Weekend DIYs: Plywood Projects

It's officially spring and while the DMV area hasn't fully accepted that fact, I'm at least excited for the weather to warm up.  Hopefully, my family and I will be able to make it up to DC to see the cherry blossoms this year.

But in the meantime, I've been trying to spend some of my nights and weekends on DIYs and sewing projects.  I've completed a few small projects in the past few weeks, but oftentimes my laziness prevails and I end up watching TV with my sister.  But if you're in a creative rut, and have some excess plywood lying around, here are some DIYs I've pinned recently.  With plywood's simple and minimalist look, it's the best of both worlds when it comes to DIYs.  There's no need for paint or any other finish, and you still end up with a clean looking product.

Fabric Wall Hanging from Nalle's House.

Plywood Floor Mirror from The Merry Thought.

Mid-Century Nightstand from Burkatron.  I absolutely love hairpin legs.

Not a real plywood DIY, but everyone loves a good IKEA hack.  Using IKEA mattress slats, ICH Designer creates an interesting storage solution.

Currently listening to: "Roses" The Chainsmokers featuring ROZES

American Sign Language and American Authors: An Unlikely Pairing

Sometimes my small worlds collide and it's a beautiful thing.  Case in point, the new video for American Authors' latest single, "Pride."  While the single and initial music video came out a few months ago, a second video for the song was released this past Friday, featuring Sandra Mae Frank, who most recently played Wendla Bergman in Deaf West's production of Spring Awakening on Broadway.  I came across the video while doing my regular Youtube search of "deaf west spring awakening", not wanting to miss any new video/update/interview about the production or cast.  And discovering this video yesterday really did make my day.  I was so incredibly happy to see Sandra and ASL being the main feature of a mainstream music video.

As you all know if you've been a regular to this blog, I recently fell in love again with Spring Awakening, particularly this current Deaf West production.  The Broadway revival sadly closed a few months ago, but before that happened, it seems like someone associated with American Authors heard about this talented actress and created a second music video concept to go with the new single.

Hopefully this doesn't mean that Sandra will be unable to reprise her rose as Wendla in the national tour of Deaf West's production of Spring Awakening in 2017.  But in the meantime, I'm so happy that she and the deaf community are getting recognition in the mainstream music world.

Currently listening to watching: "Pride" American Authors

Familiar Faces on The Voice: Owen Danoff

This will be a short and sweet post.  Earlier today, I came across a video from last night's episode of The Voice featuring a very familiar voice.  Owen Danoff, who played at a Fridays at Five way back when, was a contestant in the blind audition round of The Voice.  He performed "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright" and I'll have to let you watch the video to find out how he did.  I was pretty excited to see someone on the show whom I'd met and heard live...and can actually vouch for.  Danoff is a DC native who's got a cool singer-songwriter vibe and I hope that he fares well in future rounds.

Currently listening to: "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright" Owen Danoff

Tea and Real-World Advice at A Baked Joint

On the recommendation of a friend, I visited A Baked Joint in DC yesterday for a coffee date with a colleague.  When I say coffee, I really mean tea.  And when I say date, I really mean a very adult, real-world meetup with a WM alum I met late last year.  He currently works as a field service engineer with Agilent Technologies and introduced me to the idea of pursuing that career myself.  It was honestly such a mind-opening realization when I first met him, to learn that I could make a living of installing, servicing, and maintaining analytical instruments.  It probably sounds boring, I know, but right now, it's at the top of my five-year plan.

So in keeping contact with him, we met up in a super trendy, recently opened coffee shop to talk shop; giving career advice, catching up, and swapping stories about our analytical chemistry lives.  The sister store of Baked & Wired in Georgetown, A Baked Joint, in the Mt. Vernon Square area of DC, offers freshly baked breads and a wide variety of coffee and teas, all in a beautifully open space, complete with an open kitchen.  I've been told the breakfast biscuits are the must-get item, but that'll have to be for another time.  In my sickly state, I only ordered a jasmine tea.

Apologies for the plagiarism, but these photos were taken from A Baked Joint's instagram, found here:

It was a nice change of pace, getting out of Northern Virginia and seeing someone outside of my normal circle.  He heavily emphasized not becoming stuck in the job I have now and pursuing the career if it was what I really wanted to do, so I'll be sure to keep that in mind when I decide to change jobs.  Also, I might have to start to take my tea presented as they do.  I have a glass teapot and I thought I had a small wooden tray.  If not, that's always something I can find at a nearby Goodwill.

Currently listening to: "Fire and the Flood" Vance Joy