Diary of an adult runaway

Behind Door Number 1...

This apartment has something I've always wanted: a red front door. However, this particular red door was looking a little sad, with scratches that showed its original (oh shit no!) mission brown paint and so I decided it was time to repaint it.

That was several months ago. Yes, I find it's best not to rush into these things ;) Actually, like many things with this apartment, it's taken me a while to work out what to do with it. You see, the door has glass panels, which means that the regular light and the emergency light, right outside my door, give  my hallway and bedroom ugly artificial glow at night. The first night I moved in, I tacked up a sarong I bought in Provence, and it's been there ever since. Which means that I get to sleep at night but the hallway's too dark during the day. And that's partly because of the red--great from the front, not so much from the back.

And then I found a pic of a green door on Pinterest. Perfect! I'd have red for the front, green for the back. Off to the hardware store I went, and found a tester pot of Muppet Green, but the only glossy red I could get was in a liter tin, or something equally as ridiculous when you're talking one side of one door. So I got a pot of something matte instead. Yep, you know it: bad idea. I finally got time last week to go back and this time found a small pot of glossy red.

Huzzah! Away I went! Well, you know, a week later. I'd like to say I was waiting for the hot weather and that's kinda try but mainly a lie. As Ellen says, "Anyways"--here's the front door after I started to touch it up. Just picture it with chips and scrapes, with mission brown showing through. Oh yeah, I think they say you should sand, etc, first, but to hell with that. I just washed it down then started slapping the paint on.

While I toiled away, Kitten wandered in and out:

She stopped to inspect the work:

Then went out to the garden to check out the damage the possum had wrought on the geranium plants:

See all the spiky ends? That's where Possum has chewed off the flowers. But you might also be able to see chunks of garlic--I tossed a heap on the plants the other night and that seems to have warded off Possum for now.

Meanwhile, Redford did what Redford does:

Until the upstairs (guy) neighbor came down and stopped for a chat. Then Redford did this:

I gave the front another coat and here's how it turned out:

I think it still needs a little bit of touching up, but I'm going to wait until it's properly dry--can't tell if the shiny/matte spots are just the way the light's falling or gaps. Oh, and I need to wipe off the bottom :)

And then! When that's done! I'm going to tackle the back. Here's how it looks now:

And here's what I want:

A green door, with shutters where the sarong currently is. And check out that hardware! While I was waiting for the paint to dry, I went online looking for info on changing locks (coz I don't like that my door has a brass number and silver handle) and found a link to a site with THE MOST GORGEOUS stuff! I don't know why, but I've always wanted a front door with a latch, it all feels so colonial New England to me, and this black matte one caught my eye. I don't give a damn if I'm going to have to get it shipped in from the US, I'm going to do that with the shutters, anyway.

Although I do kinda balk at this:

Stunning entry set, and it can be yours for a meager $730--down from $981. Let's just file that under "You must be fucking kidding me!", shall we? :D

What makes me happy

A few months ago a year ago (!!), I saw Gretchen Rubin on the TODAY show talking about The Happiness Project and thought "I should read that"--then promptly forgot to do that until Barbara O'Neal blogged about it. Before I could forget again, I ordered the book and put it to the top of my reading list when it arrived a few days ago.

Before I cracked it open, though, I wrote down a quick off-the-top-of-my-head list of things I do that make me happy. It went like this:

1. Writing
2. Reading
3. Blogging
4. Road trips
5. Having an organized space

The last one jumped out of nowhere and felt a little funny--until I started reading the book that night and one of the author's January "Boost Vitality" tactics is "Toss, restore, organize." She writes "Household disorder was a constant strain on my energy" and I laughed, because I so connected with that. It's not like my apartment was a mess--although I do feel compelled to clean and tidy up before watching "Hoarders," or I start to twitch. But years ago, a homeopath asked me if I felt everything should be in its "place"--it was his way of determining what my homeopathic remedy was. My answer was an emphatic "YES!" (which apparently means my remedy is Calcarea fluoricum).

The problem lately was that I couldn't work out exactly where everything's place should be. And part of that problem was that I had too many things. Things I was holding onto because...well, because. Because they reminded me of good times. Because I'd wear them one day. Because I'd find a place for it somewhere.

Uh-huh. Right.

Then I stumbled upon the "40 Bags in 40 Days" idea. I didn't think I had 40 bags worth, but I wrote down a list of areas that I needed to go through: kitchen drawers, bathroom shelves--every single place that I may have shoved anything. Because I'ma tell you, after 5 years of living in a tiny Paris apartment, I was world class at jamming crap into closets. World. Class. I ended up cleaning out 26 bags--and then a month later, I threw away 3 wheelie bins more and hauled the chaise longue that I loved but that just didn't fit out onto the sidewalk. I called the council to come pick it up--they said they'd be by a few days later but it got hauled off by a local that afternoon. Now someone else is making it fit.

And then I started doing some serious organizing. Getting everything into its "place." I've still got a ways to go--I'll need more bookshelves and a wardrobe and some shoe holder thingies kinda like this here:

Actually, exactly like this, because most of my furniture is Ikea's Hemnes range. I love how the white lacquer brings a little more light into my ground-floor apartment.

Slowly, I'm finding where things should go. For some reason, it took me ages to be happy with my kitchen (mainly because the large windows made everything seem sparse). And now I am:

This area specifically gave me trouble, maybe because it's where I make candles and need to be able to free it up quickly. And yes, that is an absinthe fountain doubling as a Jelly Belly holder.

I've still got a long way to go with my hallway (see Hemnes items above) but I've made a start:

Magnetic whiteboard from Typo, girl in snow photo from Etsy, Los Angeles from the Griffith Observatory taken by me on a glorious July night in 2008, Duane Reade bag right there so I don't forget when I go to the supermarket--and also because I love the design, just as I love NYC. In my ideal world, the whiteboard would be right by my desk, but there's not enough wall space there, so I put it where I'd see it often and therefore have to pay attention to my various plans :)

And one last thing I do, which might even be a Fly Lady thing, is make sure the kitchen is clean and tidy before going to bed each night. Strange as it sounds (or might that be "pathetic as it sounds"?), I get a buzz from walking into a sparkling kitchen every morning. In fact, I get a buzz from all the little organizational things. Which I guess is why Gretchen Rubin listed organizing as a vitality booster :)

What makes you happy?

2012!!

I'm not going to say 2011 was the suckiest year for me, but I was still happy to ring in 2012, and I have to say that it's turning out to be fun.

I don't really do resolutions, they seem to put a lot of pressure on people and end up not being fun, so instead I decided to look at what fun I've been missing out on, And I realized I'd let reading for pleasure slip by the wayside and that I couldn't remember the last time I'd been to the movies. DVDs are great, but I missed the cinema-going experience. So! My "resolutions" are to do 52 Reads and add a little something I called 52 Views, in which I'm going to try to go to the movies every week. So far I've kept that date with myself, going to see "We Bought a Zoo" (Matt, sigh) and "The Descendants (George, sigh). This week I'm planning to see "Young Adult." As for books, I've read James Garner's memoir, "The Garner Files," (which I loved) and 2 chick-lit books (which I didn't). I'm going to keep a list in the sidebar.

I also took a leaf from Keris's book, and created my 2012 collage, filled with things I love and things I want to experience more of this year:

Speaking of fun, here are a few things I've been enjoying this week:

I've wanted one of these for ages - now I just have to remember to use it :)

A little treat for my kitchen. I love the material so much that I might see about making a matching pendant lampshade.

Sweet Redford cat :)

Here you come again (and here I go)

So we’re only 3 days out from NaNoWriMo 2011 and the excitement’s building! I’ve been pinning one-pot and slow-cooker recipes like mad on Pinterest, and last night I did my shopping for ingredients and, I think it’s fair to say, a truckload of Diet Vanilla Coke to fuel me up. I’ve pretty much eliminated soda from my diet, except for November, when I make up for the rest of the year. Bring it on!

The other thing I’ve been doing is building my playlist. I don’t have it all, but I know the main track is The Heavy’s “How You Like Me Now?” And that could only be settled on once I knew which of the 5 ideas bouncing around my head I'd be working on. Would it be the one set in NYC/Paris? How about Seattle or Oregon or San Francisco? Nope, L.A. got the jump on everyone, and I can see the scene with “How You Like Me Now” just like a movie running in my head, along with tight shots and pans. I can see the hazy purple  light as night falls over the Griffith Observatory, illegal taco stands by the side of the road, the Vista Theater in Los Feliz, those awesome bridges that lead into Pasadena. Apart from that, I only have a rough idea of the first 3 chapters and the end, but that's all I ever really have going in and I seem to find a whole plot every time, so once again: bring it on!

Slight problem: there’s a bit of mystery to this one, but what that is is a mystery to me. Part of the fun, but will require some research—which will have to be done after NaNo, or at least during those times when I don’t have Freedom disabling my internet access. Swear to God, I’m like a bower bird, seeking out shiny pins and Facebook updates. Robyn has already vowed to kick my ass if I try to use her WiFi. To that I say: bring it!

Are you in this year? What are you working on?

Today's list

Listening: to 94.7 The Wave.

Eating:

Drinking: New England Blueberry Cobbler coffee

Wearing: BBW's Pomegranate Citrus body splash

Feeling: that I don't want to go to work tomorrow. Comme normale for a Sunday after a lovely weekend ;)

Wanting: to go to this:

Not just because it's in magical Topanga, but because maybe former local Kyle Chandler will show up with his award-winning chili. Yep, Coach Taylor kicks ass in the chili stakes. But somehow you knew he would, right?

Needing: the people who are moving into the top apartment to shut the hell up!

Thinking: of my friend Lisa and her sister Maria, who are participating in today's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk, in honor of their mother, whose birthday it would have been today.

Watching: Person of Interest. Not yet sold on it but, hey, Jim Caviezel... Interesting thing from this week's episode: my parents disagreed over what my name should be. My father wanted "Megan" but obviously my mother won. Years later, she ran into her first serious boyfriend, who had 2 daughters: Megan and Gabrielle. And this week's Person of Interest was about 2 sisters. Yep, Megan and Gabrielle :)

Enjoying: how delicious my kitchen smells after making a batch of themed candles (each layer is a different scent)

From L to R: Breakfast in Paris, Summer Citrus, Island Sunset, Exotic Escape, Café Blend, and Holidazzle. Coming soon to a Christmas near you!

All right, who's with me?!

Awwwww yeaaaaaah, it's that time of year again! Or, will be in 17 days--and November 1st happens to be a holiday here, so...score! Now, the question is: New York/Paris book or Seattle book?

So, who's with me?

The Great Blog Restart!

Hi there. Yes, I've missed you, too! The thing is, I want to blog but I can't think about what, so until my mojo kicks back in, I'm taking the easy way out and use a journaling idea I saw on Pinterest, from whence everything good comes.

Here goes.

1. Listening: to Secrets of the Bestselling Sisterhood, from the RWA 2011 Conference CDs. As usual, JAK & SEP (now known as JAXEP) tell it like it is.

2. Eating: not crab, which is making me cranky--oh wait, crabby (sorry)--because I reaaaalllyyyyy want crab. Crab cakes, crab dip, crab linguine. I can see a trip to Costco in my near future.

3. Drinking: Limeade

4. Wearing: jackets, still! But tomorrow's promising to be warmer. All I'm askin' for is 26C. Enough to bring out the dragonflies and heat up the lavender.

5. Feeling: melancholy over Steve Jobs's death. My first ever computer was an LCII and it--and every other Mac I've had since--helped bring my writing to life, it was so much fun, so easy to use. I loved turning it on and hear a woman's dulcet voice say "Welcome to Macintosh." The creations Jobs helped bring to the world not only sparked my imagination and worked painlessly, they're beautiful pieces of design. I'm going to miss him.

6. Wanting: this poster:

Needing: some kind of contraption that fits around my front door frame and sucks every bit of cat hair off my clothing before I appear in public.

Thinking: of course, now I can't think.

Watching: Season 2 of Mad Men and thinking (a-ha!) there's not one character I really like. Except maybe Sterling.

Enjoying: Mel Scott's debut novel, Shadow Kin:

What about you?

I think I need...

one of these:

And one of these:

One each of the pendant and telephone, please:

And one of these fabulous plants for my living room (anyone know what it is?):

Thanks to Keris (*shakesfist*), I also must have one each of these:

Come on! Pink buggy! Who doesn't need one of those?

I'm about a week away from getting my hands on Keris's new book, with its beautiful bling cover:

But until then, and thanks to Amazon UK's excellent deal (spend £25 on selected items and UPS express shipping is free to AU/NZ), I now have this:

Oh my, Redford in the 70s, I don't believe it will ever get any better than that! I'm going to need to curl up in this NYC atrium to do this book justice:

But what I'm supremely happy with:

Guest blogger author Carey Corp!

Last week, 2010 GH finalist (YA category) Carey Corp, released THE GUARDIAN, her first published novel and the first of THE HALO CHRONICLES. Because her e-mail sig file (WRITE! LIVE! LOVE!) always makes me happy, I spoke with her about the things that make her happy when it comes to writing.

We all know that writing is rewarding or we wouldn’t do it, but it can be just a little painful at times. What brings you joy in your writing?

What brings me the most joy in my writing is connecting with teen readers. My neighbor and a few other amazing teens always get an early copy of my manuscript. When they connect to the characters and are moved by the story—there’s no greater feeling in the world. I can’t wait until the day when my own little girl is old enough to read what I create. She’s seven, now.

What are the fun things that you can get away with in the name of research?

I haven’t done anything really fun in the name of research.  My most current book is co-written with Lorie Langdon. It’s set in Scotland and we keep saying we need to go on a research trip. :) (My note: Yes. You do!)

You’ve gone the indie route with the release of THE GUARDIAN—and that sounds like a lot of work. Did you discover something you enjoyed in the process?

The whole process was enjoyable. I liked being the one making decisions and being responsible for the end result. You so right about it being hard work. I did tons of research and used my inner circle (and their kids) for feedback. They were especially helpful with my cover. The thing I liked best about going indie was being in control of moving my career forward. I’ve been on the bubble for so long, stuck in agent/editor swirl. It’s nice to get beyond that. Trish Millburn talks about being multi-pronged, an author who can leverage the growing indie opportunities as well as trying traditional routes has more options and a better chance at having sustained career momentum. That makes perfect sense to me.

Coolest writer’s tool?

I don’t really have any. Does my pink breast cancer awareness coffee mug count?

 
Ally Carter, Carey and Meg Cabot

Coolest writer’s toy?

No time for toys—seriously. I have a laptop.  But I do have writer souvenirs. My favorite is a picture with me between Meg Cabot and Ally Carter at RWA in Orlando. Of course, I look frightful. I got sunburned at the pool earlier in the day and my smoky makeup looks more powdery Barbie blue—but I love the picture anyways. My second favorite souvenir is my 2010 GH finalist certificate. At the National conference my name was misspelled, so I got the new certificate in the mail a few weeks ago and it has my book THE HALO CHRONICLES: THE GUARDIAN and the author: Shelley Coriell. I laughed so hard when I saw that!!! I loved it so much that I haven’t asked for a corrected version. Besides Shelley’s career is starting to take off.

Any tips for writers going through the blahs on rediscovering the joy?

Write every day. Make it a personal journey. Write for yourself and those you love…the story will follow. For a while I was writing for my agent, for others, and forgetting that the story is my own. Jackson Pearce shared some sage advice about taking the story back and it made all the difference. Telling the stories of my heart keeps me passionate and excited about writing.

 
Thanks for stopping by, Shelley Carey, and here's to a career that brings you much joy! Dear Reader, I've got my copy of THE GUARDIAN all lined up on my Kindle. Here's how to get yours:

Buy THE HALO CHRONICLES: THE GUARDIAN (a 2010 RWA Golden Heart® finalist for young adult fiction) at Amazon, Barnes & Noble & Smashwords. Coming soon to iBookstore.
 
Turn your computer into a free eReader: Kindle for PC; NOOK for PC. 

More information at www.careycorp.com

You're welcome :)

I was obsessively pouring over casually browsing home decorating sites and found what appears to be one kick-ass cupcake, which I'll try once my oven is back in working order. In the meantime, how about you all make them and send me some? And really, who am I to question Bobby Flay, but I think that, while the mango frosting sounds like a deliciously unusual addition, I want to go with something more Christmas in July-ish. How about candy cane? Hmm...

From Style At Home magazine, Bobby Flay's Gingerbread cupcakes:

Cupcakes

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 (2-inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
• Cooking spray
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup finely packed dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 6 tablespoons molasses

Caramelized Mango Buttercream

• 2 cups (4 sticks) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, slightly softened but still cool, cut into small pieces
• 3 ripe mangos, coarsely chopped
• 6 large egg yolks
• Cooking spray
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup finely diced candied ginger, for garnish

Directions
1. To make the cupcakes, combine the granulated sugar, fresh ginger, and 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the sugar has melted and the mixture thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let infuse for 30 minutes. Then strain the ginger syrup before using.

2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners and spray the liners with cooking spray.

3. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves into a medium bowl.

4. Whisk the melted butter, oil, brown sugar, eggs, and molasses together in a large bowl. Add the dry ingredients and stir until the batter is smooth.

5. Fill each paper liner with 1⁄3 cup of the batter, to come about 1/4 -inch below the top of the liner. Bake just until the tops feel firm and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush the tops liberally with the ginger syrup. Let sit in the pan for 5 minutes before removing. Let cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

6. To make the frosting, heat the 2 tablespoons butter in large saute pan over high heat. Add the mangos and cook until caramelized and soft, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a food processor and process until smooth. Pass the mixture through a medium-mesh strainer into a bowl. Discard the solids.

7. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg yolks on high speed until creamy and pale yellow, about 5 minutes.

8. Spray a heatproof measuring cup with cooking spray. Combine the sugar and corn syrup in a saucepan and bring to a full rolling boil over medium-high heat. Cook without stirring until the syrup reaches the soft-ball stage, 238° to 242°F on a candy thermometer. Immediately pour it into the measuring cup to halt the cooking.

9. Add a small amount of the syrup to the beaten egg yolks, turn the mixer on to high speed, and beat for about 5 seconds. Continue stopping the mixer, adding syrup, and beating in the same manner until all of the syrup is incorporated. Beat the mixture until it is completely cool.

10. Add the remaining 2 cups butter, a few pieces at a time, beating until incorporated before adding the next pieces. When all of the butter has been blended in, add the vanilla and the mango puree and beat until combined.

11. Frost the top of each cupcake liberally with the buttercream, and garnish with the candied ginger.

Makes 12 cupcakes.