V as in Victor’s blog

In honor of my birthday crew...thanks for the memories and here's to 32!

Okay, so many of my peeps are aware that I have a latent obsession with Ghostland Observatory, however they are not sure exactly why. Is it the music, the "on-the-cuspness", the "cool factor"? It is definitely the music, but more importantly it is the on stage hotness of Aaron Berehens - braids, tight pants, aviator glasses...magic! Here is a sampling for those of you are curious...

So it has been a while since I have updated this thing and I figured I would get back on track with a Top Ten list...So here are my top bargains of all time (not in order, that would be too difficult):

10. My current abode - a lovely 3bd 2.5 ba almost new (built in late 2005) townhome that I share with my lovely sister. Why the bargain? Our rent is 1300/mo which is quite a steal in and around the Seattle area.
9. My gorgeous 2-strand twists...why a bargain? Because if I were to pay someone to do them, it would be about 200-300 a pop! Since I do it myself, it only costs me a Saturday every now and then :)
8. Authentic Navy issue wool pea-coat. I bought this when I was a freshman in college, it was $40.00. I still have it and probably always will.
7. Ralph Lauren Sweater coat, $30.00 at Nordstrom Rack...Retail $500.00. It is warm, makes me look good and is one of those items that will never go out of style.
6. A lovely, iconic, red Diane Von Furstenburg Wrap dress for $17.00...Gotta love those random wanderings into Nordstrom Rack, they can pay off big time.
5. Camper Boots - bought these in NYC for a 20 spot (the store was going out of biz)...anyway, I wore these for about a year and sold on eBay for a tidy profit...I believe the final auction price was about $150.00. I sold these the same week as bargain #2. I win!
4. The (late 60's model) Mazda RX-3 that I putted around in when I was 21. My friend and I found the car with keys, the title and a sign reading, "take me please" sitting on the side of the road. We drove it around for a while until one day it drove no more. We left it on the side of another road, complete with the sign, keys, and the title.
3. 7 for all Mankind jeans for $10.00. The reason, a hole on the pocket. I industriously patched it up which only helped to enhance the look of the jeans. They are one of my favorite pairs.
2. FRYE boots for $6.99 + shipping on eBay. Being a boot girl, I purchased these a season before the FRYE became "it" once again. I eventually sold these on eBay about a year later for a measly $380.00.
1. An authentic Giorgio Armani couture blazer found at Goodwill for $10.00. A timeless style and a timeless color (black).

Though not a frequent fast-food patron, I have a feeling I won't be partaking in a Whopper anytime soon...

A note of caution for those of us with free email accounts...

My favorite radio station, "Listener Powered" KEXP 90.3 FM got a shout out in one of the new Zune 2 ads...pretty cool. Another bonus? Getting to hear a bit of "Lake Michigan" by Rogue Wave...

a small but neat treat...

I was killing time at the Goodwill yesterday and walked away with a sweet collection of Luna CD's. I know...CD's but at $0.99 each, how could I pass up? Anyway I was lucky enough to add Romantica, Rendezvous, Days of Our Nights, Pup Tent, Luna, and Penthouse to my collection. Some of the titles I have/had owned, but 5 Luna albums for $5.50 incl. tax? How could I resist?

 

I am still thinking to myself, "who gives away Luna?", selling I can understand, but a gift? To Goodwill? I am thinking these were casualties of a bad breakup - very bad. I forgot to mention I came out of there with some Belle and Sebastian and Magnetic Fields 69 Love Songs...a serendipitous occurrence? I think not...

An NPR feature about this is what I woke up to this morning. I find it disappointing that the indiginities suffered by this soldier's family and countless others occur in relative obscurity. 

It is a paradox that these fallen men and women (dis)honored with hatred, intolerance and terrorism in death, while fighting against these ideologies in life.

 

 

 

I work for a slightly zany company. Halloween is a huge event, it is mandatory that everyone dress up. When I first started, I found the ritual a bit unseemly, but the years have passed and I am now a crazy tigger too...so I came to work a little bit dead, due to some errant knitting needles. At this point, work is an afterthought, some things may get accomplished or I may be doing shots at lunch.