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What’s new? I’ve realized that I must keep a list of the books I’m reading for my 2011 resolution of one book per week on average!

Currently reading: Super Sad True Love Story, The Help, Wild Girls, Vanity Fair (kind of), Revolutionary Road.

Read: Unbearable Lightness, Neverwhere, The End of Youth. I’m on track to finish SSTLS this week, and I am totally counting the first 21 chapters of The Help for the 4th week of the year. Phew!

In case you’re wondering about these snowy images and what on earth is on my feet in them: SNOW SHOES! I borrowed a pair from the gals who went snowshoeing while we skied/snowboarded during the day, and stomped around the meadow out back behind the black bear cabin, during our improv sledding off the back porch. I’m also wearing my Silence + Noise skinnies, a gorgeous corset sweater from Asos, and my Dolce Vita for Target boots and vintage fur coat. The necklace is very art deco and from Banana Republic.

What else, what else? We got tickets to see Bright Eyes. We’re in a HOMO PANIC about our Superbowl/Housewarming party on Sunday, which we agreed on Thanksgiving to throw for my family. We’re expecting anywhere from 20-24 people. It’s insane. What got into me/us? We discovered Portlandia – a really funny, super random sketch comedy thing about crunch Portland types featuring the talented, gorgeous Carrie Brownstein of Sleater-Kinney fame and many, many others. TSA appears to be poised to roll out new, more benign software for their invasive, vulgar full-body scanners, C A I R O, the White Stripes officially announced time of death.

Ski beanie! Ski pants by Volcom! Foxtail! Style Snaps!

Confession: It has come to my attention that when it comes to music, I am a fast sucker for a good horn section. Triumphant horns, despondent horns, horns that shout jubilation through a downpour of misery gasping for air – give it all to me, I’ll take it. Most recently it’s manifested in Beirut’s entire discography and Carina Round‘s new song, Backseat, from her newly released EP “Things You Should Know.” (The EP is kind of all over the place – I’m hearing Evanescence and Mazzy Star and she’s used to getting a great deal of PJ Harvey comparisons, as well – but she’s got quite a pretty, clear-as-a-bell voice. Plus, she’s really cute!) Anyway, it’s my favorite off the EP, with a lovely crescendo of horns toward the end. I adore it. I get into the same sort of helpless state in the last bit of Bright Eyes‘ Nothing Gets Crossed Out, which has got horns and much, much more. Songs that level you, you know? I’ve been leveled. So that’s how this post got named what it did. She sings those words like she’s just seen the last sliver of her life’s love walk off into the sunset, never to return, and she’s just sort of whimpering it into the wind, not quite sure whether or not she can stay upright. I told you. (Well, what would you sound like?) Onto cheerful things!

Scent: Italian invasion! There isn’t too much to say about Gianni Campagna’s Gelsomino. It’s wild Italian jasmine, so sultry and a little bit bossy or overbearing. Exquisite, but can be overwhelming and can knock you over with one sniff! In a good way, I think, for something this concentrated and intense, you really do have to apply it very sparingly and let it just sort of waft around you. Others get notes of cedar and clean sea air, even bergamot, but I’m not sure. It might also be for men, but I cannot imagine it.  Here’s some pretty wild jasmine to look at AND the actual bottle.

PS. My sewing machine is supposed to arrive today! Tonight! NOW! I’m going to run downstairs now and check.

Confession: I love it when M makes me whiskey-cokes at home, because she serves them in these wee, adorable glasses we bought at Ikea after seeing them at our friend’s lovely home for Sunday brunch a few weeks ago. They’ve got elephants and  birdies and penguins and flowers on them. They’re so fucking weird and perky. I love them! Anyway, M cuts about a third off the straws (we have, like, 500+ straws because I refuse to drink cold beverages without them, with the exception of other cocktails and bottled beer and water, shut up), that’s the best part. The wee straws to go with the wee glasses carrying the not-so-wee contents!

Look, I’ve found a photo of them for you. And you should totally buy some, too! They come in orange. (Bangmaster, I know you want that, to go with your TRADEMARK nails, as only you know.)

EXCITING BREAKING NEWS: This morning, M was all, “We’re going on a secret mystery date. SSH! Don’t ask me any questions. It’s very serious. Bring a purse that you can throw your Moleskine into. In fact, start with the purse, and THEN pick out your outfit.” So, I got ready with nary a clue where we were headed, and off we went. She drove me all around Oakland and I caught on and said, “You’re trying to disorient me on purpose!” – which, by the way, is impossible to do. She’s very sneaky. Well, the date – contrary to the suspicions of some – was NOT at a sex den, shooting range or some hidden San Francisco gem. She took me to Best Buy to test drive the new camera of my choice for my birthday! I was completely thrilled and overwhelmed, having outgrown my Sony Cybershot digital camera long ago. We must have been in there for a few hours, tinkinering with several models based on M’s preliminary research (sneaky!) and my own baseless lust, and finally narrowed the choices down to a couple of digital SLRs and high-end digital cameras. Shoving my chronic desire for instant gratification aside, I bravely took M’s hand and said that I wanted to do more research and model comparisons at home. M supported this, reminding me that they didn’t have the Panasonic Lumix model she’d researched before, and that I might want to test-drive some more in person before deciding.

Alas, I came home, did some research and promptly fell in love with the Panasonic Lumix G1 w/ Leica 14-44mm Lens Kit “anti-SLR” with interchangeable lenses. I LOVE IT SO MUCH ALREADY. Turns out there’s no place I could have test-driven it out here, because no one is carrying it yet (it just came out in November of last year). Still, based on countless reviews, I think it’s going to be fantastic and M is seriously the best, most amazing and dreamy husband ever. She’s excited that I’m so excited, and that, my friends, is true love!

Pls. to meet my shiny new toy: