Young Pioneer on Labor Day

Today, I unintentionally look like a Young Pioneer, a group of sort of socialist boy/girl scouts from former East Germany (and other places under Soviet influcnece as well). I didn't realize it until looking at my photos. Young Pioneers have been in the news lately, because some right wing folks claim that Obama will be creating something like this to brainwash our children and young people. I'm pretty sure that's not something he can do on his own, but on this Labor Day, at the end of unfortunate summer (politically), I can be proud of the U.S. labor movement and celebrate our gains and mourn the setbacks. (As a proud member of a professor's union, I think I can say, "we.") This op-ed piece about the declining U.S. labor movement in the Times today was particularly good.

source

Last night, I finally saw Inception. I quite like Christopher Nolan and the way he like to screw with audience's minds. I also really really like Cillian Murphy. I think I'll watch anything with him. He's like the prettiest man I've ever seen (Blokey is not threatened, obviously).

In a little while, Blokey and I will head over to my old neighborhood of Crown Heights to watch the Annual West Indian Carnival Parade. It's this amazing street fest/parade, part of a weekend long serious of events promoting Caribbean culture in Brooklyn. The costumes, the floats, the music, the food- all amazing.

Carnival, 2008 (from right in front of my old apartment on Eastern Parkway)

Buster's wanted to show his bottom to the camera.

Happy Fat Tuesday!

Cohabitating Closet is heading to New Orleans for a nerd-tastic professional conference in the wee hours of Fat Tuesday. (If I complain about my job, please remind me about the many perks, including the snow days and relative wardrobe flexibility). I'm not a particularly religious person, but I do like traditions and any conventions in which people act like crazies. I will try to take photos of the Bourbon St. fashions (as well as my "profesh" wear) while I am there. I am also deeply interested in getting crawfish. I went to Mississippi on one of the service spring breaks back in college and had a crawdad bender.

Last year, a coworker from Louisiana brought in a King Cake. I got the slice with the baby. Lucky me:

festiveness amidst rather unfortunate fake wood tables

The colors of Mardi Gras are Purple, Green, and Gold. As a self-professed color phobic (what, grey isn't a color?), I hope to get some inspiration while I am in the Big Easy. It's my first trip. Wish me luck!