Ramblings

Ramblings

Ratatouille

…is a very, very cute Pixar film worth seeing. Starring an adorable rat played by the hilarious Patton Oswalt, this movie is fun for kids to watch (you get to see things through the rat’s point of view, like him running through a crowd of screaming people), and the dialogue is probably the most adult-friendly of the newest Disney films (not vulgar, just more jokes that adults would understand better than kids).
The animation is great, and the food looks so realistic you can almost smell it! Overall it was a great summer movie. My only advice is to not see it when you’re hungry :).

(Note: I apologize in advance if this isn’t my best post. I have a bad head cold today and it feels like my head is full of those craft “google eyes”–can’t explain it any other way).
-Kathy

Looks like the almighty dollar is less mighty each week

It has been sad watching the dollar slip in value the last couple year especially if you plan on traveling over seas.
Well the dollar is now at it’s lowest value in 26 years against the pound and it takes 1.37 dollars to equal one Euro ( http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6289752.stm)
Maybe it is the goal of the US goverment to make the money worth so little you have trouble traveling abroad 😦

Inks and Needles

Yup, so we decided to be crazy and go under the knife–or needle, that is. Chris and I have been debating over what we wanted our next tattoos to be–Chris and I are huge Alphonse Mucha fans, and we both wanted to get images based on his famous advertisement “plates”. Chris chose a beautiful Ivy girl, and I chose a zodiac woman. After doing our homework for several months on a good tattoo artist, Chris and I decided upon a parlor in Ansonia, CT. There was a woman tattoo artist there who happened to be a huge Mucha fan and who had done several pieces based on his work. Her shop, Lucky Soul tattoo, got many good reviews. So we thought it would be fitting to head on down to “Lucky Soul” on the luckiest day of the year 7-7-07.. (It wasn’t too far from Chris’ parents in CT, too, so we could stay overnight and recover there).
Unfortunately after further talking with Tracey ( the tattoo artist at Lucky Soul) it was decided that the Mucha design that I wanted was far too much detail to do as a small arm piece. Chris’ design was simpler so she was able to go ahead with it. I wasn’t too upset because I had a “back up” design which was of a purple iris flower from one of Van Gogh’s paintings.
The shop was very clean and everyone there was friendly and relaxed. They really put you at ease. Tracey was extremely professional and wanted every detail to be perfect for Chris’ tattoo. She spent time beforehand scaling the artwork to size and she was extremely excited to do the design. She spent SIX hours on Chris’ arm and barely took a break because she was so focused. It was great watching her work. She did an absolutely amazing job and was very nice. Chris’ arm hurt and he was tired after sitting so long but he’s thrilled with the result!
Tracey unfortunately was running out of time to do a tattoo for me but another artist was nice enough to offer to do the iris design. Jim actually turned out to be the owner of the shop and a big Van Gogh fan. He did an excellent job and made me feel very comfortable. I was thrilled with the result and am actually glad I chose that instead of a big Mucha on my arm (though I hope to maybe do something like that elsewhere at a later date).
(The iris itself has a very special meaning to me because it was the flower that Van Gogh painted the most, and it is believed that Van Gogh suffered with a mental illness throughout his lifetime (hence the whole “cutting the ear off” thing…). The iris has become the national symbol of the Alliance for the Mentally Ill. Each time I see the flower it reminds me of my own painful past experiences and how something beautiful (like Van Gogh’s art) can come out of it. And also, how your life can blossom in ways you never thought possible–I certainly never thought I’d come this far in life. I know that probably sounds exceptionally cheesy but I really mean it to be poignant!)
I didn’t have to sit nearly as long as Chris did, and after the initial itchy/prickly feeling and annoying buzz sound, I’d have to say the tattoo experience was quite pleasant.
Chris was a trooper for sitting so long.
Pics to come soon!
We’d highly recommend Lucky Soul to anyone who wants a pleasant and thorough tattoo experience. Their prices were extremely reasonable for the amount of work involved, and they take their art seriously. They were even sweet enough to offer us a small discount because we came such a long distance, and they bought us pizza! They even offered to let us stay with one of them if we ever decide to come back and can’t find a place to stay for the night. Awwww, now that’s dedication.
Coming soon—the joys of “tattoo healing”–itchiness, swelling and aching…but it’s all worth it in the end.

Well take some photos after they are all healed but here is a glimpse
Iris Tattoo Mucha Ivy Tattoo

Summer of Love or Hate?

While we were out getting drinks tonight, I spotted a psychedelic sign advertising a celebration of the 40th Anniversary of “Summer of Love” in Northampton. The advertisement said that the event would feature bands like Jefferson Starship, Big Brother and the Holding Company (Janis Joplin’s old band), and Quicksilver Messenger Service.
Granted, this “Summer of Love” won’t nearly be as cool as the one that featured Joplin in her hayday, Hendrix, The Who and Eric Burdon. And it won’t be full of LSD and rampant sex (or will it?).
But a part of me looks at that sign and thinks, “What I wouldn’t do to be a wild, crazy, free-loving hippy back then!”.
It would’ve been so exciting to be part of such a passionate event, to And as much as I know it’s dangerous to use mind-altering substances, a part of me wishes I was part of that wild, trippy pandemonium that was so full of hope and thoughts about a “new world”. It was almost a lavish, childlike hope. It was a solidarity of a generation, and a passion for music which America had never seen before, and I doubt will ever see again. Can you imagine watching Hendrix light that guitar on fire? Somehow anyone trying to copy the original, raw rock attitudes that were brought on back then just seems corny. It was a time when old-fashioned communication was still valued, and no one was text messaging their friends which bands were playing. You were either there or you weren’t, and you were living it up.
I’m sure that if I went to this new “Summer of Love”, I’d be sorely dissapointed. Grace Slick isn’t as “slick” as she used to be, and half the performers will probably need walkers to get on stage. I’m sure it will be too much patchouli and arm hair, and people still acting like “hippies” who shouldn’t be (C’mon now, 40-somethings, get a job!!).
But that silly daydreamer part of me that always gets into trouble wishes I could go there and relive that crazy time just a leeeeetle bit.

Magician of flight prices

Prices on air travel sometimes are a mystery to everyone. Got an email about a concert in Texas and for the hell of it I check what it would cost to fly out to Texas, and it was about 800 bucks or so, which seemed a little high to me. So I surfed over to the south west vacation site (awsome site which we have bought a couple things from) to check some prices. As it turns out I could go to Orlando, stay at a Disney hotel for 5 nights for the same price. Ok I know that Flordia has a lot more flights going to it, but the pricing difference makes no sense. Maybe they are just trying to keep everyone out of Texas 🙂

Home Appraisal

Whew our home “passed” the realtor test. Only have to do some minor painting and the best news is I don’t have to put in a new floor upstairs. Now of course this means we have to decide when to put our house on the market and where we want to live when we sell it.