November 23, 2011 • 1 note
  The Pro- Walmart “shut your hipster mouth” arguments I’ve been reading in the comments section of the Athens Banner Herald are HILARIOUS! The VERY same folks that were/are against initiatives like Whatever It Takes, Babies Can’t Wait and Teen Matters are PRO Wal-mart, and their argument is the “poor” in the area are under served by lack of bus and transportation to existing grocery stores, and the need for affordable food and goods. I call bullshit all over the lot of them! NOBODY and I mean NOBODY is opening a wal-mart because they are concerned for the needs of our county’s “poor”. Except maybe our mayor and her pro sweatshop ramblings.   http://onlineathens.com/local-news/2011-11-20/opposition-downtown-athens-walmart-grows Granted I agree a Whole Foods is a slap in the face to the existing neighborhood, I can’t afford to shop there on the reg. But we have an expansive local farming, baking and food producing community, I still say a Dekalb Farmers Market type of store, open year round would be amazing. AFFORDABLE! LOCAL! SEASONAL! what a novel idea!

  The Pro- Walmart “shut your hipster mouth” arguments I’ve been reading in the comments section of the Athens Banner Herald are HILARIOUS! The VERY same folks that were/are against initiatives like Whatever It Takes, Babies Can’t Wait and Teen Matters are PRO Wal-mart, and their argument is the “poor” in the area are under served by lack of bus and transportation to existing grocery stores, and the need for affordable food and goods. I call bullshit all over the lot of them! NOBODY and I mean NOBODY is opening a wal-mart because they are concerned for the needs of our county’s “poor”. Except maybe our mayor and her pro sweatshop ramblings.

  http://onlineathens.com/local-news/2011-11-20/opposition-downtown-athens-walmart-grows

Granted I agree a Whole Foods is a slap in the face to the existing neighborhood, I can’t afford to shop there on the reg. But we have an expansive local farming, baking and food producing community, I still say a Dekalb Farmers Market type of store, open year round would be amazing. AFFORDABLE! LOCAL! SEASONAL!

what a novel idea!

November 23, 2011
Ooooh MAN this is harder than I thought.   No big box shopping, is making me painfully aware of my “Target problem”. I didn’t realize how relaxing I find perusing the aisles of our local Target, well, maybe not this time of year. A strange sense of calm comes over me as I stroll down the aisles of make up and skin care, cleaning products and home goods. It’s therapeutic. I know that makes me sound incredibly shallow and sad, but you know what? WHO CARES!? Smart money says I’m not the only one.   I’ll admit it, I broke down today and went to the TJ MAXX. I’ve been stalking a Le Creuset braiser for some time now. It’s price was a fraction of the normal retail price. I’ve saved all my tips and visited the store to make sure it was still there. Today, it has a new home.  The last few weeks, since I first spotted it, my dreams have been filled with all the delicious meals I will cook in it.  Hugh Acheson’s cane vinegar chicken recipe is at the top of the list. I will justify this purchase in many different ways, mainly NOBODY in Athens carries Le Creuset, not since the Rolling Pin closed down. I’m not proud of myself, I feel sad and weak- I wonder if I can regain my strength by cooking up some locally grown food, or at least food purchased in a locally owned grocery store….   I said in the beginning, I would attempt this experiment, because I can afford to. (I think a paragraph on my “need” for a Le Creuset braiser is evidence of that.) As I left the TJ MAXX, I saw the clusterfuck that is Alps Rd Kroger. I broke out in hives just driving by. I read a story in the ABH saying that the 45,00 sq ft Kroger was going to expand. All I could think was “THAT’s what 45K looks like???! SHIT!” The new Walmart anchor store is planned for 95,000-100,000 square feet. More than DOUBLE. The traffic alone is going to cause some major road rage, not to mention the dumpster like atmosphere of BOTH Wal Marts in Athens.  I shall keep my fingers crossed that something like the Dekalb Farmers Market could make a home in a Selig Development. But really I just worry more and more about downtown, what happens when St Joseph’s moves, what about when the ABH closes down, what about that MONSTROSITY of a building?  For now, I will wallow in my shame and silently wave to Target as I head home this evening….

Ooooh MAN this is harder than I thought. 

 No big box shopping, is making me painfully aware of my “Target problem”. I didn’t realize how relaxing I find perusing the aisles of our local Target, well, maybe not this time of year. A strange sense of calm comes over me as I stroll down the aisles of make up and skin care, cleaning products and home goods. It’s therapeutic. I know that makes me sound incredibly shallow and sad, but you know what? WHO CARES!? Smart money says I’m not the only one.

  I’ll admit it, I broke down today and went to the TJ MAXX. I’ve been stalking a Le Creuset braiser for some time now. It’s price was a fraction of the normal retail price. I’ve saved all my tips and visited the store to make sure it was still there. Today, it has a new home.  The last few weeks, since I first spotted it, my dreams have been filled with all the delicious meals I will cook in it.  Hugh Acheson’s cane vinegar chicken recipe is at the top of the list. I will justify this purchase in many different ways, mainly NOBODY in Athens carries Le Creuset, not since the Rolling Pin closed down. I’m not proud of myself, I feel sad and weak- I wonder if I can regain my strength by cooking up some locally grown food, or at least food purchased in a locally owned grocery store….

  I said in the beginning, I would attempt this experiment, because I can afford to. (I think a paragraph on my “need” for a Le Creuset braiser is evidence of that.) As I left the TJ MAXX, I saw the clusterfuck that is Alps Rd Kroger. I broke out in hives just driving by. I read a story in the ABH saying that the 45,00 sq ft Kroger was going to expand. All I could think was “THAT’s what 45K looks like???! SHIT!” The new Walmart anchor store is planned for 95,000-100,000 square feet. More than DOUBLE. The traffic alone is going to cause some major road rage, not to mention the dumpster like atmosphere of BOTH Wal Marts in Athens. 

I shall keep my fingers crossed that something like the Dekalb Farmers Market could make a home in a Selig Development. But really I just worry more and more about downtown, what happens when St Joseph’s moves, what about when the ABH closes down, what about that MONSTROSITY of a building?

 For now, I will wallow in my shame and silently wave to Target as I head home this evening….

November 22, 2011 • 4 notes
I spent the better part of last night debating the feasibility of buying 100% local. Some things will be relatively easy, like food. Last night I bought fresh shrimp from Harold, The Shrimp Pimp of Athens, (http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Shrimp-Pimp-of-Athens/309956045681448?sk=wall) He still has some shrimp and blue crab to unload, if you’re interested!) Other things may prove to be more difficult.   Two things kept popping up, one is clothing. Where does one buy basic necessity clothing, socks, drawers etc. And where am I, as a “Buxom Broad” going to find anything that fits- and I can wear to work, and afford to ruin with haircolor. If it’s time to start sewing and making my own clothes, where do I buy fabric and notions?? I don’t have time to hunt fabric and re-purpose. How far to I take this before it’s too far. I don’t want to be one of those self righteous assholes. The one shining star in all of this so far is I’m saving mone. I am so hyper aware of where I’m shopping, I’m only buying necessities. This means I’m spending less. But is spending less locally, on the whole better than spending more at a mix of locally owned and national retailers? The thing I like about this project, it’s forcing me to use everything I have on hand already at the house, rather than impulse buying.  I think I need a trip down to the Chamber of Commerce to find out what’s local and what’s regional vs what’s national. I know there are definitely locally owned franchises that shouldn’t be lumped in with the Big Boys.

I spent the better part of last night debating the feasibility of buying 100% local. Some things will be relatively easy, like food. Last night I bought fresh shrimp from Harold, The Shrimp Pimp of Athens, (http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Shrimp-Pimp-of-Athens/309956045681448?sk=wall) He still has some shrimp and blue crab to unload, if you’re interested!)

Other things may prove to be more difficult.

  Two things kept popping up, one is clothing. Where does one buy basic necessity clothing, socks, drawers etc. And where am I, as a “Buxom Broad” going to find anything that fits- and I can wear to work, and afford to ruin with haircolor.

If it’s time to start sewing and making my own clothes, where do I buy fabric and notions?? I don’t have time to hunt fabric and re-purpose. How far to I take this before it’s too far. I don’t want to be one of those self righteous assholes.

The one shining star in all of this so far is I’m saving mone. I am so hyper aware of where I’m shopping, I’m only buying necessities. This means I’m spending less. But is spending less locally, on the whole better than spending more at a mix of locally owned and national retailers? The thing I like about this project, it’s forcing me to use everything I have on hand already at the house, rather than impulse buying.

 I think I need a trip down to the Chamber of Commerce to find out what’s local and what’s regional vs what’s national. I know there are definitely locally owned franchises that shouldn’t be lumped in with the Big Boys.

November 21, 2011 • 2 notes
There’s been so much hubbub about Selig Developments plans to build a Wal-Mart downtown Athens adjacent. It got me thinking, I am responsible for this being a very REAL possibility. I do not shop at Wally-world per se, but I DO shop at Target and Publix and Home Depot and Lowe’s. It’s all the same. I hear people saying if it was Target or Publix or Korger, etc they’d be ok with it, but not Wal-Mart. Sorry, I find that to be kind of bullshit. We can get into company ethics and benefits and discriminatory hiring etc. It’s like choosing between Cancer and AIDS. The real issues, traffic, undermining of local businesses, and the overall genericizing (is that a word?) of our town. So I am doing my best to shop at locally owned businesses EXCLUSIVELY. This is going to be a challenge. Groceries are easy. Dog food a bit tougher. Socks and underwear for Todd may prove to be the biggest challenge. I find that sad. We also need a new dishwasher. I had been planning on going to Lowe’s on black friday, I’ve been waiting for months, and now the week is here. I wasn’t sure if there still was an appliance store in Athens. There is- Athens Refrigeration and Appliance http://www.athensrefrigerationandappliance.com/  Ironically this business was originally located where Tasty World was. We had our wedding reception in that building. So I’m keeping my fingers crossed things will work out. Another thought was Sears- Sears was originally downtown like most of the major department stores, before the mall was built. They may or may not be locally owned, but they have been part of the Athens fabric for 40-50 years. So they’ll be my fall back, or maybe we just wash our own dishes until we can buy from AR and A….. I’m really tired of washing dishes though… Today’s local love involves going to happy hour, and waiting for my 2lbs of fresh shrimp from The Shrimp Pimp! Bought grits from Bell’s on Hawthorne yesterday! Can’t wait!

There’s been so much hubbub about Selig Developments plans to build a Wal-Mart downtown Athens adjacent. It got me thinking, I am responsible for this being a very REAL possibility. I do not shop at Wally-world per se, but I DO shop at Target and Publix and Home Depot and Lowe’s. It’s all the same. I hear people saying if it was Target or Publix or Korger, etc they’d be ok with it, but not Wal-Mart. Sorry, I find that to be kind of bullshit. We can get into company ethics and benefits and discriminatory hiring etc. It’s like choosing between Cancer and AIDS. The real issues, traffic, undermining of local businesses, and the overall genericizing (is that a word?) of our town. So I am doing my best to shop at locally owned businesses EXCLUSIVELY. This is going to be a challenge. Groceries are easy. Dog food a bit tougher. Socks and underwear for Todd may prove to be the biggest challenge. I find that sad. We also need a new dishwasher. I had been planning on going to Lowe’s on black friday, I’ve been waiting for months, and now the week is here. I wasn’t sure if there still was an appliance store in Athens. There is- Athens Refrigeration and Appliance http://www.athensrefrigerationandappliance.com/

 Ironically this business was originally located where Tasty World was. We had our wedding reception in that building. So I’m keeping my fingers crossed things will work out. Another thought was Sears- Sears was originally downtown like most of the major department stores, before the mall was built. They may or may not be locally owned, but they have been part of the Athens fabric for 40-50 years. So they’ll be my fall back, or maybe we just wash our own dishes until we can buy from AR and A….. I’m really tired of washing dishes though…

Today’s local love involves going to happy hour, and waiting for my 2lbs of fresh shrimp from The Shrimp Pimp! Bought grits from Bell’s on Hawthorne yesterday! Can’t wait!

July 18, 2011 • 13,650 notes
Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know its normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take awhile. It’s normal to take awhile. You’ve just gotta fight your way through.
Ira Glass (via nefffy)

(via nprfreshair)

July 18, 2011

Can’t get enough of The Selby (www.theselby.com) It’s better than walking around New York at night trying to see what people’s apartments look like. The photography is simple and clean.

July 12, 2011 • 5 notes

Obsessing over Juergen Teller photos, brainstorming for more photoshoot ideas.

July 11, 2011 • 764 notes • sparklesandpretending
Only mildly obsessed

Only mildly obsessed

July 11, 2011

So, we will now be taking a more hair/fashion/beauty bent to ye old tumblr.

This week, I want a boater! and I want it now!

July 7, 2011 • 34 notes • wordsandeggs
sparklesandpretending: wordsandeggs: Klas Fahlen illustration. More on my blog HERE. Love love love!

sparklesandpretending:

wordsandeggs: Klas Fahlen illustration. More on my blog HERE.

Love love love!