I Can’t Sleep Because My Bed’s on Fire

It was SxSW, so we went out to some parties. Then when we got home, we had some wine. Then we had some more. Then we went to bed.

At 4 a.m., an ear-splitting fire alarm was not quite enough to rouse us. We incorporated it into our firehouse dreams. Then the second one went off. We were on the fifth floor, so naturally we took time to get dressed, gather our laptops and cameras, and chat about whether we should bother to leave the room. Then I looked out the window.

Fire trucks. Yay.

In the hall, there were about twenty people heading in the opposite direction of the exit signs.

“Where are you guys going?”
“Elevators.”
“Oh.”

Stupids. We took the stairs. We passed an attractive and placid firefighter on the way down and considered following him back up, but it seemed arduous.

The fire trucks were still there when we got downstairs, and the alarms were still going off. There were about five people in the parking lot.

“There’s no one out here.”
“Why?”
“People are stupid.”
“Yes.”

We sat down on the curb for a while. We got up.

“I’m putting this picture on the Internet.”
“I hate you.”
“You love me.”
“OK.”

After our photo op, Helen Jane took a moment to weep with exhaustion. Anna Beth and I decided to go for shakes until the alarms stopped. Helen Jane thought she could sleep through the shrieking, and presumably the immolation. So we parted ways.

We headed to a local cafe, where we were the only patrons aside from two musicians and a truck driver who commented that we looked real pretty. Thanks, truck driver.

They didn’t have milkshakes.

In the end, there was no fire, just standing water in the basement that was triggering the alarm for some reason.

When we got back to the room, we drew a sharpie mustache on Helen Jane. She was a good sport about it.

Please Save Me from Kitty Videos and Flower Photos


This is all I’ve eaten for six days.

I’m finally back from SxSW, and I’ve had enough rest to responsibly approach the Internet again. Hello, Internet, I have a lot to tell you. My laptop is so jammed with photos it’s wheezing.

We threw a couple of parties that I’ll tell you about Monday, one was with Intel who I’ve been working with a lot lately. Speaking of which, I’m one of the judges for Intel’s Visual Life Contest, which is about the ways people express their lives through photos and film. (This is part of the campaign with that gorgeous Sartorialist video that was making the rounds recently.)

I mention this because the contest is merit based, and lots of you have photo and video stuff on your Life Lists. Having judged these contests before, I know most people don’t bother to enter when they have to actually do something. That means I spend a lot of hours looking at sunset photos, and then decide which one scores the photographer a $1,500 laptop with an external hard drive. This makes my soul whimper.

So please, please enter if you’re a person who makes video or takes photos, especially good ones. We’re judging based on presentation, originality, overall impact, and whether it fits one of the category themes — people, places, things, moments. You have until March 23. My limited attention span thanks you.

Let’s meet back here Monday to discuss 4 a.m. fire drills, smart women and the women who love them, and tequila. Break.

You Missed It

Caterina just wrote a great post describing the notion of FOMO, or “Fear of Missing Out.” She writes:

“It’s an age-old problem, exacerbated by technology. To be always filled with craving and desire (also called defilement, affliction) is one of the Three Poisons of Buddhism, called kilesa, and it makes you a slave. There is true meaning in social media—real connections, real friendships, devotion, humor, sacrifice, joy, depth, love. And this is what we are looking for when we log on. ”

So true. Amusingly enough, Caterina is a Flickr founder, which was the first service to make me aware of all the cool stuff I wasn’t doing — my friends and I called it the Parties You Weren’t Invited to Channel.

The thing is, I still love social media, despite the occasional sense that everyone is popping bottles of champagne on city rooftops while I watch The Office reruns in my yoga pants. Seeing what I’m “missing” has shaped how I decide to spend my time, reminded me to fill my life with stuff that makes me feel like there’s nowhere else I’d rather be. Now when I feel like I’m missing out, I see it as a flag that I’m unhappy about something else, an indicator that I need to invest some time in finding my own fun, or a reminder to stay in the moment — even if the moment is just enjoying my friends photos in my PJs.

Caterina mentioned that she’s noticing a high level of FOMO around SxSW, but I’m in Austin now and I have to say that Foursquare, Twitter, and Facebook have made things so much easier and happier for me than in years past when I had to call around to find people.

What about you? Do forays into social media make you feel more connected or less adequate?

Want to come over and pop some champagne on the roof?

Soundtrack, Part 1

I’m headed to SxSW, and though I’m still sick, I’ve been spending a lot of time with the music you guys suggested. Speaking of which, wow. Thank you for all the suggestions. I’ve gotten through the first set of recommendations and I’ve also spent a little time with Pandora. For the record, apparently Nick Drake, Mumford and Sons, and Ryan Adams make people weep. Here’s what else has stood out so far.

Wishing Life Had a Fast Forward Button

Delicate from Damien Rice

Don’t You Remember from Adele

I just don’t think I’ll ever get over you from Colin Hay

Why from Annie Lennox

Good Woman from Cat Power

Casimar Pulanski Day from Sufjan Stevens

Shaking Your Fist at the Sky

Little Lion Man from Mumford and Sons

Call it Off from Tegan and Sara

The Cave from Mumford and Sons

Intuition from Feist

I Bombed Korea from Cake

Shine Like a New Pin from Camera Obscura

Dancing Around in Your Underwear

Raise Your Glass from Pink

Better Life from Keith Urban

Doctor Worm from They Might Be Giants

I Live In New York City from Sxip Shirey

All Day from Girl Talk
(Cover the kid’s ears if you’re clicking this without headphones.)

You’re so Damn Hot from OK Go

The Fratellis by Flathead

When I get through the next batch, I’ll post another roundup. Thanks, you guys.

Mighty Closet: Courtney Skott, Round Two

This is Courtney, my genius furniture designer friend. You’ve met her before on Mighty Girl, I photographed her for her first Mighty Closet in 2009. We took these shots at the same time, but I promptly had a hard-drive crash, and recently realized I’d never posted these. Hooray!

The playsuit is vintage Cole of California, which means it probably doubled as swimsuit originally.

The first time I saw Courtney wearing it, we were in Vegas for a bachelorette party, which is what this outfit was made for. She just threw on some sunglasses and a pair of sandals headed out to brunch. This was about four years ago, before Urban Outfitters started its Romper for Every Hipster campaign, and before Lady Gaga made it slightly tedious to walk around with no pants, so I was impressed with her fortitude.

The earrings are also vintage, from her mom’s jewelry box.

Shoes by Corso Como, body by marathons.

This is the kind of thing Courtney would wear out to meet friends for drinks. She designed and built that chair she’s sitting on, by the way. If I could do that, I’d accessorize by carrying power tools around with me.

This delicate piping detail on the shirt is like a built in necklace. It’s a thrifted piece by Geren Ford.

The earrings were made by friend Rena Tom, who’s a jewelry designer and founder of Rare Device, and who will be appearing her own Mighty Closet one day soon. Right, Rena?

Jeans by Joe’s (cut is The Honey), shoes are vintage Charles Jourdan.

Here’s a vintage Geoffrey Beene dress and jacket, Courtney is an avid thrift store shopper. The yellow velvet clutch is Banana Republic, Courtney says the clothes there are a little too preppy for her tastes, but she loves their accessories.

When she removes the jacket, the deep neckline scoop takes it from the library to cocktails, which pretty much describes my ideal life. Shoes are Calvin Klein.

The necklace is by Jalea Jalea, Mexico.

The dress has a little surprise sexy in the back, which is kind of Courtney’s thing. So lovely.

This leather jacket is sans label. Courtney says borrowed it from an L.A. friend for “her summer/San Francisco’s winter.” Truth. Her purse is a Josh Jakus felt zipper bag.

Courtney bought this dress on 5th St. in Brooklyn so many years ago that the label just has a bird on it. Clearly the designer did not see Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein coming.

Shoes are Calvin Klein.

Again with the surprise sexy. Yes, Courtney. This is working for us.

If you’d like to see more of Courtney’s closet, you’ll find her here:

Mighty Closet: Courtney Skott, Outfit 1
Mighty Closet: Courtney Skott, Outfit 2
Mighty Closet: Courtney Skott, Outfit 3
Mighty Closet: Courtney Skott, Outfit 4
Mighty Closet: Courtney Skott, Outfit 5

Wallow, the Soundtrack

So sick. I woke up with a fever and chills and the smell of death on the air. I wish this bed would stop touching me so I could sleep.

Anyway, when I was young and feeling heartbroken, I used to make breakup tapes with one side for feeling sorry for myself and one with happy music. Did you ever do this? While I’m incapacitated, please add links to songs to weep by and songs that make you dance around in your underwear.

When my skin isn’t peeling up at the edges, I shall make a mixtape.

Ready, Set, Panic

Alice and Eden make me laugh.

Exhibit A: Text message transcript from a conversation with Alice.

Me: I still can’t feel my toes.
Alice: I am sort of wondering if I’m still a little drunk.
Me: Yes. I woke up not hungover and thought, Uh-oh.
Alice: My head does hurt, so that’s promising.
Me: I think I spontaneously generated an organ that only processes bourbon last night. If you submerged me in a giant bottle of Makers, my intuition tells me I could breathe.
Alice: You evolved! You’re a higher life form now!
Me: I can actually hear what all the drunk people in the world are thinking right now.
Alice: Next time you come out we’ll have to test it out. Your bourbon gills.
Me: We’ll get a Deeta VonTease style champagne saucer, and I shall wear a bathing cap. And pasties.
Alice: Add that shit to your life list.
Me: It’s right next to asking Marilyn Manson to cover my body in Lunchables.
Alice: I can’t formulate a clever response because I’m laughing too hard. Which is hurting my head parts.
Me: Why are you laughing?
Alice: I’m laughing in triumph. My life list involves seeing you covered in meats.
Me: Full circle.
Alice: I’m impressed that you got to the airport. And that I somehow managed to call you a car. And that we’re still alive.
Me: I’m not surprised we’re still alive, just surprised we aren’t naked and chained to something in someone’s basement.
Alice: Oh, I am. Didn’t I mention?
Me: I know. I can hear your thoughts.
Alice: Why won’t you free me?
Me: You tend to thrive in an environment that provides creative constraints.
Alice: You’re like a semi-aquatic telepathic life coach.

Exhibit B: When I told her about my separation, Eden sent me this.

It’s an arrangement of mums with pipe cleaners to form the mouth and eyes.

My point here is that Alice and Eden have a book coming out today, and I’m excited for them. It’s called Let’s Panic About Babies!

If you’re feeling alarmed yourself, you can buy it here. Here’s hoping Alice and Eden make you laugh too.