Trying hard to feel cool

I don't know if a single part of my life makes me feel lame, or if it's a composite of multiple elements. Living in a suburb, which was our choice, makes me feel displaced from the pulse of culture. To any suburban-raised city-dweller, I'm sure this comes as no surprise.

Here's an example disconnection: when living in NYC circa 2006, I dreamed of moving to a new corner of the country. In my research of the Pacific Northwest I learned of KEXP, Seattle's most robust, alternative not-for-profit radio station. I streamed their station to my PC at work, and fell in love with this faraway city. I envisioned a sleepy, gloomy metropolis with good music pumping from every city bus. KEXP features live in-studios, album reviews, DJ mixes on podcast, and free audio candy on their website daily. They avoid canned radio-friendly hits in favor of a broad range of artists and genres. I mean, I like Adele as much as the next American, but the local radio slaughters her by playing Rolling in the Deep ad nauseum.

When I uprooted to Seattle, the familiarity of KEXP and its DJs served as a bridge as I settled into my new city. KEXP didn't fail to disappoint (except for Wo-Pop, their weekly foray into world music). Since the station is "listener-powered", they don't air car dealership or 5-Hour Energy commercials. Instead, they do quarterly membership drives, and their connection with the community (and Seattle's deep pockets) is broad. I was a happy supporter of this invaluable cultural resource. When we decided to move to CT, the prospect of saying goodbye to my favorite station bummed me out.

As feared, here in Hartford the local radio fails to excite or educate (ok, NPR does educate). My brother-in-law introduced me to "Somebody that I Used to Know" by Gotye this past weekend and it was the most amazing song I've heard in a while (besides The Black Keys new album, El Camino). It brought me back to my two-glasses-of-wine-and-download-iTunes days as a single Seattle gal. This song came out in December, and this was the first time I heard it? I felt late to the party.

Granted, I can stream KEXP at work on my phone, and I suppose I could download their podcasts for my morning commute....maybe that'll make me feel better about driving to work in my Subaru, off to corporate America. My other proposed antidotes to uncoolness are:
a) visit my sis and family in Brooklyn regularly
b) keep reading New York and Bust mags so I know what's up in the greatest city and the world of hip ladies, respectively
c) return to Crossfit and kick the sh*t out of suburban blues

Home Improvement on a Budget with a Toddler: Part 1

Hello faithful readers.

My mother-in-law has put in a request for more Edie photos. I admit that picture-taking (and posting) has decreased by a solid 85% since Edie's first year. One explanation is that so much more time is spent engaging and chasing her and making sure she's not climbing into the dishwasher. We are no longer staring googly-eyed at a cute, immobile, magical baby. Another reason is that Edie's hip to the iPhone and wants it. Most picture-taking ends in a grabby cry-fest. So we keep it to a minimum.

But now that I have my own iPhone I've been messing around with Instagram. With a click of a button you can make your photos look straight out of 1963 (see below) or 1982. You know we like that old timey ass shit. Anyway, I will try to post more Edie pics today.

I've been tackling some small-scale home improvement projects, including painting the kitchen (with my parents), consulting my Aunt Kitty who is making us living room curtains, framing artwork, and changing light switch covers. The woman we bought our house from straight-up loved polished brass fixtures. I do not. And I don't think anyone else in this house cares, so I'm the project designer, manager, and foreman.

I've spent quite a bit of time pouring over magazines like Rejuvenation and Smith+Noble. I mostly order samples because they're free, and I feel like I'm making some kind of progress. I'm a long-time fan of blogs such as Apartment Therapy and DesignSponge. I love collections, color, roadside finds, affordable artwork, modern design, and shoestring solutions (which is why Smith+Noble is more an idea source). Although built in the '40s, our home is in great shape and has been well maintained, but I haven't really dived into making it ours. Here's early Saturday morning playtime caught on camera. I consider this a 'before' photo. Note the lack of curtains, stopgap entertainment unit (made by my Dad circa 1978), and wisp of blue on the walls. Can you spot the kiddo?

Here's a close-up. I love the morning light.

I'll continue to post as we make progress. Next on the to-do list: paint our hallway, which is a grand undertaking that will include painting up a staircase, and installing new kitchen lights (again with the brass- it needs to go!). My Dad is eager to knock down the wall dividing our kitchen and dining room, and we're on board, but we're not yet there financially. In the meantime here's some parting family shots.

Edie's obsession: Daddy

Good night!