arteestic F'd up ramblings

2005...abridged.

2005-12-07T20:50:24Z

january: he told her last night. she went looking for him when he didn't go home right away after work...

febuary: i have the best friends ever. and that's not the wine talking...

march: hmmmm...new job description that i can offically add to my resume today...beer taster.

april: two hours...bring on the needle.

may: did anyone do anything wickedly pagan for 'may day" yesterday?

june: it's over.

july: the pixies followed by death cab for cutie at summerfest last night.

august: the email i sent out to my agency today: dishwasher 101.

september: write me a haiku about smoking.

october: the IT woman just dropped off a boxload of electrical cords and things that need to be detangled and wrapped individually (yup, this is my job somedays).

november: mr. big bought me tickets for my birthday to see the henry rollins spoken word tour this past sunday.

december: we've had a recent merger with the advertising agency for whom i work.

...copy the first sentence of the first post of every month...

reason number 437 why i'm a huge dork:

2005-12-05T17:05:50Z

we've had a recent merger with the advertising agency for whom i work. the name of this new company is: lone wolfe. but in referencing the company to a coworker, i could only remember the "wolf" part and before i could stop it, i called them "wolfram and hart". oy.

the one with the big sigh of relief

2005-11-28T16:03:34Z

it has taken nearly eight years (part-time but still, oy), two universities, and close to four majors. it has taken blood (numerous x-acto blade incidents), sweat (african dance anyone?) and tears (pretty much anything GD related) - but i have finally done it. i, erin landry, being of completely fried mind and discombobulated body, will graduate next semester.

...then i am getting the hell out of dodge. or milwaukee. whichever comes first.

margaritas with ripper03 tonight. huzzah.

i am also congratulating myself by taking the day off and sleeping. but this is more sickness related than congratulatory related, but hey, no cubicles today so i'm happy.

my electric blanket awaits...

"...and you, dear?"

2005-11-18T21:11:26Z

...and then someone reaches out and touches you. not in any extraordinary way. but it's achingly beautiful in it's simplicity. and perhaps it's just the timing that makes it so special. but it gives you hope...

you don't need estacy to do your paperwork

2005-11-16T19:50:05Z

you wake up to the death knell of summer - a distinctive, plaintive cry. it comes complete with a touch of dying light, a scent of burning leaves and, of course, a nasty hangover. mere weeks ago you were drinking wine in an unknown girl's backyard, sun on your face, brat in your hand and nowhere to be but here, now. but now you wake up and stumble around the city like a zombie, blinking at your summer friends dumbly as you try to process their bodies with extra layers, longer hair. you wake up to an already fleeting autumn and an inevitable decade of winter. and everything falls on you at once...

you wake up stone-cold broke, the product of a small but obnoxious raise in your energy bills, a bevy of un-consolidated student loans, and a newly developed cigarette addiction. time slips by, and not in that easy, lazy summer way. nothing has changed per se: same jobs, same classes, same schedule, same hours in the day, but now it's like that reoccuring nightmare where something is chasing you in a dark alley and your legs move in slow motion. every day is spent playing catch-up to the things you couldn't get done yesterday and so nothing seems to get done.

you wake up heavier - your skin, your body, your tongue, your brain - dry and cracked and slow. the chill that creeps into your bones takes squatters defacto ownership, an unwelcome guest that will push your levels of sanity just to, but not over the breaking point - never quite allowing you to adapt. cubicle farms swallow you whole yet still don't allow any privacy. the hens pick and pick and pick until just the clicking of their shoes past your office sets off a panic attack. pavlov would be proud.

you wake up more alone. the bed seems bigger. and the phone stops ringing. the questions no longer race through your head before the onset of sleep - instead they churn and then sit like some industrial vat of grey taffy. even the things that came easy to you - your friendships - sag under the weight of something you never should have said. you feel stupid and childish and ashamed. you seriously start to think that you really only do more harm than good.

opportunities fall by the wayside. you bypass interesting people because rejection, in any form, seems more than you can handle. even when he leaves you a veiled invitation you pocket his number, this one deemed too clever, too bright for you.

you wake up scared and yet, you would prefer to have those that have left to scream your trangressions than face the silence they leave behind.

woo-hoo!

2005-11-07T17:36:56Z

so i "yahoo'ed" myself this morning (that sounds naughty) - because, well, who doesn't - plus i was mildly irked that google* and yahoo hadn't yet recognized my website existed at all...and lo and behold there i am - number 10!

so thanks to any of you who looked around on it. and for those who haven't but want to see what i've been up to:

http://www.erinlandry.com

i put up more pictures last night but it's still in heavy progress. and geofire needs to come down some weekend with his sexy, sexy camera to take some better ones - my camera is decent but i'd like some nice close-ups and anything too large tends to be rather blurry. or have a lot of glare.

*google is still ignoring the obvious greatness of my site. why dost thou snub me, google?

mememememememe

2005-11-04T03:11:16Z

Two Names You Go By
1. erin
2. ren

Two Parts of Your Heritage
1. xx
2. xy

Two Things That Scare You
1. failure
2. success

Two of Your Everyday Essentials
1. clean, pretty underwear
2. sketchbook

Two Things You Are Wearing Right Now
1. a furrowed brow
2. clean, pretty underwear

Two Truths
1. love hurts
2. time heals all wounds

Two Physical Things that Appeal to You (in general)
1. glasses
2. smile

Two of Your Favorite Hobbies
1. painting - though that's more of a lifesyle/career than a hobby?
2. cooking - though i'm not terribly good at it yet.

Two Things You Want Really Badly
1. sex
2. my own gallery

Two Places You Want to go on Vacation
1. ireland
2. italy

Two Things You Want to Do Before You Die
1. have many solo shows... or at least one. one would be cool.
2. skydive

Two Ways that you are stereotypically a Chick/Guy
1. pms?
2. i actually like cooking/cleaning

Two Things You Normally Wouldn't Admit
1. i'm a bad daughter/sister.
2. tonight i rented 'the apartment' starring john lemmon. and it made me cry and cry and cry.

Two Things You Are Thinking About Now
1. i should really get out and join the living but i don't wanna.
2. is there enough money in my account to pay bills tonight?

Two Stores You Shop At
1. michael's
2. target

Two people I would like to see take this quiz
1. felipemcguire
2. luriddreamscape

Two people I haven't talked to in a while
1. muppet boy. this is probably a good thing.
2. my best friend from highschool. found out she's engaged. i should really call/write her.

meme numero dos:

If you read this, if your eyes are passing over this right now, even if we don't speak often, please post a comment with a memory of you and me. It can be anything you want, either good or bad.

When you're finished, post this little paragraph on your blog and be surprised (or mortified) about what people remember about you.

this is going to make you freak...

2005-10-31T18:58:53Z

http://www.warprecords.com/video.php?mvf_id=98

and no wiser.

2005-10-26T05:29:03Z

*yawn*

am now officially 27.

urban sprawl

2005-10-17T15:48:30Z

street art. awesome.

http://www.time.com/time/photoessays/street_art/

ren_tzu @ 2005-10-15T11:19:00

2005-10-15T16:33:08Z

Sunday October 16
Friends of Andrew Wszelaki

Although almost 105,000 people throughout the United States will be diagnosed with colon cancer in 2005, Andy’s diagnosis is unique. Andy is only 24 years old and is now fighting against stage four, the most advanced stage, of cancer. As you can imagine, he is struggling with the physical strain of this disease, in addition to the psychological, emotional, and monetary stress it brings as well.

Andy’s inspirational spirit continues to be strong and positive. With your help we plan to lift his spirit even higher and make the situation less stressful for him and his family, as they battle against colon cancer and the immense health care costs surrounding it. We hope you will join us in raising money to support Andy’s sudden medical expenses and encourage him to continue combating this life-threatening disease.On Sunday, October 16th, 2005, we will celebrate the amazing person Andy is.

This celebration will include a silent auction, a raffle, music, food, beverages, and good-hearted people. The event will be held from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the South Milwaukee Community Center located at 1919 12th Avenue in South Milwaukee. All monetary contributions and proceeds earned will be designated to Andy and his personal health care costs. We invite you to join Andy, his family and friends, and other supporters at this event.

andrew is my cousin. and all i can do is post someone else's words. anything else seems too personal right now. i donated a painting for the silent auction....i just wish there was more i could do.

vertical stripes (in blue)
acrylic & mixed media
9x11"

berfday-art nite

2005-10-13T18:33:35Z

Bay View Book Arts Gallery
2693 S. Kinnickinnic
milwaukee, Wi 53207
http://www.bayviewbookarts.com

Safe Harbor: Books in Boxes
October 14-November 20th, 2005

Artist's reception: friday, october 14th, 7:00-11:00pm
AND Friday, October 21st (Gallery Night), 6:00-10:00pm.

here's the piece i submitted (with many thanks to robby, kendra, mel, and d.j. for their haiku's and whose names appear on the scroll cigarettes):

Haiku Tar

and since i'm not feeling all birthday spiritish this year but want to get drunk and see fun art anyway - you're invited to my house on gallery night (email to be sent out at some point) where we will find drinky goodness and the milwaukee public transportation system at our disposal. and if anyone's feeling really crazy there's a midnight showing of "the night of the living dorks" at the oriental theatre that night for the milwaukee film festival. (http://MilwaukeeFilmFest.org)

let me know if anyone's interested.

sax in the city

2005-09-30T17:58:59Z

it was a lovely night last night...

the bar was busy. i made some decent tips. i feel very much awake and refreshed as i'm leaving. it finally smells like fall. and walking out into the night air in my new green coat, there is an old cab driver leaning against his cab playing the saxophone. he's very good. and the sound echos and bounces between the buildings surrounding me, finally floating up to the sky. i am serenaded as i walk to my car...it all feels very new york.

...and then as i slide my key in the door, my driver's side door handle breaks off in my hand...

sigh.

karma bitch strikes again

2005-09-28T17:55:48Z

we've had two power surges at work (job #1) today. the entire office (including all the computers) goes black for about two seconds...and dozens of "goddammits", "shits" and "oh craps!" can be heard in a multitude of tonal pitches and volumes from within the cubicle farms, creating a chorus of human anguish and frustration, as emails and other documents are lost to the ether of cyber space.

...and i found this all incredibly amusing until i, myself, lost the document i was working on the second time around. oh well.

***

working the night shift during the week (job #2) is rather coma inducing but the slow pace actually gave me a chance to solidify a lot of the information that's been swirling around in my head. i was the only waitress on last night and i still couldn't get a table to save my life. and the two gross old men who kept blatantly leering at my boobs never ordered drinks - so no tip there. dammit. if you're going to stare like that at least make nicey-nicey with some compensation. (god, i am a whore). ...so talked at length with the new server - an 18-year old boy, and gay, who just moved here a few weeks ago from iowa to follow his boyfriend who enrolled at marquette university. i'm perpetually in big sis mode so this set off warning bells. he's not in school. he's struggling to make ends meet and he doesn't get to see the boyfriend very often anyway because boyfriend has to live in the dorms and do homework. needless to say, i don't see this ending well. so i'm slowly tring to convince him that he needs to enroll somewhere. apply for financial aid. take some classes. do something for himself. he's so young. and this boyfriend is obviously going to focus on new friends and school. it's sad but what seems like such a romantic gesture is just going to build to guilt and resentment. my heart goes out to him. to be in a new city and alone like that. and i'm betting the break-up will happen within the month. makes me want to find the boyfriend and throttle him for not breaking up with server boy before he selfishly dragged him here. but who knows, maybe the bigger city will be better and more accepting of a cute, young struggling gay boy?

***

*and now a blatant plug: rob let new server boy and me try the velvet chocolate cake last night...and...oh...my...fucking...god. no, really. it's that good. and maybe it was because i hadn't really eaten anything yesterday. but i was in bouncy endorphin heaven for like an hour. sex noises a la meg ryan were emitted.

so need a little pick-me-up?
want to put naughty ideas in a beau's head?
want to recreate the infamous 'when harry met sally' moment?

then come to Metro and order the velvet chocolate cake and perhaps a glass of the biciclette wine. experience palate sensations like no other. ...then tip me well. i'm poor. but no boob staring. unless the tipping is exceptional. then leer away.

portraits

2005-09-23T18:44:10Z

saw nikki s. lee speak last night at the milwaukee art museum. i'd become aware of her work a few years ago (oddly enough through an art survey course - yay for teaching about contemporary artists!) - most especially her 'project' series in which she takes photographs of herself within different subcultural groups - assimilating herself through appearance and demeanor to become an accepted member of each group over time. over the last ten years she has been an exotic dancer, a tourist, a skater chick, a punk, a traditional korean school girl, an elderly woman, a lesbian, a white-trash ohioan and a yuppie...among others.

but what really struck me was the new series she finished called 'parts'. http://www.artnet.com/artist/10281/Nikki_S_Lee.html it's a series of photographs where a shot was taken with her and a lover/partner but then the photo was cropped to remove the other person save for a hand or a shoulder maybe - just the suggestion that there is another person there with her. to highlight the sense of something (or, rather, someone) missing, the photos have white borders on only three sides, as if the subject had gone though her photo album with a pair of scissors. and how this immediately brings a narrative to each photo - how her newly made self-portraits take on an entirely different meaning. who is this person with this man or with this other man? how she changes with each encounter. it is such a personal statement but so universal - how we are all different people depending on who we are with. and out of context, with that person removed, do we even recognize ourselves?

started me thinking again last night and this morning on a series i started a few years back of portraits i wanted to do - but instead of painting someone's physical appearance it would be a collage of sorts - snapshots of the things that make up who you are. "inner portraits" but something less cheesy or cliched. the things that you think define you as a person - hobbies, possessions, philosophies... i couldn't decide whether each portrait would consist of an interview process and then a photo set, or if i would simply decide the portrait based on my experiences with this person. if i did it the second way how it would actually be more a self-portrait than a portrait. the idea is a little self-centered and needs some tweaking but i'm drawn to it again.

my favorite question of the night: when someone asked nikki s. lee if she ever faced rejection when trying to assimilate into a certain group.

"um...no."

*********************************

oh, and AIDS walk this sunday. not too late to walk! or donate! please donate if you can!! go here: http://www.kintera.org/faf/search/searchTeamPart.asp?ievent=107019&team=1120923

please?

the one with the art woes

2005-09-22T17:28:30Z

i am devastatingly disapointed with one of my professors this semester. his teaching style (in the past) has been one that has allowed me the freedom to explore on my own while still giving out useful references and anecdotes with which to acquire inspiration. he is thoughtful and well spoken and brilliantly minded. yet why, this semester, can he not come up with a single assignment that challenges or inspires me? i am beyond frustrated at this point and his syllabus gives no indication that anything will change dramatically (or even subtly) over the course of the next several weeks...

is it because i am used to his style when the class is open-ended (my upper level painting and drawing course assignments were chosen/designed by me and then approved...). ...and now that there is some sort of structured bi-weekly assignment he can not come up with anything original? the class i am refering to is an upper level life drawing course - i.e. a model is present twice a week (if he or she decides to show up - which has also been a problem). the model then disrobes and poses herself to his liking after which case he promptly leaves the room. this is not the problem. in fact, i'd prefer to draw without an instructor over my shoulder. no, the problem has been that yes, while assignments outside the realm of the model can usually only be versions of self-portraits (unless one is lucky enough to have someone willing to pose), he has given us more assignments having to do with crumpling up a piece of paper and forming it "figure-like" and then drawing this...multiple times...

i'm sorry, but i'm no longer in drawing 101. ...am i over-reacting to think that this is not an appropriate assignment anymore? ...i am the first person who will admit that going back to basic principles is essential in art - and i hate sitting in front of a mirror and drawing myself more than the next person*, but drawing a crumpled piece of paper multiple times as a legitimate assignment in a life drawing class? this is the fourth time in three weeks we've been asked to do such as a four-part composition...alternating graphite and color with your right and then left hand. i don't claim to be proficiant at rendering the human body photo-realistically, but i feel as though i could direct a better, more well-rounded class.

given what i am paying to have the privilege to go to school, and have picked up a second job to do so, i think my only recourse is to write him an email and drop the class. i am acquiring nothing from this course - other than access to a model, which i believe you can still pay $5-7 to sit in on a nightly session once or twice a week. i just have to find out where and when.

(*there will be no sun lamp/sunburn castastophe's this year...) ;)

***

...went to a drive-in on tuesday night. awesome. haven't been since i was a wee tot...it was a 45 minute drive but well worth it. and they didn't check to see that we hide a whole case of mike's hard lemonade and snacky treats either...

observations

2005-09-19T21:01:03Z

*lack of diet pepsi makes coworkers surly. seriously. i want to say that all that aspartame and ascorbic acid isn't good for you. diet soda does not equal healthy. but then there would probably be empty diet soda cans shoved in my not-so-nice places. and ren would end up all hurty n' emotionally traumatized.

*i become increasingly less coordinated just before "girl time". since i now have to balance many many precarious martini glasses on trays it is only a matter of time before some poor girl is wearing her flirtini...at least once a month. walking and chewing gum would also be considered a no-no. walking, carrying trays of precarious martini glasses and chewing gum will result in fatalities. (sorry rob).

*have to remember that there is a feet adjustment period to new job - much like art museum security. it will pass in one week. just keep saying that.

*reverting back to my brunette status has not squelched the "pinky" nickname. grr. but nor has it squelshed flirtings from hot bike messengers. yay.

*pitch someone a great idea for an art project and they will keep contacting you. a lot. and then guarantee you a spot for gallery night! (i.e ego-strokies are damn good when you've been in a massive art funk all summer).

*sometimes brainless jobs (that i've complained about in the past) like changing lightbulbs and filling soda machines gives one time to breathe and ponder the bigger things in life...such as...

*don't focus on love, focus on art, and love will follow...

*people still surprise me...in lovely ways...no matter how long i've known them.

aaaaannnd....*remember all you people who said you would join me for the AIDS walk this year? well, pony-up, bitch. it's next sunday. who's coming? i will sign us up under "team scoobie"...

go here: http://www.kintera.org/faf/search/searchTeamPart.asp?ievent=107019&team=1120923

or pledge. please.

the color after

2005-09-14T14:58:05Z

death to pinky.

i spent three hours in a hair salon last night for color correction and conditioning. three hours!!! i haven't sat still that long since i waited for robby to get his tattoo finished. plus my definition of a hair cut for the last two years has been me taking a scissors and chopping off an inch or too on occassion.

i have pretty coffee colored hair.
i have ever-so-soft touch-me hair.
i have people stopping dead in their tracks at work to gawk at me hair.

heehee.

need a haircut? go to "linear" on KK next to the highbury. ask for betsy. she fucking rules.

ren_tzu @ 2005-09-06T14:00:00

2005-09-06T19:10:36Z

write me a haiku about smoking.

5-7-5 format. can be pro or anti. or somewhere in between. funny or serious.

post it here.

why you say? ...cuz i'm currently working on something for gallery night. (and after coming up with about two dozen on my own, my brain hurts). besides, you will:

a. show off how cool you are to everyone who reads it. haiku's are damn cool.
b. make me smile.
c. live in infamy. (i will give you credit. duh).

in the style of lustronheloise which i am shamelessly pilfering

2005-08-31T18:31:14Z

dear psycho bitch queen of the universe,

who the hell do you think you are? calling me and leaving me fucked up messages. then driving up as i'm getting out of my car only to block me in and yell obscenities at me?! just because your boyfriend can't make a decision to save his life. thank-you for continuing to make my life into a jerry springer episode.

with no love and a restraining order,
ren

dear bladder,

i hate you. the doctor's don't know what's wrong with you but they definitely think my symptoms are indicative of a more serious problem. i am now not allowed to have anything enjoyable to eat - like coffee or chocolate or fruit or cheese or wine or anything with preservatives because they (supposedly) are what make me feel like i have paper cuts on my insides. i can't even have friggin condiments. and forget spicy food. when did you become such a pansy, bladder? and i don't have money for x-rays either.

so suck it up,
ren

dear canada,

may i move into your bountiful country and have free health care, please? i love hockey.

you rock,
ren

dear katrina,

stop scaring my friends and making people homeless. what did they ever do to you? bitch. plus it cost me $40 dollars to fill up my tank yesterday. i now have no money for food.

bite me,
ren

dear milwaukee public transit system,

you and i will be good friends this semester. veeery good friends. please keep the deodorant-challenged people from sitting next to me whenever possible. i will reward you with my shiny new bus pass. and a warm butt.

pass the dramamine,
ren

dear susie,

you are a good roommate. i think we'll get along fine. you give me space when i am crabby and have good music. although making yummy-smelling curry last night wasn't very nice since i can't partake in anything remotely flavorful. it made me very sad. let us not speak of your homemade brownies again either, okay?

hugs,
ren

dear school and loans and anything remotely money related to education,

you are fucking breaking me. i'm looking for a second job, okay? are you happy now?

your future plasma donor,
ren

dear possible future employers,

i am not at all crabby or whiny or complain-y. ever. please hire me. i have mad skillz. and will even go back to my natural hair color.

seriously,
ren

the 40-year old virgin i ain't.

2005-08-28T18:46:48Z

theory of flight

2005-08-10T17:35:08Z

i haven't been on a plane in over four years. something is bothering me considerably about walking up to the counter early friday morning with only an email that basically says, "yeah, she's paid-up, let her on." i like tickets. why don't i get a ticket? is this just a safety-blanket type knee-jerk reaction? not that the printed-out email isn't tangible but a ticket would be a little more tangible. i like tangible things. mementos. and putting an email itinerary in your photo album just isn't the same thing. i'm assuming i'll need forms of i.d. but should i bring anything else? and i'm guessing i should probably leave the pocket knife at home...

tj left me his copy of the new yorker with this oddly appropriate story:
http://www.newyorker.com/printables/shouts/050613sh_shouts

i learned a new word: bulkhead... david sedaris makes me laugh and laugh...

KA-BLAM!

2005-08-05T15:11:15Z

the office monkey will be given out...oh yes...it will be given out...

no more ms. nice intern.

yesterday (?) someone put a full case of diet pepsi in the freezer in what was, i'm assuming, an attempt to chill the beverages before a client meeting... well, the idiot who then left them in there all night has given me the delightful task of scrubbing out the entire inside of said freezer today since EVERY SINGLE FUCKING CAN exploded over night...

someone's getting the office monkey alright. and a wedgie.

**********************************************************

i do the AIDS walk every year. would anyone like to join me this year?

it's sunday, september 25th. 5K or 10K.

please?

ah-choo!

2005-08-02T19:14:44Z

the email i sent out to my agency today:

dishwasher 101:

when you spill half a jar of black pepper in the dishwasher, you can't just
run the wash cycle and hope it disappears. what happens is, it sticks to the
full load of dishes that were in the dishwasher.

now, i have spent most of my morning picking out flecks of baked-on pepper granules off of all the dishes in the company dishwasher. and getting them out of the bottoms of coffee mugs (which tends to be the majority of dishes) is not fun.

erin, the intern, is now grumpy and a little sneezy. (two out of seven dwarfs agree that pepper in your morning coffee tastes bad).

so before i turn any suspects into toads (can dwarfs do that?) i would please like whoever dumped the black pepper in the dishwasher to turn themselves in. your privacy will be respected to the fullest extent. i will not disclose you to the whole agency. the office monkey* will not be given out. i just want to be thanked for cleaning up after somebody else (once again, *sigh*).

thank-you,
the office dwarfs, i mean erin.

************************************

*(for those of you who don't know - the "office monkey" is a monkey shaped cookie jar that is given to the employee who does something "stupid" and they then must keep it on their desk filled with cookies as punishment for their stupidity until someone else claims the monkey).

i have yet to receive the office monkey because i am just smart enough to know to keep my office-type stupidities to myself. that, and one of the partners thought that that "office monkey" was "not in the spirit of our agency" or something sore-loser-y and sappy like that. blahblahblah. whatever. i happen to think it's a great idea.

[edit: it is after 5 and no one has come clean. bastards. but the prez sent this to the office and it made me slightly less grumpy although not less sneezy:

From: boss man
To: HY main office
Subject: Re: dishwasher 101

Okay I confess. I did it. It was late last night and I was working in my office, I heard a strange noise and thought, “ Intruder...I better get something to defend myself.” I headed to the kitchen. I thought, “Maybe a sharp knife”, but all I could find were those plastic ones, and they had cake or pizza stuck to them, so I thought :Maybe I could use one of Verre’s bats. But the noise was now coming toward the kitchen. So I thought: Pepper spray! I opened the pepper shaker, mixed the pepper in a glass put in hot water and waited for the intruder to enter the kitchen. The intuder came in, he, she or it was big and ugly and mean. I threw the pepper in their face and they stumbled out, screaming, headed to the stairs and disappeared. Safe at last, I put the glass still clinging to thousands of pepper flecks into the washer. I swear this is true...or a bad dream]

ren_tzu @ 2005-07-25T18:06:00

2005-07-25T23:24:41Z

i'm going to be an aunt....

it was an "oops" in every sense of the word, but they are truly excited and happy (my baby brother so calm, so taken by his role as the proud papa already), my family is happy, i am happy...