Lisa: Chocolate Blues

While I was on tour with the Tab Choir, I visited a tiny yarn shop in Independence, Missouri. I bought a skein of pretty yarn as a souvenir, with the idea of knitting something for Nora when I got back home.

One skein isn't really a whole lot of yarn to work with, but it was just the right amount for one of the adorable hats from this book. I finished it off with pompoms made out of some of my leftover Ribby Cardi yarn for a little contrast.

I know, making a winter hat in July seems incongruous, and the photos of it on my sundress-clad daughter look ridiculous, but this was a quick and fun little project that got me kind of excited about knitting again. Maybe someday I'll even sew the zipper into my otherwise-totally-finished Ribby Cardi!

Lisa: Tool of the Week

I'm probably going to sound really stupid on this one, but I don't care. This simple cable was enough of a revelation for me that I want to share it with any other idiots who might be in need.

What I'm talking about is a cable that has a headphone-style audio jack on one end, and RCA-style audio plugs (you know the kind, they're the red/white components of the standard red/yellow/white TV cables) on the other end. Something like this.

I have no idea where we got this handy-dandy cable, since I just found it in our cord box at a very opportune moment. It must have come free with something we bought in the past, because I had no idea it even existed until I was holding it in my hand, realizing it would be the perfect solution to our current problem.

Two ways I've used this cord in the last two weeks:

1) When we hook the laptop up to the TV to watch movies on the bigger screen, the Apple mini-DVI-to-video setup only sends the video signal to the TV (not the audio). In the past, I've had to unplug the speakers from our desktop computer, lug them up from downstairs and set them up on top of the TV cabinet, since the laptop's internal speakers aren't loud enough. This new cable allows me to feed the audio right into the TV as well, using the TV's built-in speakers that are controlled by the TV remote.

2) When Sarah and I were rehearsing a few days ago, we wanted to sing along with a background track that I have as an mp3 on my laptop and iPod. Since I don't have speakers for my iPod, and again the laptop speakers were too soft, I just plugged the iPod into the TV and used the internal TV speakers instead.

So. What seemingly obvious/inexpensive thing has made a huge difference in YOUR life lately?

Sarah: Douche

Dad, I'm not sure this entry is for you. You've been warned.

A few months ago, Dave and Angie sent me this video from the 1980s. They didn't prepare me for what was ahead, so neither will I:

"Mom, do you douche?" "I sure do." So disturbing. I need to call my mom and thank her for never having this conversation with me.

What I did not expect was to find that this type of advertising, the mother-daughter heart-to-hearts about douching went back to the 1940s:

While it is nice to live without the old bugaboos, your doctor or inappropriately open friend should be one to tell you about the womanly offense graver than bad breath or body odor.

Then Dave and Angie found this treasure:

Sorry, lady, that your husband avoids you because of your pungent hoo-ha. Note to self: don't ever lose the precious air of romance, if you know what I'm saying.

Sarah: Movie Monday

I almost emailed this video to a few friends, but realized that they were the three readers of this site, so I might as well post it here. This video is pretty long, but I think you'll like it. A little bit of internet optimism.

via swissmiss

Lisa: Oh, Carmine.

Look I know he's in a wheelchair now and all, and is dealing with a lot of mental trauma, but could someone please cut poor Danny Messer's hair before he starts looking any more like Fisher Stevens?

It's got to be hard enough working with Gary Sinise every day without that kind of spectre looming.