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Tess Shebaylo
Is a Richmond, Virginia writer, internet enthusiast,
history lover, crafter, and compulsive organizer.
She works in Community Support at Tumblr.
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Posts
I got a Nielsen Survey in the mail today, stuffed with $30 cash and equipped with tons of pages like the one you see above. I filled out the demographic info, and then just wrote “NONE: we only use Netflix or our own DVDs or stream directly from web sites like PBS.org (Downton Abbey!!!!!).” Thanks for the $30, o keepers of a dying technology!
I wanna be a dowager countess when I grow up.
The only thing better than literary action figures and cultural icon finger puppets? Printable Downton Abbey paper dolls.
Good grief, get a load of that porch. Beautiful. Who needs a place to live?
chpn:
House for rent on 23rd Street. Large Victorian with a big fenced-in back yard. Washer/dryer. Central air. Screened-in upstairs porch. Available now. Pets with approval.
The fact that our little blizzard had already turned to slush by the time I got up at 7am didn’t deter me from a snowy walk around the neighborhood. Goodbye, snow! Come back soon.
- stuff old ladies say
As a favor to a friend from church, I took her elderly mom to the hospital for an appointment today. Here’s a tiny sample of some of the things she said in the brief interlude between me helping her into my car and me leaving her in the waiting room.
- “You look like a movie star.”
- “Do you feel like a movie star?”
- “Don’t you have an infant?”
- “I’m 81 and sometimes I sure do miss being 18.”
- “You went to VCU? Oh well we went to the same school. Except I called it RPI. I learned more in one year there than I ever did in twelve years of public school before that.”
- “I’m soooo lazy, Tess.”
- “I wish I could still walk so I could get up and go into the kitchen and bake cookies for people, you know?”
- “My doctor has a new wife, you know, because his kids are all grown up and I guess he just figured it was time. He didn’t tell me this, I just found out. Anyway I don’t blame him, I think I’d do the same thing if I were forty.”
Hanging out with her was delightful. Just another reason why I should help people more often — I always end up being the one who’s helped.
Today is my one-year anniversary at Tumblr. Time flies when you’re working at the internet! I love this place and I love these people. From 2.16.2011:
All ready for my first day of work at the Tumblr office! I’ve got some gumbo in a glass Lock & Lock (Lock & Lock 4 lyfe!) and clearly, I’m ready to roll.
The Love Competition: The Stanford MRI Lab hosts the world’s first ever love competition, in which seven contestants have five minutes to neurochemically love someone as hard as they can. Via McSweeney’s.
- Content Everywhere, But Not A Drop To Drink
Others “in the know” of what’s really going on don’t speak up because they also know that ultimately, it doesn’t matter. Stories fade. New ones rise. Everything is forgotten in an instant. Roll with it. If anything, speaking up simply often makes things worse because it validates the original story in a strange way.
And then there are the people simply too busy or who don’t give a shit what the press says. That’s the right mentality in my mind since actions do always trump words.
This.
Wow. Very eye-opening. ”Print circulation is dying and pageviews are all that matter in keeping advertisers happy. This means, whether writers like it or not, there’s an underlying drive for both sensationalism and more — more — more.”
- [Flash 10 is required to watch video.]
REBECCA BLACK, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE WORLD’S NEWEST AND BIGGEST TROLL
Oh my.
YOU ARE NOT SERIOUS.
PLEASE TELL ME YOU ARE NOT SERIOUS
…what?
REBECCA BLACK I SALUTE YOU
YOU ARE THE GREATEST TROLL KNOWN TO MAN
I don’t know what I just watched.
It’s like I’m reading Portrait of the Artist again and suddenly even going to the toilet is symbolic of man’s struggle against the inevitable.
what tjhe hell was that
Ahaha I love this. ”Do I have to spell it out for you?”
Gorgeous artwork for The Blue Letter’s forthcoming record, by our friend Mike of the band Junius.
So here is the final cover of our new album Love is Not Control. The rest of the art/layout is being finished up as we speak and everything should be out to pressing by the end of the week. Just in time for our full US tour coming up in March. Get stoked.
Kerri from NY and all the new hires! So excited to have them on board. (Taken with picplz.)
Well, this is awesome. I became a huge Meat Puppets fan in the mid-90s, thanks to that one boyfriend with that one mix tape. My parents later confiscated Too High To Die, which was duly returned to me like five years ago. It’s neat to see these old flyers, some from before I was even born. BRB, off to listen to “Why?” and feel fourteen again.
fully awesome!
Sweet!
Richmond chosen (#2) to be one of 5 new US Cities with their own FourSquare Badge! Have your friends follow the RVA list.
(via City badge winners announced! #visitUS | Foursquare Blog)My husband makes this stuff called Light Tape at work. It is OF THE FUTURE. It can be used for a million cool things, like costumes for the recent Tron re-make, but right now we’re just testing it for backlighting our bar at home.
Also, because I know dudes will ask: he started the beard on January 1.
New and improved camera strap made out of a silk scarf. Today, on “Craft Ideas I Saved on Pinterest and Then Actually Executed.”
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Tweets
- Yes! Our City Group rules. #churchhill RT @Lizt0mania Acts 4:32 man... I love my CG community. Tonight was amazing.Feb 21, 12 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- @ebonkovsky performing this at @CityChurchRVA on Sunday? seriously I don't know how I missed this one. so amazing. I'm dying. #babygotbook
- @kristindownie that's why you need to just accept the necessity for another tab being open, and sign up for Tumblr. ;)
- @IanRVA you need vitamin McD!Feb 02, 12 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- @ebonkovsky Really enjoyed that article. So, when are you going to start bow hunting? #manlyJan 31, 12 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- @liannakristine BEWARE! that kitteh tried to murder our kitteh the other night! heeee's watching youuuuuuu #catfights #yowling #backyardJan 30, 12 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- social fallacies: too true not to share on Twitter as well. http://t.co/7gkMSBefJan 30, 12 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- @heyitsphil that JCP thing is real. seriously, I went there this weekend. plus my mom loves that place, so it's gotta be right. #noshameJan 26, 12 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- @getyourlefton that is AMAZING. great photo. (http://t.co/vmfFY87d)Jan 23, 12 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- @your_team oh good, we will both be able to see!Jan 21, 12 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- getting an eye exam for the first time in a decade? okay okay, fine. I'll do it. for 72% off. https://t.co/BFzBhMK7Jan 21, 12 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- @nicolemmccann and stay in my guest room! <3 (cc: @liannakristine)Jan 20, 12 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- so stoked to have you! RT @liannawoods Unbelievably excited to announce that I've accepted a job at Tumblr as the Richmond Office Manager!Jan 19, 12 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- couldn't decide between two pairs of earrings today, remembered suddenly that I could wear both. #forgottenpiercings #seriouslyJan 18, 12 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- @reneejperron @liannakristine butternut squash risotto!Jan 12, 12 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- Jan 09, 12 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- @liannakristine such excellent luck, such excellent LOLs.Jan 07, 12 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- @heyitsphil I'd ask http://t.co/6UAPeALf. They may be able to point you in the right direction.Jan 06, 12 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- @Shrockmw whoa, I am definitely trying that too.Jan 06, 12 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- Jan 06, 12 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
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Posts
- Feb 21, 12
Our parlor has been sadly devoid of much seating since we moved into the house, so we're always having to move chairs in from the dining room any time it's more than just Dan and I sitting in there. We'll still have to do that because I only bought one chair today at the antique store, but it's quite a beauty. I think this chair is my spirit animal.
The chair is from the 1850s, and though I doubt the upholstery is original, the woodwork is. It's got a rose motif -- perfect. I saw it and figured I'd kick myself if it didn't end up in our house.
There were some other chair choices that would go very nicely directly across from the sofa, but I went through some major indecisiveness and couldn't figured out which ones would be best, so I decided to wait on it. Which could be a huge mistake, since we've now gone relatively chair-less in this house since October. But more antiquing is to come, I'm sure. Now if we can only get the dining room finished............ - Feb 20, 12
We got our first snow! It was lovely, though short-lived. What's left of it is already slush. Many more pictures are here.
- Feb 16, 12
Our roommate Lianna has finished unpacking and we took some photos of her bathroom and bedroom this weekend. I think the Princess Suite looks amazing.
For some perspective, click here for some "before" pictures.Dan and I have been working all week on framing our huge wallhangings collection, and there are just a few things left to hang up. Photos soon, once all that's done. - Feb 07, 12
What's going on at the house? Not much. Dan and I are both very busy with work and other stuff right now, so the little bits of work we've managed to fit in on the house haven't amounted to much.
We did get a chance to play around a bit with Light Tape, the lighting that Dan makes at work, and tested it out as a backlighting concept for our bar.
That's it for now, but in the meantime, here are some pictures of what mornings look like at the Good Ship. - Jan 14, 12
We're getting ready to order supplies for finishing the dining room. But in the meantime, we've been on the hunt for some things at antique stores, thrift stores, etc.
We knew we wanted a few large mirrors for the parlor, dining room, and entryway. So we pretty much just bought some cheap ones that needed a little work, and I spent a day cleaning, covering, and painting them last weekend. Here's the one that ended up on the parlor mantel:
I love the floral scroll detail on this thing.
One of the mirrors -- the huge one in the dining room -- came from my mom's cousin David, who apparently used to collect antiques. Now he wants to get rid of some, and mentioned it to me at Christmas. I was like "I will take ALL THE THINGS." And I'm so glad, because this mirror really worked out.
There's another mirror that might work for the entryway, but we have to finish a couple of other things in there before we can hang it up.
In terms of lighting, there has been a bit of a surprise deficiency here -- even by my standards, and you know I love to sit in total darkness most of the time. But at the old house we had pretty much staple-gunned Christmas lights to everything, et voila, flattering and cheap light everywhere. When moving out, the half-working light strings and terminally dusty paper lanterns were balled up and thrown away and forgotten. Then when we unpacked everything at this house, we realized we were in great need of some lamps.
Here's the new parlor lamp:
And here are some very steampunk lamps that go perfectly on our bedside tables, especially on Dan's next to his Arthur Conan Doyle and his pipe tobacco. Hooray, good reading lights. And yes, we still have nothing on the walls. Patience, patience.
In the master closet, Dan installed a mini chandelier that fits right in and looks like it's always been there. Pro tip: buy "childrens" or "babies" lights, because they're a fraction of the cost. And does a larger person really need a way larger light? No.
And here's a gratuitous picture of Lianna's cat, Gracie, just being cute. - Dec 30, 11
- Dec 18, 11
Yesterday we drove to Waynesboro to pick up our new dining room table, and it looks great. Thanks so much to Dan's mom for this excellent Christmas present!
And here's the view of the unpainted heart pine underneath:
And here's the maker, Bryan Black, with his wife Susan in his workshop.
Doing a search for the term "farm table" on Craigslist and Ebay did NOT turn up many bargains, and I couldn't find anything in local antique stores that wasn't tacky or too small. The idea is that we'll be extending hospitality to others as frequently as possible, so we didn't want a little round 3-seater of a table.
Luckily though, Craigslist did turn up an advertisement for Concepts Created, the Waynesboro workshop of Bryan Black. He makes beautiful tables and both he and his wife are delightful to work with. I highly recommend them.
Dan and I picked out wooden legs from another family-owned hand-turning business in Georgia and had them shipped to Bryan. He was able to source the lumber for the top from an old church (built in 1895) in Charlottesville, and he selected the floorboards from the altar to use for our table. After putting it in a dehumidifier for a few days, he got to work putting the whole table together, painting, distressing, and adding a protective coating.
For less than any of the other antique and new farm tables I saw during my search, we were able to have a custom family heirloom made by a local woodworker. Success!
If you're in the market for a table at all, please support Bryan's business. He rocks.
The gorgeous drive out to Waynesboro and lunch in nearby downtown Staunton (adorable!) weren't half bad either. I love this state. - Nov 25, 11
Yesterday before the Thanksgiving hubbub really got started I took a few photos of the house. Here's the entryway in its current state:
I'm really loving this space, and having designated areas to put coats, gloves, umbrellas, shoes, etc. when you walk in the door. It makes it so that it's easy to find things when you're rushing out the door as well, and it makes it way easier to offer guests a place to stash coats and bags without having to clear out special space in a closet or lugging coats upstairs to a bedroom. The large shelf and hook racks are from Ikea (finally making somewhat old-timey looking things, hooray!), the free church pew below was recently painted and distressed by myself, and the little vintage desk next to it (which may or may not stay there) was from a thrift store. There are still some lingering boxes around of course, but things are really starting to shape up in the entryway.
And here's the lovely parlor, which is starting to usurp the master closet as my favorite room in the house right now. Dan built, sanded, stained, and installed these bookshelves in just a few days. The white cabinets below are from Ikea, the countertops are made from reclaimed wood from upstairs, and the shelves themselves are the fruit of Lowe's. To the left you can see our records, and to the right I've got all the nonfiction books set up.The view of the parlor looking west. Fiction and cookbooks are in the black bookcase there.
And here's what it looks like if you're standing in the northwest corner of the room, looking into the dining room and the entryway. Though there are plenty of things still to be done both inside and outside, the dining room is now the only room left that's still under major construction. You can see the beginnings of the coffered ceiling in there, as well as the beginnings of the wainscoting on the doorway trim.
Here are a couple of before pictures of the parlor from last winter:
Phew, glad that's over.
As always, if you want to see more photos of Thanksgiving and what the dining room looks like, just go to Flickr.
We had a great day and were so happy to be able to finally host something in our new house. Here's to more hospitality to come. - Nov 23, 11
Here are some quick shots of the office that I took yesterday. It's hugely important for the office to be comfortable, since I'm working from home a lot now. So far, I love it.
On the north wall are these very useful bookshelves, where we keep general office supplies and books related to our jobs and hobbies. Dan's side is full of books about electrical codes and tube amps. Mine is full of fashion, crafting, and etiquette books. [The vast majority of our books have now been organized downstairs, and photos will come of those soon.]
Here's Dan's side of the room (west wall), optimized for music and for collecting piles of paper:
My side of the room (east wall), optimized for typing and crafting (that white wardrobe contains an explosion of craft stuff that is currently shamefully unorganized):
And next to the door (south wall) is our futon, which is now ready to accept out-of-town guests. OR just people who don't want to drive back to the Fan after hanging out here.
Here are some "before" pics of the office.
Looking west through to the princess suite:
Looking east through to the master bedroom (that brick fireplace was painted white and is now mostly behind the office wardrobe):
Freshly-primed northwest corner: - Nov 09, 11
The front of the house probably can't be considered "done" until at some point the exterior gets painted, but here's what our doorway looks like in the meantime.
I love the blue of our door -- it will look great once the siding is painted light gray. Thanks to our neighbor, Karen, for the pink mums and thanks to our friend, Kelly, for the pumpkin.My mom made this beautiful wreath! Thanks Mom. My favorite part is the okra.I've had this custom doormat from Etsy waiting for its debut for months. I thought it was appropriate for the house we affectionately call The Good Ship.
A spider's web collected quite a lot of dew this morning -- so pretty.
And the fog was rolling in thick here in Church Hill today. - Nov 16, 11
Here are the pictures from the finished master closet. This is the "girliest" room in the house, and pretty much the only one I was allowed to make as girly as I wanted. Which is fine, because though he's greatly outnumbered in terms of gender (by me, Lianna, Sophie-kitty, and Gracie-kitty), Dan is indeed a dude and his interior design concerns need to be heard. Still! This one's my favorite room yet. Though it might not be saying much, since only three rooms are really "done."
The master closet sits between the master bedroom and the master bathroom, which was all we could do with the awkward little space there, but is really kind of the perfect location.
Upon entering, Dan's closet is straight ahead, while mine is to the right. If you walk a few steps forward and take a left, you'll be in the bathroom. The small, gray cabinet in the photo above with the two black candles on top is our little "bathroom closet," because there wasn't room to put it in the bathroom but we need plenty of room to house extra towels and every cold medicine known to man.
It's super bright in the closet most of the day.
Here's my section of the closet (looking into the closet from inside the bathroom). I've got hat boxes sitting above the closet itself for extra storage. Behind the curtain, the top shelf is full of hair accessories, hats, and purses. At the bottom of the closet are shoes and things. The short little white drawer unit to the left holds gloves, fans, tights, and undergarments. On top of it is my jewelry box.
And here's a peek inside at the darkness (literally!) within. Black goes with everything.
Slips and nightgowns live on the back of the closet door for now, as does my laptop bag and current purse.
I love this mirrored jewelry box that I got for Christmas from my mom one year. Though it contains mostly 1" buttons from various bands and all kinds of other cheap plasticky things, it is pwecious to me. Oh deary! Now it's no longer a secret where all my plastic jewelry from Forever 21 lives!
One of the best things about the closet is that we were able to fit a chair in there, so you have somewhere to sit down when you're putting shoes or tights on.
So that's our semi-rococo-style walk-in closet. If you have some random tiny room in your house that's really too small for any other use, I highly recommend converting it. The best part is that it was all dirt cheap to configure:- Walls: Light blue paint by me and friends, and AMAZING stencil work in light gray by Dan. This turned out so beautiful, and really makes the room, I think.
- Closet frameworks: Pax wardrobes (without the fronts, which cost way extra!) from Ikea, that mecca of cheap (but sturdy, if you know what to buy) storage.
- Closet curtains: Free, from Kristin! Thanks Kristin! I think they were her grandmother's.
- Small curtain rods: Simple tension rods for a few dollars each, from Target.
- Window curtain: $9 from Target (Shabby Chic I think).
- Bathroom cabinet: about 4 years old, from Ikea.
- Short, white drawer unit: about 3 years old, from Ikea.
- Rolly chair: Pottery Barn, free (I think it was bequeathed to me by a moving-out roommate at some point).
- Hat boxes: Thrift stores and Ikea.
A little chandelier will be added later, but you know. Not the #1 priority right this instant.
Oh yeah, here's what this room used to look like:
And now it's time for an impromptu lecture on the value of being organized.
My absolute favorite thing about this closet (or probably large storage spaces in general) so far is that it lends a calming effect to the household. That's particularly valuable to me right now, when the rest of the house is in chaos and I desperately need one not-covered-in-boxes-and-wood-and-sawdust corner of the universe to cling to. But generally, when you look into your closet and it's simply and cleanly organized, you don't have that feeling of cluttered-closet panic every morning. Also, instead of having random non-clothes items (like bags, shoes, sportswear, bathroom items, etc.) exploding off of shelves in your bedroom, the hallways, and everywhere else, a big enough closet can keep all of that better contained. Life is messy, but at least when you're able to keep some of the mess corralled, you can spend your time in the rest of the house relaxing, cooking, working, loving, and doing all the things that are truly important. I think that catching 43 glimpses of scattered mess everywhere subconsciously erodes your focus day in and day out, and takes your attention away from the people and the conversations you would rather concentrate on.
I know I'm a bit crazier about this stuff than lots of others are, but I'm not saying you should define yourself by whether or not there's a missing sock or whatever. I just think you do have a responsibility to make your home a comfortable and calming place, where your family and your guests can gather and look forward to being together without distractions. Better hospitality is something we're really seeking with this house, and I think smart storage is a blessing for us with that goal. And so for now, I'm grateful for this one little organized corner. - Oct 19, 11
Right now we're doing tedious, time-consuming jobs that need to be done before we can unpack. Baseboards, painting doors, doorknobs, etc. In the meantime, here's a followup to the "master bathroom (pretty much) complete" post. Just more photos of the only room in the house that's really "done," now that it's furnished.
We went to Ikea this week to get a closet setup for our master closet, so that will probably be the next room to be finished and photographed... - Oct 04, 11
We've obviously got so much finishing, so much moving in, and so much decorating to do. For now, here are a few photos I snapped when I got home from work today.
As always, you can see everything bigger on Flickr. - Oct 04, 11
Yesterday we passed our final electrical inspection. Today we passed our final inspection by the City of Richmond, as well as our final inspection from our HUD inspector (for our 203k loan).
Aaaaand...exhale.
We'll focus now on finishing up the renovation. Oh yes, there's so much more to do (like baseboards). And then we'll focus on relief, recovery, and putting our sanity back together slowly.
Good job, Dan. Thanks for putting in all those 20-hour workdays.
Thanks also to the huge cast of characters who showed up to volunteer this week. And to anybody who fed us, let us stay at their place, let us borrow things and / or money, or just listened to us. Your support has meant the world to us.
Hello for real now, Church Hill. - Sep 29, 11
Sorry for the lack of updates, we've just been hurtling so quickly toward the deadline that time for blogging as well as photo-taking is non-existent.
Countertops are in. Here are the guys from Custom Countertops, Inc. doing the installation. We had a great experience with this vendor and can highly recommend them. They came out immediately for a consultation, then sent guys out to make the template for the countertops on the same day, and had them installed in exactly 1 week and 1 day. For WAY cheaper than the other quotes we got, including Lowe's and Home Depot. Definitely go with them if you're going to be spending money on countertops anytime soon.
Kitchen plumbing is being worked on right now.
Dan has been finishing electrical work all around the house, as well as installing the backsplash in the kitchen, and Brendan has been here this week helping paint and install trim.
In fact pretty much all Brendan and I have been doing for the past week or so is painting and painting and painting these million strips of wood with all their mind-numbing nooks and crannies.
We're done with all the door rosettes, plinth blocks, and trim, and are now working on baseboards. So this house should be all trimmed out soon if our sanity holds up. - Sep 21, 11
After much assembling, the kitchen cabinets are done and waiting for their countertops to arrive. They're supposed to come a week from today, after which the plumber will need to come hook up the sinks and such.
Yesterday while trim was being worked on I painted the last room to be painted (the little laundry closet / Harry Potter's house underneath the stairs). So glad that's over.
Then I installed the master bathroom shower curtain rod, and hung up the curtain. It looks great -- pictures soon.
Now I'm on general touchup painting duty all around the house. - Sep 21, 11
Firstly, the roses are killing it. Super high winds today, and they seem unfazed. The pink ones are bigger than Sophie's head.
Everything except the stairs is stained and polyurethaned, and it looks great. KC also hung all the doors upstairs. Today we unloaded the trailer full of Ikea cabinets that's been sitting outside of our house all year, and started putting them together. Here's to lots of tiny little wooden pegs and metal tacks and instructions with no words.
This week's thanks go out to James and Stefan for helping with the floors, and Richard for helping with the cabinets.
Tomorrow the drywall guy comes to finish the last couple of spots (which had to be cut out for plumbing), and the plumber comes to TURN ON THE HOT WATER. - Sep 21, 11
I've always wanted black floors and now I have them. Boom.
Well, they're not done yet.* But the upstairs is totally done, and the downstairs is in progress. We're both really exhausted from crouching for hours every day. I just watched Dan fall asleep sitting up, which wasn't surprising. He was up until 4am last night staining the floor.
The ebony stain we used turned out gorgeous, and the matte polyurethane enhances the luster of the floor. I love the little bit of distressing we did to the wood, with chains, nails, etc. I love the natural variation of how much the wood soaked up the stain, which helps it look worn and loved. I love that the polyurethane makes the black pop but also lends uniformity and smoothness in texture.
Of all the tasks we've accomplished, this has surprisingly turned out to be one of the easier ones. Take THAT, salespeople that try to sell us things in 4000 shades of brown, and then try to talk us out of painting them black!**
Tomorrow, more staining and polyurethaning, and coming soon -- KITCHEN-BUILDING.
*Don't freak out about the splotches along the bottom of the walls; they'll get covered up by the baseboards. Also there will be way better pictures once baseboards are in and once I'm not taking hurried photos between batches of stain.
**Seriously I think there's some kind of a brown-pushing agenda out there amongst salesfolk. Do they get some kind of fatter commission for proselytizing "toasted wheat field" instead of "ebony?" I'm onto them. I also noticed that in asking about white floors, the same thing happened. The amount of hyperventilating that salespeople do when you bring up black or white instead of brown is astounding. They're all like "Welllll we doooo have it, but...you know....most people..." and I'm like "BUT NOTHING!" Honestly people, it's not like there are some brown cabinets in my house I need to match this stuff to. Relax. Relax and hand over the ebony stain. /rant - Sep 09, 11
Today the plumber was at the house finishing work in the master bathroom. So now we have two full, working bathrooms in the house. It seems like a miracle. No hot water yet, though...for whatever reason he has to come back later and turn that on.
Since this bathroom is more square than rectangular, and so full of giant stuff like a giant tub and a giant vanity, it's hard to get a photo without a wide angle lens. Sometime in the future, perhaps. - Sep 04, 11In other news...
The rosebushes, rosemary, and boxwoods out front are doing extremely well right now. What's my secret? Selecting plants that love not being watered, and which take a pickaxe and a steady resolve to kill. Things like orchids will die from merely catching you sneering at them, so you'll never catch me buying those.
The day after the hurricane one of the rosebushes was all "LOL WUT HURRICANE, BRO?" and had two fat blooms on it, in completely clashing shades of pink. It's a magic rose bush.
In the backyard, things are not quite as manicured, but they're improving. This lovely black and yellow garden spider (Argiope aurantia) was hanging out on the shed when I was raking up hurricane debris.
The cats say hello and ask that you send more cardboard boxes. If you came to visit, Gozer would likely show you her "favorite chair."They would also like to show you their stockpile of the mangled corpses of cicadas, and one dead bird. Good work, girls.
But Sophie generally prefers different company during leisure time. Buckets, specifically.
I wonder if she's like "What happened to those comfy beds we used to sleep on all day? Oh well, here are some buckets. Next best thing."
I'm like one of those annoying moms who will NOT stop showing you every picture ever taken of her kids, but they're just so darn photogenic. And you know you get online just to find more pictures of adorable cats. - Sep 04, 11
Guys, this is a big moment.
Yes! We have working plumbing. After eight months of working on a site with no plumbing or any kind of running water, you can say that we've become more thankful for these amenities. I've been looking forward to this for ages. Now the room in the house that's entirely done is the Princess Suite bathroom. It's like a shining beacon in the midst of all the chaos. I spent the day scratching rogue blotches of thin set and caulk off of the floor tiles, and then cleaning the bathroom from top to bottom with my favorite cleaning agent. Oh Mr. Clean with Febreze -- I'm so glad we're back together again.
Tiling was completed in the master bathroom today as well. Tomorrow we "celebrate Labor Day" by grouting in there. - Aug 30, 11
Here's the princess suite bathroom floor, pre-grout:
Princess suite shower, almost done, pre-grout:
That whole bathroom is grouted and totally done now, and awaiting plumbing.
The master bathroom is almost done (1/2 of 1 wall left), and that's what's being worked on right now. Then tomorrow it needs to be grouted.
The plumber comes Thursday!
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Posts
- Jan 10, 12
It's happened to him, to her, and to you. A moment so silly, so juvenile, yet so undeniably human: contagious laughter. This week, our guide to all that is proper tackles an interesting topic--what do we do when we can't stop laughing.
- Dec 27, 11
It's been another banner year here at Richmond Proper. We've examined everything from street harassment, to proper condolences, to cycling, to parenting during these past twelve months. Let's wrap it up with a year-end collection of etiquette thoughts from seasoned professionals and tween bloggers alike.
- Dec 13, 11
This week's Richmond Proper answers what to do when you catch your friend cheating on their partner, and how do you turn down a request for second date when the first didn't go so well.
- Nov 29, 11
We all know that Richmond Proper adores order and exhorts her readers to live as peaceful an existence as possible. But this week, as a sort of rebellion perhaps, I'll address the subject of...rebellion.
- Nov 15, 11
With the holidays fast approaching, we thought it would be a good idea to take down the the tome that is our on-going Richmond Proper article, blow away the digital dust, and look over some hard-and-fast rules to make the holidays more mannerly. For instance, what's the best way to set the table before dinner, and how should we interact with family members that we'd like nothing more than to punch in the face.
- Nov 01, 11
This installment's question certainly strikes me as particularly Richmond-relevant. Tumblr user Sofisopaipilla asked: I'm hosting a vegan potluck, is it out of the question, crass, rude, icky to ask people to bring a meat-free dish to share?
- Oct 18, 11
As fall descends and party season ramps up, Richmond Proper seems to be accumulating more seekers of event-related advice.
- Sep 20, 11
Someone once said that if you really want to make the world a kinder place, require that all people work one full year in retail. That way people get to see first hand how unmannered and rude people can really be, thus inspiring workers to go into the world with a more munificent demeanor. Unfortunately, that won't happen. Luckily, we have Richmond Proper to right our wrongs.
- Sep 06, 11
I don’t make it out to Carytown much anymore, being an East Ender now, but the last two times I was there I witnessed some pretty egregious etiquette blunders on the same block of Cary Street. You know the one — Cary Court, Can Can, Sweet Frog, etc.
- Aug 23, 11
Richmond Proper is back, my well-mannered ladies and gentlemen! This week I answer questions about timing The Big Question, and delve into the age old question of "what's with kitties!?"
- May 17, 11
Learning to ride a bicycle is one of those childhood rites of passage that almost everyone goes through. Nowadays, with rising gas prices and an ever increasing downtown population, it only makes sense that people look for alternative means of travel. So what are the rules of the game when you take a bike into the streets? In actuality, they are the same as if operating a motor vehicle. Here is a rundown of things cyclists should be aware of.
- May 03, 11
A reader writes: is it proper for dads to celebrate Mother's Day for the mothers of their own children? My dad dismisses this and refuses to wish my mom a happy Mother's Day, saying "She's not my mother." Which is ridiculous.
- Apr 24, 11
Richmond pride is running high these days, and what better way to show it than to support local artisans? Here’s our third annual (!!!) Mother’s Day gift guide featuring mom-appropriate Richmond area goods.
- Apr 19, 11
Expressing sympathy for those who have just lost a loved one seems to challenge most of us at one time or another. Here are a few guidelines to keep in mind the next time you find yourself searching for the right words.
- Apr 05, 11
Because we have a lot to learn about manners from teh kittehs. And because it seemed like the right time.
- Mar 22, 11
Those folks who only offer rants and vitriol are known as "trolls." A troll is the person who consistently posts spiteful comments ranging from threats to nonsensical babbling just to fill up space. Just to bother. Just to provoke.
- Mar 08, 11
Whether you just like celebrating any holiday that comes down the pike, or you truly want to show some Irish pride, there are plenty of good reasons for wearing green on St. Patrick's Day. However the perceived right to pinch people who are not wearing green has been taken a little too far.
- Feb 11, 11
A few local creatives have started SmileDials, a web-based service that allows you to send audio greetings to friends and family. More than just the latest in a string of tech startups to call Richmond home, SmileDials hints at the growing market for unique online services
- Feb 08, 11
"A myth exists that one of the pleasures of private life is the ability to drop manners and -- as people always put it when they assert the desire to be repulsive -- be themselves."
- Feb 02, 11
The level of the relationship is of the utmost importance in selecting the right gift for your love. Here's a guide to either (1) inspire you, (2) make a no-effort decision for you, or (3) remind you that Valentine's Day actually does exist and is, in fact, coming up soon.
- Jan 25, 11
I'm sure this is a nightmare you're well-acquainted with: You're walking down the street minding your own business, when suddenly a stranger squawks a bunch of nonsense at you, and you can't think of a great comeback until after you've already stormed off.
- Jan 12, 11
In this darkest, coldest, and most depressing stretch of the winter, it seems particularly appropriate to discuss negativity. Friends, do not commit conversational suicide by being a Negative Nancy. Please, we love you and we want you to step back from the ledge!
- Dec 28, 10
"New Year's Eve parties, being long and not carefully orchestrated -- as, say, a dinner is -- offer many opportunities for behaving badly, in ways one will suddenly remember with a sickening flash at breakfast the next afternoon." -- Judith Martin.
- Dec 26, 10
SNOW SNOW SNOW SNOW!!!! Check out our picks for the best sledding spots all over the good old RVA. Have fun (and be sure to wear your mittens)!
- Dec 09, 10
It has long been considered a kind gesture to set aside a little something extra for the folks who perform routine services for you -- like the mailman and the babysitter. These are the people in the background, helping you get things done all year long. Why not show them how much you appreciate it this holiday season?
- Dec 01, 10
As the holiday season gets underway, all Chanukkah means to some of us is that there will be blue decorations alongside the red and green ones at the store. This year we asked for the Messianic Jewish perspective on the festival that continues to be so mysterious to the rest of us.
- Nov 30, 10
Between Thanksgiving and Christmas most offices see an increase in food brought in to share, whether it's leftovers from a big family meal or an overzealous baking spree. Take a look at the following tips to keep office kitchens bearable despite the holiday influx.
- Nov 29, 10
Ready to snazz up your space for the holidays? Local Etsy crafters will hook you up with decorations that are fun, festive... and a little bit different. Before hitting up the mall this holiday season, consider supporting Richmond by buying local.
- Nov 16, 10
One reader asks our etiquette expert if her husband's boozing at a friend's wedding falls under expected party antics...or if it crosses the line to flat out rude. We'd love to hear your thoughts as well.
- Nov 02, 10
I'm doing the online dating thing, and I need to know what to do when someone who you have no interest in messages you. Which is more rude: not responding or responding and saying "uh...nope"?
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Posts
- Feb 14, 12I had never heard of the 19th century practice of "vinegar valentines" until this week when I saw this article from Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery. Vinegar valentines are "insulting cards mocking the recipient's appearance, profession or behaviour and predicting a loveless future." Wow. I thought our generation was nasty.
- Feb 13, 12Monticello, Montpelier, and Charlottesville are offering some savings on your next historical day trip to C-ville if you sign up for their Presidents Passport. This is right up our day-tripping alley.
- Feb 11, 12
StoryCorps will be rolling through Lewis Ginter in March, so if you have a story to tell, sign up! StoryCorps is a great project and one that's absolutely necessary to follow if you're passionate about the art of storytelling. - Jan 23, 12
Fredericksburg is one of those towns that's been lucky enough to preserve plenty of colonial buildings all these years. Some blocks probably look similar to how they looked in the 1700s, minus the power lines and parked cars. I think most Virginians visit Fredericksburg on elementary school field trips, as I did, but I was well overdue for another visit.
So on the day after Christmas, Dan and I made the 45-minute drive and went to some historical sites, thanks to the free tickets kindly bestowed on me by Preservation Virginia.
The Mary Washington House is a lovely but very modest cottage that GW built for his mother in her older years. The tour guide and I geeked out about the warm, muted shade of green used on the parlor walls and how it contrasts with the bright, rather garish green used at Mount Vernon. My favorite part of this property is the garden, though. Plenty of gnarled old boxwoods and a lush lawn would have made this the perfect little escape for Mary in the middle of the city. I need to go back sometime when it's warmer though, and see the garden in its full glory.
The Rising Sun Tavern is the site I remember most vividly from childhood, and indeed I think it's still the most kid-friendly attraction of the three we visited. Though the building was like 20 different things over the years, they've got it set up as it would have been when it was a tavern in the 1790s. The "tavern wenches" that guide your tour focus on the chronology of a typical tavern stay during that time period, highlighting lots of familiar turns-of-phrase which have their origins in revolutionary-era customs (like "mind your Ps and Qs"). It's interesting to see the difference between how a layman's stay at the tavern would have gone, as opposed to a gentleman's stay (like the Marquis de Lafayette on his big tour of the US).
Hugh Mercer Apothecary Shop is the place to hear about all the weird / gross 18th-century methods of doctoring that you would expect. A sign on the door proclaims that they've recently gotten a new shipment of the "finest Swedish leeches." The elderly guides love to get a reaction out of people when they talk about amputations and bloodletting, but we've been to so many Civil War museums with related content that we remain nonplussed. The thing that got me was seeing the instrument used for pulling teeth. YIKES. My favorite part of this tour is standing at the big pharmacy counter and smelling all the vials and jars of different 18th century medicines, and hearing about what each one was used to cure. It's fun to notice how many of those ingredients are still used somehow or other in our modern treatments today.
After the museums we headed down to Caroline Street for plenty of antiquing and food.
Anyway, we had a lovely time and as Fredericksburg is just a short jaunt from Richmond and these museums are incredibly cheap, I highly recommend making a day of it.
More pictures are here. - Jan 23, 12
Have you guys seen this Walk in their Footsteps site? It highlights some of the "regular people" from Virginia's Civil War era and provides a well-rounded picture of the hardships faced by all. It's also just beautifully designed.
I particularly like the piece about inventor James Hanger. Though he doesn't usually get much attention, many of you will probably remember the Hanger Prosthetics shop that used to be right next to Domino's on Belvidere. Yep, that's the guy.
The sidebar also includes some cool resources, like a list of Civil War-related events. If only there were 8 of me so I could attend all of these things! - Nov 30, 11
Lots of cool things going on at the Poe Museum this month, so check out their calendar for details. They've also got all your kitschy Poe-related gift-giving needs taken care of!
- Nov 21, 11
Got an email from the Historical Society with the following info. Oh man, I wish I could go! Three different guys specializing in the history of the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries respectively? Be still my heart.
Join the American History Guys as we share a heaping helping of conversation on one of the Virginia Historical Society's favorite holidays: Thanksgiving.
On Monday, November 21, at 7:00 p.m. in the Robins Family Forum, we will host a live staging of BackStory with the American History Guys.
If you do not know who the American History Guys are, let me introduce you to renowned U.S. historians Peter Onuf, Ed Ayers, and Brian Balogh, or as they like to call themselves: 18th century guy, 19th century guy, and 20th century guy.
The American History Guys will peel back layers of tradition and competing myths that have created the celebration that we know today. From Pilgrims, to turkey, to football games, to parade floats, the Guys will offer surprising perspectives on the shaping of one of our nation's most beloved holidays.
A special guest -- who will make a case for Virginia's claim on Thanksgiving's roots -- will also join the Guys.
BackStory is a program of Virginia Foundation for the Humanities.
Please join us at 7:00 p.m., Monday, November 21, in the Robins Family Forum. This event is open to the public and admission is free.
I look forward to seeing you.
Sincerely,
Paul A. Levengood
President and CEO
Virginia Historical Society - Oct 31, 11
- Oct 28, 11
I love the Virginia Travel Blog. I particularly love it when they do a piece on fun, spooky, historical places in Virginia. See if you can scratch all of these sites off your list:
Ghostly Haunts: Touring Virginia's History - Oct 27, 11
It appears that the FBI has finally done something pretty X-Files-worthy:
Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Black Market Kidneys in New Jersey
Just read it.
Now, I acknowledge that this story of a tightly-orchestrated, consensual kidney deal doesn't match up to the usual one you hear. The boilerplate urban legend is that people wake up in bathtubs full of ice, the area around their kidneys all sore and sewn up, and the assumption is that somebody drugged them and stole their kidneys for profit. Though any folklorist worth her salt would wave that old story away and say "Yeah, but that's just an urban legend. EVERYBODY knows that. It doesn't really happen," I must say that this news story has made me think twice about certain things I take to be "classic folklore." - Oct 25, 11
Anybody who's remotely interested in urban exploration should check out this Wired.com feature: Haunting Videos Take You Inside Abandoned Buildings. Beautiful videos of forgotten structures, set to beautiful music. I especially recommend the 4th video (Undercity) and the last video (Divine Lorraine). Truly incredible. - Oct 22, 11
Richmond paranormal author and friend of the Midnight Society Beth Brown was interviewed by RVAudio recently. Click here to listen to her interview. Bonus: she shares her favorite local ghost story!
- Oct 20, 11
Oh, how I love Halloween in Richmond. This year is kind of sad for me, as we're still in the throes of construction on our house and all my costume-related gear is packed away in one of the million boxes here. But if, unlike me, you are free to roam about as you please and are looking for fun things to do, this might be right down your alley.
Katie from Agecroft Hall writes,Tess:Here is an upcoming event that may be of interest to The Midnight Society.All Hallow’s Eve: Living History Tour at Agecroft HallThursday, Oct. 27 6:00-7:00 pmThursday, Oct. 27 8:00-9:00 pm(almost sold out; please call 353-4241)Friday, Oct. 28 6:00-7:00 pmFriday, Oct. 28 8:00-9:00 pmFor additional information, and a new article titled, “All Hallow’s Eve: Watch Your Step” please go to our e-newsletter and calendar atwww.agecrofthall.org/newsletter.
Special thanks to Katie for thinking of us, and I hope everyone is enjoying this Halloween season. - Sep 30, 11
Here's a neat piece of ghostly history:
Pop culture is full of characters who approach ghosts with scientific detachment instead of terror. Where did this Fox Mulderism start? With the Cambridge Association for Spiritual Enquiry, widely known as the Ghost Society. Formed in 1851 at the prestigious university, its founders included future prime minister Arthur Balfour and future archbishop of Canterbury Edward White Benson. Little is known about the group’s day-to-day activities—it was as enamored with mystery and secret societies as it was with the paranormal. But the organization did declare that it was dedicated to “a serious inquiry into the nature of the phenomena which are vaguely called ’supernatural.’” One society member boasted of studying 2,000 apparitional anomalies. The group’s key spookologists moved to London in 1862 and continued their pursuits as the Ghost Club.
-- From Wired.com. - Sep 04, 11
In our modern age of photo PowerPoints and online eulogizing, we forget how previous generations mourned the loss of loved ones. There's an article at Art of Mourning about this striking Victorian mourning miniature, analyzing its meaning and contrasting it to others of its time. It really is a gorgeous piece.
From the article:Now, obviously miniature portraits captured the depiction of the subject and there are jewels which show the individual painted into the scene, but we’re dealing with a quite standard mourning depiction where the woman was considered the essence and centre of grieving. Yet, this piece shows the young lady with her eyes gently upturned and her chin resting upon her right arm, without the outpouring of sadness, but with a look of reassurance in the afterlife.
Via Two Nerdy History Girls. - Sep 01, 11
- Aug 10, 11
Documenting history is one of the noblest causes I can think of. It allows memories and knowledge to last for another generation. That's why I was excited to hear about the Civil War 150 Legacy Project. Guys, this is exactly what the Midnight Society is all about. This is our bread and butter.The Legacy Project is a team of archivists from the Library of Virginia who scan your documents in a community near you. What is of interest to them? Civil War-era letters, memoirs, pension materials, military passes, discharge papers, diaries, hand-drawn maps, photographs, and other manuscripts. In doubt about what you have and if it’s of interest? Bring it to an event near you and let the experts decide.
So if you or your relatives have any historical goodies packed away, now's the time to dig them out and pony up. For the good of the historical record, y'all. - Jul 26, 11
There's a great piece about Decayed Richmond on RVANews today.It’s somewhat eerie and depressing seeing remnants from better times and fingerprints on windows caked with dust for years. The metaphor, of feeling neglected and abandoned, resonates in many of our photographs. Many of the kids interested in urban exploration are filled with angst, and look at these spots as an escape.
I've been doing this sort of thing since 2003, though I suspect I'm way less of a risk-taker than these folks. As I've been able to find plenty of interesting locations with minimal risk involved, I've always stayed away from anything that seemed really dangerous, whether it be from squatters or unstable floors or what-have-you. And the Midnight Society has also always gone by the rule "leave everything as you found it," which I suspect isn't something we have in common with the modern graffiti-slinging masses.
Despite any differences in philosophy and practice, I love seeing anybody discovering the joy of urban exploration and sharing it with others. There really is nothing like it.
I appreciate what they say in the article about feeling abandoned and angsty, and having urban exploration as an outlet for that. Doing research, learning about history, making beautiful photos, and being active and enjoying the outdoors are all part of urban exploration, and I think it's a much better hobby for young outcasts than many of the other, more self-destructive activities available.
For me, though, exploring was always more about gathering with friends and being a part of something. During college, what was there really to do besides going out, going to bars, going to shows? This was something to do with other adventurous folks, and it cost very little.
And truly, the biggest attraction for me is that I never feel quite comfortable in the sterile, modern buildings all around us. I always feel more natural and content in surroundings that are lived in -- and that are alive with history, even as they crumble and pass away. - Jul 23, 11
Check out this article about possible witch bottles found in Hopewell at City Point.
Wait, WHAT? Witch bottles?......uh, yeah, I had no idea what a witch bottle was either. So:Witch bottles were created out of glass bottles or, commonly, bellarmines, as a means of reversing a witch’s evil spell. Literature from the 1600s provided advice as to the creation and use of witch bottles. The “recipe” involved adding human hair, nail parings, and urine to the bottle, as well as bent pins or nails and heart-shaped pieces of felt. The bottle was then stopped and buried, often inverted, near a threshold or hearth. People believed that this act would throw the spell back onto the witch who had cast it, by making her unable to urinate, and subsequently causing her demise. Another option was heating and exploding the bottle, which would also destroy the witch. Central to the ideology of the witch bottle was the belief that by casting a spell, a witch linked herself to her victim, so that she could be killed by an injury to her victim’s body (represented by the materials in the witch bottle).
Duly noted.
Some English witch bottles are pictured above.
[Article found via Two Nerdy History Girls and their always-fascinating Breakfast Links.] - Jun 17, 11
Y'all know we love some Evergreen Cemetery here at The Midnight Society, and we've visited / posted about it several times. But RVANews just published a story with some fantastic photos by Mel Kobran, so get on over there and take a look.
- Jun 16, 11
We're in the middle of a major home renovation, so blogging has slowed down for me on all fronts. I had to stop and grab this picture the other day on the way to work, though. Every time I've driven by this building in Manchester (which is almost every day since the middle of February) there have been a bunch of vehicles in front of it, but I finally got it alone. :) See it larger here.
- May 22, 11
Since we here at the Midnight Society love secret societies, I couldn't resist posting about the "Order of the Pug." Seriously, this existed.Around 1740, a series of pug related items were designed as secret emblems for a German underground Masonic-styled lodge known as the "Order of the Pug." .... Members were required to wear dog collars and had to scratch the door of the lodge to gain entrance. Initiates were said to have been blindfolded and led around a symbol-filled carpet nine times while the assembled "Pugs" of the Order barked loudly and yelled “Memento mori” ('Remember you shall die').
From Art Daily, via Two Nerdy History Girls. - May 11, 11
- May 09, 11
You guys read Vintage Richmond, right? Just checking. Today's post about Pratt's Castle is neat. Don't forget to revisit our previous mentions of it as well. - May 06, 11
We've mentioned this before, but there's kind of a ghost town on the outskirts of Richmond. Known as the Elko Tract or The Lost City, CBS just did a segment on it. Check it out here, via Neighborhoodr (an awesome way to stay current on neat things in Richmond, by the way!).
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Posts
- Jan 14, 12
A quick update:
We had a great Christmas, random day trip to Fredericksburg, and New Year’s Eve.
The house is coming along, at its own slow pace. I am trying not to freak out in my eagerness to just have an open house already.
Work is still amazing and I’ve been hiring hiring hiring like crazy. Or at least working on it. I guess you could say I’ve been interviewing like crazy. Loving this new role so far.
Dan went on a business trip last week to New Hampshire and really enjoyed himself. He seemed to learn a lot, and I’m super proud of him for taking on more responsibility at work.
Last weekend we went on another long neighborhood walk in obscenely warm weather.
Our City Group has been awesome so far. Last week there were some birthdays so after dinner, cake and cupcakes were rolled out and “happy birthday” was sung. Our group is packed, but it’s a good problem to have. So thankful for these guys.
I started tutoring at CHAT last week. As soon as I walked in this little girl ran up to me and hugged me, and said to the volunteer coordinator, “I want this to be my tutor.” I did end up assigned to her, and her name is Harmony. She is so cute, though a little distractible, and she desperately wants to read well and to get all the rewards that come with it. I helped her through the first couple of chapters of Mr. Popper’s Penguins and was somehow completely exhausted afterward. I can’t wait to get to know her better throughout this semester.
Dan’s reading The Hunger Games.
Our church is electing deacons this Sunday — fancy! Our roommate went on a (successful) date. The cats are hissing at each other a little less. And we’re preparing to have more houseguests staying with us soon.
Filed under: what's up - Dec 22, 11
This is probably the longest hiatus ever from Parasol Party, so I’m going to break my update down into categories for simplicity’s sake! And I’m going to use a “continue reading” break below, since I’ve gotten into using those on Tumblr.
The house.
Construction is very close to being done. We’ve been living in the house for a couple of months, and it’s finally starting to feel like home. I’m really enjoying Church Hill and, surprisingly, all the changes that living in a new neighborhood brings. I love finally getting to reap the benefits of the endless string of choices we made, and settling into our very comfortable closets, kitchen, etc. Dan has worked so hard and made everything so beautiful. And for the first time in about a decade, I’m enjoying the luxury of central air. Whatever witchery they use to keep your house temperate all year long is truly amazing. The dishwasher I’m still suspicious of though.
So the only room that’s really still half-finished is the dining room, and that’s on a little break until after the holidays. The house exterior still needs to be painted and the backyard has a major overhaul in its future. And of course almost none of our wallhangings are up yet. So those things will all unfold whenever we get there. You can read OH so much more about the whole thing on our renovation blog.
The jobs.
You know that part in the job life cycle where you start to see how things really work and start to get disenchanted and hate your job a little bit? Yeah, that’s hasn’t happened for me yet. And I feel very lucky about that, since I’ve been at Tumblr for almost a year. We work really hard and have a lot of fun, and the people I’ve met have astonished me by being such fantastic colleagues. The office here in Richmond has such a diverse group, and we have the most interesting conversations together. They’re the kind of people you’d hang out with anyway, not just because you’re at work.
In addition to my regular tech support duties, I’ve been in charge of office life in general, ordering snacks, supplies, and even furniture for the space, and planning outings and parties and all of that stuff — which you know I love to do anyway. I also just found out yesterday that I’m being promoted, and I’m very excited about it. In the new year I’ll be managing several employees, and I’ve found myself racking my brain for all that business school management technique stuff. Turns out, I actually need it. It all feels like a really beautiful dream and I’m grateful for my job every day.
Dan has begun a new job recently at a company called Electro-LuminX, which manufactures a cutting edge lighting technology called Light Tape. It’s this thin, flexible stuff that lights up and is able to be used pretty much anywhere. It was used on the costumes in the Tron remake, etc. Very versatile and just really interesting work, and I think Dan really likes that he’s always working on a different project.
It’s been a huge relief to have us both gainfully employed in jobs we like.
The extracurricular activities.
Pretty much everything was put on hold in 2011 because of the house, and we’re starting to ease back into things. I’ve been writing regularly at RVANews again for a while now. I’ve been back on a good workout regimen in the mornings. We’ve gone to a few parties. We’ve actually shown up at church a few times, not just when I’m on nursery duty or Dan is running sound. I indulged in one of my long-walks-with-podcasts-and-a-camera a few weeks ago, and it felt wonderful. I’m cautiously beginning to cook again. We will start attending the City Group in our neighborhood after the holidays, and I will start volunteering at a local organization that tutors and teaches life skills to kids who desperately need it. I will start crafting again. Day trips are in the works.
Slowly, life is coming back to us.
But I want to be careful not to take the relative peace we have now and turn it back into an overscheduled grind, like I’m wont to do. I want to remember that I need plenty of rest and focus in order to run this household well and to realize our major goal with the renovation, which is to be able to extend hospitality to others. We want to be here with our doors open when people need a place to stay, we want to offer up our table as a place to eat, drink, laugh, and converse, and we want to make people feel welcome. So in 2012 I’m hoping that we find a balance between all the activities we want to participate in and making this home a calm, unrushed oasis for us and others to enjoy.
The online presence.
I think I’ve figured out a bit more concretely what exactly is going on in my corner of the blogosphere.
As it stands right now, Parasol Party will continue for general updates like this one. They will happen more frequently, I swear! Tumblr is more day-to-day tidbits and stream-of-consciousness type stuff, and just sharing fun and interesting things I find online (much like my old lists of links at the end of Parasol Party entries used to be). And other blogs and sites still exist of course for specific areas, like the house, photography, what books I’m reading, journaling about faith and other thoughts, crafts and inspiration for crafts, collecting images, adventuring, etc. etc. etc. And all of that, and any link of any consequence that pertains to me, can always be found on Flavors. You can’t say I don’t at least keep it all in one list somewhere!
Another thing of note that happened this year is that I discovered Pinterest, which I have to point out as particularly useful. I’ve basically extracted everything remotely visual that I’ve been saving on Delicious for all these years and organized it better on Pinterest, so that at a glance I can see everything I’ve saved in a certain category for the past few years. I get tons of ideas for ways to make stuff, to reuse things, to entertain children (friends with kids, I see how creative you’re getting and I like it!), and a million other things, and it’s very encouraging. So besides Tumblr, Pinterest is the main thing I want to recommend to anybody looking to organize their thoughts more clearly and more visually on the internet.
BYE 2011.
My heart is very full when I think about this year and how hard it has been and how many people have labored to get us through it. I can say that 2011 was the worst year of my life so far, a year marked with despair and mistakes and absolute powerlessness. I like being the one that people run to; I like being the calm one that is ready to help and listen and set things right. And even though on a deeper level at my core I still am and want to continue to be that beacon of calmness, this year a lot of that was peeled back to reveal the helplessness a situation can wreak. But it’s also been a year marked with growth, sacrifice, forgiveness, and learning. And I know it’s been good for me to just be imperfect and be vulnerable and be reminded that we’re all a part of something way bigger than ourselves, and that we are connected to others and we do need them. And to partake of the grace so freely given to me.
Family and friends have provided a roof over our heads, they’ve fed us, they’ve entertained us, they’ve loaned us embarrassing sums of money, they’ve checked in on us, they’ve known when to not check in on us and just leave us alone, they’ve swung a hammer or a paintbrush, they’ve picked up our slack, they’ve prayed for us, they’ve left gifts on our porch, they’ve given advice without passing judgment, and they’ve just listened to us while we (okay, while I) wept and lamented and questioned. This idea of community and of mutual support that we’ve been talking about for years but never really had cause to use much — well, this year, we used it to the fullest. We saw it in action. And it worked. It carried us, and my only hope is that we can keep contributing to this awesome community and have the honor of carrying others when they need it too.
Thank you, really, truly, thank you all. Every day I wake up and can’t believe how blessed I am.
Thanks to love and grace and as Thomas Jefferson would say “a benevolent arrangement of things,” I already feel a hundred times better than I did just a month ago, and a month ago I felt fifty times better than I had a month before that, and I can’t wait to continue this upswing in 2012.
I’m back, y’all.
Filed under: what's up - Mar 22, 11
I think I’m going to continue to do occasional life updates here at Parasol Party, keeping this the spot for general Tess-related news. Though I’ve got other blogs going on for specific pursuits, this still seems like the appropriate venue to give more general updates. Although I consider my Tumblr to kind of be my “main” blog now, my updates here will feed automatically into that site as well. So, hello again.
Currently….
Work is fantastic. Just the eight of us doing support for over 15 million blogs is hard work to say the least, but we have a blast. We have a lot of neat tools to help us do our jobs faster (hello Textexpander. where have you been all my life?), we have comfortable rolly chairs, we have a dart board, we have huge monitors (so much better on the eyes). Our office is a place of relative calm, with low lighting and the sound of hushed typing. The silence is broken periodically by one person giggling or full-on guffawing at something ridiculous they’ve seen on Tumblr. I never thought I’d see so many animated gifs in one place! It has been a challenging, wild ride so far, and I look forward to it to every day.
The renovation of our house is still going on. It’s a lot of hard work physically and planning-wise for Dan, but it puts a lot of stress on both of us. The simplest choices stress me out, so just imagine a huge, months-long project riddled with important choices. Crazytown. I’m mega proud of the way Dan has persevered on this, even when everything that can go wrong does go wrong, as predicted. As stressful as a major renovation can be, we’re way luckier than a lot of people because we don’t have to live in the house while the work is going on and can stay at Mom and Dad’s instead. My parents have been so generous and have made us very comfortable, but I just miss my own household and miss the cats terribly. In the end I think that whatever happens with the house, whether it’s a success or a failure, we’ll be happy no matter where we are. A venue is a venue, and life hums along with or without the comforts we’ve been convinced we need.
Speaking of Dan, we’ll have been together for four years this summer. I can’t believe it’s been so long, because time has flown. But on the other hand, I can’t believe we haven’t been together all our lives. He’s my best friend. We’ve both been so exhausted lately with me starting a new job and with the renovation, so we try not to waste what little time we do get to relax together. I love quiet nights spent just talking, and I love late nights spent out with wine and friends. One of those late nights recently, we ended up at Aladdin having our favorite pizza with extra fresh garlic. On the walk back to the car we got caught in a rainstorm, cracking up as we ran down Laurel, ducking into doorways and kissing and jostling each other into puddles and laughing. I was thinking about how amazing our life is and how much we enjoy the little things. I think with relationships it’s so easy to remember and focus on all the negative things, because that’s our nature as human beings. Like when someone gives you a compliment that’s super genuine and well-thought-out, you say “thanks” and forget about it in five seconds. But when someone insults you in a moment of carelessness, you gnash your teeth over it and weep over it and internalize it and repeat it to yourself for years like some kind of a sick mantra. It’s so weird that we do that, and it’s especially true with significant others. Certainly nobody’s perfect, no matter how much the world tells you to expect them to be — but there’s a temptation to only focus on those negative aspects. In this relationship it’s so easy to break out of that pattern, because I’m given so much love, so many compliments, and so many positive things to focus on that I don’t internalize the few negative specks that are bound to pop up. I don’t have much to complain about in this relationship, and when I think about how much abundant, overwhelming goodness has come out of meeting this guy randomly in Illinois, I’m grateful.
City Church has gone through big changes with moving to a new, much larger space at Beth Ahabah. We’re loving it there so far, and it definitely feels good not to be packed in like sardines anymore. Dan and I were asked to join a Leadership Group that meets some Thursday nights, and the friends we’re making there and the things we’re talking about are both humbling and exciting. Dan’s still running sound some Sundays at church, and I’m teaching Children’s Worship. The photo below is of my class this past Sunday, after a rousing round of Pictionary. Cuties!
My friends continue to amaze me on so many levels, and as usual this ramps up as the weather gets warmer and we all come out of hibernation. I’ve been getting closer with several friends that I’ve known for a while but am just now really getting to know. I’ve been trying to keep in touch with old friends as well. One friend mourned a tough breakup and is repairing himself day by day, one came out of a breakup and landed effortlessly on her feet like a cat, one sent me homemade jam, one weathered a long winter with two babies and a husband not able to be around much, one taught herself to sew and made herself an entire new wardrobe, one started a new art project, one is going to go to Japan, several have made major moves many states away, some are getting married, some are having babies, and the list goes on. I can’t believe I get to travel through life with these unique, strong, flawed, passionate, beautiful people.
Always Midnight is back in action with the recent re-opening of my Etsy shop and the launch of a new web site. I’ve got several orders to do for weddings this spring, some large orders for children, and some ideas for upcoming photo shoots. I’m hoping to devote more time to this as my schedule evens out with work and the house. With all the chaos of the past few months, I’ve really been missing my craft time.
So that’s pretty much it for now. As always if you want to see everything else, from what I’m reading to what I’m photographing to what I’m writing for RVANews, you can go to my main site.
I’ll leave you with a photo of Supermoon from Saturday night. I think we can all agree that the only thing missing from this photo is a howling wolf. I’ll see what I can do about getting some wolves imported.
Filed under: what's up - Feb 04, 11
Guys, it appears that I have landed a dream job and will be working for a blogging platform. I’ll be starting soon doing support for Tumblr, and I’m beyond excited. Blogging! Computers! Tech support! Telecommuting! Working in pajamas! Just kidding, everyone knows I was born wearing full makeup and that I would never wear pajamas past 7am. But still! Just knowing I can is exciting.
More info about Tumblr’s new Richmond office here, and about the company here.
Regarding the future of good old parasolparty.wordpress.com, I don’t know what it’s going to be. I have blogs elsewhere to fulfill the functions of journal, house-renovating documentation, travel / historical adventure tales, etc. And I must work on my Tumblr blog as well now, getting used to the ins and outs of the service and posting some of my more introspective thoughts. I guess I’m entering a time of fleshing out the different blog ideas I have, and figuring out what will stay and what will go. For now, I think that Tumblr will be where I post any little tidbits or life updates I feel like posting.
So whatever the future of my internet presence looks like, you’ll be able to find links here as usual. See you on Tumblr!
Filed under: big news - Jan 14, 11
Examples of little treats in my life:
- Yesterday afternoon: Randomly receiving an old copy of The Ghosts of Richmond in the mail from Kelsey.
- Last night: Homemade pumpkin bread from Mom, fresh from the oven.
- This morning: Running into Michael on my way from the parking deck to my office door, and getting a hug.
- This afternoon: Jenny bringing me Chick Fil A at lunchtime and having a nice chat to break up the day.
- Also this afternoon: Dan gchatting to let me know that he’s put the new front door on the house!
What’s next?
Filed under: what's up - Jan 10, 11
In case you’re one of the two people who hasn’t heard, we finally closed on our house.
Of course this means we’re VERY busy with house-related stuff including but not limited to a months-long renovation, pulling permits, doing research, and keeping track of all expenses. So excuse me if my posts here happen less often.
Filed under: big news - Jan 03, 11
I kind of hate all the unrealistic expectations that New Year’s Eve typically brings, but this one really delivered. We went to two fantastic parties, and they happened to be at our two favorite apartments in Richmond:
1. A Winter Wanderer’s Wonderland at the Grammercy Penthouse: Treats, drinks, and faux snow at our friends’ intimidatingly beautiful house, featuring a roofdeck view that can’t be beat.
2. The 319 Speakeasy Grand Opening: A 1920s-themed party at everybody’s favorite loft, featuring the photography of genius Karen Seifert.
There are a few more photos from me here, and a million more from Karen here.
I laughed and danced and enjoyed the views, but what I enjoyed the most about this NYE is how much I got to meet fascinating new people and catch up with old friends. Such a wonderful time. Let’s keep the good conversation rolling all through 2011, my loves.
Filed under: what's up - Dec 30, 10
I’m attending a 1920s-themed New Year’s Eve party this year. As always, my problem is not that I can’t find inspiration, but that I’ve found TOO MUCH inspiration. This is always happening to me. I think it’s a good problem to have.
Probably my third most favorite thing about the 1920s is that it was a period of transition. The main image that people have in their heads of the 1920s is that of the flapper, and that certainly existed and had a huge impact, but in reality there were tons of different styles being worn by many different people. It’s not a flat decade of sameness, but a free, unpredictable decade of diverse looks.
My first and second most favorite things about the 1920s are, of course, F. Scott Fitzgerald and T. S. Eliot.
Below, some images I’ve been pondering.
Filed under: fashion, inspired - Dec 28, 10
- Dec 23, 10
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Photos
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Posts
- Feb 01, 12
$25.00
Her lust for eternal youth has landed her the job of your new favorite accessory. A miniature portrait of Elizabeth Bathory set with a ribbon rosette and a tiny bow on a satin headband.
P.S. Each of the Important Persons items is easily customizable! Just send me a Conversation and let me create a version with the photo of your choice. For Mother's Day, for example, we could use a picture of your mom and you could wear it proudly. Or we could use a picture of you and your siblings, and your mom could wear it proudly. - Feb 01, 12
$17.00
The pop of a peacock feather will complement your eyes, dear. Feathers are set on a double prong alligator clip for easy positioning wherever your hair needs it. - Feb 01, 12
$20.00
You'll be blamed for all the evening's atrocities with this sleek number in your hair. Feathers are set on a double prong alligator clip for easy positioning wherever your hair needs it.
Please note: Each item is handmade with care, using the materials available to me at the moment. Be aware that your item may vary oh-so-slightly from the one pictured (for example, the embellishments or the feathers might be slightly different). - Feb 01, 12
$20.00
Simple and bold, the cardinal quietly turns heads. Set on a double prong alligator clip for easy positioning wherever your hair needs it. - Feb 01, 12
$35.00
Hint to the past with this elegant ostrich feather fascinator. I can make this in various colors and with various embellishments (veil, etc.) so it's perfect for both brides and bridesmaids.
Accented with fuschia / magenta marabou feathers and a faceted black jewel, and set with felt on a double-prong alligator clip for easy positioning.
Please note: Each item is handmade with care, using the materials available to me at the moment. Be aware that your item may vary oh-so-slightly from the one pictured (for example, embellishments or feathers might be slightly different). - Feb 01, 12
$40.00
Hint to the past with this elegant ostrich feather fascinator.
Accented with fuschia / magenta marabou feathers and set with felt on a double-prong alligator clip for easy positioning.
I can make this in various colors and with various embellishments (veil, etc.) so it's perfect for both brides and bridesmaids.
Please note: Each item is handmade with care, using the materials available to me at the moment. Be aware that your item may vary oh-so-slightly from the one pictured (for example, embellishments or feathers might be slightly different). - Feb 01, 12
$40.00
What a lovely bride you'll make in this simple, elegant veil. White rose and white veil set on a double-prong alligator clip for easy positioning.
Please note: Each item is handmade with care, using the materials available to me at the moment. Be aware that your item may vary oh-so-slightly from the one pictured (for example, embellishments or feathers might be slightly different). - Feb 01, 12
$17.00
Myra Gillis had 37 doilies when she got married, and I'm determined to have AT LEAST as many as she had.
-- Diana Barry
I suppose it would be impossible to keep house with only 36 doilies.
-- Anne Shirley
Little folded doily set with black netting on a double-prong alligator clip for easy positioning wherever your hair needs it.
Please note: Each item is handmade with care, using the materials available to me at the moment. Be aware that your item may vary oh-so-slightly from the one pictured (for example, embellishments or feathers might be slightly different). - Feb 01, 12
$17.00
Welcome to the Caribbean, baby.
Tiny rum bottle with feathers and gold netting set on a double-prong alligator clip for easy positioning wherever your hair needs it.
Please note: Each item is handmade with care, using the materials available to me at the moment. Be aware that your item may vary oh-so-slightly from the one pictured (for example, embellishments or feathers might be slightly different). - Feb 01, 12
$35.00
This oversized flower will be a scream in your wedding. I can make this in various colors and with various embellishments (veil, etc.) so it's perfect for both brides and bridesmaids. Let me know what color you'd like when you order.
Set on a double-prong alligator clip for easy positioning wherever your hair needs it.
Please note: Each item is handmade with care, using the materials available to me at the moment. Be aware that your item may vary oh-so-slightly from the one pictured (for example, embellishments or feathers might be slightly different).
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Posts
- Feb 21, 12
- Feb 21, 12
- Feb 20, 12
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more info
- likes / interests:
reading. running. day trips. historical sites. picnics. optical toys. founding fathers. virginia wines. photography. oregon hill. forgiveness. etiquette. yard games. storytelling. arachnids and felines. breakfast. archaeology. crafting. old-school Nintendo, new-school Nintendo. dressing well. making itineraries. garden mazes. holidays. tiny stuff. the old south. gadgets. gardening. cooking. the paranormal. sci-fi. rubber stamps. yoga. receiving handmade cards from friends.online in a million places:
more complete information, descriptions, and what-have-you about the spiderweb of sites I call my "online presence". organized loosely in the order in which they're important to me.
- Main Tumblr -- day-to-day stream of consciousness, phone pics, and general internet goodness.
- Unfamiliarize -- more of a "journal" in the old-school sense of the word. includes a lot of thoughts about faith and about seeing the world differently, intentionally.
- Parasol Party -- intermittent life updates (a good place to go for just the basics in what's going on with me).
- The Midnight Society -- adventures in historical sites, graveyards and day-tripping.
- The Shebaylo Times -- the wild, wild journey of renovating a hundred-year-old house in historic Church Hill.
- Pinterest -- a virtual pinboard for all the images I want to save.
- RVANews -- writing for the best local news site, which includes Richmond Proper (my etiquette column) amongst other things.
- Google+ -- the internet, or at least what I've shared via Google Reader, which is my main way of viewing the internet.
- Delicious -- essential links that I've saved all these years.
- Twitter -- one-liners for those one-line moments.
- Flickr -- photography, mostly of cats.
- Always Midnight -- my Etsy shop, where you can find my handmade hair accessories.
- Goodreads -- books I've read or am reading, including my ratings and reviews.
- Foursquare -- useful for finding your friends on a weekend, or somewhere to eat lunch when you're out of town.
- Facebook -- keeping in touch.
- Last.fm -- musical wanderings.
- Etsy Favorites -- objects of desire.
- Likes -- things I've liked, on tumblr.
- LinkedIn -- work-related social networking.
recommendations:
- City Church of Richmond -- flawed but earnest people coming together to get through this thing called life. this is what faith, community, and support look like to me in this town.
- Relay Foods -- going to the grocery store wastes time, promotes impulse buying, and stresses me out. this changed everything.
- Regularly scheduled programming -- a list of my favorite feeds and podcasts. this is how I consume information, mostly.
- The weekend guide to Richmond -- this is a few years old now and in need of an update, but still a good way to experience the city if you've only got a weekend.
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Yet, though I am not what I ought to be
nor what I wish to be
nor what I hope to be
I can truly say, I am not what I once was.
– John Newton
