dakegra’s Neighborhood

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While cynics may claim this is but a dusting, last night's storm brought a few inches of snow to our house at lake level, and the resorts are reporting up to 6 inches.

A few weeks ago I decided to reduce my coffee dependency for a number of reasons.  I've reduced my consumption substantially (threw out the IV drip and everything), but I'm not giving it up entirely.  Were I to do so, I think I'd end up alienating everyone in my life.

Above us only sky....

Originally uploaded by StripeyAnne

I knew today was going to be cool and crisp and sunny, so chucked the sunglasses case into my bag and headed for the train. By the time I emerged in Nottingham, the sun was bright, so I unzipped the case, only to find I'd brought Noel's glacier glasses by mistake.

Mine have interchangeable lenses, so can be glacier glasses, but Noel's are the classic leather-sided black-rimmed sort seen on Chris Bonnington. I'd describe my fashion look today as Mountain Business Chic.

So I blame the low visibility for my getting lost.

As I tried to fumble my way across the city, I bumped into a postie who cheerfully pointed me in the right direction and kindly turned my map the right way round. The second time I saw him, he turned me the right way round.and told me to ignore the map as it clearly wasn't helping. The third time, he sighed, pointed up the hill I'd just stagged down, and told me not to worry, he'd be back there in an hour if I was still lost.

The irony was I'd arrived 45 minutes early and had wandered off to take photos, relying on my finly-honed sense of direction to get me back on track. In my defence, can I say I got to my destination on time? Just?

Last night I had a dream, the second of a new theme. In this dream my grandma (who died of cancer in 1983) has come back to life or reappeared from wherever she'd been hiding. I conjectured perhaps she had been in an induced coma all this time, until they finally cured her. And when she comes back home, my grandpa gets his mind back. This is the new recurring theme. Grandpa Frank has alzheimer's and every time I see him there's a bit less of him there. But in my dream world he goes back to his old grumpy yet good-humored and almost entirely sane self. When grandma comes home.

Their house is the childhood home base that my dreams seem to seek out by default. I never feel safe or happy there in my dreams. There are often problems with the plumbing and the lock on the bathroom door. The main plot point in this particular dream is the appearance of Adolf, one of grandma's long-dead cats. I look out the kitchen window and see him sitting in the middle of the dirt yard where grandpa now keeps his backhoe. I recognize his crooked Hitler mustache. He is bigger and rounder than any non-dream housecat. I announce to grandma that Adolf came home and open the door for him. He rushes inside out of the bitter cold and I sit on the kitchen floor where he uncharacteristically snuggles up on my lap (he was a weird, unfriendly cat). I realize with  low-level concern that he is way older than cats are supposed to live. I ask grandma, "When was Adolf born?" She tells me, "45 weeks after your cousin." Even in dream math I realize this is simply not possible. My cousin was born in 1973.... which would make this dream cat over 30 years old. This reasoning launches me toward consciousness, where grandma is still dead and grandpa will never be sane again.

Another theme often found in my dreams: Moving in with my mom in some unfamiliar place that always has complex architecture and more rooms than one would think. The last dream like this was last week, and she and I had moved into an apartment complex much like the one I live in now. In this dream the multitude of rooms we share are spread over two units on opposite sides of the hall (and yet it is still somehow one apartment). It dawns on me that if we divide the space it could be almost like having my own apartment, and I go down the hall to suggest this plan. I find mom has gone insane and is making a variety of loud cat noises. This is not altogether improbable in real life. I try to talk to her quietly and rationally, but she continues to make cat noises. There are a bunch of young women neighbors who come over to help her (wearing fuzzy slippers and pink bathrobes). I decide I can be of no help and lock myself in the other apartment.

Apple and flash

Originally uploaded by StripeyAnne

Just following recipes without question can lead to over-catering.

Granted, the recipe for Nigel Slater's scrummy figgy puddings is for two medium-sized puds is to serve eight each, but when I'd weighed out all the ingredients, they filled two bowls which were twice the size of the pudding bowls.

Now, let's just take a moment here, I have previous for lack of volumetic awareness - there was the emptying of the bean bag contents into a small box incident. I'm still finding the damned things all over the place.

Somethig must have gone wrong somewhere. The two medium puddings have become four, with four mini puds to spare. As Noel would say, result!

Pudding anyone?

Pudding ingredients

It's time to gear up for lots of store visits, there will be a lot of layout changes, one more new store and multiple phases of Xmas promotion happening from this week onward.  My gears will change from office setting (mind.depositor, Moleskine diary, fountain pen, calculator, camera) to field setting (pocket Moleskine, camera).

Gear up with Moleskine

One of the indispensable tool is this "Holder for M" from Vintage Revival Productions.  It is an ingenious two piece product made from a combination of leather and denim label material.  One piece acts as a holder which allows you to insert your M into your jean's back pocket (8,800 yen), the other is a pen holder (4,500 yen).  Both pieces are looped so that you can slide to the front and back cover of you M easily without permanent damage.

Moleskine Holder - on the go

Where did I found this you asked?  It was last July when I thought I was having the last meeting of a business trip in Tokyo, Mr. Doi from Sweetroad (a great store to visit mind you) told me about Mr. Iwata and his shop Iwata Denki.  I had to rush to that store in Setagaya before it's closed.  Full of sweat and unable to communicate in Japanese, I was signing and nodding a lot and had a great "conversation" with Iwata san, a designer himself, who published 2 design books called GOALD (goal of design), and constantly working to create new products.  Do visit Iwata san's blog to get a glimpse of his works and product collections from his friends.

Iwata Denki shop - Iwata san holding his leather M skins

Iwata Denki shop - Iwata san's leather goods

Iwata san made some very nice leather Moleskine covers.  They are like stickers, only in leather, which are removable and probably can last several uses when you change your Moleskine.  I was about to buy the brown snake skin embossed or the wood imitation cover but too bad they were out of stock.  He also made those cute little leather photo clips which look like smileys, they are put into recycle film cans and sold in stores like Tokyu Hands and Loft.

Iwata Denki shop - Vintage Revival Productions' Holder for M

Iwata san was very keen to show me his collection of great products in the shop, wooden iphone case, his leather credit card holder, coin pouch etc.  "Holder for M" was the one thing I got from his shop, then I was out of cash in Tokyo :)

So if you are going to Tokyo, I suggest you to dig up these interesting small shops to go, it is far more rewarding as a journey.  As for myself, the connection and sense of discovery always give me the thrill.

Go forth and fill your libraries with media.

Seriously, thanks to everyone for being so amazing and patient. You are the reason I love Vox.

~daisy

Story about Cats and Dogs

Xmas to me for the past 6 years has been a gradual build up of pressure and anxiety because of work.  After yet another day of number crunching I reached home finding a surprise in our guest restroom.  I would've expected a lonely cat or dog lurking around in the house if it wasn't our restroom, the only culprit here must be Olgua.  I was furious for a few seconds and click..... I switched to story telling mode, about dogs and cats at home and why they do things they do because nobody clip their nails etc.  Then it was the plead to tell yet more bed time stories.  I must remember that flick of switch, to turn anger into stories, to turn anxiety into something creative.  It shouldn't be a positive reinforcement of bad behavior or emotion if the subject can grasp the good intention behind given a review is done, and it is no surprise and a pity that this works best with children, 'mature' people just have too much pride to see things through.

Last week I managed to punch myself in the chest with my bike handlebars.  At the time it hurt, but I was more focused on getting through the rest of the bike ride and back to the car.  While I've had more than my fair share of cuts and bruises, I've not had an injury like this in quite awhile - one that actually sidelined me for a few days and made the smallest of tasks (changing sheets, carrying a laundry basket) painfully difficult.