Kurt Halsey Frederik

I love finding new artists (new to me anyway). This guy Kurt - very talented. Sort of dark.

I like it.

It was Lovely. Just Lovely.

Lina and I went to see Snow Patrol last night at House of Blues (Athlete opened).

It. Was. Great. (Aside from Captain Largehead, who decided to stand right in front of where we were sitting). This was the first I'd heard of Athlete, and I'll now be looking forward to getting their CD. Snow Patrol was fantastic - they put on a great show - there's just something about watching bands that very obviously love what they're doing.

If you haven't checked out either of these bands, and love some good (British) rock - check them out.

Now.

Seriously.

Baby Butt.

You gotta love a country where the babies don't wear diapers, but rather, have their butt hanging out.

In China (my husband took this picture - I love it!), when a baby has to...um...do its business, the parent just squats down and it's done.

Interesting.

Think this'll ever catch on here?

No?

I've Got Rhythm (sort of)...

A friend (who happens to be in a band) recently asked me..."Have you picked up the drums yet?"

Hmmm...interesting question. Let's see...I've wanted to learn how to play for about 5 years...I finally got drum sticks and a practice pad about a year and a half ago...I had my first lesson (which, by the way, was so much fun) about 6 months ago...

But. No. No I haven't.

I have no time!

But I'm getting close. I can feel it.

What a Great Idea!

My husband will attest to this fact - I am a huge klutz. I can't seem to navigate around corners. I trip over my feet all the time. And I've broken so many dishes! Including drinking glasses...we were given a set of 24 for our wedding, and a year into our marriage I had broken half of them.

That's why these glasses from Kewl Finds seem like such a great idea.

Traci proof glasses!

How Many Layers of Wallpaper Does it Take To...?

OK.

So in the little breakfast nook area of the house, there is pink silk wallpaper. That's been there for 15 years and hasn't really been cleaned. Yech. It obviously had to go (I mean, the pink was enough reason).

At the recommendation of Julie and her dad, I found some wallpaper remover spray and went to work on it yesterday. The silk layer came off easy enough, but then there was the glue layer that I had to scrub. As I was working on it, I noticed that they had painted over something, but I couldn't tell what - until I removed the doorbell thing and I found the culprit - this hideous leafy wallpaper. They painted over it and it's been up there so long that it would take me months to chip it all off.

It's pretty much stuck to the wall for good. So...for now...I'm also going to paint over it.

And the other treat I found - remnants of a metallic green foil wallpaper.

Wow.

And no...that's not our picture on the wall...this was taken before we bought the house.

House "Renovation" day 1.

Our good friends, Noa and Julie, came down to spend this weekend with me and Herman (although Herman had to leave on Saturday for another trip).

While Noa had a restful Saturday, my beautiful friend Julie and I began operation "get the house ready to rent". The house is basically a blank slate with white walls, and in the case of the master bedroom - white floors. So we started our morning at home depot, buying paint for all of the rooms.

I almost had a heart attack at the amount of paint...but found out that they sold me too many cans! Mostly, too many cans of primer.

I will be going to get my money back...

By the way, does anyone know what kind of floor that is? It doesn't really matter since we're going to cover it...but man it's ugly!

Thanks Julie, for all of your hard work - and for keeping me company!

Big, Huge Things.

So there are big changes in store for me and Herman.

Earlier this year, we decided that I should go back to school to get a degree in Graphic Design. I only had time to apply to one school for this fall...so we went for the big one. I applied to Rhode Island School of Design, which has one of the best Graphic Design programs.

Tuesday night, when we came home from Idaho (about 1.00 am)...there was this envelope waiting for me.

They took me.

I can't believe it.