a mizzle, a downpour, a fountain
Hello, and welcome to rain.
Like that fantastic gif by Marie Spénale, only less awesome. Because everything I can think of at the moment is less awesome than that gif.
We’re in the rainy grip of Hurricane Joaquin at the moment, and while I wish it was more thundery and dramatic, it’s been an excellent excuse to spend my days off hiding in my house in my PJs (it is not difficult to persuade me in that direction regardless). I’ve caught up on a lot of tv, but my dogs are very bored.
Notable Breakfast
Cereal and half an everything bagel with cream cheese (what I actually eat most days)
Dog Thing
Yesterday was National Black Dog Day, and you should definitely adopt a black dog and wake up next to this every morning.
Mixed Media
I’ve been making a lot of trips to my local library lately in an effort to save money, but last week’s efforts were foiled by one of my greatest weaknesses: a library sale. I picked up four books, and the star of the pile is the book on the lower right. Called Decoration U.S.A., it was written in 1965 by José Wilson and Arthur Leaman and all it is is photos and commentary on residential interiors. If I had to invent the ideal book to come across at random at a library sale, it might just be that: pictures of the inside of peoples’ houses in 1965.
I fully expected to love what I found in the book, but I was startled by how modern it all felt. This book is filled with rooms that I might expect to walk into or see celebrated on home blogs today. It became an exercise in spot-the-throwback-trend. For example: the large, dramatic plants in the above room.
Built-in shelving and Eames molded plastic armchairs!
Wide, square sofas! Huge statement art! Even the mixture of patterns seems modern and positively restrained for the 60s. That was the major difference between then and now in the book, of course: the use of color and pattern.
The first chapter in the book was all about color, and photographs practically glowed, they were so full of reds, blues, and oranges.
Along with that first room, this little kitchen was probably my favourite. I could easily live with that kitchen. A lot of the furniture was easily identifiable (I briefly went to grad school to study decorative arts and I’ve mostly retained my furniture knowledge), but not all of it. While the book listed the architects and designers of the rooms shown, there was a disappointing lack of information about the objects on display. Probably a reflection of when it was published, but still a bummer for a lapsed material culture historian.
Speaking of, photography credit goes to: (1)(5) Tom Leonard, (2)(4) William Grigsby, (3) Ernest Silva
Also: Jack Antonoff of Bleachers, whose Strange Desire was one of my fave albums of 2014, has released a remix of his own album, with different women vocalists on every song. Even better, it is free. I love it. Best beloved tv shows Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Sleepy Hollow came back beautifully, and I gave the first episode of Quantico a shot and really enjoyed it. All-in-all, media consumption this week was:
I Read Comics for a Living
This was a very, very light week, but Zodiac Starforce #2 came out, and it was great! I love how much we get to see the girls interacting with one another, and get a much deeper sense of their personalities. I’d read the issue already (perk of knowing the writer and artist), so I wasn’t expecting to be surprised by anything in it, but I laughed out loud at a few places and was completely delighted by Savi. Also, if you’re on the lookout for comics with LGBTQ representation and you haven’t picked this up yet, issue #2 will probably hook you. Just sayin’.
Also good:
Jem & The Holograms Outrageous Annual #1 This annual is the cutest thing. Looking to relax after the insanity of their past few days, the girls decide to have a movie night, then they all pass out before coming to a decision about what to watch. Each girl dreams about a different movie genre, and each story is drawn by a different artist! I loved this whole thing.
Archie #3 Tragically, this is Fiona Staples’ last issue of Archie, but I’m glad we got to see her take on Veronica Lodge before she left. The issue is predictably great, but I’m a little worried about how the artist-jumping they’ve got coming is going to affect the book.
Secret Coders Volume 1 This is the first of a new middle grade series from Gene Luen Yang and Mike Holmes about a group of kids discovering the secrets of their school and using the basics of coding to do it. I wish I had read this as a kid. It explained binary code in a more easily-understood manner than any college professor I ever had. And it was fun.
Anxiety Pyjamas
Topshop Bright Rose Print Pyjama Jumpsuit
Fics I Shouted About
You look like my next mistake by Vendelin Teen Wolf, Sterek, College AU. Derek’s a shy college sophomore and Stiles is an older frat guy who saves him from embarrassment at a party. This has some of my favourite tropes and uses them brilliantly.
You put a Hallmark on my Heart by giantteenwolforgy Teen Wolf, Sterek, AU. Stiles is a teacher, specifically that of Derek’s daughter’s class. And if that wasn’t bad enough, he’s also the son of Derek’s boss. Off-limits, basically. This was so cute.
Not Quite Lost (Not Quite Found) by alocalband Teen Wolf, Sterek, future AU. Derek’s living in a small town in Colorado, trying to learn to be a functional person again, when Stile unexpectedly shows up at the local university. This is a wonderful slow burn of a thing, and features Derek living like a hermit in the woods, my fave.
Lastly
If you’re in Hurricane Joaquin’s path, be safe out there!
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