I Love SoOh

It's been a long time since I posted and I had previously alluded to a big change. Well, the big change is that I'm moving this blog to www.ilovesooh.com. I have a lot of things I'm going to be working on; the party planning business, restarting my etsy shop, making my new place a home and most importantly rediscovering Southern Ohio! And now you know that SoOh stands for the lovely area in which I grew up! In short, I felt like I needed to merge everything in one place. I'll still be posting on SoOh business related items and helpful party planning tips but it will also be a bit more personal and include other stuff I'm interested in; my shop, decor, film and nerdy stuff. So, I hope that anyone that has been following thus far will join me over at www.ilovesooh.com to get to know me and my new home in Southern Ohio.

Meet and Eat: Cinco De Mayo

HAPPY CINCO DE MAYO

I'm not going lie, I'm a bit disappointed google didn't take the opportunity to doodle this occasion but maybe doodling holidays is too trite at this point. I should really start getting back into the habit of posting gorgeous lush-looking photos to each post because I can imagine all the incredible mexican images you;ve seen elsewhere; hopefully courier will allow your imagination to bloom.

Some news; I'm actually about to set sail and move from my current HQ so I've been sort of preoccupied (as if you couldn't tell by the lack of postings...and images). As soon as I move I intend on announcing some big changes. This start-up blog has undergone a few changes already but reast assured this change will be a change to end all changes. Until then, I leave you with this...

Voice-over gold, amirite? Anyone else notice that they are coming back in trailers or is that just me? Oh and as far as meeting and eating, go find yourself a hole-in-the-wall Mexican place with so-so food and delicious frozen margaritas!

Partyquette: Mind and Matter

So my laptop has been returned and it appears to be working smoothly. I've been hungrily back tracking through my google reader and I found a couple of very interesting finds that I wanted to share.

First, this article about misinformation. If you've ever worked in an office, you've probably gotten some spammy emails from a co-worker regarding some made-up "PSA". Pretty annoying. Well maybe you can "spam" this article to everyone in the office as a not so subtle hint hint. My next find was again on lifehacker. The article is about reclaiming your self-respect. I really enjoy the comment section on lifehacker so after skimming over the article I came to this comment:

Sounds like something Dr. Seuss once said: "Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."

I was ready and rearing to tweet this quote but the previous misinformation article must have subliminally guided me to search the quote on google and low-and-behold:

Misattributed

Those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind.

Bernard Baruch in response to a question by Igor Cassini as to how he handled the seating arrangements at his dinner parties, as quoted in Shake Well Before Using: A New Collection of Impressions and Anecdotes Mostly Humorous (1948) by Bennett Cerf, p. 249; the full response was "I never bother about that. Those who matter don't mind, and those who mind don't matter." This anecdote is also quoted online at Chiasmus.com. It has also become part of a larger expression, which has been commonly attributed to Dr. Seuss, even in print, but without citation of a specific work: "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."

The quote by Bernard Baruch (presidential adviser to FDR) is a great quote and he deserves credit. It is especially relevant here because it is about seating arrangements at a party. I tend to agree with Bernard; seating arrangement is not necessary. So let is be known

Those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind.

And if you want, you can apply the same thinking when trying to decide if you should speak your mind, show your emotions or dance on the dance floor.

Maintenance

COMPUTER MAINTENANCE

I've been having major computer issues for the last few months and I will be sending my precious away to be fixed. I've decided in the interim that instead of scrambling to borrow a computer, I'm going on a computer hiatus. I don't have any fancy smartphone so for the next week I'll officially be without internet access and computer access in my personal life. I'll let you know how this experiment goes. Hopefully I'll get some pressing "real life" projects out of the way. I'll see you next week with some big news and a big reveal!

Partyquette

I realized I have not talked about partyquette in awhile! Recently, I got my hands on a great collection of party do's and dont's from a wonderful House Beautiful article. House Beautiful might be my next subscription, it's choke full of of great home tips and other great tips like the ones I'm going to talk about. I thought it would be fun to highlight some of the comments and throw in my two cents.

"Don't try a new recipe at a party."

—Tricia Foley, designer/author

DISAGREE. I say go for it but my suggestion is try a a new side dish, hors d'oeuvre and/or recipe. The stakes are smaller. I'm not a "cook-a-fun-dish-everyday" girl so I don't have many dishes under my belt. I think a party is a great time to slip a new recipe in because honestly if the drinks are flowing and the tunes are pumping people aren't going to shame you for a "miss" recipe.

"Flowers are overused as centerpieces. Use seasonal fruit, a tureen, or an interesting sculptural centerpiece instead."

—Christopher Spitzmiller, ceramic designer

I thinking doing something outside the usual is always invigorating and intriguing. I also think edible centerpieces are fun and functional. Also keep in mind you could reuse some of your home decor to use as a centerpiece as well. And if you do decide to get something new, my only suggestion is to try to buy something you can later incorporate into your home.

"Don't use plastic."

—Jennifer Rubell, artist/writer

Another off base one. This one is pretty eye-roll inducing if you ask me. Also this is quite the bourgeois attitude that says there aren't respectable looking plastic wares that are appropriate for a party. I think clear hard plastic can fit subtly and "unoffensively" into any party. China does give you the opportunity to dress up the table a bit more than some of the limited selection of plastic-wares in the store but many parties do not require an air of lofty elegance.

"I discovered early on that the best parties involve a certain amount of serendipity. I try not to have everything done when the guests arrive so that people can pitch in and help in the kitchen. It's a great ice-breaker."

—Ruth Reichl, author/former editor, Gourmet magazine

I love this attitude because I think it lends itself to the host also enjoying the party. Try to relax and enjoy. I have the great fortune of having an awesome cooking partner that will handle most (if not all) of the food which is a huge part of the battle. Don't be too proud to ask someone who is better at a certain area to help whether it be with the food, decor, drinks, and/or invitations. And be sure to share the praise with that person. Sure it is great to get all the attention for throwing a great party but it's not nearly as great as being able to enjoy the party and your friends.

Thrift Tip

SHOULD I BUY THIS?

As much as I love thrifting and buying items, I've learned to use some discretion when choosing what to buy. It’s not always easy and I’m sure all you avid shoppers out there know what I mean. Nonetheless, I have developed an arsenal of questions I always ask myself before I purchase an item.

What

What am I going to use it for?
Decor, Re-purposing, Gift etc?*

*Knowing the use determines what sort of quality you need


How

How long do I want to keep the item?
How often will I use it?


When

When will I use it?
When will I “fix” and/or re-purpose it?
Is it seasonal?


Why

Why do I need it? Is it one-of-a-kind?
Why is it useful?
Why am I purchase this item second-hand?


Where

Where am I going to place it? How visible will it be?

...

Do you have any questions you ask yourself before you buy a thrift store item?

At the Movies

SUPPORT

YOUR LOCAL INDEPENDENT MOVIE THEATERS!

Tonight I went to the movin' picture show and saw a wonderful animated film by Bill Plympton (check out his blog) called "Idiots and Angels". I really enjoyed it and I reserve the right to withhold my critique...just go see it and judge for yourself. Where can you see it, hmmm? Well I saw it at my local independent movie theater so I encourage you to do the same. Each local independent movie theater is unique but if there is a independent film that you would like to see, I'm sure you can contact your local establishment and see if they can acquire it. This is one of the many reasons why local movie theaters are so awesome and because of this I wanted to take some time and give a shout out to a few great local theaters I've been too. Keep up the great work!

The Neon

Cinematheque

Cedar Lee

Outer Limits

Amaryllis

Once, when I wandered in the woods alone,

An old man tottered up to me and said,

“Come, friend, and see the grave that I have made

For Amaryllis.” There was in the tone

Of his complaint such quaver and such moan

That I took pity on him and obeyed,

And long stood looking where his hands had laid

An ancient woman, shrunk to skin and bone.

Far out beyond the forest I could hear

The calling of loud progress, and the bold

Incessant scream of commerce ringing clear;

But though the trumpets of the world were glad,

It made me lonely and it made me sad

To think that Amaryllis had grown old.

  

~ Edwin Arlington Robinson

Ready...Set...Thrift!

Thrifting Research

I thought it was finally time to talk about one of my favorite things to do; thrifting! But before I dive in with any of my thrifting, I occasionally do a little reconnaissance. Of course some occasions are best left impromptu but I'm referring quality and efficiency. So here are a few things I do if my mission is to get in, get out with fantastic items.


ONLINE

{Websites}
I frequent Goodwill so I always check out the local websites for deals and/or events that are going on.

{Craigslist}
Craigslist (aka thrifting online) has an RSS feed so if you are looking for a particular item in a particular price range with an image, search for it in your location and then copy the link of the results and put it into the feed you use (I use googler reader). This way you will be able to see new listings that fit your criteria without going to the website and entering in your search. You could also bookmark the link.


LOCATION

I have the good fortune to be situated in the midwest and also be a hop and skip away from the south. And in my experience, different places are going to have different items indigenous and popular in that area. Also I've found the more south I've gone the cheaper things are especially if not situated near a big city.


CALENDAR

{Seasons}
Consider the timing of your visit. Certain seasons will have more of certain items. For the most part thrift stores, like Goodwill, set out stuff that represents the season but they also rely on people getting rid of items and I don't know about you but I am more likely to get rid of items that I'm not using from a different season. Here are some things you may find that are contrary to the current season:

1. Winter: gardening equipment
   
2. Spring: mason jars
3. Summer: school supplies
4. Fall: picnic baskets

{Holidays}
Remember that holidays also dictate the items that are set out. If I'm buying items for the holiday I always turn to thrifting. Cheap, Cheap, Cheap. You can't beat that for items that are used once a year and may end up right back where they came from. And just like regular retail stores, the items are even cheaper after the holiday. Side note: I'll start updating our SoOh Calendar to reflect what I see in the thrift stores, so check back.

And that's it...

If you do any research before you thrift, please share in the comments.

Question of the Day

What hobbies do you do after work to relax?

Yesterday I missed the opportunity to blog because I attended a board game night and went dancing after with my Kuy Guy (aka my husband). The board games were quite rousing and I highly recommend adding Pandemic to any board game enthusiast's repertoire.  The night of dancing was the best night of dancing I have ever been too. I know it's not everyone's choice of music but you may want to consider going to a Drum and Bass (techno) show sometime. I know what you are thinking but no, it was not like the movies where it's all crazy. For {1} I live in the Midwest, {2} it was a very small venue and {3} it was full of nerds. If you can find a small nerdy Midwest club playing UK style techno, it's great fun cause there is no pressure to dance well; none, zero zippo! Dancing and board games are two hobbies I find very stress relieving and relaxing but I can't always do them after work. In fact, most of the hobbies I end up doing sort of frustrate me. I set goals for my hobbies that frankly defeat the purpose of them being hobbies. So I'd love to learn some new hobbies to try out; what hobbies do you do after work to relax?

Addendum 
 

I wanted to share a funny edit I had to do on one of my sentences "I set goals for my boobies that frankly defeat the purpose of them being hobbies" The proverbial Freudian slip, no?