State of The Compound

Since it’s been all Button Sunday/MagPo posts around these parts, I figured I’m past due speaking of what’s going on at The Compound.

Yes, I voted. Early voted, in fact. And I’m so glad this election season is over because the number of phone calls I was getting drove me nearly crazy and distracted me from….uh… whatever it is I do around here.

There have been Craft Nights. And game-watching parties. I’ve been packing away dolls until the next Project Runway season, though I’m not sure I’ll be doing doll fashions again. I always feel this way–a little burned out–after a season of Runway Monday, then I start getting the itch to sew again and am relieved when a new season begins. So we’ll see. Feel free to CLAMOR FOR MORE FASHION in the comments.

My sister is coming to spend Thanksgiving with us. As you may recall, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, and Thanksgiving meals are the ones I most enjoy cooking. Rumor has it my sister-wife Kathy S will be here for Thanksgiving dinner, too. Hope so! I’m also hoping these flowers endure until my sister’s arrival, because she did some of the pruning and grooming that resulted in their being so lovely this autumn, despite Houston’s drought:

Lindsey, Tim, and I pre-ordered our opening night movie tickets for Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 1. I’ve never watched one of the movies with an entirely first-time audience, and I vowed to do so before the franchise ends just for the silly fun of it. It should be a happy audience but not as squealy as it could be since it’s a midnight movie and at least SOME youngsters should be home, if not in bed asleep, at that hour. As promised, when the movie opens, this month’s vampire poetry will end. Thank you again, Marika, for those Twilight-themed words.

Don’t think we’ll be finished with mythical creatures, however, because guess what arrived in the mail this week?

The original sparkly legend! Yay!

Speaking of mythological creatures, Tim and I have been watching Lost on Netflix. We just finished the first season and are either through the first or second episodes of the second season. I’m SO GLAD I didn’t watch this when it was first run, because I’d have been tormented by the cliffhangers. As I learned years ago from watching Sex and the City on DVDs, I enjoy television much more when my viewing isn’t spaced out over years. Otherwise, it’s difficult for me to sustain interest. This partially comes of not being in a workplace where a previous night’s shows get discussed in the break room or at lunchtime, although Tom tells me that doesn’t happen as frequently in these days of TiVo and DVRs.

I’ve been battling a headache for a couple of days with pharmaceuticals and naps, but last night I ventured out to meet Gilbert Ruiz to purchase this sketch from him. I first saw it on his Flickr account in September 2010 and laid claim to it then. When he recently opened up more of his works for sale, I knew the time had come to make it mine.

Gilbert also has a painting based on this sketch that I wish I could purchase. Maybe one day! Without going into too much detail, the sketch perfectly illustrates one of the to-be-written novels inside my head. So far, Gilbert is the only person who’s put it to paper (from his own creativity; he didn’t know about my novel idea), but I’m hoping his sketch will help me get it from my brain into words. It’s long overdue.

On my way to meet Gilbert, I was at one of the worst/busiest intersections in our neighborhood at rush hour when I witnessed a car hit a man and his dog. I joined several others in giving assistance. There were injuries to both, but none of them fatal or requiring medical help at the scene (dog definitely was headed toward ER vet). There’s a lot more to this incident, but really all I want to say is PLEASE be cautious drivers and pedestrians. Awful things can happen when any of us stops being observant for even a second.