Sick & Wicked

Starting a new project: Tunisian crochet bag

nobody@vox.com(Mags) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 10:26:53 -0400

Since I'm jealous of Heather's lovely blog posts about her cross-stitch projects, in the best tradition of bloggers everywhere I'm brazenly stealing her idea and trying to capture the progress of my latest crochet project.

I love me some Vera Bradley handbags. I like to joke that I have "a little problem" with them, because I own a half dozen or so; then I went to my friend Fran's house and saw her bedroom redo, which included a special purse hanger on the back of her door for her SEVERAL DOZEN Veras! It made me feel much better... ;-) Lately I've mostly been carrying the basic Vera Handbag design in the (soon to be retired *sob*) Botanica fabric. I like it a lot and it works well for most of my needs, but for my daily commute I'd rather have something hands-free, preferably a bag I can wear with the strap cross-body. Vera doesn't do a lot of long-strap bags; her handbags usually have long enough straps to be used as shoulder bags, just not across the body. I see they are discontinuing the Hipster bag, and I almost bought one at 30% off last week, but couldn't pull the trigger; though if they had it in Botanica I probably would have bought it! It's close to what I want, but not quite. This is one of the times I wish I could sew, because I could probably make up a nice bag, though maybe not with the fabulous Vera fabrics. I used to carry a Betsy in the (now retired) Chelsea Green fabric, which was great but a little big for my needs right now--and again, not a hands-free bag. It makes a great carry-on bag when you're checking a rolling bag, though--it sits nicely on top of the rolling bag and I love all the pockets and organizational features. I dare say TSA loves it, too. No clutter means happy Xraying for TSA. I actually bought my rolling bag in green to match it. ;-)

I also love my Pacsafe Metro 100, which I use for sightseeing and traveling. I love the built-in security features. I've had my eye on the Metro 200 for a possible daily-commute bag. I've decided to hold off till I get a netbook. That might not be till next year, if Toshi the Portege stops acting up. (Though I might contravene my self-imposed rest-of-2008 gadget moratorium and buy a Dell E...it will make my autumn trips to Chicago for the JASNA AGM and San Diego for the Hornblower convention SO much easier. We'll see.)

But I still want a hands-free bag. What to do in the meantime?

Over the weekend I thought about possibly crocheting a bag with a nice long strap, but I was concerned about the strap stretching out under the weight of all the junk I carry on a daily basis (tho' compared to some women I see on the train, who carry a purse AND a tote AND a briefcase/messenger bag, I travel relatively light). I started thinking, if I could only combine the best of Vera and Pacsafe with crochet techniques, maybe I could come up with something...

And I think I have. :-) More soon!

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"Mohammed is free"

nobody@vox.com(Mags) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 02:04:56 -0400

This is such a great story...I'm kind of a Twitterer in waves, but I love how an American grad student who was photographing government protests in Egypt used Twitter to get word out that he was arrested so his friends back home could get him immediately freed.

He kept working to get his translator, an Egyptian national, freed as well, and when he succeeded last week, he put the word out on Twitter as well. See, this Web 2.0 stuff isn't as useless as it sometimes appears!

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We have to have Chase Utley Tuesday this week

nobody@vox.com(Mags) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 02:01:50 -0400

....because our boy's an ALL STAR! And he had a real Philadelphia-style greeting for New York, too, bless his heart. (Warning, ungentlemanlike language...) Yes, I know he apologized, but here at home there was no need to...it's endeared him to Philadelphia sports fans FOREVER. What the heck was ESPN doing INTERVIEWING DAVID WRIGHT (Mr. Only Got In Because Someone Else Got Injured Anyway) while Chase was batting in the Home Run Derby???

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It's Chase Utley Saturday once again!

nobody@vox.com(Mags) — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 16:53:30 -0400

I think I missed a week, though; but in the rapidly-becoming-immortal words of Harry Kalas, "Chase Utley, YOU ARE THE MAN!"

(Chutterday? Chutleyday? I need a catchy name here.)

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Vox Hunt: Favorite Video

nobody@vox.com(Mags) — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 00:51:43 -0400

Show us your favorite YouTube video.

Gotta go with Barbie Pride and Prejudice.

I LOL every time Darcy pops out from behind the rock. And does Bingley have Kung Fu Grip? If not, he should.

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Just thought of something

nobody@vox.com(Mags) — Thu, 29 May 2008 16:06:13 -0400

How come no one's written a mystery series set in the world of competitive figure skating yet? (At least I don't think they have.) I would think the title Death Spiral would be a slam-dunk. You could call it the Gold Medal Mysteries (tho' that does sound a little bit like a baking mystery). Maybe the Triple Axel Mysteries? Sharp Blades Mysteries?

No, I'm not going to write it. Well, maybe in some amorphous future when I have copious amounts of free time.

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Vox Hunt: Way Back Wednesday

nobody@vox.com(Mags) — Thu, 29 May 2008 00:32:33 -0400

Share a song you loved way back in the day.

Back in the day heck, I still drive around with this blasting. Well, maybe not as much now with the price of gas being what it is.

And now I feel like posting some more of Mags' Hits of the Eighties. How about some Duran Duran? Mmm, Simon le Bon. And this is still a kickass video.

And my other favorite blond British boy from the Eighties, and possibly the anti-Simon, Joe Elliott of Def Leppard in his strategically ripped jeans. I once had a really cool dream that Joe Elliott was following me around Beaver Stadium to tell me he loved me.

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Leave my Crocs alone!

nobody@vox.com(Mags) — Wed, 28 May 2008 00:36:42 -0400

Crocs

What's with the hating on Crocs? They are the most comfortable shoes ever invented. Birkenstocks run a close second. Admittedly Crocs make Birkies look positively fashion-forward, but I don't understand the visceral hatred I see about the Internet. I think high-heeled pointy-toed obscenely price-tagged Sex and the City shoes look dopey and women wearing them are generally IN MY WAY as they totter down the pavement while I'm trying to walk somewhere, but hey, whatever makes you happy. My Crocs make me happy. They make my feet happy. They're ooshy and gooshy and cradle my poor abused tootsies in softness. They're super light and come in such fun colors and give my toes so much wiggle room. And yes, I would wear them to the office if I could get away with it.

My Crocs are here, they're ugly, get used to it! :-)

(And really, after a while they don't seem so ugly.)

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We hereby declare this Chase Utley Saturday

nobody@vox.com(Mags) — Sat, 24 May 2008 10:54:04 -0400

Chase

Because every Saturday should be a Chase Utley Saturday. Go Fightins!

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Kate and Lauren FTW!

nobody@vox.com(Mags) — Thu, 15 May 2008 23:29:26 -0400

Kate Smith

The Flyers had to win tonight to stay alive in the playoffs, and they did it! w00t! I saw a guy getting off the train tonight, obviously on his way to the game, in an orange t-shirt that said, "Why Not Us?" Why not indeed.

I had my book group, and the trains were screwed up and running late. I had the game on the car radio and pulled into Barnes & Noble around 7:30, just as Lauren Hart started to sing "God Bless America." At the second verse, Kate Smith's voice came in and the Wachovia Center went nuts. Then Lauren's voice joined in (and she has a gorgeous voice, with power and style) and I was sitting there in the B&N parking lot in tears. For a lifelong Flyers fan, there's just so much history there and so much emotion. (Lauren's dad Gene was the Flyers' play-by-play announcer for many years.)

And the good luck charm worked, by the bye...Flyers 4, Pittsburgh 2. They live to fight another day.

Here's a 1975 article from the New York Times about Kate Smith singing before a Flyers playoff game. They won the Stanley Cup at that one. Not bad. :-) A former co-worker was at the 1976 game against the Soviet national team, sitting up near the roof of the Spectrum, and said when "God Bless America" was played before the game, the crowd was so loud that the beams were literally vibrating. Wow.

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