Who says there's no cool public art?

Animation on Public Walls

It probably maintains the family-friendly nature of this blog that most of my readers won't speak Spanish so can't read the other comments on the walls. :)  But this is the coolest public art I've seen in quite awhile.

Something that actually costs less now than it did when I was in grad school.

Dress for Less and Less

Interestingly, one feature they don't discuss in the article is whether or not the quality of these "basics" has declined since 1998.  "Low-end clothes" such as the ones they describe make up the vast majority of my wardrobe.  My first quibble is with the idea that a $46 pair of jeans is "low-end," but I'm used to the Times columnists who fear to cross the threshold of a discount department store and treat Walmart as an exotic locale for fashionistas on a value hunt.

In terms of what I've encountered in the past decade clothing-wise, I think stitching quality has declined so that items fall apart more quickly even with light wear. Dyes may or may not hold after a single washing. Sizes have become even less standardized (if such a thing is possible), meaning that two pairs of identically sized pants from the same retailer exhibit significant measurement variation.  Those of you who shop at Old Navy, where I have to try on three pairs of jeans in the same size to find one that fits, will know what I'm talking about.

Still, it's refreshing to know that I can still find something to wear to work for under $50, even if I can't fill my gas tank for that anymore.

Too personal?

There's a story coming out in this weekend's New York Times Magazine about the issues that blogging can raise in personal relationships.

Exposed

I was a good few years older than the author in the NYT when I started this blog, so I'm not sure whether it was maturity or just stronger personal filters that kept me auto-self-editing my posts.  However, it seems to make sense--if current or future employers wander across my blog, would I get nauseously panicky?  Given that friends, family, and colleagues are all regular readers, does it make sense for me to alienate any of them by telling the kinds of stories that would embarrass or irritate them?  For some reason the "how much to share online" seems to mark a generational dividing line between myself/my 30-something friends and my 20-something students and younger colleagues.

Of the blogs you read most, how "juicy" are they? My faves are personal but in a mom-sharing-story-about-the-little-ones way, not in a guess-who-I-slept-with-last-night kind of way.  (Then again, that may say more about the quality of my circle of friends and acquaintances.)

post tag.

Jenni just tagged me and it's taken a few days to respond, but I'm on it now!

What I was doing 10 years ago:

In 1998 I was living in Haverford, Pennsylvania, going through the MA program in theatre at Villanova and working my butt off in the costume shop.  I became a most excellent thrift shopper, spending other people's money with style and usually coming in under budget. I upgraded my sewing skills from complete suckage to approaching adequacy in just under two years, and gained a lifelong admiration for people who can actually sew dresses out of velvet. I lived in a studio apartment that was the smallest place I've ever lived including dorm rooms, and walked to my second job at a coffeehouse and juice bar across the street on weekend mornings.  I spent the majority of my waking hours between 9 a.m. and midnight reading obscure plays, generating huge amounts of drama criticism, researching 1920's Broadway productions by female playwrights, and bitching and moaning with my fellow graduate students.  It was a really happy and productive time.

5 things on my to-do list today:

1) Finish up a report on our Culture Festival event.

2) Follow up with the vice-chancellor's office about an appointment.

3) Pick up the bug at 3 p.m. for snack, cuddle, and playtime.

4) Water the porch plants and pull weeds with bug as assistant gardener.

5) Get to tonight's performance by 6:30 p.m. for fight call.

5 snacks I enjoy:

1) Black-and-white cookies

2) Apples, grapes, or oranges--"desk fruit"

3) Granola bars

4) Chips and guacamole

5) Cheese and crackers

5 things I would do if I were a billionaire:

1) Get a second house/ townhouse in Omaha to be closer to my family.

2) Get a third house/ townhouse in Madison to be closer to Matt's family.

3) Get an apartment in NYC because it would be cool. 

4) Pay off a lot of my friends' college debt and my family's mortgages.

5) Have fun giving money to my old schools with bizarre restrictions such as:

• Creating scholarships only for feminist English/theatre majors, 
  
• Endowing chairs which can be offered only to Ph.D. parents who have worked as adjuncts for at least two years after graduate school, 
  
• Giving major gifts to schools that produce at least one new work per school year, on their mainstage, with a student director.

5 bad habits:

1) Closing the blinds upstairs for privacy, right after Matt opens the windows for fresh air

2) Wearing flip-flops to church because I haven't bought summer sandals yet

3) Leaving five minutes late for wherever I'm supposed to be next, just enough to feel rushed

4) Leaving important emails in my "drafts" instead of hitting "send"

5) Missing great theatre because I'm too lazy to drive all the way to Denver and babysitters and gas are expensive.

5 places I've lived:

1) South Sioux City, Nebraska

2) Omaha, Nebraska

3) Haverford, Pennsylvania

4) Boulder, Colorado

5) Tempe, Arizona

5 jobs I've had:

1) Mexican restaurant waitress/hostess/cook

2) Coffeehouse barista

3) Borders children's bookseller/ cafe worker/ storyteller

4) Indoor children's playground supervisor and birthday party organizer

5) Data analyst for human resources department

Literature and science.

While this may strike some as one more optimist's solution to the crisis of purpose in the humanities, I thought it was a really interesting idea.  On a self-serving note, it also mirrors what I've been trying to do in my last few papers on popular culture: Get and analyze data to support or disprove my theories about gender analysis.  I especially like the part where he disproves the "Death of the author" as it's always been one of my least favorite literary theories. Um, no authors = no new books = no readers = no one to "kill" meaning...

I'm looking forward to reading his book when it comes out later this year.

Measure for Measure

Link for the day.

Ask Moxie has been in my sidebar forever, but for those of you who aren't regular readers, today's post was priceless and the comments have made me laugh until I cried. Basic variations on the theme of "unwatched child stories"; here's one sample to get you to click on the link:

My parents were at an architectural salvage/estate sale place, looking at furniture. My sister (age 5 or 6) went along the line of several wardrobes (the kind you find Narnia through), locked each one, put all the keys in a locking drawer in a nearby dresser...and threw that last key away. She told my parents what she'd done on their way home. They never went back to that establishment again.

And the link is here.

Graduation day.

The floods of graduates have engulfed the building, gone on to commencement, and are gradually returning to their departmental celebrations in and around my office.  (I can actually see two different department parties from my desk.)  Black robes are flapping, camera flashes are snapping, and giddy girls, jacketed boys, and eager parents are everywhere.

While it doesn't help the usual crush of commuter traffic, and in fact made parking nigh impossible this morning, I am waxing a bit sentimental instead of irritated as a result.  Having had four graduation days myself, counting high school, today brings back pleasant and bittersweet memories on a number of levels.

If I'd had any idea how many people I was close to, on each of those days, that I truly would never see again, I would have been much sadder.

If I'd had a clue how much fun the next stage of my life ahead was going to be, I would have been much happier.

I wish them all truth in the statement "The best is yet to come."

And I'm leaving campus early today before the serious drinkers take to the streets. :)

At my nephew's request...

A video greeting card for your birthday! Hope you have a wonderful day.

With love from Heather, Matt, and your cousin the bug.