The Things I Know Little About (but something)

1. The Garbage Disposal

The garbage disposal is under your sink attached to the drain pipe. Actually it sits right above the drain pipe. It can dispose of garbage by grinding up food scraps. It is not intended for non-organic waste like wood, glass, paper etc. The interior of the garbage disposal is a complete mystery to me. I have, however, looked into its mouth and saw some small round discs that evidently go round and round very fast and grind up food waste. It is important to keep the water running when food is being ground up - I'm not sure why. I was told this the first time I used one, and have never tried to grind up food without running the water. I have also been told that putting ice cubes down it can sharpen the blades. I do that also; although I have no real proof that it actually does sharpen blades. I'm not sure why I listen to people when they tell me these kinds of things. Maybe I'm more amenable to suggestions regarding machines or appliances than I am on, for example, psychological or spiritual suggestions. I mean, if someone told me that he had heard that a good way to improve your psychological well-being or spiritual wholeness (whatever that means) would be to, for example, sleep with you feet facing south or to clap your hands at the moon in January - I would not believe that without some kind of evidence. However, with garbage disposals I'm easily influenced. Lately there seems to be some kind of new enlightened view of garbage disposal use that is being propogated - minimal use. I've heard this from a couple of people. Basically they told me; don't put your food waste down the garbage disposal; put it in the garbage because the garbage disposal is only for the minimal food scraps that somehow inadvertantly get left in the sink. This I do not follow because it's like saying that you should not actually drive your car anywhere unless you find yourself in the car inadvertantly going somewhere.

More Street Fashion

Big Frank continues now with some tips on blogs that focus on fashion. Heres' one -Fashion Killed My Wallet - that includes a number of good photos of street fashion. Mordecai Rubinstein, who works for Men's Vogue, has a very good fashion blog called simply Mister Mort with good pictures of real people in real clothes. Then over to Germany and tak e a look at Stil in Berlin - more street stuff. The site has description below each photograph telling you what the person is wearing and where they got it (or if they made it themselves). It also has lots and lots of links to street fashion in other cities around the world. Finally - Street Style: Pics by Poca Dot - straight from London - check it out. Then on to Amsterdam and Fad Tony (the picture above comes from Fad Tony.

Fashion (again)

Big Frank is back with more sites and comments on fashion. Here’s a good site “the it lists – fashion and trend blog”; it has pretty short posts and focuses on, following its title, current trends in fashion (one of the latest – shoe jewelry (why not?). Next “the fashionator” written by Melissa Kagan of iVillage. Melissa is a former fashion executive whose mission now is to expose the crazy fashion trends and make people aware of sane ones – see if you agree with some of her choices. One nice feature is that she goes through her office photographs people and then explains their fashion choices (note: these are reasonably priced approached to dressing, not thousand dollar outfits). Next, another street scene fashion blog, "Mr. Newton" who writes that he that “ Accessible but aspirational is often what I’m going for – the cool girls and styling assistants who mix Alexander Wang with vintage with Topshop with something they made themselves – the girls who realize that the glue that pulls an outfit together is often just confidence and attitude.” That's Mr. Newton's photo above.

Fashion on the street

What it is - is FASHION. Big Frank has been checking out fashion websites and fashion blogs. The typical person in the street, the typical blog reader - you, most likely, along with Big Frank can be a little mystified by much of what is found on the catwalks. However, it is always interesting to see what is found on the street, and luckily there are lots and lots of blogs that cater exclusively to that. The preeminent one, of course, is The Sartorialist; do visit that site, because in many ways all the others are attempts to duplicate what he does so well - capture real people on the street showing fashion in its real public face. There are lots and lots of other sites in lots of other countries. See stylebytes for a pretty good list of sites along with a few short descriptions of each. Many of these sites have links to others, and some like styleclicker allow you to view fashion shots by the cities in which they were taken: it covers everything from Bangkok to Vienna. Then, of course, there is Bill Cunningham of the New York Times who posts media slide shows of his shots on the streets of New York, and also other cities. Here is his post on the rise of boots (look out the boot craze is growing and is now going OVER the knee). Finally, Washingtonians, not to fear, there is also a street fashion blog that focuses on Seattle 21arrondissement. What about fashion on the streets of Spokane? As of yet - no blogs on that; maybe Big Frank will take his camera out on the streets - could be interesting (or else not).

Crossroads

The End of the Line---- Big Frank Dickinson

"There are always moments in which a person can stop; crossroads where you can change course . . . there are those moments . . . until there aren't any more." Jess Walter

"I went down to the crossroad, fell down on my knees." Cream

His method of keeping track of all his options took up a major portion of his life. He remembered back to when he realized that if he didn't start charting all the courses available (especially possible changes) that it would be too late - he started that day. Typically he liked to wait to the last possible moment before he made any changes "There's Always More With An Open Door" was his motto, and it was displayed in cartoon fashion; in the first frame Goofy stood in front of an open door empty handed, in the second he's seen outside with his arms full of stuff: fishing pole, hoola hoop, yoyo etc.). He incorporated his chart into his home so that everything in it was a reminder of a crossroads. His favorite coffee cup showed him that projected last day that he could stop working at his current job and still be able to find another: it was written on the bottom of the cup (June 1, 2012 - quit or fit). On his pillow: (August 5, 2014 - stop dreaming/start scheming). On the bottom of his bathtub: (February 15, 2010 - she's the only one for you or you are through). On the bottom of his shoes: (January 8, 2011 - junk the hunk or get ready to plunk). Right now he was looking in the mirror and obviously shaken for on it was written: (today - only one road, lighten your load).

Blue Moon - 2010!

Big Frank took the above picture last night while out snowshoeing on Mt. Spokane. It was snowing and overcast, but at one moment this gorgeous moon (only once) peeked out in all its blueness and Big Frank snagged it. Below, to go with the photo is a poem, and then, of course, Van Morrison's great song "Once in a Blue Moon" - that once - it's NOW!
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BLUE MOON
---- Big Frank Dickinson

Blue Moon, Blue Moon, why only once with you?
Why is it you're there just one time, Blue?
And the Blue Moon succinctly, once to you:
I'm alway there it's true - but just once blue.
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Now listen to Van Morrison's take on the Blue Moon - just click here.