. Without it, though, the dress would have been too dull. Ultimately, execution just wasn't there.
Jennifer--She seems like a sweet girl, but the dress was boring. It looked exactly like a dress. I know it was made out of paper towels and that's great, but she was missing that oomph that the winning dress had.
Jerrell--I would have liked this design better without the fringed sleeve and the neckline parasols in front. I liked the print of the bodice, but it might have been nice to have that parasol detail in the back, maybe right at the seamline in a little arrangement. I might have even been able to deal with it in front sans sleeve.
Jerry--I didn't agree that the look was creepy per se (though the yellow gloves were a definite cry for editing). I think the raincoat would have been nice...but the look all together was too busy and bushy. I think a more fitted duster-style coat would have been perfect, and then he could have skipped the dress, which added unncessary bulk.
Joe--Joe is from Troy, MI, which is cool. His garment was summery, but I didn't care for the top (Tim, on the other hand, liked it). If he could have made a whole dress with more of that print of oven mitts, with some kind of pasta creation as trim, then I would have been more satisfied. As it is, it screamed clash to me, in a bad way.
Keith--"I added some netting so it would look less like a tablecloth"? Oh dear. Points for being structural and wearable, but if netting is his version of taking something out of the box, I'm concerned. His design looked complete ultimately, though.
Kelli--I didn't care for the "top," but I loved the skirt and I loved the idea of the chemical dye. Kelli was thinking about material, but also about the extra cut above everyone else--actually changing the material and imposing her own aesthetic on its basic self. The outfit wasn't the prettiest, but it showed a depth of quick thinking that no one else showed. I wish I'd gotten a look at this spiral binding closure she did. Also, she's from Columbus.
Kenley--Again, l like the print, this time in the skirt. I am actually kind of intrigued by Kenley as a designer...the outfits they showed when introducing her looked like smashing Chloe and Austin together--whimisical, but also sleek and wearable. Anyway, her skirt had an interesting shape.
Korto--I don't usually completely agree with Michael Kors, but his comments about Korto's dress were dead on. It was the right styling on the right girl. Yes, she used an easy fabric substitute. But the dress was amazing! It had structure and flair and was totally wearble. If it wasn't yellow, I would buy it and wear it around. I also liked her vegetables--good use of kale as frills. The whole thing looked suitable for a fashion shoot (except that Tim found it enormously boring--I am concerned that this season Tim and I are going to be at odds, but after his Guide to Style show, I'm not sure I care. Sorry, Tim).
Leanne--This was a little too Playboy candy-striper for me. (Guess who liked it? Tim.)
Stella--For such a hard rocker chick, with such high-profile clients, I was surprised when Stella had a meltdown so early. She didn't even bother to hide it. I hope these self-confidence whinges aren't going to be a regular feature. Anyway, Stella suffered from trying to cheap this challenge out, I think--she got the wrong trash bags. Given her goal, I think a safer bet would have been buying four boxes ($75 bucks goes a long way!), maybe some white and some black, but making sure they are the good kind. Go for the sturdiest kinds you can find. But if all else fails, geez, just adapt already! Make something poofy if your bags are poofy.
Suede--Kind of blah, though I like that the dress matched his hair.
Terri--Not a huge fan of this outfit, because while I respect the mopheads usage, the result almost looked too normal. I didn't not like it, I was just ambivalent.
Wesley--This dress didn't do it for me. It met the challenge requirements and wasn't ugly, but I wasn't interested in it. I thought at first it was because it was yellow, but really it's the severe shape of it. Again, Tim loved it. Oh, Tim Gunn. How we have fallen out.

So that's it! We'll see how this Tim Gunn vs. Avacious thing plays out this season. I'm anxious to see the next few designs from everybody, and which time I can be more secure in my favorites, but I'm rooting for Kelli and Kenley right now.

"It seems to me to show an abominable sort of conceited independence, a most country-town indifference to decorum"

Recently I've read several articles on being, as Bridget Jones would call it, a singleton, most particularly in reference to eating out alone, traveling alone, and going to weddings alone. The consensus seems to be that in spite of all evidence that suggests things should be different--the sheer volume of single people, and their disposble income, for instance--individuals and businesses are rude to single people, treating them as diseased or mentally unfit, looking down on them as lesser citizens. The words of Miss Bingley in Pride and Prejudice that begin this entry are no less prevalent as a mindset today than they were then, which is a pity.
As a single lady for most of my life, I obviously object to the treatment some receive for this status, and can identify with the condescending or pitying behavior frequently put forth by friends in efforts to show they care. Fortunately, I've been blessed with friends and experiences that generally avoid some of the more painful possibilities. I would like a quality relationship, but my friends who know me well know that I have certain ways of doing things, and also that I do very well independently--really, I've made being on my own an art form and often relish in the comforts and convenience it brings.
With all of this in mind, I think I want to write some essays about being independent, perhaps reflective, sharing experiences, perhaps giving advice, but mostly treating singlehood as a perfectly normal state of being. I think that, having traveled alone quite a bit, I can offer some good tips to short-circuit problems people might encounter, women in particular. I think I can also offer some help to people who genuinely aren't comfortable being on their own; I've met many people who are like this, some of whom end up in one bad relationship after another just because they can't spend time by themselves, and don't know how, for whatever reason. I invariably find it sad; how awful to feel you must avoid hearing yourself think!
I don't know what kind of forum I'm thinking for this, or how much of it will pan out, but I'm going to put my best efforts into it. If anyone has read anything about being single, would you give me a head's up? I'd like to do some research.

Retro LUSH!

Avacious admits she made some unflattering and excitable noises whilst bouncing up and down in her chair when she found out that LUSH brought back (for a limited time?) a whole pack of old stuff as part of "retro Lush." Among them, Ginger lotion and perfume, along with about a zillion other intriguing goodies.
Guess who will be, in the next week, placing an order online? A large one? Once she's balanced her checkbook?
Avacious, that's who.

Cloaking Technology

I was talking about this whilst out the other night, and understandably met with some incredulity.
Read it!

From the land of weird but cool...
Sometimes during church...especially when in the summer they sneak a contemporary service in to the traditional lineup...I read the hymnal, looking up hymns I like and singing them in my head. I can usually pay at least three-quarters attention to the service while I do this.
So, imagine my sense of "I've been caught out" when I was reading through "Marching to Zion" and all of a sudden the "Gospel Medley" for the Offertory unexpectedly starts out with..."Marching to Zion."
Thus, by the time the offering plates made their way back to my pew, the usher next to me (who was softly singing along) saw my hymnal open and probably assumed that I had looked up the hymn because it was the offertory.
Thanks for the cover, God! You rock.