Favorite

This is the very first song that Neko Case ever wrote all by herself.  I know this because that's what she says on the Austin City Limits performance.  She's got a one in a million voice and I don't care what genre of music you're into, her talent is undeniable.  I even named my cat after her.  Of course, when Neko was a kitten, the vet tech told me he was a girl.  I almost named him Lucy (Shakedown on 9th Street by Ryan Adams - check it out).  Then at the next visit after he was named, the vet thought he had a very masculine face for a girl and in fact, was a boy.  As it turned out, he just had really small testicles.  Everything worked out in the end because Neko means cat in Japanese, or so I'm told.

E-cycling

I've had this old computer monitor sitting around for over a year.  It wasn't grounded when lightning struck and kerpop! there it went.  All of my brief internet searches ended with companies that only served commercial customers recycling large quantities of electronic equipment and paid for the bulk recycling.  I have been doing some spring cleaning and I really want to get this big ass thing out of my closet, but I refuse to let it end up in a landfill leaching mercury, lead and/or arsenic which are components in several types of electronic equipment.  I don't know why my previous searches never uncovered this little morsel of useful information, but as it turns out, at Office Depot you can bring any of your electronic waste and pay between $5-$15 to cover the shipping, depending on size, and they take care of the rest.  No muss, no fuss.  I also uncovered a pretty bad ass and comprehensive list of manufacturer specific recycling programs, most of which are either free or low fee to recycle e-waste from toner cartridges to cell phones and computers.  My defunct monitor happens to be Dell and it took me about 30 seconds to fill in my information and I was given a "waybill" to affix to my package and I can ship it off for free.  Sweeeet!

Pete the Cat

I have a new obsession and it's Pete the Cat.  I saw this guy's booth at the Inman Park Festival and I looooooove his work.  They're all really clever but also he's a really great artist.  I found him on Sunday of the Inman Park Festival debacle.  

Pete in Savannah:

Speaking of Pete in Savannah... Peter will be here for about a week and a half in the beginning of June, which I am extremely excited about.  We're going to go to Savannah for a few days and basically going to enjoy each other for the short time we'll have together.  There are so many things I want him to see and so many people I want him to meet but I know it's somewhat useless to plan all the specifics because; a: I'm no good at making plans and b: there's no way to predict what either of us will be in the mood for, so it's really just a lesson in futility to even try.  I'm just really looking forward to another amazing experience to perhaps build upon and at least to keep in my treasury of memories.  

Preview and Review

Preview:

This week I got a sneak peak at the website in progress from Green Only Distributors.  It's looking really good and I can't wait to order some of the products they carry from other manufacturers.  I found something called Soap Nuts that I can't wait to try and if you're reading this and I have your address or know where you live, you'll probably be receiving some too; Mom, Mark, Stephanie, Peter, Stacey, Skotdog - rest assured (oh and ;j you'll have to send me your address).  I am also looking forward to trying this Shampoo Bar, about which I've heard really good things.  I've also made another man soap upon request and I looooove the scent and the look of it.  I had been imagining this look about a week before they asked me and it was the perfect opportunity to give it a whirl.  I think it will be named After Hours, but am not 100% sure yet. 

 Behold:

I've also been re-taking pictures of several soaps.  I'm never satisfied...

White Gardenia:

Naked:

I'm getting nervous and excited because I've been churning out the soap in the hopes that it'll be cured and ready by the time their site goes online and by then I can be making back up batches for the next order, festivals, holiday season and such, but I still have about four more first-round large batches to make.

I crunched some numbers the other night before going to sleep since they were bouncing around in my head and have decided that it's entirely possible to be a full time sudstress and actually earn a living.  I could easily increase production and make three large batches a day.  All I would have to do is make two more molds (easy & cheap), buy two more large stainless steel pots (easy & sorta cheap if Ikea sells them), buy a heavier duty mixer (easy & not so cheap, but have been meaning to for a while, it's already necessary and is not that expensive in the grand scheme of things).  The idea of that makes me want to run around and jump up and down, but for now, I'm just churnin' and burnin'.  I don't really know where the burnin' comes in, it rhymes but I would prefer not to get a lye burn if I can help it...

Review:

I already know that I have a good product because I make it and have used a lot of it.  There is also empirical proof of this because when I sent samples to the distributor, they in turn sent it off to a lab and got back pristine results.  Not only that, but now I have written proof!  Joanna at The Soap Bar has reviewed one of my own favorite soaps for all to see.  I agree, my soaps are very sudsy.  There are also some of the most amazing soaps I've ever seen all over that site.  It is both humbling and inspirational.  It's also nice to see that someone else blogs about their cats sometimes.  So, in that vein, here's another funny picture of Lilly.

Crazy Eights

My Crazy Eights

I was tagged by Nature's Nook to post eight crazy random things about myself ..and who doesn't like talking/writing about them self?  I thought it would be fun.  Apparently you're supposed to tag other peeps, but I don't really know any others that well besides my bro.

*  Insects completely creep me out. 

*  I changed my name when I was in 5th grade.

*  I talk about balls a lot and it leads me to believe that I have a minor obsession.

*  I don't fit in with any specific group of people (and never have).  I like to think it's because I'm multi-faceted. 

*  I moon walk at work whenever Michael Jackson comes on - to the point where people request it from me.

*  I traded cigarettes for caffeine almost five years ago and wonder what I'll take up when I quit the energy drinks.

*  I always wear my seat belt.

*  I feel like I've lived several lifetimes in this life already.


TAGGING RULES:  which do not apply to me..

Each player starts with 8 random things about themselves.

At the end of your post, tag 8 people and include their names & links.

Those who are tagged will post about their own 8 random things, including these rules as well.

Don’t forget to leave them a comment on their blog and tell them they’ve been tagged, and to come back and read your blog for the whole story.

p.s. 

Here's a hilarious picture of the claw in Neko's face while he's making a funny face.  (please excuse the catnip all over the floor)

What's on your face?

I have two cats:

Neko

and Lily

When my boyfriend and I broke up and moved out two years ago (we lived together) it was also almost six months after Phoebe, my cat of 15 years died.  Phoebe was a stray that I got at about 4 weeks when I was in seventh grade and wasn't very socialized with other animals.  So, when she'd be out on the patio and Fat Head came by and they'd just stare at each other, sans hissing & growling, I knew they had a love connection.  Fat Head was a neighborhood cat who weighed 15 pounds and whose neck circumference was larger than mine by about half an inch.  

Behold Fat Head:

He came by the day that Phoebe died and three consecutive days afterward when usually we'd only see him once every few weeks.  After a while, Matt (my ex) and I would come home from work to find him curled up on his stinky bike clothes that he'd left in the corner outside the patio. I think it started with some catnip and treats and led to full on daily wet food that led to his stinky furbutt sleeping on our bed until he got up, sat by the door and meowed for us to let him out. Both of us still cruise by the old place looking for him. We spotted him once on a run a few months ago. His head is still fat.

During the move, I noticed this tiny grey kitty hanging around with Fat Head, meowing and starving for food.  It was obvious that no one was taking care of her but Fat Head, so I brought her to my new place after a couple of unsuccessful attempts.  It turned out Lily was pregnant and we assumed it was with Fatty's kittens.  Neko, Willow, Baby Fathead and Noodle (who went to another couple's home).  I had originally only planned to have one cat, but I couldn't resist keeping one of the kittens.  Matt took Baby Fat Head and Willow and I kept Neko, so we're both cat ladies.

And finally, the piece de resistance:  when I got home from the festival the other day, Neko had a claw in his face.  About every other day, either Neko or Lily will get uppity and decide to hassle the other.  Usually Neko chases Lily around, oblivious to her hisses and growls.  So I could just picture the slap in the face he got when I saw this:  

 "What's on your face?"