I am chronically single.

At times, this is fine.  I revel in being unsupervised.  I get to be a honey badger.  I do what I want. But then there are times, like now, when I telework from my nest in the bell jar.

Why?  Since late March I have acquired 7 bridal clients. 1 April, 2 May, 3 June, and 1 October (and October gets bonus points for planning ahead).  I have a fairly broad spectrum of clients (although it isn’t quite the United Colors of Benetton).   Some good, some bad, some crazy.  Regardless, I get to work on the focal point of their special day.  A day I have never envisioned as part of my future (The reasons for which could be a very long post.  Let’s just say I am way to practical for my own good.  I haven’t managed to be in a relationship longer than 2 years and that was only once.  So there is no point in daydreaming about such things.).

Most seamstresses avoid bridal work like the plague. Brides are crazy (the other market to avoid is prom dresses).  I took it on because I decided it was wise to get the extra cash while I could (Most small business owners in Austin experience low sales when school is out and things don’t pick up until ACL weekend).  While I have extra cash in my pocket, it may just drive me mad.  I joke about this all being material for some sort of psycho-thriller where a spinster seamstress finally snaps and hunts down her former clients.  Jada Pinkett-Smith would play me.

Maybe my next move as honey badger should be to pack up all my stuff and hit the road.  My lease is up in October.  Stay tuned.

Vegan Whole-wheat Samosas

“Ooh ur such a tasty one! Tasty one! When you gonna get in my mouth samosa? My-my-my-my samosa!”-Fabricker

So, what do you do when you have made a mountain of extra thick curry in your crock pot?  Well, you can eat that curry with a fork, or you can make portable curry. This extra thick curry consisted of red lentils, curry powder, chili powder, and garam masala,  and thanks to my dying refrigerator an assortment of veggies that were thawing out, peas, cauliflower, spinach, and potatoes.

I spent some time cruising the internet for baked whole wheat samosas and came up with two recipes for crust which somehow morphed into this recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp Carom seeds (ajwain) (I didn’t have these so I added Garam Masala
• Salt to taste
• 5-6 tbsp water (you may need more)
• Vegetable oil 3-4 tbsp (I used grapeseed oil)

I added all the dry ingredients to the mixer (use the dough hook attachment) and added the oil and water gradually.  As far as rolling the dough and shaping the samosas goes, the best instructions are here http://www.lettuce-eat.info/snacks/healthy-baked-samosas/ I ended up using the half moon approach since I was trying to put ~1/4 cup filling in each samosa.

I baked the samosas on oiled parchment lined cookie sheets for 20 minutes.  I flipped them when they were half done. Once they were cool, I wrapped them in foil and placed them in a freezer bag.  They have been cryogenically preserved for nights when I don’t have time to cook or for when I am too broke to by groceries.

Here’s how the rest of the week went.  I am still deciphering my notes from SXSWi panels.  Stay tuned.

Day 6, Wednesday:

• I spent the day hiding in the movie theater.  I was disgusted by spring breakers and the smell of downtown.  I made it to 4 films.
• nothing spent, nothing gained (unless you count my post movie run to the grocery store)

Day 7, Thursday:

• Still hiding out.  I went to 3 movies and decided to take a chance and check out a show.  I camped out in line to see Fiona Apple at the church.  The sound was great and it was clean.
• After the show I biked to Red River to get a snack at Austin Daily Press and charge my phone in M’s apt before going to Club DeVille for Fanfarlo (awesome) and Tennis (not so great).
• $8 ADP sammich

Day 8, Friday:

• Believe it or not, I actually spent my morning at Stubbs for the Spin Party.  I showed up at 9 to pick up my wristband. Then I roamed around the Convention Center and checked out Flatstock. Then it was back to Stubb’s around 11ish.   The line up wasn’t as great as it used to be.  It was nice to see Best Coast and Santigold
• After it was over, I walked over to the Paramount to see Sunset Strip.  I was tired and dirty.
• Biking home was beyond scary.  I made a mental note to leave the bike at home on Saturday.
• $3 on tips, 3 free drinks

Day 9, Saturday:

• This is usually day party day for me but, I wasn’t feeling it.  Instead, I ended up in a movie that was a complete dud.
• I decided maybe I should check out the day party and see if the day would improve.  Not so much.  The sound at Club DeVille got worse.  I stayed for Twilight Sad and 2 beers and quickly maneuvered through the crowd to the Ritz for another film.
• Film redemption + a free meal (not a giveaway, just a good friend).  After the film we booked over to the Driscoll to use the restroom (Dear, Alamo, there are NEVER enough stalls in the ladies room).
• On the way to Style X we popped in to the Canadian Blast Party and caught Elephant Stone.  We swooned over the lead singer/sitar player.
• which had improved quite a bit since last year.  I chatted with a few friends and ended up going back to the staff area to see how teardown was going.
• Apparently they were done for the night so we walked to Sidebar for beer then the State for another movie.
• Instead of calling it a night, we hit the midnight film.  Then I ran to catch the film shuttle back home.
• $12 for beer and tips, 3 beers, free food

Thursday

• 21 Jumpstreet-  I thought this was going to be incredibly cheesy like many of the tv shows that became films (remember Starsky and Hutch).  I was shocked to find out otherwise.  I used to watch Jumpstreet after school.  I was in love with Johnny Depp.  No way that Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum could be the new Penhall and Hanson.  Luckily the writers were smart.  They updated the tv show  to current time, tossed in a lot of comedy that referenced the old show, and then the icing on top was a lot of explosions. – WIN

Friday

• Girl Walk//All Day-  M and I have been  Girl Talk fans for awhile.  I saw a teaser for the film ages ago.  Then I forgot about the film until just before SXSW started.  This was a great kick off to SXSW.  I had just finished my last shift.  If you aren’t into dance movies, this film probably isn’t for you.  It’s essentially a musical with no singing.  There are three principal dancers that dance all over NYC Fame-style (I am talking about the original NOT the remake). – WIN

Saturday

• Welcome to the Machine- I ended up in this film since a friend of a friend was the director.   It’s a wee bit scary how much we depend on machines.  The story is centered around the  tech centered conception/birth/survival of the directors triplets but segues to the Unibomber’s manifesto on the Industrial Revolution and its consequences have been a disaster for the human race.- WIN
• Narrative Shorts 2-  At this point I am going to give up on shorts.  That’s 90 minutes of my life I won’t get back.-LOSS
• Wonder Women! The untold story of American Heroines-  By this point in time I was exhausted.  But as a Wonder Woman fan from way back (I had the underoos and red boots to prove it).  I had to go.  I am not a comic book reader so I learned quite a bit about who Wonder Woman was before she hit TV.    There were some rough patches in the film that let to me nodding off.  It could have been a little shorter.  Other than that, I thought it was OK.

Sunday

• SXSW Community Screening: Faces of Austin- A friend of mine worked on a film in this series.  I had no clue there were screenings at the Carver or that some of the programs in the film existed around town.
• $ellebrity- I wasn’t sure what I was getting into with this film.  I knew it was about the paparazzi, but I didn’t know that they were going to discuss the history of the work. They weren’t always as bad as they are now.  I spent the day darting in and out of panels so I was a bit tired and nodded off.  This film was OK. I agree with the director and crew, nothing will change related to privacy until people stop buying those trashy magazines.

Monday – Somehow I didn’t see any films

Tuesday

• Trash Dance-  This film was a WIN.  AFS recommended it so I decided to skip panels and check it out.  I was familiar with Forklift Danceworks but I had yet to make it to one of their shows.  The documentary follows Allison Orr’s creative process from start to finish and takes you into the lives of the dancers. The film was incredibly moving.  The score by Graham Reynolds is partially to blame for this.  At some  point in time during this film, you will cry.  At the end of the show we got a special treat. Two of the guys came in after their shift to catch the screening and stick around for Q&A.

Wednesday

• Lost and Sound-  As a music fan, I don’t know what I would do if I lost my hearing.  I am really strict about protecting my ears.  I always have earplugs at concerts.  I freak out when I have an ear infection in fear of bursting an eardrum.  This film follows three people who at some point in their lives have lost some or all of their hearing and how music is still part of their life.  Two of the people involved have cochlear implants.  The third is unsure whether or not to make the leap since he has partial hearing (another man and technology debate).
• Rock ‘n’ Roll  Exposed:  The Photography of Bob Gruen-  I wasn’t sure what I was getting into with this film.  Luckily it was a complete 180 from $ellebrity.  Bob Gruen is a great photographer.  He isn’t a technician.  He’s just a guy who likes music and likes capturing people in the moment.  I sat through the Q&A and I love that he admitted that over the years he has hired people to handle his darkroom work He’s not into fancy cameras, he wasn’t in it for the money.  Based on what I saw in the film,  the experiences alone are priceless- WIN
• Beauty is Embarrasing-  This film started getting buzz and I decided to check it out.  WIN.    The film as about Wayne White, artist, cartoonist, comedian, the list goes on an on.  I’ve heard of him, but I didn’t know much about him beyond Pee Wee’s Playhouse and the Smashing Pumpkins video for “Tonight, Tonight”.   The film reminded me that it doesn’t matter what other people think of your work.  Stay true to yourself.  The people that matter will get it.
• The Babymakers- This film was ok. I got what I expected.  A random comedy about a couple trying to make a baby (what’s with all the procreation films this year?)

Thursday

• King Kelly- This film gets points for being shot entirely on camera phone.  But I really can’t believe that I sat through the whole thing.  I think I sat through it because I was hoping that natural selection would lead to the death of all the teenagers in the film.  She should have got it in the end.  She shouldn’t have been rewarded for being so stupid.-LOSS
• Shut Up and Play the Hits- Film redemption time.  I miss LCD Soundsystem.  This film chronicled their last show at Madison Square Garden.  I know we all hate it when bands break up but we all wonder is it better to quit while things are still good or end up burning out and producing crap?  At the end of the day, musicians are people and this was 10 years of their life  (although James Murphy just lost points for being in the Comedy.  More on that later). WIN
• Gayby- This movie was cute.  Not sickening cute.  Cute in a feel good, comedy way.  Good people deserve to be parents.  Regardless of sexual orientation.  I am raising a kid with my best friend and her husband and it has changed me for the better. WIN

Friday

• Sunset Strip- I saw this after the Spin party.  I was exhausted and I managed to stay awake.  The Strip has a long history and the film did a great job of preserving that and discussing the future.  Many of the businesses are still family owned. WIN

Saturday

• The Comedy-  You know that SXSW Film Bumper with the two moviegoers in front of the Paramount?  That was me after this film.  That is time I will not get back.  I debated walking out but I thought that maybe this was an existential film and the point was coming.  Nope!  I spent 90 minutes watching sad, aging, Brooklyn hipsters waste time and money. All the reviews said that it wasn’t your usual Tim and Eric film.  I think I would have preferred that over what they went with.  It was well made but it was crap.
• Small Apartments-  Film redemption-  I like that they left a lot of the characters’ idiosyncrasies unexplained.  Who care’s why Franklin doesn’t wear pants through most of the film.  That’s just the way his is.  This was a great off-beat comedy.   WIN
• Fat Kid Rules the World- I had given up on going to shows. I was tired of the people, smoke and dust.  I sought refuge in the theater.  I picked this film at random.  I lucked out and picked a Winner!  Suicidal teen ends up realizing that there are people way more messed up that him.  Specifically, the kid that saved him.  This should have been the only teen drug movie at the fest.  You see consequences.  The movie had heart.
• Citadel- I am not a fan of scary movies but I was one film short of 20 so I went for it.  We trekked through the unruly mob of beer soaked urchins to get from the State to the Ritz.  We definitely earned our cinephile merit badge for that one.  (Seriously, Saturday+SXSW+ St. Patty’s day?  This is why I didn’t ride my bike. These people are cray cray).  So the film ended up being more of a phycho thriller than a true horror movie.  Single dad must overcome fear of feral children and kill them all to save his daughter (and the town).     WIN

Both of us managed to take time out to return to our volunteer gigs. It’s my eighth year and it’s  too sweet of a deal to pass up.  We work the entire week before SXSW and then we get to make use of those badges.

Now that interactive has come to a close I will let you know what I have been up to.  Stay tuned for a more in depth discussion on some of the panels/movies that inspired me.

Day 1, Friday:

• I volunteered until 5pm then hit the movie theater for Girl Walk/All Day.  It was a perfect film to kick of my SXSW.  I watched it with a bunch of New Yorkers and we enjoyed views of home.
• I managed to get a few free drinks between a lounge on the way to the film opening and the actual opening party.
• $3 on tips, 3 free drinks+snacks

Day 2, Saturday:

• I decided that I should take advantage of panels now that I am a small business owner.  I went to Group Deals and learned how those deals can make or most likely break you.
• Next it was film time.  If you get a chance, you should check out Welcome to the Machine.  Then Narrative Shorts 2 (not so good)
• Then I fell victim to false advertizing on a panel.  Google and Bing: help me rank better.  Meh.  I could have gotten the same information from reading the Google webmaster stuff on the internet.
• I left the panel and went to the Drafthouse for Wonder Women! (another must see).  By this point in time I wasn’t feeling that great.  Spending two days in the cold and wet weather may have done me in.
• Nothing spent, nothing gained

Day 3, Sunday:

• More panels.  I learned my lesson when I attempted to hop around from panel room to panel room.  You don’t get in.  It’s best to camp out in one room to ensure you have a space.  I spent the whole morning in the Stephen F. Austin Hotel learning about marketing and consumer habits.

• Then it was film time.  I drove to the Carver Museum to catch the Faces of Austin Screening, then I went home for lunch before hitting the Drafthouse for $ellebrity
• I wrapped up the night at the Google Village.
• $2 on tips, 2 free drinks+snacks

Day 4, Monday:

• The sun finally came out so I walked to the Drafthouse to catch the film shuttle to the Convention Center.    I stopped by the Fashion Meet up briefly and ran off to the Craft Camp where I felt more at home.  Many crafters get a bad rap, but these days they are the people getting their hands dirty.  More and more I shy away from using the word designer.  I get my hands dirty.  I am a technician. I found the lecture on The Psychology & Philosophy of Premium Pricing rather informative and spent some time chatting with the panelists afterwards.
• After the lecture I hung out in the tradeshow.  It was a bit overwhelming.  So many things that I wasn’t remotely interested in.
• I went to a three panels afterwards.  The best one was on social privacy.  The others completely missed the mark (aka.  The title of the panel should match the topic you actually speak on).
• By this time was starving and twitter told me there was food and Reggie Watts at the IFC house. The show ended up being lame because the actors were distracted by the rude people in the bar.
• I decided to flee 6th street and head back to Google land.  It was safe there.  You had to have a badge to get in.
• $5 on beer,  free food

Day 5, Tuesday:

• I probably should have gone back to bed when I couldn’t remember the combination to my bike lock this morning.  I needed sleep, not a 9:30 panel.  Luckily, M and I have the same combination.  I didn’t make it to the 9:30 at SFA hotel because I got stuck at a train crossing.  I went to my second choice at the convention center only to find that it was a book signing not a panel, GRRR!
• My first panel was in the Hilton at 11.  Not too bad.  Panel 2 was a disaster from the start.  I went in, they cleared us out to do a mike check or something, then once they started, Occupy Austin decided to have a little demonstration.  I managed to get out of there before things got ugly.  I sought refuge in the tech cave and regrouped.
• I killed time in the line for the Hype Hotel, and by time I mean losing an hour of my life.  Then I snagged a beer at IFC before heading to the Driscoll for a lame panel.  False advertizing strikes again.  On top of that, the speaker read their speach verbatim.
• My day turned around when I saw Trash Dance at the Paramount.  It was a recommendation from AFS.  If you get a chance you should check it out.
• I closed out my day after checking in with my peeps in the convention center.  It was flip day  and they were dealing with the switch from interactive to music.
• $1 on tips, 1 beer

The start of the year

Out with a bang

For those of you who have been reading along, you know I had a plan:

1. Leave the continent – Didn’t happen
2. Quit my job (10 years of state employment is more than a person should endure) - CHECK!
3. Take on a massive design project -  I call it life phase 2.0
4. Read more – I read a lot on the internet
5. Spend less money/time on home repair - CHECK! I sold that money pit over the summer.
6. Master Indian Cuisine -  Can one really master Indian Cuisine?

After writing this list I revised it to say that I was going to be the opposite of my breeder friends.  I was going to quit my job and focus on my art.  CHECK!  Some things fell into place a little later vs. sooner but, I managed to make it happen. I am thankful for the people that helped along the way.  Friends old and new.

Here’s my year in lists.

This year in live music: SXSW 2011 ( Theophilus London, Foster the People, Noah and the Whale, Portugal. the Man,  Charles Bradley and the Menahan Street Band,  TV on the Radio , Ellie Goulding, Smith Westerns,  Matt and Kim,  J. Roddy Walston and The Business,and Wanda Jackson.) Reggie Watts, Arcade Fire, Thermals and Matt and Kim, and Junior Boys,  Fun^3 Fest 2011 (Heartless Bastards, Thermals, Franki Chan, Big Freedia, Reggie Watts, Four Tet,  Public Enemy, Passion Pit,  T-Bird and the Breaks, Joy Formidable, M83, Lykke Li,  We Were Promised Jetpacks, Mates of State, MNDR, Austra, Ted Leo,  Architecture in Helsinki, Del the Funky Homosapien, Flying Lotus,  and Diplo)

This year in Sewing: Restoration work for Amelia’s RetroVogue,  participating in Vintage Vivant, Costuming for Riley Do Right and A Ride with Bob,  In-store seamstress gig at Frock on Vintage, and altering a few wedding dresses.

This year on the interwebs: A few site redesigns, getting to know social media.  Giving up on Gowalla.

This year in Movies: I joined AFS so I could see more new releases for cheap or free! . (theater) The Muppets,  Thunder Soul, Beats, Rhymes and Life: the Travels of a Tribe Called Quest , Cowboys and Aliens, White Material, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2,White Material Submarine, Everything Must Go,  WAR!: Women Art Revolution. SXSW (the Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye, Little Deaths, Documentary Shorts,  Being Elmo: A Puppeteers Journey, Super,  Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop, Greatest Movie Ever Sold, Narrative 2, Medium Cool, Something Ventured,  El Bulli: Cooking in Progress, Fambul Tok, Blacktino, Hesher, the Other F Word, Our Day will Come, A Matter of Taste: Serving up Paul Liebrandt, Outside Industry: The Story of SXSW, and PressPausePlay.).

This year in Books: Sadly not much time for reading this year… Goodreads

This year in kicking ass: I am officially DBA Spinsta.   I was a SXSW Crew Chief.  I got promoted to Bookkeeper/Money wrangler for BluesShout!, Refashionista, Fun^3 Fest Blogger, Apparel Surgeon, and baby whisperer.

Unfinished Business: Just before Christmas I got an email from my friend who is a stylist for Amazon.  He asked me to ship him some stuff to shoot.  We had been talking about it for awhile so I made it happen.  Stay tuned.

Plans for 2012 (in no particular order):

1. Seeing my favorite kiddos in SC
2. Collaborating with Savannahred and many more designers
3. Teaching sewing classes
4. Saving the lives of many more garments
5. Brushing up on ASL
6. I am thinking about guitar again or maybe accordion

From 8-9am she sleeps in her crib and I take care of anything requiring phone calls.  I also clean out my inbox and do any personal bookkeeping.  This is her longest nap during the day and my opportunity for 1 hr of uninterrupted work.

Once Scout is up, she gets fed every 2 hrs and takes a 20-30 minute nap sometime in the 2 hr span. I don’t dictate the naps I just put her down when she shows signs of rage.  During feedings I plow through my rss feed.  She’s chatty so anything involving active listening is out. Between feedings and naps I might get some other things done that don’t require 100% focus.  I check Twitter and Facebook for things to read during the next feeding.  I make to-do lists.  Scout is chilling in her bouncer right now while I write.

We usually shut the office down around 3 or 4.  I catch up on shows I record on the family DVR or whatever is in my Hulu queue.  That way I can be productive when I go home.  Sometimes we cook dinner while we watch TV.  Last week Scout and I made Chicken Cacciatore.  I made sauce and rice earlier that day.  Food that requires minimal supervision.  Then we tossed chicken in the pot on low and let it cook while we watch Soul Plane (someone left me a present on the DVR). (Seriously, if you have time to sit on the couch, you have time to cook)

Scout loves the kitchen.  The bouncer fits on the countertop within site of me but out of dangers way (she gets a little freaked out when she can’t see you).  She is way too squirmy to be held in the kitchen.  Besides, holding a baby 24/7 is completely unnecessary.  This is why some parents have no time.

I am not sure if this system would work out if I had to watch her everyday.  5 days of Crankypants would probably wear me out. This system will definitely evolve as she gets older.  Right now she is easily entertained in a chair with a dishcloth.

Wish List:
We were Promised Jetpacks (they said that they would be there when we interviewed them during Fun^3 Fest), Mos Def (with Talib), Black Keys (they have a new album out), The Roots (they have a new album out), Blackroc (why not, the rest of the group is somewhere on this list), Broken Social Scene (’cause Metric and Stars will be in town). amd a Daptone label showcas.e

While I am wishing, I would like more bike parking and no moshing (or maybe move it to some sort of playpen type area).  I have more wishes, but I will save them for another post.

…They go and announce the dates for Fun^3 Fest 2012.  Seriously?  Fun^3 Fest was barely over.  Climbinginskirts was still writing up interviews and post-processing images.  Some people are still coughing up dust.  I have yet to clean my sneakers.

That’s right kids.  The 7^th annual Fun Fun Fun Fest will be November 2, 3, and 4, 2012 at Auditorium Shores.  The organizers have already dropped hints about extremely early bird tickets.  Watch the email and Twitter for more information.

M Shooting We Were Promised Jetpacks

M happened to track down We Were Promised Jetpacks while I was checking out Mates of State.  We were able to sit down and interview Sean their bassist.

M accidentally kicked off the interview by saying that we were with Sean of Frightened Rabbit.  We quickly jumped into our first question about touring with the other Scots. The last few times we saw them they were playing with Frightened Rabbit or Twilight Sad.  We asked if they could play a gig with any band, who would it be?  Sean  said they like touring with friends.  They’ve toured with Royal Bangs and they would like to tour with Lady North.

We asked if they were happy to be back in the states.  They were exited.  M mentioned that they would be touring up until Christmas (that’s what the tour schedule looked like on the website).  We were wrong on that one.  They guys are going to get a break soon and they will spend some time in England.  They plan to practice and watch football (aka soccer).  At this point in time 2.0 got really excited about football (he managed to hold his questions until the end.). We asked what his Fun^3 Fest highlights were.  He said that they played Dallas last night and arrived in Austin at 4am. They wouldn’t have time to check anything out.  He said that he enjoyed playing today.  I thanked him for the sunshine they summoned during “Roll up your sleeves”.  He enjoyed playing today.  He said it’s been his best festival experience.

Apparently the guys will be back in Austin for SXSW 2012.  They were here for SXSW 2009 and 2010.  One of Sean’s favorite venues to play is Emos.  We had to give him the sad news that the venue is no more.  They moved.  We asked if it was the venue or the crowd that made it is favorite.  He said the crowd.  But he also mentioned the sound was good.  We had to burst that bubble as well.  They bring in sound people for SXSW.

Our last question was if he knew of any up and coming Scottish bands we should watch for.  Over the Wall, Lady North, and Three Blind Wolves.

If you have some time, check out the new album and catch them at SXSW in March.