Skeptickle

This is the third year that Rob and I have attended Maker Faire and it is one of the most enjoyable planned weekends of the year for us. I can’t even begin to describe how cool it is because it’s one of those things that you have to experience to understand. I love that Rob and I can split up and go look at the things we’re most interested in (him=technology, me=crafts+food/sustainability), but there are so many things that we both think are cool that we also enjoy walking around and looking at stuff together. This post will be an introduction to some of my favorite art and crafts venders that were there this weekend. I will post up other neat stuff once I sort through all the pictures on our camera.

First up:

Polly Danger – smart, cute, retro

Polly Danger Sewing kit.

Utility belt for the crafty! I got one of these for myself

I noticed that a lot of venders were using faux bois in their crafts. Can't complain!

Next is animator Brittney Lee Designs – artsy, colorful, Disney-esque

Reminds me of the times when I'm trying to read and Meow needs attention.

From the Hawaiian gods and goddesses series.

I love her Hawaii-inspired images

And finally, the couple that make up Xylocopa – detailed, quirky, jaw-dropping

Lasercut wood= sexy

Mustache Ukelele- who thinks this stuff up? I love it!

25 different mustaches.

Disney/Pixar did it again with their new movie Up. I have to admit, I used to be skeptical about Pixar’s animation especially when they were acquired by Disney. I didn’t think their creative genius would last. I mean look at Dreamworks. They used to be entertaining when they made Ants and Shrek (I &II) , then it all went downhill from there. They now seem like they are trying too hard to be like Pixar and have very little original or interesting storylines of their own. And when they do, they go over the top and try to be “cooler” than their audience (check out Sharks Tale and Shrek III and you’ll know what I mean). Maybe I’m so unhip that I can’t relate to their characters anymore, even though I can always emotionally relate to Pixar’s characters.

Pixar just has an elegant way of telling a story and their jokes are always tasteful. Anyways, I was still skeptical of their latest movie Up because the trailer made it seem like the characters were very one-dimensional. So what if an old geezer tied a bunch of balloons to his house and told everyone else to piss off? Why should I care about him or that chubby cub scout?

Well, my inner pessimist sure got silenced within the first twenty minutes of that movie. With the exception of Grave of the Fireflies (which I wouldn’t recommend to anyone who doesn’t want to feel deep and utter despair), I don’t think I’ve ever teared up during an animated movie before. Don’t get the wrong idea though, Up was not nearly as depressing as GOTF. I had to really hold it together because we were sitting amongst Rob’s co-workers and apparently Rob was feeling the same way at the time. The old man’s backstory helped us relate to him at a deeper level. I won’t give it away because it was a surprise to me and I think it’s better as a surprise. Every time Rob and I come out of a Pixar movie we’d reevaluate our favorites, and Up has definitely made it to both of our top 5 Pixar movies list. Here’s my current list (so far):

• -Ratatouille
• -Up
• -Toy Story 2
• -Finding Nemo
• -Wall-E

I’m really looking forward to the release of Toy Story 3 that’s scheduled to come out next year!

It’s peony season again! Ever since they became my second favorite flower (right below dahlias), a smile lights my face and longing tugs my heart when I see them at the market. Too bad they have a short season and they’re pricey or else I’d bring a bunch home every week! I was so sad when I found out that neither were available within a reasonable price range around the time of our wedding. It would’ve seriously costed $8 per stem with a requirement to buy 100 stems at a certain online wholesaler. I ended up using a peony-rose hybrid for my bouquet and other personal flowers, which was much less costly and is available year-round . At first I thought I was settling, but they turned out to be almost as beautiful as peonies and they had the most heavenly scent of garden roses .

Here’s the one that my brother walked down the aisle with and placed on the seat my mother would have sat on if she were there:

Anyways, I’ll do an entire post on my wedding flowers with all the details at another time. Right now I’d like to present these babies that I got from TJs for $7!

Can you believe that at this time yesterday these were tight balls of unopened blossoms? My babies grew up too fast!

Okay, I know, enough of the flower porn. I should be working on my plans for ending poverty and alleviating global warming all at the same time. Off I go!

Erica and Emily- click on picture to read about their Massachusetts wedding.

Just like after our last presidential election, two things happened today. One brought humankind forward and one held it back. President Obama announced his pick for Supreme Court Justice: Sonya Sotomayor, the first Hispanic Supreme Court nominee in U.S. history. She hasn’t been confirmed yet but everyone thinks it’s very likely.

The thing that held humanity back is something I’ve personally invested my time in to try to prevent. Today the California Supreme Court ruled that the voter-initiated ban on gay marriage still stands. In other words, our state constitution has been amended to support an effort to discriminate against a minority group of people. The definition of equal rights in the constitution has been altered in a way that implies that the relationships of the majority are somehow superior and more legitimate while the relationships of the minority…well, aren’t.  I admit that I’m straight which means that I have the freedom to marry (and did!), but that doesn’t stop me from empathizing. It’s so easy for certain straight people to feel antipathy since they’re not homosexual and are (obviously) against it, but we’ve all felt love or the need to be with someone for the rest of our lives. Being married give you a different feeling and a ton more rights than a domestic partnership, and I’ve been in both. It just makes no sense to prevent someone from having the freedom to live their life when it’s not hurting anyone else one bit! There is continued effort to change things around again and I will not give up hope. Other states have already changed their constitutions to accept gay marriage, and hopefully soon it will change at the crucial federal level as well.

Blog badge by Stinkerpants Designs.

I’m watching Oprah right now (which fyi, I don’t usually do) and they’re discussing the topic of class in America now that we’re in the middle of this recession. This is a touchy topic even in the best of times. I remember reading about how the New York Times printed a story about it several years ago and there was a huge uproar from people who believe that this country doesn’t have a class-based society. I guess it’s easier to bring the topic up now because so many people are effected all over the country so it’s much harder to ignore. I find the opinion of Professor Robert Reich from UC Berkeley very valuable. Note to self: must check out his book “Supercapitalism”.  I think that there are two ways to view class and the best way is to combine both perspectives. One is subjective and the other is more based on actual numbers. For example, one household may make over $100k a year and most people would think that would automatically make this household at least upper-middle class. However, this household may experience something very different from common assumptions. After taxes, fixed costs (necessities), and perhaps living in an area that already has high cost of living, that household may barely scrape by every month on bills. Another important example is education. A college graduate may make about as much as people in the lower classes and may even live like they’re in poverty, but most people would consider them in the middle class.