home, parenthesis.

so, nearing thirty (ok, in like three years), i have to wonder if i am on the 'right' track or not. is my apartment 'adult' enough (and not in the dirty way). is there are certain level one achieves at thirty? and how is this level determined? have i missed my window of opportunity to be a fully functional adult with savings and bonds and a 401k (well i have the 401k - thanks work!)?
i suppose i have a career (weird), i am married (weird), about to have a kid (weird). hm. i have to admit, i never really equated those things with adulthood. having money maybe. and a house. ha. those material goods are far away, i think. max sometimes asks me if i regret not marrying rich. i tell him every single day of my life. kidding. really. maybe.
eh, if there is some specific level, i am probably not there. which is ok. i have everything i really need, and then some. a savings account would be nice.
as a side note, i hate paris hilton alot.

Yeah, so, like, that is totally what I wanted to do today. Apparently I have been sleeping on my neck in the completely wrong way, because I cant seem to move my head in any way.

Additionally, we finalized the plans for the baby shower invites - and let me say, these might be the fanciest invites i have ever, ever had. my friend anna, who has amazing taste, is the creator of these jems. i cant wait to send them out. modern and gorgeous, with bees (the inspiration for today's image). have i mentioned the theme of the kaiser roll is bees? have i mentioned we are going to name the kid kaiser cross sklar? yeah, there are many opinions of that. however, we were trying to think of something that relates to our families, and i was remarking on how i like max's fathers name. kaiser sklar it is. we will probably call him kai most of the time. or kaiser roll. i haven't decided.

sometimes i boil max's blood. i have this amazing knack for waking him up at the wrong time, specifically when he is late. apparently, i wake him up at the precise moment where it is too late to fix it. like, if he has a meeting at 8:30, i will usually wake him up at 8:35. i don't do this on purpose, i swear.

in a garden

so, after a rousing weekend of baroque music, i am able to return to my homebody ways.
a recent shopping trip to crate and barrel introduced me to the new line of dessert mixes by ina 'two pounds of butter' garten. i, of course, had to try the chocolate cupcakes.

oh god. i am happily bringing them to the office so i may not gain 5 more non-baby pounds.

while, i don't really feel its very responsible to blog about work, i do have to admit that there are a few characters there that i just cant wrap my head around. i like to think of myself as a pretty likable and easy-going person, but some personalities rub me the wrong way - namely super uptight, asshole personalities. seriously. there is no place for that in my life. i am far to old to tolerate the kind of person who, when i smile at them in the hallway, refuses to acknowledge my existence. additionally, people don't have to speak to others with the harshest tone possible. last i checked, it was completely unnecessary.

really though, the weekend was lovely. it felt good to see some well performed music - it made me miss it a little. and of course, amanda is a delightful house guest, though i still feel bad that my cats are unable to detect the fact that she is allergic to them. in fact, they giver her more attention than anyone! they also don't understand that amanda's lap is far smaller than the lap of max or myself. i was also able to check out Boston's new modern art museum, which is gorgeous - very minimalist. beautiful work.

but now, i am totally worn out.
ciao!

yeah.....

i don't have any excuse, really.
but i have been a very bad blogger. perhaps in an effort to document the continuation of what i am calling 'alyson as host organism', i will post more. but who wants to read a blog about a preggo?

things are moving along nicely. i hate to admit that i am proud of the fact that the unborn is growing at a perfect rate and seems to have all requirements of a perfect human form. the heart has all of its valves. there are two kidneys. what more can we ask for?

i am also grappling with the fact that is it boy child. a boy. i really, really, really thought it was going to be a girl. but i am apparently giving max a proper son to inherit the kingdom. christ. it is sooo going to be a mini-max.

in other news, life is moving at a rapid clip. work is busy for the both of us. school has ended for me, thank god, but max is beginning the semester - summer classes. i cant even deal. but he is anxious to finish, which i understand. i am still trying to keep myself under the impression that i will be taking classes in the fall.

hilarity.

wow, um wow.

so, has it really been since august! my god, max and i are terrible bloggers. i bring no joy to anyone in the blogosphere. i think my friend robert is amazing. he not only writes hilariously, but every day to boot. sigh.
but i am writing because this is one of the first days i have had off since, well, august! i took an extra day for the thanks, and it will entail lots of laundry, dishes and packing. i am headed to DC where max's sister and father live. It will be lovely and capitol-esque.
the work. hm. the work has been good, just very busy. i am still on the retail end of things, but lately i have been a part of a design protoype for a large company that sells children's shoes. there have been plan diagrams by hand and using illustrator (my new favorite program - all of the pantone colors!), concept and image research, interviews with kids, and indesign books for presentations. its been very different and pretty thrilling. i actually felt somewhat like an interior designer, as opposed to space planner. i was mostly assisting a lead designer at work, who i must say has an impeccable eye and knows exactly what she wants. it was actually pretty thrilling to work with someone who not only understands construction but has a really creative approach and amazing design technique. i have also begun some corporate interiors work, which isnt the most creative, but still is something new and something i have never done before.
so yeah, life in a nutshell. things have been pleasantly busy and fun - a halloween extravaganza (dragqueen cabaret singer - because i think when i go over the top with makeup, etc, i actually look more like a man than any drag queen) visits from dear, dear friends and family, whom i adore, and lots of work related drinking.
truly, will try to write more. sheesh.
smooches!

red balloons

additionally, max informed me last night, that:

1. he has to agree with me in that america may not be the place we live, you know, like forever.
2. he has decided against my ideas of paris and perhaps florence, but has chosen BERLIN!

which of course reminds me of those hilarious cartoons in my german class that said things like,
ich ein berliner. or something. because, honestly, i dont remember much german. which, i suppose i should regret!

so, if and when we graduate, and then somehow snag jobs at international architecture firms in new york, we will then move to berlin and have children or own weiner dogs. or weimeraimers.

yeah.

sklown

just came back from a great weekend in nyc - dear god - i forget how much i miss these people until i see them!
unfortunately, i came home with some tummy troubles, so i took today off as well. lots of water, lots of rest, and a potential doctor visit. bleh. i liked being sick as a child (lots of magazines, coloring books, attention from mom), but as an adult, it just kind of sucks. seriously.
anyway.....
back to nyc. it was great - saw important places of opera, the met museum of art, movies, and a few fabulous bars and restaurants. mostly importantly, it was just alot of hangout time with robert and amanda. of which i was in dire need. dont get me wrong, boston is great, and i love my boston people. but these particular gems are seriously dear friends who have seen me at my best and worst. and everyone is doing well! sure, there are things we might change here and there, but essentally, everyone is great. additionally, i was reminded my my list of possible last names, before max and i married. and its still true that sklown is by far, the worst last name a person could ever have.
its fun to see how our lives are playing out. and for whatever reason, i now feel a bit more at ease about a few things, more importantly the new career path i have taken. i have felt some guilt about it, but everyone was happy for me and interested to hear about it. especially when i spouted of unwanted historical facts about perspective. that must have been awesome. i think i have been spending too much time with encylodpedia maxica.
so, i am going to head back to the couch. more soon.

the boring

since the end of school, life has been a bit more relaxed. my day involves the following, except when i work those pesky 62 hour weeks --

work, come home from work, play tennis, do laundry, eat dinner, watch tivo. but we are also re-doing our kitchen, which we started in january and havent really finished yet. and that makes me feel kind of crazy. the kind of crazy that makes me naggy mcnaggerstons. which makes the macs, as i shall now spell his name, not as happy. but macs doesnt always have the same sense of urgency that i do. which makes activities like redecoration happen in a painful way. i dont understand how those jackasses on home and garden tv redo an entire neighborhood in a weekend. i just dont get it.

work, as mentioned previously, has been great. except for the 62 hours part. alot of nail-biting responsibility, which also is great, except, i have a tendency to totally freak out in my head about everything. i feel a deep sense of personal responsibility at my job and that doesnt always jive with my ever growing obsessive compulsive personality. when did i get so high strung? have i always been this way and never known? i wish someone had said something. but my co-workers and i were treated to a "lets leave work early on friday and drink, drink, drink to our amazing ability to do amazing architectural things" shin-dig. yeah, cool, except it was a total drink-off. and while those can be fun, leaving a bar you dont really know the name of, calling various people 12 times and demanding where they were (as if that would help), managing to wander to the right subway station to then fall asleep on the subway and stumble the two-blocks home from the last stop is not my idea of a good time. dont get me wrong, it was an absolutley hilarious evening. it's just that the next day is not how i ever want to spend a saturday ever again. oof.

so simply recovering this weekend, curling up from the rain with two exciting netflix's and two sleepy cats.

so thats what 53 hours feels like

yeah. it's been very busy. work has been pretty intense, but again, very gratifying. some drawings that are being sent to contractors and the like, to be, you know, built, have my name on them. as in, i drew them. and some schmo' is going to use them to build something.
what?
so it has been a bit surreal -- not to mention thanking my lucky stars i am not salaried. because i love me some time and a half. but that is enought about the work. its good. i am tired.
school, as of this evening, is over. so i can have my weekends back. enjoy my life. sleep in. cook food. i can not wait. the completion of the kitchen is shortly upon the sklar-brown household, especially since my landlord ok'ed the new flooring. love it when my nice russian landlord helps out. it makes me feel less like a plain old renter, and more like a renter who has a place that is more like home.
the max has also been busy. he has this studio space now where he builds models and thinks about buildings. not particularly in that order.
as you can tell from my picture, i am becoming fascinated with interior finishes from 3m. this money plant suspended in plexiglass is my favorite. i can image some amazing kitchen cupboards made out of it....

wife

max likes to be cute and call me wife.
and then i punch him in the face. no, not really, but i probably punch him on the arm. but he totally started it.
as you can tell, from our return from the dead, that things are well in the sklar-brown household. i wont try to imitate max's delightful prose, but i think, dear readers, you can all tell that joy has been restored!
it has been a busy week at the work -- there are many stores going out this week, so many drawing sets are being created, red-lined, and redrawn. but it is very fast paced and very exciting. i hate to admit, but i worked from 7am - 11 pm. but it was great. isnt that disgusting? i think its hideous that i could enjoy my job this much, but i do. i have this great project manager who has been an amazing guide; always answering my silly and not so silly questions with endless patience and humor. working for her is a piece of cake, and i know putting in the long hours eases her stress. so when did i become this capitalist workhorse?
one of the other project managers in my pc (profit center) is a classical musician on the side -- it has motivated me to get back into this business we call show. i miss it. finally. so auditions will be coming up in the fall and i will be there. it means i will take a class or so less, but maybe i can do both....

a very long absence

well, as it turns out, max and i are still alive. and i cant really blame anyone but myself for not posting. i am very jealous of my friend robert, who is amazing at not only being hilarious everyday, but actually posting something hilarious everyday.

but things have been exceptionally busy. there has been some kitchen renovation (still in the works) some new job overtime (talk more about that in a minute) and lots of school. this is actually the first sunday in some time that i have a moment to relax and try to sum up my life in a few semi-interesting paragraphs. i am also trying to write a paper on the signifigance of solitude in the Arnold Aboretum, but you probably dont want to hear about that (trust me).

so the new job. well, its pretty amazing in everyway. i finally managed to score a job in architecture/interior design. technically i am considered a drafter/desginer, but really i am mostly drafting for 8 hours a day, on a computer, and i am mostly drafting interior elevations at that. i am working in their retail division, which is very past paced -- lots of overtime if i want it, lots of crazy deadlines. april and may are evidently going to be quite a ride. my co-workers are talented and smart and extremely proficient at what they do. its quite intimidating and i keep imagining that someday they will find me out. but i am learning an immense amount of information on various architectural details, autocad, design solutions and what exactly the process of design to construction is like. like i said, its intense.

school is for suckers, and it has been hard to stay motivated and interested, epecially when i am learning so much at work. but summer is coming, my portfolio review is coming so there is plently to think about. i am very excited for summer. there will be time to craft, time to visit friends, time to enjoy boston. and for once, i imagine i will be able to feel settled in where i am. boston is more home to me now, more than it ever has been, more than other places have felt.

i am definitely ready for the lazy, lemonade sipping, porch dwelling.

more soon. really.

baking

today is the first day in a long, long while that i have some time to actually post, albeit a post on nothing.

life has consisted of work, school and sleep. more work and school than sleeping, but what can an aspiring singer/designer do?

i have begun voice lessons again, which is great. my teacher is excellent in every way -- and i must admit she is eager to get me "out there". she also makes statements like, "well if you are going to make money as a singer...." which sort of makes me freak out. make money as a singer? what? me? so, i will see where this is heading. last week i did right by christ and sang in one of boston's oldest churches, old south church. sam adams was one of its leaders, for example. O-L-D. it was certainly nice to be in front of people again, even if it was for jesus. i will take the jobs where i can get them, people.

my real job is going well and has certainly improved since the new girl started. things like responsibility and confidence have improved. there is also another person to be yelled at. that i like.

last night i watched empire of the sun, or something like that. think china during world war II. sad british colonialists. can i really feel sad for them? not really. and, while i love christian bale, his acted palette has not changed since he was 12. it is kind of weird.

so before everyone is asleep i shall sign off. perhaps the max will provide us with some entertaining fodder. i know he has been dying to talk about his feelings regarding the south.

smooches
a

it is hot like no tomorrow

whew....

yeah, so it has been a very long time since i have written. thank god max was there to inform those out there who are interested that we are still alive.

i always seem to forget that moving is such a painful, horrendous, horrible, awful, painful, wretched, awful, horrible expirience. and we werent the most prepared. it turns out that both of us working full-time creates a very disorganized and uncompleted task list -- and packing was certainly low on the list of important things to do. why you ask? well, after moving heavy boards full of mohair and cut chenille, the last thing i wanted to do was pack. and i have to admit that when i feel like i am the only one preparing for something important like moving, i get really overwhelmed, freak out and stop any work towards completion of whatever project is needed to complete. it is very bratty, but there is something in me that doesnt like it when i am the only responsible one. except, it isnt really like that. i just become melodramatic and make myself feel all overwhelmed....well, you get the picture. so i become horribly annoying. i tried to do less of that. really. max may have a different opinion.

however, we are actually all moved in -- but that doesnt mean we are organized. still alot of putting away -- sigh. it makes my ocd freak out a bit, but the fact we were able to put some curtain rods up today with some mighty fine curtains makes me relax a bit. yes i am THAT crazy.

tomorrow is full of more house work -- damn it, the apartment will be completed tomorrow! IT WILL! and perhaps some relaxation too. i am embarrassed to admit that i have been playing an awful amount of grand theft auto: san andreas. but i cant stop racing around a fictisious city, having sex with hookers and then killing them for their money. oh this game totally defies all of my personal beliefs -- i just cant stop playing it.

school is soon. that is scary. i have been contemplating some old work. hence the picture.

north conway was beautiful. we drove on a highway called kangamangefrangipangisomething or other. there was once a man on the mountain, but he has since fallen off in a landslide. oops. now new hampshire is mascot-free. it is definitely sad, considering how much touristy stuff still has the picture of the old rock face on it.

i will try to be a bit more regular about this updating thing now that we have the mighty internet.

until next time,

smooches.

datum

so when i think about the beginning of any drawing, i have to contemplate the datum. a line often used as a point of reference on a drawing. it can be anywhere or anything. it is different than the axis. some consider the horizon lines to be datums.

i sometimes forget the thin line that balances out my life. too much of anything is never a good thing. too little just as bad. i always seem to forget how much easier it is just to let some stuff go. no need to be on edge. it can be hard to know when i am on the verge of shrilldom.

too much sun has burned king max and he is now wrapped in gauze.

too much spending has currently left our bank account to only have $9.20. tomorrow that will change. thankfully. gratefully.

we have found our apartment for, what max and i hope to be, the next few years. it has five rooms. a dishwasher. a washer and dryer. a beautiful bedroom. a study! a large pumpkin colored bathroom. the owners are nice and new, and it is cheaper than the place we are living now. i am in love.

oh the anna french

well, like max, i hav acquired a design job. a real, honest to goodness design job. a job in which i play assistant while someone else, namely sassybosslady, plays the person who tells me to do menial tasks, like fold fabric samples. but really? i absolutely love it. i have an extremely funny sassybosslady, who is just about the best boss i have ever had. i mean, she calls me chickadee and has a partner who is hondurian. my co-workers are also super-sassy and one happens to be a brazilian, the other hailing from san fran. i am talking fabulous, people. i have to say, it is my most favorite job i have ever had, aside from teaching those really talented kids how to sing.
and.....i get to play with fabulous, fabulous high end fabrics. we are talking 250 dollars a yard. A YARD. and the best is this german line. oh. it. is marvelous.

so definitely feeling a bit more optimistic about the future. if we can just get over this july rent business and find ourselves a livable apartment that king max accepts, then life will be good.

an addendum

max actually walked six miles, both ways, to a total of 12 miles altogether.
you, dear reader, may decide the moronity.

smooches
a

how about a nice side of slave labor

my mother just called to inform me that the china buffet, a restaurant that i used to frequent in college and otherwise, is having major governmental issues and is closing 6 michigan restaurants due to slave labor. yep. evidently the china buffet is being accused of locking chinese employees in hotel and carting them off to work, without much food or any pay. i wonder if they are still operating in indiana? needless to say, i feel totally grossed out and horrified. there is nothing quite like aiding the economy of slaves....


Jun 9, 12:11 PM EDT

17 Chinese restaurants raided in Mich.

By JOHN FLESHER
Associated Press Writer

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) -- Authorities raided 17 Chinese restaurants around Michigan that they suspect of ducking millions of dollars in taxes and importing undocumented workers as a "modern version of indentured servants."

Search warrants were also served at 21 homes of suspected undocumented Chinese workers. Dozens were involved in the scheme, State Police Lt. Curt Schram said.

"It cost them X number of dollars to come to this country and they're trying to work off that debt," Schram said.

Investigators believe one family or related families own the restaurants, which are mostly in the central and west-central areas of the Lower Peninsula, the statement said.

The owners are suspected of claiming only a third of their actual income and sending part of the proceeds out of the country, while shortchanging the state and federal governments of millions of dollars in sales, unemployment and use taxes, police said. About $400,000 in cash was seized.

Nine people were arrested at a Chinese buffet in Petoskey, and two people believed to be undocumented workers were charged with driver's license violations and jailed in Montcalm County. An additional 13 people were found to have deportation orders and were handed over to immigration authorities.

"It's some sort of modern version of indentured servants," Emmet County Prosecutor James Linderman said.

The investigation began with one detective checking out a report in Newaygo County and eventually involved 22 local, state and federal agencies, Schram said.

Businesses in other states also are being looked at, although warrants have been served only in Michigan, he said.

The raids turned up "a tremendous amount" of business records written in Chinese that must be translated, Schram said.

my right hand is so tired

the past few days have been hectic -- lots of cleaning, lots of organizing, lots of writing thank you notes. i refuse to be THAT bride who doesn't properly thank each and every person for being a part of the wedding. they made a sacrifice to attend, and i can sacrifice some time to extend my thanks.

tonight the max and i met up at the store and in that couple-ly way, shopped for groceries and made dinner together. oof! gross! love! we did, however, make the best hamburgers along with homemade fries and corn on the cob. delicious!

in spite of the gloriousness of love in my life, i cant help but feel utterly rejected in my job search. it has been rough. three serious interviews so far. and i have absolutely nothing to show for it. i cant help but think that if i was more awesome at (insert ridiculous ability here), then i would for sure get the job. i totally have talent. i totally can sell a lamp, i mean, JESUS. if ethan allen wont take me, who will?

smooches
a

i finally learned what 90% humidity feels like

so, it was a whirl-wind of a wedding.

i was very happy with how it all turned out -- everyone worked like dogs to make sure everything was as great as it could be. so much to do! my mother and sister created beautiful decorations and the huppah! oh the huppah! the rabbi was great, if a little too drunk at times, and it seemed like all the right people were there.

not that there wasn't a fair share of nerve-wracking moments. but those didn't outweigh the really good stuff that happened. i don't know why i thought i would have so much time with people. i think there were a few people irritated with the fact i wasn't able to see them more. but i think that is how weddings go....i did try really hard to make everyone feel as important as i view them to be!

there also was some snafus with driving people to the airport. really, there were many family members who needed rides and few cars to take them in. i feel bad, but i also feel like i shouldn't have had to bear the responsibility to make sure everyone got where they needed to be. i actually was very very busy decorating, shopping, cleaning, organizing, and making food. it wasn't alyson with mai tai's on the beach everyday. we are super broke, but we rented a car. i sincerely appreciate the sacrifice it took to come to myrtle beach, but i also had ALOT to deal with.

but truly, it was a glorious couple of days, even with the rain, crazy and stress. i will post some pictures soon! you can also check the reluctant receptionists view of the trip.

fake husband

so really, there truly is this man named max who i am going to marry next friday. really. he does exist. it is just that i cant get him to remember things, like writing on this here blog. which frankly, continues to make this a one woman show. which is just fine with me.

life has sped up considerably since school ended. lots of work to do before next friday. BECAUSE I AM GETTING MARRIED NEXT FRIDAY. oi vey. totally nervous about everything. but i did manage to get the flowers, finally. did you people know that mini-gerbs existed? too cute. and i will be having them. in many shades of pink. who knew that i would be having such a girlie wedding? and for those of you who know me, you know how i react to presents. nowadays i find myself screaming at least once a day. it is pretty great.

and the sklar/brown household would like to welcome michigans very own ry-boy mcclure to the fray. he is mystic ave's newest and youngest resident. unless you count the bunny, that is. it is one full house. minus uncle jesse.

ciao until next time, or until maxilla gets it together,
a