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The week so far has been an interesting arrangement of ups and downs for me, but today started rather low. It's not nice to wake up and find you have no water (again!). It's worse when you discover the pipes you just had repaired the other day have busted another furious leak. Out in the cold, rainy street. The plumber won't be able to do anything until the rain lets up. (le sigh.)

I'm really thankful for good friends, and good friends who send you awesome stuff on StumbleUpon, are even better.

Before we present to you the star of our post, here's what Aurgasm.us has to say about them:

“Django guitar, windy street swing; music for both art directors and for your mother” is how MOVITS! describe their sound. Well-known in Sweden, but unheard of elsewhere, they fold together elements of 1930’s big band swing, roma swing and rhythm & blues, then drop hiphop vocals on top for some serious energetic firepower.

Ladies and gents, I present you MOVITS!

MOVITS! Fel del av gården from Axel Söderlund on Vimeo.

Hi everyone! I know this is a bit old, but do bear with me.

James and I just watched Mariah Carey's music video for her single Touch My Body. You usually won't find her on our playlists, but her video is really, really funny. It's awesome that a pop star like her has a quirky sense of humor, and that she's cool with making fun of herself! Two thumbs up from James and me! :D

Mariah Carey - Touch my body
Uploaded by Mariah-Carey

Photo courtesy of The Weblicist.

Today is William Shakespeare's Birthday! (or so some experts say -- either way, it's still definitely worth celebrating!) ^_^*

The Bard was a big and well-loved part of my college days, and still gives me fond memories of his works on stage. Being a Theater Major back then, your college life just wasn't complete when you didn't go see a Shakespeare play, specially when it was directed my Professor José Estrella.

I really, really loved watching her do Shakespeare because she somehow manages to inject new life into the Bard's works, and I don't just mean Hamlet-in-a-corporate-setting treatment.

She gave Macbeth a whole new face by setting it in the ethnic tribal system of the Bontoc, and it all made perfect sense. Think of Hermione and Leontes playing Tag as an opening scene for The Winter's Tale, Hermione heavy with child. A wheelchair-bound, enfeebled Leontes at the beginning of the second act, shrinking in the dark against a projection of a home-made video of his family, his wife smiling, blowing kisses, waving at the camera.

There were also happy parts she directed. Think of a winsome Perdita, flowers in her hair, making her entrance on a swing lowered from upstage right, and swinging into the audience! Think of Rosalind from As You Like It, getting a boyish make-over set to Cake's Short Skirt, Long Jacket. Florizel being a cute, mild-mannered, nerdy-looking guy in black-rimmed prescription glasses.

Short Skirt, Long Jacket - Cake

Amazing. In my boyfriend's words, Ma'am Jose made Shakespeare awesome sauce. ^_^*

Good times. Real good times.

I now leave you with yet another onstage production whose concept may be as off-kilter awesome. The poster, if you please:

Nope, not a joke, folks. Shakesploitation! Is a real, honest-to-goodness production, and proves to show the Bard is still as bad-ass as he was centuries ago. Fun, no?

photo by je suis amyrainbow.

This morning was a welcome surprise, and a most welcome break from the sultry, humid heat of an Asian summer. It's a very rainy day today, and I honestly love it.

On the way to work, I spotted a Piaggio scooter -- made into a mini-pick-up truck. ^__^* It was pretty amazing, really. I think the compartment at the back could have held three to four giant tuna fish, or two very woolly sheep comfortably. I was laughing and smiling to myself on the jeep, and the other passengers wondered what the hell was so special about the Piaggio. Oh well.

I've lately been plodding on with my pattern for my corset entry to the corset-making contest at work. I've so far created a front bodice pattern, and a back bodice pattern, the basic kind you learn when you start dressmaking. Er, I really won't use the front bodice pattern ( que horor!), but I did need a certain measurement on it to create the back bodice pattern's seam line. (that'd be the edge that goes down your sides inside your clothes.) the back bodice, I will need -- that, plus an underbust corset pattern (which I plan to draft tonight), and some carefully-places shoulder-straps.

I'm also happy that I've finally found a pattern for Clair's commission scarf. Ack! I know, I know... it's been a terribly long time, but I've finally found something I hope she will love. Work is in progress...

Thanks to Mikhal, a good college buddy of mine, I was introduced to this knitting pattern from WikiHow. I know it doesn't look very checkered-y, but I still am very happy with how it's turning out. :)

I most certainly intend to make a dress similar to this one on Miss Sarai of Sweet Sassafras. It looks so delightful and cheery! I'd like to try making it with my blue knotty cotton, though. I hope I can make it in time for summer. Still, corset and commissions come first. ;)

James and I have never been better, and I am so thankful and I love my life right now. it's a quiet thrill deep down inside me when I see our plans are slowly growing piece by tiny piece. something big and grand is waiting to happen, and can't wait for all that beauty to explode!

I wish you, dear reader, beauty and love in your life too. Tell me what makes Life beautiful for you today.