Kiss and Dress Up.

Two lovebirds, made by my sister-in-law.

What a week this has been!

Does it feel as surreal to you, Reader, as it does to me?

I'm still wrapping my brain around Steve Jobs passing away, and the lightening-speed surge of Occupy Wall Street.

Honestly, both events have given me so much pause, that I've been completely stumped for blog posts here on Austin Eavesdropper.  I'll type a sentence on some band or restaurant, and before I've placed a single Oxford comma, think to myself -- "this is just silly," and delete the whole thing.

Because for real.  Right now?  It's true.  You and I both know that music and food and creative ventures of all stripes are important.  Nay, our life force as vital, complex human creatures.

But in light of historic events ... sometimes, I just need to hush up.  Table my plans.  Get off the freaking computer.

You said it, Hollie Chastain!  (Thanks to my dear friend Lani for sending this to me.)

So, I'm not going to write very much today.  Instead, I'm going to go downtown.  Take off work a little early.  And leave time for one utterly, shamelessly silly little thing: Shopping at Goodwill for a party I'm co-hosting this weekend, Dreaming in Color.  

What's that, you say?  Protest at City Hall, AND stimulate the economy in one day?  Yes we can!

As you know, Saturday's event requires avante garde, over-the-top dress.  Campy.  Uber-draggy.  It's a benefit for AIDS Services of Austin, so Gaga will be in full effect.  I don't have much of an outfit plan, really, except to walk into Goodwill (and let's face it, Lucy in Disguise) and hope for the best.  And by "best" I mean: Synthetic, shiny, metallic, having extra mammalian appendages, possibly spiky and/or in danger of a fire hazard?

Here are a few ideas I had.

  I think we've got some pretty solid options here.  Whaddaya think?

Images courtesy of: Me! (top), birds made by my sister-in-law Jen Carnes; Hollie Chastain (middle) via More Design Please; Travis Britton (bottom) via Flickr: Burning Man Decompression.