Antiques or just old things.

Everyone has a different idea of what an antique is. For me, it's something unique that is at least 50 years old. Usually something that is no longer in production. In the below post, I showed some dishes that I got from my grandparents. I wasn't going to do any research on those items tonight but here it is almost 2 am and I've got news to report. : )

Warning: If you don't give a crap about where things come from, you will probably be bored out of your gourd by reading this post. Hopefully you find this stuff interesting and will keep reading.

The first item in the bottom picture was a milk jug that had "Half Pint Liquid" stamped into the glass. I couldn't find any info on it. From what I read, most dairy companies put their name somewhere on the bottle and this one doesn't have a name anywhere. So this will be a mystery.

The second item in the picture looked like a butter dish to me and it had "Crosley Shelvador" stamped into the glass. After doing some digging, I found some cool info. Powel Crosley Jr. was well known for his work in the automotive industry in the early 1900's. By the early 1920's, he had made quite a name for himself by making radios and starting his own broadcast station. In 1930, he began to make refrigerators and other household appliances. One of his refrigerators even had a radio built-in! He was ahead of his time. The picture below shows an ad from 1937 of the radio refrigerator. Crosley actually invented the idea of putting shelves in a refrigerator and no one else could take this idea until the patent ran out in the 50's. The Shelvador refrigerators came with glass dishes and that's where mine came from. Cool, huh? No pun intended. ha ha


It took awhile to dig up info on the third item in the picture. There was a stamp on the bottom of the bowl that said "Hall's Superior Quality Kitchenware Made In U.S.A.". The Hall China Company was established in 1903 and is still active today. After much searching, I was finally able to tell that the bowl has the Yellow Rose decal and it appears to have been made in the 1930's.

The fourth item in the picture is probably the neatest one to me just based on what I found out tonight and the unique look it has. This little green pitcher has the below info stamped into the bottom.

Hand Made by Cornelisons
Since 1845

Cornelison Pottery
Bybee, KY

4-9 is written in the clay over part of the stamp. Looks like someone wrote it with a stick before putting it into the kiln. After doing some digging, I found an article with a very similar pitcher. According to that, the piece dates back to the early 1900's. If you run your fingers inside, you can tell it's handmade. Pretty neat. Apparently this pottery business was actually started in 1809 but sales records didn't begin until 1845. The company is still active today and still makes their pottery in the same location, using the same processes. A video showing how they make pitchers can be found here. And just in case you really want to know more, click here. I've emailed the company to see if they are able to give me more info on the piece I have but I don't know if I'll hear back from them.

I don't think I'll ever find out info on the last item in the picture because there is absolutely nothing stamped onto the teapot. Oh well.

So there you have it folks!



The Crosley ad picture was taken from this site.

UPDATE 5/2/2009: Buzz Cornelison over at Bybee Pottery responded to my email. He said that I had a #49 Syrup Pitcher. The stamp goes back to his grandfather's era and that he had the shop from 1939-1969. Apparently his grandfather seldom used that stamp so that probably adds some value to the pitcher. Buzz's father took over the shop in 1969 and did away with the stamp. Cool info, huh?

Eve's Photo Game

My friend, Eve, has a photo game called In "Other" Words. Today we had to post a picture of something that we found interesting/amusing/unique. She prefers you post a picture that you took and then explain it or say what it means to you.

This game was pretty easy for me because I was going to post the below pic anyway. : ) A couple days ago, I talked about getting some dishes from my grandparent's house. All of the items below are considered antiques and my grandma said that a few of the items may be worth a chunk of change. I don't plan on cashing them in but I do plan on doing some research to find out where they came from. The item on the far right is the little teapot that Grandma used to serve my cousin and I hot chocolate when we were kids. Cute, huh?


If you choose to participate, please visit Eve's blog here and add your info to Mr. Linky.

I've been tagged!

Diane over at Good Mourning, Glory! tagged me for a meme. Thanks, Diane! I'm starting to get hooked on these meme things. : )

What is your current obsession?

I had this same question on my Stealing Sunday meme so I'd say the same thing...reading, tea, and the occult. But I'm going to add crafting and Diablo to that.

I went to three different craft stores today looking for my Mother's Day project and settled on a cross-stitch pattern. I always make my mom something for Mother's Day. I better get started on it tomorrow if I want it done by then! I might even post a pic of the finished product. Mind you, it won't be gothy or anything cuz' it's for my mom. We are complete opposites!

I'm sure you've heard of Diablo before but I'm referring to the game. It's the best game EVER. They're going to come out with Diablo 3 and I cannot wait. Yes, I'm a gamer nerd. This is the version I've been playing a lot of since I no longer have the 9-5. : )

I guess the question was "obsession" singular but I just can't limit that to one thing!

What is your weirdest obsession?

Gosh I have a lot that could be considered weird. I guess all the occult/paranormal stuff that I'm interested in would be "weirdest", although it's not to me, obviously.

What are you wearing today?

Well now that it's almost midnight, I'm in my jammies, which consist of purple pj bottoms with stars on them and a blue t-shirt. Doesn't exactly match. : )

When I was out and about today, I wore a black sweatshirt hoodie and dark blue jeans with black shoes. It was a bit chilly around here.

Why is today special?

Thinking of things that happened today that don't normally happen, I would say that today was special because my brother and his girlfriend had their first ultrasound of their first kid together. OMG I'm going to be an aunt. I'm really not a fan of children but I'm happy for them. : ) I was told that if it's a girl, they're naming it after me. What can I say? I took care of my brother A LOT when we were growing up.

What would you like to learn to do?

I would love to learn how to play the piano and how to sew. I can cross-stitch and do embroidery like a mother f***er (AKA I'm really good) but I've never "sewn".

What is the last thing you bought?

I had a craving for nachos so I bought sour cream, shredded cheese, an avocado, and organic chips. I already had the salsa so when I got home, I just had to whip up the homemade guac and lunch was served. Delish!

What are you listening to right now?



What's your favorite weather?

I'd have to go with a storm on a day/night when the weather is in the 70's.

What's your most challenging goal right now?

It's the goal I always have...to constantly better myself.

What do you think about the person who tagged you?

I think she's awesome! I sense that she has a beautiful soul and that's hard to come by.

What's your favorite guilty pleasure?

Again I'm going to have to go with my Sunday Stealing answer. Naughty food...which basically means anything creamy, cheesy or buttery.

Favorite vacation spot?

I don't have a favorite go-to spot but if there is a body of water, I'm so there.

What would you like to have in your hands right now?

A buyer's agreement saying that they want to buy my condo!

What would you like to get rid of?

Family issues! Some days I just want to get in the witness protection program and run away.

If you could go anywhere in the in the world for the next hour, where would you go?

This one was tough cuz' it's only an hour. I'd have to say Dracula's castle.

Which language would you like to learn?

latin

What super power would you like to possess?

I would choose immortality because I think it would be so neat to see how the world changes over time, to see what we create.

What's your favorite thing about the city you live in?

My favorite thing is being so close to Lake Michigan. Tulip Time starts this weekend and it's going to be a mad house! People come from all over. People that don't know how to drive on our Michigan turn arounds. That part I'm not such a fan of. If you're going to be in town, let me know...I'll show ya' around!

What's your favorite piece of clothing in your own closet?

My soft fuzzy black zip-up sweater.

What's your dream job?

To work on a police force.

If you had $150 now what would you do with it?

Probably nothing because I have to watch my pennies due to the "no job" situation. If I was working, then I'd use the money to buy things off of my wish list.

Do you admire anyone's style?

No one in particular but I admire goth/industrial fashions.

Describe your personal style?

Basically anything black or blue. I'm one giant bruise. I wear a lot of comfy slip-on shirts. Not really a fan of buttons.

Who's fashion show would you want tickets to?

I can't think of anyone in particular. If Gothic Beauty magazine put on a fashion show, I'd be interested in seeing that.

Who's closet would you want to raid?

Geesh there are a lot of clothing questions. I'd raid anyone's closet that had goth/rivethead clothes.

What are you most proud of?

My ability to overcome emotional pain.

If you could choose one person who has passed to have lunch with, who would it be and why?

My great-grandpa because I think he had a secret life.

Job update and family stuff.

I've talked before about trying to find a job in this tough economy. It appears there may be a breakthrough! I got a call last Tuesday from a bank I had applied at a couple weeks ago. They set up a phone interview for Wednesday. During the interview I deviated from a couple of the questions a bit and felt like I was rambling but apparently I did okay because they set up a face to face interview for this morning.

It took me about 45 minutes to get there and when I showed up there were a few big buildings with multiple entrances. I finally found the right area to be, went in and told the guard who I was there to see and then proceeded to wait nervously in the lobby while appearing to be calm, cool and collected. : ) I interviewed with two guys and they did not ask the questions I thought they would. In fact, they asked one question that I've never been asked in an interview. The question was, "Have you ever gone out of your way to help a stranger?" I told them some things I did and then they asked why I did those things. I said that I did them because I would want someone to do that for me. Treat others as you want to be treated yourself. One interviewer looked at the other one and asked if he heard what I said. He said he did and that he was writing it down. Guess that was a good thing? At the end of the interview, I saw one of the guys write "Key" at the top of his note pages. I'm hoping that means that I'm a key contender? Now I'm playing the waiting game and hoping I hear something soon.

I've been meaning to call my grandparents on my dad's side for awhile now. I found out in February that they were getting divorced. They've been married for over 50 years! I knew that their divorce would be final by May 1st and I wanted to see the two of them together at their house before all of this was final. My Grandma called me Friday night from a new number and said that she had already moved out. She invited me over for Sunday dinner yesterday so I went. After we ate, she asked if I wanted to see Grandpa. I did, of course, so she told me to call him and ask him if it was okay that we came by. He didn't mind so her and I went over.

UPDATE 6/25/2009: I have removed the rest of this post due to blog content changes.

Sunday Stealing: The Mud Meme

This meme brought to you by:


1. What are your current obsessions?

Reading, tea, and the occult.

2. Which item from your wardrobe do you wear most often?

Since I've become unemployed, it's a toss up between jeans and pajamas. : )

3. What's for dinner?

Tonight it was a sandwich and Girl Scout cookies with milk.

4. Last thing you bought?

Shampoo and conditioner.

5. What are you listening to?

Assemblage 23

6. If you were a god/goddess who would you be?

Nyx, of course.

7. Favorite holiday spots?

Anywhere by the water.

8. Reading right now?

Check out the right side of my blog. It'll tell you what I'm currently consuming aka reading/watching.

9. 4 words to describe yourself.

Independent, creative, trustworthy, funny.

10. Guilty pleasure?

Naughty food...which basically means anything creamy, cheesy or buttery.

11. Who or what makes you laugh until you’re weak?

Nobody/nothing is that funny. Seriously, it takes a lot to really get me laughing. I giggle a lot though.

12. Planning to travel to next?

Down south, hopefully!

13. Best thing you ate or drank lately?

Ooh, I'd have to say my caramel frap, no whip, from Starbucks the other day. I just happened to take a picture of it because they made a little face with the caramel syrup. I felt special.


14. When did you last get tipsy?

Last fall on the best night I've had in a long time. Apparently I like wine. And get your mind out of the gutter.

15. Care to share some wisdom?

Oh I've got lots to share but I particularly like this:

I ask only that you keep your minds open and not fear or condemn that which you don't know or fully understand. Life's too short to be bottled up in our own visions of reality without looking up occasionally to see what we're missing.

16. Nicest thing anyone’s ever said to you?

I can't think of anything that really stands out. The nicest thing anyone has ever done for me though was when I left Ohio, my team at work went and got all gothed up and had their picture taken as a surprise for me. They presented me with the framed picture at my going away dinner. This was a big deal because nobody on my team was into goth and they ranged in ages from twenties to sixties. Pretty incredible gift.

Gothic Belly Dancing

I'm not a belly dancer myself but I think it's a beautiful art. Especially when you can goth it up a bit. : )

Evangeline Ghastly

I've talked about alternative toys before and thought I mentioned Evangeline Ghastly but after looking back, I never did! Shame on me. She is a gorgeous 19" resin doll with a $425-$500 price tag and if you want to change outfits, be prepared to add another $125 PER OUTFIT. You can buy wigs, shoes, other various clothing items and even additional eyes to change her eye color. Apparently they are coming out with a slightly smaller vinyl version of her next month for around $160...major price drop but still a little costly. She is such a beautiful doll though. Can't wait to see what the vinyl version will look like!

The top picture was taken from WizardUniverse and the below was taken from Acid PopTart's MySpace pictures. Acid PopTart is a contributor for an awesome magazine that I get called Gothic Beauty. They featured Evangeline Ghastly in their last issue.

A bloody good theory.

I came across an article today on FitSugar that was quite interesting. I always think about why people do what they do and this article talks about why some people may faint or feel faint when they see blood. They say it can be due to a blood-injury phobia.

"The idea is that back in time, when someone was coming at someone else with a sharp stick or rock, a kind of genetic variation allowed certain people to faint in response," explains Tyler C. Ralston, PsyD, a clinical psychologist in Honolulu, who treats people with blood-injury phobias. Warriors who fainted looked dead and were passed over during battle. The blood pressure drop also might have helped those who were wounded avoid bleeding to death. Survivors then passed on the "fainting" gene.

So I'm thinking that if you faint or feel faint around blood, you probably weren't much of a fighter. You needed to play dead to avoid a confrontation. If blood doesn't bother you, then you like to get a little rough. That's just my take on the article.

I'm definitely a fighter, by the way. Bring it.

Sunday Stealing: The 40 Meme

I never do these things but this one looked like fun! I first came across it at Through Eve's Looking-Glass. Then I saw it on Diane's blog. I really liked how Diane incorporated pictures into hers. For more info on Sunday Stealing and what's going on over there, click here. Gotta' give credit where credit is due. It's just proper blog etiquette, people. : )

1. My uncle once :

...got stabbed in the gut by a friend.

2. Never in my life :

...have I been on an airplane.

3. When I was seventeen :

...I met a boy who changed my life forever and not in a good way.


4. High School was :

...a time of many new experiences.

5. I will never forget :

...my great grandmother's funeral where my younger brother, who was five at the time, started singing "Ding Dong The Wicked Witch Is Dead". We really didn't know her well but the song had the word "dead" and he thought it was fitting.

6. I once met :

...someone who was transgendered. She was my neighbor in Ohio. Very cool lady but I met her too late. I moved back to Michigan the next day. She would have been fun to hang out with. I love people who aren't afraid to be themselves!

7. There’s this girl I know who :

...didn't know what county she lived in. She's lived there most of her life. How do you not know that?!

8. Once, at a bar :

...I had a man who wanted to switch shirts with me. I was wearing an aqua suede shirt and he wore a flannel. Needless to say, I stayed in my shirt. Not sure why he wanted to switch? There were so many answers I could have used for this one but I kept it pretty clean. : )

9. By noon, I’m usually :

...just getting up. Now that I'm jobless, I'm on a whole different schedule.


10. Last night :

...I stayed up until 4am watching Matrix.
11. If only I had :

...someone to buy my condo. Then I could move away. Anyone interested?


12. Next time I go to gym/church :

...it's time to vote. We have a church on every corner here so it's a convenient place to vote, I guess.


13. Susan Boyle :

...is very talented. I blogged about her here.

14. What worries me most :

...is not finding a job before the money runs out.

15. When I turn my head left, I see :

...my neighbors.

16. When I turn my head right, I see :

...a closet.

17. You know I’m lying when :

...I tell you nothing is wrong and look away.

18. What I miss most about the eighties :

...is being carefree. I didn't get much responsibility until the 90's.

19. If I was a character in Shakespeare, I’d be :

...one of the witches in Macbeth. They have cool lines and the costuming would be fun.


20. By this time next year :

...I hope to either be in a job I love while still living here or down south living the life I've dreamed of.

21. A better name for me would be :

...Satan's spawn? No really, I'm more like an angel with horns.

22. I have a hard time understanding :

...why people lie.

23. If I ever go back to school, I’ll :

...care more and get better grades.

24. You know I like you if :

...I don't glare at you.

25. If I ever won an award, the first person I’d thank would be :

...well, it depends on the award.

26. When I compare 80’s rock to 90’s rock :

...I'll say that Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers were awesome in both decades.


27. Take my advice, never :

...mix money with friends/family. This includes co-signing on loans!

28. My ideal breakfast is :

...sausage gravy and biscuits with juice. I have this maybe once a year and it's delish every time.

29. A song I love, but do not own is :

..."Pieces" by Red. I just now found out that they are a Christian band. Oh well, love thy neighbor and all that bullshit, right? : ) You wouldn't know they are Christian because they're not overtly so. If they were, I wouldn't listen to them. It's just not my thing.

30. If you visit my hometown, I suggest :

...you buy some cowboy boots because it's a hick town for sure. Oh, and invest in a good Carhartt. Yeeeeee-hawwww! Oh goodness, get me outta' here!

31. My favorite Beatle is :

...Ringo Starr. Cuz' that's a cool name.

32. Why won’t people :

...just be considerate!

33. If you spend the night at my house :

...you can't get creeped out easily. I have headstones, spiders, ghosts, bats, gargoyles, etc all around. Directions to my home are below.


34. I’d stop my wedding for :

...anything. I don't plan on getting married.


35. The world could do without :

...hate.

36. I’d rather lick the belly of a cockroach than :

...go to the dentist.


37. My favorite blonde is :

...Spike from Buffy The Vampire Slayer/Angel.


38: Paper clips are more useful than :

...popsicle sticks.

39. If I do anything well, it’s :

...my attention to detail. If a mistake needs catching, I'm your gal.

40. And by the way :

...I'm wearing Halloween socks that glow in the dark. Yay!

Note: All photos were courtesy of Photobucket except for the cat with the cross. He was a LolCat.

Job updates.

I'm feeling a little frustrated and figured I'd just let it all out here. Every single day for the past two weeks I have done something job related whether it be looking for a job or following up on a job application. A couple of the ads I responded to ended up being spam. A couple seemed like they could be legit so I emailed a couple questions to verify and never heard back so I have to assume they were spam.

One place called me on Monday and left a voicemail telling me that they were interested in having me come in for an interview. I called them back later that day and got voicemail. I called and left another voicemail on Tuesday. I still have not heard back.

The Humane Society job didn't work out. They see all of my banking experience and don't give me another look. The last time I applied for a job working with animals was when I was looking for a second job a few years ago and I had interviewed with PetSmart. They told me that I was overqualified. What?! So I get turned down for jobs because I'm overqualified? Crazy!

I've been scouring our local papers for work and either it's a field I have no experience in or they say you have to be bilingual. Personally, I think that's bullshit. I understand we have a lot of Spanish speaking people here in west Michigan (don't know why) but to say that it's a requirement that I have to speak Spanish is ridiculous. You're in fucking AMERICA! I don't go to other countries and expect them to speak my language and change all of their signage for me. Isn't saying that you have to be bilingual discrimination? I took two years Spanish in high school so I know the basics but not enough to be considered bilingual. Ugh, frustrating!

Anytime I go in to a store, I ask if they are hiring and no one is. I found out that one of our local fast food places is hiring and so I put my application in there on Wednesday. So far I haven't heard anything but I'm waiting until Monday before I follow up. I honestly don't care that I used to work in a fancy job that included business cards and paid travel and now I'll most likely be working in a fast food joint. Honestly the fast food job looks like it would be more fun! I'll probably hear crap from my family and friends but oh well. A job is a job.

It's scary that it's taking this long to find a job. I thought for sure I could find a job much quicker.

Fairies!

I was perusing the blogs this morning and came across a post by Dreamwriter. There's a Web site you can go to get your fairy name and it gives you a little description too. Here's what mine was:

Your fairy is called Feather Goblinglitter

She is a bringer of riches and wealth.

She lives in high places where the clouds meet the earth.

She is only seen in the light of a shooting star.

She wears pale blue like the sky. She has gentle green wings like a butterfly.

By the looks of my bank account, I'm assuming the riches and wealth are not monetary. : )

When you hear the word fairy, what comes to mind? If they did exist, what would they be like? Inquiring minds want to know what you think!

I found the below fairy pic on Photobucket and had to add it here. It fits pretty well with the description, eh?

It's the inside that counts.

We all know that looks can be deceiving. We live in a shallow world and you never know what you may be missing out on. Check out this amazingly talented woman. Every video of this I found on YouTube had the embedding disabled so I couldn't attach the video here. Click the link and you'll be able to check it out.

Giant bunnies DO exist!

Years ago, on the night before Easter, I lay in my bed trying to fall asleep. I was probably 10 years old at the time. The Easter bunny was coming to deliver candy and I couldn't wait. Easter candy is so different from all the other candy out there. You've got the chocolate rabbits, the malted eggs, Cadbury eggs, etc. Seriously, it's better than any other kind of candy. Halloween is my favorite holiday but I never got excited over Halloween candy. It's always tootsie rolls, mini candy bars, etc. Nothing with character. Well, I guess candy corn has character but it's not the same as biting into a chocolate covered marshmallowy pink raspberry flavored goodness. You probably think I eat bon-bons all day long. : ) I actually have no candy in the house and don't buy it except for maybe a couple times a year. I don't get a sweet tooth that often and when I do, I typically sip hot chocolate. I figure it's safer to drink the sugar in the open than to be found sitting in a dark closet licking the hollow of a Cadbury egg. Okay, enough of the candy porn.

The real reason for this post was to talk about the time I saw the Easter bunny. I was laying in bed trying to fall asleep and there was a full moon shining into my bedroom. I was on my side with my eyes open (cuz' I was excited for the candy) when I noticed a shadow on the wall. It looked like two long bunny ears but they were standing straight up. Hmm...strange. Then one of the ears bent down and then came back up. I jumped out of bed and over to the window to see what was casting this shadow. There was nothing there. It wasn't my parents trying to be funny because they just wouldn't make that effort. I just think it was bizarre that I saw bunny ears on the night before Easter. And no, it wasn't some sleepy kid imagining things. I saw a bunny dammit. : )

Dear Mr. Bunny, if you're out there,

Would you please bring me some chocolate deliciousness tonight? Pretty please? Cuz' if you don't, I'm going to have to go to the store on Monday when all the sales start and I really would prefer to eat some candy tomorrow.

Sincerely,

Cadbury Licker


I saw this video and had to add it to this post. Cracked me up!

I had to ask.

The realtor (Bev) and her husband (they're business partners) came by this past Thursday afternoon. They've seen most of the condos in our complex and they said they really liked how I had my furniture set up. Bonus points for creativity...yay! They said it was super clean and looked great but that it wouldn't sell quickly for the price I was asking because there is so much available on the market right now for a lower price. Unfortunately, if my asking price went any lower, I'd be in a short sale situation. My bank said they would only consider a short sale if my home was on the market for 4-6 months without an offer.

As the realtors and I were sitting down going over options, they commented again how nice the place looked. I said that I really tried to make it look good for any buyers that may come through and that I took down a lot of my decorations that most people wouldn't like. Bev asked what I meant and I said that I had a different decorating style. Like there was a big spiderweb on the wall in the living room and a headstone by the door. She about died laughing and said, "I had to ask." I didn't tell them what else I took down. Didn't want them to laugh too hard, ya' know. So needless to say, it would be pointless to list my home right now because even at the lowest price, there's still too much competition and I can't afford to pay a realtor unless it will sell.

I'll continue my job hunt this week and hopefully something will work. From what the realtor said, it looks like it will be 3 years before home values will start going up again.

Job/House updates.

I've been scouring Craigslist and online newspapers for job opportunities. I'm really hesitant about using Craigslist because of all the spammers out there but I emailed a few of the contacts yesterday anyway just to see. One company responded that the position was filled, which irked me a bit because they should have taken their ad down then. Another company was spam. Another company responded that they were still looking for an employee and I'm pretty excited because it's with the Humane Society. I've always wanted to work with animals and here's my chance. I went to Kinko's today to print out my resume and will be going to their office tomorrow to submit my application. I'm really hoping this works out for me. It's half the pay I was making at my last job and isn't full-time but the opportunity to work there would be priceless.

I updated my resume on Hot Jobs yesterday and when I logged into my email this afternoon, I had an email from a bank saying they saw my resume and wanted me to come in for an interview. (I've been in the financial industry for 8 years.) After doing some research, I found that there was a Web site for the bank and they did have an office in a neighboring city so I decided to call the number the person gave. When I called, she sounded legit and wanted me to come in for an informational interview tomorrow night at their office, which is about 40 minutes away. They were looking to hire full time but she didn't give me much information other than that, which I thought was strange. She said I would find out more tomorrow. I asked who I would be interviewing with and she gave me a couple names. After we hung up, I called the 800 number listed on the bank's Web site to see if I could track down those people to see if they were actual employees. They weren't listed in the directory at all and when I talked to someone at the company, they said they didn't have a directory to look up employees but that she could take my name and address and forward it to my local office for them to get back with me. That sounded fishy. I think I'm going to end up cancelling the interview because something just doesn't seem right. Plus the interview is at 6pm...a little strange for a bank.

While I was at Kinko's today, that realtor that I had called last week called me back. She and her husband (they are a team) are going to come by tomorrow at 3:30pm to check out my condo. She of course said that now is a hard time to sell and was wondering if I could get any relief from the latest stimulus package. I'm pretty sure I can't (cuz' I quit) but I'll check into it.

So tomorrow's going to be a big day...applying at the Humane Society and having a realtor come. Hopefully I'll hear good things! If I do land the job at the Humane Society or somewhere else that I really like, then I'll postpone my move down south, even if the condo sells. Lots to think about.

Frustration and anticipation.

Two weeks ago I quit my job. I've got a little financial cushion and figured I'd get some little part-time job to cover some of my bills until I can sell my home. Well so far, the job hunt is not going well. I live in one of the states that has been hardest hit by these economic times but thought I could find some crap job somewhere. I really don't need to start panicking until the end of May but so far, it's not looking good.

Last Friday I called up the realtor that sold the home I'm currently in and left her a voicemail saying that I wanted to meet with her to discuss selling. I got a call from her assistant saying that she was out of town and would return my call on Wednesday (tomorrow). That was fine with me because I still had stuff to do around here before I wanted her to come over for an evaluation of the home.

I've done a total spring cleaning of the house, which included standing on a chair on my tippy toes to get to 5 year old dust. Achoo! I have a cathedral ceiling in the living room and I don't think the previous owner ever dusted it so when I finally got up there, the dust literally fell apart it was so old. Yuck. I actually wore a shower cap so I wouldn't get it in my hair. I looked hot! ha ha

I painted scuff marks that the previous owner left on the walls, filled in some dings in the wood window frames, cleaned windows, and bought a new shower curtain liner. I think I'm finally done. Now I don't want to touch anything. : )

I'm really antsy to have the realtor come tomorrow. I wonder what she'll say? Ideally my home would be sold by the end of this month so that I can move down south. The next best thing would be to have my home sold by the end of May. If it's not and I haven't found a job here, I'll be in panic mode.

If my dream does come true and I can sell by the end of this month, then I have a whole new set of obstacles. I'll need to get rid of 90% of my belongings and find a job and a place to live in another state. Wish me luck cuz' I'm going to need it!

At this point, I just want to be done with it and carried away like the piece that Alexander Jansson created titled Nocturnal Mysteries shown below.

Strange fruit.

I'm always on the lookout for unique things and I happened across this fruit. It's called a Buddha's Hand. I'm thinking this could be used in one of those fruit bouquets. Doesn't the green one look like it could be used for hair? Or you could chop off the "fingers" and make some creepy food display.

Want to make bath time fun again?

Now get your minds out of the gutter. Oh wait, maybe it's only my mind that went that way. If it was, I do apologize. : ) Came across an Etsy store that I had to share. Below are some of the items you can find there. They are all soaps! According to the seller, you can get ketchup or mustard added to your hotdog and if you cut into one of those chocolate cupcakes, you'll see white cream filling. How cute is that? You can pig out and not gain a pound. That's my kind of treat!

Morbid marketplace.

For all of you out there with a little morbid side, I've got some products for ya' to check out. When you come home from a hard day and feel like you just want to stab something, now you can. When you need a gift for your local coroner, look no further. Just keep these out of reach of your dog. For that morbid Mr. or Miss that has everything, get them this. Shopping accomplished!

Creative, beautiful, dark, hopeful.

These are the words I would use to describe how I feel about Alexander Jansson's artwork. I stumbled across it today and found it to be breathtaking. Here is a just a sliver of the wonder within. I will most likely share more in the future as it is too wonderful to keep hidden. The piece on the right is titled Her Only Friend The Moon. The piece below is The Great Deceiver. Enjoy, as I have.

A whimsical retreat.

I ran across this pic the other day and thought I would share. It's such a whimsical bedroom and I've never seen a bed like that. You know I like unique things. : ) Just ignore the skull over the bed. I don't really see how that fits into the decorating theme?

I have a pounding headache right now and all I want right now is my bed so it seemed fitting to post this pic now. Enjoy!