Top 5: Summer Jams I Already Miss

I know I've made a couple whiney remarks about the end of summer, but really, I'm an autumn girl. I like crisp, cool weather; tights and scarves and lightweight jackets; chimney smoke; and darkness. Still, summer has some key components to my happiness: lots of light (for me, part of being an "adult" has been recognizing that while I don't necessarily like light, I require it), hot and dry weather (on a good 90s day in Spokane, when the skin feels all hot and tight on your face: love it.), and the opportunity to drive around with the windows down and listen to happy, jammy, sing-a-along, good times music...

Brief Musical Interlude: Jordan Schlansky

Since my "Book Report" post this week was pretty heavy on the music, I decided I'd revisit my one true YouTube love: Jordan Schlansky from Conan. Jordan made his Conan debut during the 2008 writer's strike, and his dead seriousness, unflappable demeanor, and primo semi-robotic diction captured my heart instantly.

At the end of August, Catherine wrote a post dedicated to her Top 5 Conan Clips. Believe me, all of them are winners, but for me, there's no greater YouTube delight than watching Conan and Jordan interact.

Jordan's dedication to such causes as wine, artisanal desk food, the band Rush, and his red Vespa, coupled with the fact that he corrected Conan on his usage of biscotti when referring to a single biscotto, all make me a huge Schlansky fan. Or, as I like to call myself, Schlan fan.

While I would love to come to your house and spread the good word of Schlansky (that's what I did to Catherine and she, in turn, spread it to Monika), I'm going to ask that you watch, listen, and believe on your own. Just go to YouTube and type in Jordan Schlansky: watch everything that comes up.

P.S. Don't forget to prepare your body in various ways! (That will only make sense if you watch the video.)

Home & Away: Moving Home

In front of Mom's house.

As Monika said on Tuesday, we're all sort of in transition right now. I'm preparing to leave Spokane after almost seven years. SEVEN! I'm as shocked as anyone. It seems the west side is calling, something I never thought would ever, ever, ever happen--especially considering that I'm allergic to everything that blooms on the west side during the spring--but there it is...

Book Report: Bossypants

If you're thinking Bossypants isn't technically a biography, you are correct. But it does have biographical elements, and I say that counts. Confession: I just may have started this book over ten months ago. Now wait just a second. The reason I managed to prolong the reading of Bossypants was because I wanted to keep Tina Fey with me always. First off: she has the best list of BFF lady friends I can imagine. And secondly, her book is chock full of self-deprecating asides, un-catty behind-the-scenes anecdotes, credit for her friends and colleagues, and the best stories about lady business in show business, all told with intelligence, humor, and in the spirit of honest generosity...

Home and Away: Bronson Caves

One definite perk of living just over the hills from Hollywood is that there are really neat landmarks everywhere you look! One of my favorites is Griffith Park. When you visit the park there are so many different areas to explore--it's home to the Hollywood sign, the inspiration for Disneyland, the Griffith Observatory, the old LA Zoo, and the Bronson Caves, just to name a few. So, in honor of the month that channels all thing spooky I think it's a great time to visit the caves... 

Make: Jon Snow and Ghost Costumes

Halloween is quickly approaching and year after year I ask Ben if we can do a couples costume, and year after year we throw something together at the last minute. Usually it turns out really amazing, but never has it been a good couples costume. So this year I find myself, yet again, in the same dilemma...but I thought of a way to get some mileage out of him yet: force him to dress up with me for a blog post! And even though it's not Halloween, this weekend, for a little while at least, he was the Jon Snow to my Ghost. Anyway, here's how this easy DIY costume was done...

Book Report: The Shining

Is there anything more terrifying than being trapped in a ghost hotel during the winter with an insane alcoholic author? Hmm, probably not. And before any Stephen King aficionados notify me that Jack Torrence did not wield an ax in the novel, let me say that I know. I know, I know. The ax is from the Kubrick movie. I know this. But it's pretty difficult to
find menacing pictures of roque mallets. Just saying...

Book Report: Dracula

Confession: I was one of those teenagers who loved vampires. I went through Salem's Lot and the whole Interview With the Vampire series, in addition to every young adult vampire novel out there (anything Christopher Pike, R.L. Stine, or L.J. Smith). This was in the nineties, mind you, so pre-Twilight. But before all that, there was Dracula. Really, Bram Stoker was the reason I always ended up in the occult section of Waldenbooks at the South Hill Mall (much to my mother's quite vocal dismay), as well as the reason why I know so much about vampire mythology and also so much about being buried alive. Information about being buried alive just goes hand in hand with vampires...

Book Report: Jane Eyre

My first introduction to the Brontë's legacy was in high school when my favorite teacher proclaimed:  The Brontë girls were entirely too silly. They had no sense about men whatsoever. Being that I was in my dark times (Who didn't have those in high school?), the thought of reading a couple novels penned by silly girls was about the most unappealing thing I could imagine. I was all like: I'll just take this Dean Koontz paperback up to the treehouse, thank you very much. Boy, was I ever wrong... 

Book Report: We Have Always Lived in the Castle

Yes, I've talked about We Have Always Lived in the Castle several times, but I'm really feeling it lately. WHALC so supremely embodies the hyper-isolated sister experience I long for. Secret bower in the woods? Check. Wise cat? Check. Library books? Check. Magic words? Check, check, check. Don't freak out, sisters, but I just may want to poison ancillary people and live in a mansion in the woods with you. Maybe don't let me prepare any meals for a while. I hope I didn't give too much away... 

MARRY ME!

Dreamboat, Billy Browne, and his cat, Rufus, have just entered my life in a major way. Thanks to Kat of   That Kind of Woman for making this moment possible. It's become quite apparent to me that I'm watching far too few cat-related videos on YouTube. Remedy immediately!

dance lessons

Project for the week: studying this video and adding all these sweet moves to my repertoire. 
via Willow Springs

I live in a land the Praying Mantis love.

Recently, Ben and I started seeing these little guys around town. Praying mantises! This is a new experience for me, and I'm super-excited. Side-note: I have a cricket in my office (which is, apparently, good luck?). I don't exactly want to hurt it, but I also don't want it in residence any longer. I'm thinking about bringing in a praying mantis to do the vile deed. I would, of course, catch the insect assassin and release it back in to the wilds of Los Angeles. As for the mantis above? It was the first one we saw, just hanging around our hibiscus tree while I was succulenting in the garden beds...

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...

Juno. Gold. Omaha. Utah. Sword.

When Dawn was visiting, we discovered that we had oh-so-many things in common. One unexpected delight was
 that we both have an extreme love of miniatures. So, when Dawn suggested we buy a large bag of toy soldiers
 I was not only supportive, I was giddy.

Just so happens we decided to head to the beach to play war. Thus leading to a post which bears the code names of
the beaches of Normandy as a title. Also, it reminds me of We Have Always Lived in the Castle: Melody. Gloucester. Pegasus. If you haven't read that book yet, you should. It's not about WWII--I may have created that misdirection. Anyway, you can learn more about it on Christine's post highlighted above (which by the way really cracks her up).

What are the Deathly Hallows?

I originally bought a wood burning tool to complete my heirloom recipe box project, but I realized that since I didn't know how the varnished wood (cedar maybe?) would react to the process, I might be safer going the paint route. Plus, I didn't want to burn the heck out of my nice vintage recipe box. So, there's the genesis of my wood burning odyssey...

cats on cats on cats

Rutherford Gibson mans the phones at IBKC fundraising headquarters. Photo by Laurie Cinotto

This is just a little reminder about The Itty Bitty Kitty Committee fundraiser. They're at the nine day countdown and still have a ways to go before they reach their $75,000 goal. If you're feeling generous, consider stopping by the IBKC's First Giving fundraising page and leaving a little something. If you're more inclined to look at pictures of adarlingable (yes, that is a mash-up of adorable and darling) kittens, check out the IBKC blog for sleeps, squints, meeps, nips, and frolicks.

And finally if, in addition to both of the ideas above, you need to drop some USDs on a frivolous bit of feline wonderment for your walls, please see the recommendations below.

1. An official IBKC poster by Boo Davis, with all proceeds benefiting the fundraiser!

2012 IBKC Fundraising Poster by Boo Davis

2. Cats of the World print by Gemma Correll from L'Affiche Moderne

Cats of the World

3. This rainbow cat poster, on sale at Urban Outfitters. SALE!

Rainbow Cat Poster 

4. This celestial cat print by Zippora Lux on Society 6.

The Persian and the Ashes of the First Stars

As always, this post was written with an active cat tail covering a good many of the keys and some little paws curled right up against my arm. As it should be.

in the meantime

I feel like us inundating you with about a million vacation pictures, most of which--let's be honest--will be from the two days we spent inside the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History and National Museum of Natural History, is way rude. Not that those pictures aren't awesome (oh, they are), it's just that we realize not everyone wants to get the blow-by-blow of someone else's vacation. I mean, I do--but that's mainly because I'm a super-creeper and I want to know what everyone is doing all the time always. 

WAIT. Did you hear that? I think someone's out there. Oh wait, it's only me...lurking around your business. Shh, just pretend you don't see me. 

Anyway, I think vacation pictures will come at you in glimpses, every once in a while. It's much more manageable that way, don't you think? If you really want to get all the gory details, you could always take a spin on our instagram feeds.

christinesuzanne, monikajane, and cnic

And since I'm currently waiting for hot glue to dry--rushing it would be a mistake...as I already learned once this morning--I thought I'd post a few totally non-vacation pictures from Mom's in Tacoma. As Robert Goulet would say, Nature! Goulet.

When I hung my new chiffon shirt out to dry, this little mothy showed up. Total moth imposition.

The garter snakes are back in Mom's flowerbeds. It's so exciting! These two little BFFs are making a sleep snake heart.

This snake was left out of the cuddling. So sad. 

One of the other garter snakes, not pictured here because he or she slithered away when it saw me, has a couple of cloudy eyeballs. Do you know what that means? It's almost time for the shed! I have Mom on patrol because I have quite the collection of snake sheds building up. Let's just say there's going to be a pretty sweet shadow box in my near future. Something for us all to look forward to, right? Yes indeed. 

cat tatts!

via Harriet Gray

The cuteness! The unbearable and unending cuteness! I just found out about these a couple days ago when Anabela of Fieldguided pinned them on her catsss board.  Pure wonderment. These cat tatts were created by Harriet Gray, an illustrator hailing from Telford, England. Harriet makes all sorts of delightful goodies. Take an online stroll over to her etsy store here. Or poke around her blog: Harriet Gray Illustration. Thank you, Harriet for existing in this world. 

via Harriet Gray

via Harriet Gray

Why didn't I know about these in time for Catherine and Monika's birthdays? Total misstep on my part. Apologies, sisters. I'll try harder next time. Also, please note: This was all written with a cat laying on a fourth of my keyboard and part of my arm. Matilda is just so happy to have me home!!

Kittens inspired by kittens 2012!

A couple of kittens manning the phones at IBKC fundraising headquarters. Photo by Laurie Cinotto.

It's that time of year again. Perennial Nicolai sisters' favorite, The Itty Bitty Kitty Committee, is participating in the annual Tacoma/Pierce County Humane Society fundraiser! Yup, Laurie and the IBKC gang are raising money to improve the lives of homeless cats and kittens in Tacoma and Pierce County, WA. Last year, $66,000 was raised by the IBKC! Isn't that incredible?