The Royal Nicolai's

via mint.com

On the 24th of July, I sent Catherine a text that ran along these lines: If we sisters were characters on The League, I'd be Kevin, you'd be Ruxin, and Monika would be Taco, I think.

Thus was born, the Who Would We Be? game, which Catherine and I have been playing ever since. We have covered:

Little Women: Catherine is Jo/Beth. Monika is Amy. I'm Meg. Actually, Catherine's precise words were: Little Women: easy. Monika is Amy. You're Meg. I'm Jo/Beth because I'm bossy and heart failure-y. 

Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead, Monika is Sue Ellen. Catherine is Melissa. I'm Kenny.

Arrested Development: Catherine is Michael. Monika is Gob, and I'm Buster, of course.

Harry Potter: Catherine is Hermione. Monika is both Fred & George Weasley. I'm Neville.

Most of the time we reason it out like this: Catherine is the bossiest, the smartest, and the most responsible. Monika is fun, honest, and outgoing. I'm introverted, nice, and generally terrified. But we all have hearts of gold. Yes. Just like hookers. Nice hookers. Expensive. Discerning. Hey, did you know that call girls are the highest class of hookers? Sociology class taught me and Catherine this useful bit of intel. So, we basically have call girl hearts...

The Royal Family. Well, most of them.

We did The Royal Tenenbaums, too. I mean, of course we did. Like most families with three siblings and a father who may have caused ruinous damage to his children, we have a very special affinity for the quiet and messy desperation of a family slipping in and out of turmoil. Even though the characters are steeped in darkness, there's goodness, too. They all want to be a family, even if they're unsure what that entails.

I am Richie.

Richie and Mordecai by Lucky Jackson

Catherine is Chas.

Chas and the boys by Lucky Jackson

Monika is Margo

Margo by Lucky Jackson

and a little bit of Eli (because Margo's so quiet and secretive).

Eli by Lucky Jackson

As I've said before in exactly the same words (I am too lazy to reinvent the wheel, people.), Lucky's blog, which is--honestly--one of a handful of blogs that makes me grin ear-to-ear each time I check in (That's without fail, people.), can be found here.

You can also purchase several of her works (and even patterns) in her shop.

And view a zillion of her embroidery endeavors (including Ms. Amy Poehler!) on her flickr stream.

Still hankering for more? There's also a little video documenting the stitching of Iggy Pop.

I'm feeling a lot of giddy admiration right now, my friends, a lot of giddy admiration indeed.