Thursday, August 11, 2011

Not-So Starving Artists

The favorite snacks of great writers, by Wendy MacNaughton.

Writers eat the oddest foods. Though the only thing that really surprises me about this list is that coffee or tea (or Red Bull) isn't on every single panel. 

For me, it's caffeine (preferably Earl Grey Tea) or red wine. Or a long, drawn-out combo of both.

What's your snack of choice while working?

Tonight's Jam

Emeli Sande, "Heaven"

Monday, August 8, 2011

Photographic Evidence

Remember how I mentioned in my Seven Links post that half of my traffic was from the phrase "katy perry boobs"? Wasn't kidding:

The week so far. It's only Monday!

 Seriously, Internet. You can stop now. There is no actual nudity on FitC. (Talk, yes. Actual, no.)

And I can only hope that one of the searches for David Bowie's penis is actually from Mr. Bowie himself. (Hopefully one that used a proper apostrophe.)

Friday, August 5, 2011

Friday QuoteDay

"Advice? I don’t have advice. Stop aspiring and start writing. If you’re writing, you’re a writer. Write like you’re a goddamn death row inmate and the governor is out of the country and there’s no chance for a pardon. Write like you’re clinging to the edge of a cliff, white knuckles, on your last breath, and you’ve got just one last thing to say, like you’re a bird flying over us and you can see everything, and please, for God’s sake, tell us something that will save us from ourselves. Take a deep breath and tell us your deepest, darkest secret, so we can wipe our brow and know that we’re not alone. Write like you have a message from the king. Or don’t. Who knows, maybe you’re one of the lucky ones who doesn’t have to."
 
Alan Watts, British philosopher, writer and speaker

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Surprises of Marriage

(Opening of "Hey Dude!", staple of Nickelodeon from 1989-1991.)

My husband and I both know the words to this theme song. Verbatim. It's true what they say: You never really know someone until you live with them.

Seven Links

Been a long time, friends!
How about some linkage? Jamie tagged me in this blogging game, so here are a few oldies to pass the time until I get back into the swing of blogging.

THE RULES
1) Blogger is nominated to take part
2) Blogger publishes his/her 7 links on his/her blog – 1 link for each category.
3) Blogger nominates up to 5 more bloggers to take part.
4) These bloggers publish their 7 links and nominate another 5 more bloggers
5) And so it goes on!

*My Beautiful Post*  This one has a sweet simplicity to it.

*My Most Popular Post*  Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and what their boobs say. More than half of my new visitors are here from Google searches of "katy perry boobs." (Also, "david bowie penis." Hello, you delicious kindred spirits!) Seriously, if you ever want instant blog traffic, add text about cleavage or genitalia. Just typing the word genitalia made my numbers rise.

*Most Controversial*  Speaking ill of another writer is a cardinal author sin, but my one-sided feud with Bret Easton Ellis, In Which I Save You Money, and the follow-up, In Which I May Have Gained an Archnemesis was a needed post that inevitably rubbed some people the wrong way.

*Most Helpful*  Life lessons from cubicle land.

*Most Surprise Success*  The very first post in which I compared David Bowie to a puppy. Also, my dumb little comics. They seem to be the two things everyone remembers about the blog.

*Not Enough Attention*  I always hoped this one would receive more comments, or at least links to blogs answering the same questions.

*Most Proud*  Haven't written it yet. When I do, you'll be the first to know. But until then, I'm rather fond of this recent one.

Who's next? How about: Ash Cloud at Dead Men Tell No Tales and all my dear official Followers with a blog of their own. Have at it, my loves!

Monday, July 4, 2011

A Nice Day for Blogging (And a White Wedding)

"I like what you're doing with your blog," I say, my phone pressed between cheek and shoulder.  It's a hot June afternoon, and I chat with Jamie while battling a box of sample cakes and Charlotte traffic.

"I like your blog too. I check it everyday to see nothing new," Jamie intones from the air-conditioned safety of her office.

Sad but true.

What has become of dear FitC?

The month of May went a little something like this:

Weekly Flâneur! Quote! No Internet, Sorry! Weekly Flâneur! Quote! No Internet, Sorry! Weekly Flâneur! Quote! I swear I'm sorry and will write when I can!

June paid homage to Brighton Beach in photos and contained a collection of choice quotes but nothing else.

Not what I was hoping for.

At Casa de Chaos, the WiFi has officially and completely died, and since yours truly will be moving (again) in the next few weeks, there is no need to replace it for the desktop-using occupants. Completely understandable, but my addiction to the Internet and the content of my blog suffered greatly. I could steal Internet here and there to schedule Weekly Flâneur and Friday QuoteDay in advance, but had little time or access to anything else.

Which could be all for the best; little did I know how daunting planning a wedding could be. My position as the naive, most ill-prepared bride in the great state of North Carolina is secure -- I'm gunning for nationals now. Thinking back to my past self but a few months ago -- that eager, happy, innocent past self, who tilted her head with a perplexed look and honestly thought, "How hard can it be? It's just a big party with cake," -- I can't decide whether to double over in ugly laughter or hug her.

In honesty, it's not that hard -- for someone organized and prepared. And as I stated, I am the most ill-prepared bride in NC state. Lack of Internet and blogging could have been the way of the fates to make sure I didn't drown in kitten videos on YouTube when I should have been picking out flowers and favors and food. All for the best.

So here I am, with Mr. B at my side, somehow, someway, having a wedding in the month of July. Ill-prepared or not, this is happening, and soon.

With all that, I will be taking the first 3 weeks of this month off from blogging.

No worries, friends, this hiatus will not be the usual Natalie Disappearing Act. Just enough time to deal with the weight of a wedding and first weeks of newlywed life.

In the meantime, Jamie is sporting compromising photos of my first (and only) Bachelorette party over at Bibliophiled Away. I like what she's doing with that blog. Hot June afternoons talking on the phone while running errands aside, there has been little time to spend with my American friends, so I do appreciate all of the love and generosity that they have shown to me and Mr. B in the past months while I ran around like a headless chicken on speed. By way of friendship, I am seriously one lucky flâneur in the Queen City.

Love you all, and see you in a few weeks.

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Weekly Flâneur: Dreaming

Stoic rooftop spires seen through greenery. Click to enlarge.
Find a palace by the sea, and nap in the gardens.
Brighton Palace (the Royal Pavilion), Brighton, UK.

Full view of the Royal Pavilion, Brighton. Click to enlarge.

Friday, June 24, 2011

Friday QuoteDay: Suffragette City

(Via Femminista)
"No self respecting woman should wish or work for the success of a party that ignores her self." 
Susan B. Anthony, 1872

A Little Help Preparing for Friday QuoteDay?

Me: "Mr. B, what's your favorite quote?"

Mr. B, engrossed in Angry Birds, "'The rest is silence,' from Hamlet."

Me, impressed at his Shakespearean knowledge: "Really?"

Mr. B: "Yep. At the end, after everyone stabs everyone. With poison-tipped swords."

Pause.

Mr. B: "It was also in Hair."

Me: "Ah. That's why."

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Weekly Flâneur: Hidden

Image of a garden and cozy home through a fence. Click to enlarge.

Secret garden by the seaside.
Beautiful home in Brighton, UK. 

Friday, June 17, 2011

Friday QuoteDay: Harry Potter Edition

Via http://rereadingharry.tumblr.com

We Americans do love our hugs. 

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Weekly Flâneur: Framed

Image of two policemen kissing, put behind a glass frame. Click to enlarge.

Street art by Banksy, Brighton, UK.
Art is for everyone.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Friday QuoteDay

“A woman knows the face of the man she loves as a sailor knows the open sea.”
Honore de Balzac, French Novelist

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Weekly Flâneur: Flight

Large canvas image of seagulls at beach. Taken with permission of seller. Artist unknown. Click to enlarge.
Brighton Beach, UK 

Your favorite flâneur is off in the clouds with the seagulls. 
 See you soon.

Friday, June 3, 2011

Friday QuoteDay

Whenever anyone has called me a bitch, I have taken it as a compliment. To me, a bitch is assertive, unapologetic, demanding, intimidating, intelligent, fiercely protective, in control—all very positive attributes. But it’s not supposed to be a compliment, because there’s that old, stupid double standard: When men are aggressive and dominant, they are admired, but when a woman possesses those same qualities, she is dismissed and called a bitch.” 

— Margaret Cho, actress, comedian and activist. 


Thursday, June 2, 2011

Weekly Flâneur: Bright

Image of Brighton Pier. Click to enlarge.

"It's always ourselves we find in the sea."

Brighton Pier, East Sussex UK.
Happy June, my loves!