Nomi Overload

Inspirational art by Mica and Myla Hendricks

(C) Busymockingbird.com

My friend Franiel shared this article, "When an artist allowed her 4-year-old daughter to finish her drawings, something awesome happened," by Megan McCormick in deathandtaxesmag.com, and I had to share it here. 

The artist Mica Angela Hendricks and her young daughter Myla draw together and make the most amazing art.  Mica starts the image and Myla adds to it, and together they make magic.  

At first, Ms. Hendricks wouldn't let her daughter draw in her sketchbook, but her daughter said, “If you can’t share, we might have to take it away.”

Right on, Myla.

Here are some of their art, which if I had money, I would totally buy.

(c) busymockingbird.com

(c) busymockingbird.com [image arrangement from deathandtaxesmag.com]

Morning on Tokeh Beach, Sierra Leone

Cutout dresses are back!

So the store has been closed for a while but they've restocked with new cutout dresses. 

Again, I'm not making fun of this store or of its clothes. I'm just incredulous at the sheer number of dresses they find that have panels to show skin. You have to have a lot of damn confidence to wear these dresses and I applaud anyone who does. The only problem is I haven't seen many people buying anything. 

Minus Sauce

This is from my local supermarket. When did mayonnaise breed into so many different kinds of mayonnaise?  I just wanted mayo.  I couldn't find just Hellmann's mayo.  There were just these different, non-basic choices.  So I chose Canola, which doesn't taste like the regular mayo.  You'd think they'd leave at least one called "Classic" like Coke did when they stupidly or brilliantly changed the formula and people became outraged.  Personally I think it was a marketing move.  A very smart, but expensive one.

And another thing about mayonnaise. Pre- and post-war Koreans used certain terms for items.  For example, Let's go to mongomerry.  Translation: Let's go to Montgomery's (for those young'uns out there, that's like a Target without the supermarket part).  Or bahbarrie coat.  For years I knew that the Korean word for trench coat was bahbarrie.  But it didn't dawn on me until much later that bahbarrie was Burberry. 

So this brings me to mayonnaise which has a great name:  minus sauce.  I have no idea how mayonnaise became minus sauce.  My guess is that it was lost in translation.  Either way, it's a great word for a product which seems to be no longer carried in my supermarket.

Dog Tries Until he Succeeds

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_qcn_Tt3ak

I'll admit it

You know I am a cute animal fanatic. Dare I say insane. But I couldn't help myself. I had to buy this weather background. Come on! It's Lil' Bub!

Nomi won't get out of bed

She so lazy

Can't help myself

Wealthy Nations WAKE UP: FUND THE GLOBAL FUND!

http://www.globalcitizen.org/Content/Content.aspx?id=d621eb48-f915-48b9-b0cc-7d3bfdaec23f&rby=76ce593d-472d-4fa6-9ae2-f545770cb5d4

In my neighborhood, in my neighhhhhbooorhoood!

In your neighborhood?
In your neighborhood?
Say, who are the people in your neighborhood?
The people that you meet each day...

...who put this awesome sticker on the back window of their car.

Pasta wars - Boycott Barilla!

<3 a="" against="" bertolli="" for="" hatred="" real="" stand="" taking="">

Barilla really screwed themselves over this week.  Personally I never eat Barilla.  Tastes like pasty flour.

Tweet from girlladyfriend (@girlladyfriend)

	girlladyfriend (@girlladyfriend)
9/25/13, 7:42 PM Crazy week but loving every minute of it pic.twitter.com/OF2PrtEskp

Download the official Twitter app here

Sent from my iPhone. Please excuse any spelling/typing mistakes. 

Tweet from girlladyfriend (@girlladyfriend)

	girlladyfriend (@girlladyfriend)
9/25/13, 7:39 PM At UNFPA Big Debate! It's about maternal health and deaths across the world due to preventable deaths. pic.twitter.com/xCb9vqIR5S

Download the official Twitter app here

Sent from my iPhone. Please excuse any spelling/typing mistakes. 

The Frat Boy Diet

Because of my work schedule this week, I have been just grabbing whatever food is around, if there is time to eat. So mini candy bars, bagels have been staples. I've also been attending lots of luncheons where it seems that there is a giant factory in NYC making fancy greens salads with grilled chicken and round, single serve desserts. Yesterday, I gave my ticket away to someone senior, and the group hosting were generous and said I could sit wherever I wanted. However I had work to do so I didn't have the salad with chicken and round red velvet cake. So instead, after the luncheon, I had chocolate chip ice cream for lunch.

Today I gave my ticket away but I got to sit and have the salad with chicken and the round, ridiculously thick cheesecake. (I only ate most of the chicken, the tomatoes and some of the greens. I am not a fan of frisée.) And lots of water.

Oddly, this diet has made me lose weight. But it is also making me very tired. I wonder why? (rhetorical question)

I can't wait for tomorrow's luncheon. I wonder what round dessert I will get this time. I know what the entree will be.

Clouds

Fren's in town

Had dinner with Fren, wonderful college friend, at BCD Tofu. I took this photo to make our other college friend Frannie jealous. It worked.

Fren

Popping tags at Goodwill: current finds not purchased

She stole my spot

Vatan, vegetarian Indian all you can eat, Murray Hill

Vatan is an all you can eat vegetarian Indian restaurant. The last time I went the service was bad and the place seemed run down. But they've turned this place around. Definitely try it. Warning things can be very spicy. 

Appetizer

Condiments

Thali

Rice and raita

Kulfi and chai

Update: cutouts

So the store has kept its clothes a little more conservative but the cutouts are back!  Seriously though, where do they find so many clothes with pieces cut out?

Bring out the scissors

In my neighborhood there is a clothes shop called Soho. Now when I first moved in every dress they had in the window had giant cut outs. For example below:

These dresses always brought a smile on my face because whoever bought these dresses obviously needed very large vents in their clothes. I wish I took more photos to show the sheer (and there was a sheer white dress with tiny short shorts and a floral long sleeve see through shirt with a bra and tiny short shorts) number of clothes that had cutouts. 

Now I am not judging. If you have the confidence to wear it then flaunt it. It just amazed me how many outfits had cutouts. Two out of three mannequins had a cutouts in their dresses and the dresses were changed every week. 

Then shockingly the store was empty.  

No sign of closure or moving. Just cleared out. It made me sad. Where did they go?

Then the mannequins came back. They were naked and had no arms but they returned. Maybe they missed being in the window. And decided cutout dresses weren't worth it anymore. Very emperor's new clothes. 

But then the store came back! It turns out they were updating the decor. But not only did the decor change - the dresses changed!!!!  They were downright demure. WTF. 

Now I can't see the backs of these dresses but on the front there were no cutouts except for one and that one (they yellow one) is also toned down. Do now it's two regular and one cutout dresses. 

I'm not sure what happened but I am seriously disappointed. I liked knowing there were women out there wearing their cutout dresses, dancing and having a good time while having ventilation. 

These dresses look like they are ready to go to church. 

Soho - go back to what you were and not be pressured to close up your clothes. Let people fly and be free. With cutout dresses. 

Animals on trampolines by tastefullyoffensive

tastefullyoffensive

Why I'm not religious

When I first saw this awning, I thought it said Starbucks is open

The 80s are back and it ain't pretty

Photo from Urban Outfitters

I wore a version of this outfit in middle school.  This trend is very bothersome. 

However I didn't wear a gnome hat.  That's just weird.

One year and two days post-surgery

It's already been one year since my surgery, anterior cervical discectomy and fusion.  I can't believe it's been a year.  And one cray cray year.  So many changes.  I blame the Mayans.  Or thank them.  Both really.  Out of the negative came some really positives.  So here is a photo essay of the recovery.  I have to thank Bob Madison, Russell Frost, Mrs. Kim and so many others for helping and coping with me throughout the pre-, during and post-process.  I am very lucky to have friends like you.

post-surgery (left side)

this weird collar that sent waves to help my injury.

How did Nomi get in here?

March, post-Mexico retreat (mirror photo so right side, when really left.

And the scar today.  Pretty much going away.