Dear Santa-

Dear Santa-

Hook a sista' up would ya? I'd like the following (I hooked you up and gave you some links too... just sayin'...)

A Vespa: this style, this model, this color...

this book about my friend's Dad:

these bowls from Anthropologie (in black):

a kick ass GPS system for my car:

this book that I've been wanting to read for ages:

this vintage key set from Pottery Barn:

gift certificates for:

annnnnnnnnnnnd........

this one doesn't need to be wrapped... but a bow might be a nice touch:

(I love me some Benicio Del Toro...)

Also.....

a crushed ice maker:

some Venus Razor refills (those suckers are expensive!):

some "Razor Rinse" from Ritual:

a plane ticket to Scotland:

(this is the wee post office/shop where I'd walk over and get my Sunday paper each week when I lived there.)

AND/or....

a plane ticket to Seattle:

(so I can see my friend Dave P.)

a ticket to Chicago:

(my hometown)

The winning lottery numbers....

a variety case of really yummy red wine (heavy on the pinot noir please):

a new laptop... specifically a 17" macbook pro (with all the bells & whistles):

(I know, looks just like the one I already have... only not almost 10 years old)

.... and I'd also appreciate it if you (Santa) would make sure that ALL my friends (moreover a few specifically) got everything they wanted and needed this year. I've learned that if they're not happy, I'm not happy... so do us both a favor and hook them up first, m'kay? Thanks... and Merry Christmas dude. The glass of scotch I'm leaving out for you this year is a good one, sip... don't chug.

~Gillian

PS. Please remember I am a single female... living on an ISLAND...so, as many of these as you can fit in my stocking would be greatly appreciated:

New Years Resolutions

In no specific order:

• REAL MAIL... bring it back.
• finish the kitchen remodel
• get back to Scotland for a wee holiday
• visit Dave P in Seattle
• get down to New Orleans to see Graham (as well as Brett (ex fiance) & his whole family... 'cause we're wacky enough to still love each other's family... even though we broke up in 2001)
• visit Chicago to see much loved & missed  friends
• find a way to make living on the Vineyard not suck so hard
• learn to like coffee (ugh... I'll be breaking that one)
• learn to knit something other than scarves and pot holders
• paint more (pictures, not walls!)
• make more time for writing
• try not to lose my mind when they finally reveal what the hell has been happening on LOST
• finish painting the entire house, bedrooms, living room, hallway...
• get rid of the popcorn ceilings
• fix up the yard (back and front)
• new decking on deck
• clean out the basement
• learn to play guitar... acoustic
• twice a month pedicures
• get off the island at least once a month, even if it's just to get off the island
• get down to NYC more often to see friends in NYC/CT/NJ
• try to read something by Faulkner I don't hate (pretty much impossible)
• figure out  the winning lottery numbers in time to win the MEGA Millions
• spend more time with my brother Christopher
• hang out more with my "brotha' from anotha' motha'" Chris L
• meet Paris Hilton and ask her for any shoes she doesn't want (what? she wears the same size shoe as me!... you know she's got some suhweet shoes!)
• retain and maintain the same resolution I've had for the past few years  "If there are people you can live without... then do so."

This is just a start.... my list will be a mile long by New Years Eve........and like most things in my life... this is totally backwards... 'cause next up is my Christmas list (the one I'd never give anyone since it's all stuff I'd never expect someone to get me anyway...)

Vineyard Math

Here is how it works....

You need an appliance or some sort of big ticket item (read: pricey)... for the sake of this example lets say you are looking to buy a refrigerator...

So, you go to the stores here (um.. or just THE store here since I believe only one sells fridges still) and the price for the one you want is $799....

next you go on line to various websites and see what their prices are....

Let's say Best Buy, Sears, Home Depot, and a few others.... and you find the same fridge for $200 less.... here is where "Vineyard Math" is used...

cost of on island fridge: $799

cost off off island fridge: $599

estimated savings: $200

now you take the $200 and subtract...

estimated savings of $200

minus shipping (lowball estimate): $75

savings now: $125

minus the wages you will lose while waiting for the item to be delivered about two weeks from order date (again, lowball estimate):$115

savings now: $10

.... and that is ONLY if you are lucky.

NOW... you try to figure out how much it would cost to go pick the item up yourself on the mainland....

start with your estimated savings of $200

minus round trip 1 day excursion boat tickets, this gets tricky... depending on time of year and size of car it will cost you roughly $60 in winter or $80 in summer (but that is ONLY if you are a member of the "Islander Excursion Program")... ok, back to the math:

savings of: $200

RT boat ticket: $75 (I just split the difference)

savings now: $125

gas for your car: $50 for a full tank (on average)

savings now: $75

lost wages for taking the day off of work: $115

savings now: -$40

food while off island (if it's just you): $8 (you know you're going to McDonalds, just admit it.)

savings now: -$48

get back to the island and hope you don't have to hire someone to carry your fridge into the house (good luck with that!) ... but if you do...

pay one of the moving/hauling companies to move your item: $80 (again, lowball estimate)

savings now: - $128 in the hole

.... do you see where I'm going with this?

and THAT is Vineyard Math in a nutshell.

Sure there are bargains to be found, and believe me, I REALLY look for them... on as well as off island. Though in the end ... it's almost always more cost effective to buy items on the island. PLUS... we do need to support the island businesses .... 'cause incase you haven't noticed... the economy is deep in the crapper!

How Many Times Can I Say "Witch Hazel"?

I am finally inspired! I know exactly what I want to do to my kitchen... now it's just a matter of doing it. This actually entails a few minor details...

*finding the $$

*convincing my brotha' from anotha motha', Chris, that even though he is in the middle of building a beautiful new house with his wife Rachel... that he really wants to come spend the day (or two days) helping me not lose any fingers or toes.

(that's me & Chris at his wedding in September this year)

* A trip off island to Ikea

(which means a trip on the ferry as well....)

.... and a good night's sleep!

Up until March this year there was a wall.... (plus a housemate (Colin) & a giant beast we nicknamed "Pony"... I think it's obvious why)

Then on St. Patty's Day I got angry, and needed a release... tearing down that wall provided an excellent, and very cathartic, one...

and it also provided a clear view from my living room into the kitchen, which is what I have wanted since the day I bought this dump in 2000.

It's taken me since March 2009 to figure out exactly what I wanted to do... and how in the world I was going to do it for just a few hundred dollars. All I have known for sure is that I wanted to paint the fridge with chalkboard paint and take out the upper cabinets. Then one day I was screwin' around on the internet just clickin' away at various websites I love... and I came across these pictures of a kitchen re-do on this blog and KNEW I had found my inspiration.

This is THEIR before picture:

I sooo wish I could insert a drum roll here... I am nutty over this "after" kitchen!!.....(minus the kid.. don't want one of those runnin' around thankyouverymuch!)

I found the paint color they used (Behr "witch hazel"), and with the help of my friend Gib who frequently goes off island, managed to score the paint color card from Home Depot that he picked up for me when he was there over the weekend. (Thank you AGAIN Gib! ) Now my friend Rachel can mix the paint for me here on island at her shop Up Island Paint & Tool.

(this is Gib & I lookin' awesome!!!)

I'd much rather spend the extra few dollars on-island and contribute to local economy anyway. Plus Rachel's store carries Mythic Paint and that stuff is beyond a necessity in a house as tiny as mine... with a big ol' diva dog that just lays around wondering why she is not being catered to every second of every day.

(She's not allowed on the furniture anymore, 'cause this is just plain ridiculous.)

So, I sat here looking at my kitchen this evening with all the thoughts of what I'd like to do....

...and I figured it out.

The upper cabinets are getting torn down, the base cabinets on the right side of the kitchen are being torn out and the stove will be put in their place. The fridge will be painted with black chalkboard paint. The walls from counter to ceiling will have white bead board on them... with white shelves on black brackets. The counters (after much research into how to properly do it) will be painted black... and the remaining cabinets will be painted in "witch hazel." I will also figure out how to combine a base cabinet like this one from Ikea....

(I am so excited at the idea of all these drawers, I have a use for every single one of them.)

....with other pieces so that I can have a decent sized kitchen island/counter space. I think I'll end up wrapping all of it in bead board like the walls and paint it in "witch hazel."

The same goes for the pantry cabinet that I will either be placing next to the fridge or the stove. Still not sure about that, but if that is the only thing I am unsure of... I think I'm doin' okay!

Ikea makes this pantry cabinet with bead board doors as well, I just couldn't find a picture of it with those doors at the moment. Even if they are out of stock when I go, I can just put it on there myself. I'll be painting it "witch hazel" as well.

Basically my kitchen (try not to laugh at the rushed and poorly done PhotoShop job I did here) should look something slightly like this....

I know I have a very tiny kitchen, and I am also well aware that I do not have the funds to make it incredible... but just the thought that I could turn it into something that makes me smile is a pretty great thought to me. Then again, picturing Jason Statham shirtless is pretty great too... but he doesn't protect my prized Kitchen Aid® mixer. (Should he want that duty, I'm open to discussion....)

Reviewed Review

I keep getting a message on my computer that my start up disk was full... I actually had to google "why does my computer say my start up disk is full?" Half expecting google to tell me "'cause it's FULL dummy!" Which is the truth, I just didn't know what exactly it meant. Can I delete things? What can I delete? What NEEDS to be deleted? After I figured out the basics I started going through all the zillions of files on my computer.

When I tell you I throw nothing away on my computer... I pretty much mean it. I have even been finding screen shots of paid bills for services I don't even have any longer! BUT... every once in a while I find a picture I didn't realize I had, or something like this little gem from years ago. It started back in December 2006 when a friend and I were on the phone talking about how much we missed going to the movies together and how much it sucked that we didn't live near each other any longer. At first we said we were going to plan to rent the same movie one night and watch the whole thing on the phone with each other... but instead we promised to just keep track of every movie we watched for one month, and write a little review for each other of each movie. Geeky, I know. We both kept our word and watched a retardedly large amount of movies in January 2007... and, not so shockingly, I found a copy of the letter I sent them with the reviews. I am going to throw this away (promise!) but first I wanted to share it... 'cause I forgot I even watched 1/2 these movies! ... and now I kinda want to watch a few of them again.
See if you agree or disagree:

Lets go to the movies... shall we?:

1/07 - Little Miss Sunshine : (DVD)  hysterical! officially my favorite movie of 2007... though today is January 1st 2007 and this is the first movie I've watched this year... but I have pneumonia and nothing says "I'm staying home and getting my rest" like watching a bunch of movies, so the whole "best of 2007" thing might change, possibly even tonight... but, I do guarantee "Little Miss Sunshine" will remain in the top 10. This movie is outstanding, seriously.

1/07-  Invincible: (DVD) this was that movie about Vince Papale, the 30 year old "ordinary guy" back in the 70's that played for the Philadelphia Eagles. It was actually a good movie... and maybe it's just 'cause I'm sick right now... but Mark Wahlberg is lookin' mighty cute in this movie. (Might just be the 70's hair... so many guys look adorable with it) I mean here's a guy formerly known as "Marky Mark" (WTF?) and his "band" was called the "Funky Bunch"... haha... it just makes me think of a pile of nasty laundry. Now he's Mr. Movie-Star-Guy... well.. he did a bang up job. This movie is totally worth renting/watching. I wouldn't say "rush out now and get it"... but, if there is a question, go on, rent it, you'll dig it. **** Just for the record, I am well aware that Mark Wahlberg has made a bunch of movies since his "Marky Mark" days... and 99% of them really good... I guess I'm just shocked by the consistency of that fact.

1/07- Lady In The Water: (DVD) my roommate Johnny rented this and let me watch it before he had to return it. It's yet another M. Night Shama-lama-ding-dong movie. Normally I look forward to his movies because I can not wait for him to make a movie I don't have figured out in the first 5 min. This is not a movie with a "surprise" ending/twist... what it is...... is painfully boring. Yawn. I'm happy Johnny rented it and not me.

1/07- A Prairie Home Companion: (DVD) um... I REALLY wanted to love this movie. It seemed to have all the things I loved.... even Kevin Kline. (He's one of the best of the best as far as I'm concerned) ... but to be honest.. the best part of this movie, for me, was going back and watching the whole movie with the director's commentary ON.  Altman & Klien are pretty funny on that. Other than that... I didn't hate it, but I'll never watch it again.

1/07- Thank You For Smoking: (DVD) laugh out loud funny. Most people I know that watched this movie said it made them want to quit smoking... I just wanted a cigarette the whole time. Worth watching.

1/07- The Night Listener: (DVD) How did I not know about this movie? I really liked it. It's based on an Armistead Maupin novel (love him!)... which is based on a true story. I don't want to tell you anything else about it... that would ruin it. It's not a scary movie... but it is a lil' freaky, though not freaky enough to make it hard to sleep just after watching it.

1/07- Down In The Valley: (DVD) Ed Norton, shirt off. 'nuff said.

1/07-  The Illusionist: (DVD) Not too much illusion here. The plot is rather easy to figure out... BUT, the acting is pretty good. I adore Paul Giamatti and he does his part as chief inspector beautifully. I was also shocked by Jessica Biel's performance, it was quite good. The movie itself... eh... not too fantastic.

1/07- Idiocracy: (DVD) ok, this movie is totally stupid.... but for some reason I found it highly entertaining. The premise is that Luke Wilson's character... a boring, not very smart "average Joe" is "frozen" in 2005 thinking he will be woken up a year later... but something happens and he (and the woman who was frozen with him at the same time) get woken up 500 years into the future. Everyone in the future is dumb as rocks thanks to mass commercialization and mindless TV programming that "Joe" is now the smartest person on the planet. Now it's up to him to get evolution rollin' again. It's a funny premise, and the depictions of the "future idiots" is priceless...... but this is one of those movies you should watch if it's on TV/cable... otherwise, it's not really worth the money.

1/07 - To Kill A Mockingbird: (DVD) For the billionth time: I love this movie. Love the book too... but the movie just gets me... every time. I love everything about it... even the freaky young Robert Duval as "Boo." The extras on the DVD are pretty cool. To see "Jem" & "Scout" all grown up is kinda crazy. And Gregory Peck.. still handsome as ever. What a face, what a voice!!

1/07- The Grapes Of Wrath: (DVD) This movie really needs no description or review. If you have not seen it you are definitely missing out on some of the finest acting to ever take place. There is a reason this movie is a classic. There is also a reason I watch this movie year after year. I need say no more.

************************************

And that's all I have to say about that!

It's Not Trash If It Holds Your Treasures

I'm still on an organizational spree, and today I started in on random drawers. I kept coming across multiple drawers and boxes of jewelry and realized I needed to organize things. Random unmatched earrings, twisted necklaces, and bracelets all jumbled together was just not workin' for me.

So.. I grabbed handfuls of the stuff, lay out a white tablecloth on the floor in the living room where there was some good lighting, and began to untangle, pair up, & polish. The trick in the end was HOW was I going to keep this stuff organized?!

The first group to be sorted were the rings...

Next came the bracelets...

then ... oh  man, this took FOREVER!! ... the earrings...

Eventually I made it through a ton of necklaces. I don't think I have seen that many knots... EVER...

Then....I cleared off the cloth and did it again...

In the end, everything was put in a proper place... and all it took was one clear plastic egg carton (obviously quite a few pairs of earrings are rooming with others... an empty paper towel holder, and a shoe box with each necklace individually packaged in a ziplock bag. NO MORE TANGLES!

It was a nice waste of two or so hours... and in the end, a large chunk of my jewelry got polished and put away... PLUS... the next time I see a piece of jewelry I want, I WILL just say NO! 

How the hell did I amass so much anyway?! Sadly, this wasn't even half of it....I'm gonna have to eat more eggs.

Riddle Me This...

Find me the man that THIS ensemble belongs to... and I will be one happy camper.

That is all.

On A Random Afternoon...

I almost forgot!  I went through with the fuchsia streaks... and Seniel took a bunch of horrible pictures of it.. but it was a fun time. I even got to run into my friend Billy's daughter Meghan. That was incredibly fantastic... albeit a little sad... 'cause I miss the hell outta Billy (RIP).

These are the pictures Seniel took of us... pretty horrible, and semi-blurry, but a happy memory nonetheless.. and my hair makes me giggle. BONUS!

"STOP TAKING MY PICTURE!! Grrrrrrrr!!"