meker’s Neighborhood

Things are fine.
In Texas right now. Galveston Island to be exact, at the moment actually. Spending some time with my father.
Can't really find a decent internet connection anywhere.
And I hate the fact that Houston doesn't want you to walk anywhere.

The only thing I can think about right now is the fact that I was peer pressured (by Ben J.) into eating dog food. Trying it, tasting it. Not feasting on it.

It didn't really taste like anything. Just bad and bland.
Dogs should have more flavorful food, I think.

Here's a shot from the photo shoot we had for my winter 2009 look book:

Wishing you all cheerful friends and family...

Nostalgic moments since Andrea G. said she's coming to visit in January:

Andrea and I (as NAZIRECTIONS) playing in Portland at Reed College.

In retrospect, it really was just drunken noise.
Later that same night I remember falling on my face (not because I was drunk) because I jumped from the top of a staircase (because I was drunk) and waking up with a fat lip. I deserved it.

In other news, last night Ben and I were interviewed (videotaped) and photographed by these young local filmmakers wanting to talk to young designers (I think---it all happened so fast). There were all these cameras positioned around me and people looking at me while I worked. It wasn't unpleasant, just unusual.

Anyway, one of the questions they asked me was if I had any advice for someone just starting out (as if I'm not).

Well, first of all, I had all my words together and basically said that you need to have a plan and goals in mind. And that you need to stay focused and keep good records. You need to know where your money is going! OKAY.

And then I finished it off by messing up my words...
Instead of saying "you need to hang in there", I said: "You need to stick it in."
I guess I was trying to say, "You need to stick with it."
I don't know. But it keeps playing over and over in my head.
I'm not really embarrassed. I just keep thinking how dumb I was. Dumb!

In OTHER news, we shoot our look books on Sunday, which is cool.
We're both really (very) busy with getting samples ready for this AND getting holiday orders out. I leave for Texas on December 16th. So, the last day to order anything from Cubist Literature until 2010 is December 13th!

SELF PORTRAIT THURSDAY!
12.10.09

By the time you all read this, I will be flying to see my sister's new little munchkin in Florida.  I leave at 6 am. Those of

you who know me well can laugh now.  I won't be coherent until I hit Denver at 10 am.  That said, I thought I'd leave you with a few white Christmas photos. Everything but the tree is up around here, my promise to myself kept.  I knew I'd not enjoy Christmas at all if I still had anything to do by the time I got back home on the 17th. However, if you by chance are not yet finished, there are lovely white things at The White Company that I do like this year... (especially the stripey red and white children's stockings and buckets.)

The Dutch celebrate Saint Nickolas' birthday on the 5th and 6th of December, separately from Christmas.  He's been here, as evidenced by the tiny pepernoten cookies under the shoes.  The shoes were filled with chocolate, but that's long gone.  Below is the sheet music idea I wanted to share with you.  I have a lovely star that I got

at Willow's Nest, made by Wendy Addison.  It's sitting in our bookcase in the living room where I've used piano

sheet music to "wallpaper" the inside of the bookcase.  The paper has made it so bright and cheery that it will be a while before it comes down. 

The last photo is what you get when you ask the munchkins to find something white to go under the wineglass domes.

 

This weekend was devoted to the loft bed that has been sitting in pieces around the bedroom and apartment. We've been sleeping on a mattress on the floor in an unfinished loft bed frame for about two or more months now. Quite the eyesore. I thought we would have gotten around to fixing up our bed a lot sooner than we had, but when you work a lot, many things suffer. Beds, social life, hygiene, sleep schedule, etc.

The bed was a whole lot of drama we just didn't want to deal with, I guess.
It was given to us. It's from Ikea, but Ikea doesn't make this design anymore.
And as luck would have it, we lost some important hardware that Ikea ALSO doesn't make anymore.
(We found that out halfway through constructing the bed, which is why we were sleeping in a frame.)

Anyway, we figured out another way to make things work.

And here you go:

Cats panting.

I didn't leave the house today.

Here come the White Christmas images, though I must admit that I've had to concede to including green this year.  It keeps sneaking in and looking right, so it will be there too. 

The berries and rosemary are from the turkey brine I prepared for Thanksgiving. 

I have a white table set up just for display in the living room for the month of December.  The munchkins are having fun building all white miniature castles on it this week.  We will be making a large white castle as well, if I can find a way to make white gingerbread. Have you thought of using piano sheet music for decor?  I'll show you next week where I've put it up. (I love it!) 

I have a terrible memory.  I can recall the color of the shirt my beloved was wearing on the night we first kissed; the milk drunk smile of my babies when they'd nursed; or the way my arms were crossed when I first walked through Deer Haven, unimpressed.  (It had no natural light, unthinkable for an artist!)  But I don't remember when I'm supposed to pick up my children, be at the hairdresser, or how to get to my girlfriend's house. (Yes, Patty, go ahead and laugh!)  Therefore, I make lists, and lists upon lists, including three to get me through the month of December.  The important one right now is the list of things I'm teaching my munchkins about focusing on others... so hard when there's a wish list to compile!  

Do you have a list that you are working on?

 

I'm really into this:

Somebody got a C.Lit drawing tattooed on their wrist.

I have been sorta depressed lately. And to top it off, I haven't been feeling well since I got back to NYC, so I haven't been able to work.

I don't like the feeling of knowing there is a lot of work to be done but being physically incapable of doing it.
(I mean, I could probably do some work, but there would most like be lots of mistakes as I battle the waves of dizziness and nausea and headaches that have been plaguing me lately. I'm all about realizing and respecting my limits.)

I really want a Boston Terrier. Two of them.
I'm going to keep saying that until it happens.

I found this picture of Helen Keller and a Boston Terrier: