On a journey to find myself.

I completely forgot that I had a photostream on Flickr. I wonder what other long forgotten traces of Jen there are out there on these here interwebz.

Also made me realize that I really need to take more pictures. And go to more pretty places.

I think those are two of my favorites. I also think I just figured out how to hotlink a picture from Flickr. I love it when I figure out something that everybody else already knows and then briefly feel an overinflated sense of accomplishment succeeded quickly by acute embarassment. It's like a mini emotional roller coaster. Wheeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Serving Up Some Lame for Lunch

I've made myself late for work the last two mornings in a row, trying to put the Japan into lunchtime for the kiddo. Frankly, I blame it on the bento. The whole point of bento is to create a portable meal that's as attractive as it is tasty. Therefore, I am utterly missing the point so far. Go me! My first two attempts have been full of fun stuff but also woefully pathetic (not to mention, kind of unhealthy). I figure it should only take me a little while or a good 43 years to build up to this kind of amazing. But, whatever. Here goes. Day 1: Anthropomorphized musubi (i.e. rice balls), fried bologna, turnip kim chee, bananas, grapes and all kinds of ugly. Day 2: Slightly more colorful, no less unhealthy. Nutella pinwheels, half-fake sausages (wannabes), a car shaped boiled egg, radioactive goldfish and Hershey kisses.

Sorta pinwheels anyway.

As I predicted, I'm way more excited about the whole thing than he is. Now I just need more stuff! Real bento boxes! Veggie cutters! A new kitchen to store it all in!

If you can't be with the lamp you love, love the lamp you're with.

This morning, I headed out to Cameron, NC sans kiddos and the man for what I thought was a little Antique Fair. Turns out it's HUGE. And awesome. Apparently something like 15,000 people show up for this thing. 14,999 people and me. Insanity! I got off to a rocky start, thinking I could pick up some cash when I got there. I asked about the nearest ATM, and was directed to Vass. An entirely different town. Like 20 minutes away. The heck!? A town without a single ATM is a serious anomaly. But, hey I'm quick on my feet. I stepped into the post office, bought some stamps and got cash back. Resourceful! I'm telling you, we could kill that Amazing Race. I stepped into an adorable little shop with antiques and a tea room and spotted the most amazing lamp I have ever seen.

My only question was: Right after I snapped that picture, the two proprietors came sprinting into the room and asked me if I had seen a flash of light. Apparently, they had had some sort of lamp related incident earlier and were convinced that a lamp had exploded and possibly killed me. Or maybe they weren't concerned about me. In any event, I explained that I had taken a picture of the fabulous lamp but no, I wasn't interested in purchasing it, thanks anyway. Also, terribly sorry about scaring the bejeesus out of you. Awkward. So, I moved on. I ran into the cutest couple selling some vintage jewelry and taking it way back. I asked if I could take their picture and he insisted on first grabbing his dapper hat and then started posing. I wasn't sure how to gracefully clarify that I wanted to take both their picture, so I just went with it. Fun stuff all around, but it was time to get serious. I was looking for a kitschy cute salt and pepper shaker set for my mother-in-law for Mother's Day. After about a thousand pairs of those boring old Cape Cod, crystally glass shakers with silver tops, I finally spotted a bunch of really cute sets. And then I saw this. I don't know. Maybe those aren't weird and kind of racist. But, they certainly weren't kitschy cute. Fortunately, these so were. Score! All in all, a wonderful way to pass the morning in a very quaint little town with beautiful houses lining the main street.