David and I went camping at Lake Wenatchee two weekends ago and had a lovely time. It was car camping and it kept it pretty simple. A small cooler with snacks, cooked our dinners over a campfire, and brought an air mattress to be more comfortable in the tent. On Saturday we did a lovely hike near Leavenworth’s Icicle Creek that was aptly called 8 Mile Lake Trail. The weather was in the 70s, warm, and sunny… lovely for hiking but not too hot. We attempted to swim in the lake on Sunday but the water and winds were a bit much. We pitched our tent at The Cove since the state sites were all full.
Cove Resort on Fish Lake
22494 Chiwawa Loop Rd, Leavenworth, WA 98826
(509) 763-3130
Other than our foul mouthed drunken neighbors who yelled all night in front of their young children, the place was lovely. Had a playground for the kiddos, fishing docks, a boat let, and showers/bathrooms as well. Felt like a traditional camp ground that hadn’t changed in probably 50 years. Camping was only $18/night which was somehow super surprising for me… seemed amazingly affordable. Good times.
Solstice parade was last weekend.
Today was BevDay in the park.
Watching World Cup games on the intertubes at Jessica’s place.
Yesterday was our first backyard BBQ and bonfire of the summer!!
It would appear that I only posted on travelingcat.com while in Cape Town… oops! JustLaura stayed quiet the whole six weeks. Needless to say, Kenya and South Africa were great and I’m now home back in the thick of things.
Seattle’s in summer mode so it’s time for biking to work, BBQs, Solstice parties, bachelorette goodness, gardenings, and pie bake-offs. Hope y’all are well!
Well, last year I did tons of gardening at Mez’s house, then broke up and moved out, leaving the garden to slowly perish without me. This spring I’m still inspired to give it a second try. I built two garden boxes from scratch two weeks ago, and planted them last week with “early season” veggies. It’s still rainy and in the 40s for the past few weeks, and will be another two months before I can plant tomatoes. On the bright side, I haven’t had to water them yet. On the down side, my beautiful bright lights chard is looking super sad. For now, I’ve already planted arugula, purple peacock broccoli, Chinese broccoli, chard, bright lights chard, kale, purple kale, sugar snap peas, asian mustard, two kinds of strawberries, and an herb garden of rosemary, sage, thyme, and mint. Wish me luck!
I’ll post more updates once I plant more and/or get to start eating what I’ve already planted!
March flew by, as all months seem to do lately. What have I been up to? Nothing especially noteworthy. Just keeping super busy as always. Lots of birthday parties, dinners with friend, a slumber party, a handful of fundraisers, a Big Climb up the Columbia Tower (69 flights of stairs, did it in 18 minutes), work at my desk job, starting a garden at my house, etc.
Job updates: I applied for a job and had a first interview. Should know more by the end of April or early May. My current position ends April 23rd, so it’d be lovely to have something in place when that ends. Am trying to remain patient and calm. I tell myself if I have a job – great! And if I don’t – that means I can go travel! It helps me keep my spirits up.
Entertainment: Haven’t gone to tons of shows lately. Last two plays I saw were Xanadu (in Jan?) and Chicago (in March). Both were at the Paramount Theater – good times. As for music, David and I did see Balkan Beat Box – a fantastic live show where we danced our butts off! I think of them as my official soundtrack for Burning Man last year and that gives them a special place in my heart. They also just remind me of the circus, which is generally endearing. We also saw Common Market (local Seattle rap) play at the Showbox. Our friend Ben was playing live band backing for the rap – a super fantastic treat! And for a random one, Seattle now hosts a monthly event called Naked Girls Reading. It’s exactly what you think it is. We saw last month’s show, centered around Science Fiction tales. Highly engaging.
I finished my glass blowing class that I was do solo once a week. It seems I now have a new art project, for Burning Man, that’s taking up more of my free time than I was expecting. We’re attempting to build a giant pop-up book… maybe something on the scale of 12 ft x 16 ft, with pop-up elements up to 10 ft tall. We’re in design and modeling phase right now. I’ve been designing storyboards, thinking plot, writing grants, and trying my hand at pop-ups. If the whole book happens, it should be pretty fantastic! And even if it doesn’t happen, it’s been fun to dream, design, model, and learn about creating pop-up elements.
Yesterday I submitted my first job application in about a year! My one year contract is up and they’re now opening up my position as a permanent position. I applied, and now get to wait. Hiring decisions happen partially in DC, so some of it’s out of my hands. We’ll see how it goes. My current contract is up April 23rd. I’m told the hiring decisions will ideally come around the “end of April or early May.” If I do get hired and I have a few weeks off in between, I would be quite content for a little break!
David’s team at work is half in South Africa and half in Seattle. He’s hoping for an assignment over there for a month or two. If that happens, he’s invited me to go with him. No word yet on if it’ll actually happen for him, and my future is full of unknowns. If miracles happen, the stars align, and we can both go, I’d be surprised and very delighted! Time to start saving up for a ticket, just in case!
My glass blowing class is finished and I just built a hanging pendant lamp today! I’m very proud! Pic to come soon!
Seattle’s been amazingly dry and sunny all winter! No snow this year. Love the sun. Love the cherry blossoms and daffodils and blooming flowers!
Just finished reading “Tequila, Lemon, And Salt: From Baja…tales of love,faith – and magic” by Daniel Reveles. Stories of life from the Mexican side of a border town. Reminded me a little of the Ladies #1 Detective Agency books about Botswana… a bit simple, a bit outlandish, but really a tender picture of the people, their real struggles, and their sweet loves and families. I love books that transplant you to a place and really give you a feel for what an area is like.
Lonely Planet Cancun, Cozumel & the Yucatan (Sept 2008). Picked it up on my lunch break a few hours before leaving for Mexico. I’d already read much of the Yucatan’s political, cultural, and developmental history in my Lonely Planet Central America on a Shoestring, so I probably didn’t need a stand alone book. However, when I travel I love feeling prepared and knowing I have tons of options, so I can then show up and just follow whatever whim strikes me. :) I had no complaints about the book and will probably send some suggestions of my own. I suspect if Tulum continues to grow in popularity, that section will need updates well before the Cancun and Merida parts.
Also reading “The Witch of Portobello” by Paulo Coelho. As with most books by Paulo Coelho, I found it a wee bit more woo woo than I generally look for, but still enjoyable. It conveyed lovely ideas for soul searching, building community, and seeing the world, though instead of asking many questions I feel like he generally spoon feeds his lessons to the reader via simplistic protagonists who learn each simple lesson one after another. On the bright side, I do love books that open my world view a little and this one is set in Beruit, Romania, and the Middle East.
I’ve spoken with a handful of people lately who are heading to South Africa who wanted travel advice… two different groups I met are going for World Cup games, and the adventuring Dougli are going to visit friends. These conversations inspired me to put some of my own trip notes into a more organized (and hopefully useful) format. I spent a week in Joburg in July 2006 and then returned to South Africa for almost a month in January-February 2007 to explore more of the country. Read on in this post for logistics info and sights visited. Remember that prices listed were from my time there in 2006/2007, and may have changed since then. For more stories of our personal adventures, visit www.travelingcat.com and use the South Africa tags or categories on the right column to find posts and pictures from our adventure. Enjoy!
I. Before you go A. Recommended viewing:
“Tsotsi” won the 2005 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
B. Recommended reading:
Nelson Mandela’s “Long Walk to Freedom.”
Disgrace, by JR Cotzee. Only read it if you’re ready for a “willfully painful” book. Working-out of personal and political shame and responsibility. Also concerned with his country’s history, brutalities, and betrayals. Also intent on what measure of soul and rights we allow animals.
Barbara Trapido’s Frankie and Stankie, a girlish ‘memoir’ of apartheid South Africa. Not the most powerful book, but good intro to SA.
C. Transport Options
Rental Cars – We used Budget Rent A Car. Driving from place to place gave us the flexibility to move when we want to which was an incredible gift. It also puts us closer to life on the road, which includes dodging all matter of obstacles on the road – cattle, goats, sheep, people, the occasional pig and even a monkey here and there. We came out mostly unscathed with the exception of one incident with kamikaze sheep. Note: if you hit anything, it’s the farmer/shepherd’s fault since they should pay better attention to the animals.
Baz bus (tourist bus) – delivers to the major hostels in each spot along the coast between Joburg and Cape Town
Local buses – small, cheap, crowded, used primarily by locals
Tourist buses – super nice with hot cocoa service, sleeper seats, movies, etc. www.intercape.co.za
Internal flights on airlines like Mango – www.flymango.com
D. Food
1. Biltong – beef jerky – the South African equivalent (but it’s WAY better)
2. Braii (BBQ)
3. Ostrich – As a former vegetarian, I had to re-learning everything about meat after avoiding it for 10-15 years. Ostrich meat is way leaner than beef and is way better for you. Happily, it actually tastes better than cow meat too. So if you haven’t tried an ostrich fillet lately, I highly recommend it.
E. Accommodation
Coast to Coast http://www.coastingafrica.com
There’s a free 300 page book called Coast to Coast that lists a full page on each (that is willing to pay) and it’s got more detail than Lonely Planet ever will. It’s also now online!
F. Developed
I’ll admit my ignorance and be honest with you: I wasn’t expecting to arrive from the village in Kenya and find Johannesburg quite so developed. Make no mistakes… South Africa is definitely a first world/developed country and Joburg is a world class city. In Joburg you can eat Thai, sushi, or Greek food all on one city block, and follow those with happy hours anywhere you like. There are coffee shops, pastry shops, dance clubs, hip bars, cute boutiques, art galleries, and street vendors selling crafts.
II. Johannesburg We stayed with friends in a beautiful part of town called Melville.
A. City Living
I came to SA straight from the Kenyan village and all of the little “city living” things we took for granted in the US were pretty outstanding for me.
1. Book reading by a best selling South Africa author
2. Amazing jazz concert – Free concert series at University of Witwatersrand – Johannesburg campus
3. Art opening of a new photo exhibit at a downtown gallery in Standard Bank
4. Wandered a Sunday market near the local mall… so many homemade crafts and homemade clothes
5. Indie record stores like Canned Applause in Melville – For all your import and indie needs! We walked inside and I was absolutely stunned to see Shins t-shirts, Sub-pop posters, Postal Service CDs, ACL Fest DVDs, and more. Want to check out some South African indie bands? Try the Dirty Skirts or Eyes Wide Open.
B. Apartheid Museum
Can horrify you. Some of the photos, especially the ones by Peter Magubane, made me cry. The propaganda films pissed me off. And the whole of it made me ashamed to be white, even if I wasn’t in on the British or Dutch oppression of the black African people.
C. Hector Pieterson Museum and Memorial
Named for the 13 year old boy who was among the first killed by police in the 1976 student uprising in Soweto. The museum shares first hand accounts of brutality and uprising from students, parents, politicians, and journalists who were there. Incredibly moving personal stories, films, and photos of the revolution.
D. African Footprint
Musical in a fancy theatre that tells South Africa’s history through two hours of singing and dance, from native dance to 1950s jazz. Was fun, but could’ve skipped if we wanted to save money.
E. Constitution Hill
One of the closed down prisons where Nelson Mandela was kept as a political prisoner is now open as a museum where horror stories abound. The site also hosts the new building for South Africa’s highest court of law and has exhibits about Mandela. Free tours of both.
F. Maropeng – the Cradle of Humanity
Maropeng is outside Joburg by a few hours and very worth the car rental/drive. Perhaps the best/most progressive museum I’ve ever visited. Hidden behind a big hill is a new, gorgeous museum with the history of mankind, much of which is based off of fossilized apes and humans found in the area, pretty much the oldest in the world.
Museum had lots of great historical info, original fossils, and hands on displays for kids and adults both. Beyond the normal stuff, they went a step further to discuss sustainability, present socially relevant facts, and ask what we can do to preserve our world. Super progressive minded museum! One of the many scary facts I learned: 25% of the earth’s mammals are predicted to be extinct in 30 years! Another scary idea that I knew but really sinks in more here… we’re likely on our way to the sixth great extinction, and ours will be the first caused by us instead of being caused by nature (no more volcano problems, none of this ‘earth hit by asteroid wiping out the dinosaurs’ type of extinctions that have happened in the past).
G. Soweto – Africa’s largest black city, site of 1976 student protests that began the fall of apartheid, home to the only street in the world to have housed two Nobel Peace Prize winners, ex-president Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
Soweto is South Africa’s largest black township with a population of about 3.5 million. (Ie. The British government kicked the Africans off their land and sent them to small, restricted bits of lands… just like the Americans did to the Native Indians who were the original inhabitants of North America). These black townships were low income housing at best, slums at worse. Moving people to Soweto didn’t silenced the black Africans. Soweto was home to many activists who helped bring an end to apartheid, is famous for the student uprisings in 1976, and one Soweto street holds claim to the title “only street in the world to have two Nobel Peace Prize winners, ex-president Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.”
Soweto today is home to 3 million people who speak 13 languages as well as s’camto, a street language. It houses Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, the largest hospital in the southern hemisphere with 6,000 beds and some of the most sophisticated medical facilities in the world. Opposite the hospital is Africa’s largest taxi rank from which 10,000 vehicles depart daily. Despite an unemployment rate estimated at 45% there are many informal businesses such as roadside garages, butcheries, exhaust repairs, barber shops, spaza shops (basic groceries), shebeens (unlicensed taverns), payphones and roadside kitchens, amongst others.
Soweto came to the world’s attention on June 16, 1976 with the Soweto Riots, when student protests erupted over the government’s policy to enforce education in Afrikaans rather than English. Police opened fire on 10,000 students in a peaceful march and among the first to die was 13 year old Hector Pieterson. 566 people died, and there are many chilling videos and photos documenting the struggle at the Hector Pieterson museum and the Apartheid Museum. The impact of the Soweto protests reverberated through the country and across the world. In their aftermath, economic and cultural sanctions were introduced from abroad. Political activists left the country to train for guerrilla resistance. Soweto and other townships became the stage for violent state repression. These events, spurred on in large part by the first student protests, helped bring the eventual end to apartheid in the 1990s.
III. Durban
Translux bus from Joburg to Durban – 100R ($15), left at 8:30am arrived at 4pm. We’ve moved around a bit while here to experience different parts of town… city centre, north beach, and south beach.
A. Banana Backpackers, city centre
Near wide selection of massage parlors and escort agencies. Not classy, but totally acceptable. 100R per person per night to share a double bed. Kitchen, TV, laundry, courtyard, 10 minute walk to the beach, free local calls
B. Umdholti Resort, in Umdholti, a beach town about 15km north of Durban
Cost for us: free (gift of a stranger!). Usually $100+.
Upscale resort town, mostly time shares and condos
Time share unit was on the beach, has private kitchen, bath, 4 beds, tv, seafront balcony, pool, bbq pits, etc. Wow! Is near Umhlanga (an upscale town with Thai food, sushi, Italian, etc) and Ballito.
C. Anstey’s Backpackers, 10 minutes south of Durban on the beach
Camping costs 40R per person. Surfboard rentals, pool, internet, TV, great balconies, book exchange, free coffee and tea, nicest kitchen I’ve seen in any hostel anywhere in the world. The staff were super cool, informative, opinionated, and full of personality. Only 30 meters/1 minute from the beach, cafes, pub, etc.
D. The Bat Centre – art galleries and free live music on Fridays and Sundays at
E. Free art museum
F. Free Natural Science Museum (nicer than Kenya’s and you save $10!)
G. relaxed at the pool
H. swam in the ocean,
I. cheap internet (6R per hour is way better than Melville’s 35R for 45 minutes).
J. Monkey memories
We stayed at a condo in Durban on the very first week of our South African adventure and there were “Beware of monkeys” signs posted about, with warnings to leave doors and windows closed when you were away. The monkeys weren’t opposed to getting in your room and stealing from you. We didn’t have any force their way into our room, but definitely had to guard our stuff down at the pool where the monkeys were running all over and grabbing drinks and snacks sitting next to sun bathers or under lawn chairs.
IV. The Wild Coast South Africa has a lot of coastline, so each section gets its own name. We drove through the Hibiscus Coast, the South Coast, the Wild Coast, the Garden Route, etc. To say the scenery is stunning is a huge understatement – we have seen a huge range of landscape here – from dunes meeting rivers meeting the ocean, wide swaths of low bushes, old deciduous forests, to unbelievable rocky coastlines.
A. Hiking at the Oribi Gorge (10R).
We left the N2 Highway and had to head down dirt roads littered with lots of small huts, cows, sheep, goats, horses, and dogs roaming free. It felt like we were driving through Smurf villages. I was excited to get into the Xhosa land of mud huts with thatched roofs, but wasn’t expecting them to be painted such great blues, greens, and pinks. How delightful!
B. Coffee Shack Backpackers (40R camp)
happening place! Waterfront lot, hammocks, board games, fire pits, gorgeous bathrooms, etc. The hostel seemed to be the main attraction.
C. Hole In The Wall Backpackers (40R camp)
Connected to a hotel, so can accommodate any price range or privacy comfort levels.
Hiking – The hostel was lovely, but the main attraction was nature. We did lovely day hikes around the coast, swimming, saw a beautiful ‘hole in the wall’ rock formation. Great memories from those hikes.
V. The hamlet of Hogsback We traveled inland to Hogsback, an area that claims to be an inspirational place where Tolkein got his ideas to write Lord of the Rings. The forests are lush and deep, full of butterflies, giant trees, waterfalls, and plenty of ornate spider webs.
A. Away With The Fairies Backpackers (45R camp)
Lovely, laid back space, nice communal dinners prepared for you. Hostel had lots of common rooms, a crazy pool, and even a giant tree you could climb to get to the very high up tree house! Recommended!
B. Hiking
The hostel has free maps for hiking… we did a 8 km hike through the mountains that supposedly inspired J.R.R. Tolkien to write Lord of the Rings. Great waterfalls, big trees, nice folks, and lots of local legends.
C. Visit The Edge
A nearby labyrinth overlooking the valley below. Free, beautiful, zen.
VI. The Sunshine Coast A. Addo Elephant National Park (20R)
Cheapest, self guided safari you could imagine, and you get SUPER close to the animals. Honestly, we had elephants come within one foot of the car. Amazing!
The original Elephant section of the park was proclaimed in 1931, when only eleven elephants remained in the area – today this finely tuned ecosystem is sanctuary to over 450 elephants, Cape buffalo, black rhino, a variety of antelope species, as well as the unique flightless dung beetle, found almost exclusively in Addo. The Big 7 (Elephant, rhino, lion, buffalo, leopard, whales and great white sharks) in their natural habitat.
B. Stayed at Orange Elephant Backpackers (30R camp)
A rather odd backpackers with no common room, but the kitchen was well stocked and the bathrooms were nice. Oh, and instead of a pool, they had a trampoline. Restaurant/bar maybe functioned as common room – meals were fine and they had books/games. The hostel wasn’t anything to write home about, but the proximity to the park was perfect.
VII. The Garden Route/Plettenburg Bay A. Monkeyland (90R student price)
“Monkeyland is the worlds first free roaming multi-specie primate sanctuary. Monkeyland has as one of its aims, to create awareness about the plight of primates and to show that with a greater understanding of our primate cousins, that we can all live in harmony.” So fun!
B. Albergo for Backpackers (50R camp)
Nice space. Has a pool table, free coffee and tea, tv and dvd, a bbq/braai pit, decent kitchen, clean bathrooms, internet, breakfast lounge, and outdoor tables. Not bad for $6, eh?
C. Tsitsikamma National Park
We took a gorgeous drive through/around Tsitsikamma National Park, but it was raining pretty hard so we didn’t do the hiking and adventuring we were hoping to do.
D. Monkey Memories
Monkey hijinks hit an all time high at MonkeyLand in Pletts. I guess it shouldn’t be a surprise that a sanctuary for monkeys would hold lots of trouble makers. They had staff with water bottles to squirt the meddling monkeys and they carried big sticks (not to whack the monkeys, but to make scary noise). The monkeys weren’t deterred. They were stealing from the cafe (I thwarted the attempted of Tarzan by scaring him in the cafe), stealing from us at our picnic table (one monkey got Susie’s Sprite, but didn’t fare well attempting to use her straw), and we heard the fabulous tale of a monkey in the gift shop who showed up with a stick of his own to show the security folks he knew their game.
VIII. Oudtshoorn The capital of ostrich breeding business since the 1800s – highly recommended!
A. “Backpackers Paradise”
My vote hands down for the best hostel in all of South Africa. Well appointed place with great open space, multiple well stocked kitchens, multiple TV rooms, multiple sitting rooms with couches and chairs, free coffee and tea, internet café, prepared meals, braai nightly (aka BBQ), swimming pool, bar and pool table, amazing staff, book exchange, and even visitors books for offering advice to other travelers. Amazing!
B. Ostriches!
I’d once read a passage in a book about “how to ride an ostrich” and decided seeing an ostrich farm would be one of the sillier “can’t miss” opportunities in life.
Take a tour of the Safari Ostrich Farm. We learned the history (still active since the 1800s!), saw the farm, got a 75% discount from our hostel (only 24R!), and even got to see jockeys doing ostrich racing! Not only that, but they let 3-4 lucky participants each tour get a FREE OSTRICH RIDE! I highly recommend $3.50 for an ostrich tour and free ride. Quite worth the trip!
C. Meerkat Magic!
I fell in love with meerkats after National Geographic published an amazing photo essay a few years back and have been a big fan ever since. As you know, meerkats are only found in one place in the world – sub Saharan Africa. And as I found out this week, there’s only one program in the world that lets you go out into their natural habitat with a conservation program – Meerkat Magic. It has to be a sunny day, and you have to put up with the somewhat crazy man who leads the tours, but I was more than happy to fork over hundreds of rand for the experience. I wanted to see them in person and wanted to learn more too. While Grant the guide was a bit of a crazy man, you’ve got to respect his ideals and the program he works with. They’re the only meerkat conservation program worldwide that leaves the meerkats in their natural habitat and doesn’t domesticate them by handling them or feeding them.
We got up and drove to the meeting place at 4:45am, made it out to the conservation site by 5:15am, and then hiked out to one of the 60+ boroughs by 5:45am. Then our lessons began. Did you know the meerkat is a tiny rodent, just larger than a rat, and their closest relative is the mongoose? Did you know they dig with sharp claws into the ground to hunt for insects?
Grant shares pictures. (Guests are forbidden from taking pictures as the organization needs the film revenue to help fund their conservation work and rely on BBC, National Geographic, etc.
IX. Route 62 through wine country We decided to skip the rest of the garden route and stay in-land. It was totally the right decision for us. R62 is the “longest wine route in the world.” The drive was hot in January (37C is about 106F) but we slathered on more sunscreen and enjoyed the stunning mountain views. A. Swartburg Pass First stop on route 62 was the winding gravel road of Swartburg Pass – one of the “most spectacular passes in Africa” with views of the Matjies River valley. Scary and impressive. B. Ladismith From there we headed on back roads and more gravel to Ladismith. Not much there except a fabulous stop at a cheese and ice cream factory (yum!), but both of us were big Paul Simon fans and Ladysmith Black Mambazo fans, and that was enough to make excited about driving through the town of Ladysmith. C. Warmwaterberg Spa Hot springs between Barrydale and Ladismith at Warmwaterberg Spa. We went to a cool old resort called Warmwaterberg Spa (established in 1886 with three outdoor “Roman bathing pools” overlooking the gorgeous surrounding mountains and valleys. The 41C hot mineral water was fabulous, the setting amazing, and my head spinning. Germans apparently rate these among the top three hot springs in the world for their heat and mineral content… among other things they’ve got low levels of sulfur and high levels of lithium. D. Robertson Robertson – a small town in the Breede River Valley with wine, roses, and race horses. It’s nestled into the most gorgeous purple hills imaginable and has about 10% of SA’s vineyards, and amazing hiking opportunities.
1. Hiking
We spent a day at a local nature reserve and did a great, easy trail up to the edge of the mountains followed by an hour long rock scramble. Our goal was swimming in the many small rock pools and the bigger waterfall at the end. The water was quite chilly, the dip in the pools was refreshing and the views and rock formations were gorgeous. We heard about the hike courtesy of Robertson’s Backpackers.
2. Robertson’s Backpackers Hostel
Another in a line of very impressive hostels where we camped. Among its unique amenities included local wines, gorgeous bathrooms, eclectic original artwork around the house, and most interestingly a Moroccan lounge and hookah bar. We decided to peruse their video library and opted for a late night showing of the Breakfast Club on VHS. E. Stellenbosch Stellenbosch, the heart of South Africa’s wine country. Stellenbosch is actually SA’s second oldest city and vineyards were first planted there in the 1600s. With our luck we not only arrived on a Wednesday (the most happening day of the week). it was a college town with lots of bars (lower drinking age + 17,000 college students + wine country = party time in Stellenbosch).
1. Cellar tour at Die Bergkelder
Tunneled into the slopes of the Papegaaiberg mountain. We did all of the tour’s samplings there and both ended up tipsy before 11am. Some of the best wines I’ve ever had: Fleur de Cap.
2. Jordan Winery in Stellenbosch
Very laid back winery, much like you’d find in Washington’s wine country near Seattle or near Walla Walla (it’s sold in the States under the Jardin label).
3. Vrede en Lust Winery in Franschhoek
Vrede en Lust was the classiest winery I’ve ever seen, way fancier than Napa Valley. (They host weddings and cater to a rich foreign clientele). We picked Vrede en Lust because they also hosted a cheese and olive products shop onsite, as well as beautiful grounds and guest cottages. Little did we know the woman behind the counter would be so amazing… from advice on wines and local history to tattoo shops in Cape Town and gourmet dinner recommendations in nearby Paarl town.
4. Dinner at Noop
Most amazing dinner I’d had in recent years. Noop is a tiny artsy gourmet restaurant connected to a coffee shop and florist. The funky feel was very Seattle though the gourmet food quality was decidedly New York or Houston. Our bread, main meal, giant decadent dessert, coffee, and truffles only came to $11 each. Wow!
5. Stumble Inn Hostel
We stayed at the Stumble Inn, a packed, very popular hostel right in the middle of town. All of the beds and rooms were sold out, but we had Susie’s tent and they still had room for us. Young-ish crowd.
X. Cape Town We returned our rental car in Cape Town to save money and went back to public transit (slow, but it got us door to door). We stayed with friends, but many folks we met recommended Long Street Backpackers. We spent a fair amount of time at the beach, shopping, and eating. My goal was to get there in time for the Cape Town Pride celebrations, a Pride parade, and a rocking Pride street party
A. Robben Island
Tour of the prison island where Nelson Mandela and other freedom fighters were jailed. All tour groups led by former inmates. Powerful.
B. Long Street and Green Market Square – wander aimlessly
C. Hiked Table Mountain.
Even the “easiest” routes are supposed to be ‘difficult and hair raising’ and the guard at the bottom told us it can be full of bandits who jump out of the bushes and mug you at knife point (they apparently can’t use guns because guns cause rock slides). We had no muggings, no baboon attacks, not even sore muscles. The views were gorgeous and the other people hiking were super fun and social. We even had a new friend Andy join us for the hike, a 60+ year old Brit. The hike was a bit harder than he initially expected, but he did great and bought us drinks at the top to thank us for “taking care of him.”
D. We drove a loop around the Cape
Started in Big Bay, then into town through Table Mountain National Park, then out to a arts and craft market at Hout Bay, lunch on a farm (can’t remember where), back home for a late dinner. Sadly, we didn’t have time to go all the way south to Cape Point.
We were super sad to leave and miss the rest of South Africa, but wanted to get up to Namibia to check out the desert and sand dunes and continue the adventure!
I did a few cellar tours in Stellenbosch, and have been wishing for the past two years that I remembered what wines I enjoyed most. (I was a bit tipsy by 11am, as I rarely drink and am a bit of a lightweight). Well, I’m excited to say I’m now found them!
Fleur du Cap (Bergkelder) Pinotage 750ml 2007 Price Range:
$10.00 to $13.00
Sku: 19620
Tasting notes
Dark red with violet hue. Prominent plum, cassis, smoked beacon aromas that are complimented with hints of vanilla. On the palate, it is a medium bodied wine packed with strawberry, raspberry and spicy flavours. Soft matured tannin with a fruity finish. An easy, approachable Pinotage that can be enjoyed now, and as the wine matures for the next three to four years.
Wine maker notes
The grapes were hand-picked when the crop reached maturity at 23,4-24,5° Brix by the beginning of February. In the cellar, the juice fermented on the skins for 10 days at 82.4°F. After malolactic fermentation the wine was matured in second-fill casks for 18 months. The wine was bottle-matured for a further 18 months before release.
Bergkelder Chenin Blanc Fleur du Cap Noble Late Harvest 750ml Country: SOUTH AFRICA
Region: COASTAL REGION
Sub-Region: STELLENBOSCH
Grape Varietal: CHENIN BLANC
Type: Still wine,Dessert
This year I decided to spend a solo Christmas in Seattle. Work uncertainty meant I didn’t know till the last minute if I’d have a job past Dec 31st, and tickets were crazy pricy by then, and I don’t have much time off, and well, it just seemed easiest.
Turns out while I miss my fam and friends in Texas, I’m also quite excited to have some rare quiet time to myself. It’s been a rather insane year in my life (read: hard, painful, draining, depressing, confusing), and I’m finally feeling a little more like myself again. Yesterday after work I had some friends over for creative night. Today I telecommuted for work, did some emails, then went to a local nursing home with friends. They put up a notice online that they were looking for volunteers to dress up a little and pass out gifts. We had a huge crowd of volunteers, passed out gifts to every resident, sang some carols, took pictures with Santa, and had a lovely time. Felt like a good thing to do if I had free time in my schedule and I’m glad I did it.
I then came home, marveling at the warm and sunny day we’re having, and decided to grill up a steak on my BBQ grill. Can’t do it in rainy weather, so today was a perfectly indulgent day to eat steak. :) This afternoon I did some long overdue gardening, did some baking, and then spent some time running errands for parties. That’s right… despite the plan for a quiet week, seems there are many, many orphans in town and lots of parties all weekend. Three parties tonight. Three more parties tomorrow. And even a few generous offers to spend the holidays with local friend’s families.
Saturday’s going to be a snow shoe trip with the girls, and Sunday is another creative project day. Good times! Perhaps it’s not a traditional Christmas with a baked ham and a big meal, opening gifts or hanging stockings on the fire place, but I’m not exactly living a traditional life this year. At this point I’m just incredibly thankful to have made it this far, still mostly sane, finding my health, gainfully employed a while longer, a roof over my head, and surrounded by friends. This Christmas I give thanks to all of the kind, generous, patient, loving people in my life. I don’t even want to think of how empty my life would be without all of you in it.
Birthday festivities continued this week with a Solstice bike ride on Monday that made me so, so, so happy. We celebrated the darkest day of the year with a night time bike ride with 14 friends out to Lake Union for dinner at the Ivars Salmon House. So great! They sang. Restaurant guests shared their greetings. I rode away from the crowd at the end of the night with everyone shouting greetings to me across the dark night sky. I felt alive, invigorated, loved.
Tuesday was my actual birthday and I left work at noon to have wonderfully relaxing spa day with great conversation with wonderful Caroline (free spa entrance on your birthday at the fancy Korean day spa!). Spa day was followed by a home cooked vegetarian feast with Jess, Caroline, David, and Jacob on the evening of my birthday. Jess even made a flourless chocolate tort… yum! And Mez sent flowers. And many dozens of friends called, emailed, text, sang, and Facebooked greetings in my direction.
I’m pretty blessed on a regular basis to be surrounded by so many people who are so consistently kind and generous. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart!
Some years my birthday seems to get overshadowed by the holidays… easy to happen when it’s only three days before Christmas. Two years ago on my birthday I was drugged out and laid up in bed after surgery. Last year I wasn’t with my friend in Austin, or with friends in Seattle, I was with Mez’s very sweet family in Florida. It was a lovely birthday, but wasn’t somehow an organic me-fest.
This year, somehow, it’s a birthday extravaganza all month long. My celebrating started two weeks ago with a “fake” birthday lunch with Mez at Boka and a really lovely “fake” birthday dinner with David at Flying Fish. Those was followed that night by a small gathering of friends for a low key celebration night, hosted by Mez and Offspring house. I wore sequins. I hung upside down in a yoga sling. I was surrounded by friends. There was flourless mocha chocolate tort from Dilettante Chocolate. Everyone was sweet. It was lovely and low key after a hard week.
Flying Fish
flyingfishrestaurant.com
2234 1st Avenue
Seattle, WA 98121-1615
(206) 728-8595
Boka Kitchen & Bar
www.bokaseattle.com
1010 1st Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104-1008
(206) 357-9000
Dilettante Chocolate
www.dilettante.com
538 Broadway E
Seattle, WA 98102
(206) 329-6463
Today’s been a good day, and it’s just keeps building off the continuing goodness of the week. Last Friday I went to a house party with David’s friends… a wonderfully organic fundraiser for Sharehouse with spoke word, open mic, ice cream made with liquid nitrogen, musical performances, and lots of familiar faces. First of all, any house party can be good times and lots of fun. But to add the fundraiser component made me quite happy and delighted to be surrounded by such caring people. And speaking of the caring people there, David and I have been dating since August and I’ve been slowly meeting a lot of the folks important in his life. It’s now December and I can go to their parties knowing who a fair number of the people are. And this particular party had Jason Webley as an added bonus. He’s friends with the crowd, sings and records with the crowd, and I was feeling like such a fan boy. I’ve seen him in concert a dozen times in the last nine years… this was my first time being in a crowd with him at a party. I’ll call it the icing on the cake for an already fun Friday night. :)
Saturday just kept getting better and the whole day made me infinitely happy. David and I woke up and decided to make snowflakes (out of folded paper and scissors, just like when we were kids). It was immensely rewarding… who knew?! David’s snowflakes were super impressive and it was a good time. While we were crafting, my housemate Mars texted to tell us he was thinking of getting a Christmas tree. How fantastic! He came home, we hung the snowflakes on the windows, decorated the tree, made a paper chain, and decorated the whole house in a matter of a few hours on a lazy, cozy Saturday morning.
We then had friends over for a cookie decorating party, then headed to three other holiday parties happening the same day. (Christmas Crawl = a dozen overlapping holiday parties all on one day). :) I don’t remember the last time I decorated a Christmas tree, made snow flakes, or made and decorated Christmas cookies. It was a lovely day with lovely energy and lovely people. Our house was crowded, buzzing, packed upstairs and down with a few kids and lots of happy people, sugared out, holidayed up, drinking spiked cider or mulled wine, and enjoying themselves. It was also the first time all three of us have been here to throw a party… so it felt all the more special to host together. Needless to say, Saturday was a good day.
And to close out the weekend Sunday night we did Tacos & Hip Hop at David’s place with all of his housemates. Who can ask for more out of a weekend? Not me! :)
Winter Solstice 2009: Facts on Shortest Day of the Year
Brian Handwerk
for National Geographic News
Updated December 21, 2009
Today is the winter solstice and the first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s all due to Earth’s tilt, which ensures that the shortest day of every year falls around December 21.
But it’s not all about astronomy. Since ancient times people have marked the winter solstice with countless cultural and religious traditions—it’s no coincidence the modern holiday season surrounds the first day of winter.
Solstice in Space: Astronomy of the First Day of Winter
During the winter solstice the sun hugs closer to the horizon than at any other time during the year, yielding the least amount of daylight annually. On the bright side, the day after the winter solstice marks the beginning of lengthening days leading up to the summer solstice.
“Solstice” is derived from the Latin phrase for “sun stands still.”
That’s because—after months of growing shorter and lower since the summer solstice—the sun’s arc through the sky appears to stabilize, with the sun seeming to rise and set in the same two places for several days. Then the arc begins growing longer and higher in the sky, reaching its peak at the summer solstice.
The solstices occur twice a year (around December 21 and June 21), because Earth is tilted by an average of 23.5 degrees as it orbits the sun—the same phenomenon that drives the seasons.
During the warmer half of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, the North Pole is tilted toward the sun. The northern winter solstice occurs when the “top” half of Earth is tilted away from the sun at its most extreme angle of the year.
Being the shortest day of the year, the winter solstice is essentially the year’s darkest day, but it’s not the coldest.
Because the oceans are slow to heat and cool, in December they still retain some warmth from summer, delaying the coldest of winter days for another month and a half. Similarly, summer doesn’t hit its heat peak until August, a month or two after the summer solstice.
Winter Solstice Marked Since Ancient Times
Throughout history, humans have celebrated the winter solstice, often with an appreciative eye toward the return of summer sunlight.
Massive prehistoric monuments such as Ireland’s mysterious Newgrange tomb are aligned to capture the light at the moment of the winter solstice sunrise.
Germanic peoples of Northern Europe honored the winter solstice with Yule festivals—the origin of the still-standing tradition of the long-burning Yule log.
The Roman feast of Saturnalia, honoring the God Saturn, was a weeklong December feast that included the observance of the winter solstice. Romans also celebrated the lengthening of days following the solstice by paying homage to Mithra—an ancient Persian god of light.
Many modern pagans attempt to observe the winter solstice in the traditional manner of the ancients.
“There is a resurgent interest in more traditional religious groups that is often driven by ecological motives,” said Harry Yeide, a professor of religion at George Washington University. “These people do celebrate the solstice itself.”
Pagans aren’t alone in commemorating the winter solstice in modern times.
In a number of U.S. cities a Watertown, Massachusetts-based production called The Christmas Revels honors the winter solstice with an annually changing menu of traditional music and dance from around the world.
“Nearly every northern culture has some sort of individual way of celebrating that shortest day,” said Revels artistic director Patrick Swanson. “It’s a lot of fun for us to dig up the traditional dance and music and even the plays [honoring] that time of the year.”
Of course, as the name suggests, The Christmas Revels mix ancient winter solstice traditions with customs of the holiday that largely replaced winter solstice celebrations across much of the Northern Hemisphere—Christmas.
Winter Solstice’s Christmas Connection
Scholars aren’t exactly sure of the date of Jesus Christ’s birthday, the first Christmas.
“In the early years of the Christian church, the calendar was centered around Easter,” George Washington University’s Yeide said. “Nobody knows exactly where and when they began to think it suitable to celebrate Christ’s birth as well as the Passion cycle”—the Crucifixion and resurrection depicted in the Bible.
Eastern churches traditionally celebrate Christmas on January 6, a date known as Epiphany in the West. The winter date may have originally been chosen on the basis that Christ’s conception and Crucifixion would have fallen during the same season—and a spring conception would have resulted in a winter birth.
But Christmas soon became co-mingled with traditional observances of the first day of winter.
“As the Christmas celebration moved west,” Yeide said “the date that had traditionally been used to celebrate the winter solstice became sort of available for conversion to the observance of Christmas. In the Western church the December date became the date for Christmas.”
Early church leaders endeavored to attract pagans to Christianity by adding Christian meaning to existing winter solstice festivals.
“This gave rise to an interesting play on words,” Yeide said. “In several languages, not just in English, people have traditionally compared the rebirth of the sun with the birth of the son of God.”
December 21, 2009
Labor Data Show Surge in Hiring of Temp Workers
By LOUIS UCHITELLE, NY Times
The hiring of temporary workers has surged, suggesting that the nation’s employers might soon take the next step, bringing on permanent workers, if they can just convince themselves that the upturn in the economy will be sustained.
As demand rose after the last two recessions, in the early 1990s and in 2001, employers moved more quickly. They added temps for only two or three months before stepping up the hiring of permanent workers. Now temp hiring has risen for four months, the economy is growing, and still corporate managers have been reluctant to shift to hiring permanent workers, relying instead on temps and other casual labor easily shed if demand slows again.
“When a job comes open now, our members fill it with a temp, or they extend a part-timer’s hours, or they bring in a freelancer — and then they wait to see what will happen next,” said William J. Dennis Jr., director of research for the National Federation of Independent Business.
The rising employment of temp workers is not all bad. However uncertain their status, they do count in government statistics as wage-earning workers, adding to the employment rolls and helping to bring down the monthly job loss to just 11,000 in November. Indeed, the unemployment rate fell in 36 states in November, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported last week, partly because of the growing use of temps.
The bureau, which issues the monthly employment reports, does not distinguish between permanent and casual employment, with one exception: it has a special category for temp workers, the men and women supplied by Manpower, Kelly Services, Adecco and other agencies.
Last month 52,000 temps were added, greater than the number of new workers in any other category. Not even health care and government, stalwarts through the long recession, did better.
“Sometimes we’re asked by a company to bring back ex-employees as temps,” said Joanie Ruge, a senior vice president of Adecco. Some are even ex-employees who have been laid off. “That does happen,” she said.
In the past, temps who do well have often been offered regular employment, with higher pay and benefits. Given the uncertainties about this recovery, companies are not doing that now, and temps, as a result, are less likely to spend as freely as regular employees or to qualify for credit, generating less demand than permanent employment would.
Adding to this undertow, corporate America is investing very little in expansion at a moment when current capacity — the machinery and floor space now available — is underused. And pressure is rising on the Obama administration and Congress to offset the shortfalls by authorizing more stimulus spending — enough to bring the national unemployment rate down from the present 10 percent.
“Depression has been forestalled only because major government borrowing and spending is filling the gap,” Albert M. Wojnilower, a Wall Street economist and consultant at Craig Drill Capital, said in a newsletter last week.
Caution in hiring is certainly the watchword at Eggrock, which makes prefabricated bathrooms in Littleton, Mass. During the summer, Eggrock received its first new order since the recession began: 462 units for a hospital project in Canada.
The order caught the company with only 10 workers on the factory floor, down from 45 early last year. But rather than recall those who had been laid off, Eggrock arranged for 40 temps from Manpower: plumbers, electricians, assemblers and the like.
“The biggest factor in prompting us to shift from temps to permanent employees would be a solid order backlog,” said Phillip Littlefield, a vice president at the company. So far a backlog has not materialized, or even a second order, although there is an “uptick in interest,” as Mr. Littlefield put it. “We are optimistic,” he said.
Halfway across the country, in Burlington, Iowa, the recession bypassed the Winegard Company. That is perhaps because Winegard makes television antennas and satellite receivers, and in hard times people watch more television, said Denise Baker, Winegard’s director of human resources. Whatever the case, to keep up with new orders, the company has added 70 workers in the last two years — all of them temps.
“An actual employee with benefits costs more than a temp or a contract worker,” Ms. Baker said, “and as long as I can still get highly skilled temps, I’ll go that route. It gives me more room to reverse course if the economy weakens again and sales do finally sink.”
Given the nature of the upturn, that could happen. After 18 months of contraction, the economy expanded from July through September at a 2.8 percent annual rate, and many economists expect the expansion to be even stronger in the fourth quarter, approaching 4 percent. The rebound is robust mainly because of a “turnaround in inventory policies from breakneck liquidation to slow accumulation,” Mr. Wojnilower said.
If this restocking of shelves and warehouses were to stop or slow next year, a possibility that concerns Mr. Littlefield and Ms. Baker, then the temps, freelancers and contract workers they and many other employers now use would have a harder time moving from casual to regular employment.
The temp agencies often promote themselves as employment agencies — skilled at quickly finding qualified workers whom companies can convert to regular employment after using them initially as temps.
That mechanism works well in good times, but not these days, certainly not for Walter Latham of Coram, Long Island, who lost his job 14 months ago as a project manager at the Reserve, a money market fund based in New York.
His wife, Marjorie, works for Kelly Services as a temp at a health insurance company’s call center, and Mr. Latham, 56, finally joined her two weeks ago after hunting for months for higher-paying, permanent work. The temp assignment pays him less than $25 an hour — “a long way down from the $135,000 a year I once made,” Mr. Latham said.
The Lathams have gone through the more than $200,000 in savings that he accumulated during 20 years in the financial services industry. The call center assignment ends on March 31, and neither Mr. Latham nor his wife have gotten any hint that the insurance company would convert them to permanent employment with benefits like health insurance, which neither has today.
“My future is Latham Golf,” he said, describing a Web site that he and some partners started 15 days ago to teach subscribers how to swing golf clubs. Until Latham Golf pays off, if it ever does, Mr. Latham says that he and his wife, who sells jewelry on the side, will continue to work as temps.
“I’ve never seen the job market this horrible,” he said, “when you couldn’t get a job or even an offer of a job at a decent pay level.”
My housemates and I are hosting a mini-party today. Feel free to come on by this afternoon for Christmas cookie decorating from 4-6pm! Nothing required but smiling faces! :)
National Service Agency Solicits Public Feedback on Social Innovation Fund
Anticipated $200 million in public-private funding will support transformative solutions to major social challenges and improve nation’s challenge-solving infrastructure
WASHINGTON, DC – The Corporation for National and Community Service released a draft Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for its 2010 Social Innovation Fund (SIF) grant competition today. The Corporation is soliciting public feedback on the funding notification through January 15, 2010.
“The bottom line is clear: Solutions to America’s challenges are being developed every day at the grass roots – and government shouldn’t be supplanting those efforts, it should be supporting those efforts,” remarked President Barack Obama at a June 2009 gathering of nonprofit and philanthropic leaders. “Instead of wasting taxpayer money on programs that are obsolete or ineffective, government should be seeking out creative, results-oriented programs like the ones here today and helping them replicate their efforts across America.”
The SIF, a new public-private partnership authorized by the 2009 Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, is designed to create new knowledge about how to solve social challenges in the areas of economic opportunity, youth development and school support, and healthy futures, and, improve our nation’s challenge-solving infrastructure in low-income communities.
“These are challenging times, and marginal progress is far short from being enough today,” said Stephen Goldsmith, the Chair of the Corporation’s Board of Directors. “We have to do business differently to ensure that Federal resources are touching the lives of those that need it most, and that is what these funds will do. The SIF will identify creative, effective programs to meet critical needs and provide public-private capital to broaden the reach of programs to more communities.”
In Fiscal Year (FY) 2010, the Corporation expects to award an estimated $50 million in Federal funding to five to seven intermediary organizations. Annual awards, which will run for five years, are expected to be in the range of $5 million to $10 million. Intermediary organizations – grantmaking institutions – will apply for SIF funding and then make sub-grants to a portfolio of promising nonprofit organizations.
The network of SIF grantees and sub-grantees will leverage Federal investments through partnerships with the public, private and philanthropic sectors to ensure greater impact. The funding mechanism calls for every $1 in Federal funding to be leveraged by $3 in private funding, for a total public-private investment of $200 million. Critically, intermediaries will also be expected to provide a range of strategic supports to their portfolio organizations, including in the areas of management, fundraising, and especially, evaluation.
The draft funding notice reflects months of outreach to stakeholders in the nonprofit, private and public sectors. These conversations particularly influenced three key decisions.
The SIF will require funded intermediaries to focus resources on promising nonprofit organizations with “rigorous evidence of impact.” By establishing a clear evidence and impact standard, the SIF will drive greater resources to those organizations with strong potential to make dramatic progress on some of our nation’s most critical social challenges.
To ensure that intermediary and nonprofit organizations from across the country have an opportunity to benefit from the SIF, applicants may apply and propose to host an open awards competition. While a preference may be given to applicants with a ready portfolio of promising nonprofit organizations, this open awards provision recognizes the benefits of building new intermediaries committed to searching for transformative solutions.
The SIF prizes geographic diversity among intermediary and nonprofit organizations, acknowledging that solutions to critical social challenges adversely affecting all Americans must be given the opportunity to thrive anywhere in America. Applicants with a rural focus are encouraged to apply. To further contribute to the spread of innovative approaches across the country, funded intermediaries will be required to collaborate and share their knowledge broadly through a learning community.
Click here for more information about the SIF and click here to listen to a conference call held on December 18, 2009. Feedback can be emailed to SIFinput@cns.gov. The deadline for feedback is January 15, 2010. The final SIF funding notice is expected to be released in February 2010.
The Corporation for National and Community Service is a federal agency that engages more than five million Americans in service through its Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America programs, and leads President Obama’s national call to service initiative, United We Serve. For more information, visit NationalService.gov.
I think I want a birthday party this year. Not sure what I want though. Small, cozy 30 ppl? How do I pick just 30? Bigger 100-200 house party? Does it feel like it’s about me if it’s 200 people, or is it just anothe party? Bouncy palace rental place like Ian did for his 7th birthday last week? So many options… Decisions, decisions…
Last Friday was a lovely dinner with David at Cafe Nordo. The vegetarian ate chicken for this special dinner of local, organic dinner theater. Amazing! And speaking of David… did I mention he used the G word last weekend for the first time? (G word = girlfriend). Fun stuff. :)
Saturday I met up with Caroline, Suzanne, and Jess for drinks at the Elysian, then headed to the Triple Door with David and Jess to see the Theoretics. (I’d met Ben at a party a month ago and was excited to finally see his band play). Good times.
Sunday was a fun day lazying about the house with David, Leah, Eric, Taylor, Mark, and Hess. :)
Sunday night Antoun was in town and we cooked dinner and went to the Monkey House housewarming… amazing! So great to see smiling faces and to see the beautiful new home of Laura and Geoff, Steph and Rob.
Monday was another lovely dinner… also cooked by Antoun. Black cod, salmon, cranberry reduction, mushroom sauce, butternut squash couscous, homemade tzatziki, and salad. Yum. Fun to start the week with dinner with so many good people… Antoun, David, Miller, Nathan, Noah, Kevin, and Erika. We even got a sneak peak at one of Nathan’s birthday gifts (a movie in the media room).
Tuesday was house bonding as all three/four of us were actually here at the same time! I was planning to meet up with David and Megan for sushi, but with the arrival of housemates I canceled and decided to live it up at Sunrise. We’ve signed on to host an event for the Christmas Crawl (decorating x-mas cookies and watching x-mas shorts), and we’ve scheduled a house brunch too. Good times!
And now I’m home, packing for my trip to Florida tomorrow morning. If I’m good, I’ll make it over to AND for Dave L’s birthday party, but we’ll see. It’s rainy, I’m tired, I’m hungry, I leave at 5am, and I’m not packed yet. :) Tomorrow I fly to Florida for the annual family holiday. I’m excited to get some sun, and super excited to see my niece, nephew, and whole family. Mez and his family will also be there and we’ll be meeting up with them on both Friday and Saturday. Good times.
Made my very first trip to Spokane this week, almost 10 years after moving to Washington state. Picking on Spovegas Spokane is a pretty popular past time for a lot of folks in WA, but it doesn’t seem to be that bad or that much worse than any other smallish city. Just because it’s our second biggest city, doesn’t mean it’s big. Seattle metro is about 3.5 million. SpoCompton Spokane’s metro population is only 600,000. It’s a more rural/agricultural economy, and not as progressive as Seattle. Locals tell me there’s not much going on, but I hosted my conference in the downtown and it was lovely for a short three day visit.
Like San Antonio, there’s a lovely river going through downtown, lovely waterfront park with good walking/foot bridges, and lots of cafes, pubs, and shopping. I worked all day so I didn’t get to explore much, but did make it out for good dinners both nights.
Mizuna Restaurant and Wine Bar www.mizuna.com
214 N Howard St
Spokane, WA 99201-0805
(509) 747-2004
Considered one of Spokane’s finest restaurants, Mizuna offers a dynamic seasonal menu featuring the best of fresh local organic northwest ingredients. After being a strictly vegetarian restaurant of the first five years, they introduced fresh fish and organic hormone free meats, while still focusing on their vegetarian guests. This was a difficult decision, but felt in order to grow the restaurant into the healthy thriving business they knew it could be, they needed a shift. One thing remains consistent: the philosophy of providing the highest quality ingredients, healthfully and conscientiously prepared, with many vegetarian and vegan options served by skilled, gracious staff in an environment that is relaxing and uplifting.
Chef, Tom Nichols keeps regulars continually coming back for more with his changing seasonal menu focusing on the freshest produce available, utilizing local organic farmers, fresh fish and the highest quality organic and hormone free meats. Care and attention are put into to each and every plate, served with style and finesse. Vegetarian and vegan guests find comfort in knowing that they have many tantalizing options available to them and that their food is always prepared with creativity and care. Separate cooking surfaces are used for all meat products, and several Mizuna staples are always vegan. Our philosophy is that with proper cooking techniques, fewer ingredients are necessary to bring out food’s true flavor. Above all, we believe in simple, honest food.
Zola’s www.zolaspokane.com
22 W Main Ave
Spokane, WA 99201-3128
(509) 624-2416
“If you ask me what I came into this world to do, I will tell you: I came to live out loud.” – Emile Zola
The historical Longbotham building, originally built in 1909, is now home to Zola, a coalition of artistic and culinary vision of Dan Spalding and William Webster. Sean “Smitty” Smith was an integral player in creating a comfortable atmosphere that isn’t off-putting. Most decor and furnishings were salvaged and recycled from demolition sites around the block and downtown Spokane. The upstairs seating features vintage tilt-a-whirl bucket booths that date back to the 1940′s. The liquor dollies and our unique wall coverings are created out of everything from old bicycle rims to license plates. A favorite piece is the “uts” light fixture above the bar which came from the Jim Dandy Donuts sign on North Division.
Opening day, March 7, 2008, Zola became the only bar where a father can take his son or a mother can take her daughter on their 21st birthday and enjoy dinner, drinks and hang out and feel totally comfortable. In only eight months, owner William Webster was honored with Spokane’s Ultimate Culinary Gala – 2008 Epicurean Delight Award for outstanding Hors d’ Oeuvres. Zola looks forward to suprising our patrons for years to come with different menus, drinks, events and incredible ambiance.
Happy hour daily 4pm to 6pm
Live music nightly Tuesday through Saturday
Poker tournaments Tuesday and Thursday
Flower petting at Volunteer Park and dinner at Mama’s with Brian A
Gluten free date night with David
Parents arrived in town and stayed for five nights!
Trip to Portland to visit my aunt Kandy and cousin Colin
Burning Man planning meetings to prepare a partial Grooviks Cube for SeaCompression
Lots of trips to Lowes for home repairs… finally fixed closet bar, installed towel rack, replaced light bulbs, built awning for my grill, etc.
Jess’s birthday party at Naked City Brewery
Lullaby Moon (see post below) with Mom, Dad, and Everywhere/Kris
Doctors visits and a CT scan (turned up inconclusive results)
Another cooking date night with David
Bev & Shawn’s 5th Anniversary – very sweet party celebrating their love at LRS
A mixer at Heden
Housewarming in the U-District
White Masquerade Party in Capitol Hill
Rainy and cold bike ride with Jess
Rusted Root concert at the Croc with Brian R and Kris
Halloween crafting night with Bev and Alison
Pumpkin Carving 7 at Samantha’s place!
The Kistler Awards Black Tie gala with Mez
Celebration for Craig’s last day of work at the Elysian Brewery
Joe’s Surprise Goodbye Party… can’t believe he’s already off on his motorcycle trip down to the southern tip of Argentina… so awesome!
My first time trick or treating in years… so fun! Lesley, Clayton, Ola, and I hit 17th Street… utter madness! So much fun! Makes me want to create a haunted house and spooky shenanigans next year at 910!
HiveMind Halloween party with Seattle burners… netted over $24,000 for nonprofits! Was a bee in a swarm of over 30 bees and 2 bee keepers!
Walking date with Caroline on a gorgeous sunny fall day at Greenlake
Dinner at Andaluca with Mez then my first time to see Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Fifth Ave Theater
Started taking an online class: the Art of Magazine Writing.
Bought a MacBook Pro with my AmeriCorps Ed Award! My ed award expires in December, so I had to use my money between now and then. So fun! Looking forward to being frustrated while I learn Mac and then looking forward to creating all kinds of fun stuff!
More date nights and brunches and fun with David
Another movie night at Heden
And tonight, I’m off to Annex Theater to see the Sonos acapella group perform to an over enthusiastic crowd. :)
My cousin Steph just married her dad’s business partner Don! The wedding pics are gorgeous, showing many beautiful smiling faces! Looking forward to seeing the happy couple on my next trip to North Caroline!
Garfield freshman’s charity begins at school By Kristi Heim, Seattle Times business reporter
Jessica Markowitz runs a charity that sends 22 poor girls in Rwanda to school. She has raised nearly $40,000, taken several trips to rural villages there, formed a partnership with a local girls school and worked this past summer teaching Rwandan kids to read in English.
The amazing part is that Markowitz is only 14.
In sixth grade she learned about Rwandan children who had lost their parents to genocide and war and could not afford school.
She felt compelled to help, so she organized some classmates at Seattle Girls School, and they pooled money to support girls in Rwanda, who can attend a year of school for as little as $40.
Three years later, they are still going strong. On Nov. 5, the Garfield High School freshman will receive the 2009 World of Children Founders Award at UNICEF in New York. The award honors people around the world who are creating innovative programs for children in need. With the $15,000 prize, Markowitz plans to help build a library in Rwanda focused on girls.
Her charity, called IMPUWE — the Rwandan word for compassion — is expanding to chapters in five more Seattle high schools. Markowitz says the name also stands for “inspire and motivate powerful, undiscovered women with education.”
She originally called the project Richard’s Rwanda, after Richard Kananga, a Rwandan aid worker who stayed with her family in Seattle during a U.S. visit and told her about the plight of girls whose parents had died.
With some help from her parents, she started her own youth group focused on charity. Youth Venture, a national organization that encourages young people to solve social problems through entrepreneurship, gave her $1,000 in seed money, and later she won a $10,000 social-change award from retailer Best Buy. Markowitz got about $8,000 at her bat mitzvah and donated it to the project.
Her group is planning to use the funds to continue helping the girls get through high school, expand to help even more girls, build a library and supply it with books.
Perspective on life
Markowitz had some exposure to the continent at a young age — her father is from South Africa and her mother’s nonprofit, Youth Ambassadors, does some work there.
But seeing her own life in perspective made the biggest impression, said her mother, Lori Markowitz.
“She said, ‘Wow, Mom, I can wake up every day and have breakfast and go to school, and you drive me in a car,’ ” Lori Markowitz said. “She’s just a normal girl who understands, because she’s living in this country, she has the ability to go out and make a difference.”
Jessica Markowitz says the effort has benefited her and her classmates as much as it has the girls overseas.
“It’s definitely going both ways,” she said. “It’s not just helping girls in Rwanda as a little charity movement, but it’s making a difference in the U.S. by teaching us how to give back.”
Markowitz looks every inch the typical American girl, grinning in her denim shorts, baseball hat and T-shirt in photos as she hugs Rwandan girls in blue cotton dresses. But when she talks, she reflects wisdom beyond her years.
“One of the biggest things we have to realize is how privileged we are,” she said. “Going and seeing the difference of how much we have compared to people in impoverished countries gives you the importance of valuing things. Many kids in the U.S. don’t have that realization. Once they do, they want to help out.”
Eye-opening visit
Rwanda, a small country in central Africa, is still emerging from the effects of a devastating conflict in 1994, when as many as 1 million people in 100 days were slaughtered in a genocide aimed at wiping out ethnic Tutsis. Most of the population lives on less than $2 a day, and thousands of orphans remain.
Hearing about the genocide hit home for Markowitz, even as a young girl. Her great-uncle survived Auschwitz and told her stories about losing his family during the Holocaust.
“Genocide is a terrible thing to me,” she said. “It was kind of hard to take that in. But over the years I have seen how Rwanda is trying to recover so that kind of thing never happens again.”
Visiting local families in the rural village was especially eye-opening. “The homes are mud huts, no electricity, no Internet,” she said. “A blanket or two on a hard floor with maybe a pot to cook with and a little hole in the floor for the bathroom. Americans could not imagine living that way.”
As she rode the public buses, “all these people would look at me like, wow, there is a little white girl in our country. People were just confused and surprised. Then they went along with it and liked to talk with me.”
In Kigali, the capital, Markowitz visited a boarding school for girls called FAWE (Forum for African Women Educationalist), and made a friend there. That friendship led to girls from FAWE starting their own chapter of Richard’s Rwanda and working with Markowitz on a mentoring program for impoverished girls in Nyamata, a rural part of Rwanda.
“All girls in the boarding school are mentors and big sisters to the ones we are helping in rural villages,” she said. “Many of these girls are getting an access to education, they’re thinking really big and going to good colleges, even though they’re coming from a developing country. They take the education very far in life.”
Keeping it going
Last year she met two Rwandan women who came to Seattle to intern at RealNetworks after graduating from a technical college in their home country. Both women are now on the board of the girls’ charity.
“What motivates me is the importance of education, the importance of women and the leadership they have in their communities,” she said. “When you combine education and women together, it’s a great mix.”
With the 15 original members of Richard’s Rwanda going off to different high schools, they decided to keep their project going by creating chapters at Garfield, Roosevelt, Lakeside, Seattle Prep, Ballard and The Center School. The girls are holding bake sales to raise money for a trip to Rwanda.
Even among young kids with endless distractions, “a really nice thing happens when we tell people what we’re doing,” she said. “They say, ‘I never knew we could do something like that.’ They jump in.”
The Rwandan girls have started planning how to build a library or learning center tailored to girls’ education, housing many books by female authors “to show there are women in all sorts of jobs,” Markowitz said. Given a choice, many parents would send sons to school over daughters, but that’s starting to change.
“I just think it’s really crazy at this age how much you can make a difference,” she said. “I guess what’s really changed me is just being thankful for everything and never forgetting or giving up, no matter hard it gets sometimes.”
Just went to the last performance of Lullaby Moon. I think the sailing away into the sunset was a nice close to a year long art installation, but I think I was also expecting more of a performance and less of a quick goodbye. Sure was pretty though!
Please join us for a farewell to Lullaby Moon!
Parade begins about 5:30 pm near the Bath House.
Please wear white and bring a bell.
Lullaby Moon XIII is envisioned and created by Lucia Neare, with choreography by Karn Junkinsmith and Olivier Wevers.
Lullaby Moon XIII is the final performance in a year-long invitation to Seattle to explore a world of dream. A celebration of the night sky, the series of performance events has brought bedtime whimsy and wonder to parks and other public spaces throughout the city, enlivening and enlightening the dark time of each month. Performances have taken place on each new moon for an entire lunar year beginning in October 2008.
Lullaby Moon XIII is supported by Bullivant Houser Bailey, 4Culture’s Site Specific Performance Network, the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs, Seattle Parks and Recreation, and the wonderful generosity of private donors.
One of my camp mates made this little video about our art project and her first trip to Burning Man. Enjoy a taste of the playa and more about our cube!
Brian and I have been friends since we both joined FBA our freshman year at UT. :) We’ve followed similar-ish tracks… business degrees from Austin, work abroad in international nonprofits (him – Eastern Europe and me – Africa), end up working for nonprofits in Seattle, then both of us most recently taking jobs with the Feds in Seattle. Curious! It’s always fun to catch up and find out where the other is at… especially if the other is Brian and he’s a new daddy! I’m excited to welcome Brian and Stacy’s first baby, Maddie Iris, into our Seattle community! Maddie was born 5lbs. 13 ounces, and 18 inches long.
The crazy busy life has continued into October. Happily the crazy seems to be headed down a tiny bit, and busy seems to remain constant. :) I’m content with that, though I am actively trying to carve out a bit more downtime for myself.
Last week included lots of fun stuff:
Zombieland with Dieter, James, Andrew (I hadn’t seen all three in months!) and some old coworkers from Cascadia that I also hadn’t seen in months (Patrick, Jessica, and Julie). We did food at Shorty’s then headed to the Cinerama for romantic comedy horror zombie action. Good times! The movie was far more enjoyable than I was actually expecting… always a nice surprise.
Craft night with Caroline and the ladies in East Lake. Started braiding a rug… am about half way through but I need to make more yarn first.
Jess and I did a 7 mile hike to Twin Lakes at exit 54/Hyak. The leaves are turning colors, the huckleberries were out in abundance and super sweet, there was fresh fallen snow on the train for last week’s rains, and every few years we’d have more gorgeous views of Rainier and the Cascades.
Mez and I did dinner at Dhalia Lounge followed by Bob Dylan in concert. I’d been warned he was born again and only played country these days, but I was pleasantly surprised to see he didn’t babble about born again and played a great list of music, including lots I knew from his long career.
Wednesday we did a Shortbus movie night at Heden, hosted by Clayton. It was fun to have lots of people piled in a basement to watch movies on a Wednesday night.
Thursday was the Office Nomads second birthday party… so great to visit the space and see so many happy, smiling faces!
Thursday was also a local screening of Dust & Illusions, a documentary on the history of Burning Man. Interesting to see how it all began. It wasn’t a “feel good, look how fun and sparkly the event is, look at our great community” kind of movie, but instead was a more historical flick with interviews and footage from over the years. Quite interesting.
Friday was all about party hopping. I spent 2-3 hours at each party… happily connecting with folks before heading to the next event. First was Rod’s birthday in Capital Hill, then Eliz and Sar’s birthdays in Belltown, and then David’s dance party up north.
Saturday was a wonderfully lazy day and I didn’t do much productive till late. We then went to a third movie/film screening at On The Boards and had 75+ friends there for the Stranger’s short film festival. What a great feeling to walk into a theater and have half the room burst into applause at your arrival. My little film wasn’t even part of this festival, I just was getting love from the friends in the audience. So bizarre, and great!
Saturday was more parties and not enough time for all of them. David and I opted for Kentucky Fried Tacos at Ranchos Bravos with Leo and Mae, then went to a smaller, more intimate gathering with friends. Success.
Yesterday was another delightfully lazy day, just lounging and staying cozy in the house. With the exception of cleaning Jacob’s tent from Burning Man, the day was just about indulgence.
We went to the Roo for an apple tasting in the afternoon and I indulged in way too much food. It was low key and perfect for a Sunday in the fall. I loved so many subtle differences in the apples, Jeni provided lots of gluten free goodies, Lesley made apple crisp, and Lars was a great host. Good times were had by all.
Today is now Monday and it’s Columbus Day. I’m working from home, and using credit hours later in the week when my parents are here. They visited last summer and are coming again this Thursday. We don’t have many plans yet, but I know we’ll make a trip to Portland to see my aunt, and probably do some home improvement of some kind… either raised beds for my garden or a shelter for my BBQ grill. Good times! Hope y’all are well!
And in case you’re wondering, I’m still eating piles of tomatoes on a daily basis… in salads, with mozzarella, on veggie platters, for breakfast, sharing with coworkers, whatever. :) And my salad greens are still doing well too! Yay gardening successes!
I was lucky enough to see Pearl Jam with my friend Matty this week on Monday night… the opening night of their new tour to support the new album Backspacer. It was AWESOME! It was one of those nights that made me feel alive and feel gratitude for all I have. Ah, live music. Must get more of this into my life. I might try to write more later, but for now, here’s the set list and here are two pics.
Pics by Shawn at seattle.metblogs.com
Pearl Jam concert, September 21, 2009 Seattle, Washington, Key Arena
Set List: Long Road, Corduroy, Gonna See My Friend, Got Some, Hail
Hail, Amongst The Waves, Daughter, Even Flow, Johnny Guitar, Unthought
Known, World Wide Suicide, Small Town, Off He Goes, Down, Save You,
The Fixer, Life Wasted
1st encore: Just Breathe w/the Octava String Quartet, The End w/ the
Octava String Quartet, Inside Job, Rearviewmirror
2nd encore: Given To Fly, Do The Evolution, Better Man, The Real Me
(Townshend) w/ the Syncopated Taint Horn Quartet, Indifference, Alive
Three new additions to the front porch: prayer flags, red kale, and spicy mustard
Edmonds Beach: Jess, Suzanne, Brian, David, Cat
Last week I saw lots of David… we did sushi on Wed, Alison’s 999 birthday party Wed night, film planning on Friday, bike riding on Sat, and brunch on Sunday. Who knew? Also exciting… this weekend was my first weekend home in six weeks! Whew! I was so excited to be home… I had some friends over Friday for a BBQ, went for a 38 mile bike ride up to Edmonds on Saturday, went to the Tilth’s Harvest Festival for some plant shopping and live music, hit Mae’s bachelorette party Saturday night, did brunch with David and friends today, and had tacos with Brandon tonight. I also started some of my playa unpacking and worked in my garden a fair amount. Good times! Mars and I also did some decorating around the house… hung up two teak pieces we got at a recent garage sale, hung prayer flags out on the front porch, put a framed map over the piano, rearranged some of the many plants, replanted my cedar box with fall edible plants, etc. Amazing how much you can fit in when you’re in one town the entire weekend!
I’m eating tons of tomatoes these days and they just keep coming! I’m harvesting lots of chocolate cherry tomatoes, chadwick cherries, sweetie cherries, yellow pear cherries, and a wide variety of large colorful heirlooms. Yum! Yesterday I ate the last of my onions from my garden. I need to pick some of my beets very soon and need to keep eating all of my salad greens. It was my first gardening experience and I’ll call it a successful summer! Not everything was perfect (like my chard that never sprouted and my row of bok choy that was eaten alive by slugs once it got to be a decent height). That said, enough of my seeds grew into wonderful producing plants to make me very happy and proud of the results!
After getting laid off in January during the height of the economic bust, my life was full of uncertainties. It’s gotten crazier since then (work, life, boys, housing, finances), but I’m also taking steps to make it feel calmer too.
I’ve since then started a new job, and my contract keeps getting extended by 2-3 months at a time. It’s great to have a job I love where I feel like I’m doing positive work, but not knowing my employment status for more than a month or so in my future makes it hard to plan trips. I recognize I’m quite fortunate that this is the least of my problems… but it’s still something I’m passionate about and I do want to keep actively exploring the world around me.
My last international adventure was 24 days in Vietnam during November 2008, which means it’s high time to book a flight for this year’s adventure. However, I’m at a bit of a standstill on long adventures while on contract basis instead of full time employment (or a return to unemployment). I’m always tempted by the elusive Festival in the Desert, happening in Mali every January. I’m always tempted by Argentina and Brazil. Thailand remains on the list, despite my attempts to travel with Caroline getting postponed time and again.
No decisions to be made today… just a frequent musing of mine lately.
For now, I was lucky enough to take a week off to attending Burning Man again this year. It was a very different experience than my first burn, and was differently fun and exciting and beautiful all at once. I’ll be sure to post pictures at some point. For now, I’m needing to unpack, catch up on sleep, get groceries, and return to the real world before work tomorrow. :)
The trip to Texas felt long but somehow no matter the length, it’s never enough time to see everyone. This trip was first and foremost to meet my three week old niece Maggie and spend time with family. :) I spent quality time with Gus and Maggie, and with Charlie and Stef, and Mom and Dad. Gus and I even went to a baseball and even got one of the fly balls… He was super excited as he’s quite obsessed with baseball.
I also got a few meals with high school and college friends… Chris, Alyssa, Charles, Laura, Andy, Katherine, Steve, Heather, and Ben. Maybe if I’m unemployed again come Oct I’ll be able to make another trip this fall. For now, I’ll get to see family at Thanksgiving in Naples.
Last weekend I drove M out to a retreat in British Columbia, 320 miles round trip with a beautiful ferry ride to Bowen Island towards the end. We stayed at a nice B&B called Twiggleberries and I came back to Seattle Monday morning. The three hour drive isn’t bad, but the 1.5 hours in lime at US Border Crossing was less than ideal.
Tues AM I left for a work function, staying in the hotel in Bellevue until Friday evening. I had to be there in the evenings, working late, so no socializing or adventures for me.
Friday night I got back to Seattle went to Lesley & Clayton’s engagement party… nice to see everyone and hard to leave early at 1:30am.
And then after 3.5 hours of sleep drove the 4 hours back up to BC to visit M again. While driving up back to back weekends wasn’t quite ideal, I won’t see him again until mid-Sept, so this was my only chance to visit. We had lots of good, thought provoking conversation.
I’m now back in Seattle, in my own house, watering my plants, and doing lots of errands. I’ll be here Monday-Friday… whew!
Lest I get bored being in my own house, I leave town again on Saturday for a 10 day trip to Austin to see family and work remotely from the Austin office.
I get back Sunday night on 8/23, am in town for four days, and then leave for Burning Man on Friday. Craziness. I’m driving down to Nevada with Geoff, but still a bit uncertain about how I’ll get back home. TBD.
I think this is an excellent idea! Makes me all kinds of warm and fuzzy inside. :) I hope some of the dealers take this opportunity to pick a healthier direction for the lives!
Police ultimatum to drug dealers: Quit, or go to prison
By Sara Jean Green
Seattle Times staff reporter
More than a dozen Central Area drug dealers voluntarily walked into an auditorium full of police and prosecutors Thursday night and were presented with an ultimatum: Stop selling dope or prepare for prison.
Confronted with photos, video clips and binders full of evidence gathered in a yearlong operation along Seattle’s 23rd Avenue corridor, from Madison to Jackson streets, the dealers were promised they wouldn’t be arrested, prosecuted or sent to jail for 20 months or more if they embraced the job training, educational opportunities and chemical-dependency treatment being offered them.
Should they break the bargain by selling drugs anywhere in King County, the dealers were told they’d feel the full force of the law.
“The community here cares about you but will no longer tolerate drug dealing in their neighborhoods,” said Interim Seattle Police Chief John Diaz. “This isn’t a joke, and it isn’t a threat.”
At a news conference at Seattle Police headquarters this morning, Diaz acknowledged “there’s a risk in doing this,” but said it’s time to try something different to eliminate street-level drug dealing in the city.
“We’ve done sweeps, we’ve done undercover buys and crackdowns and we’re still not getting a handle on drug dealing in our neighborhoods,” he said. “We’re trying to change the culture and the norms in the neighborhood.”
The Thursday night gathering at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center was an invitation-only event, where uniformed officers checked names at the door and a who’s who of Seattle’s criminal justice system sat alongside the dealers’ families, friends and fellow community members. For an hour, a parade of speakers took the stage to encourage the dealers to take the first-of-its-kind deal to ever be offered in the state. The “candidates,” as they are called, were told to listen without comment or question.
When the hour was up, everyone filed out except for the dealers and their “people of significance” — a parent, a friend, a spouse — who were asked to stay and ask questions of the neighborhood service providers who were there to help them change the trajectory of their lives.
“I’ve already bought drugs from you. These binders, these are the cases I’ve got on you,” Capt. Paul McDonagh, commander of the Seattle Police Department’s East Precinct, told the men and women seated before him. “We’re not playing. You have to stop today. … And if you don’t stop, we will stop you and you will go to prison.”
Police and prosecutors spoke of how tired they are of the vicious cycle of arrest, prosecution and incarceration. King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg called it “an extraordinary day,” given that the gathered dealers were being offered “an opportunity no one else in the county has ever got.” Vince Lombardi, an assistant U.S. attorney, warned that even those who aren’t “kilo dealers” or drug-cartel members could find themselves facing federal charges and serving time in distant states if they didn’t change their ways.
An addict talked of her journey to recovery and those who were there to help, while a local pastor made a spiritual appeal, imploring the dealers to change their destinies and in so doing, help heal their community. A longtime home and business owner recalled the time a body was dumped on her sidewalk and later, when a young man was shot in her front yard.
“In the mid-80s, crack cocaine came in and the whole community went to hell, excuse my language,” said Jean Tinnea, who’s lived at the corner of 20th and Union Streets for more than 30 years. “You are part of our community and I really hope you’ll take these hands that are reaching out to you tonight and rejoin our community.”
The program is based on one first implemented in High Point, North Carolina in 2004 by police and New York City professor David Kennedy, a criminologist at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Five years later, the city has virtually no remaining public drug dealing and violent crime has fallen 20 percent citywide, according to the college’s Web site.
Kennedy, who visited Seattle in June, spent two days in private meetings with law-enforcement officials, city leaders and pastors and activists from Seattle’s black community. His model, which is being replicated in places like Milwaukee, Nashville, Chicago and Indianapolis, is being backed by the U.S. Department of Justice, which awards federal grants to train officials on how to establish programs in their own hometowns.
City Attorney Tom Carr and former Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske, now the country’s drug czar, applied for the federal grant last year.
Five representatives from Seattle spent months learning the ins-and-outs of the Kennedy model — called a Drug Market Initiative (DMI) — and how best to replicate it here. The team included McDonagh of the East Precinct, a deputy city attorney and a municipal court judge.
Last week, Diaz sent letters to 18 Central Area dealers that police had built evidence against, inviting them to what was dubbed a “community call-in.” Sixteen attended. One person didn’t show up and the other was previously arrested on an unrelated charge.
But none of the dealers invited to Thursday’s meeting has convictions for violent felonies or gun charges, nor are they affiliated with a street gang, said Carr.
“This is a unique opportunity and a one-time deal,” Carr told the gathering. “We built these cases not to use them. We’re willing to toss them away on one condition: That you just stop.”
Go back on the deal, Carr warned, “and I can prosecute you for stealing a candy bar and put you in jail for a year — and I will.”
While police are offering low-level dealers an alternative to lockup, detectives are still going after the Central Area’s mid- and high-level dealers and gang members, McDonagh, the East Precinct commander, said at today’s news conference.
“We’re still in the neighborhood,” he said. “We’re pursuing them and preventing them from plying their trade.”
Bob Hood, the director of the Public and Community Safety Division in Carr’s office and leader of Seattle’s five-member DMI team, said today the ultimate goal is to dismantle the Central Area drug market. Crime data will be analyzed and the community will be surveyed in the coming months to determine if the effort is successful.
“The overall impact over the next several months should be the elimination of this drug market,” Hood said. “There’s nothing soft about this approach and we’re willing to try what seems effective elsewhere.”
Fun stuff in the last two weeks since the last post:
South Africa storytime w/ Ale & Drew to prep for their upcoming trip
BBQ w/ Jacob, Brian, Molly, et al
Threw at BBQ her for Mars’s birthday… huge crowd, good times
Von Foxies burlesque show… a tribute to hair bands!
Goodbye brunch with Cindy as she heads off to grad school in VT
Beth’s birthday party (and swimming!)
Swimming reunion with STPers
More swimming with bikers, Miller, Susie & Steve, Joe & Kelly, etc
Sangria and swimming at Katie M’s condo
Harry Potter with Mez
Dinner w/ Samantha & G
SEAF volunteer appreciation party BBQ
Garage sale madness with Mars & Samantha
Lots of sewing for the giant Grooviks Cube we’re building
That said, the most exciting thing to happen in the past two weeks was by far the arrival of my niece Maggie! She was born July 22nd around 1am to cheers of family across the country! Congrats Charlie & Stef!
It’s been hot here, so rather than staying indoors on my laptop I’ve been spending a considerable amount of time out at Lake Washington to swim and stay cool. This week Seattle broke our record high temp of all time… or at least since the weather service started tracking these things in 1891. 100F+ heats happen often in Texas, I know that. But I also know in Texas you live with air conditioning in cafes, coffee shops, apartments, at home, at work, etc. Not so much in Seattle. It’s been 95F or higher inside my house this week with all of the windows open, so I’ve not spent much time around. That said, the swimming trips have been rather great… I went four times in a week! So excellent!
Seattle Breaks High Temperature Record
National Weather Service: Hottest Weather in Area Since 1891
(AP) Northwesterners more accustomed to rain and cooler climate sought refuge from a heat wave on Wednesday, as Seattle recorded the hottest temperature in its history and Portland edged closer to its own record-breaker.
The National Weather Service in Seattle recorded 102 degrees by midday at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, breaking a previous record of 100 degrees, set in downtown Seattle in 1941 and repeated at the airport in 1994.
Jay Albrecht, a meteorologist with the service, said it’s the hottest it has been in Seattle since records dating to 1891.
Meanwhile, Portland ventured into its third day of triple-digit heat Wednesday, hitting 104 degrees by midday. Forecasters said there’s a slight chance the city could reach or even surpass its all-time high of 107 degrees, hit four times, most recently in 1981.
Doug McDonnal, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Seattle, said the stretch of hot weather has lasted longer than usual. Wednesday was the fifth consecutive day above 85 degrees for Seattle, he said.
Throughout the region, shade, icy treats, ice-cold water, air conditioning units and fans were in high demand.
Geno Garcia, 40, a Boeing machinist, headed straight for Sears in Seattle early Wednesday when the family’s air conditioning unit broke down.
“We could have lived without it, but it would have been uncomfortable,” he said, as he stood in line with about 100 others who bought air conditioners.
Garcia said his family plans to keep cool by hunkering down in the one bedroom that’s air conditioned. They’ve already moved their TV, games and other necessities into that room, and have been eating meals there.
Darren Wilson, 38, a concrete finisher from Puyallup, Wash., started his Seattle street paving job at 5:30 a.m., three hours earlier than usual, to beat the heat.
“I’m drinking lots of water,” he said. “When I get off work, I’m going to my buddy’s house and jump in his pool.”
Portlanders were trying to stay cool every which way. Public fountains were clogged with children. Libraries swelled with people trying to stay out of the sun. And cooling centers for seniors were open late.
Shirley Markstaller, 71, parked herself in front of a fan and read the morning paper at a cooling center in downtown Portland.
She doesn’t have an air conditioner at home, so she’s been coming to the center every day for the past week or so. “I just thought, where’s the coolest place?” she said.
The weather throughout the Willamette Valley wasn’t much better. Temperatures hit triple digits in Medford, Eugene and Salem by Wednesday afternoon.
Coastal cities were cooler, including Astoria and Newport. Temperatures in Bend, Pendleton and La Grande had already reached the 90s by midday.
Forecasters have issued an excessive heat warning for much of western Washington through Friday. A heat advisory is in effect through Thursday in parts of eastern Washington, including the Yakima Valley and lower Columbia Basin.
Temperatures in western Washington were expected to cool off somewhat on Friday but will still be in the 80s, about 10 degrees higher than usual, McDonnal said.
In Olympia, a group of visitors were hoping to cool off at the popular Heritage Park Fountain, but were disappointed to find that the water had been turned off for regular weekly maintenance.
“We were expecting it to be working,” said Lucina Hernandez, 24, of Barcelona, Venezuela. “This is very bad.”
At the Tails-A-Wagging doggie day care in Bellingham, Wash., owner Angi Lenz and her staff kept dogs comfortable with special cooling fans, air conditioning, ice toys and water slides. “We have a waiting list to get in this week because of the heat,” Lenz said.
Not everyone was avoiding the outdoors. Enes Parker, manager of the Lacey Senior Center, said she found indoor air conditioning too cold. Lacey is in Washington, near the state capital of Olympia.
“I’m one of the few who like the heat,” Parker said. “I go outside every so often to warm up. I love the heat. It’s always too cold here.”
Thursday: I got to see two former coworkers Katie and Lauren for grilling and conversation at my place. So great to just sit on the blanket, eat, and relax in the gorgeous Seattle night.
Friday: I’m excited to go camping this weekend and hit Critical Massive with a bunch of friends! The weather is gorgeous and it’s just too nice to stay indoors. It’s 1am and I’m not packed yet, but I hope to pack and do some last minute shopping in the early morning hours. Wahoo!
On the bright side, I did finish the very last of my unpacking in my new house tonight! My curtains are hung, my boxes are unpacked, clothes are all on hangers, kitchen is stocked, and my desk is setup. Yay! Housewarming should be sometime soon. :)
Here are a handful of pictures from riding the STP last weekend. It was my first time, I convinced 11 other friends to do it for their first time too, and I had a great time! 209 miles over two days. Most excellent!
Noah, Suzanne, Mez, Caroline, Jess, Mae, Leo, me, Zoe, Stefan. (Brian did it too, but in one day instead of 2! Turns out he’s hardcore like that!)
Noah got 4 flats in 24 hours… happily ensuring I got zero!
Loving my new wicker bike basket. Awesome!
It was wet, thundering, lightening, cold, and hilly… but it sure was pretty!
Embracing the spandex
Welcome to Oregon! Crossing the state border!
Deliriously happy at the finish line with Mez. So very proud of us, and our entire great group, for doing the training and riding the ride! It was definitely a fun summer adventure!
Saturday we rode the first 98 miles from Seattle to Portland with 10,000 other cyclists. It was hot, in the 80s, and gorgeous with mountain views. Yesterday we rode the remaining 104 miles on a cold (60F), rainy, thundering, lightening, hilly second half.
I was so proud to finish I rode the last 10-15 miles very strong. I was so happy at the finish line, especially when I saw Lee and met up with everyone. Six of us finished within 10 minutes… Me, Mez, Noah, Caroline, Jess, and Suzanne. Stefan, Brian, Zoe, Leo, and Mae also did the ride as part of our group. Good times!
Not sure what the next adventure will, but this one was super fun and with awesome friends! Yay team! Photos to come after I bus back to Seattle and collect my bike. :)
This picture is from my last glorious week of unemployment at the end of April. It was taken on Monday April 20. I spent much of the day with the lovely MJ visiting from NYC. We had catfish tacos and margaritas at Agua Verde and then spent the afternoon kayaking around Lake Washington. In the evening I showered and met up with Mez for dinner while MJ was flying home. This shot was taken at dinner on that gloriously sunny and warm April day. We ate at Rays and caught an amazing sunset. Good times…
aka I have internet the day MJ died. After 2+ weeks without the net at home, I’m now online. Who ever knew I would utter the words “Thank you, Comcast!”
Tonight was a lovely girls dinner at I Love Wasabi with Caroline and Samantha.
420 Broadway E (between Harrison St & Republican St)
Seattle, WA 98102
We ate sushi to the sounds of Michael Jackson on the stereo.
Then we went to Molly Moons for yummy ice cream. (I need to stop this addiction, but not tonight). www.mollymoonicecream.com
We ate ice cream to the sounds of Michael Jackson on the stereo.
Then we went to Lindas for drinks.
We drank to the sounds of Michael Jackson on the stereo. There was a dance off, lots of “whoooo!”ing, lots of clapping along, and many Thriller moves. Makes me want to go dancing, or at the very least play History on my iPod while unpacking tonight.
Sure, I’m in the camp that was progressively creeped out by him over the years, with the drugs, physical alterations, and child molestation allegations, not to mention the chimp and elephant man’s skeleton and other odd stuff. But really, that stuff aside, he was indeed the King of Pop. You can’t not start dancing when you hear him on the stereo. He bridged the divide. He was on Jackson Five on Sunday mornings before the Transformers. His Bad was among my very first tapes. Who doesn’t remember riding the bus to school, everyone atwitter, the morning after his hair caught fire during the Pepsi commercial? Michael Jackson buttons for all occasions, still in a safe place at home.
Michael Jackson dead at 50 after cardiac arrest
(CNN) — Entertainer Michael Jackson died after being taken to a hospital on Thursday having suffered cardiac arrest, according to the Los Angeles County Coroner’s office. A Los Angeles fire official told CNN that paramedics arrived at Michael Jackson’s home after a 911 call.
Paramedics took Jackson, 50, from his west Los Angeles home Thursday afternoon to UCLA Medical Center, where a team of physicians attempted to resuscitate him for more than an hour, said brother Jermaine Jackson. He said the famed singer was pronounced dead at 2:26 p.m. PT.
An autopsy is scheduled Friday, he said. Results are expected Friday afternoon, according to Lt. Fred Corral of the Los Angeles coroner’s office, who also said Jackson was unresponsive when he arrived at the hospital.
Fire Capt. Steve Ruda told CNN paramedics were sent to a west Los Angeles, California, residence after a 911 call came in at 12:21 p.m.
Law enforcement officials said the Los Angeles Police Department Robbery-Homicide Division opened an investigation into Jackson’s death. They stressed there is no evidence of criminal wrongdoing but that they would conduct interviews with family members and friends.
CNN Analyst Roland S. Martin spoke on Thursday with Marlon Jackson, brother of Michael Jackson.
“I talked to Frank Dileo, Michael’s manager. Frank told me that Michael last night was complaining about not feeling well. He called to tell him he wasn’t feeling well.
“Michael’s doctor went over to see him, and Frank said, ‘Marlon, from last night to this morning, I don’t know what happened.’ When they got to him this morning, he wasn’t breathing. They rushed him to the hospital and couldn’t bring him around.”
Michael Jackson, the music icon from Gary, Indiana, was known as the “King of Pop.” Jackson had many No. 1 hits, and his “Thriller” is the best-selling album of all time. Video Watch why Jackson is “as big as it gets” »
Jackson was the seventh of nine children from a well-known musical family. He is survived by three children, Prince Michael I, Paris and Prince Michael II. Video Watch Jesse Jackson share memories »
Jackson’s former wife, Lisa Marie Presley, said she was “shocked and saddened” by Jackson’s death. “My heart goes out to his children and his family,” she said.
At the medical center, every entrance to the emergency room was blocked by security guards. Even hospital staffers were not permitted to enter. A few people stood inside the waiting area, some of them crying. iReport.com: Your Michael Jackson tributes
Video footage shows a large crowd gathering outside the hospital.
Some of Jackson’s music was being played outside. The sounds of “Thriller” and “Beat It” bounced off the walls. Video Kingston: Jackson “a legend” »
Outside Jackson’s Bel Air home, police arrived on motorcycles. The road in front of the home was closed in an attempt to hold traffic back, but several people were gathered outside the home. Video Sharpton: Jackson “was a trailblazer” »
Along with his success Jackson had some legal troubles later in his career.
He was acquitted of child molestation charges after a well-publicized trial in Santa Maria, California, in March 2006.
Prosecutors charged the singer with four counts of lewd conduct with a child younger than 14; one count of attempted lewd conduct; four counts of administering alcohol to facilitate child molestation; and one count of conspiracy to commit child abduction, false imprisonment or extortion.
Five of Jackson’s solo albums – “Off the Wall,” “Thriller,” “Bad,” “Dangerous” and “HIStory,” all with Epic Records, a Sony Music label – are among the top-sellers of all time. During his extraordinary career, he sold an estimated 750 million records worldwide, released 13 No.1 singles and became one of a handful of artists to be inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Guinness Book of World Records recognized Jackson as the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time and “Thriller” as the Biggest Selling Album of All Time. Jackson won 13 Grammy Awards and received the American Music Award’s Artist of the Century Award.
Michael Jackson started in the music business at the age of 11 with his brothers as a member of the Jackson 5. In the early 1980s, he defined the art form of music video with such ground-breaking videos as “Billie Jean,” “Beat It” and the epic “Thriller.” Jackson’s sound, style and dance moves inspired subsequent generations of pop, soul, R&B and hip-hop artists.
He is survived by his three children, Prince Michael I, Paris and Prince Michael II.
Friday night we had a groovik.com fundraiser and made about $2,000. :). It was a good party, fun people, and lots of dancing.
After 4 hours of sleep I got up and rode 18 miles to participate in the Fremont Fair Solstice Parade. It’s one of the silliest events of the year and is always super fun. Solstice parade followed by Solstice BBQ at ATC, followed by Soltice party at Joes.
Sunday did a 38 mile hilly ride to Edmonds… Julie, Brian, Jess, and Caroline joined the fun.
I started a biking list serve for some friends and it continues to grow. I’ve been organizing weekly rides every Saturday and it’s been great to explore the region on bike, with friends, on so many gorgeous weekends. Many of us decided to ride the STP – the 200 mile, two day Seattle to Portland bike ride. I still don’t identify as athletic, but I like picking longer rides and hillier routes. I can tell I’m getting stronger in just a few short months.
6/13: 50 mile clockwise around Lake Washington with M, Brian, Noah
6/6: 50 mile counterclockwise around Lake Washington with Leo, Mae, Jess, M, Noah, Zoe, Tom
38 miles to Edmonds with Noah, M, Brian (while I was very sick)
26 miles around Mercer Island with Jess
4/18: Discovery Park, Golden Gardens with MJ, Leo, Heater, M
26 miles around Mercer Island with M, Leo, Mae, Duska
To Golden Gardens with Clare, Jess, Caroline
55 miles around Whidbey Island
40 miles to Redhook Brewery
Still no Internet at the new house, so all email, FB, and blogging to be done by iPhone. Sigh. Good news is the house still rocks and I’m quite content with the move. Last Friday M bought me. grill for a very generous house warming gift. It was a fun trip to Lowes. I bought chairs, a closet bar, hardware, etc and did some small work increasing my closet capacity. Awesome. Electric drills are rad.
Caroline gave me Dieter’s old gimpy table for the breakfast nook… Fun to see it after eating so many meals on it back in 2001. :) Nance gave me her old dining table for the dining room, and passed on Savitha’s old dining chairs. Things are coming along nicely.
Ate my first sugar snap peas last night… Great! Need to do more weeding, seems to have become a jungle overnight. Bokchoy destroyed by slugs, but lettuce, broccoli, tomatoes, rhubarb, beets, etc still healthy.
Moved last week and just planted three tomatoes at my new house. Yay!
It’s been hectic with the new job, the breakup, training for the STP bike ride, and moving, but will hopefully calm down soon. :)
I’ve been bad about updating, so I’ll try to do a few quick posts before bed for the next few nights to catch up a little. My big news this week is getting approved to rent a new house! I put in an application on Sunday with two friends and we got the keys less than 24 hours later on Monday. So exciting! It’s a 1920s craftsman home in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. It’s less than a mile from my current place, is walking distance from three grocery stores and the park, and it’s a great little house. We have three bedrooms, two baths, newly remodeled kitchen, new wiring, big back yard, huge basement, washer/dryer, hardwood floors, garage, etc. I’m very excited!
Tonight I did two trips over and unpacked my plates and bowls, shower curtain, night stand and book shelves, shoes, and other misc stuff.
Tomorrow I’ll hopefully move my couch, chair, clothes, and maybe even my bed!
Next up we need to acquire some chairs for the front porch, some chairs for the back yard, and a BBQ grill. Then we’ll be ready to take advantage of having a yard and a house in the beautiful Seattle summer!
I’ll be ready for visitors by next week… so start booking your flights now! :)
Here is a sampling of national service news stories from around the nation from May 26-June 1. How fun to see GOOD stuff getting press and not just the standard bad just highlighted on nightly news shows.
Across the country, nonprofit groups are pioneering approaches to fixing problems in education, health care and alleviating poverty. A promising White House initiative seeks to expand upon these efforts by helping worthy projects grow and by encouraging other communities to try successful strategies.
National Service Bill passes torch to new generation
President Barrack Obama’s recent signing of the $5.7 billion Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act speaks to the spirit of an emerging generation. This spirit is reflected in that generation’s embrace of its role as a participant in the reinvigoration of America through community service.
When my parents retired, my father taught courses on linguistics and Kosovo and the philosophy of time at a volunteer-run institute for learning in retirement, and my mother picked up pocket money tutoring high school science and math. Me? My 401(k) is in shambles, and the economy and the Internet are wreaking havoc on my career. I’m still paying college tuitions, not even beginning to recover from them.
It’s been called the “Obama Effect.” Our service-promoting president and his wife may may be the cause behind the 234 percent jump in AmeriCorps applications in the past five months (compared to last year’s same time frame), Jobs.Change.org says. Of course, it could also be the effect of a high unemployment rate and sense of fear in college graduates.
New graduates flocking to AmeriCorps as job market deteriorates
With fresh diplomas in hand, recent graduates have walked into a job market so barren that many of them are seeking an alternative path into the workplace. AmeriCorps, a national service organization that provides relief to struggling communities, has received nearly triple the number of online applications as it received last year.
The Obama administration has created the White House Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation. The idea is for the government to work with nonprofit organizations to identify programs that have had proven success in tackling social problems, such as homelessness and joblessness, and then to expand those programs across the country. The office will in effect provide seed money for the most innovative ideas.
White House Officials Discuss Plans for Social-Innovation Office
The new White House Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation was created without much fanfare. In fact, even though it has been operating for several months, it has never been formally unveiled. But the office, set up to promote creative and effective ways to tackle social problems, is slowly starting to emerge as a public entity.
The economic crisis has made many Americans anxious and fearful. But here’s the silver lining: Some religious leaders and academics say we might be better people by the time it’s over.
Feeling good is good; doing good, and doing it well, is better. It’s a refrain you hear often from volunteers, and we have thousands of those in Portland (the region is nationally ranked for its volunteerism). What people say, again and again, not just with modesty but with a sense of discovery, as if they had just worked out the math in their minds, is:
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – South Carolina is 1 of 6 stops on a listening tour for a new national service program.
Anyone interested in finding out more about the Serve America Act is invited to attend a public forum in Columbia on Thursday. Representatives from the Corporation for National and Community Service, which oversees AmeriCorps, are expected to attend the forum.
AmeriCorps seeks dedicated workers with a commitment to service.
As Brian L. Ledtke’s first year at Delta College came to a close in early May, the 19-year-old Thomas Township man still hadn’t decided on what direction his studies would take.
After spending 18 years in prison for burglary and auto theft, Trent Moore was not only free, he was prepared to rejoin society. “If you start preparing while you’re locked up, you’re better able to handle the obstacles when you get out,” he said. To help in that preparation he turned to Fitting Back In, a rehabilitation program headed by World Won for Christ Family Life Ministries.
Everything old is new again. With the Recovery Act, infrastructure investment, and job creation, it is no surprise that many are looking to Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s 1930s New Deal and its signature program, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) for ideas and inspiration.
Six more AmeriCorps volunteers will be coming to Cape Cod through a federal Recovery Act Grant of $163,390. The new volunteers are part of a “boots on the ground” response to the economic times.
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Senator Harkin May 29, 2009
http://www.harkin.senate.gov/pr/p.cfm?i=313792
Senator Harkin announces more than $1.3 million to support AmeriCorps programs across Iowa
HARKIN Washington, D.C. –warded to eight AmeriCorps programs across Iowa. This competitive funding comes from the Corporation for National and Community Service. Harkin has been a long time supporter of AmeriCorps and is the Chairman of the panel that funds these initiatives.
Comp to be first federal employee named River Hero
Dr. T Allan Comp, founder and coordinator of the Appalachian Coal Country Watershed Team and the Western Hardrock Watershed Team, will be honored as a National River Hero on Sunday, May 31, at River Network’s National River Rally in Baltimore, Md.
One person can have an impact on the lives of others. Just ask a group of girls at Ryves Youth Center at Etling Hall. Samantha Arrasmith, a senior philosophy major and creative writing minor at Indiana State University, volunteers at the center through AmeriCorps Sycamore Service Corps, working with a special group of at-risk girls called the Sweeties. The Cayuga student fills a variety of roles — big sister, role model and camp counselor.
“People who love their country can change it,” President Obama said in a recent speech. Community service is an American value, especially evident in the Arab-American community. A National Arab American Service Day will be held May 16 in cities throughout the United States.
Gov. Gregoire announces more than $3.4 million in federal recovery grants
Gov. Chris Gregoire today announced $3.4 million that is now available for Washington state under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to support national service positions. The funding will support nearly 300 AmeriCorps service positions in local communities to help meet social needs resulting from the economic crisis.
$300K AmeriCorps grant added to stream of federal dollars for CNMI
CNMI Rep. Gregorio “Kilili” C. Sablan announced yesterday that the Public School System has received a grant of over $300,000 from the Corporation for National and Community Service. The grant will go to a PSS AmeriCorps program that provides peer-to-peer mentoring, tutoring, and counseling sessions for at-risk students.
The Belleville AmeriCorps based at Southwestern Illinois College has received a $379,570 AmeriCorps grant.
The award will fund up to 77 positions for various public service projects, U.S. Rep. Jerry Costello, D-Belleville, said in a news release. “This program has resulted in many successes around the nation, including programs that allow volunteers to earn college credit, complete community service projects and develop projects for children,” Costello stated. “It is a win-win situation. Local communities will benefit from the hard work of these volunteers, while they get great work experience and money for college.”
(NECN: Jennifer Eagan, Boston, Mass.) – Hundreds of volunteers spent Saturday morning painting, landscaping, and cleaning up at locations throughout Boston — all a part of a day of service that is 20-years strong in tradition.
Yolanda Gonzalez’s name doesn’t appear in the $787 billion federal stimulus bill approved in February, but her new job at the Henry J. Austin Health Center in Trenton is one of the first tangible signs of the measure’s local impact.
A $1 million challenge grant from the David and Julia Uihlein Charitable Foundation is spurring a push to bring the City Year program to Milwaukee, with 55 young mentors to work in Milwaukee Public Schools located in poor neighborhoods.
It’s not just their vegetables that are growing. AmeriCorps sprouted new volunteers for a day earlier this month. On May 9, AmeriCorps volunteers-for-the-day joined Hinsdale students to build a new garden. They filled raised beds with soil, cleared underbrush, spread mulch, and scraped and painted the concession stand on the athletic field.
New graduates flocking to AmeriCorps as job market deteriorates
With fresh diplomas in hand, recent graduates have walked into a job market so barren that many of them are seeking an alternative path into the workplace.
Montana Conservation Corps members clean the roof of the main lodge at Camp Paxson on the shores of Seeley Lake on Thursday morning. The MCC will receive about $1.8 million in AmeriCorps funding this year for service work projects in Montana. Photo by MICHAEL GALLACHER/Missoulian
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WTAP (OH), May 28, 2009
http://www.wtap.com/home/headlines/46400562.html
An Incentive to Volunteer
Volunteering in the community is always a rewarding experience, but now there’s another incentive for people to help out.
Tutors from Experience Corps, an Americorps program that uses adults over 55 to tutor in urban public schools, are being recognized for helping the Cleveland Schools. These tutors have helped more than 10,000 students in Cleveland since 1997. The national CEO of Experience Corps was in town to recognize the volunteers and met with Cleveland School officials.
In a room not far from the Pleasantview Elementary School office, Maria Theisen works with third-grader Jaden Wagner to improve his reading skills. He reads a passage about a boy playing shuffleboard with his grandfather. She times him and points out areas where he can improve. After each timed reading, he charts how many words he read.
Camp Hope to close after providing a temporary home to thousands who helped rebuild
It might be said that the genesis of Camp Hope, the giant volunteer hotel opened in deepest St. Bernard Parish, was a simple question asked of a Habitat for Humanity official.
AmeriCorps members scaled scaffolding and reached into tight corners Thursday to give an old Brazosport ISD gym a splash of color — and the children of the Boys & Girls Club of Brazoria County a new place to play.
‘Blitz Build’ offers uplifting experience for volunteers
The popular phrase, “If you build it ….” takes on a special meaning for Habitat for Humanity. For, each house that Habitat builds is a home for a family that would probably not be able to own one without the caring, “uplifting” spirit of Habitat volunteers.
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Williamson Daily News (WV), May 28, 2009
http://www.williamsondailynews.com/
AmeriCorps sending 33 volunteers to Gilbert, Hanover
Thirty-three members from the Atlantic Region of the National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) located in Perry Point, Maryland, deployed Monday to West Virginia to assist those recovering from floods that hit the area over the last several weeks. At the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), these Corps Members will muck out houses and remove debris deposited by the floodwaters in the towns of Gilbert and Hanover.
Since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, AmeriCorps NCCC teams have given more than 700,000 hours in Mississippi on more than 270 humanitarian and community-service projects, and soon it will be Vicksburg’s turn, both to host teams and be helped.
Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources are busy placing 160 new workers around the state. The workers are part of 378 AmeriCorps members assigned to Iowa through a federally-funded expansion of the AmeriCorps program. Most of the workers placed with the D.N.R. will help maintain the state parks. Kevin Szcodronski is the state parks bureau chief.
We recently celebrated AmeriCorps Week, an opportunity to shine light on work of AmeriCorps members and motivate more people to get involved in their communities.
27,000 hours volunteered to serve public school kids
The Public School System and the Board of Education lauded the achievement of members and volunteers of the CNMI Americorps Program, which had so far served and mentored nearly 5,000 children on Saipan, Rota and Tinian.
U.S. Congressman Charlie Wilson helped RSVP member Sid Perkins pack a few groceries for a needy family Wednesday morning. Wilson visited the volunteer organization to thank the group and to discuss a new Service Act law. (Photo by Michael D. McElwain)
Earlier this month, The Standard-Times published a feature on students at Bristol County Agricultural High School, including New Bedford twins Stephanie and Joshua Silva, who endure a long bus ride to attend a school where Stephanie, who plans to be veterinarian, can work with animals, and Joshua can major in landscape design.
Fun Fact: Cookie Monster doesn’t eat real cookies! The butter and chocolate would damage his Muppet fur. Instead, the propmasters give him fat-free oatmeal cookies or rice cakes decorated to look like cookies.
Jim Henson’s Fantastic World May 23-August 16, 2009
at the Experience Music Project
Jim Henson (1936-1990)—artist, puppeteer, film director and producer—created elaborate imaginary worlds filled with unique characters, objects, environments and even languages and cultures. His work is enjoyed in dozens of languages in more than 100 countries. Jim Henson’s Fantastic World offers a rare peek into the imagination and creative genius of this multitalented innovator and creator of Kermit the Frog, Big Bird and other beloved characters.
The exhibition features 100 original artworks, including drawings, cartoons and storyboards that illustrate Henson’s talent as a storyteller and visionary. Among the variety of exhibition objects are puppets and television and movie props, photographs of Henson and his collaborators at work and original video productions, including excerpts from Henson’s early career and experimental films.
EMP|SFM will supplement the exhibition with a hands-on puppet theater starring Seattle’s newest band, Mudgarden Experience. The theater will allow visitors to experience what it’s like to perform puppets for an audience and view themselves on monitors—much like how it might have been for Jim Henson while he was filming “Sesame Street” or “The Muppet Show.” The audience will be able to watch the puppet show from an area reminiscent of the famous stoop on “Sesame Street.”
The rock star puppets are inspired by Seattle musicians, and visitors will be able to perform the puppets singing the following songs in the hands-on puppet theater:
“Rainbow Connection,” Kenny Asher and Paul Williams, performed by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
“Can You Picture That?,” Kenny Asher and Paul Williams, performed by Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem
“Moving Right Along,” Kenny Asher and Paul Williams, performed by Kermit the Frog and Fozzie Bear
“It’s Not Easy Bein’ Green,” Joe Raposo, performed by Van Morrison
“Tenderly,” Walter Gross and Jack Lawrence, performed by Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem
“Mahna Mahna,” Piero Umiliani, performed by Cake
Jim Henson’s Fantastic World was organized by The Jim Henson Legacy and the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service in cooperation with the Henson family, The Jim Henson Company, The Muppets Studio, LLC, and Sesame Workshop.
This exhibition is made possible by The Biography Channel. Additional support has been provided by The Jane Henson Foundation and Cheryl Henson.
Seems I haven’t posted since I started work… guess that’s an indication that I’ve been keeping busy. The last month has been hectic…
Garden is still growing, except for my chard which hasn’t grown at all.
Still biking to work sporadically and still doing longer bike rides on Saturdays.
Trying to see some music when I have free time… saw Cloud Cult at the Triple Door and saw the Killers at WaMu theatre.
Went to Sasquatch Festival this Memorial Day weekend and saw Fleet Foxes, Gogol Bordello, Santigold, Grizzly Bear, Blitzen Trapper, The Pica Beats, and Other Lives.
And in the best news, it’s getting warm and sunny in Seattle, in spurts, which means there are BBQs, hanging in back yards, rooftop sangria gatherings, more comfortable bike rides, kayaking, and great views of the mountains.
For now it’s 7:40am and I should get showered for work! I’m on my three month contract through July, and then we’ll see where the world takes me next. Take care!
Life’s been pretty crazy since starting the new job. Uncertainty abounds. No time for an update on my way to work, but here’s an article about national service based on a meeting I was in yesterday. Cool.
First Lady Thanks Corporation for National and Community Service Employees May 12, 2009
Highlights Importance of Service to Her Life and Obama Agenda
Washington DC — Calling service “the reason that I breathe” and a cause “near and dear my heart,” First Lady Michelle Obama gave an impassioned address about the central importance of service in her life and in the Obama Administration’s vision for America’s future to employees of the Corporation for National and Community Service this afternoon.
The First Lady was greeted with a lengthy standing ovation when she entered the auditorium after being introduced by Corporation Acting CEO Nicola Goren. Surrounded by members of the Corporation Board of Directors, senior staff, and 33 of the longest-serving agency employees, the First Lady spoke to about 540 staff gathered at Reagan Building and listening by phone from state offices and AmeriCorps NCCC campuses across the country.
The First Lady called the visit with Corporation employees “a special one for me, because national service helped to transform my career.” She spoke about her path to public service including founding Chicago Public Allies, an AmeriCorps program. “As you know, national and community service is near and dear to my heart. It is the reason that I breathe.”
She went on to say that “It should be a part of everyone’s life. From the moment someone can walk to the day they leave this planet, service should be a part of how we give back, how we say thank you, how we express our gratitude for the lives that we’ve been given. And I know you all understand that, and you can help to spread that message.”
The First Lady thanked Corporation employees for their hard work over many years and lifted their sights to the journey ahead helping to usher in a new era of service and responsibility in America. “I know how hard you have all worked, how hard the people on this stage, many of whom have been here more than 15 years, have worked to get us where we are today. And I am personally grateful to all of you all for your belief in this possibility, for your dedication.”
She noted the critical work that lies ahead in implementing the recently-signed Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act. “Now that we’ve got this Act passed, we’re going to need you now more than ever, because we’ve got a lot to do…. We’re going to need you every step of the way feeling just as encouraged, just as excited, even more so, ready to roll up your sleeves, put in more time, and really push service to the point in this nation where it belongs.”
The First Lady’s call to action came hours before Acting CEO Nicola Goren, Chief of Program Operations Kristin McSwain, and General Counsel Frank Trinity departed for Springfield, Missouri, where the Corporation will hold the first of six Listening Sessions on implementing the Serve America Act tomorrow. The sessions, and a new web tool launched today, are aimed at getting input from the public as the agency gets ready to implement the legislation when it takes effect on October 1.
Her visit also came during AmeriCorps Week, an annual recognition to salute the 574,000 individuals who have served in AmeriCorps, thank the community partners that make their service possible, and recruit more Americans into service. More than 350 AmeriCorps Week events are taking place across the country including service projects, recruitment fairs, and recognition events.
The First Lady discussed her personal journey growing up in Chicago, rising to a high-paying legal job, and then shifting her career into public service – a journey that led to where she is today. Her experience founding and running the Chicago Public Allies AmeriCorps program had a transforming effect on her life.
“For those of you who have committed your lives to careers in service, you probably know what I’m talking about. You probably understand that feeling that you get when you help somebody achieve their goals, when you help a group of young people learn more about themselves by working with others, when you hire young diverse people, and you see them grow and develop. There is nothing more fulfilling. It’s an opportunity to put your faith into action in a way that regular jobs don’t allow; to use your larger talents for the greater good.”
The First Lady thanked Corporation Board Chair Alan Solomont and other Board members who for their leadership and commitment to service. The Corporation’s 15-member bipartisan board sets overall policy and direction for the agency and its programs and has played a key role in the transition and the passage of the Serve America Act. Board Chair Alan Solomont, Vice-Chair Stephen Goldsmith, and members Hyepin Im, Eric Tanenblatt, and Laysha Ward were on stage.
President Obama’s pledge to make service a central cause of his presidency has resulted in major achievements in the first four months of the Administration. The early victories include a a record turnout of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, the inclusion of $200 million in the Recovery Act to support up to 13,000 new AmeriCorps positions, a FY 2010 budget that proposes a 29% increase for the Corporation and its programs, and the passage of landmark Serve America Act, which will both expand existing programs and create new initiatives to engage more Americans in service and spur innovation in the nonprofit sector.
In thanking the agency employees for their hard work on these and other efforts, she inspired them for the long climb ahead, noting the key role of the Corporation in bridging the sectors to engage Americans in solving problems through service.
“We’re at a critical time in our nation’s history, and we need all the hands-on-deck kind of experience we can get to help solve these big problems. And as you know, government resources are scarce. As you know, philanthropic dollars are dwindling. So it’s imperative that we all use our resources more effectively. And the Corporation for National Community Service is the link between the government, non-profits, foundations, community organizers, and social entrepreneurs. You play that important role of bringing them all together.”
The Corporation for National and Community Service is a federal agency that improves lives, strengthens communities, and fosters civic engagement through service and volunteering. Each year, the Corporation engages four million Americans of all ages and backgrounds in service through its Senior Corps, AmeriCorps and Learn and Serve America programs. For more information, visit www.NationalService.gov.
Tonight we have a crew assembled for Thievery Corporation at the Paramount… Kevin, Clayton, Lars, and Jeni are going to join me and M for the concert. Wahoo! Glad to be living up my last week of unemployment!
“Radio Retaliation is definitely a more overt political statement,” says Rob Garza of Thievery Corporation. “There’s no excuse for not speaking out at this point, with the suspension of habeas corpus, outsourced torture, illegal wars of aggression, fuel, food, and economic crises. It’s hard to close your eyes and sleep while the world is burning around you. If you are an artist, this is the most essential time to speak up.” So that’s exactly what they do with their new album.
Recording in their Washington DC based studio, Rob Garza and Eric Hilton, better known as the international DJ and production duo Thievery Corporation, have managed to blossom in the heart of a city they often refer to as “Babylon;” a poignant reference to the traditional Rastafarian distaste and distrust of a corrupt and unjust modern system. Although the city is best known as the seat of an aggressive American Empire, paradoxically Washington DC has long been the home of a music subculture legendary for fierce independence, a staunch do-it-yourself work ethic, and conscientious social activism exemplified by genre-defining pioneers like godfather of go-go Chuck Brown and indie punk rockers Bad Brains, Minor Threat and Fugazi.
Likewise, although some may lazily pin Thievery Corporation as the soundtrack to their cocktail infused late night soiree, the duo have always drawn deep from the well of independent and confrontational music subculture their home town is known for, to produce an ever expanding globally conscious catalogue of music that is difficult to classify. Starting in 1996 with two international underground hit vinyl singles “Shaolin Satellite” and “2001 Spliff Odyssey,” released on their own indie record label ESL Music, Garza and Hilton soon released Sounds from The Thievery Hi-Fi; an album that defined a genre and crystallized their distinct “outernational sound” aesthetic. Over the next decade the duo would remix the likes of David Byrne, The Doors, and Sarah McLachlan, and record three more critically acclaimed albums of original material, each one transcending the last in scope, style, and message: The Mirror Conspiracy (2000), The Richest Man in Babylon (2002), and The Cosmic Game (2005).
Now Thievery Corporation gear up to release their incendiary fifth independent studio album, Radio Retaliation, in September 2008. Radio Retaliation finds inspiration in the uncompromising political music of groups like the Clash, Public Enemy, and Fela Kuti and is without a doubt Thievery Corporation’s broadest and most progressive album yet. The album imparts tough socio-political messages largely absent from today’s popular music.
“Apart from a few independent bastions, there is no musical or informational freedom on the US airwaves anymore. They’ve been bought up, consolidated and homogenized. Music is suffering and society is suffering too. Radio Retaliation is about an exodus of conscious people who are willing to acknowledge something is wrong with the ‘official version’ in news and culture,” explains Hilton. “The album cover image is that of a Mexican Zapatista fighter. They wear masks to shield their identity from right-wing death squads who prey on them and terrorize them, threatening to kick them off their land or worse. People’s movements, like the Zapatistas, are a great source of inspiration for us and that’s clearly reflected on the new record.”
“This record is also our most internationally oriented,”” adds Garza, describing how Radio Retaliation touches upon the eclectic sounds of Jamaica, Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. “We worked with artists from around the world. The roots of our inspiration have always come from what is happening globally, and at the moment there is so much happening, on every level.”
With Radio Retaliation Thievery Corporation raise the bar with a new cast of musical collaborators including Nigeria’s afro-beat heir Femi Kuti, Brazilian star vocalist and guitarist Seu Jorge, Indian sitar virtuoso Anushka Shankar, Slovakian chanteuse and violinist Jana Andevska, and Washington DC’s own go-go originator Chuck Brown. Also returning are long time microphone co-conspirators Sleepy Wonder, Lou Lou, Notch, Zee, and Verny Varela.
A defining element of Thievery Corporation’s sound has always been its decidedly organic quality and this is clearly evident in the rich productions of Radio Retaliation and recent live tour dates. Despite their minimal beginnings, Garza and Hilton have adopted a growing cast of collaborators over the years, vital musicians and vocalists who contribute to a dynamic 15 member live band. Playing sold out venues and festivals worldwide, Thievery Corporation dazzle thousands of music fans every year with their kaleidoscopic live show.
With the help of long time partners, the UN World Food Programme, Thievery Corporation also aim to provoke conscientious thought among their audience. Garza explains, “We definitely want to contribute to the opening of ears, eyes, and minds. With our live shows it’s a poignant example of music and culture mixing together in an explosive vibrant way. To see a Persian singer singing in Farsi, as America debates on a war with Iran, next to other band members from all corners of the earth singing in Spanish, Portuguese, French and so on, it makes people wonder . . . and if you can get people to question the things around them, just a little, then that’s not such a bad thing.”
Radio Retaliation hit the streets on ESL Music, September 23, 2008.
Friday afternoon and evening I spent with Ava and the girls for a girls night indulgence… snacks, leftovers, ice creams, chocolates, pole dancing practice, and red wines. Mmmm. If there’s a better way to deal with ending a relationship than ice cream, wine, and chocolate, I’m not sure we’ve found it yet. :)
Saturday we did an easy 26 mile ride from the house to Discovery Park, across a footbridge, across the Ballard Locks, out to Shilshole Marina and Golden Gardens, then back home. I rather love organizing our weekly rides… it’s great to get out and enjoy the outdoors, I love so many routes with water and mountain views, and I love having a rotating cast of friends join us any given weekend (this week was me, M, Leo, Heater, and visiting rock star MJ in town from NYC). We had nice Puget Sound views, mountain views of the Olympics, and was a wonderfully warm (60F), sunny day. The 26 miles felt quick and easy… which means I’m getting stronger or it just means everything feels super easy compared to last weekend’s 50 mile hillstravaganza on Whidbey Island.
Saturday night we had a small crowd gather to hang with my housemate Mars and his sister MJ visiting from out of town. We stayed up much too late and had a terrific time. Ahhhhh… content sigh. :)
The lack of sleep meant I got a slow start to gardening on Sunday, but I still managed to get pots and soil from Costco and Home Depot, and made it home in time to meet up with guest gardeners Matt and Mayling. We dug up more of the new bed next to the house to plant broccoli, planted strawberries in my new cedar planter, and set up my tomato pots with drainage holes, soil, compost, and fertilizer. Yay progress!
Today it’s gorgeous again and I’m off to a hike at Lake 22 with Jess! Yes, I’m rather bummed to be ending my three month stint of unemployment just as the weather’s getting a bit nicer!
Thursday was a gorgeous, warm, non-rainy day so I invited Jess to go hiking with me! I start my new work contract in another week so I’ve got to take advantage of my free weekdays while I have them. We went to Wallace Falls and it was great! It was a super easy hike… which means either I’m getting stronger from biking and the gym, or it means I need to pick a harder hike next year for my first hike of the season.
Four great things about Wallace Falls:
1. Despite the fact that most hikes in the Cascade Mountains are still covered in snow come June and July, Wallace Falls was dry and easy to navigate right now in April.
2. It’s less than an hour from Seattle… always an added bonus.
3. The bathrooms at the trailhead are impressive compared to 99% of park service/forest bathrooms. They had mirrors, sinks, hand dryers, tissue, and flush toilets!
4. The views of so many water falls and mountain views were stunning!
Trail Data: 5.5 miles round trip, elevation gain 1,200 feet.
Trail detail: The trail begins by following a power-line swath a quarter of a mile (we noticed the path is lined with blackberry bushes). From the swath there are views of Mounts Baring, Index and Persis to savor before the path enters the forest. In a short distance, you reach a signed junction. Stay to the right for the Woody Trail and left for the old railroad grade.
The two trails meet at 1.5 miles and again at 2.5 miles for potential loop hikes. The Woody Trail parallels the Wallace River as it wanders through a magnificent forest of alders and evergreens. The trail is shorter and steeper than the old railroad grade.
It climbs above the river and returns to it in about a mile, then crosses it on the North Fork bridge, elevation 650 feet. The trail continues climbing through forest to the picnic shelter at 1,200 feet and the first overlook of the falls.
The Woody Trail then continues uphill for more views, climbing to the Middle Overlook and finally the Valley Overlook, about a mile from the bridge. The trail ends at the overlook at 1,500 feet with giddy views of the falls and out to the Skykomish River, Goldbar, Startup and, on a clear day, even the Olympic Mountains.
Getting there: Drive U.S. Route 2 east to the small town of Gold Bar and turn left, following the signs for Wallace Falls State Park to the park headquarters and trailhead at 300 feet.
On Wednesday Mayling came over and we built trellises for the peas and planted the chard. Today Tanya came over and we planted the starts for my broccoli, onions, and bok choy. Next up I intend to plant strawberries and tomatoes.
And yes, without doubt, I am definitely running out of space. The garden is pretty full as is, and I still need to find a place for the zucchini, basil, sweet peppers, libra squash, and lots of tomatoes I have growing from seed indoors. Time to find/buy affordable planters.
Today it was unpredictably sunny so I did some more planting in the big garden bed. I put in some Early Wonder Tall Top Beets (they like sun) and some Arugula and Red sails lettuce (they both like shade).
Tomorrow I hope to trellis and plant my sugar snap peas (they keep getting put on the back burner) and maybe also plant some mustard and chard if time permits.
If you find yourself in the ‘burbs some Saturday night, might I recommend what we did last night?
Take out food from Talay Thai Restaurant followed by a roller skating birthday party at the Lynnwood Skate and Bowl? Good times. Talay Thai had very good Pad See Ew and decent Phad Tai, and the skating place was your pretty traditional, old skool skating/bowling joint. They had cheap rentals, couples skates, a newfangled hokey pokey, and a “Chilly Willie” icee/slurpee type machine that produced blue or red sugary icy goodness. (I bought a round of slushies to share with the crowd and they were definitely a hit). The skating party, and costumed fun, were to celebrate the week’s birthdays: Laura, Amy, Leo, Jen, Brady, and Miller. Yay 30somethings donning short shorts, tube socks, tutus, cowboy hats, and stripey socks! Yay birthdays!
Talay Thai Restaurant
4520 200th St SW Ste 208a, Lynnwood, WA 98036
(425) 670-1340
Lynnwood Bowl & Skate
6210 200th St SW, Lynnwood, WA 98036
For tonight’s Seder, I was asked to make the following cake. It didn’t initially sound very tasty, but was very moist and actually enjoyable.
Almond Orange Tea Cake
Cake:
-2 large navel oranges
-1 cup sugar
-6 eggs
-1 1/4 cups ground almond meal
-pinch salt
-1 teaspoon baking powder
-3 tablespoons orange juice concentrate
-2 tablespoons triple sec (I skipped and just used more OJ)
Topping:
-1/3 cup whipping cream
-1/4 cup purchased orange curd
-1/2 cup cream cheese
Prepare the cake: Pleace the whole oranges in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a slow boil and cook until they are very soft, about 60 minutes.
Drain the oranges and cool. Cut oranges into quarters and remove any seeds.
Put the oranges and sugar into the bowl of the food processor and process to a puree, some little pieces are okay.
Preheat oven to 400F. Butter and flour 2 (8-inch round) cake pans.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs until thickened. Add the almonds, salt, baking powder, and the orange puree. Mix well and pour into prepared cake pans.
Bake for 1 hour, until firm when pressed and a wooden toothpick comes out clean. (The top will get quite dark brown which is okay but if you are concerned it is too dark you can cover the top lightly with foil)
Cool the cakes in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn out onto the rack to finish cooling.
Combine the orange juice concentrate and Triple sec. When cake is completely cooled, turned the cakes right side up and brush the tops lightly with the OJ mixture. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight before serving.
Prepare the topping:
Whip cream until soft peaks form. Fold in the orange curd and cream cheese. (I skipped the orange curd to save time and skipped the cream cheese b/c M isn’t a fan. I just used Cool Whip to top it and that was super easy!)
To serve:
Cut the cake into small slices and serve with a dollop of the topping on the side.
A few months ago M suggested we take dance lessons together and last week was our first Salsa lesson at the Century Ballroom. I was a bit nervous going into the lesson – I’d never taken partner dance classes before – but ended up having a great time! Lesson one makes it all seem very simple. Front, side, open turns, right turns, close your eyes and let your partner guide you, etc. I’m sure it’ll get more complicated, but for now it’s pretty manageable and was very fun.
Afterward we went next door and had a terrific dinner at the Tin Table. It just opened a month or so ago and was very yummy… especially after working up an appetite dancing! I think the dance got our energies up too, so our dinner conversation was very lively and a very good time.
I had the Grilled Hanger Steak with Bacon-Blue Cheese Butter, Arugula Salad, and Shoestring Frites With Truffle Salt. The steak was perfectly tender, the truffle fries were amazing, and I love a good arugula salad with a slightly spicy dressing. At $15, it was a great deal and super tasty! I also tried two cocktails… very rare for me but I was feeling inspired by the job hunt and by life. Both drinks were sweet enough for me to thoroughly enjoy them:
* Pisco Sour – Pisco Brandy, Lime Juice, Egg White & Sugar.
* Ginger mojito – Yazi Ginger Vodka, Lime Juice & Simple Syrup muddled with Fresh Mint & topped with Seltzer.
The Tin Table www.TheTinTable.com 915 East Pine Street, 2nd Floor
Seattle, WA 98122
206 320-8458
Open Tue-Sun at 3pm – Late Night Dining Until 1am
I’d love to go back after every class, but don’t know if we’ll treat ourselves that often or not. :) The meal and drinks were both great – definitely a treat!
Today I took the chainsaw to two pines that are growing over the back bed… trimming lower branches to allow in a bit more sun. I also pulled up more blackberry roots before getting to the main event: renting a rototiller! Yep, today I rented a rototiller and went to town on the veggie bed in the back yard! I got the smallest one Home Depot rents ($35 for 4 hours) and it was very powerful! Definitely gave me a good upper body workout and definitely turned up more soil than a team of us could have done over 8 hours! We added the soil amendments before rototilling, so those were nicely mixed in as well. (The back bed is very wet, clay-like, so we added compost and sand). I didn’t get around to planting my basil or transplanting my tomatoes, but the back bed looks fantastic! Many thanks to Jess for participating in the rototilling adventure!
Now I’m off to make an orange almond meal cake for a Seder (happy Passover!), clean up the yard, and shower before dinner. Hope everyone is well!
I’m very lucky to be surrounded by experienced, knowledgeable gardeners who are patient answering questions and offering advice. :)
Corrie was an original gardener here a few years back and offered insight into what worked and what didn’t the last time around.
Tanya gave lots of planting and soil advice and built a small new bed for fennel and mint (transplanted from the overgrown plot in back).
Pat came over with Tanya to help clear out my big bed and help remove stubborn blackberries.
Jess has given me a handful of seeds - tomato and basil seeds, onion starts, and some flowers too. She’s coming back tomorrow and we’re planning to build a trellis for the peas so they can be planted once they’re hardened to the outdoors.
Today I cleared grass for a new bed, dug a deep trench, and planted a big cutting of rhubarb roots. Pat and Tanya delivered it with a bow during my housewarming last weekend, and I couldn’t be more excited! I’m hoping it’ll grow up to be giant so we’ll have lots of rhubarb for cobblers, ice cream, pie, etc. Yum!
In general yard work news, M and I bought a chainsaw last weekend which was great fun! We used it to trim many overgrown trees and to cut back bamboo that was taking over the side yard. Yesterday Angie came over to take some of the bamboo off my hands… she’s going to give it a good home in the garden at Tobu.
Next up on the agenda…
* Transplant my tomato starts to bigger pots.
* Build trellis and plant my pea starts outdoors.
* Plant basil seeds as indoor starters.
* Rototil or dig up the big garden (once it dries out more) and plant shade loving veggies… lettuce, chard, other greens, maybe beets, etc.
* Read up on what to do with my onion and zucchini starts.
* Alexis mentioned an interest in starting an herb garden. We’re thinking of tearing up the roses on the left side of the driveway and putting in sage, rosemary, basil, and maybe even tomatoes. (It gets a fair amount of sun, which is rare in this yard due to all of the surrounding trees).
We’ll see how ambitious we are or how much time I have. Weekends are generally booked, which leaves the weekdays. I’m all about gardening right now while unemployed, but if I get a job, I’ll have considerably less time to devote to the experiment. Wish me luck.
On Sunday, M and I invited Leo, Maegan, and Duska to join us for a short afternoon ride. The weather was a perfect 68F and wonderfully sunny and were very content to get out and explore on our bikes. I found a route for a 26 mile loop from our house, across Hwy 90, onto and around Mercer Island, and then back home. It was an easy ride with gently rolling hills and had terrific water and mountain views from both sides of the island! We rode south with views of the Cascades and Mt Rainier, and then rode back north with views of the Olympics. It was a great ride for a warm and sunny day with the mountains out on all sides! Good times!
I’m happy to say I have my first two job leads of my whole job search. :) Neither is even at an interview stage, but I’m just happy to get contact from employers that might someday turn into something more. I’ve been searching daily since Dec when I got laid off, and I know the economy is still projected to continue sinking for a long while longer, but hearing a tiny bit of interest keeps the spirits up a little bit.
After a quiet Friday (dinner with M and Ava at Cactus), I flew home to Austin on Saturday morning.
Last night Mom, Dad, Charlie, Stef, Gus, and I all hung out in Mountain City, ate dinner, and watched some Monsters Inc with Gus. Today Mom, Dad, and I had sweet potato corn bread for breakfast, did some house cleaning, and went to Rudy’s BBQ for lunch. This afternoon was a lazy afternoon with Mom and I are clearing out clutter from the house and Dad doing yard work. I’ve started scanning in some old papers, cards, souvineers and then tossing out the original. As much as I loved my first and only Swatch watch, I have no need to store it in closets for the rest of my life and won’t be wearing it either. It’s now scanned and ready to be preserved electronically! Look for lots of random posts and pictures sometime soon. :)
Tonight I’m off to meet Susie, Jacob, Caroline, and anyone else for fun in Austin. Wahoo!
M and I were planning to do a long bike ride on Saturday with Stefan and Garwood, but snow, hail, and rain came instead so we spent a relaxing day at the house instead. Question: Since when did it snow so much in Seattle?? Answer: Never.
Saturday afternoon we hit “Bizarre Bazaar: Alternative Visionary Market” for local crafts. I got a shirt and warm furry hat! M got candles for himself and a baby gift for Noe.
Bizarre Bazaar: Alternative Visionary Market
Location: The Church of Bass
Date: Saturday, March 7 from 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm
The pretty shirt I got from Lotus Luxuries… “This intricately draped top is made from 92% bamboo fibers which wics moisture away, is anti-microbial, good for the environment, and the next “all the rage” in textiles.
Saturday night we decided for a low key date night, ate at Taco Time, and saw a movie – The Watchmen. Saturday night it snowed more.
Sunday, no surprise, it also snowed. We continued our relaxing weekend theme. Got the office fully cleaned out, spent some time in the hot tub, made a super brief visit to see Mason, Corrie, and 2 week old Noe, and then did dinner with Heater and friends.
Now it’s Monday and, of course, it’s snowing again. The climate change thing really is just wacky. Hope y’all had a good weekend!
The 5 Spot’s theme menu right now is “Austin foods” and they’ve done a fantastic job! Many thanks to the many friend’s who’ve reminded me to go eat there during this season’s theme! Leo got sick yesterday, canceled our plans to cook dinner together, and M and I spontaneously decided to go out to eat instead. Who knew the 5 Spot was exactly what we needed? This kinda upscale “diner” in Queen Anne is always fabulous and always themed, but right now for Texas they’ve outdone themselves. They decorated with a giant 10 ft armadillo hanging from the ceiling, cow skulls from wagon wheel fixtures, paintings of Willie Nelson and Farrah Fawcett, stories of Eyeore’s Birthday Parties and the Congress Avenue bat colony, and so much more! Shiner Bock and Texas Tea, fried chicken, friend green tomatoes, brisket, biscuits, chicken soft tacos, and so more call out to you on the menu. Entrees were grand and their late night happy hour is to die for. Yum! My tri-tip steak with cojita mashers and arugula salad was fantastic, and our fried green tomatoes starter was perfect! Congrats to 5 Spot for a terrific meal and the ability to make me a bit homesick for good ol’ Austin, Tejas…
5 Spot http://www.chowfoods.com/five/
1502 Queen Anne Ave N
Seattle, WA 98109
(206) 285-SPOT
Hours 8:30 a.m. — Midnight Daily
Closed 3-5 p.m. Sat & Sun
“Blue- and white-collars rub elbows in this Queen Anne eatery, and unshaven faces are definitely OK. Arrive early for breakfast and take advantage of exceptional people-watching opportunities during the moderate wait for a table. Open spaces and chirpy menu descriptions keep the place casual and relaxed, but servers are speedy and highly competent–mason-jar water glasses won’t be empty for a moment.
Owners Peter Levy and Jeremy Hardy have traveled the country in search of blue-collar cuisine. As a result, the menu–and its featured regions–changes several times a year. Nothing beats diner fare, which translates to heaping portions of often good, simple food. From “blunch” to a late-night menu, choices abound: omelettes, home-style biscuits and gravy, halibut and chips, buttery fried chicken, and red beans and rice round out the greasy-spoon staples.”
Yesterday we did my first “house tea” to chat about all households things… emptying the dishwasher, art placement, parties to host, etc. It’s all fun stuff and I’m excited to be part of this wonderful new community!
In addition to me and M, my other housemates are:
Lesley, thrower of dinner parties and lover of wine. She’s beautiful and sophisticated PhD in linguistics at Microsoft who is heading out to China from March-July for work.
Mars, a creative artist who is a developer at Microsoft during the day and plays music and creates wearable art in his free time at night.
Alexis, an avid rock climber and carpenter/handyman, who works freelance as a developer.
“Your claim for the week ending February 14, 2009 has been processed and payment was issued on February 19, 2009.”
“Your claim for the week ending February 21, 2009 has been processed and payment was issued on February 23, 2009.”
Shock of all shocks, I just got my first unemployment check this week on 2/23! And then, even bigger shock, I got my second unemployment check two days later on 2/25! I completed the required paperwork on January 1st and I have been filing weekly claims since January 1st, and I finally got my first payments just this week. Yay! Sadly, it’s still for a tiny amount as it still isn’t taking into account 7 of my 12 months base year salary spent working as Director of the non-profit. I’ve spent many long hours on the phone with the folks at unemployment, I’ve faxed additional paperwork, spoken with special investigators, answered additional surveys, and still no progress on the appeal. But seeing two tiny checks is at least a good start!
In super exciting baby news, my brother and Stef just found out today their second baby, due July 20, will be a girl! I’m so excited Gus will have a sister and so excited for the onslaught of ridiculously cute little girl clothes, bows, and ruffles! :) I’m heading home in a few weeks and am super excited to see the whole fam!
So excited to announce my moving is done! My goal was to get as much done during the week so my weekend tasks would go pretty quickly. We were hosting a shower at the house on Saturday and had two friends in from out of town, so I didn’t want to plan for all day moving adventures. Happily, I made great progress during the week thanks to generous friends and had most of the weekend free to spend socializing! Thanks Antoun, Clare, Gabriel, Jon, Katy, M, and Maggie for moving help! Thanks M for letting me borrow your sport wagon! And thanks Julie and Stuart for use of the truck!
Monday I finished clearing out space in M’s house and then had girls night with Samantha and Caroline at the tiny and quaint Thomas Street Bistro. Lame website, but tasty food and a fun owner!
Tuesday was a busy day of applying for jobs and packing up my apartment.
Wednesday Maggie came over to help with the move, I bought a dresser on Craigslist, finished my cover letter template, and applied for more jobs.
Thursday Gabriel came over and we did some moving and rearranging. Gabriel is a longtime friend of M (since HS) and he was so fantastic to help! Thursday night Clare and Katy came over to help with packing fun.
Friday Gabriel came over again and we borrowed Stuart’s truck to return the dining table and bookshelves to Jess, and then moved my sofa sleeper and bigger pieces to M’s house. Friday night Gabriel, M, and I met up with Dona for dinner at Wild Ginger. Was lovely to see her two months in a row… last month at her house in SF and this month in Seattle for the shower!
The lovely Antoun was also in town from SF and was staying with us too, so we got to see him late Friday after our separate dinner parties. Always a pleasure to see him, and quite fun to have him stay here to ensure we’d see him daily!
Saturday morning I hung out with Antoun and Saturday afternoon was Corrie and Mason’s baby shower at the house. The house was filled with friends and little kids, more than I’d ever seen before! Saturday night M and I celebrated our belated Valentine’s day. We got dressed up, ate another fabulous dinner at Crush, then went to see Mozart’s Jupiter played by the Seattle Symphony at Benaroya Hall. I was pretty tired after a long week of packing, moving, and unpacking, but greatly enjoyed our romantic night out.
Sunday was day planned to move everything remaining in the apartment. Happily, we’d done so much earlier in the week there wasn’t tons left to do. Instead of getting a U-Haul as planned, we just borrowed Stuart’s truck again and did one load with a bunch of friends. Antoun, M, Jon, Katy, and Clare all helped packed and take a load over to the house. We started around 11ish and were done by 2pm. Fantastic!
We capped the day with some Indian food and then celebrated the bigger news of the day: Corrie and Mason had their baby a month early! M, Antoun, and I went to the hospital to visit them and get our first introduction to their perfect daughter!
“We invite you inside to experience the persuasion of Crush.
Nicole Wilson first envisioned the Tudor house at Madison and 23rd. She imagined lively rooms blending together, people milling in the foyer, energy flowing from the terrace, along the floating bar and into the main dining room as well as throughout the second floor seating. We designed the ambience to convey our menu to the forefront of your experience. Shelley Buurman’s interior design combines the crisp Verner Panton furniture with the warmth of chocolate trim. The room is at once a blank canvas for the kitchen’s creations and a rich enclosure for intimate dining.
Crush cuisine is a personal style, one which can be defined by the sensibilities, journey and inspirations of Chef Jason Wilson and the work he does with his team. This personal style of cuisine is based on a perspective where quality takes precedent. The highest quality ingredient will naturally dictate the manner in which it is grown, or raised, the respect for season, producer, handling and overwhelming freshness. We utilize a Modern American approach, employing French Technique as the starting point to our work.
We work to create a dining experience where our guests can enjoy our great respect for the ingredients we work with, the farmers and producers we team with and our passion for foods that leave you longing for more. A dining experience based on quality, passion and relationships.”
Hope everyone had a lovely weekend, whether you celebrated Valentine’s or not. M and I originally had plans for a romantic dinner and symphony tickets, then we canceled the dinner to give more time for moving prep, and rescheduled the symphony tickets so we could friends over to the house. It was a lovely gathering and an incredibly productive weekend. I’m now exhausted, but am really glad to have dedicated space for me to move my stuff into. Helps me to feel like an equal/feel included in a new household. :)
I’m now going to get back to job search and packing. Whee! Hope y’all are well!
I love you with all my heart/
Like an encyclopedia, every page/
Describing a way I love you/
To love you more would be to/
Invent new words or phrases/
And I do, every day
~ Mason
If this poem didn’t already melt your heart, knowing that it was done by a student in one of Seattle’s “alternative” schools (Summit K-12) personally makes me feel even warmer and ever more fuzzy. :)
Guess who’s moving in with her boyfriend? Yep, it’s me! My roommate gave notice she was moving last week, leaving me 2 days to decide if *I* wanted to stay and try to find a roommate, or decide if I wanted to try something new. After living in the lovely Fremont neighborhood since 2002 (minus my stint in Africa), I decided I was ready for a change. And after years in Seattle in apartments, I was also ready for a change. I loved having a house in Kenya where I could garden, and invite friends over to eat in our courtyard, dance, play ping pong, and have a ball. I think I actually had more friends visit me at home for social hours in Kenya during that year than I did in my last year living in an apartment in Seattle.
So, I’m moving on out and moving on up all at once. I’m moving in with M… to a lovely home that’s great for dinners and parties, has a yard for gardening, has a hot tub (great after a long hike or bike ride), has a lovely boyfriend and lovely housemates. Wahoo! I’ll miss having cafes, a bar, a coffee shop, a grocery store, and a video store all within a one block walk… but will still have cafes and a corner market within about a half mile walk. I won’t have a garage for dry parking, but will have a parking spot. I might even be able to fit some of my camping and travel stuff into boxes for storage in the garage… a nice trade off!
Look for a housewarming party some time in March and for a change of address after March 1st!
I haven’t cried in a week or more… yay! However, give me an article on Michelle Obama, and the tears flow. And it’s a fashion article, for crying out loud, and I’m still brought to tears? Yes, my friends and family, it’s an exciting time to be alive in America!
From envisioning a more inclusive White House to embracing fearless fashion, Michelle Obama is poised to become the most transformative First Lady in history. André Leon Talley reports. Portraits by Annie Leibovitz.
“Do you see our new house?” Michelle Obama asks, walking to a corner window of the reception suite at the Hay-Adams and drawing back the white curtains. It is a wet, chilly Tuesday afternoon in Washington, D.C., two weeks before the Inauguration, and the Obamas have just moved into the hotel so their daughters can begin the new semester at Sidwell Friends. Through the window we can see armed security men in black walking around on the White House roof.
“They tell me they do that a lot,” she says.
Mrs. Obama has a hug—a sincere and friendly embrace—that has become familiar to countless supporters from coast to coast. And when she talks to you, she focuses all her calm attention on your face. For a passionate supporter like me (someone who, like millions of regular American citizens, volunteered in the campaign trenches and basked in the glow of glory at the Inauguration), being the focus of this reassuring gaze is akin to hearing a chord from John Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme.” Or maybe Ralph Vaughan Williams’s “The Lark Ascending”: All is well and right and real.
With her long, lean, athletic frame, she moves as if she could have danced with Alvin Ailey in another life. Curled up in the corner of a huge taupe velvet sofa, wearing knee-high boots as she nestles into the cushions, she almost seems like any other mom recently relocated to a city because of her husband’s new job.
The work-life balance that this particular mother struggles with is not typical, but the early-days challenges she faces are remarkably ordinary. Getting her bearings, checking out churches to join, helping her kids adjust to unfamiliar surroundings—these are her top priorities and preoccupations. The First Lady puts her family first.
“I’m going to try to take them to school every morning—as much as I can,” she says of Natasha (a.k.a. Sasha), seven, and Malia, ten. “But there’s also a measure of independence. And obviously there will be times I won’t be able to drop them off at all. I like to be a presence in my kids’ school. I want to know the teachers; I want to know the other parents.”
By now, everyone knows that Mrs. Obama’s mother, Marian Robinson, has moved in with her daughter and son-in-law to help keep the kids on an even keel; we’ve all heard how she basically reared Sasha and Malia while their parents were on their two-year journey to the White House. Mrs. Robinson will, she says, be there to help in any way she can. (If you could put a word to how she is feeling about the whole thing, it would be bemused: “I laugh now because I always taught Michelle to step out of her comfort zone in life,” she tells me. “But I never thought she was going to step this far out of that zone.”)
Just as Hillary Clinton took Chelsea along to Europe and Africa when she was off from school, Mrs. Obama anticipates traveling with her own daughters during school breaks. “I’ve been grateful that my girls have been able to see parts of the country that I’m just seeing at the age of 44,” she says. “It’s not only seeing Paris, London, and Rome. It’s also the remote places…exposing them to what we hope all kids will have: a feeling that they are citizens of the world.”
I had a chance to ask Jill Biden, the wife of the vice-president, about Mrs. Obama’s parenting style, and she put the accent on how real the new First Lady is. “During the convention, my grandchildren and her children had a sleepover, watching movies, eating pizza and popcorn, just having fun hanging out,” she said. “And I think that’s what’s special about Michelle—she maintains a normal life in an extraordinary time. You only need to be around her girls for a few seconds to know what an incredible mom she is.”
Caroline Kennedy has shared with Mrs. Obama fond memories of living at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. “My mother always told me that the happiest times we spent as a family were in the White House because we were all together,” Kennedy says. “After years of campaigning, I am sure the Obamas will feel the same way.”
For all the sleepovers and pizza parties, will Michelle Obama be a traditional First Lady in the cookie-baking, housewife-in-chief mold? Of course not. Those days are probably over for good. First Ladies have always been held like specimens under a media microscope. Some 200 years ago, when Abigail Adams stepped into the role, she was cast as the New England bluestocking. Dolley Madison is still considered the White House’s most fabulous hostess: She wore flamboyant turbans spiked with ostrich plumes, held evening gatherings nearly every Wednesday, and wowed guests with dishes of ice cream as pianos tinkled and guitars strummed. Mary Todd Lincoln hosted regular public receptions, with a gridlock of visitors herded through the eastern gate and ushered out through the western gate. President Lincoln and his wife shook hands with everyone in the receiving line, standing there for two hours if necessary.
It’s been an awfully long time since strangers off the street could wander right into the presidential mansion, but Michelle Obama’s intention is to open up the White House again in a spirit of diversity and inclusion. She speaks of her future there as almost a collective experience. It’s never “me” and “mine” and “some,” but “we” and “our” and “all.” She’s like the neighbor organizing a block party: Everyone is invited.
No doubt this attitude owes a lot to the sense of community she drank in as she grew up in a modest house on the South Side of Chicago, where her parents carved a bedroom out of the living room for her and her brother, Craig Robinson, to share. She doesn’t come from a culture of exclusivity, and she doesn’t appreciate a “members only” attitude. “We like to joke that the South Side of Chicago is our Kennebunkport,” she says. She’ll be guided by another lesson of her upbringing: “We learned in our household that there was nothing you couldn’t talk about and that you found humor in even some of the toughest times. I want to bring that spirit of warmth, openness, and stability to my task.”
Any notion that the White House will be more welcoming to black Americans above all others is unfounded. “She will reach out to the full spectrum of American people,” says Valerie Jarrett, a special adviser to the president and a longtime friend. “That’s what she’s done throughout her whole life—embrace all ethnicities. I believe there will be a special connection with the African-American community, because she’s the first African-American First Lady. Michelle’s heart has plenty of room for everybody.”
Mrs. Obama herself describes it this way: “We want entertaining in the White House to feel like America, that we are reminded of all the many facets of our culture. The Latino community, the Asian-American community, the African-American community.…Hip-hop, spoken word—we want to bring the youth in, for them to hear their voices in this.”
She sees the White House as a national classroom. “We want to make sure that our young people remember and understand what classical music is, who some of the great American artists are,” she says, to give one example. And: “I am excited about the potential of the White House kitchen being a learning environment for the community. The current chef, Cristeta Comerford, is the only female chef in the history of the White House. She’s a young Filipina woman, a mother with a young child, and I am excited to get to know her and for her to know us as a family. If you think about all the kids interested in finding out about all of the inner workings of the White House—I’m hoping that we can build a team to reach out.”
Like Hillary Clinton before her, Mrs. Obama has always been a working woman. She is a lawyer turned hospital administrator turned political right hand. It is a unique résumé. What we know for sure, so far, is that children will be one focus of her formidable brainpower.
What Michelle Obama is less focused on—in direct inverse proportion to the focus of the public—is fashion. Which isn’t to say that she doesn’t appreciate good clothes. Or that the fashion choices of a woman whose image will shortly be—or already is—among the most recognizable in the entire world aren’t iconic. And thus far, those choices have been fearless. Every moment she sallies forth, she will be scrutinized, then alternately set on a pedestal or skewered. Which, thankfully, hasn’t put the brakes on her enthusiasm or originality—so markedly different from, but for an exception or two, previous presidential partners who shrank from matters of style or played it safe. Her self-possession is an inspiration. “I love clothes,” she admits. “First and foremost, I wear what I love. That’s what women have to focus on: what makes them happy and what makes them feel comfortable and beautiful. If I can have any impact, I want women to feel good about themselves and have fun with fashion.”
What makes her feel good are clean-cut American clothes with a youthful vitality: At a fund-raiser I cohosted in New York last year, she showed up in a tunic and palazzo pants by Isabel Toledo (who also designed the lemongrass ensemble she wore to the swearing-in ceremony), with a necklace by Tom Binns. The day of our interview at the Hay-Adams, she wears a soft, silk-crepe accordion-pleat dress by 34-year-old Thakoon Panichgul; Jason Wu, who designed her Inaugural ball dress, is only 26.
Mrs. Obama’s lithe frame—an uncommon figure for an American First Lady, let’s be honest—and her ardent championing of new names in American design have induced many to describe her as a potential “new Jackie Kennedy.” But that really isn’t her. Pragmatism, not glamour, is what matters when she gets dressed.
I first met Mrs. Obama at an impromptu dinner at Oprah Winfrey’s house in Santa Barbara, California, on the eve of the divine Ms. O’s Legends Ball in 2005. I was seated between the then Senator Barack Obama’s wife and Tina Turner. Do I remember what Michelle was wearing? Not at all. What I do remember was how informed she was on so many topics. And when she said she actually knew who I was, I was so flattered my jaw dropped.
Some critics made noise about the plain black cardigan the First Lady-to-be wore on November 4 in Grant Park over her Narciso Rodriguez dress. She is unrepentant: “I’m not going to pretend that I don’t care about it,” Mrs. Obama says of the criticism. “But I also have to be very practical. In the end, someone will always not like what you wear—people just have different tastes. Some will think that a sweater was horrible, [but] I was cold; I needed that sweater!”
I lived the American Dream in Grant Park that evening, too. That November night felt like spring, yes. But not balmy enough for a woman to martyr herself in a sleeveless cocktail frock!
Mrs. Obama reflects back on that night among nights: “I was proud as a wife, amazed as a citizen,” she recalls. “I felt a sense of relief, a sense of calm, that the country I lived in was the country I thought I lived in.”
So Michelle Obama isn’t cut from Dolley Madison or Laura Bush cloth, and this isn’t Camelot. Maybe the predecessor whom we will most often be reminded of is Eleanor Roosevelt. Tireless in her dedication to human rights, Roosevelt was a First Lady with no peer. She was an early U.S. delegate to the United Nations. She drove through the night to the very heart of Ku Klux Klan country to attend a civil rights rally. And, of course, Eleanor served the nation, as Mrs. Obama will, in times of economic hardship. If Eleanor Roosevelt was a grandmother of the women’s movement, Mrs. Obama is a daughter of it.
Remember that when the Obamas first met, she was his boss and mentor at Sidley, Austin, the Chicago law firm where they both began their careers. This is a new dynamic in the history of First Families. It’s doubtful the president of the United States of America wields executive authority within his primary relationship. You can tell from the way Michelle teases Barack in interviews, the way she’s not afraid to disagree publicly, that although she loves her husband, she isn’t in awe of him. (When he helped paint a room at a homeless shelter on Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, she said, “Now that I know he can do this, it’s another thing he can do at home.”) They have maintained their autonomy and mutual respect yet clearly delight in each other’s company. When I saw them dance at the Legends Ball, rocking the party with their moves until a slow number came on, their genuine affection for each other was palpable. The woman he so publicly declared “my best friend for the last sixteen years, the rock of our family, the love of my life” on Election Night has been a true partner in every sense of the word. “I’m extremely happy with her,” he told Mariana Cook in a 1996 interview with the couple recently published in The New Yorker, “and part of it has to do with the fact that she is at once familiar to me, so that I can be myself and she knows me very well and I trust her completely, but at the same time she is also a complete mystery to me in some ways.…It’s that tension between familiarity and mystery that makes for something strong, because even as you build a life of trust and comfort and mutual support, you retain some sense of surprise or wonder about the other person.” Thirteen years later, his remarks have never rung truer.
That is something we have to look forward to, too: Mrs. Obama will continue to surprise us. “Michelle Obama is a full-blown, grown-up woman,” Oprah Winfrey tells me. “An authentically empowered real woman who looks and feels like a modern woman in the twenty-first century, allowing us to see the best of ourselves in her. [She's] bringing a sense of connection and accessibility to that position that no nation has ever witnessed.”
Three days before the Inauguration, I boarded the Obama Express at Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station, a whistle-stop tour headed with unstoppable momentum toward the three-day blowout in the nation’s capital. The press corps was assigned to the caboose, but I lucked out and found myself seated in the car reserved for family and friends when a troika of Michelle’s best friends from back home adopted me: Yvonne Davila, who runs her own consulting firm; Cheryl Rucker-Whitaker, M.D., cardiologist and assistant professor at Rush University Medical Center; and Sandy Matthews, an executive at a children’s-advocacy firm.
“Michelle and I co-parent our girls, who shared cribs,” said Davila, wearing Armani. “When she needs a girlfriend to lean on, or when she wants her daughters to sleep over, this is where they go.”
At one point, the president-elect and his wife worked their way through the narrow aisles along the length of the train to meet everyone in each car. Mrs. Obama sat down among her friends. Knowing I had to ask what she was wearing, she graciously divulged that her lavender jacket—worn with leggings and sexy, flat black-suede boots—was by Zero + Maria Cornejo. “This jacket was supposed to have a belt,” she said. “I love a belt, but we forgot it.”
Somewhere on the way to Union Station, there was an explosion of noise as Sasha and Malia and their playmates from Chicago burst into our car and started singing “Somebody once told me the world was macaroni…” to their mom, who was celebrating her forty-fifth birthday that day.
“Did you sing it for Dad?” she asked.
As a surprise, the girls had decorated their car with streamers and balloons and banners and had deputized their young friends to hand out Hawaiian leis and party hats to the adults in an adjacent car. (“Nice,” Mrs. Obama said later, “but I looked at Barack and said, ‘They’ve got to clean up! We can’t leave this mess for Amtrak.’ “) After being serenaded with “Happy Birthday,” she led the children in a stomp dance.
As we rolled along, I thought of my own journey. How many among the crowds gathered to watch us pass were like me—an African-American who grew up in the Jim Crow South, whose father drove a taxi, whose uncle Lewis was a barber, whose grandmother was a maid her entire life—and turned their eyes to the Obamas not just with hope but with recognition?
If the great expectations weigh heavily on Michelle Obama’s shoulders, it doesn’t show; this is her enigma, this is her grace.
On Inauguration Day, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi invited Diane von Furstenberg and me to sit front row in the bleachers directly above the former presidents and vice presidents. I felt blessed to be at the swearing-in ceremony looking out at a sea of 1.8 million people on the Mall. Incredibly, there would not be a single arrest. After Chief Justice John Roberts had sworn in the forty-fourth president, the new commander in chief’s first steps were toward his family for a kiss. Both daughters were done up in custom Crewcuts by J.Crew: Sasha (who gave her father the thumbs-up) in sorbet shades and Malia wearing a violet-blue wool coat and a soft ribbon sash. Then came Mrs. Obama, in Toledo’s Swiss wool lace coat and sheath, green Jimmy Choo pumps, and J.Crew jade gloves. “She exemplifies this moment of great transition,” Toledo says. “Such an optimistic start to a new era.”
That night, I saw them again at the Obama Home States Ball, she in her angel-white one-shouldered gown, he in white tie, his first new tuxedo in fifteen years. After acknowledging the euphoric guests, the president said, “Excuse me while I dance with my wife,” before leading her in a slow swirl to the strains of “At Last,” a song about beginnings.
“Leading Lady” has been edited for Style.com; the complete story appears in the March 2009 issue of Vogue.
As though it couldn’t get any lower… it seems my unemployment benefits will be determined with a 7 month gap, giving me a super low weekly benefit rate. Apparently my 7 months at Notre Dame don’t count towards my “base year employment” because it’s a nonprofit. I’m unclear as to why some non-profit employees (like people who work for ACT Theater) get unemployment and other non-profit employees (like me) don’t qualify. Happily, I have a few Cascadia hours in there as well so I’ll still get something. It’ll just be significantly lower than it should’ve been with the 7 month gap in income. Arg. So. Not. Fun.
Time in Naples has flown by this week. We’ve spent a portion of every morning lounging around the condo, and spent a portion of every afternoon at the beach or at the pool. We’ve walked through the mangroves, walked on the beach, shopped, saw the Holiday Pops concert at the Naples Philharmonic Hall, ate a lovely dinner at Trilogy, ate lovely home cooked dinners here at the condo, seen a few movies (Slumdog Millionaire, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Total Recall, Mamma Mia!), visited the Pier, seen the outside of Tom’s condo and house, and went deep sea fishing (I caught a few and threw them all back in). Also got to see dolphins a few times. Oh, and, you know, I met M’s family for the first time. :) They’re nothing less than intimidating in concept but are incredibly sweet, gracious, and generous in real life. Now I know where M gets some of his generous streak! We celebrated my birthday, Christmas, and his mom’s bday too. It was good times and a successful visit! Many, many thanks to M for a great week together! And many, many holiday greetings to my own fam back in Texas and friends all about!
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After my fantastic impromptu birthday on Saturday, I went to bake cookies and trim the tree at Maggie’s on Sunday. I don’t decorate or do much around my apartment for the holidays, so it was really quite nice to spend an afternoon in Christmas-land. Maggie and Jim have a cozy home, Christmas music, live tree, tons of decorations, Christmas aprons (hilarious), chili, and a gorgeous kitchen Kim and I could use for baking sugar and frosting sugar cookies. Maggie and Jim also have six year old Ian who helped trim the tree, tap danced on the rug, and helped me cut out the sugar cookies… super fun. :) Good times!
Kim (not age 6) was a decorating diva!
Last night was my holiday party at work… a somewhat awkward affair that left some coworkers without cheer after the layoffs last week. Some boycotted, but I opted to go for a while and put on a happy face. I went, snacked, chatted, and ducked out early when the song books were handed out. I’m all about glad tidings and cheer, but a forced sing-a-long while the seven year olds sing and accompany your coworkers playing flute, piano, and guitar just seemed a bit much last night. Luckily, Dieter and Emily were sneaking out too so I not only got to leave early, I got a lift back to Fremont and avoided the long, icy, freezing bus ride home. Success!
Tonight is travel stories dinner with Mags and Jim followed by girls craft night at Caroline’s place. At some point I really must finish health insurance planning and prepping for the holidays, but at least I know my doctors visits are done and my gift shopping for M’s sister is done. :) Yay progress!
Saturday’s snow is still on the ground… with more expected to come on Wednesday. Brrrrr!
The official notice went out today: I’m laid off as of 12/31/08. We’re a small environmental consulting company with only 26 full time salaried employees (and a handful of part time folks). Four of us (or 15%) were laid off last week and officially announced today.
Needless to say, I’m not excited about the loss of benefits, the loss of health insurance, and the very real potential for debt. I already intentionally live a pretty simple lifestyle… cutting costs more isn’t easy. I already take the bus, share a rented apartment with a roommate, bring my lunch to work, etc. That means my expenses are relatively low, but my unemployment check is expected to be way low. I know I’ll survive, and I like to think many companies would be lucky to have me, but I’m just not excited about the prospect of endless, fruitless job searching in this dismal economy. Alas. Such is my life right now… at least I have my health and a wonderful community to be thankful for.
It’s been a wonderfully gorgeous fall in the Northwest… nicer than any years in my recent memory. The leaves are colorful and haven’t even fallen from the trees yet, making every turn a gorgeous landscape. And so I felt inspired to update the look of justlaura a little bit. Enjoy!
Yesterday I joined Caroline, Jess, and Lee for a quick bite of breakfast, then M and I spent the afternoon doing some fall wardrobe shopping. It was long overdue… I was just getting back into work last fall, still broke, so didn’t have much from last year. Time to build out the wardrobe a little now with trousers and long sleeves. Last night I did the mundane around the house stuff that’s been piling up: did laundry, paid bills, read mail, and started packing for Thanksgiving. Need to pack for Vietnam too, but that’ll require getting all of my stuff in one place… it’s currently half at M’s house and half at my place. It’ll happen soon enough!
Well, last year’s Halloween was a bit rough. Got diagnosed with fibroids and broke up with M the same day. This year’s Halloween festivities started much better! I was a little unsure if I even wanted to go out, but once at Muppet Inferno, we had a good time. So funny to think I went last year and knew only M. This year I probably knew 100 people? Such a crazy year!
Unrelated: I’m sooo proud of my friend Kimbra for (hopefully) getting into the Guiness Book of World Records for being part of the 166 Seattlites dancing Thriller at the same time this weekend! I’m kind of sad Marth, Sus, and Abbey couldn’t be in this performance, but Kim totally represented! Check out the video… she’s front and center in the white wedding gown. Yay Kim and yay Seattle Thriller silliness!
Let’s see where we left off… mostly right now I’m tired of being tired. I can’t wait for vacation… Vietnam happens in less than a week on Nov 1st! But first, here’s the weekly recap.
Sunday I went for a bike ride with M, Leo, and Mae. I crashed 15 miles into it. Landed face first and skidded along my face and knees. My first bike crash and my first black eye. A week later I’m still in pain. Needed stitches, but didn’t get them. No serious injuries beyond the ones that needed stitches. No concussion. No fractures. Once I quit shaking and quit crying, I managed to ride the 15 miles home on my bike and still beat M up the final hill to his house. Sunday night I went to the Fleet Foxes concert with Caroline, then came home to crawl into bed.
Monday was a sick day and a doctor’s visit, antibiotics, and rest. Monday was also a surprise visit with Abbey, in town for 36 hrs from DC! Lunch with Mags and Abbie, followed by REI and then dinner with Jen.
Tuesday was dinner with Jes, then drinks with M, Jess, and Caroline at Oliver’s Twist.
Wednesday was the long awaited dinner with Maggie, Jim, and M in Queen Anne.
Thursday was quiet time at home with M. Dinner and reading.
Yesterday was dinner with Kevin and Erika, Clayton and Lesley, me and M, Barry and Maja, Jordan, Katie, Nathan and Miller, Noah, Leo and Mae, and Michelle. Afterwards we met up with Caroline and Jacob, Kim, and Jen to see this year’s Hump film festival. A bit more explicit than last year, but overall very entertaining. Loved the balloon characters… my favorite!!
Today was running more errands followed by an afternoon date with Susie. I’m now torn between about a dozen Halloween parties and being anti-social/staying in. Currently in my fleece bathrobe drinking hot cocoa… that’s just the way I roll today. Call my “tough guy.”
Tomorrow we plan to pack for Vietnam and then the weekend will be over all too soon. G’night…
She’s only got a 25% approval rating. Not that I’m trying to kick her while she’s down… they’re just funny games. Whether you like her or not, you’ve got to admit they’re kinda funny…
References that you can see Russia from Alaska and calls it “experience”
Winks or gives a thumbs up to the audience
Says a world leader’s name (two drinks if it’s pronounced correctly)
Says any of these words/phrases: Alaska, Bridge to Nowhere, job creation, Washington elite/establishment, media elite, corporate greed, pit-bull, lipstick, or maverick
Leaves off a trailing “g” – takin’, leavin’, changin’, gettin’, etc.
Any time Palin answers a question, and someone at your party blurts out “WTF is she talking about?”
When Palin claims Washington’s problems can be solved by small town know how and common sense: Drink a Labatt Blue as you read up on how to become a Canadian citizen.
When Palin claims she said “Thanks but no thanks” to the Bridge to Nowhere: Demand a new drink from your hosts, say “thanks but no thanks,” and then when no one’s looking, take it anyway, then claim you never wanted it.
When Palin recounts putting the governor’s jet on eBay: Auction off a beer to your friends
When Palin insists governing a small town in Alaska is in fact experience: Give your friend a shot glass of beer when he/she asks for a pint and insist it’s the same thing.
When Palin talks about being the most popular governor in the country: Go to a room by yourself, realize you’re the most popular person in the room, then finish your drink.
Getting harder to wake up in mornings now that it’s dark
Currently raining in Seattle
Rode 17 miles Sun, 5 Monday, and 5 today
Rode down the street observing the leaves falling from the trees around me
Hope to ride 20-40 miles this weekend (or more?!)
Bought three new Marmot coats from their fall line… a rain coat, a warm coat, and a 3-in-one. This is a very big deal for me. Example: the last new rain coat I bought was when I went to Costa Rica at age 17 (and even that was only $20 back in the day). But I got them from a friend/a rep who got us 75% off brand new merch. Puts them in the rare “affordable really good gear” genre. $70 for a brand new $275 coat = awesome!
Monday night’s goodbye party for a coworker was a good, gluten-excess night
Fancy anniversary dinner on Tuesday night was at Palisade. We looked gorgeous (if I can say so!) and the food was astounding! I agree… I’d also like a salt water stream running through my house someday complete with starfish and other creatures from the marina. Other than dinner, it was a pretty chill evening.
Am feeling stretched thin again, very very thin. Double and triple booked days, plus constant desire to be healthier/fit more riding into my days (which means constantly and repeatedly turning down invites, making me a bad friend?). Last night was near snapping point, starting with my roomie and then moving from there. I know M is in a similar place. Not easy for either of us.
Went as Noah’s “date” to the World Changing 5 year anniversary celebration yesterday. Saw some familiar faces, met many good new folks.
Am glad the Rooibos tea has been re-stocked at work. Sometimes it’s the little things…
Lunch w/ Erin D today at Thai 65. My chicken and green bean in red chili paste was tasty and hot!
I like walking a lot these days, slow as it may be.
These were from last week… no time to write right now.
Last Thurs: Cat is booked on a Nov 1st flight to Vietnam! Wahoo! 9:35am
Last Wed: Cat cleaned the apt and did laundry. Ready for big brother’s arrival. 11:24pm
Last Wed: Cat is eating fruitcake in September (with her vindaloo curry, of course). 12:42pm
Last Tues: Cat discovered that trying to put on lip balm when your mouth is numb is a hilarious, though futile, pursuit. 9:35pm
Last Tues: Cat rode her brand new bike to work! (Mmmm… Long Haul Trucker!) 8:43am
Last Mon: Cat had a wonderfully decadent weekend in SF! 3:05pm
Weekend of 9/19-9/21:
Cat feels social and productive, but admits she’s ready for a weekend getaway. 7:34am –
Cat is rushing to finish a memo to the city before her flight tonight. 12:30pm
Cat is getting cozy in SF. 1:14am
Cat Counting Crows are covering Simon & Garfunkel… so great! 9:03pm
Week before:
Cat installed the Facebook for iPhone application to her phone.
Cat is cleaning the last bit of playa out of her living room. 6:45pm
Today M and I are celebrating our one year anniversary. Wahoo! I never guessed we’d make it this far or that he’d make such an indelible impact on my life!
And she’d have a 20% chance of becoming President.
And McCain would be the oldest president in our history.
With multiple health problems.
Is this a good plan?
Many happy birthday wishes to my sister-in-law Stef and early best wishes to Charlie and Stef on their upcoming anniversary! They’re both visiting me in Seattle soon and I’m super excited!! Love you both!
Today was productive at work, with a sunny coffee break spent catching up with Sus and a sunny lunch on the balcony with Shaina. :) After work I had a fun dinner with Caroline, Angelica, Rose, and A&R’s mom. Then hung with Barry and Maja a bit at ATC. Then came over to Heden at M’s invite. He leaves for NYC in the early morning hours and then I’l see him again on Friday when we fly to San Francisco for the weekend. Good times. Oh, and I uploaded music to my iPhone today… a very good thing! Yay Monday!
I just finally got around to donating. If you also keep meaning to get more involved, now’s the time. Here’s a word of encouragement from Obama’s Campaign Manager. If he’s not your cause, no worries.
Even Karl Rove had to admit yesterday that the McCain campaign’s lies and negative attacks have gone “too far.”
John McCain is running the most negative and dishonest campaign in modern presidential history. He has demonstrated that he’d rather lose his integrity than lose this election.
It’s right out of the Bush-Rove playbook. Unfortunately, as Karl Rove knows better than anyone, these shameful tactics have worked in the past.
This year, we can’t let that happen.
Our goal is to bring 50,000 new donors into our movement by Friday at midnight.
And if you make your first online donation today, your gift will go twice as far. A previous donor has promised to match every dollar you donate.
Double your impact right now. Your matched donation of $5 will become $10 if you donate today.
The culture of corruption and dishonesty that has hurt America so badly the last eight years is playing an even larger role in McCain’s campaign.
Just this past week, John McCain hired a Washington super-lobbyist to fill positions in a potential McCain-Palin White House. At least 177 lobbyists have been on McCain’s campaign staff, and apparently he hopes to run the White House the same way.
Also this week, the McCain campaign continued to repeat a number of outrageous lies, even after watchdogs in the media called them “shamelessly misleading,” “thoroughly dishonest,” and “a toxic mix of lies and double-speak.”
They also lied about the crowd size at one of their rallies — reporting 23,000 attendees when there were only 8,000.
McCain’s campaign — run on lobbyists and lies — is no match for this unprecedented grassroots movement. More than 2,500,000 people have stepped up to own a piece of this campaign.
But if we want change, we must continue to grow this movement and put an end to these dishonorable political tactics. And we have just 50 days left to do it.
Right now, a previous donor — an ordinary person just like you — has promised to match your donation if you step up today.
Double your impact to combat McCain’s dishonest campaign tactics — make a matched donation of $5 or more today:
Tonight M invited me to be his date for The Foundation For the Future’s black tie affair honoring Dr. Craig Venter who mapped the human genome. I’m quite excited to be surrounded by so many smart people, hear the speeches, and see the awards ceremony!
Foundation For the Future Names Dr. J. Craig Venter 2008 Winner of $100,000 Kistler Prize
BELLEVUE, WA, Sept. 8, 2008 – The Foundation For the Future has selected genome research pioneer Dr. J. Craig Venter as the 2008 winner of the Kistler Prize. The Prize is awarded annually for original work that significantly increases knowledge and understanding of the relationship between the human genome and society.
Dr. Venter is being honored for a body of pioneering work in genome science. He is currently Chairman and President of J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI), Rockville, MD, a not-for-profit research institute dedicated to the advancement of the science of genomics; the understanding of its implications for society; and communication of those results to the scientific community, the public, and policymakers. Venter came to prominence in scientific circles in 1991 for his novel technique for rapid gene discovery and in 1995 for the first sequencing in history of a genome of a living species, the bacteria Haemophilus influenzae. In February 2001 he and his team at Celera Genomics published the sequencing and analysis of the human genome. Since this historic accomplishment, Venter went on to investigate genomes found in the atmosphere and the oceans. JCVI published in 2006 findings from ocean sampling that uncovered over six million new genes and thousands of new protein families from organisms in seawater.
In 2007 Venter’s own complete individual genome was sequenced and published in the first-ever publication of a genome sequence of an individual, covering both chromosome pairs. At present, JCVI continues pioneering work toward the creation of a fully synthetic organism. “For nearly two decades, the name most commonly associated with Genome research is that of Craig Venter,” said Sesh Velamoor, Deputy Director, Programs, for the Foundation. “His work, especially the recent sequencing and analysis of his individual genome, has laid the groundwork for the promise of truly individualized medicine and health care, which will greatly impact the long-term future of humanity. Venter goes fearlessly where no one has gone before in understanding genomes in general and the human genome in particular.”
Dr. Venter’s work is recounted in his book A Life Decoded: My Genome: My Life (Penguin, 2007). His research, often considered controversial, has met with bitter confrontations and strenuous objections. “It is this kind of dedication to and rigorous pursuit of scientific research, with courage and conviction despite criticism and opposition, that the Kistler Prize was created to recognize,” said Walter Kistler, originator of the Prize.
The Kistler Prize includes a cash award of US$100,000 and a 180-gram gold medallion. It is named for Walter P. Kistler, President and benefactor of the Foundation For the Future, who will formally present the 2008 award to Dr. Venter in a gala banquet and ceremony in Seattle on September 11, 2008. The black-tie, invitation-only event is expected to be attended by scientists, social scientists, technologists, and other scholars from all over the world.
Besides the Kistler Prize, Foundation For the Future awards the Walter P. Kistler Book Award. Other awards are the Walter P. Kistler Science Documentary Film Award and the Walter P. Kistler Science Teacher Award. The Foundation convenes seminars, workshops, and symposia that focus on the long-term future of humanity, and it is presently developing a four-program television documentary series entitled The Next Thousand Years. It also funds research programs, publishes scholarly works, and undertakes public awareness and education programs concerning the long-term future of humanity. Details on its activities are available at www.futurefoundation.org.
Hugging benefits fractious chimps
By Jonathan Amos
If you have just had a big falling out with a colleague, there is nothing better than the comforting and consoling arm of a good friend.
Chimps, it seems, feel the same way, according to a study at Chester Zoo.
The research is said to provide the first evidence that consolation in primates, such as hugging and stroking, can reduce stress levels after a fight.
The behaviour could indicate some level of empathy, Dr Orlaith Fraser told the British Association Science Festival.
“We can’t actually say what’s going on in a chimpanzee’s mind; we can only deduce from their behaviour what’s going on,” the Liverpool John Moores University researcher said.
“Because this behaviour is actually reducing stress levels and it’s being offered by a valuable partner, it seems likely that this is an expression of empathy.”
A bit of sympathy
Dr Fraser and colleagues spent 18 months observing 22 adult chimps at Chester Zoo.
They watched closely what happened immediately after the animals had a scrap – perhaps a fight over food, a mate or simply where to sit.
In about 50% of cases, the victim in the fight would be consoled by another member of the group. The soothing was always done by a valuable – or best – friend, a chimp with whom the victim would routinely play or share food.
The consolation usually took the form of a kiss or embrace, a grooming session or even play.
The scientists could see that this activity had the effect of reducing stress levels, indicated by the return to the animals’ normal activities of self-scratching and self-grooming.
“Sympathetic concern” has also been observed in gorillas, bonobos, dogs and even rooks – but it is the calming effect that it had on the Chester Zoo chimps which is said to be a new observation.
“If these chimpanzees are actually motivated by empathy to console victims of aggression, they must first of all be able to recognise that the victim is distressed and then they must know what to do in order to act appropriately to respond to this distress,” said Dr Fraser.
“This is something often thought to be a unique trait to humans, so understanding the link between consolation and stress reduction in chimpanzees is an important step towards understanding whether or not chimpanzees are capable of this level of empathy.”
The results of the Chester Zoo study were recently published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
In other news, I bought perfume last night for the first time ever. I don’t mean a cheap bottle of Liz Claiborne perfume from a department store, but real perfume from a boutique for the first time ever. And I am rather in love with it. Found the store in SF a couple of weeks ago and loved it. Found their one retail outlet in Seattle and it was a done deal! It may not be the scent of all scents for me, but it’s making me quite happy none the less.
Tonight was another clothing swap at ON with Sus, Nance, Maggs, Laurie, and crowd. Awesome. So entirely entertaining… I actually fell on the ground laughing at one point. Pictures will follow if I’m allowed! Took three bags worth of clothes and only came home with one bag… success! I was most excited about two cute dresses (that won’t be at all suitable for fall or winter), and also ended up with a couple of misc other pieces that’ll be fine for work.
Got home, chatted with M, and discovered that next Thursday’s dinner is a full on formal. Yikes! I have tons of dresses at this point, but don’t know if I have anything that qualifies as formal for a formal awards dinner with one of the decoders of the Human Genome. Don’t suppose I can wear my gown from South Africa? Or a plain, dull black dress? Alas. What to wear, what to wear…
This is me admitting that I quite enjoy getting emails from friends addressing me as “hi cutie pants.”
While M does not refer to me as “cutie pants,” he does continue to be a fabulous addition to my life despite our crazy hectic schedules. Yesterday we both ended up in San Jose on separate work trips and got to spend the night together. What a lovely, unexpected treat!
I bought a hot glue gun tonight for a craft project and was instantly flooded with memories of Girl Scout art projects in elementary school with our industrial strength, safety orange glue gun. First a blender. Now a $3 glue gun. Next thing you know my consumerism will get the best of me and by next week I’ll be driving a pimped out Cadillac SUV.
I ate Ethiopian food tonight from the Rehoboth Café (655 N 6th St, San Jose, CA 95112, 408-947-1717). With so many choices all within 2 miles of my hotel, grabbing something from the local hole in the way Ethiopian place just felt right.
Last night did dinner at the Mission Ale House (97 E Santa Clara St, San Jose, CA 95113, (408) 292-4058). My chicken caesar salad was tasty. On one hand, it could’ve been tangier. On the other hand, I ate chicken and it didn’t even turn my stomach. I think that’s pretty high praise these days.
Still trying to figure out my plans for seeing people in SF this weekend. Scott and Zoe from LA? Jess who’ll be back from Seattle? Antoun? M who’ll be arriving Saturday night? So many fabulous options. Not to mention Alan back from New Zealand, favorite travelers Dawne & Daryll, etc. If I had more than one night, life would be significantly easier. Alas.
We’re kicking butt and taking names in the field this week. Exceeding all of our quotas… which is good, but also means I’m keeping myself super busy, a bit dehydrated, and a bit sunburned (despite frequent reapplications of sunscreen). Today’s transfer station should receive particular praise for having donuts and coffee available to all drivers in the AM, and an Igloo of lemonade out in the afternoon. How very sweet.
Am bummed I’m missing the Radiohead concert. Seems everyone and their brother in Seattle are all going to tomorrow’s show… except me. I’ll have to be content with shows in Sept like Delerium, Counting Crows, and Blues Scholars. Not the same, but should still be fun.
Am still getting regular emails and/or calls from women who’ve been diagnosed with fibroids who are trying to determine their options. I felt like I could find a decent bit of clinical info out there (sometimes conflicting) about my “best options,” and was frustrated by visiting different surgeons who all had different ideas about what surgery could be best for me. That said, I found very little online in the ways of personal accounts of how the surgery might actually affect me. I’m happy to put my own account out there for other women finding themselves in a similar place. the experience sucked for me, but I’m happy if I can contribute even a little bit of insight or support for other women.
For tonight, it’s time for me to grab my book (another by Zadie Smith) and head to bed. Hope y’all are well.
This week I’m out of the office doing field work… which means I’m usually at work by 6:30am and spending the whole day outdoors. Long days. Busy nights. No chance to bike commute or walk to work.
Next week I’ll be doing field work in San Jose from Sun Aug 17th to Sat Aug 23rd (no biking or walking, week two). I’ll then head up to SF for one night on Sat Aug 23rd and then leave for my first trip to Burning Man on Sun Aug 24th. Yay vacation! I don’t think it’ll be peaceful or relaxing, but it does promise to be a fascinating time.
I can find myself feeling stretched thing, but still know that it’s all good stuff. Hard to complain that so much great stuff is presenting itself to you at every turn. I’m feeling rather blessed most days.
Last Monday: I rode my bike to work with Caroline, went to a “new employee” happy hour with coworkers at Boka, went to the Mariners game with Jason B, and then hung out with M when he got in from CA.
Tuesday: I walked to work (uphill in glorious weather!), figured out many of my Burning Man logistics with M, and spent a great evening cooking and dining outdoors with gracious and wise Mags and Jim in Queen Anne (featuring guest appearances from 5 year old Ian and the lovely Kim S who left for NYC on Wed).
Wednesday: Rode my bike from work. Prep for Burning Man / hanging with the roomie. She’s out of town for 9+ days and then returns when I’m out of town for 15+ days. This is among the many reasons I like having roomies… the apartment would be mostly deserted if it was just one of us.
Thursday: Rode my bike to work. Abbey was in town from DC! Wahoo! We met up downtown, walked to Cal Andersen Park, sat with our feet in the fountain and caught up on life. For dinner we had a BBQ on Sus and Duff’s roof… mango lassis, grilled pizzas, cheese and crackers, Specialty’s cookies, and all kinds of yummy stuff. Yay Abbey and rooftop parties! I like to dream that Marth and Abbey might move back to Seattle someday… but don’t know that it’s going to happen. Happily, I got to visit them twice in the past year and this visit was Abbey’s second visit in the same time frame.
Friday:Walked to work and rode home from work. Camp BBQ on Alissa’s awesome deck followed by a girls slumber party with Clare, Kat, Katy, and Megan (we painted our nails, made/ate chocolate chip cookies, did crafting, etc). I’m normally up rather late but after a long week and my first week of riding and walking to/from work I think I was exhausted. By 1am I was fading, despite the lovely company and conversation at the slumber party.
Saturday: Left the slumber party in the morning and spent the whole day with M. We looked at bikes (didn’t buy yet but tried the Kona Sutra and the Surly Long Haul Trucker), bought some glittery clothes, went on an adventure to the Japanese Gardens with Leo (and got rained on during our attempt to return via a hilarious hidden “shortcut”), ate some tasty Indian food with Leo, Mae, Corey, and Mason (mmm… mali kofta!), and saw Sky Cries Mary at Nuemo’s.
Sunday: More errands (like Home Depot) followed by a Sunday Dinner reunion BBQ in honor of Abbey visiting from DC. Was great to get double time in one week with the Dougli, Sus and Duff, Abbey, and Alex, not to mention see Savi, Jenny, Kerry, Bri and Fiona, etc. Good times!
Yesterday: Mediocre dinner and conversation with M at McCormick and Schmidt’s Harborside at Lake Union. Our view on the waterfront was lovely, as was my steak. But my stuffed shrimp were too rich (brie and crab, good but too much?) and M’s fish was “a waste of perfectly good halibut.” I’ve had many less than amazing fish entrées in this town, but have only ever had one steak that was “just okay.” The rule here: always order the steak.
Today: Tonight Mike and I are cooking a meal of curry and dahl for 20 of our fellow campers and will then freeze it till the playa. Good times. The change in plans means I had to miss Green Drinks and skip Reckless Kelly, but it’s a hectic week and things are getting shuffled all over. Schedule changes = unfortunate but necessary fact of life.
Oh, and I forget where this fits in, but Charlie and Stef are coming to visit! This will be the first time Charlie’s ever come to visit me when we’ve lived in different towns… awesome! It never happened in Houston, Kenya, or Seattle… but is finally happening now. Wahoo! This will be Charlie and Stef’s first trip ever to Seattle and I’m rather excited. Look for their appearance (sans Gus) towards the end of September. Wahoo!
Part 1: Me: Do you think this tank top is too low cut?
Coworker: No. Do you think anyone’s going to complain? Definitely not [the CEO]. Have you seen what [our other coworker] is wearing today? And she’s got milk boobies… they’re huge!
Part 2:
Conversation I never had while working with the nuns: My boss today told me he went to Vancouver Pride this weekend and went dancing on a party barge. Awesome!
Part 3:
I just calculated my hours for the new job. I’ve worked an average of 42.75 hours per week since I started in March. That includes 1 vacation day (when my parents were here), 2 holidays (Memorial Day and 4th of July), and a few days taken as comp time (trip to Austin for parents anniversary party and the trip with M to Vegas). Not too bad, eh? Especially compared to my old average of 60-80 hrs/week when I was director of the non-profit. Yay life balance!
Part 4:
As is my habit on any sunny day, I ate lunch out on the balcony of our downtown high rise office building with views of the Sound and ferries. No matter how crappy or how fantastic the day is, eating on sunny patios always makes it exponentially better. It was “so hot” two of my coworkers actually went inside before finishing their food. Actual temp: sunny and 67 degrees. Gotta love Seattle!
I’ve been missing live music and decided it’s high time to add it back into my life. I love dinners and parties, but I think there’s room to add music back in as well. So, with that resolution last month, here’s my update.
CONCERTS SEEN IN JULY:
Tennis Pro play in Pioneer Square.
The Gutter Twins for the SubPop 20th Anniversary party.
MAWUNGIRA ENHARIRA, a Zimbabwean band, at the Triple Door.
CONCERT TICKETS PURCHASED:
Sky Cries Mary next weekend.
Counting Crows in September.
CONCERTS PLANNED:
Reckless Kelly – Texas band I’m hoping to see again in a few weeks at the Tractor (though I might bail since life’s getting too hectic again, and when I admit it’s too hectic, I kinda think that’s saying something).
Delerium – On the tentative list in September (they’re the week before Counting Crows which is also the same week M is going to be in NYC speaking at a conference. He’s invited me to join him for the trip, not sure I can steal away for a few days though I do love NYC and would love to go. Either way, it’s a hectic week with concerts both the weekend before and after, hence the placement on the tentative list).
Blues Scholars – They’re on the “planned but don’t have tickets yet” list. Sept 25-26 at the Showbox. Potential concert goers include Mae, Caroline, and Amy. Awesome! Who else wants to join us?
If you have concerts in mind you’d like to see, do let me know and maybe I can join you! In general, I’m swamped, but you never know when a free night opens up and the perfect opportunities presents itself. :)
The BBQ for my parents at M’s on Wednesday went well and he was a gracious host. My parents generously brought up fajita meat from Texas and grilled it up for a group of friends. I tried to mix and match a few circles of friends… a chance to meet my parents and a chance to meet other people I care about. We had people from my Sunday dinner crowd, Sunday brunch crowd, Africa crowd, photo crowd, Sound Youth coworkers, and a few of my newer friends from M’s crowd. Love it. In attendance: Clare, Susie, Nancy and guest, Jen, Caroline, Heater, Lesley, Lars, Mars, Leo, Theo, Kevin, Bri, Fiona, me, Mom, Dad, and M. I tried to keep it a small crowd for ease of conversations, though it felt a little strange/empty in M’s spacious house that accommodates parties for 100-200 people. All in all, I was lucky to be surrounded by good people and yummy food. :)
Thursday they wandered around Seattle via car and then we met up for dinner and a show downtown. We did dinner at McCormicks and Scmidt’s, got a tour of my office and company, and then went over to the Triple Door to meet up with Jen, Sus, Lars, and Sarah B. A band from Zimbabwe was playing (Mawungira Enharira) and it was a pretty entertaining show. The music wasn’t bad (though not as dear to my heart as zilizopendwa). The dancing crowd was pretty entertaining, as were the antics of the band members. They were all in jerseys and t-shirts pre-show, then put on furs for the show, and we even caught two of them sniffing white powder stage right during the show. Not too discreet, guys.
For the weekend we headed up to Victoria, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. Long name for a cute, small town. :) We spent a couple of days there, then returned to Port Angeles, then back to Seattle on Sunday evening. Will post pictures someday when I have free time (free time? ha ha ha!).
Sunday night I left Mom and Dad for some alone time when I ducked out to see M. Yesterday they did dinner with Kandy, Brian, and Colin, and this morning I dropped them at the airport at 5:15am. It was great having them here, very low key and quiet, relaxed and mellow. I’ll post more details and pics later, but have to run right now.
I’ve been back in Seattle for exactly one year now! A year ago I was homeless, unemployed, single, and trying to find my place in the world. News of Africa brought tears to my eyes regularly and I thought about aspects of Africa every single day. I knew things would change upon return to my old Seattle hometown, but I never would’ve been able to predict all that’s changed in the last year. So many great new friends in a crazy new community, reconnecting with so many great old friends in increasingly overlapping communities (the world seems to get smaller every day), new relationships (including M!), new experiences (countless!), new and different health complications, new job (entirely different field/career path), and a bunch of new living situations (first with Jess, then on my own in the treehouse studio, and now back in Fremont with a roomie). I’m still trying to find my place in the world, but I don’t think that’s ever going to change.
I could go on and on, but for now I’ll just express my love and gratitude for the experiences I had while traveling and my love and gratitude for the kind, gentle, patient souls who loved me, welcomed me home, and took care of me upon my return over this past year. To everyone who’s been in my life and come into my life over this past year, spread out across town, states, and various countries, thank you for being exactly who you are to me. :)
Yesterday I wore one of my old housewife dresses and got tons of compliments. Gotta love those crazy vintage Goodwill finds! Mega kudos to memory rock star Mags who remembered it from years ago when I apparently wore it to a Mom themed Sunday dinner. Awesome! Sadly, I now have a triangle sunburn on my chest from the halter top. No complaints from me though… the day was gorgeous, the friends were in abundance, and life is good.
Started the day at Imagine Capitol Hill and enjoyed the agencies present. Hung with Jacob and Susie in their swank lounge, and saw Kelly, Jim, Maggie, Ian, Caroline, Jess, Jeff, Lauren, Jessica, and many great others.
Continued the sunny day on Katie’s back deck with an amazing view of the entire town and Mt Rainier. Stayed at her BBQ for a while and got to chat with Zach, John, Matt, Bobby, and see many others like Maly and Carly.
Went to a photo shoot at 5pm with John C and maybe I’ll even consider posting a picture or two someday. He does such great work!
Headed to date night with M in the evening. Think I’m quite spoiled this week getting to see him last Sunday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, and again last night on Sunday. He’ll be splitting time between Seattle and SF for the next six months and while it’s an exciting work opportunity for him, I know commuting will be a little tiring for him and I know I’ll be sad to see him a bit less. Either way, I still feel very lucky to have him in my life!
I totally shouldn’t admit to this. I’m a grown woman and a respectable adult. Regardless, one of my new favorite things is being snarky. I’ve always been kind, patient, and way too forgiving. Being snarky, especially with other snarky women, is totally new to me, wildly inappropriate, and oh so much fun. Lovin’ it.
Almost spit up my coffee just now when I took a sip, dialed the phone at work, and then got a really loud fax beeping on the other end of the line. I was distracted, drinking, and totally startled when I head the blaring noise… enough to almost choke me when I started laughing super hard while trying not to spew coffee. Just the important kind of daily recap I offer to you, kind readers. Yes, I think I’m nearly delirious today with so many phone calls. In other news, my quirky office mate is out of the office for the next month… which means I can nearly lose my coffee (and composure) and no one is here to see me in my silliness. Wahoo! Yay Mondays!
We rarely get thunder or lightening in Seattle, but it seems like tonight’s the night for all kinds of trouble. I’m skipping dancing with the girls. Skipping Wall-E with my Sunday brunch crowd. And just turned down a free ticket to the Mark Knopfler show happening tonight at the winery (and we all know I want more music in my life!). However, M heads to Rainier tomorrow so tonight is the night to talk. And taking is a good thing. Hope y’all are well. More from me later…
Friday was grilling on the deck w/ M and party hopping between Belltown (Gary and Jaime’s 10- year anniversary!) and downtown (Scott and Bev’s birthdays). The blending of worlds continues. Saturday was more party hopping for Alissa’s housewarming and Craig and Meghan’s birthdays.
The big party of the weekend was Saturday night at M’s house. The best things about the big event were all of the lovely folks and all of the entertaining high school themed costumes, including a couple of sweet favorites who were in from SF for the big event (yay Dona, Antoun, and Rikki… not to mention new friends Josh and Pam). The hardest thing was finding time to see everyone I wanted to see since the crowd was so big. The worst thing was having a big fight with M the next day. Awful. Our first fight was in October and we broke up in that moment. Yesterday’s fight felt worse (perhaps because I’m more emotionally invested at this stage?), so I’m not sure where that leaves us.
The best thing about Sunday was running into Lesley when I was still a mess. Hugs while crying = about the most comforting thing ever. Lesley = one of my biggest cheerleaders. The day was thankfully gorgeous and I was entirely worn out and tired from lack of sleep. I skipped the sangria party (sad!) and skipped out on a beach burn with Phil (sad!), but did manage to drag myself to the Indigo Girls concert at Woodland Park Zoo and had an amazing time. I debated skipping so I could just go rest, soak up the sun, and lay quietly on a towel in a park… but knew I’d regret it if I missed. I do love their music and do love their spirit and commitment to social activism. The opening band was Coyote Grace and their lead singer’s voice was just gorgeous. The Indigo Girls themselves rocked as always, and brought out surprise special guest Brandi Carlisle for a number of songs throughout the show. Good times, good times. Many thanks to Erin for getting the tickets before it sold out, and thanks to Jen for joining us last minute too!
My life has always seemed to span various social circles and my life today, in that regards, is no different than it was when I was a 15 year old high school student, rotating days in the cafeteria between different social circles. On nights like last night in particular, it can be a rather rewarding and entertaining to see how wide my circles span.
One of my all-time favorite nuns, Sissy, is in town from the East Coast and last night Cindy and I joined her for dinner. I hadn’t seen her since February (2008), and Cindy hadn’t seen her since she visited us in Kenya in 2006. It was great to catch up, talk social justice, get the updates on the nuns, on violence, on resuming projects in Kenya, on future potential funders to expand our international programs. She’s such an incredible woman… I continually consider myself lucky and humbled to have fallen into her circle and been given her ongoing trust and support.
After dinner with Sissy and one of the cooler board members I’ve met, I switched gears and headed to Capitol Hill to hang out with Barry. It’d been a while and it was good to catch up. We played some pool at the Garage (he won one, I won one, and the third I scratched on the 8), and later went to hang out with Kevin, Heather, and Jason to trade travel stories and chat about life. Good times.
In other news… I’ve found myself doing a lot of dancing to my iPod lately as I wander downtown or wait for the bus. Good thing we’ve got a girls night expedition coming up soon on the calendar! It’s so long overdue. Others are welcome if you’re into dancing on Wednesday nights! I know I am!
(Who knew it worked on a leap year schedule? Makes sense though, eh?). I love this week of the year! Hope everyone is living it up and enjoying all of the gorgeous weather, parades, parties, and festivities!
Next week Sissy in coming in town for a short two day visit! Tomorrow I’m joining a downtown gym, getting my bike finished up, and going to hang out with Jacob. In case you’re oh so curious… today I didn’t didn’t hang out with M as planned. I also didn’t go to a potential camp meeting. Instead, I went to a goodbye party for one of my former AC member who’s moving back to the south. I couldn’t be more proud of her move from New Orleans to Seattle and her work in town. I wish her a world of luck in Houston. (I also managed a quick stop to pick up paint and a wig for this weekend!).
Yesterday: Dinner with my boss’s family to talk about their upcoming two month trip to East Africa.
Monday: Sailing trip in the Puget Sound. Hang out with M.
Sunday: Mega-brunch 2008 at Rod’s. Laying in the sun with Jacob. Small house party at Mason & Corrie’s place.
Saturday: Coffee and bonding with Susie. Bar Camp in Fremont. Dinner party at Alissa’s.
Friday: Shaina’s goodbye party (she’s off to backpack Europe for a while). Hang with M.
Thursday: Lunch and bike tutoring with Noah.
Last Monday to Thursday: Fly to Montana, then drive through Wyoming, South Dakota, and North Dakota for work.
Dawne, Cat, Daryll on their rooftop deck. Photo by Jess.
I went to San Francisco last Monday… worked like crazy and then got to squeeze in a quick dinner with Dawne, Daryll, and Jess. Was totally exhausted, but so glad to get dinner with them and then drinks with Jess afterwards. (Sorry I was falling asleep on you, Jess!). I flew home Tuesday night after more work and got home in time for Rod’s wine and cheese party.
Wednesday was Seattle, another doctor’s appointment, and then more work.
M and I were planning to go on a camping trip on Thursday with a whole bunch of friends, but the weather report called for 40s and rain, so he suggested we skip and go somewhere warmer. My first reaction was “seriously?” but of course he was serious. Why not book last minute tickets to Baja or Vegas or somewhere else close and warm? He’s rather irresistible and the offer was pretty irresistible too. So, instead of camping we took off Thursday evening on a last minute flight to Las Vegas. Totally insanely generous from Thursday evening through our return tonight. Can I just swoon for a minute? We had a ridiculously decadent and blissful weekend. Didn’t get nearly enough sleep or enough time to enjoy everything, but we tried our best and had a great quick vacation. We went to shows and got the good seats (Cirque de Soleil’s Zumanity on Friday night and Blue Man Group on Saturday night). We ate fancy yummy meals at places like the brand new Brand Steakhouse at the Monte Carlo where I had the best Kobe steak ever and at Fix at the Bellagio where my lobster and ribs were just heavenly. We went dancing in fancy bars at the Venetian (the W Bar) and the Bellagio (Carmel). We did some shopping (hard to resist the urge to dress up in Vegas since everyone is so ridiculously overdone). And lest you think we’re snobs, we played video games in the arcade, snapped silly tourist photos with show girls, and spent quality downtime hanging by the pools, enjoying the 90 degree weather, tubing in the lazy river, and even splashing in the wave pool. (Photos will follow sometime when I actually have free time!). Have I mentioned how this life doesn’t always feel like my own, like sometimes I feel like I’m living in a different universe? M is ridiculously generous and sweet to me and I’m lucky to have him as an increasingly important friend in my life. :)
Fix Restaurant and Bar
Bellagio Resort and Casino – Las Vegas
Enclosed from floor to ceiling in Costa Rican padouk wood, this avant-garde restaurant at Bellagio offers guests a contemporary twist on classic American dining. FIX’s warm ambiance and rich vibe entice diners into its smooth flowing atmosphere, while its open environment provides the ideal spot to enjoy the delicious and tantalizing gourmet wonders created by Light Group Executive Chef Brian Massie. With its strong focus on top quality fish, meat, and poultry, innovative mouth-watering dishes cooked atop FIX’s wood-burning grill promise to tempt and provoke your senses.
Brand Steakhouse
Monte Carlo Resort
3770 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
Phone: (702) 693-8300
The Light Group unveils the final authority in steakhouse concepts with the opening of BRAND Steakhouse & Lounge at Monte Carlo Resort & Casino. One part steakhouse and one part lounge, BRAND fuses modern fine-dining with nightlife to create the ultimate steakhouse destination. Centrally located in the heart of Monte Carlo’s casino floor, BRAND’s open design lends itself to people watching where diners and voyeurs alike go to see and be part of the scene.
BRAND’s menu is rich with imaginative interpretations of classic steakhouse favorites and features big, bold one-of-a-kind chops making this a serious steakhouse. The Ultimate Steak: a mammoth 8.6 pound beef porterhouse for six highlights the menu. Whether enjoying the best quality prime steaks from around the world or indulging on a sensual cocktail in the lounge, BRAND plays host to guests looking for the perfect meal or night on the town in a hip and appealing environment. Classic cocktails and an extensive wine list complement all menu selections sure to satisfy the most discerning of palettes. The intimate lounge open to the casino floor features low-level seating and plasma televisions for sports viewing and offers BRAND’s full menu for a casually cool dining spot.
Tonight I got home from Vegas around 7pm, ate dinner with David A (in town visiting from Montreal), and now tomorrow morning I leave for Montana for another week long business trip. So much travel and so little rest. Wish me luck rallying/sustaining any energy! Hope y’all are well. Take care!
Sometimes I think life should feel more bizarre than it actually feels. But really, it doesn’t feel so crazy even if perhaps it is by some standards? Last weekend went to a cast party after Friday’s theater, a BBQ on Saturday at Samantha’s, a party at Heather’s house, and the following night a party at David’s house. This weekend Office Nomads had their 6 month anniversary, M hosted a mixer, Alex held a BBQ at her old place in the U-District, and last night was another fun party at Brandon’s.
M and I had dinner last night with Mike and Alissa at Dinette… a cute little place in Capitol Hill. It was nice to spend more time outside of a party setting with Mike and Alissa, who I already like but continue to like more as I continue getting to know them. Alissa enthusiastically complimented me and told me I looked like a “sex goddess.” Wow. I’m 31, old by my former standards, but it’s summer and therefore time to pull out the skirts and tank tops. At yesterday’s BBQ with Alex, I got to see a few former employees who all told me I looked “really, really great!” So bizarre. Maybe it’s good karma coming around for me having to wear long, dumpy skirts and conservative clothes the whole time in Africa? Perhaps that’s why dating is so fun these days too? My good karma rewarding me for no involvement with boys the whole time working in Kenya and backpacking Africa? It’s still a little odd though. I’m still heavier than I’ve ever been (have yet to lose the Kenya weight) and not feeling like I look different than I looked before Kenya… but I’m content to get the compliments and the sex goddess comments. Gotta love it (and gotta giggle a bit too). Y’all really are too kind.
Working from home today, heading to a birthday BBQ for Jim soon, packing tonight, and then flying out tomorrow morning to the Bay Area for work.
Best New Restaurant 2006, Seattle magazine
Dinette isn’t revolutionary: It offers the kind of rustic European-inspired food that we can’t get enough of in Seattle but presents it with a rare and happy convergence of cozy atmosphere, reasonable prices and yumminess. From homemade pickled onions that add zip to lush duck rillettes to the almond brittle to accompany a last, rich bite of chocolate terrine, chef-owner Melissa Nyffeler makes her food with a sticklers eye for detail. And her small, offbeat dining room, decorated with a collection of tea trays and pale gold stenciling, is charming. With its style and thoughtful details, Dinette makes a novelty out of familiar comforts, and very well might make regulars of us all.
The Seattle International Film Festival has a screening tonight of They Killed Sister Dorothy and I plan to be there with bells on. I’ve been working with the SNDs since my job offer back in 2001 and have never ceased to be amazed by these impressively strong and radical women who are spread out around the world empowering local communities and fighting for social justice. If you don’t immediately associate “radical” with “nuns,” you clearly haven’t been introduced to the SNDs and I highly recommend checking out this film. It’s a documentary about Sr Dot Stang, a nun/activist murdered by giant lumber companies in the Brazilian Amazon. See you there!
They Killed Sister Dorothy
Tues May 27th, 7pm
at the Harvard Exit
Continuing the latest trend in indulging… this week was a couple of very indulgent meals… and not just with M. Is it any wonder the gym isn’t helping me lose weight yet? Guess it’ll be a slow process with weeks like this…
Monday was a long dinner with Caroline, Toby, and Lee at Dragonfish. So much good food, and all so cheap on Monday nights!
Escape into the exotic world of the Far East with our inventive Pan Asian cuisine. Flashy red shutters and soothing tropical fans surround our exhibition kitchen, which features hand-crafted sushi rolls, fiery woks, and sizzling grills. From intimate dinners to dinner parties, Dragonfish is always “A Place for Sharing.”
Tuesday was a good, long two hour, ego inflating lunch with Charlie at the Alexis Hotel.
Library Bistro http://www.librarybistro.com/
92 Madison Street, Seattle, Washington 98104
Tel: (206) 624-3646, Fax: (206) 340-8861
In major metropolitan cities like New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and now Seattle, libraries are landmarks and icons. Library Bistro brings this same iconic feel to the downtown Seattle restaurant community. The Library Bistro is reminiscent of a 1940s supper club featuring faux lizard skin high-back booths and dramatic lighting creating an ultra-stylish setting for the most festive occasion or the most intimate dining. Executive Chef Michael Fillmore’s menu brings together local and seasonally inspired cuisine, partnered with signature cocktails and a variety of American wines with a Pacific Northwest focus. The restaurant is located in the Alexis Hotel in downtown Seattle.
Wednesday was girls night with Caroline and Samantha at Purple. We ordered a few small plates as starters, and then ordered entrees, and I couldn’t even finish the starters, much less eat a fraction of my entree. Didn’t stop us from ordering the blood orange sherbet for dessert or the sea salt caramels. Yum!
Purple Cafe & Wine Bar www.thepurplecafe.com 1225 4th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 829-2281
We are a multifaceted food and wine concept that merges casual sophistication with an upbeat metropolitan style. We feature a global wine selection coupled with a menu that blends classic American styles, seasonal northwest ingredients and Mediterranean themes. The atmosphere is often described as an urban retreat with rustic elements.
Thursday night was theater with M. Before the show we managed to fit in a fantastic dinner at Crave. Oh my goodness… so good.
From its handcrafted tables and booth to its candle-lit corners, CRAVE offers an unpretentious and urban chic place to spend brunch, lunch or dinner. CRAVE’s mission is to feature a full menu of deliciously honest food by offering great espresso and pastries to start the day, unconventional lunch, generous dinners, a rotating cheese menu, irresistible desserts and a brunch that defies tradition. Almost everything will be made in-house from scratch with the best possible ingredients. CRAVE promises to use artisan breads and cheeses and free range, grain-fed organic meats as well as locally grown produce, when available.
Friday night wasn’t a fancy place, but it was kinda new still. Rod, Clare, Kat, John and I hit the new Southlake Grill before seeing more theater (Mercy Ride). I liked it better than it’s sister restaurants and my food was so good I kept eating even when I was full (bad Cat). I was invited to join Jacob at Vinek, but it conflicted with previous dinner plans. Vinek looks good too… worth checking out at a happy hour sometime soon.
Saturday night’s dinner was a BBQ at Samantha’s before a party at ATC. Can never have too many dinners with friends, or too many BBQs on Memorial Day weekend. And can you believe Caroline, Samantha and I were all in the same place twice in one week? It’s probably a record since 2005!
Sunday brunch was at Rod’s place and it was casual, yummy, and fun as always. I like laughing out load, groaning at the bad jokes, and enjoying catch up time with good friends. This week I indulged in a week’s worth of gluten. I had a cinnamon roll (I made), one C shaped organic pancake (C is for Cat) that came out of a spray can Kat brought, and crusty bread with really good goat cheeses that Caroline provided. If I’d been thinking about my date last night, I wouldn’t have eaten that much gluten and voluntarily made myself so bloated and huge. Alas.
Sunday night M said we’d do a light dinner at 7pm, then announced we had reservations for Daniel’s Broiler. I put on a strapless dress and heels, and M contends my belly wasn’t showing. (I think it was giantly bloated and huge!). Oh, he’s too good to me. :) Anyway, I’m not sure that “Seattle’s only USDA prime steakhouse” counts as a light dinner… but the outdoor deck seating at sunset overlooking Lake Union was a pretty fantastic location at an already fancy establishment. They can describe the steaks better than me… I’ll just say the bacon wrapped scallop starters were pretty amazing.
Daniel’s is the only major Seattle steakhouse to serve USDA prime steaks exclusively. That’s right. If you want the finest steaks available in Seattle or America, your choice is simple, Daniel’s Broiler. Add stunning views from waterfront dining, a piano bar, a Wine Spectator award winning wine list and our exceptional service and you can see why Daniel’s defines steakhouse excellence in Seattle. Daniel’s Broiler, World Class Steakhouses.
And now, on a lazy Monday afternoon, I’m home baking brownies and heading out to another BBQ. First to Erin’s for a BBQ and games, and then to M’s for drinks on the porch overlooking the arboretum. M’s house is fantastic for many reasons… but I think I like the view of the trees the best. Take care, y’all. Hope you’re enjoying a relaxing weekend too!
Last night was the SY auction and Jess, Elaina, Lyle, and crowd did a fantastic job! Many thanks to the friends and alumni who came out to support the event! It was great to see everyone and great to go home with so many fun goodies. I’m now the owner of Jazz Alley tickets, Intiman theatre tickets, handmade custom jewelry, Tillicum Village passes/boat tickets, a set of bracelets from Katie, Bent writing classes, 4 day passes for the spa, a month of yoga classes, and more. What could be more fun than supporting a great program, seeing friends, and ending up with so many goodies? Yay SY!
After a slew of civil liberties and human rights have been taken away in the US in recent years, it’s quite impressive to see CA restoring some of them today!
California Supreme Court Overturns Gay Marriage Ban
By ADAM LIPTAK
The California Supreme Court, striking down two state laws that had limited marriages to unions between a man and a woman, ruled on Thursday that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry.
The 4-to-3 decision, drawing on a ruling 60 years ago that struck down a state ban on interracial marriage, would make California the second state, after Massachusetts, to allow same-sex marriages.
The decision, which becomes effective in 30 days unless the court grants a stay, was greeted with celebrations at San Francisco City Hall, where thousands of same-sex marriages were thrown out by the courts four years ago.
It was denounced by religious and conservative groups that promised to support an initiative proposed for the November ballot that would amend the California Constitution to ban same-sex marriages and overturn the decision.
Same-sex marriage has been a highly contentious issue in presidential and Congressional elections, but it was not immediately clear what role the ruling would have this year. The Democratic and Republican candidates for president have all said they believe marriage should be between a man and a woman, but Republicans could use a surge in same-sex marriages in the most populous state to invigorate conservative voters.
Given the historic, cultural, symbolic and constitutional significance of marriage, Chief Justice Ronald M. George wrote for the majority, the state cannot limit its availability to opposite-sex couples.
“In view of the substance and significance of the fundamental constitutional right to form a family relationship,” Chief Justice George wrote, “the California Constitution properly must be interpreted to guarantee this basic civil right to all Californians, whether gay or heterosexual, and to same-sex couples as well as to opposite-sex couples.”
Supporters of same-sex marriage called the ruling a milestone.
“This decision will give Americans the lived experience that ending exclusion from marriage helps families and harms no one,” said Evan Wolfson, executive director of Freedom to Marry, who noted that same-sex marriages were legal in Belgium, Canada, the Netherlands, South Africa and Spain.
Opponents said they expected the proposed ballot initiative, which has been submitted to election officials with more than one million signatures, to pass in November.
“The court was wrong from top to bottom on this one,” said Maggie Gallagher, president of the National Organization for Marriage. “The court brushed aside the entire history and meaning of marriage in our tradition.”
About 110,000 same-sex couples live in California, according to census data. The state has a strong domestic partnership law that gives couples who register nearly all of the benefits and burdens of heterosexual marriage.
A majority of the justices said that was not enough.
The court left open the possibility that the Legislature could use a term other than “marriage” to denote state-sanctioned unions, so long as that term was used across the board for opposite-sex and same-sex couples.
The ban on same-sex marriage was based on a law enacted in 1977 and a statewide initiative approved by the voters in 2000, both defining marriage as limited to unions between a man and a woman. The question before the court was whether those laws violated provisions of the state’s Constitution protecting equality and fundamental rights.
Mathew D. Staver, a lawyer with Liberty Counsel, a public interest firm that defends traditional marriage, said it would ask the court to stay its decision until the November election, meaning that the decision could be overturned before becoming effective.
“It would only be logical” to grant a stay, Mr. Staver said, given the confusion that would arise if same-sex marriages were available for a few months.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, said in a statement that he respected the ruling and did not support a constitutional amendment to overturn it.
In a dissent, Justice Marvin R. Baxter said the majority should have deferred to the Legislature on whether to allow same-sex marriage, particularly given the increased legal protections for same-sex couples enacted in recent years.
“But a bare majority of this court,” Justice Baxter wrote, “not satisfied with the pace of democratic change, now abruptly forestalls that process and substitutes, by judicial fiat, its own social policy views for those expressed by the People themselves.”
Also dissenting, Justice Carol A. Corrigan wrote that her personal sympathies were with the plaintiffs challenging the bans on same-sex marriage. But Justice Corrigan said the courts should allow the political process to address the question.
“We should allow the significant achievements embodied in the domestic partnership statutes to continue to take root,” she wrote. “If there is to be a new understanding of the meaning of marriage in California, it should develop among the people of our state and find its expression at the ballot box.”
The Supreme Court was the first state high court to strike down a law barring interracial marriage, in a 1948 decision called Perez v. Sharp. The vote in Perez, like the one in Thursday’s decision, was 4 to 3. The United States Supreme Court did not follow suit until 1967.
At present, six of the seven justices on the California court, including all the dissenters, were appointed by Republican governors.
The decision was rooted in two rationales, and both drew on the Perez case.
The first was that marriage is a fundamental constitutional right.
“The right to marry,” Chief Justice George wrote, “represents the right of an individual to establish a legally recognized family with a person of one’s choice and, as such, is of fundamental significance both to society and to the individual.”
Chief Justice George conceded that “as an historical matter in this state marriage has always been restricted to a union between a man and a woman.” But “tradition alone,” he continued, does not justify the denial of a fundamental constitutional right. Bans on interracial marriage were, he wrote, sanctioned by the state for many years.
In a second rationale from the interracial case, the court struck down the laws banning same-sex marriage on equal protection grounds, also adopting a new standard of review in the process.
When courts weigh whether distinctions among people or groups violate the right to equal protection they generally require just a rational basis for the distinction, a relatively easy standard to meet. But when the discrimination is based on race, sex or religion, the courts generally require a more substantial justification.
Discrimination based on sexual orientation, the majority ruled on Thursday, also requires that sort of more rigorous justification. The court acknowledged that it was the first state high court to adopt the standard, strict scrutiny, in sexual orientation cases.
Lawyers for the state identified two interests to justify reserving the term marriage for heterosexual unions — tradition and the will of the majority. Chief Justice George said neither was sufficient.
Still, Chief Justice George took pains to emphasize the limits of the ruling. It does not require ministers, priests or rabbis to perform same-sex marriages, he said.
He added that the decision did “not affect the constitutional validity of the existing prohibitions against polygamy and the marriage of close relatives.”
Other state high courts to consider the question of same-sex marriage in recent years, including those in New York, New Jersey and Washington, have been closely divided but stopped short of striking down state laws forbidding it. A decision from the Connecticut Supreme Court is expected shortly.
Work: I’m back in the office today after 2 days in the field. I’ve been doing at least a day or two of field work for the past few weeks and work is feeling hectic again. I’ll be traveling again soon… the last week of May and the second week of June. I’ll hit about 6-7 states in 2 weeks… should be hectic.
Life: I plan to break up the business trips with a camping trip/CM the first week of June. Probably won’t go for a whole week, but a long weekend sounds fun/manageable. Memorial Day plans are still not formed. Maybe the Gorge… people keep inviting. Maybe Folklife Festival… oh how I miss dancing. Maybe the standard BBQs and such. We’ll see. Looking forward to Alex and Alan visiting soon, even though I’ll be out of town at least half of their trip.
Tonight is our SY/NDA auction fund raiser and I’m excited to see the team and catch up with some alumni. I’ve gotten many notes from people who can’t make it, but hope many others will be able to drop by. I’m looking forward to it and hoping it’ll raise some much needed funds to continue our youth programs. 6:30pm at the Fremont Abbey… hope to see you there!
I’ve got to be up early tomorrow, so this post will be of the “quick recap” variety.
Last week’s Bainbridge Institute open house was intriguing. Not sure if I’m interested in an MBA, but a sustainable MBA is more appealing than most. Got in a few miles of walking on Wednesday too… the weather was quite nice outside! Breezy, but otherwise great.
Thursday was a cocktail party with my lovely coworkers and included great views of the Sound and great conversation with a woman on the senior management team. We now have plans to meet for lunch and talk about my future. How great! Thursday was also a visit with Erin D… so exciting about her plans to continue on to a second masters degree and to start a family very soon!
Thursday night was also date night and M and I went to see opening night of Alissa’s play at the CHAC. We ran into Heater, Jason, Olli, David, Allegra, Marty, and a handful of others. The play, Medea Knows Best, just returned from a successful run in SF and I thought this updated version was even better than the production they put on in the fall. Sadly, we were among a sizable crowd of folks that got locked out at intermission and never got admitted to see the second half of the show. And we couldn’t leave since the jackets and car keys were locked inside the theatre. Ooops. M and I headed to the Gray Gallery to talk and then wandered Capitol Hill for a bit before reclaiming the keys and heading home. A lovely evening with lots of open honest communication… quite nice even if we missed half the show.
Friday I bought hiking shoes to get ready for summer (yay REI anniversary sale!) and then headed to the Mariners game with free tickets from our principal at work. The seats were row 14… the closest to the action I’ve sat in years. Jen joined me for the all American, wholesome festivities, and I was delighted to sit with coworker Pete and get to know him better. In the office he wears sport coats and seems really quiet. The baseball game was fun for getting to know him in all of his dancing, Bon Jovi singing glory.
Saturday was meant to be a training hike with Maggie (who’s doing Rainier this year) and Susie (who’s summited before). I was nervous about my post surgery, current anemia abilities and canceled at the last minute. Took it easy during the day (a regular goal, but it rarely happens). Had a lovely dinner and much hilarious conversation with Simon at Cafe Amore. I capped the evening with Caroline on a late night trek to the Seattle Art Museum for the closing weekend of the Roman Art from the Louvre exhibit. It was open 36 straight hours and even around 1 and 2am it was still completely packed inside! Lots of folks in togas. Some families with kids. Many seniors. Even some high schoolers who looked like they came directly from prom. So fun!
Sunday I skipped brunch in honor of the Cascades. Caroline, Liz, and I were going to attempt a “baby hike” and ended up doing 6-7 miles up at Mt Si. We stopped just short of the summit (4 miles up), and I was quite impressed with myself. My energy lasted. My legs weren’t sore. My fatigue wasn’t debilitating. Yay body!! We also ran into Leo, Lars, and Laura on the trail… so great! My knee did begin hurting a little bit towards the end of the downhill… which just encouraged me to hit REI that night for the final night of the anniversary sale. I’m now the owner of hiking poles, as well as Patagonia underwear (does that make me a yuppie?), a new pair of Tevas, a new base layer, and other misc goodies.
Sunday night was date night to do career counseling night… and M dutifully listened to me babble about work and what direction I want to head in life. If I knew that answer, the career counseling session would’ve been a bit easier and much shorter. At it was, we did it at Cactus, ate yummy Mexican food, and were encouraged along by mango margaritas.
Monday was a day late celebration of Clare’s birthday that started at Dragonfish but blossomed at Gordon Bierch. Was fun to remember when we first met many moons ago at a Jason Webley show at the Blue Moon Tavern. Rod and I had first seen Jason play in a parking garage at the U-District street fair my first year in Seattle. He brought Clare along to the Blue Moon show and we’ve been doing Sunday brunch and other outings for the past many years. Happy birthday Clare!
Tuesday night was Green Drinks… complete with coworkers and colleagues, and a few fantastic blasts from the past. Ran into old roomie Kathy from the Greenlake house days (early 2002). I was just thinking about her this weekend since she used to be a great partner for either hiking or dancing. I’m hoping we’ll hang out sometime soon. Also ran into Joseph, a guy I went out with a few times back in 2004. I hadn’t seen him since ’04 (or was it ’03?) and it was fun to catch up. He’s started his own company. Plays in two bands. Now has short hair. Got rid of both cars (even the one that ran on veggie oil from the Mexican cafe) and now only rides his bike. He invited me to his show on June 5th at the Sunset. Could be entertaining, though realistically I probably won’t go.
The biggest, craziest news of the week was drinks last night with Barry. He asked Maja to marry him and they’re now engaged! They’ve known each other for 9 weeks and the rest is history. Totally wild and totally great! My brother knew on his first date with Stef. Charles says he knew within a super short time of meeting Laura (was it a week or two?). While I’ve never known that sense of certainty myself, I totally wish Barry all the best! So exciting!
Tonight was dinner with Mike who I met through Barry up at the Whistler ski trip. We’re Fremont neighbors… he lives on 39th, I live at 44th, and Brad’s Swingside Cafe was on 42nd. Neither of us had been before. The Stranger gave it a great review and we definitely enjoyed the food. The conversation was fun too… like Pat and I, he’s rather new to this whole scene and it’s fun to see how each of us is progressing.
Hope y’all are well. Much love, Cat (too tired to edit now… will do so later!)
Views of the water and mountains on nice days, and views of protesters on days like today. They’ve been all over today… passing by our building multiple times already. Let’s home my evening commute isn’t the slowest ever. Maybe I can hit art walk first to avoid the expected 1 hr bus delays before heading to date night?
May Day rallies could shut down port, downtown traffic
By ELISA HAHN / KING 5 News and Associated Press
Thurs., May. 1, 2008
SEATTLE – May Day rallies Thursday are expected to not only disrupt traffic in downtown Seattle but also shut down ports.
Thousands of protestors are expected to march in downtown Seattle in several rallies scheduled for the afternoon and evening. Now, longshoremen up and down the West Coast plan to not show up for work to protest the Iraq War, which may also include longshoremen on the Seattle waterfront.
May Day is when workers traditionally celebrate the labor movement. More than 25,000 longshore workers at 29 West Coast ports are taking the day off work and to protest U.S. military involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The local longshoremen’s union has yet to confirm the specifics of any local walkout. On Wednesday, a union arbitrator took steps to avoid the port slowdown, warning that such a walkout violates union contract and is illegal.
Three separate marches are scheduled for Thursday which could cause major traffic delays: two during the noon hour and one through downtown Seattle for almost two hours during the evening commute.
The evening protest is expected to be the biggest, with more than 3,000 people expected to march. Starting at 4 p.m., it runs from Judkins Park on the north side of I-90 and makes its way down 4th Avenue to the Seattle Center, ending at about 6:30 p.m.
Metro Transit expects that all bus service, especially in downtown and lower Queen Anne, will be affected during the early evening march, with potential delays of up to an hour or more.
The city is advising passengers to use bus lines that go through the downtown transit tunnel for a speedier commute.
Arbitrator steps in to avoid West Coast port slowdown
A wide enough walkout could cause a slowdown at the West Coast ports – the nation’s major gateway for cargo from the Far East.
Arbitrator John Kagel, who represents dockworkers at West Coast ports, told workers on Wednesday that they must report to work after holding a hearing by phone with the employers’ group, the Pacific Maritime Association, and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, according to a document outlining the ruling.
The union previously asked employers to clear the way for members to skip out on the day shift to protest the war, but employers refused the request and were backed by the arbitrator last week.
Despite that decision, word continued to spread on the Internet of a May 1 walkout by longshore workers and details of protests, including a march in San Francisco. Thursday is May Day, when workers traditionally celebrate the labor movement.
Employers went back to the arbitrator on Wednesday, armed with accounts of dockworkers in San Francisco, Seattle and other ports telling supervisors that they would not be showing up to work.
Details of May Day marches
Three separate May Day marches are scheduled for Thursday, May 1. The events will likely cause traffic disruptions for travelers near the march routes. The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) recommends that commuters plan accordingly and seek alternative routes and means of transportation to avoid travel delays.
Two coordinated anti-war, pro-worker parades will begin at 12:30 p.m. and will march to Pier 66. The first group, estimated at 500 to 2,000 marchers, will gather at Jack Perry Park, just south of S Massachusetts Street, for the “May Day March & Rally.” They will march north on E Marginal Way to Alaskan Way, and will hold a rally at the Port of Seattle’s Pier 66.
The second group, of roughly 300 students, will assemble at Seattle Central Community College on Broadway at Pine for the “Student March in Support of May 1st.” They will travel south on Broadway to Madison Street; west on Madison to Alaskan Way; and finally north on Alaskan Way to Pier 66. Depending upon the size of the crowd, lanes southbound on Alaskan Way could be blocked at Pier 66.
Occurring from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., the “9th Annual May Day Rally & March” will involve over 3,000 participants and is likely to impact the afternoon commute. The march will move from Judkins Park (on the north side of I-90 just east of the Mount Baker Tunnel), west on South Nye Place to 20th Avenue South; north on 20th to South Jackson Street; west on Jackson to 4th Avenue South; and north on 4th Avenue to the Seattle Center.
Metro Transit expects that all bus service, especially in downtown and lower Queen Anne, will be impacted from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., with potential delays of up to an hour or more. To avoid delays, passengers are encouraged to utilize bus lines that service downtown via the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel.
M did a Myers-Briggs today and asked me about my profile. So, I redid it today and was a bit surprised to see I still ended up with a profile so similar to what I have always had. I used to feel drawn towards leadership roles, and don’t think I feel as compelled to do so in recent times. That said, I think it’s still in my nature and guess the test saw that too. I’m always an EN–, and this time I was ENTJ. I don’t agree with 100% of the text, but most is a relatively close observation.
From MyType:
Extroverted iNtuitive Thinking Judging
The Executive
ENTJs take charge quickly and deal directly with problems, especially in situations that involve confusion and inefficiency. They provide structure to the organizations to which they belong and design strategies to accomplish their personal and organizational goals. They are ‘take charge’ people who organise their own and others’ external environments. They use their resources to find a way to meet the challenge. They are at their best in using their analytical and strategic thinking.
ENTJs enjoy an active and diverse lifestyle. They are likely to be in extracurricular activities and often function as the team captain, the president, or the leader. They pursue leadership roles very directly and have difficulty following others unless those individuals demonstrate more competence than they themselves have. Even then, it may be tough for the ENTJ to follow long.
Occupations that require tough-mindedness, goal direction, and a global perspective tend to attract ENTJs. They use logic and analysis to form conclusions, to organize themselves and others, to give direction, and to take charge. Some occupations seem to be especially attractive to ENTJs: administrator, attorney, consultant, credit investigator, labor relations worker, manager, marketing personnel, mortgage banker, personnel professional, systems analyst, and other occupations that allow them to use their strategic sense.
From Rebel Eagle Productions:
Extroverted iNtuitive Thinking Judging
“Creating order out of chaos” is one extraverted thinker’s way of describing her volition. Determined, logical, critical, they love a challenge, especially one that will allow tangible improvement in productivity, efficiency or profitability. They are direct, finding the quickest, most direct path between what is and what should be.
They excel at implementing ideas and are often on the lookout for good ideas worthy of their attention. They are quick to organize, orchestrate, find resources, coordinate, and follow through to the end of a project. They love a problem, especially one that will make full use of their competencies, their logic and sense of order, justice and fair play.
Many find competition to be stimulating and fun. “These are the rules of the game now let us play.” Fairness is sharing and respecting the same set of rules, so may the best one win. And since they readily acknowledge that there will be a winner and a loser, they would simply much rather be the winner. So they hone their strategies on the fine knife of experience and sharpen their skills to meet the next challenge head on.
They love having greater challenges bestowed on them as a result of having successfully met the last, as this attests to their competence and skills. They appear dispassionate because of their impersonal and objective approach, but close observation will reveal deep passion and enthusiasm as well as sensitivity, especially to cherished ones. However they expect others to roll up their sleeves as they do and meet the task in spite of personal hardships or discomfort.
They have little tolerance for personal whims that threaten a smooth running operation. They are direct and honest with most things that displease them and expect others to do the same. Their humanity shows in their sense of fairness and justice as well as their love of humour.
I’ve had the best steak of my life and it beat out the Kampala steaks of ’07. This indulgent meal, courtesy of M, came from Andaluca, a Mediterranean influenced restaurant downtown in the Mayflower. “CABRALES CRUSTED BEEF TENDERLOIN. Spanish blue cheese, grilled pears, Marsala demi glace, Idiazabal mashed potatoes.” Whoa. I paired it was a fabulous salad, also in honor of my anemia. “GALA APPLE SALAD. Baby spinach, goat cheese, candied walnuts, pickled onions, apple cider vinaigrette.”
Andaluca Restaurant & Bar www.andaluca.com
407 Olive Way
Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 382-6999
Symptoms of anemia, in case you are wondering, include:
* Weakness and fatigue are the most common symptoms of even mild anemia. Even iron deficiency without anemia can reduce working capacity in some people.
* Shortness of breath on exertion
* Rapid heartbeat
* Lightheadedness or dizziness
* Headache
* Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
* Irritability and other mood disturbances
* Pale skin (however, healthy-looking skin color does not rule out anemia if a patient has risk factors and other symptoms of anemia)
* Iron deficiency, even at a level too mild to cause anemia, has been linked to restless legs syndrome (RLS) in some people. Some studies have reported RLS in 25 – 30% of people with low iron levels. Studies suggest, in fact, that RLS in some people may be due to impaired iron acquisition in cells that regulate dopamine in the brain. Dopamine abnormalities are known to play a role in RLS.
* Mental confusion
* Loss of sexual drive
I’d like it all to be done now. But at least I’m doing my part by taking my pills, eating greens, and enjoying steak dinners with M. :)
April means it’s time for tulips in the Northwest, but since it was SNOWING again this weekend I decided to pass on today’s planned field trip. That’s right. I said snow. Again. It started last night on my way over to M’s house. So, instead of me and Rod heading to the festival today, you kind folks will get a picture from the last time I went to the tulip festival. Enjoy.
Despite the freakish little bits of snow making appearances this weekend, it’s been a good weekend so far. Last night M and I dressed up and went for a really lovely meal at Crush. I highly recommend the place and highly recommend meals with M in general. :) Afterwards was a dark chocolate tasting party with more good people, good conversations, and good chocolate. I was a bit thrown off, and totally delighted, to see Nancy there… the blending of seemingly disparate worlds can still startle and entertain me, even knowing that Seattle is, and always will be, a very small world.
Crush
2319 E Madison St, Seattle, WA 98112, (206) 302-7874
“Crush revolves around our food. Chef Jason Wilson selects the region’s finest ingredients each day to create his Modern Northwest Cuisine. His musings tempt our eyes and seduce our palates. The Crush menu migrates through the seasons, with food procured from local, artisanal producers.”
Today I ran into Andrew who came back to my place and hung out for a while. I’m totally bummed to be losing my neighbor, even if he’s only moving a mile away. I’ll have to starting hanging with Blaque, Amanda, Shaina, Mike, or Olli soon… I’ve got to take advantage of my fellow Fremonsters while they’re still in the ‘hood. Tonight Caroline and I are party hopping and tomorrow is women and wine night. Gotta run! Hope y’all are well!
…frustrated at work. Again. My new mantra: “I just need to care less.” We’ll see how I do. I tend to get rather invested in the things I’m involved with, especially if I’m doing them for 40 or 50 hours a week. Wish me luck…
This weekend was rather indulgently fun! M and I went shopping for cute stuff, Clare and I went shopping for cute stuff, I got my hair cut, and date nights both Fri and Sat were rather decadent. Here are two pics from Saturday’s party.
With the always irresistible M (you can see a bit of my strapless dress to prove I’m not actually topless)
With Walter, my mini-crush of the weekend (he’s a friend of Lesley’s and he lured me in dancing like Brittany Spears while wearing a Utilikilt). Was very fun to meet the SF posse… Walter, his beautiful girlfriend Jen, and the very fun Steve and Antoinette. Recapping the party, Walter said the most effective pick up line of the evening seemed to be “Hi my name is…” As Steve said, “You had me at “H…”
Today I’m mourning the death of a baby girl I don’t even know. I’ve always been a sucker for kids, especially kids in need, and Emma was definitely in a hard place. Anyone following Matt and Ellen’s story of their daughter Emma knows the struggle they’ve had in her first four months and the incredible fight she’s shown to live. Their blog posts and updates on twitter have left friends, and strangers like me, rooting for Emma and now mourning her loss. My sincerest condolences go out to Matt and Ellen now that Emma’s struggle has ended and she’s passed along to a more peaceful place.
Blah, blah, blah. I apparently haven’t blogged much this week, despite a bit of much cherish downtime. However, since I don’t post much these days beside the normal weekly recap, it doesn’t take much effort so here you go. :) This week I got to see Rod and Clare, eat Ethiopian, and pick out pictures to be donated to the auction fund raiser coming up May 15th. Rod’s really building an impressive portfolio and I totally wish I could’ve joined him in Alaska this weekend. I hate turning down invites for places I want to visit! I also spent an evening this week framing a few of my own pictures to donate to another nonprofit’s auction, also happening in May. Thursday night I went to First Thursday Art Walk and brought along Barry. This month felt “big” and we saw a poetry reading, a fashion show, belly dancers, live bluegrass, DJs, and much more. We ran into many Burners and many of my photo friends, ran into one guy I’d gone out on one date with, was approached by a woman who bought one of my pictures at a previous gallery showing (such a great feeling!), chatted with another woman who I met recently at a clothing swap who was a model in the fashion show, debated buying a piece of art from a guy on the 4th floor, and saw lots of entertainment. I ended up not buying the big painting yet, but did buy a pair of earrings from M’s friend Alison. While art walk was lovely, I was more excited by the good conversation that followed up for the second half of the evening. Yay, yay, yay communication! Last night and tonight are date nights with M… last night we did dinner and a bit of shopping and tonight is a party. He’s always silly, generous, and lots of fun, though his best trait might still be his amazing gift of communication. This morning I got my haircut at Caruh (pics coming soon) and tomorrow Caroline returns from SF. Oh! My big news of the week: I went to the gym 5 of the last 7 days. Wahoo! My first time back at the gym since surgery! Yay me! So, life is full, work is way hectic, I feel healthy, and I still generally consider myself blessed to have so many good people in all aspects of my life. Hope y’all are well!
I wanted to play a little April Fool’s joke at work, but wasn’t sure if it’d be hip in my new company. I was delighted when I received this email from our CFO on Tuesday.
This email is to inform you that we are adopting new timesheet and Billing Rate policies effective immediately.
The SMT has decided that in order to achieve billing targets and improve profitability (both of which fell below expectations last year), staff should keep track of time for 12 hours each day rather than just 8. It is hoped that staff will work and bill more time while still maintaining a strong work-life balance.
To implement this policy, I have created an expanded list of timesheet entries, which you can view in the Project Info Center under the project titled, “Personal Time.” Please let me know if you require any categories of time entry not currently accounted for in the task list. I have also revised the time allocations, with 110% being the new minimum work expectation for all Project Assistants and 115% for Senior Associates and Pod Leads. The additional time availability has been added to your Billing Target. (See attached for revised Billing Targets.)
I hope you will understand the need for these changes and that you will still be able to maintain the work-life balance that we remain committed to. I believe the policy changes are essential to the future success of the company as we continue to grow and position ourselves as the premier environmental consulting company in the country. If you have any questions or concerns about this new policy please email Charlie so he can set up a meeting with the SMT or feel free to talk with Jackie who can relay information in confidence to the SMT.
Thanks!
I was so delighted to see the joke in my inbox, I immediately wrote back a one sentence email that said “Guess which new employee is pregnant?!” I figured he’d clearly know I was kidding. But nope… he ran over to my desk minutes later asking “REALLY?! Are you serious?” It was great! I asked him back “Are you serious?” and then he figured it out. I guess in a company where most everyone is married and more than 5-10 people had babies in the last year or two, a pregnant new employee could be easily believable. Good times.
I was even more delighted an hour or two later when this email came from one of our two founders/Principals:
Hi All,
This is an email to let you all know – as you have figured out – that the SMT did not authorize the new timesheet policy email. While we appreciate Francis’s attempt at April Fools humor, we did not find it really all that funny. In this instance Francis has not lived up to our expectations. Effective at the end of today, Francis has been placed on unpaid administrative leave for the rest of the week, to do with himself in his unbalanced personal time, whatever he wants. I have spoken with Rob and he will not have access to email during this time.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about this unfortunate incident.
Saturday was drinks and dinner with Caroline and Susie… a highly coveted combo! It’s rare to get these two impressive (and impressively busy) gals together at the same time! Afterward dinner Caroline and I headed to Broadway for drinks and instead stumbled upon Le Faux, the female impersonator show at Julia’s on Broadway. We decided to buy tickets and enjoy a silly night of drag queens. Madonna, Cher, and Dolly were all present, and so was, much to my delight, Mary Poppins (my personal favorite skit of the night)! It was a pretty entertaining evening. :)
Sunday I thoroughly enjoyed my brunch conversation, as always. The hugs from Kat are always fantastic, Rod always provides tasty treats, Kaleen apparently moved into my old building on Summit Ave, and my conversation with Blaque and Amanda was fun, intriguing, insightful, and provided much room for reflection. I think the conversation could’ve gone for a long while longer, but by afternoon we all seemed to have places to be. I was leaving Belltown for Capitol Hill when I ran into Simon on my way to Angelica’s to meet the twins. He came along for a quick visit to meet the girls. Angelica and Stefan get major props for being the calmest, happiest new parents I’ve seen in a long time! I got to hold both Stella and Fiona and can confirm they are indeed precious, tiny, mellow, and entirely too sweet. Angelica and Stefan reminded me a bit of Mary, also a mother of twins, who continues to appear to be the most naturally calm parent of all times.
Last night was another party at M’s, this time celebrating Leo’s new status as Master (yay MBAs!). I was debating passing on the party, but decided to suck it up and attend anyway. As always, it was a lovely evening of good conversations with many good people. Always a lovely community, even on nights when I’m feeling less than social.
Today I was tired at work and tonight I’m hoping to be productive at home. Whew.
Is it from a date? Don’t be silly. Old friend? Nope (they tell me over the phone). Just another former employee turned friend. Love it when that happens. I think it’s up there with “Cat – you’re my rock.” Thanks guys. :)
In other news, I was delighted to run into Steph and Nitza at while shopping for my low flow shower head, and further delighted to run into Eric and Leah while dropping off my clothing swap boots for repair (Leah just happened to be picking up her clothing swap boots that had just been repaired). Perfectly lovely afternoon and girl’s night is still to come!
30 was such a great year. I’m really not sure why 31 is trying so hard to knock me down. Today I can walk and get out of bed… a definite improvement from yesterday. I went to bed Tuesday around 11pm, got up yesterday for a total of 4 miserable hours to write some reports, and then crawled back to bed till this morning around 8am. This could be a new sleep record for me. Even after surgery I was lucid for a while between pain killers. Alas. Happily, my fever was gone by this morning, and I’m feeling a little bit better, even if I’m still moving a bit slow.
Unrelated: This week I had Laura CD staying with me for a few nights in San Jose. We haven’t been in the same city for more than a day or two since her visit to Seattle back in 2001! Was fun to catch up and hear about life, grad school, and hopes for the future. Monday night Laura, Dieter, and I had dinner from Tofoo Com Chay… a veggie place just down the street at 388 E Santa Clara. Tuesday night Laura and I joined another college friend Nan for dinner at her home in Mountain View. The last time I saw Nan was Laura & Ajit’s wedding in 2005, and the time before that was a visit I made to stay with her parents in San Jose in 2000 when I was still working for Enform. Looong time ago. Dinner was fun and I got to meet Nan’s fabulous new dog, fabulous new husband, and admire their fabulous new house. All in all, I think she’s doing quite well. (Sadly forgot to take a picture of the happy couple or the delicious food… was a bit distracted from the pain). Last night I was hoping to see Jess again before leaving town, but the day spent in bed didn’t quite allow for that. I’m sure I’ll get to see her sometime soon back in the good old’ Pac-NW.
How fantastic for my first out of town client to be so very near so many great people? Friday night I was blessed to have random friends all together in one city for a lovely evening.
Laura C D First met: in college in Austin. Last saw: in Houston in 2005, bearing goodbye gifts for my Kenya adventure. Now: Finishing her MBA in Boston, getting ready to move to SF in July.
Dawne & Daryll First met: in the dunes of Namibia. Last saw: at Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. Now: Living in SF since November, working downtown in architecture and tech.
Jess First met: through Caroline in Seattle. Last saw: last Sunday when I flew into SF. Now: Living in SF since November, managing print production for major retail firm.
The five of us met up for drinks at the swanky St. Regis Hotel bar (love the wall of fire!) and then went to Osha for some really good Thai food. How chic was the Regis? Our one round of drinks in the bar at St. Regis cost more than our Thai food dinner entrees, soup, and drinks combined. So great!
The evening was full of catch up conversation of the very best variety. Can’t tell you how much fun it was to see Dawne and Daryll again… such good people! And I’m excited to know Ajit and Laura are finally moving to SF… Laura’s been talking about a West Coast move since I moved to the West Coast 8 years ago. I’m thrilled by the idea that Laura, Jess, Dawne, and Daryll might stay in touch after I’m gone. All asked for emails and made plans to be in touch. Yay!!
Saturday and Sunday Jess and I had a girls weekend road trip out to Yosemite National Park. We loaded up my SUV rental, booked our cabin, grabbed my national park’s pass, and away we went! We did a couple of miles of hiking, took lots of pictures, and spent much time soaking up the sun and contemplating nature’s beauty all around us. Our cabin at Yosemite Pines was pretty terrific. And we even made it back into the city in time for a great south Indian dinner at Dosa in the Mission District. We were lucky there to sit next to a couple from Seattle who recently moved to SF. Very cool and friendly… and more emails were exchanged. Good times. Thanks SF!
Seems I’m incapable of focus this afternoon/evening. Not because I’m thinking about exciting things, or lacking sleep, or anything wild and crazy… just not focusing in general, that’s all. I’m working on a 112 page report for the city. Finally plowed through the first 60 pages after a double mocha… the caffeine left me feeling productive for a few hours, but also left me in pain. As much as I like coffee, it’s really not so great for me and it apparently interferes with my iron intake (not so good for the anemic inner me). Arg…
No food in itself contains enough iron to treat iron deficiency anemia. An average-sized person with anemia would have to eat at least a ten-pound steak daily to receive the therapeutic amounts of iron needed to correct the condition. However, foods can help maintain health and aid supplementation. Coffee contains polyphenols and tea contains tannins, both of which render any iron found in food unusable. -innvista
Now I’m down to the last 40+ pages at 10pm and I’m not feeling inspired. I guess it’s just time to buckle down and get it done.
It was a busy weekend, so I just had to pick and choose what I could attend, and what wasn’t going to fit into the schedule. Having too much fun stuff going on is a pretty good problem to have… all things considered.
Friday was a house concert with an invite extended from Gabriel to Susie to me. Nancy, Sus, and I saw Bill Horist perform live and honestly, y’all, I had no idea I’d actually like it as much as I did. Maybe it’s because he was so darn charming during the interview or while chatting over snacks and potato chips, but really, wow! Go check out his experimental show the next chance you get. We also saw Obelus, another very good show. See details below for more about the artists. Also exciting about the event was the crowd… the coolest of the unhip, or something like that? All very hip and friendly, and why do I have to think everyone is adorable these days?
Friday after the show was a mixer at M’s place, complete with at least five boys I’ve made out with. I think that was a first for me, and I think I survived quite well. Yay socializing!
Saturday I got to visit a very pregnant Angelica who’s due any day now!
Saturday was also Brides of March with Jacob and Jen. Getting married was fine and all, but I loved the dance party at the Wild Rose the best! And then it was Marty’s birthday with Jacob and Barry and overlapping worlds colliding. Then it was Ashley’s going away with Barry and Denny, with more worlds colliding. And then it was just me and Barry hanging out. He just came back from Whistler and I was on my way out the door to California, so we had to squeeze in time where we could. Good times.
Sunday morning was me attempting to do a very quick pack on very little sleepy with a very spacey mind. Alas. I got the essentials and the rest are easy to replace if needed. My flight sat on the runway for an hour before finally taking off, affording me an extra hour of sleep before arrival in San Jose. Whew!
Sunday evening I spent in San Francisco with Jess… yay! I got to see her fancy new place in the Mission District, we ate some yummy Mexican food, and we did deluxe grocery shopping at Rainbow, the ultimate in hippie co-op vegetarian grocery stores.
Monday was a chaotic first day of work, starting with an entirely too early 5am mtg. I should’ve slept more over the weekend to prepare, but that didn’t really happen. Monday night Dieter and I did dinner at Amber, a seriously tasty Indian food place on Santana Row. Monday afternoon I finally made a Facebook profile and then got about 50 friend confirmations. Okay, yes, I can see how it’d be addictive. The most exciting thing about Facebook so far: it’s gotten Mitch and I chatting again after a few quiet years. Yay old friends!
Today was more work, at my computer, no meetings. Tonight was Ethiopian food (yummy, but a bit more greasy than I’m accustomed to). Tomorrow I will be back onsite in my hardhat and steel toe boots. Variety is the spice of life! Tomorrow might also be Jess doing a sleepover in San Jose. Wahoo!
For now, I’m exhausted and am heading to bed… G’night, g’night!
Musician’s background:
Bill Horist (from accretions) “Since moving to Seattle in 1995, Bill Horist has established himself as a noted improviser/performer along the West Coast and beyond. He has performed over 500 concerts in the past 8 years in the US, Canada, Mexico and Europe. Bill has performed and/or recorded with Bill Frisell, Wayne Horvitz, KK Null, Trey Gunn(King Crimson), Chris Cutler, William Hooker, Eugene Chadbourne, Tatsuya Yoshida(Ruins), Climax Golden Twins, Haco, Illusion of Safety, Saadet Tuerkoez, Michael Bisio, Jack Wright, Amy Denio, Uchihashi Kazuhisa, Steve Fisk, Luigi Archetti, Michael White, Christoph Gallio, Eyvind Kang, Lesli Dalaba, Paul Hoskin, Thomas Dimuzio, Wally Shoup, Jessica Lurie, Shazaad Ismaily, Mason Jones, Jeff Grienke and Tucker Martine among others.” His music is most easily classified as unclassifiably interesting.
Obelus (from Igloo) “Guitarist Jason Goessl and drummer Adam Pessl are men with a thousand triggers. Obliterating the preconceptions of every audience member with their crackling set of wild melody, dervish drums and triggered effects, Obelus are demonstrating why they’ve been hosting the weekly Basskamp show every Sunday at the Lower Level in the Capitol Hill Arts Center. Pessl starts a couple of loops, Goessl finds a few drones to layer, and then they start to twist the rhythm and fuse the melodies to the clatter and chatter of triggered effects. It’s a mesmerizing set of traditional instruments making modern big beat music. There’s something unmistakably organic about live drums that no sythnesized beat-banger can match. It’s the completely human ability to lay on the back side of the beat which keeps the swing alive. Try as technology might to masquerade as a living player, it always hits the beat dead center. The drum machines haven’t got any jive, and can’t intuit much about swing. Which is why a crowd is packing in tight to hear Obelus: this funk is real.”
I somehow left my treasured ancient Singer sewing machine in Austin when I made the move back to Seattle and finally broke down and bought a new sewing machine. My grandmother sewed. My mother sews. I’ve been sewing since I was 6 or 7 years old, but haven’t done much in recent years. I’m not sure if I’ll start much now beyond things like hemming and tailoring and curtains, but at least I’ve got the opportunity if the time and the desire present themselves. Plus, I’ve been collecting random costume pieces with ideas for Burning Man, so that sewing project will happen sometime between now and August.
I’ve been feeling crafty in general lately… feeling the need to replenish supplies that went away when I went to Kenya. As of today, I’m the proud owner of a new paint scraper. Current project: refinishing a few antique window frames and transforming them into a picture frame, mirror, or cork board. I’d originally gotten the frames from Kevin for an art installation in my last kitchen, but haven’t used them yet in my current place. I’m thinking one for the office (maybe a sunny beach photo or Rainier or map?) and one for home (maybe a mirror? maybe add a ledge?). Not sure yet…
Last night was happy hour with coworkers at 88 Keys where I’m almost convinced I was tipsy after a drink and a half. (The first one didn’t appear to have alcohol in it, but perhaps that wasn’t the case?). I’m not sure if I was tipsy or if it was my new glasses. I picked them up and they totally make me incompetent when it comes to movement. Everything looks way wrong, like a square really has a giant wide top and a small narrow base, even though a square generally has equal sized sides. The glasses really throw off my depth perception and made me feel even tipsier. Maybe I should check with my doc to make sure they’re supposed to be like that? I rushed home from happy hour and took my quasi-tipsy, bespectacled self over to M’s place for date night/travel story night. The glasses came in handy for seeing the screen in great detail, so that much worked well. The pictures and travel stories make me want to travel… but really, what doesn’t make me want to travel?
Dinner tonight was with M at an auction/benefit for Blue Nile Children’s Organization. Maegan did a great job on the mic and M and I both won items in the silent auction. He bought a dinner for 8 and I bought a gorgeous, hand made, original, hip leather purse. I think it would match my gown from South Africa pretty perfectly, if only the colors were different. Side note: one of these days I need to find a place to wear my gown.
Clare and I had high hopes of going dancing this weekend, and planned to go after the fund raiser with M, but seems she’s still sick and canceled on Art Orgy tonight. Bummer. Probably for the best though… she needs her rest and I could probably use some rest too. I’ll still see her tomorrow at brunch and might have with Simon or Cindy later in the day…
Today was my very last day of work at my NGO (my last day for the second time in two years). I honestly wasn’t even sure I wanted to go in today. What should be the very first song I hear on the radio on my drive over? “Winds of Change” by The Scorpions. Surely I’m not the only one who thinks that’s pretty fitting. I used to own the Scorpions on tape. I used to love that song. I hadn’t heard it in forever. We were just talking about the Scorpions last weekend. And there it was bright and early this morning on my last day of work. Life has a funny way of keeping me on my toes, always entertaining me, and always providing happy little sound track reminders about what’s important.
My last day was actually surprisingly really nice… good training in the morning and a surprise party in the afternoon. There was bubbly, fun and appreciative toasts, snacks, games, gifts (even another mix CD!), lunch dates, happy hour, and even a scrapbook made in my honor. Who’s the luckiest girl on the block? Yep, still me! I’m deeply grateful for the kind and generous send off. Took me by surprise and was very, very sweet.
The goodness didn’t stop after happy hour. From there I had a long overdue dinner with the Dougli where Maggie presented me with the best book ever: a child’s book about Lamu, perhaps my favorite place in the entire world. Who’s the luckiest girl on the block? Yep, still me! Still deeply grateful! More on the book coming soon.
Dinner ended entirely too quickly as it was time to stop by Jen’s house warming for, literally, a few minutes on my way to the airport, to get Jess who’s in town. YAY JESS!! And then it was off to the Duck to meet up with Caroline and Lee, and now I’m home and ready to crash. Long day. Good day. Ready for bed.
Oh, but I should mention yesterday too… yesterday I had my first vision appointment in over seven years! My current insurance rocks the vision benefits, and I’ve way passed my max for the year, so I went ahead and took advantage of my plan on the second to the last day of my coverage. I bought two pairs of glasses, should’ve been well over $500, and I only paid a $20 copay. Love it! Guess after $30,000+ of surgery bills, free glasses shouldn’t seem like such a big deal. But again, it was my first vision appointment in over seven years and two new pairs of glasses seems pretty decadent. Again… Who’s the luckiest girl on the block? Yep, still me! Still grateful. Life is good. Lots of love to everyone tonight… And now, a little 80s hair band rock to keep us in the mood…
Business cards always bring back fond memories, even now years later, of sexy old Brian Harrison handing them out to girls in sleazy dance clubs like the now defunct Planet Austin. I am excited to announce I now have business cards, keys, a key card, and a bus pass and am nearing my official first day of my new job. I can’t guarantee I’ll hit on you drunk like Bri, but don’t be surprised if you find yourself the lucky recipient of my new business cards the next time I see (anyone have a business that needs some green business planning, or perhaps a waste characterization study?). Having business cards today makes the new job seem so real… though the long hours working both jobs have also made it seem pretty real for the past few weeks. And on a work related tangent… I had my first cookies from Specialty’s today for a coworker’s birthday and was astounded. By far the best cookies I’ve had in my entire life. Seriously. Wheatgerm chocolate chip? Peanut butter chocolate chunk? Wow! I’m a lucky girl (though they’re not going to help me get any skinnier).
Odd news of the day: I had yet another dream last night about holding a gun to someone’s head and trying to/having to kill them. Yuck. I rarely ever remember dreams and now I’ve had two dreams in the past few weeks about having to kill someone at close range with a gun to the head. Any theories about what’s inside my head? I swear I’m a nonviolent girl…
Good news of the day (beyond cards and cookies): I’m not feeling restless today and am happy to report that feeling only lasted for a day. Yay positive mental health!
I got home from Whistler last night feeling rested, and more than anything else, feeling restless. Alas. It was a good weekend, lots of good people, good conversation, and good fun. (Pictures to come eventually). Not sure if the restlessness has to do with leaving the cabin full of people for an empty apartment and empty bed, returning to work after more than a week out of town, my last week of work, boys, lack of boys, or something else entirely. All I do know is I was so restless I refused to call anyone back and instead took a bath, finished a book, and went to bed by 8pm… all to avoid having to be in my head. Seems necessary on some special occasions. Seems I’m not entirely alone though. Many conversations at work today asserted everyone is feeling extremely cranky for no reason, and emails with Susie confirm the rest of the globe feels “not quite right” at the present time as well. Hmm.
Yesterday was also my brother’s birthday so it included a call to Austin to wish him a good year. Today was work at the NGO, tonight was dinner with my roomie and her girlfrfiends, followed by dressy girly time at Oliver’s Twist with Caroline, and tomorrow is work at the new job. When in doubt, Oliver Twist’s fancy cocktails or chocolate gelato with sea salt and fresh peanut sauce is sure to please even when you’re in an off mood. Or perhaps it’s Caroline who’s guaranteed to raise spirits when you’re in an off mood. Either way, I’m thankful to have had both in my life today. What a great combo and what a lucky girl I am!
Hummus Deviled Eggs: This easy twist on classic deviled eggs uses no mayonnaise or butter but gets plenty of flavor from hummus and horseradish. Prep and Cook Time: 40 minutes. Notes: This recipe is easily doubled or tripled for a party.
Ingredients 6 eggs
1/3 cup hummus
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for garnish
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons prepared (or creamy) horseradish
Preparation 1. Put eggs in a medium pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, remove pot from heat, and let sit 14 minutes. Fill a large bowl with ice water. With a slotted spoon, transfer eggs to ice water bath (reserve hot water in pot).
2. Cool eggs at least 10 minutes, then use a slotted spoon to transfer eggs back to hot water (to loosen shells) for 10 to 20 seconds. Pat dry and peel.
3. Cut eggs in half lengthwise. Scoop out egg yolks and put them in a medium bowl. Add hummus, olive oil, pepper, salt, and horseradish. Mash mixture together with a fork. Spoon filling into egg white halves, dividing evenly. Sprinkle with black pepper.
DC is sunny! Got to see Marth this morning! Hit the Smithsonian(s) with my team today! Pat’s more content with his relationship! Even Texas has good things happening!
Texas Ban on Sex Toy Sales Is Overturned
By ANGELA K. BROWN – 2 days ago
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — A federal appeals court has overturned a statute outlawing sex toy sales in Texas, one of the last states — all in the South — to retain such a ban.
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Texas law making it illegal to sell or promote obscene devices, punishable by as many as two years in jail, violated the right to privacy guaranteed by the 14th Amendment.
Companies that own Dreamer’s and Le Rouge Boutique, which sell the devices in its Austin stores, and the retail distributor Adam & Eve sued in federal court in Austin in 2004 over the constitutionality of the law. They appealed after a federal judge dismissed the suit and said the Constitution did not protect their right to publicly promote such devices.
In its decision Tuesday, the appeals court cited Lawrence and Garner v. Texas, the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2003 opinion that struck down bans on consensual sex between same-sex couples.
“Just as in Lawrence, the state here wants to use its laws to enforce a public moral code by restricting private intimate conduct,” the appeals judges wrote. “The case is not about public sex. It is not about controlling commerce in sex. It is about controlling what people do in the privacy of their own homes because the state is morally opposed to a certain type of consensual private intimate conduct. This is an insufficient justification after Lawrence.”
The Texas attorney general’s office, which represented the Travis County district attorney in the case, has not decided whether to appeal, said agency spokesman Tom Kelley.
Phil Harvey, president of Adam & Eve Inc., said the 5th Circuit Court’s decision was a big step forward. He said his business plans to expand to sell in stores and at home parties, something company consultants had been fearful of doing because of the Texas law.
“I think it’s wonderful, but it does seem to me that since Texas was one of three states in the country — along with Mississippi and Alabama — that continued to outlaw the sale of sex toys and vibrators, that it was probably past time,” Harvey said Wednesday.
Alabama is in the 11th Circuit. But now it’s unlikely that the law in Mississippi, which also is in the 5th Circuit, will be prosecuted, some legal experts said.
Virginia’s law barring obscene items is a bit different from other state laws and does not appear to apply to sex toy sales, said Harvey, whose company distributes nationwide.
Louisiana, Kansas, Colorado and Georgia had laws barring obscene devices, but courts have since struck them down. The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals struck down a Georgia law banning the advertising of sex toys, which can be sold under some approved circumstances.
The 5th Circuit Court’s decision is encouraging for Sherri Williams, who has been fighting the issue in Alabama for a decade. Williams, who owns Pleasures stores in Alabama, sued in 1998 after state lawmakers banned the sale of sex toys there. A year ago, she lost her fight again when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to consider a lower court decision upholding the Alabama law as constitutional.
Williams hopes that lawmakers will take notice of the recent Texas case and support a newly filed bill in the Alabama Legislature to overturn the ban on adult toy sales.
“I think the courts are finally listening to the people,” Williams said Wednesday. “You have ‘Sex and the City,’ ‘Desperate Housewives’ and other shows promoting what society is doing. I think the courts have finally opened their eyes and looked around, which is a miracle in the South.”
Had a great dinner out Monday after being sick for a week. JohnC and Kim provided great food and great conversation. I was thrilled to discover in the first three minutes of conversations that we both had connections to Kufunda in Zimbabwe, and that we’d both worked with author Meg Wheatley planning various conferences for social and organizational change. Love the small world!! Tuesday was dinner with M, Alexis, Thomas, and Allison… another group of great folks and great food. Wednesday I was exhausted and stayed home, trying to be productive around the house, but mostly just tired. And yesterday was catch up with Caroline and both jobs and catch up with Susie, followed a very sweet Valentines dinner with the always sweet, always entertaining, always sexy M. I’m a bit exhausted this week from health and from working two jobs, but I’m surviving pretty well regardless. I’m definitely feeling like a very lucky girl to be surrounded by so many good people. And now, this morning, I’m off to DC for a week for work and am excited to see the nuns and see Martha and Abbey. I get back to Seattle next Thursday, and then leave for Whistler on Friday to spend a few days with Barry in a cabin with misc other friends. I’ll bring snowshoes and a camera and am excited for Whistler. Life is good.
Hi you, Happy Valentines day, I know you are getting loving from a couple of sources but we can always use some more so I just wanted to let you know you are loved from afar and that you mean a lot to me xoxox Take care and keep me posted on your wonderful adventures xo
Did you know IHOP patrons last year donated more than $625,000 to Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center. Why Pancake Tuesday? According to legend, families would try to use all of their dairy products before the Lenten fast, and making pancakes was a good way to do it.
Friends, colleagues, superiors, and dignitaries:
In the interest of celebrating Great Britain’s distinguished national holiday “Pancake Tuesday,” I am happy to report on a fantastically doughy, griddled, and syrupy opportunity…
Free pancakes!!!
Sadly, IHOP’s only footing the bill for a short stack of ‘cakes per person. The ‘Rooty Tooty Fresh & Fruity Breakfast Platter’ still costs full price. All the Ollalla Berry syrup you can guzzle in one sitting, though! Not only do you get to stuff your belly with mediocre pancakes, your donation (you did donate, right?) will support Seattle Children’s Hospital. It’s okay if you don’t, though. Donations are purely optional.
IHOP is open (24 hours) on Tuesday (but the FREE deal only goes 7am-10pm). It’s on Capitol Hill/First Hill at the intersection of Madison and Broadway, the northwestern most corner of Seattle University. I’ll be the one in the corner booth passed out cold from an intense pancake induced sugar coma.
Cranky and ornery. Too much time at home, in bed, with fever, flu, and fitful sleeping. Too many canceled plans so I can be sick and lonely at home. Too many health issues plaguing me. Alyssa writes “We are so worried about you. I think your body is already taking a beating with the giardia, anemia and surgery recovery – so it is having a hard time fighting this illness.” Alyssa my love, I worry about the same thing and get even crankier knowing my generally healthy body just seems to be falling apart these days, no matter how much sleep I get, how much vitamin C I get, how many fluids I force myself to consume.
Yep. Too entirely f-ing cranky. It all makes me want to be mean and bitchy. To strangers. To boys I’m dating. To anyone. M called and invited me to dinner on Tuesday and I literally had to stop myself from sending an angry email. Save and discard. Save and discard. Last night at the bar for Caroline’s birthday, my social outing of the week, I was -that- woman, the one who leans over and asks the dude to quit snapping pictures, no offense, it’s giving me a headache. Yep, that was me. He stopped. And when a friend of his started snapping pics a while later, he quickly went over and whispered in his friend’s ear and the friend promptly stopped too. Guess I’m that scary. I wasn’t trying to be mean, but christ my head was killing me. As much as I want to get out of the house and get social interaction, I probably shouldn’t have been allowed to be near people. I managed to stay at the birthday celebrations for maybe 3 hours, with newbies Mike and Jen in tow, but I was dying in the second and third hours and had to call it quits. At least I got to see Caroline, Lee, Jacob, Samantha, Fester, Will, and others before heading home and passing back out again. Last night and today I alternated between more cranky awake time and more fitful sleeping.
While I’d love someone to come over and bring me soup, give me a kiss on the forehead, pat my back and tell me it’s all going to be okay, that’s really not my life these days. Many people offered soup after the fact, but during the worst of the fever days, I was just a miserable mess, lonely, in pain, and incapable of thinking to call the good kind folks who might be willing. On the plus side, though, with my fever once again gone today, I was happily able to read for a while this morning between naps (Eay, Pray, Love) and even made myself some creamy tomato basil bisque soup this evening (yummy). Still cranky, but at least I’m well fed and have enough concentration for reading. I’ll take my progress anywhere I can get it.
My fever came back again yesterday and I spent yet another night in. Mostly was just curled up in bed trying to stay warm. No need for food or movies when you can’t keep much down and can’t concentrate on anything. I’m now ready to leave the house for the second time since getting sick: today’s the caucus! Wahoo civic engagement! Delegate selection starts at 1:30pm so I’ve got to scoot. And then I hope to come home and feel magically cured so I can go celebrate Caroline’s birthday tonight.
Update: Proud member of the 43rd… they announced we were “the most Democratic district” in the state. My little precinct had 101 people show up (way more than the last caucus I attended 4 years ago). There was way less drama this time and no resolutions to debate. It made the process pretty quick and easy. In the end we were 85 Obama, 15 Clinton, and 1 undecided (which breaks down to 6 delegates for Obama and 1 for Clinton). Yay civic engagement.
Have been up since 1:30am. It’s now 3:59am. Have decided to take another round of ibuprofen and cold/flu meds and hope for the best.
PS It is SUPER windy out there. Current temps are 42F (“feels like 33″) with winds “gusting up to 35 mph.” If I didn’t think the wind and cold was going to make me sicker, I would plan to go see Barack Obama speak today.
PS Watched Cinema Paradiso last night on a recommendation from David Applebaum. Easy to see why, given my limited time with David, he would be so fond of the pic… it’s a very sweet, somewhat tragic, love story in a beautiful little town. The schoolhouse and the theatre in the movie actually quite reminded me of Isla de Mozambique. Nice…
It has been a productive week as far as my health goes! Not that I have great news to report, but I feel like we’re making at least a little progress!
1. Last night I was diagnosed with giardia! While I’m not super excited to have a parasite, I am pretty stoked to have a diagnosis and subsequent treatment plan! My lab results from a week ago came in and they say I have a “rare strand” of giardia. Reading online, it seems it can lay dormant for months on end, so it’s probably what was afflicting me all spring and summer after my second bout of malaria.
My theory: Maybe I got it the same time Susie did… only my symptoms were masked by malaria so mine was left untreated and eventually went dormant, while hers was identified and treated immediately. My doctors didn’t diagnose the giardia this summer upon return to Texas, but whatever stomach stuff I had finally went away on it’s own by August. However, if the theory holds, it was triggered by my surgery trauma last month and has been flaring up ever since. Needless to say, I went out immediately last night to pick up my drugs at the chemist and now I have hope in my heart that I’ll be better soon (and hope that the awful metallic drug taste in my mouth goes away soon as well).
Giardiasis is an infection of the intestines caused by the parasite Giardia lamblia. The illness, also called giardia, is most often a problem in undeveloped countries where tap water is not safe.
You may become infected with giardiasis if you eat food or drink water that is tainted with human or animal waste. In the United States, you can catch giardia by drinking untreated water from wells, streams, rivers, and lakes. This is true even in mountain lakes and streams where the water may seem very pure.
You can get giardiasis from someone else through:
* Close contact with someone who is infected.
* Working in day care centers for young children.
* Working or living in nursing homes where people may have poor bowel control/poor hygiene.
* Some types of sexual contact, such as anal-oral contact.
Things that increase your chances of developing symptoms after infection include:
* Having an impaired immune system.
Symptoms of giardiasis usually appear 7 to 10 days after infection, though it may take 25 days or longer. Symptoms can last 7 weeks or more.
* In children or adults who are otherwise healthy, the symptoms of giardiasis may eventually go away, even without treatment.
* Long-term diarrhea may result in weight loss, dehydration, or nutritional problems, because food is not being properly absorbed by the body. These conditions sometimes get better without treatment. If they don’t, they usually can be corrected with proper treatment.
Many people who are infected with Giardia lamblia do not have symptoms. But it is possible to infect others even if no symptoms are present, because the parasite still exists in the stool (feces).
Of people who have symptoms of giardiasis, 20% to 40% develop temporary difficulty digesting milk and milk products (lactase deficiency, or lactose intolerance). This problem can last for up to 1 month after treatment for giardiasis.
2. My bleeding has continued, despite my birth control, and it’s been going for more than 10 days. Happily, it’s finally starting to taper off (thanks to copious amounts of ibuprofen). My surgeon said today, during my 6 week post op visit, that the blood loss could be causing anemia, which could in turn be the cause of my recent bouts of dizziness. It was a total “ah ha!” moment for me… as every single bout of dizziness since surgery has been after one of my bouts of bleeding. It’s all coming together!
3. So, we did blood work today to see if I am indeed anemic (I’m often “borderline” but have never been officially diagnosed). We also did blood work to check on my thyroid. Test results should come in the next week and who knows, maybe they’ll reveal something else wrong with me? Geez… when did my health get so complicated?
Anyway… like I said… not exactly good news to report, but at least a diagnosis of giardia is progress and the ideas about anemia make sense too. Wish me luck sorting it all out! Take care, Cat
Saturday M and I dressed up and went to dinner at the fancy W Hotel’s Earth & Ocean restaurant. M tells me he makes reservations for us after checking my blog to see if we’ve been there before. Too funny. Glad my meal posts have served a purpose. :)
Earth & Ocean, 1112 4th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101, Phone: (206) 264-6000
“Indulge. Savor inspired cuisine from above and below the sea at the critically acclaimed Earth & Ocean – the Pacific Northwest’s answer to destination dining. Experience the freshest local organic and farm-direct produce and seafood at Earth & Ocean. With each bite, you’ll understand why it was recently named “10 Very Best Restaurants 2006″ by Seattle Magazine. Or linger over signature cocktails in the über-chic W Bar.”
After our “über-chic” dinner, we went to a friend’s very fun party. If only I could get paid to go to parties… that’d be swell. I think I’m generally social and/or good at it and I love getting emails after the fact confirming the hosts enjoyed having me there. Yay life.
Sunday was a tiring but fun day. Rod was out of town for the day, so instead of my normal Sunday brunch plans, things got a little crazy. Ladies Brunch in the AM was at Nancy’s place in Queen Anne with so many great women who are moms, activists, volunteers, and passionate about social justice/social services/having fun. Special guests were M&A from DC! So great to hear more stories and spend more time with them. Round two of brunch at Blaque’s place in Fremont was an entirely different but still very fun crowd. Alli was in town and I finally got to meet “the Muffin.” Entertaining. Dinner in the evening with Barry was quite laid back (thankfully!) and quite yummy.
Today is MLK Day. I took the girls to the airport this morning bright and early, and then spent the rest of the day working from home on the couch. I’m sad to see them go but excited to know I’ll see them again in DC in just a few weeks! As for this week, I’m looking forward to a few dinners with friends and to a few relaxing nights at home. Next weekend: Clare’s waterfront cabin in Whidbey Island!
One of the best “get well soon” emails from recent days:
Get plenty of rest and drink lots of gin. You’ll be up and around in no time. I once had tuberculosis and cured it by drinking two cases of scotch while sitting in a navajo sweat lodge.
Buck up,
xxx
Did I mention it was from one of my employees? Totally great!
I thought this drawing by jocelynjohnson.com was great! (she did it after she had her myomectomy). My drs apt this morning went well. The doctor did another ultrasound and said the bleeding was okay. Said the pain would eventually dissipate. Said “You have a small scar but had a major surgery. It will take time to recover.”
Guess who just sent me a netflix subscription gift certificate? :) How super fun and timely! It’s sure to make four weeks in bed much, much more enjoyable! Thanks Caroline! Love you lots! Anyone have movie suggestions? I’ve turned the comments on… so send them over!
Thursday’s CascadiaFest was fun… I finally met Ann’s cute older brother, saw James for the first time in years, ate goat cheese and a raspberry tart, saw Dieter and Emily and Susie and Duff, and got pulled onto the dance floor to dance with the CEO. Not a bad night! :)
Friday’s socializing was fabulous too… started with lunch with Nitza at the Satay Hut, followed directly by the AC party at J’s house, followed directly by wine with Maggie, Sarah, and Jim, followed directly by Rod’s wine party. I was exhausted by the end of the night and lasted about 10 minutes in my apartment before passing out in my bed.
Today was free Jamba Juice at the new store, silly postage stamps, work for a few hours, and Santarchy all afternoon with my new white wig. (Yay wigs!). Many pics should come sometime soon! For now I’m off to date night and then tomorrow I leave for Austin. I probably won’t get much socializing after my surgery next week, but last week and this week definitely made up for any potential lost time! :)
Here are a few quick pictures from Sean & Ruth’s holiday party last Saturday night. It was fun to see them after so long, but sad when people asked how we knew each other. Every time I explain the Sunday Dinner at Yellow House phenomenon, everyone always responds with “Oh, that sounds so great! I wish we did that!” And then I say “I wish we still did it to…” Alas. It was good times while it lasted. :)
Sean & Ruth, our generous hosts
Joe demands his own pic
Jenny, Paige, and C-E… all looking great
Ruth and Erin (who brought the best Safeway fruit tart)
I [heart] cookies! Yum! Who knew I’d hit 30 and finally find a love of cookies??
Just found this list of books from Dec 2005 that I meant to read. I tend to forget by the time I get to the book store or library website, so I’m jotting some of them down now before I forget.
Let them eat ketchup – a book about poverty in US
Hip Hop Nation
Bowling Alone
The Trials of Joseph
Atomic Farm Girl
a simpler way (Wheatley)
Leadership and the New Science (Margaret Wheatley)
The Corner – I once owned it, but didn’t finish it
Sundi recommends:
Abandon the river by N S Niepool
White Teeth by Zadie Smith
Samantha recommends:
“Disgrace” by Coetzee, which is about a teacher in South Africa. – read it in Kenya
“A Bend in the River” by V.S. Naipaul, which happens in India.
“Black Rain” by Ibuse, which is about the aftermath of the atomic bomb in Japan and how difficult it was for women with radiation sickness to marry.
Kundera’s “Incredible Lightness of Being” which takes place during the Prague Spring – read it in Kenya
I’ve been super busy lately… more of those weeks where every night is scheduled well in advance and many nights have 2 or more events.
Last Wed and Thurs were hanging with Jess, helping her pack for San Francisco (I miss Jess!). Last Thursday was another doctor’s appointment (good news) and lunch with Maggie (never happens nearly enough… I love Maggie). Thursday night was also last minute unpacking, cleaning, hanging pics, and getting rid of boxes. I ended up taking the whole day off of work to do the drs appt, run errands, grocery shop, see Jess, and do apt stuff. Was lovely!
Last Friday was my housewarming and it was fun to have people over in my space, fun seeing my friends mingle with old folks, and fun to see them meet new folks. There was a good crowd, crowded but not packed, loud but not loud enough to get a noise complaint from the neighbors. We even ended up with an excess of wine (cool!) and with some good books for the bookshelf. Many folks got to meet M, others got to meet Lee for the first time, and others got to connect familiar faces. In the small world category… it seems Duff made out with my roomie’s old roomie back in Italy in 1999 or 2000 and recognized my roomie now 7 years later. Why doesn’t that surprise me more? Friday was also date night and, as we know, it’s always fun to see M.
Saturday was the Urban Craft Uprising with Jen, Kimbra, Deanna, Rod, Clare, and Ally. As expected, we were all tempted by cute but expensive cool crafty things. I ended up with a uterus coin purse (it’s one of a kind!) and a necklace (inspiring). Kim ended up with tastie pasties, among other things. Jen resisted the cutest vinyl purse ever, and Deanna walked away with clove soap. I even ran into Beth, formerly of blogger fame. Her site’s been down for a while, but it was fun to see her, especially as she’s a vendor selling cute baby stuff. So great! Can’t wait till I find out if Angelica’s kids will be boys or girls! Oh, and I also ran into Maria, one of our YVC teenage volunteers. Only now she’s graduated from HS, graduated from college, did a year of AmeriCorps, and is now applying for her MSW. So great! So proud! So crazy to see her grown up and remember that 7 years kind of is a long time. Oh, and the best part of Saturday… it SNOWED! Yay snow! Lots of big, wet, fluffy snow! It seemed to start in the city around 1pm and just continued on and off all the rest of the day and night. So fun! Totally makes me giddy, as silly as that is. :)
Saturday night was another date night (so soon!) and a good time was had by all. We went shopping, walked around downtown, and had a fabulous seafood dinner at The Oceanaire. M generally seems to pamper me and we’ve eaten at some very lovely places lately. But oh my goodness… I was blown away by my black and blue blackened mahi mahi with blue cheese and caramelized onions. It was just outstanding. After the maytag blue cheese at Thanksgiving, I’ve kind of been craving blue cheese. It was the perfect choice for the night and was a lovely addition to a lovely date.
Lest I forget to appreciate some of the places M generously takes me:
* http://www.theoceanaire.com – “As sleek as a 1930s ocean liner, yet as relaxed as a dinner on the shore, the Oceanaire provides the perfect setting to enjoy Ultra-Fresh seafood, flown in daily from around the world.”
* http://www.nishinorestaurant.com – “Pure Japanese with innovative American touches. The results are artful, often dazzling.”
* http://www.bokaseattle.com – “urban american cuisine, handcrafted cocktails, new and old world wines”
* http://veilrestaurant.com – “Fresh ingredients from local farmers pair with the worldly expertise of Chef Galusha for food that is original, intense, exciting and creative. Galushas Progressive American cuisine, alongside a world-class wine list puts Veil in a league of its own and is raising the culinary bar in the Northwest.”
Sunday was the big photo shoot I’ve been organizing. Day two of snow kept a few photographers and a few models away, but we still had an excellent turn out (more than 10 models and more than 10 photographers!). I think a good time was had by all. Thank goodness I have many generous friends who were willing to model, who were willing to mentor, who were willing to loan space, and photographers who were willing to bring lighting equipment and backdrops. I even had lots of donated coffee and donuts for the event. It was seriously fun for me to be there in the beginning of the day and I was sad to have to leave early. I was a reluctant organizer, but as always, I still had a great time doing it. :)
I moved into my new apartment, in my old building, at the beginning of this month. It’s now the end of the month which means it’s time to host a housewarming. Everyone’s invited. You not only get to see me and test out my mismatched velour furniture, you also get to meet my new roomie Bobbi and even get to chat with M while he’s here. Good times!
When: This Friday night from 8pm onward
What: Drop by anytime for drinks and mingling
Where: Email me or call for directions
Bring: Your bad self, maybe a friend, maybe drinks, or maybe a book for the new empty bookcase
Today was a day where I was generally feeling mighty fine so I thought I’d capture and record the moment. :) This weekend was pretty great and I’m still living off that high. I spent two long days with M and am enjoying getting to know a new friend. It’s been lonely at times upon return to Seattle this fall… knowing people changed while I was away, knowing I’ve changed, figuring out where I fit in now with new dynamics, and coping with other good friends leaving once I returned. It’s fun right now to add a new friend into the mix. Last night was great too… I got to see Jess and friends at her welcome home celebration at Pies and Pints. Yay! While I’m excited to have more friends in San Francisco, I do miss having Jess in Seattle.
Today itself was a good day, even if it was a bit long. This morning I finally returned to the gym before work (yay!). At work I had a good day with good productive time and good conversations. I also had an egg nog latte (it grew on me), some quality time on the playground, some good coloring time, and even some time with a 10 year old autistic boy that made me quite happy. I do love my job… even if I might be ready for a change sometime soon. As an added bonus, it was sunny today too!
Tonight after work was the first of two photo events I’m hosting for my photo club. Tonight was a free Photoshop workshop for beginners. We had a great turnout, a good intro to Photoshop, a lively discussion on lighting, and generous use of the space over at Office Nomads. I’d call it a success! The next event is going to be way more chaotic… it’ll be a model shoot/lighting workshop this weekend with 16 photographers and 13 models. Should be great fun!
I’m in Florida this week, keeping busy doing nothing productive, not even email. :) Florida is sunny and in the 80s (perfect!), Gues -
p;\
//
That little randomness brought to you by my cutest ever nephew Gus, now a walking talking fully functioning awesome little toddler. Yep, he’s 18 months and pretty much the coolest. And he likes buttons… on the keyboard, on the phone, on the remote, on my laptop, wherever. Anyway, we’re in Naples this week with the family and we’re being totally pampered with gorgeous weather, perfect blue skies, a private sunset boat trip tonight, an awesome nephew that provides constant entertainment, and an amazing house directly on the beach waterfront next to the pier. Many thanks to generous Tom and Linda for letting us all crash here!
I need to find a gift for the annual family gift exchange and I have less than a week to find it. I got online during lunch to look and got distracted with things I think I might like. Greedy, selfish me. I think I like this pretty sweet amber necklace from signals.com for me, but don’t suspect it’d be ideal for a gift exchange that includes my youngest male cousin to my older aunts and uncles. Alas… back to the internet…
I brought my laptop on the plane on Friday, slept for the first flight, and tried to be productive on the second flight. I’ve now posted lots of overdue pics from the past few months… trying to make up for lost time. Enjoy!
When Will was in town staying at the Westin, I had the chance to check out his free coffee from the hotel. It was a Starbucks “Kitamu” blend and the packaging made me laugh out loud. Even with my very basic knowledge Swahili, I know enough to translate most Starbucks East African packages. According to Starbucks, the “Africa Kitamu™ is a bold, balanced blend of fine East African coffees. Kitamu is Swahili for a taste experience that’s ‘delicious beyond description.’” Hmmm. That’s a rather elaborate translation. As I learned it, kitamu relates to foods or drinks and just means sweet (as in it literally has lots of sugar) or can mean yummy in general if it’s not sugary sweet. Here’s an online Swahili lesson I found at
http://learn.kamusiproject.org:
You can use tamu to describe types of food, drink and candy (that contains sugar).
Eg. This juice is sweet – Hii juisi ni tamu
The tea isn’t sweet enough – Chai sio tamu sana(means hasnt got enough sugar for one’s liking)
Perhaps I should get a job at Starbucks and help name future East Africa Swahili blends? Let’s hear it for Starbucks marketing folks for pushing the Swahili word kitamu from “sweet” to a taste experience that is “delicious beyond description.” Pretty funny to me after living in rural Kenya. But then again, while I was a business student before my nonprofit career, I was never a marketing major.
It’s one of those weeks where it’s probably be helpful to stop, remember to breathe, and take some nice long deep breaths.
The move is done with many thanks to Hanna, Nitza, Rod, and Duff (and thanks to others like Erin and Lee who offered their services!).
Date and I ended things this weekend, and he’s since then sent two very sweet emails. Yes, he continues to be impressive even after the fact.
I got pulled over last night driving Duff’s truck back to Capitol Hill. The officer said I was going too slow and that he smelled alcohol. I had moving boxes flapping in the back (hence the slow) and as for the alcohol, perhaps he smelled chocolate Halloween candy that we were eating while driving? He actually made me get out of the truck and do tests to see if I was drunk. My heart was beating like crazy at the insanity of the situation. And no, of course I wasn’t drunk. I rarely ever drink, and if I do, it’s a half glass of red wine at some party or maybe a margarita once in a blue moon when I’m home in Texas. Last night I am convinced it was just the Halloween candy from Jeff that could’ve contributed to my driving. Arg.
To be fair, I think the high from yesterday came from the copious amounts of sugar and caffeine taken with the Vicodin, but the pain relief and the sense of euphoria from the Vicodin did indeed feel real. I debated skipping all of the parties, but in the end felt the compulsion to go with Date to two parties. Both were big, full 100% of people I didn’t know, and both were okay/fun. I mingled, met new people, danced, and had a few good deeper conversations. (Date’s ex-fiance’s current boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend was my favorite new person from the evening. We had one of those “we just met but let’s share intimate life stories” kind of interactions). My sugar high left me all too soon upon arrival at Date’s place before we even hit the first party, and I wasn’t really feeling the energy for a giant rager, even though I was content to stay and dance a while. In the end suspect I should have stayed home, but it was Halloween and what fun would that have been?
I’ve been feeling extreme pain since Thursday, my doctor gave me Vicodin after my trip to the hospital for further testing, and as of this hour I’m mostly pain-free and feeling pretty totally high. Wow. I was thinking I’d have to miss Halloween festivities tonight but I think I’m just high enough to hit a party or two after all. And thanks to Andrew’s Captain Toxic outfit, I think we’ve even got a costume for Hanna this evening. More updates later when I’m not so high!
I have lots of little life updates from this week, but not much time to write them down. Life moved back to hectic in no time at all. I’ll attempt to write some of it down that hasn’t been forgotten yet. Not because it’s not memorable, but because it’s a bit crazy over here in CatLand right now.
Hanna arrives from Korea tonight! She’s an Austin friend who’s been in Korea working, but is coming home to visit family for a spell. I believe she’ll be heading back to Korea after visiting Seattle and Texas, and I consider myself lucky to have her in town for a week sharing my cute little studio apt!
My old landlord called last week and said a 2-2 was available, so I’ve decided to jump at the chance to have more space, more amenities, and save $200/month on rent. Yep, though I’ve only been at my current place two months, I’m moving! The catch is that I have to move in exactly one week’s time, break my current lease (maybe lose my deposit), find a roommate, find someone to replace my current studio, find furniture for the new one, and all of that happens while Hanna’s here from Korea and while I’m working 40 hrs/week. I’ll also need to find time/space to physically pack everything and physically move everything. I don’t have a bed to move (oh, if I could just take my Holmes Disappearing Bed in A Drawer!), but do have a futon, two stuffed arm chairs for the living room, two bookshelves, a wardrobe, a small dining table, a small desk, various end tables and shelves, all of the fully stocked kitchen pots, plates, tupperware, etc. Oh, the other catch is that I not have to move in a week’s time, I then leave the city one day later for a week in Baltimore. So really, I have just one day, and it’s the day Hanna’s leaving. I’ll send an email update sometime soon with address/contact info.
Towards the apt end, I put up a roomie ad on craigslist and already got about 100 really cool people (sustainable green architects, returned Peace Corps volunteers from Africa, ESL teachers home from Korea, Outward Bound wilderness kayak instructors, etc). My landlord and I also put up ads on craigslist for my current studio and he ended up renting it out yesterday in about 4 hours flat. So I’m definitely officially moving, especially since someone else is now moving into my studio on Nov 1.
Last week was the Tullycraft CD release party at the Croc. Math and Physics Club and Patience Please were also on the bill. PP was the opening act and really put on a great, polished, fun show. (Seems they’ve been touring a lot lately). Math and Physics Club and Tullycraft both put on shows more easily described as awkward or uncomfortable (in their own words). I personally think an awkward indie show just adds to their indie charm and that both sets were highly entertaining with great music… even if the breaks between songs were indeed awkward! Super great to see great bands play. Super great to see Samantha, Dream, Steph, and Ryan at the show. Super great to see the three bands and buy the new CD and still spend less than $20 on the evening. Despite everything else in Seattle rising drastically in cost, still fabulous to find affordable local music!
Date #4 this weekend was great. Lots of good conversation, a shopping trip, and a bizarre and interesting night at a local studio for “theatre.” I use quotes as it’s hard to describe, but there was a combination of theatre, performance art, poetry and spoken, dance party, free dessert, and random closing ritual with the audience. It was a good week for supporting the local arts scene.
Unfortunately, date #5 (hiking with Date and his friend on Sunday) would’ve meant canceling plans with Samantha for a corn maze. And as much as I wanted to go hiking , I wasn’t ready to cancel on Samantha. She gets major props for sticking by me as a friend during my awkward return to Seattle and I don’t see her nearly enough. So Sunday, I missed well balanced Date and hiking in favor of a wet, muddy, cold trip north to the Corn Maze at the Farm! I was thinking it’s such a Northwest thing to do… corn mazes and pick your own pumpkin patches seem to be everywhere out here. But upon arrival everything reminded me of Kenya. (We were in rural northern WA, on a farm, surrounded by cows and corn fields, goats and muddy foot paths). Dream, Maggie, and Ryan also came along for the trip on a cold and rainy Sunday. The five of us did a hay maze in a barn, wandered through parts of the giant muddy 14 acre corn maze, watched a pig show, cheered for the duck races, picked our own pumpkins from the vine (3 big pumpkins for $7 is way cheap!) and ate all kinds of really yummy snacks like cider, caramel apples, fresh baked cinnamon roles, and roasted corn. My first trip to the Corn Maze at The Farm was a great success!
Got a second package from Mary last week… a book I’ve been meaning to read: Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451. So great. Thanks Mary!
Last weekend was brunch with Rod, Clare, Kat, Jon, and Blaque followed by a trip to Ikea. This weekend was dinner with Rod and Clare and a Friday night trip to Broadway.
Last weekend was a sweater party at Duff and Susie’s place… super great theme and fabulous people. This week was lunch with Susie – it was great and I got to see their new space for the Office Nomads business. Super fun!
Last weekend was Jess’s goodbye party and now Jess is out in SF. This week, and for the next month, I’ve been going over to her house to water plants, get mail, clean fridge, return library books, etc.
Kim’s goodbye party was this weekend too and it was exciting to see her off on her trip to Nepal, India, Thailand, and maybe Brazil. Maybe anywhere really. She’s got an open plane ticket, is traveling solo, put her stuff in storage, and sublet out her house. It’s her first time traveling solo and I’m excited for all of the adventures that will come her way!
It’s been cold (40s-50s) and rainy in Seattle (not just gray, but actually real rains!). We even had some hail last week and a windstorm too, along with power outages from Seattle to Olympia. Who ever said Global Warming wouldn’t keep things interesting?
Add in working 40 hours/week and doing lots of site visits out in the community, and that’s my life this week.
And I’m supposed to find time for the gym on top of all of this? Yikes! Life is busy, but it’s all good still. Hanna arrives tonight, tomorrow is pumpkin carving, Thurs is date #5 (theatre with Date and Hanna), and who knows what comes next (beyond picking a roommate, finding a Halloween costume, packing, going to Halloween parties, moving, and flying out to DC). Wish me luck!
So Monday night I joined the gym, a very fancy gym, for a free two week trial membership. It’s kind of a test for myself. Will I go for two weeks if it’s free? Will I go if it’s close by in Ballard (only 5-10 minutes away)? Will I be likely to go if I spend the $125/month to actually join this gym (or another cheaper one without a pool?). In the three days since joining, I’ve attended my first ever Yoga class (it totally kicked my butt!), my first “Aqua Fit” class (I was the youngest and fittest, but I do love pools), and my first Nia class (a little woo woo, but surprisingly fun and it definitely got my arms tired and my heart pumping!). I’ve yet to do any weights or circuits. Right now I’m just trying to check out as many of the classes as possible. I figure I’ll be more likely to attend a class than to just go on my own. Oh, and they even have free belly dancing classes among their long list of classes. Fun!
This article seemed highly relevant right now. :) Or maybe it’s just me?
Long Hours, Low Pay Turn Off Young Nonprofit Workers, Study Finds http://www.philanthropy.com/free/update/2007/03/2007031301.htm
By Caroline Preston, New York
A new survey of young nonprofit workers shows that long hours and low pay are a key reason that few of them expect to stay in the charity world throughout their professional careers — and even fewer desire to become top leaders of nonprofit organizations.
More than 70 percent of young nonprofit employees don’t ever expect to serve as the executive director of a charity, according to a new survey released last week at the national conference of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network. What’s more, 45 percent of nonprofit workers predict that their next job will not be at a charity, but in government or business, according to the survey.
“Many of our members aren’t sure they want the executive-director jobs the way they’re currently structured, and they’re also thinking of leaving the sector,” said Josh Solomon, a board member of the network, which offers training and other services to people in their 20s and 30s. Mr. Solomon, 32, is managing director of alumni engagement at Teach for America, a New York organization. Less than 9 percent said they were highly likely to seek the top job at the nonprofit group where they currently work, according to the survey of more than 1,650 of the network’s members. The average age of respondents was about 28.
Young charity workers cited burnout and low pay as the biggest reasons they might leave nonprofit work. When asked why they would not pursue leadership jobs, they cited concerns about the pressure from board members, grant makers, and heavy work burdens that face executive directors. “We need to think about ways to make these positions sustainable,” said Mr. Solomon, who presented the results. “Passion isn’t enough to keep people in these roles.”
Speakers at the conference said that nonprofit executives have done a poor job of making charities seem like appealing places to work. Frances Kunreuther, director of the Building Movement Project, a New York organization that promotes social change, says she loves her job, but she conceded at the meeting that she is one of the baby boomers who probably didn’t put the job of leading an organization in a positive light. “If you came and talked to me at 5:00 or 6:00 or 7:00 on a Friday, I would say, ‘Oy vey, this is the worst job I’ve ever had. All I do is fund raise.’”
Even as many charities are expecting to lose leaders to retirement over the next several years, they are doing little to prepare younger staff members to take over, conference participants said. Most charities are organized in a very hierarchical way, and directors tend to be too busy or unwilling to share responsibilities, participants said.
More than 70 percent of those surveyed said that job experience was what they needed most in order to prepare for a higher-level position. Getting coaching or guidance from a mentor was the second-most-cited need, followed by opportunities to learn from peers, graduate degrees, and professional workshops. “It’s not a huge financial investment our membership is looking for,” said Mr. Solomon. “It’s really time.”
In addition, charity workers said that factors like low pay are driving men and minority groups out of the field in disproportionate numbers, contributing to a lack of diversity within the profession. Moreover, charities tend to pay women lower salaries for the same work, participants said.
“A lot of us have gone to work at organizations that might have a social-justice framework, but when we get there we find that racism and sexism are still alive and well, and the glass ceiling still exists,” said Julia Beatty, a program officer at the Twenty-First Century Foundation, a New York group that raises money to help blacks promote social change. Conference participants said they are finding that some of their colleagues have to rely on spouses, parents, or other sources for the financial support to remain in the field.
Women, meanwhile, made up more than 80 percent of the people who responded to the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network survey, and also make up the majority of the association’s membership, which currently numbers more than 10,000. “You shouldn’t have to marry money to be able to work at a nonprofit over the long term,” Mr. Solomon said in an interview.
I don’t think I’ve ever gotten a note before on Boss’s Day. (I don’t think I ever knew today was Boss’s Day). However, this morning I got this lovely ditty. How nice!
“Good Morning! Just wanted to take a second and say thanks for all you do. The endless meetings, the policy review, the patient review of staff needs, wants, and hopes. We couldn’t do what we do without you so Happy Boss’s Day!!!! Keep up the great work!”
I went to my first physical therapy appointment today and was glad to know the pain in my neck and back wasn’t just inside my head. She’d manipulate my arm and then say “Wow lady! What’s happening with your shoulder?!” A few moments later she’d comment on my neck issues. She could feel all of my specific sore areas in her assessment without me even needing to point them out. After the harassment I’ve been getting from Progressive (from the agent of the jerk who hit me), the appointment today felt like a little validation that I wasn’t over reacting to the accident. She also said that most major problems from bring rear ended usually come when the victim was completely stopped/not still moving. That would explain the continued pain a month later despite it being a relatively low impact accident. Anyway, she’s given me a list of exercises to do, told me to avoid intense yoga/stretching, and said she highly recommends massage to help work the muscles and release the lactic acid(?) to get me healthier faster. Now we know…
In other unexciting news, I got a flat this past weekend and ended up spending all Sunday afternoon at the Firestone shop. I was bummed when he told me my tread was too low and they were going to have to replace all four of my tires. However, the upside of spending the $400 was discovering my traction really is way better now. It’s been a rainy fall here in hilly Seattle and the new tires actually make driving noticeably easier. Cool.
There used to be four common life phases: childhood, adolescence, adulthood and old age. Now, there are at least six: childhood, adolescence, odyssey, adulthood, active retirement and old age. Of the new ones, the least understood is odyssey, the decade of wandering that frequently occurs between adolescence and adulthood.
During this decade, 20-somethings go to school and take breaks from school. They live with friends and they live at home. They fall in and out of love. They try one career and then try another.
Their parents grow increasingly anxious. These parents understand that there’s bound to be a transition phase between student life and adult life. But when they look at their own grown children, they see the transition stretching five years, seven and beyond. The parents don’t even detect a clear sense of direction in their children’s lives. They look at them and see the things that are being delayed.
They see that people in this age bracket are delaying marriage. They’re delaying having children. They’re delaying permanent employment. People who were born before 1964 tend to define adulthood by certain accomplishments — moving away from home, becoming financially independent, getting married and starting a family.
In 1960, roughly 70 percent of 30-year-olds had achieved these things. By 2000, fewer than 40 percent of 30-year-olds had done the same.
Yet with a little imagination it’s possible even for baby boomers to understand what it’s like to be in the middle of the odyssey years. It’s possible to see that this period of improvisation is a sensible response to modern conditions.
Two of the country’s best social scientists have been trying to understand this new life phase. William Galston of the Brookings Institution has recently completed a research project for the Hewlett Foundation. Robert Wuthnow of Princeton has just published a tremendously valuable book, “After the Baby Boomers” that looks at young adulthood through the prism of religious practice.
Through their work, you can see the spirit of fluidity that now characterizes this stage. Young people grow up in tightly structured childhoods, Wuthnow observes, but then graduate into a world characterized by uncertainty, diversity, searching and tinkering. Old success recipes don’t apply, new norms have not been established and everything seems to give way to a less permanent version of itself.
Dating gives way to Facebook and hooking up. Marriage gives way to cohabitation. Church attendance gives way to spiritual longing. Newspaper reading gives way to blogging. (In 1970, 49 percent of adults in their 20s read a daily paper; now it’s at 21 percent.)
The job market is fluid. Graduating seniors don’t find corporations offering them jobs that will guide them all the way to retirement. Instead they find a vast menu of information economy options, few of which they have heard of or prepared for.
Social life is fluid. There’s been a shift in the balance of power between the genders. Thirty-six percent of female workers in their 20s now have a college degree, compared with 23 percent of male workers. Male wages have stagnated over the past decades, while female wages have risen.
This has fundamentally scrambled the courtship rituals and decreased the pressure to get married. Educated women can get many of the things they want (income, status, identity) without marriage, while they find it harder (or, if they’re working-class, next to impossible) to find a suitably accomplished mate.
The odyssey years are not about slacking off. There are intense competitive pressures as a result of the vast numbers of people chasing relatively few opportunities. Moreover, surveys show that people living through these years have highly traditional aspirations (they rate parenthood more highly than their own parents did) even as they lead improvising lives.
Rather, what we’re seeing is the creation of a new life phase, just as adolescence came into being a century ago. It’s a phase in which some social institutions flourish — knitting circles, Teach for America — while others — churches, political parties — have trouble establishing ties.
But there is every reason to think this phase will grow more pronounced in the coming years. European nations are traveling this route ahead of us, Galston notes. Europeans delay marriage even longer than we do and spend even more years shifting between the job market and higher education.
And as the new generational structure solidifies, social and economic entrepreneurs will create new rites and institutions. Someday people will look back and wonder at the vast social changes wrought by the emerging social group that saw their situations first captured by “Friends” and later by “Knocked Up.”
On Friday Lee said he thinks my short hair makes me look both younger and hipper.
Date looked directly at me, paused, and kept walking at last week’s First Thursday art walk. He apparently didn’t see me/recognize me? Though he did call mere minutes later to invite me to hang out at a nearby gallery, so at least we know it wasn’t him avoiding me. He was either lost in thought or I was well camouflaged in my new short hair.
Gwen said hi tonight at Seattle Green Drinks but didn’t immediately recognize me (she gets the excuse of both new haircut and new color I didn’t have back in July). It was fun to see the light bulb turn on when she realized I was the same woman who worked for her this summer. Great! Rather than believing I’m totally forgettable, I’ll attribute it to the crowds of over 400 that showed up for Green Drinks or maybe again to the shorter, dyed hair. Guess it really can change your look? I should call my new stylist Juliette and tell her my stories from the past week.
Trina commented today at work that she thinks the color and cut are really flattering together and that I look great. She’d first noticed the color at the baseball game last month and just thought I looked fantastic.
Susie commented multiple times tonight on how great the new hair looks and how my hair/outfit combo tonight made me look “hot to trot!” Nice! Finally someone who doesn’t think the hair is “cute.”
A guy I was chatting with at Green Drinks winked at me last night and later gave me his card. However, there’s really no way of knowing if it was my hair, my orange jacket (Rod has theories on my orange jacket), or perhaps just the beer. :)
The second date was just as fun as the first and included a screening of Hump, a fancy meal at fancy Veil, and Caroline’s goodbye party at Duck Island. Wow! He thinks my friends are nice and geeky (they are), and it seems we have more mutual friends we didn’t know about. Fun!
My parents sent me a “I love you” photo booth series of photos of them giggling, smiling, kissing, etc. Wow!
Finally went to the doctor this week about the whiplash. She says I need six months of physical therapy and that I should be good to go after that.
Went to the Fremont Arts Council rummage sale today and picked up a pair of Wolkys. They normally cost about $175, but the man offered me a barely worn (never worn?) pair for $3. I was so excited I told him I’d give him $5. :) I have fond memories of the Art Council rummage sales… I bought my first couch in Seattle there for FREE and even got it delivered. I only had to pay the driver in the form of a meal from Dick’s. It’s the fabulous couch Beal slept on when I lived in Capitol Hill and is the couch Kathy kept when I moved out of my Greenlake apartment.
Helped Jess as she sorted through boxes today. She got rid of tons of stuff and made fabulous progress. Not sure if I’ll move into her house or not. No news there yet but will decide soon as she moves in one week.
I’m off now to Rod’s birthday now in Belltown… yay brownies, birthdays, and hot tubs!
Cindy and I seem to be on the same torn and crumpled page this week on our path to readjustment. Not so great for either of us trying to get through it, but perhaps good to know we’re not alone in the process.
The haircut seems to have good reviews so far. 95% of everyone who’s seen me says “oh! your hair is cute!” Feels like that’s apparently the mandatory response? Or perhaps I have a “cute” haircut? I wouldn’t guess “cute” if I saw it on a friend, but who knows. Jess offered the only non cute adjective thus far and she thinks it’s not just cute but also “feisty.” Interesting.
Susan is back from Palestine this week and it was good hearing some of what’s she up to with her new NGO trying to get support for affordable water programs.
Met two Kenyans at Susan’s party, and met a third person who just spent a year there volunteering. Reminders of my Kenyan life seem to be everywhere.
It’s cold this week. Seems unnecessary for it to already get down into the 40s. On the plus side, my landlord has turned on the radiators (he controls the whole building).
I’m drinking lots of tea and hot cocoa these days.
First Thursday Art Walk was cold last night and there weren’t many vendors at Occidental Park.
Despite the fact that I generally love doing dishes, I currently haven’t done dishes in two days.
Had some friends over for dinner Wednesday (hence all of the dishes) and had a good time. Didn’t get around to playing Hoopla, but did enjoy the soup, salads, red wine, and conversation.
Don’t know if I’ll move or not, but I do know that I’ll buy Dieter’s couch either way. I also know if I end up moving, I might consider attempting a Sunday Dinner reunion if I’m allowed and if people might attend.
I’m off to a staff meeting followed by date night and Caroline’s goodbye party. Yay Fridays!
The good news is I finally got approved/enrolled in my new insurance since starting back at work last month! Why they need to wait till the first of each month to enroll people is beyond me. Regardless, I’m now enrolled and my body is still quite creaky/tired. This means I finally get to see a doctor. Yay!
Many happy birthday wishes go out today to my sister in law Stef, and many more happy wishes go to Stef and Charlie their 8th wedding anniversary later this week!
Saw Aldo’s band play last night at the Blue Moon… was a good show. My body’s been sore and exhausted all week since the accident, but I managed a necessary, tiny disco nap before the show and was pretty awake once Jess and I arrived. The music was good and I like the sharing of mic on different songs. I like the drum machine too, though I wish them luck finding a new live drummer. I think my two favorites were their ode to Seattle and the last song in Spanish, but all were enjoyable. Can’t believe I was too exhausted/too asleep to bring my camera. No pictures from me. Next time. Speaking of next time: Their next show is Oct 1st at the High Dive in Fremont. Come on over and help support young local musicians.
At the tail end of the Host set, Lee and the Point Eight Three crowd showed up. No Caroline, but Lee was in good form. Good to see him. And good to see the boys not quite so drunk as the last time… they’re much more chatty, social, and fun when not completely wasted. Gotta love bike boys. :)
Yesterday I was still sore and still nursing a headache, but at least I wasn’t a mess. Last night I hung out with Susie and she reminded me of the story about the day she was hit by a car… she showed up for dinner and when they brought a slice of ham on her veggie burger it made her burst into tears right then and there. Guess it’s not so bad for me yesterday to end up in tears in the comfort of my own home. I suppose the shock or the adrenaline can be pretty strong emotions.
Later in the evening I went to the photo group mtg, my first time attending in almost two years. Was fun to see some familiar faces and fun to meet new people. By 10pm though I was exhausted and ready for to head home to an early bedtime. Guess my body’s taking a little time to get caught up…
Yesterday I was productive and loving work. I got home, did some shopping, replanted my new plants, even did some baking. Nice. Today I woke up one full hour before my alarm (against my will), but used the time to do my finances, catch up on some emails, eat breakfast, and even cook myself lunch. Not a bad morning. Then at 8:30am on my way to work a large guy in a silver minivan rear ended me in my Honda. My first thought was “Are you kidding me?” My second thought was “My head hurts.” I get headaches maybe once or twice a year. Incredibly rare. And yet, today, my head ache was so bad all day it kept me totally distracted and uber cranky at work. Every little thing feels that much more unbearable today. People seem extra flaky which feels extra unacceptable to me. I feel extra paranoid, also equally unacceptable in me. But seriously, 14 hours later, my head is still killing me. I’m not so interested in living the cliché, but I think I might actually have whiplash. How ridiculously awful is that? I think there’s a part of me that wants pity, that wants to cry, that wants to crawl into a little ball on one of my many futons. And then I begin to psychoanalyze myself… am I distraught because of the headache? Do I now actually have time to think and my brain is just rebelling, perhaps it saved all kinds of good stuff for now that I didn’t have time to focus on or process earlier? I don’t know. I’m not sure I’m a big fan of psychoanalysis… especially when I’m the untrained one doing it to myself. All I do know right now is that I don’t want to see anyone, don’t want to be myself, and mostly just want someone to hug me, stroke my hair, and tell me it’s all going to be okay. Right now, however, the tears have started and I’m a mess. So much for no psychoanalysis. On the bright side, when I got home from work tonight my favorite new plant, the Calathea zebrina (or the more aptly named Zebra Plant), looked dead to the world. Guess my repotting last night about did it in. However, with some TLC and a few hours time, it bounced back and is now as perky as can be. Let’s hope this Zebra plant is a parable for my own misery tonight and let’s hope that by morning I’ll have had all kinds of TLC in my sleep and that everything will be bright and welcoming in the AM. Hope y’all are less messed up than me tonight. Let’s hope this headache goes away soon.
Unlike all of the magazines carrying Africa articles that make me cry, this Time magazine “special report” just makes me pretty happy. There’s a huge spread in the last Time about National Service. It’s what I do, and have been doing, since 2001. I find great value in the program and find the work incredibly rewarding (even if I do tend to work long hours). Apparently Caroline Kennedy also is a huge fan… which also makes me happy. Read on: http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/0,28757,1657256,00.html
A brief excerpt:
When Americans look around right now, they see a public-school system with 38% of fourth graders unable to read at a basic level; they see the cost of health insurance escalating as 47 million people go uninsured; they see a government that responded ineptly to a hurricane in New Orleans; and they see a war whose ends they do not completely value or understand.
But there is something else we are seeing in the land. Polls show that while confidence in our democracy and our government is near an all-time low, volunteerism and civic participation since the ’70s are near all-time highs. Political scientists are perplexed about this. If confidence is so low, why would people bother volunteering? The explanation is pretty simple. People, especially young people, think the government and the public sphere are broken, but they feel they can personally make a difference through community service.
So there you go, folks. I’m not really too different than anyone else for believing that we all have something to contribute and that together we can all make a difference in the community. Go us!
It’s Tuesday, it’s 11pm, and I’m exhausted. Guess maybe I am sick after all. I was planning to cook dinner tonight and watch a DVD, but that really didn’t happen. Instead I think I’ll just go to bed early. G’night y’all…
What’d I do this week? Hard to say, but it’s been busy.
I saw Crow last Sunday.
I ran 3 miles at 6am. I also saw Caroline, Jess, and Lee on Monday night for the studio unveiling and a friend’s birthday at Doc Watsons.
I did dinner with Rod and Clare in my new place on Tuesday (we had Paseo… yum!).
Ran 3 miles at 6:15am. And Will Isbell was in town so I saw him Wed and Thurs after work.
And later Wed I saw Jess and Caroline for the first half of the hair dying party. And I bought spices at Whole Foods… such a great field trip! I [heart] spices!
And later Thursday I did coffee with Susie and then dinner at Dahlia Lounge with good ol’ 19 yr old Nick from Malawi. He left for college on Saturday, so we wanted to catch up one more time before he left. And it was great to eat at Dahlia… I’d never been to the Tom Douglas restaurant before and it was good! We’re hoping to set up 19 yr old Nick with Tom’s high school daughter Loretta, but we’ll see.
Friday night was Cuban night dinner and party in First Hill and it was like a mini AC reunion… great fun! However, I was positively exhausted and left at midnight after feeling tired and light headed. I went home and proceeded to sleep for 10+ hours… very rare. Maybe I caught the bug Ryan caught? He’s been sick this week and stayed home from work for two days…
Saturday was errands day with Jess… including final unpacking and straightening of the apartment. Saturday night was Date Night with Ryan. Still a nice guy… who knew?
Sunday was more errands in the morning, starting with getting quality time and veggies from Dieter and Emily. Errands included Goodwill and garage sales (where I got a sweet pair of sunglasses and a tree in a box for only $0.70. :) Jess and I went hiking around St. Edwards State Park and then dyed my hair in the evening. It was supposed to be “auburn brown 56″ (normal brown with a hint of red) but turned out very, very dark making me feel quite pale despite my lingering African tan. Alas… guess it’s my new fall ‘do? Guess it’s better than the natural sun bleaching I’ve had since Africa, but really I just wanted to get back to my normal color, sans dark and sans light. Ah well. No big deal, it’s just hair.
It’s now Monday, almost 8am, and that means I should be working. Coming up this week… Labor Day, Bumbershoot music festival, lots and lots of work, Charles’s birthday, Mom and Samantha’s birthday, and who knows what else. Hope everyone had a lovely week. Be well!
I moved into my new place last night, which made for a pretty darn exciting Sunday night! Only took a few trips in the Honda and one trip of Jess’s station wagon. I realize I’m missing a few things that I was absolutely confident I kept (matching whole silverware set; expensive down comforter), some things sadly had some mildew/mold (now I’m forced to do dry cleaning), but most things that made it here are thankfully intact. I’ve got other things I thought I’d kept (toolbox? salt and pepper shakers John Dunn gave me?), but have no idea where they might have gone. The kitchen is fully unpacked, but the rest will need a few days till I’m sorted. Pictures will be posted eventually. It’s a small studio so it really won’t take many pictures to get the idea across. :)
The rest of the weekend was also lovely. Since last Sunday’s update, I finished my environmental consulting contract and started working full time with my nonprofit again. Definitely a busy week. I also made it out to one of the Outdoor Movies at the Mural (saw the original Hairspray, perfectly seated on a blanket next to really fun and rowdy gay men). I don’t think I’ve seen a movie at the Mural since Beal spent the summer with me in Seattle a million years ago. I also started exercising (long overdue) with running a few miles here and there. This morning’s wet and rainy run with Steph was at 6am. It was a bit less than ideal after a late night unpacking, but still worthwhile and very necessary.
Also managed to fit in lunch with Maggie and Ian (yay!), hanging out and gardening time with Samantha (always fabulous), date night with Ryan (seemingly going well), a Mariner’s game (we won), and hanging with Jess and Caroline (yay neighbors). Was also fortunate to see Miss Crow who’s in town working this summer. She and Ajit left Houston, are doing MBAs in Boston, but she ended up here for her internship. I was happy to catch up with her after so long and was happy to wander the Fremont Sunday Market (even if it was raining steadily much of the weekend). Oh! And I even got to eat two GF meals this weekend: a cinnamon roll from Flying Apron on Sunday (gluten free goodies at the market) and Saturday morning breakfast at DaVinci’s (a new-ish gluten free cafe north on Greenwood). I’m sure I’ve missed other stuff, but in short I’m well. Life still feels busier than necessary, but overall life is good. No complaints. Definitely thankful for friends and opportunities, and definitely appreciative of how life is beginning to fall into place.
The overarching sadness of the week was due to Martha and Abbey leaving Seattle for new exciting times in DC. Martha wouldn’t allow entering into discussions of goodbyes, which was hard to accept, but I tried. So while I didn’t get much of a goodbye here in Seattle, I was lucky enough to see her daily for the past week. And even better than that, I know I’ll get to see them during my next visit to DC and on their visits back to Seattle. I’ll greatly miss them both and wish them all the best of luck on their future endeavors. (And I’ll probably post more about them soon… they’ve been on my mind). :)
So life is good, even if Marth and Abbey left us for new adventures. Now I just need to get my apartment settled so I can eventually focus some energy on job search. Wish me luck!
Hmm… I’m all about Eclipse mints in the blue tins, but I just tried some of the new “Lemon Ice Eclipse” gum and thought it was pretty disgusting. “Tastes like cough syrup” would be the kindest possible way of saying it. Just my two cents worth… carry on with the rest of your day.
“I don’t really know why I care so much. I just have something inside me that tells me that there is a problem and I have got to do something about it. So I am doing something about it. I think that is what I would call the god in me; and all of us have a god in us and that god is the spirit that unites all life, everything that is on this planet. And it must be this voice that is telling me to do something and I’m sure it is the same voice that is speaking to everybody on this planet, at least everybody who seems to be concerned about the fate of this world, the fate of this planet.”
- Wangari Maathai (Kenyan woman, Nobel prize winner)
Hey kids,
Wangari Maathai is coming to Seattle in September to speak at Benaroya Hall. Tickets are $25 for the upper deck and the speech is Wed Sept 19th at 7pm. Who’s with me? I know Susie, Jess, and Nancy are in. Anyone else?
After leaving Austin last week and trekking through Roswell, the Grand Canyon National Park, Sedona, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Crater Lake National Park, and Portland, Caroline and I made it to Seattle in the wee hours of the morning! Yay road trips! Other than a little smoking engine in Roswell (maybe it was the aliens?), the drive was uneventful and very fun. Visited lots of friends along the way (Chris & Aimee, Meg, Scott & Zoey, Ajit, Sue, Jess, Alan), camped at and visited national parks, made it to Flagstaff on the day of BeerFest 2007, missed the Roswell 60th anniversary space ship crash celebrations by one week, enjoyed lots of fantastic scenery, managed to avoid all rush hours, did some short hikes, and did lots of people watching. Managed to only stop at one Dairy Queen the whole trip (despite the frequent barrage of attacks on my will power/self control). It was a fun time overall and a highly recommended trip if anyone is looking for an excuse to get in a car for a week.
It’s raining here in Seattle today… what a fitting welcome home after a long time gone in Africa. Today was my first day back and it was spent seeing Erin, hanging with Caroline and her parents, and going to the Harry Potter release party with Jess tonight. Also spent some time today unloading the car and looking through my boxes in storage. Fun, fun. It’s basically now time to look for a job, though that’ll probably wait till Monday. For now I get Hope everyone is well!
I rarely send/post forwards, but I’m about to return to lovely Seattle after a long absence so I thought I’d share this one as it felt pretty accurate. Reminded me of the similar one about Austin I’ll have to post soon.
You might be from the Pacific Northwest if:
1. You know the state flower (Mildew)
2. You feel guilty throwing aluminum cans or paper in the trash.
3. Use the statement “sun break” and know what it means.
4. You know more than 10 ways to order coffee.
5. You know more people who own boats than air conditioners.
6. You feel overdressed wearing a suit to a nice restaurant.
7. You stand on a deserted corner in the rain waiting for the “Walk” Signal.
8. You consider that if it has no snow or has not recently erupted, it is not a real mountain.
9. You can taste the difference between Starbucks, Seattle’s Best, and Tully’s.
10. You know the difference between Chinook, Coho, and Sockeye salmon.
11. You know how to pronounce Sequim, Puyallup, Issaquah, Oregon, Yakima and Willamette.
12. You consider swimming an indoor sport.
13. You can tell the difference between Japanese, Chinese and Thai food.
14. In winter, you go to work in the dark and come home in the dark – while only working eight-hour days.
15. You never go camping without waterproof matches and a poncho.
16. You are not fazed by “Today’s forecast: showers followed by rain,” and “Tomorrow’s forecast: rain followed by showers.”
17. You cannot wait for a day with “showers and sun breaks.”
18. You have no concept of humidity without precipitation.
19. You know that Boring is a town in Oregon and not just a state of mind.
20. You can point to at least two volcanoes, even if you cannot see through the cloud cover.
21. You notice, “The mountain is out” when it is a pretty day and you can actually see it.
22. You put on your shorts when the temperature gets above 50, but still wear your hiking boots and parka.
23. You switch to your sandals when it gets about 60, but keep the socks on.
24. You have actually used your mountain bike on a mountain.
25. You think people who use umbrellas are either wimps or tourists.
26. You knew immediately that the view out of Frasier’s window was fake.
27. You buy new sunglasses every year, because use you cannot find the old ones after such a long time.
28. You measure distance in hours.
29. You often switch from “heat” to “a/c” in the same day.
30. You use a down comforter in the summer.
31. You carry jumper cables in your car and your wife knows how to use them.
32. You design your kid’s Halloween costume to fit under a raincoat.
33. You know all the important seasons: Almost Winter, Winter, Still Raining (Spring), and Road Construction (Summer).
34. You actually understood these jokes and will probably forward them!
I love this kind of stuff. I really do and I always have. Anyone remember the Aussie flick Danny Deckchair? Yes it was a bit cutesy, but it was fun. Well, it was inspired by real life Larry Lawnchair from LA, and now there’s a new adventurer from the West Coast. Let’s hear it for Mr. Couch from Oregon who just took a 193 mile journey on a lawn chair tied to helium balloons. (his website: www.couchballoons.com). Who wants to join me for a flight someday? Anyone?? C’mon… it’d be fun!
Mazel tov!! Suzan and Jeremy tied the knot today in their final day of wedding festivities! It was my first Jewish wedding extravaganza, it was fabulous meeting so many good people, and I felt truly blessed to have so much quality time with the bride (and even the groom). Expect photos to come soon, but no guarantees when. Tonight I’m falling asleep at the keyboard and tomorrow I fly out of Chicago and head to Asheville. G’night y’all!
Ben, Dan, and Scott came home tonight to watch the Flight of the Conchords on HBO (every Sunday at 9:30pm central?). We watched two episodes in a row and I’d have to agree it was quite entertaining in a ridiculous dry humor funny kind of way. Believe it or not, I actually laughed out loud (rare, but it does happen).
“Getting dirty makes me feel good.”
~ Scott, Ben’s friend
(Apparently Scott’s been lazy lately and no longer showers on the weekend)
I’m in Chicago this week, staying with Ben (former coworker from Seattle) and hanging out with Suzan (college friend from Austin and blushing bride to be). It’s been busy and fun and cold and windy… what happened to summer? I will write and post pics later when I get a chance to catch my breath. For now know that my fingernails are shiny pink and manicured and that we’re busy doing lots of girly wedding stuff this week. Oh, and I’m learning more than I ever imagined about Jewish weddings, sheets, Jewish cleansing spas, and so much more. Yay Jews!
The beautiful thing about life is that there’s never any shortage of possibilties for the future. Today I arrived home in Austin after one and a half years on the road. The homecoming was great… the first two people I saw at the airport were my sister in law Stef holding my baby nephew Gus, and Gus smiling a giant smile and holding a “Welcome Home Aunt Laura” sign. It was pretty fantastic and I was thrilled to finally meet him. Charlie, Mom, and Dad all arrived shortly thereafter and there were lots of hugs and a fun dinner catching up. Of course the conversation turned to my plans for the future. Am I finally going to move back to Austin? I don’t have answers for the future, but I am prepared to dwell in the many possiblities. It seems to me, the more I travel and the more I learn, the more possibilities there are that I’d never even considered before. Perhaps I’ll start looking into grad school. I will most probably look for work in Seattle. Maybe move back to Austin. Maybe look for work in Africa. I know everyone wants answers about the future, but I’m afriad right now I only have questions and endless possibilities.
I’ve been thinking maybe I should change this from “JustLaura” to “JustBabies.” I guess once you’re 30 everyone and their sister are at the age that makes having babies seem like the thing to do. Which leads me to… another exciting baby announcement. My old friend Laura from middle school is going to have a little boy in October! Guess that means I’ve got the perfect excuse for another trip to NYC!
Hahahah now you will have to face the real world again like the rest of us. I suggest selling out in a major way. You know, get married, have kids, buy a Hummer. You’ll love it.
From Will: “Jackie and I (mostly her) had our baby! Willa Evangelina Pursley (named after my and her grandmothers, respectively) on 2/13/07 at 10:01pm. 7lb 9oz and 19″. Yay! Mom & baby are both fine.”
From Elizabeth: “Livia Johanne Thomas is with us now as of 1:09 Wed March 21st. She weighs in at 8 pounds 12 ounces and measures 21.25 inches in length — a nice, healthy chunk of baby! She’s properly adorable, and baby and I are both doing well.”
Crazy news today kids… Beer in the US is going gluten free! Now if only WonderBread or Hostess Twinkies went gluten free I’d really be excited! Read on…
Anheuser-Busch goes gluten-free
Nation’s largest brewer enters niche inhabited successfully by Milwaukee’s Lakefront
By TOM DAYKIN – tdaykin@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Dec. 20, 2006
Yes, Anheuser-Busch Cos. is the nation’s largest brewer, controlling about half the U.S. beer market.
And, yes, the company that brews Budweiser, Bud Light and other well-known mainstream brands operates an incredibly effective marketing machine, filling the airwaves and other media with clever ads.
Russ Klisch, operator of Milwaukee’s Lakefront Brewery Inc., freely concedes both points. But Klisch didn’t bat an eye Wednesday when he heard that Anheuser-Busch had launched a beer that will directly compete with a Lakefront niche product – one that’s been driving the tiny brewery’s double-digit sales growth.
Just because Anheuser-Busch is now selling a gluten-free beer – similar to Lakefront’s New Grist gluten-free brew – doesn’t mean “they’re going to be pushing everyone else out,” Klisch said.
“We’re not backing down, that’s for sure,” he said.
Lakefront a year ago launched New Grist, a gluten-free beer brewed with sorghum. It’s targeted to people with celiac disease, a genetic disorder that makes it difficult to digest many grain-based products, including beer.
New Grist has been a big hit for Lakefront, which expects its sales volume to grow by over 40% this year. About 80% to 90% of that growth is tied to New Grist, which is sold in 17 states and is the fastest-growing brand ever launched by Lakefront.
People with celiac disease cannot tolerate gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, rye and oats.
Nearly all beers are made with malted barley, making them off limits for people who have the disease. Sorghum has emerged as an acceptable alternative for making beer, with New Grist joining two other small, gluten-free beers in the United States.
Anheuser-Busch acknowledged this summer it was interested in possibly creating a gluten-free beer. The company’s gluten-free brand, known as Redbridge, was officially launched with Wednesday’s announcement.
“We set out to create a fine, handcrafted specialty beer made without wheat or barley,” Angie Minges, an Anheuser-Busch product manager, said in a statement. “We’ve made Redbridge nationally available to make sure adults who experience wheat allergies, or who choose a gluten-free or wheat-free diet, can enjoy the kind of beer that fits their lifestyle.”
Minges said Anheuser-Busch will not buy TV ads for Redbridge because it’s a niche product. But the brewer will spend an undisclosed amount on marketing, including print ads and ads on Internet sites for people with celiac disease.
Klisch said the launch of Redbridge could be good for New Grist because it “validates” sorghum beers. He said New Grist, priced from $6.99 to $9.99 for a six-pack, will match up on pricing with Redbridge, which carries a suggested retail price of $7.99.
Also, New Grist has won praise for its taste, including a gold medal in the experimental beers category at this fall’s Great American Beer Festival. New Grist competed with 36 other beers in that category.
Still, this is Anheuser-Busch.
Last year, it sold around 102 million barrels. Thanks to New Grist, Lakefront expects to set a new sales record for 2006 – of 9,000 barrels.
Klisch, who started Lakefront in 1987 by selling kegs to nearby taverns in the Riverwest neighborhood, admits it gives him pause.
But just enough to make a quip.
“Only 50 percent of the people out there want to drink Anheuser-Busch beer,” Klisch said, referring to his giant competitor’s market share. “I get the other 50 percent.”
“hi cat, i had a dream about you. i don’t remember much except that it was really good to see you! and there was a big group of people and at one point you pulled out a bunch a sandwitch fixin’s, like cut up cucumbers, tomatos, bread etc. we were supposed to all make our lunches with that stuff. it was funny bc i guess i internalized that you are like the mother hen! always supplying the necessaries. oh funny. anyway, can you bring home beef jerky? i don’t know if it’s legal, but if so, i’d be fascinated to try it.”
How did I miss this in geography class when we learned about the earth’s initial land mass splitting into two before splitting further into the rest of the continents?
Anyone have any idea why I’m rejected? The original message was rejected, and even this one too!! C’mon… I’m innocent just trying to mail my friend. Geez…
Technical details of permanent failure:
PERM_FAILURE: SMTP Error (state 12): 557 This email is rejected. It contains keywords rejected by the antispam content filter.
—– Original message —–
Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2007 17:07:42 +0300
From: Cat
Subject: thanks!
I wrote a long email to thank you for the care package (wow!) but your
spam content thing denied me and bounced it back. I didn’t even
mention the unmentionable fun items you sent, so it must’ve rejected
some other content in my email? Maybe it didn’t like the name of the
magazie you sent? Either way, thanks for the great stuff and best
wishes for the new year.
Guess what?
I’m back in the village! My return was a bit sooner than I expected but I was asked to help with orientation so here I am. It’s fun to be back though it makes me miss the gorgeous countryside, the friends, our great house, the work and kids, etc.
I’m happy to be here to meet the new volunteers and help them acclimate a little. I think it’s fair to say the two new male volunteers here are a bit less experienced. I suspect they might have a hard time adjusting, but I’m sure they’ll adjust eventually. Both are really good guys, but with considerably less experience in travel, work, cooking, washing by hand, etc. I know they’ll be fine, and they don’t want me to worry about them, but I still have to giggle at some of what they say.
Filtering water seems like too much work and one asked about buying bottled water for the year. Another was looking for paper plates in the local supermarket so they wouldn’t have to do dishes. (Paper plates are non-existent around here). Both admit to still wearing dirty clothes as they haven’t tried hand washing yet since arrival. And both said they weren’t going to make it through the year if they have to use the existing toilet in the house. (Which is totally fine, not smelly, clean white ceramic, etc). Those things are kinda funny to me, and I know in time they’ll find a way to exist that works for them.
The part that actually makes me worry a bit about their health is the cooking. Neither knows how to cook. They told me they’d eat just rice and potatoes, but admitted to not even knowing how to cook rice. I’m not exaggerating. They don’t want to buy veggies, or meat, or milk or anything. Neither has eaten breakfast yet for the days they’ve been in the house… they actually said out loud that it was too much work to walk across the courtyard and unlock the kitchen. Also said lighting the stove was too much work to cook things. One asked about microwave prices. The boys are seemingly firm – and open – about not wanting to cook, filter water, etc. I’m sure given time they’ll be fine, but for now I do worry a bit and hope for their sake that their adjustment is relatively quick and painless. They’re both genuinely nice guys, and I’d hate to see house adjustments affect their overall enjoyment of Kenya.
You know how it is… if all of the cool kids are doing it, you’ve got to do it too. And since Charles and Mike both posted their answers to these lists when they turned 30, I suppose I could do the same. Following their lead, here’s my reflection on what I’ve done in the past decade of my life:
Places I’ve visited for the first time: Cities:Seattle, Nairobi, Lamu, Kisumu, Mombassa, Nakuru, Johannesburg, Cairo, Luxor, Amsterdam, Guatemala City, Antigua, New Delhi, Varanasi, Seoul, Vancouver, Montreal, Quebec City, Tijuana, London, Prague, Berlin, Dresden, Budapest, Vienna, Venice, Rome, Vatican City, Siena, Florence, Nice, Monaco, Barcelona, Interlaken, Paris, Albuquerque, Hartford, Baltimore, Houston, Dallas, El Paso, New Orleans, Louisville, Las Vegas, Colorado Springs (I’m sticking with the bigger cities here… way too many small ones to mention) States: Washington, New Mexico, Connecticut, Kentucky, Colorado (I traveled to/through many states on various road trips and visits to friends, but most states I was lucky enough to visit or pass through as a child or teenager on family road trips) Countries: Kenya, South Africa, Egypt, the Netherlands, Guatemala, India, Korea, France, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Italy, Monaco, Spain, Switzerland, and Canada (this covers most of my international travel except earlier trips to Mexico, Costa Rica, and Panama as a 17 or 18 year old)
Things I’ve done for the first time (mostly in chronological order):
Performed in the Rocky Horror Picture Show
Went on a date with a DJ from 101X
Was a bridesmaid in a friend’s wedding (for the first of many times)
Graduated from college with a BBA
Stood on Roman ruins, Egyptian pyramids, and Mayan tombs
Went to a (slightly scary) Hungarian day spa
Rode (almost crashed) a moped into a mob of Japanese tourists
Started an IT career
Taught at an inner city high school
Ended an IT career
Started a nonprofit career
Went to Tulip Festivals and Lumberjack Competitions
Picked wild blackberries and pet bumblebees
Hosted beach BBQs and bonfires
Snowboarded (on Mt. Rainier)
Kayaked (around the San Juan Islands)
Hiked (all over the Northwest)
Saw Pearl Jam in concert
Bought a new car
Learned to drive stick shift
Rode a mechanical bull at a tequila bar on a road trip to Tijuana
Helped start a photography group (for hobbyists and professionals alike)
Wore wedding dresses for (Br)ides of March celebrations
Sold my photography in gallery shows
Started a photography website
Wore body paint for the Solstice Parade naked bike ride
Attended the UW Graduate School of Public Affairs (received a Certificate in Nonprofit Management)
Started a travel website
Lived in rural Africa
Started eating meat after almost 15 years
Won prizes in a dance competition
Read a book per week (sometimes more)
Raised chickens
Became an aunt (hi Gus!)
Embraced kitenge
Did yoga
Dreamt
Things I remember:
1997: My first real apartment was the nicest I’ve ever had. Our road trip to New Orleans for spring break, on some level, felt like I was living in a movie. Stock the Sex Toy Closet Party garnered me my first porn movies and my first threat at eviction. Year full of denying advances by married men. Still wore lots of short skirts (God only knows why; it must have seemed like the thing to do). Lived in Dallas and dated a nice guy for perhaps the first time ever (and consequently didn’t know what to do with that situation).
1998: Thursday night dancing at Planet Austin. Theme parties. Road trip from Austin to San Francisco where Dan and I decided to make a side trip to Las Vegas while Andy was sleeping. Lots of happy hours and private VIP rooms at posh Houston night clubs. Discovered the beauty of high speed internet in my new purple and yellow zebra stripped apartment. Woke up to find men in my bedroom playing networked computer games in the early morning hours. Recruited by extravagant consulting companies with fancy meals, plane trips, ball games, limo rides, sailing trips, even white water rafting.
1999: Wore a short leopard print dress, high heels, and a tiara to my business school graduation (and brought multiple cases of bubbles for entertainment for the impossibly long and dull ceremony). Went to Walt Disney World and the Florida coast with Droopy (and still didn’t manage to see him ever wear shorts). Had a great time doing the classic and much anticipated back packing trip across Europe. Drank beer at 7am with a train car full of drunk German soccer players.
2000: Drove a hot pink Hummer from Houston to Austin and back. Spent my Y2K new years in a casino on the beach in Atlantic City with Mitch. Threw some great parties with Houston friends and ate lots of nice meals. Lived the high life of consulting in the dot com boom. Partied it up on my first international business trip for a few wild weeks in London. International hot air balloon festival almost convinced me to buy a hot air balloon (while they cost less than a Geo Metro, I decided against it). Spent a few months working impossibly long hours in Louisville, Kentucky.
2001: The idea of moving to Seattle where I knew no one (and taking a job with a $40,000 pay cut) seemed like the most exciting idea ever, so I quit and road tripped across country to start afresh. Added a blog to my six year old website. Spent an amazing summer with Beal sleeping a few feet below my loft bed on the couch, going out on an endless search for new and exciting nightlife. Spent the day of 9/11 providing moral support to Erin while also worrying about Dieter (he was supposed to fly home from NYC to Seattle that same day). Spent two great weeks in the mountains doing trail work with crazy 12-15 year olds. Went to my first Pride parade.
2002: Obeyed the repeated warnings for those of us running with the Olympic torch in the 2002 Salt Lake City Torch Parade: “Don’t use hairspray.” Went to Wisconsin to be in the wedding of a super cool bride and groom whom I’d never meet (the wedding was on 2/2/2002). Got very sick for a few months and eventually found out I was allergic to wheat gluten. Surprised at myself when I had a really hard time after Dieter and I broke up.
2003: Started hanging out with photographers and vegetarians. Went to Hawaii with my most generous friend Charles. Good year for spontaneity. Went on a two state road trip with Jens, a man I’d only met for about a half hour, and shortly thereafter decided to accept his invitation to join him for the holidays in India. The trip to India ended up quite amazing, even if the resulting relationship was never meant to be. Walking solo at dawn and seeing burning bodies and smelling burning flesh alongside the Ganges River was one of the more intense experiences of my life.
2004: Felt defeated. Felt rejuvenated. Joined KEXP 500 Club. Did my first two gallery shows and sold my first photograph. The first show was in August and I missed it because I was in Guatemala at a conference on sustainability where I met an amazing Egyptian Samer who was doing his doctorate in Canada. Had a great time seeing friends when I came to Austin for ACL Fest. Taking a donkey ride through the Valley of the Kings in Luxor, Egypt was one of my more mind boggling experiences as I tried to wrap my brain around the magnitude of the history preserved in the tombs I visited below ground. Attempting the hike up Mt. Sinai by moonlight in December was super cold and windy, but totally worth seeing the sunrise from the top with Samer.
2005: Thursday night eighties dancing at Neighbors. First solo gallery show. Helped take care of my grandfather in the ICU; painful to watch him get a little better but still die soon after. Month long consulting gig allowed bonding time with my coworkers at the NYC Department of Sanitation. My brother called me over Labor Day weekend when I was out at the Gorge to see Pearl Jam and Tom Petty on back to back nights. I was hiking on the day between shows when he called to tell me they were pregnant by asking the question “How does ‘Aunt Laura’ sound to you?” That same weekend, funding for Kenya was approved and I was officially offered the job as the first international volunteer with my nonprofit.
2006: Year in Kenya was my longest period of time overseas (previous longest was a summer spent volunteering in Costa Rica at age 17). Learned to raise chickens, speak Swahili, make ugali, dance to zilizopendwa, and drive on the opposite side of the road. Observed firsthand the hardships of life of disabled children in rural Africa, worked with many amazingly sweet disabled kids and families. Cried when Pavin died and got angry when Douglas died. Visited AIDS Hospice, AIDS Orphanage, and other AIDS programmes in Nairobi slums. Learned to write and spell like the British. Ate meat, semi-regularly, for the first time in about fifteen years. Watched wrestling with Kenyan Catholic priests. Spent fun week in (developed/first world) South Africa. Watched my parents experience two weeks of life in Kenya including boda boda rides and social visits to mud huts (complete with live termites for snacks). Turned thirty, grew more gray hair, became unemployed for the first time in my life, and have few if any regrets from the last ten years.
In conclusion, I’ll quote Captain Mike with his deep reflection “I know everyone will find this just fascinating, but it’s nice for me to see all of the random crap I’ve done with myself for the last 10 years.”
Excerpt from Stef’s latest email about my baby nephew Gus:
He is sitting up really well and sometimes can be heard saying what really sounds like ‘mama’. Love it! He has also been eating his feet the last few days and recently started reaching for his penis. :) Super!
Josh sent me this bizarre link for the first annual synchronized global orgasm for peace day. His one word comment on the event: “yikes.” I’ve been invited to march for peace and pray for peace, and I suppose this is just the next step in our long process towards peace. Did I mention I was highly entertained to see the global orgasm for peace day is scheduled for my birthday on December 22? Everyone be sure to save the date…
It’s not that they really have too much time on their hands, it’s just that somehow smart kids always seem to find a way to get themselves into trouble. In high school, it was the Irreverent Walter Cult – the seniors with the top rankings and high IQs who made irreverent t-shirts, pulled pranks, and almost got themselves expelled a few days before graduation.
Seems the smart kids at MIT carry on the tradition carrying out “hacks” over the years. One of the most recent was putting a “MIT Fire Department” truck on the dome of the university (despite the fact the university doesn’t have a fire department). You can check it out and think of anyone you know who might currently be at MIT who’d be involved in such a prank. Go team!
Speaking of marathons… my friend Pete just finished the Chicago Marathon 277th overall out of 33,000 people! He says, “not too bad, but I hoped for better.” I say, “pretty freaking impressive!”
(AP) In the first comprehensive global study of sexual behavior, U.K. researchers found that people aren’t losing their virginity at ever-younger ages, married people have the most sex, and there is no firm link between promiscuity and sexually transmitted diseases.
The study was published Wednesday as part of a series on sexual and reproductive health by the U.K. medical journal The Lancet. Professor Kaye Wellings of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicines and her colleagues analyzed data from 59 countries.
Experts say the study will be useful not only in dispelling popular myths about sexual behavior but in shaping policies that will help improve sexual health across the world.
Researchers looked at published studies on sexual behavior in the last decade. They also used data from national governments worldwide. Wellings noted that since the survey results were based on self-reporting, they could be susceptible to error.
Wellings said she was surprised by some of the survey’s results. ”We did have some of our preconceptions dashed,” she said, explaining they had expected to find the most promiscuous behavior in regions like Africa with the highest rates of sexually transmitted diseases. That was not the case, as multiple partners were more commonly reported in industrialized countries where the incidence of such diseases was relatively low.
“There’s a misperception that there’s a great deal of promiscuity in Africa, which is one of the potential reasons for HIV/AIDS spreading so rapidly,” said Paul Van Look, director of Reproductive Health and Research at the World Health Organization, who was not connected to the study. ”But that view is not supported by the evidence.”
Wellings said the research implies that promiscuity may be less important than factors such as poverty and education—especially in the encouragement of condom use—in the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases.
The survey found that single men and women in Africa were fairly sexually inactive: Only two thirds of them reported recent sexual activity, compared with three quarters of their counterparts in developed countries.
The study also found that contrary to popular belief, sexual activity is not starting earlier. Nearly everywhere, men and women have their first sexual experiences in their late teens—from 15 to 19 years old—with generally younger ages for women than for men, especially in developing countries. That age is no younger than 10 years ago.
Still, there are considerable variations across countries. In the United Kingdom, for example, men and women tend to lose their virginity at ages 16½ and 17½ respectively. In comparison, men and women in Indonesia waited until they were 24½ and 18½ respectively.
Researchers also found that married people have the most sex, reporting engaging in sexual activity in the previous four weeks more frequently than single people. There has also been a gradual shift to delay marriage, even in developing countries.
While that has meant a predictable rise in the rates of premarital sex, experts say this doesn’t necessarily translate into more dangerous behavior.
In some instances, married women may be more at risk than single women.
”A single woman is more able to negotiate safe sex in certain circumstances than a married woman,” says Van Look, who points out that married women in Africa and Asia are often threatened by unfaithful husbands who frequent prostitutes.
There is much greater equality between women and men with regard to the number of sexual partners in rich countries than in poor countries, the study found.
For example, men and women in Australia, the United Kingdom, France, and the United States tend to have an almost equal number of sexual partners. In contrast, in Cameroon, Haiti, and Kenya, men tend to have multiple partners while women tend to have only one.
This imbalance has significant public health implications. ”In countries where women are beholden to their male partners, they are likely not to have the power to request condom use, and they probably won’t know about their husbands’ transgressions,” said Wellings.
Because of the diversity of sexual habits worldwide, Wellings warns that no single approach to sexual health will work everywhere. ”There are very different economic, religious, and social rules governing sexual conduct across the world,” she said.
I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I was when I finally got online and tried to find out the results of this week’s US elections. America is so incredibly diverse and it’s very exciting for me to see that more of the diversity of our country is finally being represented in the power structure. Many, many congrats to
Nancy Pelosi, D-California, the first female speaker in the nation’s history
Keith Ellison, D- Minnesota, the first Muslim to be elected to Congress
The Senate with their record number of women (16) – including ones from both Washington and Texas
Deval Patrick, D-Massachusetts, the second African American elected governor in U.S. history
Let’s hope the Dems use their power for good and not evil and hope they stay focused on making positive change (and not get side tracked on reclaiming power for power’s sake).
And on a side note… congrats to Rep. John Carter, R-Round Rock. As a fat, conservative, white man from the South, he’s not exactly the definition of diversity, but he did manage to hang onto his seat. He’s from my home town, and has been around since I was a child. His son and I were on the swim team together, we went to high school together, etc. I don’t know that I even knew he was a congressman, but apparently he is (he used to be a judge locally when I was a kid). And not only that, he’s just announced that he would seek the No. 3 spot in the House Republican Conference, the organization that sets the party’s message. Imagine my surprise reading election news to see “Rep. Carter – Round Rock” in an MSNBC article. “The Republican Party suffered significant losses last night,” Carter said in a written statement announcing his candidacy for conference secretary. “We need to work hard and renew our commitment to the party’s core values, in order to set a course for winning back the House in 2008.” Huh. Crazy.
I woke up to get the Centre key from Samuel the night watchman on Friday at 6:30am since Cindy was gone (she usually does it on weekdays). Oddly, when I gradually woke up before my alarm sounded, I remembered the dream I was having. This is highly unusual. Until age 23, I hadn’t remembered having more than 3-5 dreams in my entire life. In a college class about alternative media, I actually had to have other people tell me their dreams and then I’d pretend to analyze them as my own for class assignments. It was maybe the only time I’d ever lied in class… but I couldn’t very well analyze my own dreams if I wasn’t dreaming, could I?
When I was 23, I vaguely remembered having 2-3 dreams in the spring months. I didn’t remember much if any of the content, but was pretty sure I had dreamt. And now this year in Kenya I remember dreams on occasion too. No idea why I don’t usually remember having ever dreamt… I know science tells us we all dream, but if you don’t ever know that you’ve ever dreamt, then that doesn’t mean much, does it?
However, this morning I woke up and knew I’d dreamt. In fact, I could even remember many parts and details of the dream. It felt long and complex and drawn out… something about me being kind of rejected at first and then me kind of being pursued by the same rich, well off dude I didn’t care about too much. Looked like a cross between my rich law student neighbor in college who took great photos and went to Africa and fixed me nice dinner, and a cross between Jude Law or the creepy scary guy from Redeye with the dark hair and piercing blue eyes. Among the odd little bits I remember, there was a scene with the guy’s friends discussing his desire to have dates make paper jewelry to wear on a big date out of A4 paper colored with highlighter markers. (If Magic Marker paper jewelry, twisted on a wooden toothpick, wouldn’t get a classy guy in a suit in a dream to like me, what possibly could? Please… let’s not analyze this and relate it to my “fear” of being unemployed and single and gray haired upon my return from Africa). I tried to type up the dream from memory on the computer, but I haven’t actually gone back yet to see if any of it was coherent. I know I couldn’t remember key details or events of the dream that would’ve helped parts make more sense to me, but the truth is that I remembered more of this dream than any other dream I’ve ever had in my entire life. It’s not the content I was concerned with, it was the fact I remembered the content that was exciting. Bizarre, eh? Longest dream I’ve ever known I’ve had. Just thought I’d share.
My friend Marta just ran and completed her first marathon! Quite impressive! Like many folks, she did it as part of Team in Training to help raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. You can check out her recap of the race on her site – it’s an interesting and worthwhile visit (and you can donate if you feel so inclined). http://www.active.com/donate/tntsvmb/tntsvmbMZumwal A portion of it:
“Some highlights/entertaining points of the race:
Mile 3 – a magnificent view of the sun rising over the golden gate bridge.
Mile 5 – an oxygen bar (which I did not partake in – but was tempted)
Mile 11 – a band in golden gate park playing a pretty creative (by creative, I mean atonal) version “eye of the tiger” – Dan can back me up on that one….but they redeemed themselves slightly with a better version of Elvis’s “burnin’ love”
Mile 16 – switching running mates – Dan ran off and Amy joined in. There was an adjustment period – but the dance music on the great hwy defiantly helped :)
Mile 21 – I get a little punchy (Amy can attest to this)- this was the mile around lake Merced where I realize that I am going to be uncomfortable (meaning have pain) for the next 5 miles.
Mile 22 – CHOCOLATE! Ghirardelli turned things around – they have a gift.
Mile 24-26 – realizing that we are almost there makes everything good! We saw the coaches, mentor Mary (who is awesome!) and a great TNT coach from New Mexico who was great fun!
Mile 26.2 – THE FINISH LINE!!
The finish line consisted of gifts (a Tiffany’s necklace handed out by a very nice group of firemen) and a goodie bag which included a race shirt which read “ran like a girl”. Even the boys got this shirt!”
NOTE: I didn’t write any of this, I just found it in a newsletter online and thought it was intriguing enough to share.
The Body Shop
Founded: 1970
Products: Cosmetics and toiletries
Purchaser: L’Oreal
L’Oreal turnover: £9.8 billion
Date of purchase: March 2000
Price paid: £652 million
‘Before’ Ethiscore: 11
‘After’ ethiscore: 3.5
The Body Shop, and its founders the Roddicks, have developed a reputation as ‘campaigning traders’. Going beyond the development of ethical products, they used the company’s high street position to campaign vocally ‘against animal testing’ as well as on other issues like Shell in Nigeria and multinationals generally. This has made their acquisition, by one of the most vilified multinational groupings in the world (L’Oreal/ Nestle), particularly hard for some former supporters. To some degree the unique voice of The Body Shop had
already been stifled following its stock-market floatation in 1999.3 In addition, pre-takeover reports had identified Body Shop as struggling financially, and in need of a partner to prosper. According to the Economist, ‘L’Oreal says The Body Shop will be able to operate as an independent unit, which sounds sensible. But will L’Oreal really be able to resist slipping its ethically-challenged wrinkle cream onto the shelves next to the bracing and naturally-inspired body scrubs offered by The Body Shop?’
Green & Blacks
Founded: 1991
Products: Chocolate
Purchaser: Cadbury Schweppes
Cadbury turnover: £4.7 billion
Date of purchase: May 2005
Price paid: £20 million
‘Before’ Ethiscore: 16
‘After’ ethiscore: 8.5
This takeover has already been the subject of an extended debate in the letters page of Ethical Consumer. Cadbury Schweppes, although no stranger to controversy over workers’ rights in its chocolate supply chains and other issues, has not attracted the same levels of criticism as other chocolate multinationals. According to William Kendell, Green & Blacks’ chief executive, ‘we would never have sold…the company…if we had not been convinced of their complete
commitment to our values. We know that they will help us bring the benefits of organic farming and ethical trading to more people than we have been able to do’.
Neil Makin from Cadbury Schweppes is also on record as saying: ‘ We wouldn’t want to buy these companies if we were going to destroy their brand. With our Bournville Quaker forefathers we have something of a social and ethical heritage already.’
Ben and Jerry’s
Founded: 1978
Products: Ice Cream
Purchaser: Unilever
Unilever turnover: £28 billion
Date of purchase: April 2000
Price paid: $100 million
‘Before’ Ethiscore: n/ a
‘After’ ethiscore: 3.5
This takeover was the most high-profile takeover of a socially responsible business in its day. What lessons does it hold for the bout of more recent acquisitions? Firstly, sales are good. In 2003 it had already become the top selling ‘premium’ ice cream in the USA with sales of $212m — a 70% increase over 1997.3 However, the ethical culture of the organisation is widely recognised not to have fared so well. Its latest social audit found that only 45% of employees thought that the company was taking its social mission
seriously.13 20% of Ben & Jerry’s employees were fired in the first 3 years after acquisition and Unilever no longer donates 7.5% of Ben & Jerry’s pre-tax profits to charity. Although it is fair to say that disclosing this kind of data in its own social audit shows that some serious commitment remains.
In one way, the Ben and Jerry’s takeover was unusual. It was a ‘hostile’ takeover of a publicly quoted company and, as such, left one founder, Ben Cohen, less than ecstatic. He is on record as saying, ‘I think that most of what had been the soul of Ben and Jerry’s is not gonna be around anymore’. He also offers this advice to other social entrepreneurs considering selling to a large organisation: ‘Don’t do it! Stay independent.’
Tom’s of Maine
Founded: 1970
Products: Toothpaste
Purchaser: Colgate Palmolive
Colgate turnover: £5.5 billion
Date of purchase: March 2006
Price paid: $100 million
‘Before’ Ethiscore: 16
‘After’ ethiscore: 10.5
Tom’s of Maine was America’s top selling ‘natural’ toothpaste brand and it had ECRA’s highest rating for environmental reporting, animal testing policy and for paraben-free products. Colgate Palmolive currently has ECRA’s worst rating in these categories as well as criticisms for involvement in Oppressive Regimes and Political Activity. According to founder Tom Chappel, maintaining ethical standards such as bio-degradability of ingredients and staying in Maine were ‘deal breakers going into the process’.
Other similar takeovers
Small ethical companies being taken over by larger players don’t always make it into the press. There has been a clear trend for some time in the USA and it is now beginning to be felt here.
Samantha and Odwalla (premium juice) by Coca Cola
Natural Boca Burger (veggie burger) by Kraft/ Philip Morris
Cascadian Farm (organic) by General Mills
Stonyfield Farm (organic yoghurt) by Danone
Seeds of Change (pasta) by Mars UK/ Europe
Rachels Organic (dairy) by Dean Foods (USA)
Kallo Foods (wholefoods) by Koninklijke Wessanen
PJ Smoothies (drinks) by Pepsi
Woohoo! Today I got my first evite for a Halloween party back in Seattle. It was exciting to get it, but a bit sad to remember that everyone back home is going to be out partying on my favorite holiday of the year… carving pumpkins, dressing up, going to parties, and eating lots of chocolate. Kenyans around here don’t seem to know Halloween, so I don’t think there will be any parties for me. And I suspect carving a pumpkin would seem pretty wasteful when there are so many people starving for food. And I suspect they’d look at me like a crazy woman if I showed up to work dressed as fridge poetry, Big Bird, or a One Night Stand. And it’s not really safe enough to leave the house after dark, much less go door to door asking for treats. Even if we attempted it and weren’t mugged, there’s no Snickers, M&Ms, or Milky Way around here so trick or treating wouldn’t have the same appeal to my chocolate loving self. Alas… guess that’s the price to pay for living a peaceful life in lovely rural Kenya. Next year I’ll be sure to celebrate an extra special Halloween wherever I end up come October. Everyone’s invited.
In the mean time, back in my village, Cindy and I are still watching lots of “The L Word” and that’s our main entertainment lifeline these days. We’ve got seasons 1-3 in their entirety, so they should last us a few more weeks. Then VisitorFest2006 begins: my aunt comes on Oct 17th, Sameer arrives a week later, and Cindy’s friend Sarah arrives just a week after that. Hard to believe I’m done with my contract in two short months! I’ve barely begun researching my travel options for 2007, but once I’m done with work I still hope to make the trek from Kenya down the coast all the way to South Africa. Should be great!
Quite miraculously, I found “The L Word” on DVD in Nairobi a while back and we just started watching this week. Erin D used to invite me to viewing parties, but I was never able to make it. When I saw it for sale for cheap, I decided to pick it up on the chance it’d work in my computer (it does!). We’ve only seen a few episodes so far, but I’m already a fan. I think the pilot was by far the best yet but every episode has left me wanting more. I’d assume the majority of the audience is gay, but I suspect it’s capable of drawing most everyone who’s seen it into the drama and fantasy. It’s just as unrealistic as most TV where all characters are beautiful, hip, thin, and mostly wealthy… but includes relevant story lines that are definitely engaging. After just a few episodes, I’d give it 5 stars.
Congrats to my old friend Ryan Smith and his fiance Melinda on their wedding engagement! Ryan is a great guy and was one of my first new friends when I moved from Austin to Houston. I couldn’t be more happy for him and wish them both all the best!
RENT: When you get back to the States, go find and watch “Who killed the electric car?” It seems to be an intriguing mystery documentary that just came out this summer about clean transportation. The film looks at why electric vehicles of the 80s and 90s (with consumer demand and environmental benefits like zero dependence on oil), were forcibly removed from the market.
READ: Pick up Bert Krages’ book “Legal Handbook for Photographers” from the library when I get home. (Amherst Media, 2002). And look for something by Kinky Friedman too.
LISTEN: Look for Badly Drawn Boy CD and anything from Patty Griffin.
Jeremy popped the question last new years and they’ve set the wedding date for sometime next summer. If I’m back from Africa by then, I definitely plan to be there. Hmm… I wonder if this means the end of her alter ego Floozin?
Congrats to Chris and Alyssa, proud parents of baby number two. From everything I see on her new website, little Quinn looks like her daddy and love very, very cute!! Congrats to the proud parents!
Most of you know already, but my father and I are launching a new educational program around weddings. It will be introduced with great fanfare – USA Today and The Today Show, both on Thursday, June 22nd. We will have links on the publicity section of our website, www.TheFirstDance.com when they appear. The Saint Paul Pioneer Press is going to do a column on Sunday too.
The summary of what we are:
An educational program designed for churches and other marriage educators to use in small group settings and a program purchased directly by engaged couples and parents, to watch at home. It is full of wisdom around the interpersonal aspects of weddings, from couples working as a team and figuring out their values, to all the issues around families and friends who might be causing more stress than couples have bargained for when they got engaged.
If you know anyone who is getting married, whose children are getting married, clergy, wedding vendors, wedding coordinators, or anyone else interested in the wedding world, please pass on our website.
Please give me feedback on the site or anything else. I appreciate it!
Elizabeth (Doherty) Thomas, President of The First Dance
Congrats to Prentice and Mark on the arrival of their second baby boy! Paite Landin was born on April 5, 2006, weighed 7 pounds 9 ounces, and was 19-3/4 inches long. Many congrats!!
Wherever you are, It’s your friends who make your world…
– William James
Many congrats to Dieter on his engagement. He’s one of the best friends I’ve ever had and I’m thankful for the support he’s given over the years. He was even there for me during the times I was emotionally wrecked and needy, and I’m forever thankful for his friendship. I wish him and Emily the best of luck.
Most posts are probably going to be on the www.travelingcat.com site for a while… seeing as how internet access in my Kenya village is reported to be limited.
Here’s a little about the experience thus far…
Karibu! (welcome)
Hello again! We’re still in Nairobi for another day, which makes me feel like I should live it up while here in the land of electricity, running water, and internet access. Yes, the community house in Nairobi has all these modern conveniences. Not to say it’s modern, fancy, or bug free… but it is quite comfortable, has mosquito netting for our beds, and shares a block of land with a church, a soccer field, and a car repair/junk yard business.
The house is only a few blocks from a public market, so this afternoon I borrowed a key from the sisters, said goodbye to Cindy, and killed some time with a walk through the nearby market. It had the kind of crafts I’d have expected to see if I’d thought ahead and guessed about what might be present. I saw old women sitting on the ground weaving colourful baskets. I saw young women trying to sell batiks and necklaces. There were young men carving giraffes and lions out of rosewood and ebony. And there were old men who were making shoes… which was much more interesting to me this afternoon. It was like a how-to for shoe making, all in one bustling, dusty, smelly, crowded outdoor market. One guy in a stall would use a knife to shred a car tire into strips of rubber for the soles of shoes. Another stall would have animal hides hanging in the breeze tanning for the leather uppers. The next stall had men cutting scraps of leather and sewing them on old foot pump Singer sewing machines. And another stall had men staining leather with dyes for shoes that could be black, red, or blue. After that you’d have a guy with all measures of clasps, clips, and fasters appropriate for any style of footwear. One artist I saw even did leather work and pounded rose shapes into the shoes and painted strips to mimic a giraffe’s spots. I suspect that kind of fancy giraffe pattern shoe is good for tourists, though I can’t be sure as I was the only muzungo (white person) in the whole market.
I probably spent an hour and a half there talking to various friendly vendors before heading back to the house. When I got back there was a lively soccer game going on with teenage boys (who were quite content to use a basketball in place of a soccer ball). There was also a slew of girls and younger boys along the sidelines, who promptly mobbed me once I sat down to watch the game. They all spoke some English, and even the five year olds English was much better than my limited five words of Kiswahili. They were very sweet (see photo above), they wanted a million pictures taken of them (mostly showing the peace sign with their eyes closed), and were helpful teaching me words for play, game, soccer, etc (all of which I promptly forgot).
Eventually I headed home, we had leftovers for dinner (more beans and rice, for the third meal in a row), and we called it a night. Tomorrow we’ll visit another community house in Langata, and maybe see giraffes or take a nature walk. I’m hoping for giraffes, but a nature walk would be a lovely second choice. For now, I’m signing off and going to read for a while before bed. G’night all…
Just a note to let y’all know we made it safely to Nairobi after the 30 hr trek from Austin. We slept 12 hrs last night, ate mango and bread for lunch, and are going on a tour of a local school in 45 minutes. It’s blue skies and warm here. Draught and famine are the news headlines affecting rural areas, and even causing water rationing in Nairobi. Monday morning at 7am we leave for our village. Not much else to report yet. Hope y’all are well!
Sometimes I’m entertained by these things. Brandon tried it and it worked pretty well for him. “The object of this meme is to post the first sentence from each month of the last year. Sort of a Meme Year in Review.” From January to December:
Well, it’s that sad time when my holiday is coming to an end and I know the real world of work is lurking right around the corner. I guess I was supposed to post something like this a month ago, but a month ago I was still soaking up the sun in Egypt. How fun am I? OMG! After a long and lovely weekend (that included lots and lots of driving), I’m now home! I’m thinking seriously about where I want to travel after I eventually quit my job. I turned on my old laptop tonight to get a file from my machine. To recap, my “vacation” in Texas was good though as usual wasn’t exactly slow, quiet, or relaxing. I’m still sick. We were just talking about this at the bar last night. What to say about this week that doesn’t sound melodramatic? I returned home from Baltimore tonight after 10 long days of training.
How I get as many hits as I do is beyond me. I’d say I’ll try harder next year to be more interesting, but really, I won’t likely be posting much next year. Is it bad to have a new year’s resolution for 2007 instead of 2006? Maybe I’ll just try to be a better blogger the year after next. :)
I didn’t take this photo from their wedding back in Feb 2005, but I did just rediscover it when backing up my hard drive. I love it so much I wanted to post it. I also love that it additionally captures Sameer grooving on the left (blueish/purple tie) and John smiling on the right (silver tie). Enjoy!
Thursday: Bill and I went out to Antones to see the Scabs show and it was much fun! It was Chris H’s birthday, so I was hoping to drag him and Alyssa out as well, but alas… the life of young parents meant they needed to stay home with baby Tyler. As it was, they missed a fun show and as always, it was great hanging out with Bill.
Friday: I was productive, sorted, and finished uploading my CDs!
Saturday: I was productive, packed my first bag, and uploaded some of Sameer’s music!
(happy new years!)
Sunday: I’m hoping to be productive, pack my second bag, run errands, and pack boxes for storage!
I can’t find any of my Montreal pictures online, so I’m reposting just in case. (As we know, while I take tons of pics, I often get lazy about posting many pics). These were from last fall, Oct 2004, on a romantic trip to visit Samer in beautiful Montreal and Quebec, Canada.
Austin filmed Austin City Limits for TV for years and years, and there have been lots of movies done in and around Austin for the past 20 years (Sin City, Office Space, Slacker, Dazed & Confused, Varsity Blues, The Alamo, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Michael, Hope Floats, Home Fries, Lonesome Dove, Waiting For Guffman, A Perfect World, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Friday Night Lights, The Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl, Spy Kids, Miss Congeniality, etc).
But in recent times we’ve had some TV too… like MTV’s Real World Austin or the WB’s Jack & Bobbie. Now, you can check out Austin’s Roller Derby girls on a new A&E documentary series aptly named Rollergirls. The season premier is Mon Jan 2nd and it looks interesting to me. If I had a TV in Kenya, or had cable, I’d watch the series. :)
There’s also a new documentary series filmed in Texas that will feature the Austin Police Department’s S.W.A.T. team. It’s a new Court TV series called Texas S.W.A.T. and will be premiering Wednesdays from 8-9pm. “With exclusive access to Texas SWAT teams, Court TV takes viewers along for the ride with these elite crime-fighting experts.e-fighting experts. We’ll be there as they use the latest technology and tactics to handle every crisis situation, from diffusing bombs to negotiating hostage situations. ” My friend is part of the APD S.W.A.T. team so that’s added incentive for y’all to watch the show. I’m telling you… the police ride along was fascinating.
This has nothing to do with today’s post, but everything to do with remembering the terrific Thriller dance the Yellow House girls put together last month. It was quite impressive to see three white girls dancing like Michael Jackson, and entertaining too!!
Back to the present now…
Tuesday night I did a police ride along with a friend of mine who’s an officer with the Austin Police Department. I spent about 9.5 hours with him, and other officers, doing their every day things and it was all quite fascinating. I’ll post more once I hear from him that I can post more (just to be sure). But for now I’ll tell you it was super fun and interesting and that I recommend everyone do a ride along! Seriously.
Wednesday night Dave and I went to see the Spankers play at the Saxon Pub. Oddly, this was my first time ever at the Saxon. We had front row seats and the show was fun. It was mellower than most previous shows I’ve seen in Seattle, but that could be for any number of reasons (they’re getting older? it was an 8pm show, to be followed by an 11pm show, which requires conserving energy? they’re recording a kids album and they’re getting soft on us? not sure). Either way, the set was fun, the show was enjoyable, and spending time with Dave was enjoyable too.
Side note for Spankers fans: They’re being joined by Guy Forsyth and Stanly Smith for the month of January and will be doing 4 Tuesday night Gospel shows at the Saxon (starting Jan 10th). It’s been a while since Stanley played with the band, and even longer since Guy was a regular member, so if I were you I’d jump at the chance to see this line up! They should be great, great shows if you’re interested in classic Spankers gospel music. Just like when they used to do the Sunday morning Gospel Brunch at La Zona Rosa… only this month won’t be in the morning, there will be no brunch, it won’t be on a Sunday, and won’t be at La Zona Rosa. Otherwise, it’ll be just like that! :)
After the Spankers show I returned Andy’s call and found out he was only a mile away from the venue, so I stopped by and hung out with Andy, Bill, and Dan for a little bit. Was fun to chat with the boys, but then I had to head home and sleep eventually.
Thursday morning my doctor’s appointment this morning seemed entirely too early, and sadly I have to go back again tomorrow since they didn’t mention that I was supposed to fast for some of the blood tests they were going to run. Alas. After the doctor’s visit Andy and I grabbed a bite to eat. We were going to hit the Gluten Free cafe near his office, but upon arrival we discovered they took closed up operations for the week of the holidays. Foiled! We ended up at a Thai place nearby which was just as lovely (and also GF).
I came home from lunch to find my three last boxes from Seattle had arrived! (Thanks Dieter & Erin!). Now I’m packing and am about 1/2 way done. Still doing fine with luggage size and weight… let’s hope bag #2 is just as easy. I just need to get my clothes narrowed down and need to pick up a few little things like camera bags (to protect my new babies), sunscreen (since we’re white girls at the Equator), and tampons (gotta stock up).
Friday I’ll fast, go back to the doctors for some blood work, and do more packing. I’ll also see the Scabbs downtown which I’m quite excited about. Hope y’all are well!
Just so you know what my procrastination looks like this week: I’m thoroughly intrigued by all of Brian’s self portraits. I met him for a day a few years back, and we never traded contact info or stayed in touch. Randomly, I got an unrelated email from him this week. It’s fun, in a very voyeuristic way, to be able to go to flickr and see one person on so many random days of their life from weddings to Burning Man to art to life on his farm in Mexico. Over 400 portraits, to be exact, all just of him. It’s not like he’s going to battle Tom Cruise for world’s sexiest man, but there’s something mesmerizing about the portraits or perhaps about the glimpse into the life of someone else.
And on a slightly related note… do you think you can train yourself to be more photogenic? Because regardless of what we think is “attractive,” he’s definitely photogenic. Intriguing.
Seems Cindy and her parents found the blog this week. Welcome! I think your daughter is pretty fantastic, which should come as no surprise if you’ve found the blog and read any of it. :) Hope y’all had a great family holiday in Olympia! Do leave a comment and say hello when you get a chance.
The mail arrived today and there were more gifts! Seriously, y’all, this has got to stop. The postal carrier woman actually drove up our driveway to hand deliver them since the mailbox couldn’t fit all of today’s packages and cards. You’ve all been too entirely kind… you’re going to make my head even bigger than it’s gotten in the last few months and you’re going to leave me ruined forever expecting this kind of kindness on a regular basis. Not to mention our poor post woman… she might not want to hand deliver our mail every day, ya know. Not to mention you don’t need to send me gifts and that I’m leaving soon and my packing open space is close to zero and that you deserve your money to buy yourself things. : )
That said, I would send the gifts back if they weren’t so damn fabulous. The Lomo camera John sent is very cool, and the wee garden gnome from Erin sent my heart all a flutter. He’s perhaps the tiniest garden gnome I have, and I think he most certainly will be joining me in Kenya. Someone’s got to look after us, after all… And did I mention the Fluxx from Charles a few days ago and the earrings from Katie? And did I mention the two photo CDs that arrived in the past few days? And did I mention the cash from Isabel & Juan, Charlie & Stef, Mom & Dad, and Grandpa? And did I mention the endless stream of meals and drinks from MIS friends? Thanks so much y’all! And thanks to family for even more great gifts that were opened Christmas. And now, really, stop with the gifts already! It’s been two months of kindness that started with Erin and Samantha in November, and just kept going. I’m just a simple girl and this is all going to my head. Y’all mean the world to me and I thank you kindly for your graciousness and generosity and care. Thanks everyone. Now go out and do something nice for yourselves. You deserve it.
I can’t promise they’re all terribly interesting updates, but there are new pictures on two of the three sites, including road trip photos from the trip Caroline and I did in November. :)
Today was a unique day… and not just because I sat for an hour on the back porch and watched close to 70 buzzards fly over my parents’ yard. Yes, buzzards. About 70 of them. Giant. In an hour. Flying overhead. Huge. Truly a sight to behold.
Today was also unique because it was Dec 26th and the skies were perfectly clear blue skies and the weather was a toasty 81 degrees. Whoever says there’s no such thing as global warming hasn’t been paying attention.
Today was also unique because Mom, Dad, and I went to see a movie in the theatre and Dad actually stayed awake during the whole movie. Must mean Memoirs of a Geisha was a pretty good flick. I know I liked it, but (of course) I still liked the book better.
And finally, today was unique because I had lunch with an old, long, lost friend. It was someone who I hadn’t seen in ten years, but have thought about many times over the years. I have many friends from HS who I’m still in touch with, and others who I have had some contact with at one point or another. However, there’s been one missing from my world for 10 years and until this week I was unable to find their contact info. Well, I finally found it last week, emailed this week, and hoped it’d actually get through. And then I hoped I’d get a reply (ideally a positive one). Well, today we met up for lunch. It was everything I could’ve hoped for, and more. Left me much to ponder and process… and I still have so many unanswered questions.
Funny to think that last winter I was learning little bits of Arabic from Samer and putting it into use on my first trip to Africa. I was in Luxor last year on my birthday and in Aswan on Christmas and had a relaxing train trip taking pics, seeing sites, and enjoying the views along the Nile. This Christmas I’m back in Texas for the first time in five years and instead of learning Arabic, I’m listening intently to the Teach Yourself Swahili audio CDs that Caroline gave me for my birthday. A few words are shared between English and Swahili… and that makes me feel like I’ve got a nice little head start. My Spanish vocab is still decent, though my few Hindi words are gone and my few Arabic words are seeping quickly away too. Wish me luck with Swahili!
Friday night I decided to stick around Houston so I could see more friends. Samer, Herbert, and I started the day watching 40 Year Old Virgin. I’d heard it was hilarious and I wasn’t let down. Quite a funny movie. My favorite part was the “Know how I know you’re gay?” scene. Good stuff! After the movie I got to see Will after many, many years! It was great to meet up with him… and I’m hoping to see him again this week when he visits Austin. :)
Friday night Fred organized a dinner party in Janette’s honor since her birthday was today. This was perfect because it meant I got to eat yummy sushi and got see more old friends like Janette, Fred, JD, and Wes! Turns out my old coworker Wes is not only running for state rep (he’s got a slot on the ballot), he’s also quitting his job to do volunteer work abroad! Wes was one of my first heroes when I started working after college… and he was one of the very first people I met at my consulting firm. He was the trainer for all of us coming straight from college and was the intro to the working world. He was also in the same stream of work I wanted to do (process management instead of tech/coding), which made him extra special exciting in my book. Anyway, it was fun to see him this weekend at Janette’s birthday. His wife is Cambodian and it turns out they’re moving to Cambodia next fall to see family and volunteer! They plan to live there for two years and do some travel as well. Ahh… I always knew I liked Wes! Fun trading ideas and stories with them! And fun to see Janette and Fred again!
This morning I left Sameer’s gorgeous home and headed back to Round Rock for family time. Sameer was a wonderfully fun and generous host which made the trip quite easy. And I have a lovely rental car right now which made the trip fun. (Yep, my Honda is finally in the shop getting the Neighbors dent out of the side). Am home now and wrapping more gifts! Hope y’all are well!
I picked up Gabriel García Márquez’s “One Hundred Years of Solitude” this fall and really liked it. A friend saw me reading it and told me they “had to” read in high school. I’m always stunned when I hear stuff like that and am pretty bummed at the same time. I never got to read anything of the sort in my lit classes. We always had to read standards like Shakespeare, Huck Finn, A Separate Peace, A Scarlet Letter, Death of a Salesman, etc. All stories about mostly white protagonists in the US or UK.
I’m totally jealous of the more diverse book lists friends have had in their classes… books from ethnically and geographically diverse authors who not only can put together amazingly powerful books, but also open up the world at the same time. Various friends of mine have been “required” to read books like One Hundred Years of Solitude (Gabriel García Márquez is a Nobel prize winner), Interpreter of Maladies (Jhumpa Lahiri won the Pulitzer Prize), and House on Mango Street (Sandra Cisneros won two National Endowment for the Arts fellowships and numerous other awards). And books set in other places, whether by a non-US author or not, are generally high on my list. I loved Ahdaf Soueif ‘s Map of Love (about Egypt), loved Chang-Rae Lee’s A Gesture Life (about a Korean man who moves to Japan then to the US), and think Barbara Kingsolver is always terrific in my book (the Poisonwood Bible, about missionaries in the Congo, is a must read).
I know I have friends that are parents and others that are teachers…. may I be so bold as to encourage each of you to make available a diverse book collection to your kids? I think it’s such an easy thing, and the results can be so powerful. And in the mean time, on a book related note, I’m amassing a collection of books that I hope to ship to myself in Kenya. (I’m told freight is pretty cheap, only takes three months, and can hopefully arrive in Nairobi when I plan to be in town). If anyone has book suggestions, and has a minute to write them down, do let me know. Drop me a title and a sentence or two about your recommendation. And while I want diverse recommendations, don’t take that to mean I don’t appreciate white guys. I love me some Dave Eggers, Tom Robbins, and J.D. Salinger, for sure.
Went out last night for dinner in Houston at Thai Cottage then hung out at a bar in the Rice Village. Was great to see old college friends Sameer, Laura, Ajit, and John! Kinda funny to be at a bar where all of the men were in button up shirts… slightly different than the dives I go to in Seattle. No cute little t-shirts, no floppy hair, no tight jeans on men, no 80s punk, no faux-hawks, no tattoos and piercings, no hipsters to be seen. I was more than slightly under dressed, but wasn’t too concerned. I do like hanging out with friends and do like the Rice Village. It was also quite entertaining to meet Sameer’s friends and get the inside track on what boys think of women while at bars. :)
Thanks for all of the birthday calls and emails (and gifts)! Life is good, and hectic, as always. Party Sunday was nice… great to see old and new friends both in one place. Errands are mostly done. Christmas shopping is entirely done. iPod has arrived (and works!). All is going well. I’m heading out now to Houston to catch up with the old crowd… Hope everyone is well!
Cindy and I went to the capitol when we were in DC
(and it was freakin’ cold and windy!)
It was her first time in DC so we took the mandatory tourist photo at
the Washington Monument during our uber-quick tour of the DC sights
I thought I read once that the Washington Monument was a gift from Egypt, but when I just looked it up I was quite wrong. Egypt did give the US an obelisk from ancient Heliopolis, but it stands in NYC not in DC. (Side note: I was in the modern Heliopolis last year, not far away. I also saw the largest obelisk in Egypt down near Aswan). Anyway, here’s a little of the Washington Monument history in case anyone is curious.
Col. Thomas Lincoln Casey, chief engineer in charge of the Monument, revealed that it was to be a larger replica of an Egyptian obelisk -an erected stone carved into a four sided pillar crowned with a small pyramid called the pyramidion. The Washington Monument is a much larger replica than the original obelisks found in Egypt. These were made out of a single block of rock, whereas the capital’s structure is made of 36,000 blocks of stone.
The Egyptians usually erected the obelisks in pairs in front of Egyptian temples. They were believed to be sacred. Scholars are still uncertain about their specific use or function. Obelisks are nevertheless a unique symbol of Egyptian culture. Romans were so fascinated by the pillars that they moved several of them to Rome where some still stand today.
In ancient Egypt, the pyramidion that crowned the monolith was probably covered with gold to reflect the sun’s rays.8 The pyramidion, in all likelihood, also crowned the great pyramids of Egypt. Technically, the obelisk symbolizes a ray of light emanating from the sun. The pointed pillars were perhaps relevant symbols of light and life, and the daily course of the sun as opposed to the pyramids that were symbols of darkness and death, and the setting sun. The earliest obelisks are believed to have been erected in the 4th dynasty (circa 2613-2494 bc). No examples from that era remain today.
In the late 19th century, the government of Egypt gave one of the two Ramses’ obelisks ornating the Luxor temple to France where it stands in Paris’ Place de la Concorde. Two other obelisks were shipped to England and to the United States. Both were taken from Heliopolis. They were dedicated to Thutmose III and bear the inscriptions and legends of two pharaohs: Thutmose III, and Ramses II (1304-1237 bc). One stands on the Thames’ embankment, in London, the other is in Central Park, in New York City.
The connection between the Washington National Monument and the gift from Egypt is, to say the least, a suitable symbol of the continuity between an ancient civilization and an emerging one.
If any local Austin folks are free and interested, we’re going to bake cookies today at Charles & Laura’s place. There will be beer and such too, so if you’re not into cookies, there are other options. Check your email for details, or call me for directions. 206-383-2285
Today I bought a 5G Apple 60gb iPod and for the second time in a week I eagerly await it’s arrival. I’d planned to buy a friend’s last week, but it turns out when it arrived in the mail that it was 20gb, not 40gb, which was a wee bit smaller than I’d hoped for. Anyway, after much debate, I opted to go for the 60gb iPod video version instead of the smaller 20gb version since the 60gb will…
Hold much, much more music
Charge faster than the older versions (4 hrs instead of 5)
Play music longer (battery lasts 20 hrs instead of 15)
I also bought an iPod cover, an AC adapter so I can charge it w/out having to bring my computer to Africa, and and an iPod FM transmitter (since it was free with rebate… I’m always a sucker for anything remotely useful that’s “free after rebate”). I’m still slowly uploading CDs to my laptop… though I tend to get distracted by other things and haven’t even made it through a third of my CDs yet. Current count: 1844 songs, 7gb. Wish me luck!
Yesterday’s hanging out with Chris, Alyssa, and Tyler led to some quality time with just me and baby Tyler. Yep, I’m baby sitting tonight. And when done I’ll head over to Dot’s for a little holiday festivities. Next week Chris and I will spend some time running around town taking pictures… should be fun. Hope y’all are well!
Just cause it’s different, doesn’t mean it’s bad. Happily, since I’m back for three weeks, I’ve got lots of time to see of friends while I’m home. This weekend was lunch at my favorite restaurant with my college MIS crowd (Chris, Lyss, Charles, Laura, Katherine, Steve, and Andy). Movie night (Gods Must Be Crazy) was with Bill, Beal, and Andy. Lunch today was terrific… and not because it was at Whole Foods, but because it was one on one time with Charles. Tonight was high school friends Will, Jackie, Corey, Heather, Lester, and Ben. When we realized Brokeback Mountain wasn’t in theatres yet, we decided to hit Alamo Drafthouse for the Moulin Rouge sing-along! While Lester hated it (as he hates most musicals), I thought it was quite entertaining. And Corey & Heather have announced they’re ready to start trying to have kids! Quite exciting! And Will’s going to process my paperwork so I can do a long awaited police ride along… super fun! And now I’m IMing for the first time in a year (hi Alan!) so I’m going to close this post. G’night!
Been processing lots this week, and I realize I could have summed up my “adjustment” post yesterday in about 1-2 sentences. I guess I’m just realizing that instead of going through the emotional work of a move and the culture shock leaving Seattle and moving to Kenya, I unintentionally put myself through the move and culture shock twice in two months: once from Seattle to Texas (don’t laugh, it IS an adjustment), and once from Texas to Kenya (also guaranteed to require an adjustment). I’ll be just fine. Just processing, that’s all, and sharing it for all the world to see my insecurities. Yay blogs.
Gay cowboy love story “Brokeback Mountain” won three of the top four awards from the New York Film Critics Circle on Monday, building momentum as the critics’ favorite for Hollywood’s top honors, the Oscars.
Earlier the National Board of Review, a New York group of 150 film professionals, academics and students, announced its annual awards, naming George Clooney’s McCarthy-era drama “Good Night, and Good Luck” as best film of 2005.
The awards presented by the New York Film Critics Circle are among a string of second-tier awards leading up to the March 5 Academy Awards. The slew of awards announced in December traditionally helps narrow the field for the Oscars.
Director Ang Lee’s film “Brokeback Mountain” is shaping up as the critics’ favorite, despite concerns that its depiction of a love affair between two men may have trouble winning over audiences in more conservative parts of the country.
The New York Film Critics Circle gave the film its awards for best film, best director and best actor, for Heath Ledger.
“Brokeback Mountain” already won best film from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association on Saturday, and it earned eight nominations for the Critics Choice Awards on Sunday.
Today I feel like I’ve joined the 21st century. Yep, UPS came by and hand delivered my shiny new I-pod! (Check is in the mail, Suzan!) Now I just need to spend forever getting all of my CDs uploaded to i-tunes. I’ve been working on it tonight while cooking and doing Christmas cards. I’m currently up to 1126 songs! (Speaking of… if anyone has the RENT soundtrack and wants to burn disc 2 for me, mine is too scratched to play and I’d love to have a copy with me in Kenya).
And I’m typing away on my laptop from the guest room because my dad installed a wireless network for the house! Go Dad! I’m quite proud of him. Now if only my parents computer wasn’t having so many problems. I think he got all of their viruses cleaned off, but it’s still super slow and now many of their Word files are corrupt. It’s handy to have the wireless… I can be uploading music while doing Christmas cards at the same time, all from the comfort of my kitchen table!
The travel clinic at the Austin Diagnostic Center couldn’t compare to the King County public health clinic I normally visit. (I recommend Wendy Dell if you’re in Seattle… she’s knowledgeable, quick, qualified, and friendly). The ADC was more expensive than Seattle’s public health clinic and they didn’t even have a nurse or doctor who could write prescriptions for stuff like Cipro or malaria meds. Lame. However, they can give shots and I’m once again set for my immunizations! Yellow fever? Bring it on! I’ve covered for 10 years! Typhoid? No worries. I’m current again and good for another 5 years!
I sent an evite yesterday for my holiday party and people are starting to RSVP. If I didn’t get you on the list but you’re in town and free next Sunday afternoon, drop me a note or comment and let me know. :)
I went to the post office today and dropped off my first batch of holiday cards. More will go out tomorrow. In no particular order.
I set up my new bank account before I went to Baltimore, and I just now received my new ATM/check card. I’m feeling official!
If I see another big ass pick up truck with a “Real Men Love Jesus” bumper sticker, I’m going to throw up. Not that I don’t support Jesus or anything, but c’mon. Sometimes I feel like I’m living two completely separate lives. In Texas I have a different name (Laura), I’m a child living with my parents, I can’t eat anything, I’m friends with techies, there are giant trucks everywhere with Jesus stickers, it takes forever and a day to drive to anywhere to do anything, and it’s gloriously warm and sunny in December. In Seattle I have a different name (Cat), I live independently with a roomie, I love cooking and eating out, I’m friends with photographers and nonprofit kids, there is public transit and cars are generally Subarus and Volvos with activist bumper stickers, I can walk anywhere I want to, and it’s cold and gray all winter. At home in Seattle, my house is comfy, casual, and feels spacious. My fridge, pantry, and freezer are stocked full with good food. In Texas, my parents house is cluttered from the recent move and the food situation is bleak. Instead of a freezer full of frozen fruit, veggies, nuts, hashbrowns, and ice cream, my parents freezer is full of meat. Deer meat, chicken meat, beef, you name it. No ice cream to be had.
I’m realizing my plan to be in Texas for three weeks was lovely in theory (ie. it gives me time to run errands and pack, while not paying Seattle rent), but is turning out to be a little sad in real life. This weekend was fine, but in all honesty, it was also kind of sad. This weekend there were many parties in Seattle, and birthday celebrations too, and I’m a little bummed to have missed all of the friends and fun. I know I’ll miss it all when I’m in Kenya… and I’m prepared for that… but to be in the States and sitting around, alone, on a Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night was kind of sad. And to sit in my parents empty house on a Sunday night scrounging for food I could eat, instead of being in a warm crowd of people at a Sunday Dinner, was also sad. I love Austin, and love my friends and family here, but it just takes a little bit to get adjusted to being back in town. Friday night I ran errands with my parents and finished too late to go to the socials happenings. Saturday I met up with Stef for a girls day and did some shopping. Sunday I was productive around the house (ie bored out of my mind).
This week should thankfully be a little more eventful than this weekend. I think there will be a slumber party with Miss Beal, movie night at Andy’s place, a party at Dot’s, lunch with Charles, maybe dinner with Will, and maybe a play date or a visit to the Trail of Lights with Alyssa and baby Tyler.
Don’t mind me. I’m content. I’m just blogging to avoid the stack of Christmas cards and Goodwill skirts that face me when I put down the laptop. :) In fact, I think a trip to HEB might be in order to find food and further avoid being productive.
One of my favorite Austin bands is playing live very soon. If you’ve never seen the Asylum Street Spankers before, you’re in for a treat. They play two shows on Wed Dec 28th at The Saxon Pub (8pm & 11pm). Let me know if you’re interested in going with me. I definitely plan to be there!
Another one of my favorite Austin artists, Bob Schneider, will be doing a few upcoming shows. I’d be content with any of the shows, but would love to see the Scabbs. Who’s with me?
Bob Schneider – Dec 19th & 26th at the Saxon, and Dec 31st at Antone’s
The Scabbs – Dec 30th at Antone’s
Oh, and on a related note, Billy Harvey, the monogomous playboy sidekick of Bob Schneider, will be doing a solo show this Wednesday at Hole in the Wall. 11pm.
And speaking of Austin artists I used to see when in town… Chris Whitley apparently died earlier this year of lung cancer. 1960-2005. RIP.
Yesterday a sneaky friend (who apparently found this site and reads it but never told me so and doesn’t leave comments here, tsk tsk) told me “You’ll be a great aunt” after I shared some family news. She’s the second person to call me an aunt… the only other person was my brother when he called to give me the good news back around Labor Day weekend. I was out camping and hiking near the Gorge, basking in the sun, and believe the phone call went something like this: “How are you? Fine. You? Fine. How does Aunt Laura sound to you? Oh my god!” (Or something to that effect). Anyway, that was months ago and now, somehow, hearing myself referred to as an aunt is weird. This time it actually sank it. I’m going to be an aunt! :)
My one and only brother reads this site regularly (though, with him as well, you wouldn’t know it from the lack of comments). :) Even after 10 years of having this little site, it’s really quite odd for me to be repeatedly on this side of the equation. Even though we don’t talk often, Charlie knows who I hang out with, what concerts I’ve seen lately, where I’m traveling on any given weekend, what I’m manic about currently, etc. Well, today instead of him getting to learn more about his little sister online, y’all get to learn a little about his life. :) Charlie and his wife Stef are due in May to deliver the first great grandchild on the K side of the family! According to Mom, they went to the doctors again this week. Stef is still healthy, they’re close to 20 weeks along (I think), and they’re due in early May. And the most exciting news of the week: they just found out they’re expecting a little baby boy! Charlie and Stef already have a very cute little boy named picked out, though I’m not sure if it’s public knowledge yet that I’m allowed to put on the internet. (Charlie & Stef – can I mention the name? not mention it? do share!).
It’s also funny… Mom and Dad are talking about what travel they’re going to do in their retirement, but even though they don’t mention it in their plans I suspect the retirement will include a fair deal of baby time in addition to the travel time. You see, they’re already obsessed about the future grandkid. Mom’s very proud to have found a stroller and baby backpack. Dad found lots of stuff yesterday on our shopping trip, but exercised great restraint and only went home with two things for the little one. They’re even going through my old boxes of crap and keeping things out that’d be good for the kid. (Personally, I don’t feel the need to keep my old Disney movies on VHS… I suspect the kid will be reared on DVDs since they’re pretty much the standard now). But anyway, it’s fun and exciting and I wish Charlie and Stef all the best. Very very sadly, I’m going to miss the birth and the first seven months of the little guy’s introduction to the world. But I console myself with the idea that he won’t remember it anyway. And I suspect they’ll turn out to be parents that document everything from the kid’s birth forward, so I’m hoping they’ll send photos regularly to Kenya. And more practically, he’ll be much more fun when he’s closer to a year old and can walk and babble and play and giggle and do more than just sleep and eat. :) Congrats Charlie and Stef!
What’d I do on my first Friday night home in Austin? Go party like Euro-trash? Movies with friends? Dinner at some hip place? Nope! Ran some errands, ate dinner with parents in a strip mall, and sorted stuff at the house. Let the fun begin. :)
Being inspired is hard work. I returned home from Baltimore tonight after 10 long days of training and am thoroughly tired. The training went really well and was full of inspirational women who’ve traveled the globe working in peace, justice, and community development projects. I met women who’d spent 16 years in Peru, 19 years in Brazil, 20 years in Kenya, 10 years in the Congo, 5 years in Malaysia, etc. Inspiring really doesn’t begin to convey the dedication, conviction, perseverance, and commitment to social justice and change that these women demonstrate on a daily basis! It was great to hear their perspective on cultural competence, and great to get my mind thinking on tough topics. I’ll be working with youth with disabilities in a small village in a rural part of the country. One example of a tough topic: When you’re working in a community/culture that believes in Animism, doesn’t have access to health care, and doesn’t always accept youth with disabilities… what do I say to a parent who thinks their child’s disability is a curse? What do I say when they say their disabled child is God’s punishment for the parents sins? Other fun questions, though less tough, concern developing a fabulous relationship when living and working with the same woman for the next 365 days (is there such thing as too much time together)? Anyway, the training was great and our hosts were generous and terrific as always.
In the middle of the two weeks of training, C and I headed to Philly for a little road trip. There wasn’t much rest and relaxation with all of the driving, but it was a super fun weekend. We visited two former members from last year (Alex drove in from Boston and Dave took the train in from NYC). AC is this odd little world where you are only granted an access pass to people’s lives for one short year. You never know at the end who will move away, who will stay in touch, or who you’ll ever see again regardless of location. This weekend was an amazing chance to see two members again, and to meet both of their families, and to hang out for a while in their old neighborhoods. I’m so thankful for this amazing opportunity to spend time with them and their families… it was really great! C and I even took time away from socializing to drive out a ways to visit C’s grandparents. They lived an hour and a half away and were a super sweet couple. That brings the total number of C’s family I’ve met up to six. Crazy. Snow in Philly was pretty strong Saturday night, but the drive home Sunday afternoon wasn’t too bad. We met up with a childhood friend of C’s for lunch and he was great too. He even used to live on a permaculture farm in Hawaii… super cool in my book!
Outside of training, C and I spent many late nights processing the training, and chatting about life, Kenya, dynamics, kids, culture, fears, hopes, and more. We’re incredibly different than each other in many powerful aspects and we process very differently. How are you different?, you say. Give us an example, you say. Okay. Here’s an example: she’s an introverted homebody who drinks lots of coffee and goes to bed early and who wears lots of layers… and while I’m uber-extroverted gal who stays up late and is generally out most nights and weekends and doesn’t do caffeine and only owns v-neck shirts and doesn’t like layering. It’s all very intriguing how the personal dynamics have begun to play out and will continue to play out over the next year. (The caffeine differences and the v-necks are decidedly less intriguing). Regardless, some days I think we’re not compatible and we’re setting ourselves up for some painful failure that will be devastating considering all else we’ll need to deal with being in a new country. However, the other 99.44% of the time I know she’s intelligent, gifted, beautiful, silly, and fabulous… and I genuinely couldn’t imagine anyone else I’d rather spend the year with in Kenya. Our plane ride back from Baltimore to Houston tonight was really nice (as generic as that might sound) and it’s crazy to think how close we are after only knowing each other for a few months. In Sissy’s words, we’ve “become fast friends.” In my words, she’s a weirdo and I love her.
Calif. Rep. Cunningham Pleads Guilty and Resigns After Admitting to Taking $2.4M in Bribes
By ELLIOT SPAGAT
The Associated Press
SAN DIEGO – Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham, an eight-term congressman and hotshot Vietnam War fighter jock, pleaded guilty to graft and tearfully resigned Monday, admitting he took $2.4 million in bribes mostly from defense contractors in exchange for government business and other favors.
“The truth is I broke the law, concealed my conduct, and disgraced my office,” the 63-year-old Republican said at a news conference. “I know that I will forfeit my freedom, my reputation, my worldly possessions, most importantly, the trust of my friends and family.”
He could get up to 10 years in prison at sentencing Feb. 27 on federal charges of conspiracy to commit bribery and fraud, and tax evasion.
Investigators said Cunningham, a member of a House Appropriations subcommittee that controls defense dollars, secured contracts worth tens of millions of dollars for those who paid him off. Prosecutors did not identify the defense contractors.
Cunningham was charged in a case that grew out of an investigation into the sale of his home to a defense contractor at an inflated price.
The congressman had already announced in July after the investigation became public that he would not seek re-election next year. But until he entered his plea, he had insisted he had done nothing wrong.
Cunningham’s plea came amid a series of GOP scandals: Rep. Tom DeLay of Texas had to step down as majority leader after he was indicted in a campaign finance case; a stock sale by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist is being looked at by regulators; and Vice President Dick Cheney’s chief of staff was indicted in the CIA leak case.
Cunningham, a swaggering former flying ace with the Navy during the Vietnam War, was known on Capitol Hill for his interest in defense issues and his occasional outbursts.
In court documents, prosecutors said Cunningham admitted receiving at least $2.4 million in bribes paid in a variety of forms, including checks totaling over $1 million, cash, antiques, rugs, furniture, yacht club fees and vacations.
Among other things, prosecutors said, Cunningham was given $1.025 million to pay down the mortgage on his Rancho Santa Fe mansion, $13,500 to buy a Rolls-Royce and $2,081 for his daughter’s graduation party at a Washington hotel.
“He did the worst thing an elected official can do he enriched himself through his position and violated the trust of those who put him there,” U.S. Attorney Carol Lam said.
Cunningham was allowed to remain free while he awaits sentencing. He also agreed to forfeit his mansion, more than $1.8 million in cash, and antiques and rugs.
The case began when authorities started investigating Cunningham’s sale of his Del Mar house to defense contractor Mitchell Wade for $1,675,000. Wade sold the house nearly a year later for $975,000 a loss of $700,000 in a hot real estate market.
Prosecutors did not specify if the house purchase was part of Cunningham’s guilty pleas.
In addition to buying Cunningham’s home at an inflated price, Wade let him live rent-free on the congressman’s yacht, the Duke Stir, at a yacht club. Wade’s company, MZM Inc., also donated generously to Cunningham’s campaigns.
Around the same time, MZM was winning defense contracts.
MZM does classified intelligence work for the military. It had $65.5 million of contracts for intelligence-related defense work in fiscal 2004, ranking No. 38 on the Pentagon’s list. The company has established a presence in Iraq, fielding a small team of interpreters shortly after the invasion.
I never got around to doing a proper Happy Thanksgiving post, so here’s a belated one. (I’m a firm believer in better late than never). This was our first Thanksgiving without Grandpa, but it was still with the whole family and was still nice and uneventful. It was also very laid back… no suit jackets or ties this year, no fancy meals out at hotels, etc. We did the standard cooking-all-day thing, I did some gardening for my aunt, and got in the pool for a little while. I ate a giant meal of stuffing, acorn squash, mashed potatoes, green bean cassarole, and pecan pie. We did the traditional gift exchanges (white elephant gift exchange, then the real gift exchange). We signed $2 bills and laughed about our signatures on younger days (Jim’s first signature was the best). I still miss Jim… hard to believe this was our third Thanksgiving without him. I couldn’t be more proud of my youngest cousins and how they’re growing up, but I do still miss Jim.
So, what am I thankful for this year? Just about everything. Truly, I’m not sure I’ve ever felt so blessed for so long in my entire life. Specifically…
Five life changing years of growth in Seattle
Finding my cell phone safely at home in Texas (happily not lost at a truck stop in Alabama)
The chance to spend time with the K family every Thanksgiving
Family who announced this week they were going to visit me in Kenya (both my parents and my aunt Linda)
Family – even if they don’t always say just the thing you were hoping for, or even when you don’t see eye to eye, you know they’re good people with good heart
Leaving a job I loved in Seattle
Martha and Pete carrying the torch
My health
Fabulous Seattle friends who are so supportive they continue to astound me… I couldn’t possibly list them all, but they know who they are even if they never leave comments.
Employees, coworkers, and peers who are so supportive they astound me
Friends with babies for giving me a chance to experience and play, even if only for brief moments
Two consecutive weeks of road trips that were safe with no speeding tickets, no car accidents, and no fights
Friends near and far who are always up for visits, no matter how brief or how inconvenient
The faith of the powers that be to trust me with an opportunity in Kenya
Hiring an amazing coworker to join me for the work and adventure in Kenya
Getting seats together with C for my flight this Tues and next Thurs
My financial stability that will allow me to volunteer next year
Music that sustains me
Sounding boards like Caroline and Samantha who kept me sane during much of the last few years, and Dieter, Moses, and Charles who kept me sane when I first moved to Seattle. No easy task. I experienced depression for the first time in my life while living in Seattle (needless to say this required an adjustment from me). My friends are my family and they mean the world.
Packing and moving help from people who still love me when I’m a manic, crying mess
Thank you and goodbye gifts. Don’t think me too superficial. I’m a Dec 22nd birthday, which means my birthday celebrations in life can be counted on one hand. Further, my family doesn’t do much in the way of Christmas gifts (ie some years there are none, other years a tree ornament and nick-knacks will arrive). And since I’m generally single and not in a long term relationship, it’s not like I make a wish list and give it over to my sweetie. So for me to get gifts just for heading out on a new adventure… it’s not the monetary value (don’t get me wrong, it’s super nice), but it’s really the thought and the gesture that were so overwhelming to me.
Mary who never fails to send baby photos that always brighten my day
Photo friends who encouraged me in my hobby, who encouraged me to show my photos this year, and tyd for setting me up with my first group show over a year ago
The awesome opportunity to eat myself silly and be surrounded by great people at weekly Sunday Brunches at Rod’s and at weekly Sunday Dinners at the Yellow House
College friends that remain fabulous even after 5-10 years
A goodbye party, a farewell tour, and a road trip that all made me feel like a well loved rock star
Packages soon to arrive in the mail: a film camera (a gift!), an i-pod (a partial gift), and a digital camera (a gift to myself)
The laptop I bought this spring for actually working with i-tunes (often it’s the little things we overlook that really make the day so much nicer
Sunny weather in the 80s in Florida and Texas
Surviving rainy Seattle winters year after year
People who hug
People who kiss
People who say I love you
I think I could go on all night, but it’s already after midnight and I’ve got a crazy busy day ahead of me tomorrow. Thanks for everything! Looking forward to another great year!
Is that when you go to a movie (like when we went to see Rent yesterday on opening day), you don’t have to worry about shutting off your ringer and not disturbing anyone else’s movie viewing pleasure. I suspect I lost it in Austin, or maybe Alabama or Mississippi? Not sure. And btw, for those following along to Cat-Trivia week, Rent is my FAVORITE musical of all time! And I think the movie wasn’t too bad. Left out some songs, some lyrics, some dialogue, but overall was still good. I didn’t like them making Collins into a druggie. Or making Roger seem so wholesome. However, the early scene with the title Rent track made up for any qualms I may have had… it was amazingly gorgeous! Must have been super fun to shoot!
Is that when I woke up two different times from an upset stomach last night, both times I knew I’d dreamt! Yay pizza! (For those playing along to Cat-Trivia, I’ve only been aware that I’ve dreamt a handful of times in my entire life. And I only know what I was dreaming about on even fewer dreams). While I’d really like to dream more like everyone else, I’m seriously hoping gluten isn’t the secret to me dreaming more.
Tomorrow we leave Florida and head back to Texas. And as we know, everything in bigger in Texas… including Texas Pride. When was the last time you saw someone with a tattoo the shape of Washington or Kansas or North Carolina?
It’s kind of crazy that Mary and I are friends… considering the first time we met was when I was a bridesmaid in her wedding in Wisconsin. That said, she’s super fun, her family is super fantastic, and I’m quite pleased she’s turning another year older and another year more terrific! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARY!
I’m not sure if I’m posting lots to make up for lost time, but I am apparently posting lots. So, if you’re wondering how the second half of the road trip went after Arizona but before arrival in Austin, you can read all about it.
Feeling more than a little restless tonight. Could it be the one cup of coffee I drank almost 12 hours ago? I’d hope not. The rest of the house went to bed over two or three hours ago. I’m okay. I’m just not ready for sleep. Guess I can offer other updates as long as I’m awake and online. And speaking of online… we’ve got to do something about Dad’s laptop. It’s not a bad computer, but it is so virus infected it’s nearly impossible to open up a web browser and check email. Why they pay for DSL on a computer incapable of basic surfing is beyond me. Must get fixed, or must resign myself to coffee shops for Dec, or for an early taste of what internet-free life could feel like.
In other news, Naples is lovely this week. Sunny and warm (70s). Pretty crazy windy though, hence my indoor activities rather than pool-side lounging. I hope to mix in more of that tomorrow. Tonight was a lovely walk through part of historic downtown Naples, just a few blocks from Tom’s house. They had fake snow shooting out from all of the lamp posts, had live music on every block, and lit their holiday tree and lights. Quite a street party, complete with the open drinking of wine and beer in public streets. Yay Florida!
On a different note, C’s procedure today netted good, very positive results. A surgery in on the horizon, and that means a fix, and that is indeed a very good thing. If you’re one who prays, now is the time. Thanks in advance.
What else? My aunt Linda has announced she’ll be visiting me next October in Kenya! Additionally, she has friends in both Kenya and South Africa who would be happy to have me crash at their place if I’m able to travel. This is very generous of her, and them, and is very exciting to me!
My bank account at a big, national chain is worthless in Texas and Florida and most of the other 40-something states. Apparently I need to close my account and reopen in Texas if I want to ever deposit using the ATM again. Odd and tiresome. There might be a changing of banks in my future… oh, the possibilities.
I’m happy to be with family for our annual family reunion at Thanksgiving, but am at the same time sad to be missing Samantha’s Thanksgiving Bonanza.
In case you were wondering, my amazingly cool and fantastic and smart and talented cousin Jon is not a creep, but oh boy does he have stories about people that are. Ewww.
Unrelated, I’m very excited that RENT is coming out as a movie today! I love the Musical, and can easily sing along and cry every time I listen to the Soundtrack, and I’m quite looking forward to the Film! I know they’ve kept many original cast members from the live productions, and I’m curious about having a whole city to shoot in instead of one scene on stage. I’m a little skeptical about the scenes, but very excited overall. Anyone think I can convince family to go with me to see it? I think a few might be open to it, so let’s hope so!
Chatted with Martha today (hi Marth!). Was both fun and productive. She’s fabulous. And have I mentioned enough times yet how the Yellow House totally saved my @ss when packing last week? I mean it. I was manic. I cried. They arrive and accomplished miracles. They said goodbye and I cried again. Beautiful girls I’m honored to call friends. And along that same line, did I mention my eternal gratitude to Dieter for helping with the moving of boxes to storage and Goodwill? He’s been a saint many times for comforting me when manic over the years, and this moving night was no different. Dieter – thanks for being a friend again. I do appreciate your help and your heart.
I had coffee this afternoon around 3pm (not just any coffee, but Starbucks, which I usually try to avoid). I had a grande Peppermint Mocha and it was glorious. I love coffee, but it’s not good for me so I drink it very rarely. This peppermint mocha was so fabulous, it’s no wonder people get addicted to coffee. Powerful appeal.
And yes, I have been listening to a lot of Rod Stewart tonight, and I am still enjoying every minute of it.
For everyone out there playing along to Cat-Trivia, here we go:
My favorite holidays song is “Baby It’s Cold Out There.” Not necessarily the Rod Stewart version, but really any version is still capable of making me very happy.
I love watching old people dance in public.
Fake snow = cheesy. + I heart cheesy. = I heart fake snow.
Brownies are a wonder food, as is queso.
And for those a little behind on the times: A don’t heart sweatshirts. And I don’t heart wearing baseball caps or hats in general.
Okay, I think that’s all for me tonight. I should get to bed. Mental note to self: Hey stupid! Get in the hot tub tomorrow. Why are you waiting this long???
As Caroline proclaimed, “I heart Austin!” She’s my second Seattle friend to ever visit Texas with me and I do believe she was pleasantly surprised. We spent two short days in town trying to recover from the road trip and seeing some of the sights and it was fun! 48 hours isn’t much time, but it was enough to visit a few of my favorite places and favorite people. What’d we do?
Saw theRound Rock, and the house I grew up in, all of my schools, and drove up and down Sam Bass Road
Met up with Chris and Alyssa and baby Tyler at the Harry Ransom Center to see the Ansel Adams: A Legacy exhibit. Great to see them, and a very nice exhibit too. I’d never seen his portrait or urban shots… and both were lovely.
Coffee and wi-fi at Mojo’s… one of the many 24 hour coffee shops around town
Some bizarre Thai candle lighting ceremony in the middle of nowhere (Del Valle to be exact)
And we ended our tour of Austin with a late night dinner and some great conversation at Kerby Lane Cafe (the original location). It got fancy at some point since I last visited town… no more alt waiters with tattoos and piercings… they now have to wear collared shirts now. Bizarre.
Sadly, our family road trip to Florida for Thanksgiving needed to leave early Sunday morning, so I didn’t get even to spend Sunday morning with Caroline. I dropped her off at Beal’s place for sleep and for the trip to the airport. (Thanks Beal, and thanks for your flexibility Caroline!) Yes, like when the Yellow House girls said goodbye after helping me pack at 3am, I cried at this fond farewell. The Yellow House girls were my last goodbye in Seattle, and I believe Caroline is officially the last Seattle friend I will see before heading to Kenya. Both the Yellow House and Caroline mean so much to me… hard to imagine not having them around. All in all it was a fabulous road trip with Caroline and a fun little weekend in Austin. I continue to extend the invite for out of town friends to visit Texas… it’s a whole other world. :)
T-Shirts: Flaunt modern Americana pop culture; wear a tee. Follow the tee’s evolution from its risqué heyday of “underwear as outwear,” to today’s sexy slogan-wear. Loved by bad boys and blue collars, to jet set fashionistas, the t-shirt is here to stay.
Last week: Road trip
This week: Florida
Next two weeks: Baltimore
After five days of road tripping from Seattle to Austin, I had a fabulous two day break with Caroline sightseeing in Austin. (More later on our adventures). Yesterday my family and I piled into Mom’s Suburban and the five of us took off for two more days of driving… this time from Austin to Naples, Florida. We’ve now arrived at my uncle’s fabulous beach house and it’s time for our annual family holiday bonding. So far we’ve started with happy hour and quesadillas, we’ll do many family meals, we’ll sign some $2 bills, and there will eventually be a gift exchange involved. I think we’ll all do all right. Hope your Thanksgivings are relaxing and fun!
Yesterday was a long day of site seeing, which I’ll tell you more about later. For now, know that Caroline and I ended the evening at Sixth Street with Beal and that there was a photo booth involved.
Caroline and I made it all the way home yesterday, landing around midnight in exciting Round Rock, Texas… home of my parents and the fighting dragons. (No, I didn’t go see the midnight showing of Harry Potter with the rest of the city. I slept instead. And btw, yes, my high school mascot is indeed the dragon). This morning we’ve unloaded the car, I’m still sick with a painful sore throat, and I’m excited to see Dot and Laura tonight! Tomorrow we’ll hopefully see a few more friends, and then Sunday early we leave for Florida. (Who wouldn’t want to hop back in a car with four family members after spending the last four days in a car?). I’m now unemployed and homeless, and I think I’m doing better with being homeless. It’s easy enough to give up an apartment and stuff at the end of the day, but trying to detach from the job and the team is a little harder. I don’t miss going to work 8-10 hours a day, but do miss knowing what’s going on. Alas. I still have insiders, who are pretty patient, so I suspect I can still get occasional updates if I so desire. :)
And now, before I go, a request. Caroline has never been to Austin or Texas. If you have suggestions on what to see if you had 48 hours, do leave a comment. Dad suggests we visit the State Capitol, the LBJ Presidential Library, and the new HEB. I love grocery stores too, but am not entirely sure how the ghost of LBJ or the proud people of Texas would feel knowing our new local grocery store was right up there with the capitol for sight seeing. Other ideas welcome! And if you have free time, you’re welcome to join us too!
Caroline and I are now on day four of the Seattle to Austin road trip and sadly won’t get to see a fraction of what we want to see. And we’ll only get to see a handful of the people we’d like to connect with on the way! Kinda crazy to think of how many friends we have spread across the country in LA, SF, OR, AZ, etc. Sadly we won’t get to see all of them, but a few is better than none.
Sunday: 14 hours of driving in the rain, through the mountains, from Seattle to San Francisco! Many thanks to Alan for hosting our late night stay! Many thanks for Caroline doing a good portion of the driving! I started the road trip after pulling an all nighter, and while I was also to do driving during day light, I was feeling exhausted during the late night hours! For a woman who hasn’t done many long road trips, Caroline is quite a trooper!
Monday: Many thanks to the fabulous Alan and fantastic Andrea for showing us around town… and what a gorgeous day to be in SF! Perfect blue skies and perfect 70 degree weather! Alan and Andrea are both great people and they took us to the Haight, Fisherman’s Wharf, out for ice cream, yummy veggie breakfast, seeing the sea lions, and more! After dropping Andrea at work, we finally had to head out to begin our long drive to Los Angeles in the evening. Upon arrival near 11pm, we got to hang out with Caroline’s fun friend Sue for drinks and conversation at Fiesta Cantina… a lovely gay bar with lots of rockin cheesy 80s music. Many thanks to Paul and Sue for hosting our stay, and many thanks to Sue for the tank tops! They’ve been fantastic for the trip through LA and Arizona!
Tuesday: It’s freaking hot in LA! Tried to read my book (The Tent) on the patio while Caroline and Sue slept, but I was sweating too much to enjoy it! Gotta love LA in November! We started the morning with a screening of Sue’s most recent short film she was in called “Monster in my Pants.” Very classy flick (mocumentary about lesbian porn). Yep, Sue’s an actor, hence the move from Seattle to LA. After the screening, we met up with my college buddy Scott and did lunch with him before he had to head into work. It was fun for me to be able to introduce Scott to Caroline… Scott did the road trip with me from Houston to Seattle when I moved out of Texas five years ago. And now Caroline is doing the opposite leg of the trip with me from Seattle to Texas. Kinda fun that Scott’s moved to LA and is now 1/2 way in the middle! Scott brought me some homemade lemon liqueur, which we sampled and determined it was excellent! Thanks Scott! After leaving Scott and Sue, we met up with my very funny, very first roomie from college Meg. She’s doing law in LA and I try to meet up with her on all of my road trips through town! She also brought gifts… flat, flat gifts that will be lovely for Kenya! (Flip flops, photo album, and stationary!). As always, Meg also loaded us up with drinks, snacks, and even CDs for the road! Thanks Meg! And then we began the long trip to Phoenix.
Wednesday: We arrived in Phoenix near 1am and promptly went right to bed. This morning we did a little sorting at Grandpa’s house (got rid of food stuff, recycling, etc). We’re now eating lunch before heading out to Amarillo and were pleasantly surprised to see Free Wireless Internet Access at the Tropical Smoothie Cafe in Mesa. I couldn’t imagine too many seniors take advantage of free wi-fi, so I was happy to unpack my laptop and put their network to good use. (The owner even came over a few minutes ago to thank me for using it. “I pay extra for the internet… someone should be using! Do come back as often as you’d like!”)
And now, with that, we should be getting on the road. If you’re one the folks who’s called in the last few days, I’m not ignoring you on purpose. The drive through the dessert and mountains not only has limited cell reception, I’ve already used up all of my minutes for the month. I’ll try to call folks back once I get to Austin. Hope y’all are well!
This morning I finished a two day packing marathon with the unwavering support of great friends. Caroline stopped by for a few boxes after a long day working. Dieter stopped by to help me move a load of stuff to storage. And Martha, Susie, and Abbey saved the day and came by for not just one, but two, amazingly productive shifts at Chateau Fremont. I was pretty manic this afternoon… maybe because I haven’t finsihed packing, or maybe because I don’t know when I’ll be back, or maybe because I’m not ready to leave my great friends in Seattle, or maybe because leaving across the globe is exciting and emotional all at once. Either way, I was definitely manic by 5pm today and they came right over to help. My tears began the moment I saw them step into my dining room. In an hour flat they accomplished the unthinkable and we packed 9 boxes for storage and packed another 6 boxes for Goodwill.
Erin the wonder roomie was quite convincing as “Miss Cle Ellum – Runner Up”
Silly pictures aside, Erin wins the award for best roommate living situation a girl could ask for! It’s hard to believe we’ve been living together for 2.5 almost 3 years and are still absolutely content with the situation! 3 years is just as old as Ian’s whole life. 3 years is all of middle school. 3 years is longer than any romantic relationship I’ve ever been in. I consider myself very lucky she called me and convinced me she should get the room, and I’m sad to leave such great apartment bliss with such a fantastic roommate.
Today is the momentous day that we should all pause to take time to recognize my Dad’s birthday! Dad turns an amazing 61 this year and he’s still going strong! I’ll be spending lots of time with Dad this winter, and with my whole family, as I’m leaving Seattle tomorrow and heading back to Austin before Kenya!
Today is also the crazy day that fabulous young Ian celebrates turning 3 years old! If his first two years are any indication of what’s in store for the future, Ian is well on his way to greatness! Today’s birthday party was super fun and featured the Mercer Island Steel Drum Band! There was cake, dancing, drumming, and lots of friends! Congrats to Maggie & Jim on a fantastic party and on an even more fantastic little man!
Got rid of my futon and bed today… and kitchen stuff… and kites… and bathroom stuff. :) Moses came over with his truck and helped move the big stuff! Was great to see him, and a great help! And it rained all day while moving things… kinda wish I had a pair of rainboots like the little kids at the park had.
The goodbye party last night was amazing and fantastic and overwhelming! As predicted, with 100 people showing up it was super hard to have long conversations with any one person, but it was great to see so many people and great to get so many hugs and kisses and well wishes! Oh how I love the hugs and kisses! I know Kenya won’t be an easy move or job once there, and I’m fortunate to have this giant cloud of love and support that will help sustain me once the honeymoon period ends and some of the harsher realities kick in. Even after having to say so many goodbyes, it still somehow seems unreal that I won’t have you local folks in my life on a regular basis. Five great years in Seattle… I’d never have predicted or dreamed of the network of amazing people I’m lucky to call friends! Again, all my sincerest thanks for all your support and all you do!
Please know I’d love to see you all one last time before I move out of Seattle.
Cat’s Goodbye Party
Thursday Nov 10th from 5-10pm
Atlas Foods in the U-Village
(enter from 45th Street and it’s behind the Barnes & Noble)
Here’s my info for Nov & Dec when I’ll stay with my parents during the holidays. And below is my info for Kenya – feel encouraged to write letters and to write often!
Tonight will be my last photo meeting with a lovely bunch of photographers who’ve become lovely friends. :) If you identify as someone who likes to take pictures, please come on out! Second Wednesday of every month we meet at Uptown Espresso in Belltown. 8-10pm. This month’s theme: Patterns. See you there!
On Monday Caroline and I met up with Carly to have some mehendi done! I was amazed at how quick Carly was, and by how steady her hand was! I wasn’t sure what I wanted to get, but am quite pleased with the design she did on my hand. I think it is pretty amazing, and no, I don’t actually think my hand is fat. I also think the work Carly did on Caroline’s arm and back was quite fantastic. If you’re in the Seattle area and are looking for a henna artist, do give Carly a call! She can do design work for wedding parties or just for random fun, and she has a studio conveniently located in the U-District!
Went to dinner tonight with a colleague who spent time in the Peace Corps, spent time as a Peace Corps staffer, and was also a Peace Corps trainer. He had lots of good advice, gave me a pretty calendar goodbye gift, and shared a Peace Corps Kiswahili lesson book (that eventually I should return). Was a nice dinner, even if I received a stern scolding which I definitely deserved.
Now I’m wasting time researching digital cameras tonight instead of packing like I should be. (Speaking of… anyone have advice on this camera?)
Oh, and in case you’re wondering, tonight I’m listening to a fantastic mix of 80s classics like Toto (Africa), Alphaville (Forever Young), Whitesnake (Here I Go Again), and Whitelion (When the Children Cry). How some of my friends made it to age 25 without knowing Whitelion or Toto is well beyond me. Seems there’s some 80s education that I might need to help spread.
I lucked my way onto standby flights into Asheville on Friday night and back home to Seattle today. (Many thanks to JD for using his connections for my flights!). It’s always good to be back in North Carolina to see family… even if the circumstances were less than ideal. Jennifer’s funeral was very nice and the highlight was definitely Zach’s speech. If you weren’t already crying, you were definitely doing so by the end of Zach’s words. No dry eyes in the place.
And speaking of seeing family, the NC side of the family seems to be expanding at an amazingly quick rate! Seems many of my cousins have kids already or are expecting some soon!
Kelly & T-Mox were they with little Kenneth (and Kelly is pregnant with a baby girl due in Feb)
Prentice & Mark were there with baby Wildt (and Prentice is pregnant with another due in April)
Steph was there and it’s hard to believe her little girl Jordyn is already turning 7!
Zach was there with his girlfriend Jennifer (who’s soon to be a fiancé!)
Shawn & Allana were they with Allana’s son Corey and with 7 week old Konner!
Margaret was there with her boyfriend Jerry… hard to believe I haven’t seen Margaret since she was probably in middle school (she’s in college now!)
Bobbie’s whole family was there… she, Dave, Brandon, Tray, and big Kenneth
Tom & Debra were there with Tyler and Michael
Terry and Grandpa were both there
Like I said… always good to see family. Funerals aren’t so ideal, but Steph, Zach, and Terry seem to be holding up as well as can be expected. I’m now back in Seattle (many thanks to Caroline for airport rides!), and now I’m back at work. Wednesday I’ll be moving bookshelves and furniture, which means I need to be uber productive tonight and tomorrow night. Take care!
Yep, just 8 days till I leave Seattle. And of that time, I’ll be in North Carolina for 3 days, leaving me just under 5 days to pack the important stuff and give away the rest. (And do bdays and goodbyes and such). No pressure or anything. :)
Free plug for my best friend from middle school: Brandi is starting a home business and she just finished the website. You can check out the items at Brandi’s Decor Galore. Enjoy!
Did the show tonight at Caroline’s studio. Sold 5 photos (some is better than none). Mingled lots. Got some food at the 5-Point. (If you’ve never tried their Mac & Cheese wedges, you ought to do so ASAP). I’m now ready for bed. Oh, and tomorrow evening I will fly out to North Carolina for Jennifer’s funeral. (I’ll skip Lopez Island and will be back in Seattle on Monday night). Many thanks to Caroline for hosting the show at her studio, and many thanks for everyone who came out and visited 619 Western tonight!
What to say about this week that doesn’t sound melodramatic? I cried a lot, for the first time, about leaving for Kenya. I couldn’t help myself, couldn’t stop myself They were crazy amounts of tears (joyous tears to be sure) from being surrounded by some of the people I respect and admire most in life, where the outpouring of support continues to humble me, sustain me, and motivate me. And in a separate event that balances the joy and celebration of this with its own grief and sorrow, my aunt Jennifer passed away unexpectedly this week. She’s a good woman who’s had a hard life. She went into the ER suddenly Tuesday night, was dismissed after tests didn’t find any problems, and died a few hours later at home. Cause of death unknown. She’s survived by her children/my cousins Steph and Zach, by her granddaughter Jordyn, and by a large extended family.
I found a flight to North Carolina for the funeral and am more than interested in spending the money. I’d want to go both to honor Jen, and to see the whole family before I leave for Africa since it’ll be at least a year before seeing them again. But, when I called Dad about the ticket I found, he thought I should stay home. Yes, it’s not the ideal time for a funeral, but when is there really an ideal time for a death in the family? The schedule as it currently stands:
I just flew home from Baltimore this afternoon (thanks Maggie & Andrea for the ride!) and will have my last gallery show tonight.
I have my last team meeting tomorrow and leave for my last Northwest adventure tomorrow night (Lopez Island with amazing friends).
I’d also need to leave tomorrow if I go to the funeral since it’s happening Saturday afternoon, meaning I’d need to miss the weekend at Lopez Island and likely miss my last team meeting too.
Next week I have my last week of work and training the fabulous new staff, my last photo group meeting, a brunch, a birthday party, dinner plans, packing (from start to finish), and my goodbye party.
Dad’s supposed to call soon and give me his updated recommendation on whether or not I should head out to the funeral. In the mean time, please send your thoughts and/or prayers to my aunt Jennifer’s family.
Last week was a photo week from start to finish. Last weekend I did my edits for Carly, and sent off my pictures of Kitera for the calendar she’s putting together. Then this week I edited my shots of Carol (see above) and sent them off to her as well. And by the end of the weekend, I spent three more days doing photos, getting ready for Thursday’s show. After a day of selecting photos and getting prints made, I spent another day framing, and then spent this afternoon hanging. I think I’m pretty much done with photos for a while… I’m not doing any more photo shoots or photo shows anytime before January 2007 at a minimum. :)
I printed and framed all of my photos for the gallery show this Thursday in Pioneer Square. We’ll have music, food, drink, and the photography of me and Caroline. I have some new photos from NYC and the Seattle area, as well as a few of my favorites from Egypt and India. Hope at least a few of you can make it!
While I generally love Halloween and all of the dressing up and parties involved, this year I felt uncharacteristically low key. Perhaps I’m on social-overkill from my hectic goodbye tour of Seattle? Perhaps I feel like I should be packing and sorting rather than going out partying? I leave in the morning for a business trip to Baltimore, come home Thursday to do my gallery show, then am out of town over the weeekend, then am back in town for less than a week before I drive away to Texas. It’s a busy time right now and maybe that’s affecting my desire to go party when I know there are other more timely considerations.
Either way, Friday night we skipped the always popular, always packed, and always fun Hellfire party in favor of a friend’s birthday at a dive bar a few blocks from home. Saturday my party options were spread across Greenlake, Ballard, Sea-Tac, and Maple Valley… and with such a long drive between any of those, I decided on just one party. No party hopping between five events this year, but I did get hit on at the party and got digits (always entertaining). Oh, and instead of bringing a posse of friends with me, I went solo. This was new for me, too. Hope y’all had a roaringly good time. Anyone do anything fun?
It pains me to part with them, but I’m not able to take my wooden pineapple bowl collection with me. They’re made from genuine monkey pod, come from mostly the Philippine Islands or Hawaii, and range from a few inches to over a foot long. Some are platters, some are bowls. They’re free to someone who can provide a good home for some of all of them (about 10-15). Let me know if you’re interested…
Last night was likely my last time dancing at Neighbors in a long, long time and it couldn’t have been better. Who knew that a nondescript alley way could hold such good times for so long?? I have to thank Samantha and Caroline for a fabulous last dance extravaganza. We started with drinks at Rosebud (I couldn’t leave Seattle without trying it at least once!), then continued into the alley on to Neighbors where the new dance floor wasn’t too crowded, there were friendly boys, a pretty new lounge, trannies in cheerleader uniforms, and the company of the two most fabulous friends a girl could ask. In a word, it was fabulous.
Apparently Dieter went to Dr. Zimmer last week too! And apparently Dieter thinks I should just give my bike to his current girlfriend as a gift instead of selling it on craigslist. Hmm. And Dieter and I ate Ethiopian food and ice cream tonight. And I uploaded a few pics to flickr for the first time in months. And I updated my glossary, and contact info, and pictures pages (see right menu). And today at work I spent approximately 8 hours doing nothing but returning emails and setting up emails and updating emails and cleaning my contacts. And then I sent an email evite to community partners and coworkers. And now we have about 90 people total RSVP’d for my goodbye party. Weird. And exciting. And crazy. And tomorrow I’m going dancing with Caroline and Samantha and anyone else who will come with. :)
So I mentioned last week that I went to my gray haired hottie dentist. Now everyone has the fabulous ability to check out his website and see online part of what makes him so cool. Maybe the music? The rotating local art on the walls? The office cat? The rooftop deck? The coffee? The talented, friendly staff? There’s just so much! Visit: www.seattledental.com and if you need a dentist, be sure to tell them I sent you. :)
Shortly after the Texas Themed Sunday Dinner, I found this list online and was thoroughly entertained. Maybe you need to be from Texas to appreciate it in all it’s beauty, but still a mighty entertaining list to me. :) I present: John Nova Lomax of the Houston Press with the “Thirty Worst Texas Songs.”
30. Timbuk 3, “Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades.” This song’s so bad, I gotta wear earplugs. All right, all right, maybe it’s not that bad, but it would take years to find rock any geekier than this. That “Ain’t nothin’ gonna breaka my stride” song tops it, but not by much.
29. Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, “Luckenbach, Texas.” Not a terrible tune, but terribly overrated and overplayed, and responsible for the plague of name-checking other Texas songwriters.
28. Various Artists, “Deep in the Heart of Texas.” I’ve always hated everything about this tune — the stupid melody, the moronic hand-clapping, the Up With People vibe. Couldn’t we sing “San Antonio Rose” at baseball games instead? “Waltz Across Texas”? “Mind of a Lunatic”? Anything but this.
27. Fabulous Thunderbirds, “Powerful Stuff.” After scoring a hit with “Tuff Enuff” on their previous album, the T-Birds watered down their signature sound still more for this turd off the Cocktail soundtrack.
26. Steve Earle, “Esmeralda’s Hollywood.” This slice of Earle’s “vacation in the ghetto” interlude is of interest today only to those of a ghoulish bent. You could pretty much put about half of The Hard Way in here; not for nothing has Earle allowed that record, alone among his studio recordings, to slip out of print.
25. Ray Wylie Hubbard, “Screw You We’re from Texas.” It takes some doing to write a song that’s even more obnoxious than “Up Against the Wall, Redneck Mother,” but Hubbard topped himself with this one from last year’s Growl.
24. H-Town, “Knockin’ Da Boots.” Included here for introducing a dorky euphemism for screwing into the American lexicon.
23. Charlie Sexton, “Beat’s So Lonely.” Man, Charlie, you had it all. The chops. The looks. The three-album deal with MCA when you were 17. The Fabulous Thunderbirds and ZZ Top paved the way for you. You could have been a guitar idol for the ages. Instead, you got hornswoggled into thinking you were Duran Duran, and you released a piece of drum machine-encrusted, synth-addled crap. It’s hard to hold it against you — after all, you were 17 and just following orders. But, man, was I disappointed.
22. Edie Brickell, “What I Am.” “I’m not aware of too many things / I know what I know, if you know what I mean.” Dude, that’s pretty heavy. If you’re a 19-year-old philosophy student wearing a beret and smoking Gauloises.
21. John Denver, “Sunshine on My Shoulders.” Denver — an army brat — went to Texas Tech, so we’ll throw him in here. Washington Post critic Tim Page once said that 1974 was the worst year in pop music history. It was the year of “Seasons in the Sun,” “Piano Man,” “Waterloo,” “The Way We Were,” “Billy Don’t Be a Hero,” “You’re Having My Baby,” “I Honestly Love You”…Page honestly has a point. And the quasi-Texan Denver certainly carried the standard for the Lone Star State.
20. Johnny Lee, “Lookin’ for Love.” The standard-bearer for a bad era of country, unfortunately one that was centered on Houston. I still can’t hear this song without thinking of Eddie Murphy as Buckwheat singing “Ookin’ pa Nub.”
19. Steve Miller, “Abracadabra.” “I wanna reach out and grab ya.” I want to reach out and grab a sledgehammer when I hear this song.
18. Stephen Stills, “Love the One You’re With.” This hippy-dippy blast of free-love propaganda is like the venereal disease it no doubt did much to promote. And like syphilis, after a dormant period, it has come roaring back with a vengeance in the repertoires in many of today’s younger Texas Music artists. (Like Hubbard and Brickell, Stills and Miller are both Dallasites. Notice a pattern?)
17. Don Henley, “Witchy Woman.” The Sting of Texas has a few options here, most notably this one and the Stevie Nicks duet “Leather & Lace,” or hell, even that overblown piece of quasi-mystic ’70s mumbo-jumbo “Hotel California.” We’ll go with “Witchy Woman.” Or make that “Witch-eh Woman.”
16. Willis Alan Ramsey, “Muskrat Love.” This ode to rodent lust — made famous by the Captain and Tennille — well deserves a place on this list, or any such assemblage of the worst music of all time. Who could forget lines like these: “Nibbling on bacon, chewin’ on cheese / Sammy says to Susie, ‘Honey, would you please be my missus?’ / And she say yes / With her kisses.”
15. Barbara Mandrell, “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool.” Actually, Barbara, you were never either country or cool.
14. Michael Martin Murphey, “Wildfire.” One of a million smarmy relics from a smarmy decade. As a matter of fact, that’s not a bad nickname for that particular ten-year stretch: the Smarmy Seventies.
13. Meat Loaf, “I’d Do Anything for Love.” A plus-size artist with a plus-size palette of bad music, the Dallas-bred Loaf’s comeback record was a definite return to form. Unfortunately, what he was returning to was ludicrously over-the-top dreck. See also No. 10.
12. Drowning Pool, “Bodies.” It was banned by Clear Channel Radio after 9/11, and people thought that maybe Clear Channel had some taste after all. Then it was reinstated to the airwaves and people came to their senses.
11. Willie Nelson and Julio Iglesias, “To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before.” Not even Willie is immune to putting out a bad record every now and then, and this is truly wretched. And if you’ve ever seen karaoke versions of it, you’ll begin to be able to conceive of what awaits sinners in hell.
10. Meat Loaf, “Paradise by the Dashboard Light.” Hmmm, should I put this on the list? Let me sleep on it, baby baby, yeah, let me sleep on it. Yeah, I’ll put it right here at No. 10.
9. Pat Green, “Songs About Texas.” Old Cow Town, Old San Antone, taco meat, old Guy Clark, Hill Country rain, Jerry Jeff Walker, honky-tonk angels, dusty plains, and to top it all off, a fast-moving train. Green left out the Shiner Bock, Ol’ Willie and the Guadalupe River, but managed to work in just about every other yee-haw-generating platitude under the, ahem, blazing Texas sun. He should have called this “Clichés About Texas.”
8. Kenny Rogers, “You Decorated My Life.” Rogers has released more crap than any Houston artist. Ever. Ask ten people their least favorite Kenny Rogers song and you’ll get ten different answers. Some hate “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town,” while others opt for “Lady,” “Islands in the Stream” or “Don’t Fall in Love with a Dreamer.” But then sing ‘em a few bars of “You Decorated My Life.” A consensus soon emerges.
7. LeAnn Rimes, “How Do I Live.” Ye gods, this offering from the Dallas songbird is awful. Hum it a little bit. Now it’s as stuck to your head as that old bumper sticker you can’t peel off your car.
6. Christopher Cross, “Ride Like the Wind.” Breaks like the wind, more like. It’s tough to pick just one from the Chris Cross canon, and, um, I’ll admit I actually like the Arthur theme. (Pull my hipster card — I don’t care.) “Sailing” is another matter, but “Ride Like the Wind” is even worse.
5. Little Texas, “God Blessed Texas.” This song, more than any other, is responsible for the epidemic of ridiculously excessive fiddle and guitar solos that plagues the Texas Music (Bowel) Movement. Seriously, the typical solo in some of these bands sounds like a C-130 taking off. And goddamn it all to hell, bombastic truck-commercial-friendly crap like this is catchy as hell. Chev-eeehhh, driving Texas! I was born on the Llano Estacado! Bad, but catchy.
4. Lisa Loeb, “Stay.” “I missed youuuuu…” Not. Loeb kicks off a four-tune Dallas Hall of Shame at the top of this list. Loeb, Tripping Daisy and Deep Blue Something were all active in the Metroplex at about the same time — it’s kind of like one of those great, fertile scenes like San Francisco in the Summer of Love or the Lower East Side in the mid-’70s, only all the bands were complete and utter abominations. Does SMU offer a postgrad degree in Crap Music Production or something?
3. Tripping Daisy, “I’ve Got a Girl.” As an Austin-based poster on Velvetrope.com once put it, “an embarrassment, even for Dallas.”
2. Deep Blue Something, “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” “And I said, ‘What about Breakfast at Tiffany’s?’ / She said, ‘I think I remember the film / And as I recall, I think we both kinda liked it’ / And I said, ‘Well, that’s the one thing we’ve got.’ ” Arrghhhh! Bores into your brain like a power drill, and blossoms there like the most malignant tumor on record. To paraphrase Robert Johnson, once this tune takes root, all the doctors at M.D. Anderson sho’ can’t save you now.
1. Vanilla Ice, “Ice Ice Baby.” What, you were expecting something else? With this one song, Robbie Van Winkle destroyed a cool Queen tune and set back the cause of white people in hip-hop a decade. Word to yo’ mutha!
Rosa Parks, the “mother of the civil rights movement” was one of the most important citizens of the 20th century. Mrs. Parks was a seamstress in Montgomery, Alabama when, in December of 1955, she refused to give up her seat on a city bus to a white passenger. The bus driver had her arrested. She was tried and convicted of violating a local ordinance.
Her act sparked a citywide boycott of the bus system by blacks that lasted more than a year. The boycott raised an unknown clergyman named Martin Luther King, Jr., to national prominence and resulted in the U.S. Supreme Court decision outlawing segregation on city buses. Over the next four decades, she helped make her fellow Americans aware of the history of the civil rights struggle. This pioneer in the struggle for racial equality was the recipient of innumerable honors, including the Martin Luther King Jr. Nonviolent Peace Prize and the Congressional Gold Medal. Her example remains an inspiration to freedom-loving people everywhere.
Biography: ROSA PARKS
Rosa Parks Date of birth: February 4, 1913
Date of death: October 24, 2005
Rosa Parks was born Rosa Louise McCauley in Tuskegee, Alabama to James McCauley, a carpenter, and Leona McCauley, a teacher. At the age of two she moved to her grandparents’ farm in Pine Level, Alabama with her mother and younger brother, Sylvester. At the age of 11 she enrolled in the Montgomery Industrial School for Girls, a private school founded by liberal-minded women from the northern United States. The school’s philosophy of self-worth was consistent with Leona McCauley’s advice to “take advantage of the opportunities, no matter how few they were.”
Opportunities were few indeed. “Back then,” Mrs. Parks recalled in an interview, “we didn’t have any civil rights. It was just a matter of survival, of existing from one day to the next. I remember going to sleep as a girl hearing the Klan ride at night and hearing a lynching and being afraid the house would burn down.” In the same interview, she cited her lifelong acquaintance with fear as the reason for her relative fearlessness in deciding to appeal her conviction during the bus boycott. “I didn’t have any special fear,” she said. “It was more of a relief to know that I wasn’t alone.”
After attending Alabama State Teachers College, the young Rosa settled in Montgomery, with her husband, Raymond Parks. The couple joined the local chapter of the NAACP and worked quietly for many years to improve the lot of African-Americans in the segregated south.
“I worked on numerous cases with the NAACP,” Mrs. Parks recalled, “but we did not get the publicity. There were cases of flogging, peonage, murder, and rape. We didn’t seem to have too many successes. It was more a matter of trying to challenge the powers that be, and to let it be known that we did not wish to continue being second-class citizens.”
The bus incident led to the formation of the Montgomery Improvement Association, led by the young pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The association called for a boycott of the city-owned bus company. The boycott lasted 382 days and brought Mrs. Parks, Dr. King, and their cause to the attention of the world. A Supreme Court Decision struck down the Montgomery ordinance under which Mrs. Parks had been fined, and outlawed racial segregation on public transportation.
In 1957, Mrs. Parks and her husband moved to Detroit, Michigan where Mrs. Parks served on the staff of U.S. Representative John Conyers. The Southern Christian Leadership Council established an annual Rosa Parks Freedom Award in her honor.
After the death of her husband in 1977, Mrs. Parks founded the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self-Development. The Institute sponsors an annual summer program for teenagers called Pathways to Freedom. The young people tour the country in buses, under adult supervision, learning the history of their country and of the civil rights movement. President Clinton presented Rosa Parks with the Congressional Medal of Freedom in 1995.
When asked if she was happy living in retirement, Rosa Parks replied, “I do the very best I can to look upon life with optimism and hope and looking forward to a better day, but I don’t think there is any such thing as complete happiness. It pains me that there is still a lot of Klan activity and racism. I think when you say you’re happy, you have everything that you need and everything that you want, and nothing more to wish for. I haven’t reached that stage yet.”
Mrs. Parks spent her last years living quietly in Detroit, where she died in 2005 at the age of 92.
Source: Academy of Achievement – Last Updated Oct. 25, 2005
For more information log on to: http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/par0bio-1 (cut and paste into web browser)
For additional information on Rosa Parks and Civil Rights log on to the following sites:
The annual Pumpkin Carving party was tonight and it was a great success. I arrived tired, with a tummy ache, and with a headache. (I only get headaches a few times a year, so I’m generally out of it when they hit me. The tummy ache, unfortunately, is more common now that I’m allergic to so much food). Happily, good company shifted my attention from the dull pain to the fun carving party. It was by and large a crowd of photographers, bloggers, photo bloggers, vegetarian photo bloggers, and veggie photographers. Always nice to step back and appreciate how fantastic the web was in getting our random group of friends together at first.
Manuel carves a mean pumpkin, and was very patient with my lack of initiative tonight Manuel is also now listed under the “friends with sites” column at right… not sure how I skipped over him earlier. My bad. There might be a trashy costume in his future, or maybe a banana hammock.
Natasha, Ryan, and Samantha all create while Julie lurks in the kitchen, ready to steal away pumpkin seeds or innards for baking
Phil and Jeff were both quick with inspiration and execution
Adam did a lot of scratching for his spooky scenery pumpkin, played some guitar, and was good with the euphemisms (how did we forget knocking boots?!)
I did the lite bright / polka dot pumpkin, Tara did the palm tree with sun, and Steph did the face
Manuel did the excited face and Phil’s angry face is in the back
Caroline’s clever ;) was a hit, Rod did a scary face, and Samantha did a fun face. Chris’ Packman in the back was also a hit!
I’m always kind of stunned that my friends here in Seattle don’t know what queso is, have never heard of Chicken Fried Steak, never make King Ranch Casserole, don’t eat catfish and hush puppies, and have no clue what brisket is. I know that Texas is like a whole other country, but still… the foods alone are reminders of that status. People don’t even know classic three name Texas bands that are staples in local music like Robert Earl Keen, David Allan Coe, or Jerry Jeff Walker. So, imagine my delight during last week’s Sunday Dinner when my team won Trivia Night giving me the honor of picking the theme for this week’s Sunday Dinner. I selfishly picked Texas foods and was pleasantly surprised by what showed up tonight! We had Frito pie, biscuits with sausage gravy, Texas style chili, chips & salsa, cornbread, pecan pie, sweet tea, Dr. Pepper, and Shiner Bock. Considering most have never been to Texas or anywhere in the South, and considering most of them know nothing of Texas foods (see list above), I was pretty damn impressed with the meal results. I was also super entertained to walk in and see half the room wearing cowboy hats. :)
If I was planning ahead, I’d have brought not just a cowboy hat, country gravy, fake sausage, and biscuits, I’d also have brought a stack of Texas CDs to play at the dinner. Alas, I didn’t quite get around to it. So instead I’ll leave you five loyal readers one of my favorite Texas songs ever. If you want me to sing it to you, or play it for you someday, I’d be more than happy to. (Oh! Maybe that’s what I’ll do for Talent Show Sunday Dinner!) And without further ado, I present to you the Austin Lounge Lizards!
SONG TITLE: Stupid Texas Song
Texas is a big state, north to south and east to west
Alaska doesn’t really count, we’re bigger than the rest
You can waltz across it, though, so grab your yellow rose
And sing another song of Texas, this is how it goes
One more stupid song about Texas
For miles and miles it rambles on
Biggest egos, biggest hair, biggest liars anywhere
Let’s sing another stupid Texas song
By God we’re so darn proud to be from Texas – yahoo!
Even of our pride we’re proud and we’re proud of that pride, too
Our pride about our home state is the proudest pride indeed
And we’re proud to be Americans, until we can secede
One more stupid song about Texas
You’ve heard it all before so sing along
Biggest belt buckles and boasts, love that big old Texas toast
Let’s sing another stupid Texas song
Our accents are the drawliest, our howdies are the y’alliest
Our lone star flag’s the waviest, our fried steak’s the cream-graviest
Our rattlesnakes the coiliest, our beaches are the oiliest
Our politicians most corrupt, our stop signs most abrupt
Our guitars are the twangiest, our guns are the kablangiest
Our cattle the long-horniest, our yodels the forlorniest
Our cookoffs are the chiliest, our Waylon is the Williest
Our sausage is the smokiest, our neighbors are the Okiest
From Texarkana to El Paso, Dalhart down to Orange
Every spot in Texas has got what you’re looking for
Aren’cha glad that Texas put the stars up in the sky
If heaven isn’t Texas, pardner, I don’t want to die
One more stupid song about Texas
Just ’cause we’re braggin’, that don’t mean it’s wrong
Biggest heads and biggest hearts, biggest various body parts
Let’s sing another stupid Texas song
Toss your hats into the air, we’re obnoxious, we don’t care
Let’s sing another stupid Texas song
One more blusterin’, bumptious, bald faced, brazen
High flown, high-tone, dander-up, panderin’
Pompous, puffed-up, snotty, swaggerin’
Stupid Texas song
I look good naked… or at least that’s what the kids on the street are saying. This is all news to me. Apparently there are some people who look good naked, and others who don’t, and it has nothing to do with what you look like in clothes. (If only I looked half as good in clothes as I did naked, then I’d be doing pretty alright). I suspect it’s not so much about looking good naked as it is about being comfortable or portraying confidence naked, but what do I know? I’m just along for the ride.
Icon Coffee has arrived! There’s a new coffee shop open on Fremont Ave just a block from my apartment on 44th! It’s only been open for a week and it’s already looking super popular. Never can have too many coffee shops, that’s what I always say. :) Side note: the paintings displayed this month on their walls are pretty nice too.
Life continues to be busy and entertaining on all accounts. Yesterday was a goodbye happy hour for a coworker, dinner was with Erin and her great new girlfriend Kellyn, and bar hopping with Sam, Charlie, and Fester. Today I’m going to look for a Halloween costume, and am currently editing photos for Carly the Henna artist for the studio portraits we did earlier this month.
Erin has offered to not only store stuff for me while I’m in Africa, she’s also offered to loan me her giant backpack / camp pack. That could save me some money which at this rate would be a very good thing.
According to our favorite bartender, my crush likes me. :) According to real life, I’ll likely never know.
Q: Who’s playing hooky on a gorgeous Friday afternoon? Who’s spinning in circles with her arms wide out? Dancing in her living room to ABBA with the volume pumped way up? Who’s not afraid to admit she loves ABBA almost as much as chocolate ice cream?
A: That’s me! Guilty on all counts.
P.S. Life is still good! It’s been a few weeks solid with nothing but amazing goodness, fantastic goodness, all day every day. And it hasn’t come crashing down yet. I continue to be amazed and count my blessings! And I continue to yearn for the chance to go dancing! There will be a trip to Neighbors on Thursday… if not before. Everyone is invited!
Yesterday and today were productive and nice and good and oh so tiring all at once. :)
Bought my plane ticket for Baltimore… I’m going Oct 31 – Nov 3.
Got confirmation that I’m going to show photos at November’s First Thursday Art Walk in Pioneer Square!!
Bought Caroline’s plane ticket from Austin to Seattle… it’s official the road trip is definitely happening!
Cleaned my apartment and got some of the “garage sale” stuff off the floor.
Got my International Drivers License… I’m official!
Went to dinner with a bunch of women who’ve spent time in Africa… all very cool people who offered good stories and advice!
Went out to the Buckaroo with Andrew and a coworker.
Went to my hottie dentist Dr. Zimmer and was told me that my teeth are “perfect, healthy, and beautiful.” Gotta love a man that uses just the right adjectives, even if just describing the teeth. :) And hard not to love his decorating sense and his adventuresome nature! Today his CD rotation included Pearl Jam, Postal Service, the Shins, and so much more. Yes, four years later I still have a crush on my gray haired dentist.
Did a bulk mailing at work.
Worked on budgets at work for six long, but productive hours!
Sent my evite for my goodbye party! (Y’all are all invited!)
Dinner with Maggie & Jim & Ian… great company, great home cooked meal, lots of travel talk, lots of goodies from Maggie, and lots of photos!
Think I might get an Olympus point and shoot to supplement my digital…. John sent me recommendations for this one and I’ve now read 100s of reviews that LOVE the lens! Not a bad option so far… just no zoom, which I could live without.
Anyone have recommendations for a good travel tripod?
Well, I checked a URL availability on a whim last week and am now the proud owner of www.travelingcat.com. I’m not sure if I’m content with the layout I’ve been playing with, but for now it’s just fine. It’ll be my travel site… at least when I have access to the internet to give updates.
These folks near my office have gotten into the Halloween spirit with dead bodies all across their yard, drive way, front porch, in the bushes, etc. Quite festive… wins my approval. :)
So, last year a nun suggested I watch Motorcycle Diaries. The discussion was about being in service to others, being real, being there. You can’t approach life with your hands in latex gloves and except to genuinely experience life to the fullest. I just watched the movie recently, cried, and am still feeling the emotional impact. I particularly liked one quote at the end of the movie:
“This isn’t a tale of heroic feats.
It’s about two lives running parallel for a while,
with common aspirations and similar dreams.
Was our view too narrow, too biased, too hasty?
Were our conclusions too rigid?
Maybe.
Wandering around our America has changed me more than I thought.
I am not me anymore, at least I’m not the same me I was.”
I think travel and the life you experience when in service, meeting others, can be a powerful, mind altering experience. I’m looking forward to my year in Africa more than I can probably say in simple words here. And I’m looking forward to so much more…
Yesterday was a girl-filled day from start to finish, and it was great to be surrounded by such fabulous women. :) I spent 10am-9pm with the amazing duo Samantha and Caroline, and you can follow along with a few photos from Samantha to see the basics.
10am – Chai in U-District
11:30 am – Bought a solar powered AA battery charger from Fry’s
1:30pm – Lunch at Travelers on Aurora (Aurora Family Restaurant)
3:30pm – Pink Lacy Martinis (thank you Miss Caroline!!)
4pm – Sex and the City Season Six
6pm – Played with Andrew’s tiny new kitten
8pm – Played dress up in my closet
9pm – Switched gears & met up with a different friend for drinks in Capitol Hill
2am – Dropped off friend and headed home; exhausted, happy, and content with life
Photos by Samantha:
My beautiful roommate Erin tries one of our pink girly drinks in front of our flower wall
I get to play with the kitten who’s way smaller than my hands. Side note: I know these photos are intentionally focused on the kitten and not of my face. However, they totally remind me of the ones my mom used to take. There were often photos of me with my torso only, head and feet both accidentally cropped off. Kinda entertaining… as long as I’m okay with seeing photos of my that include only my breasts and blue jeans.
Caroline snaps kitten pictures; Samantha snapped this pic of me waiting for our lunch to arrive
I dropped Samantha off at her place on my way to Capitol Hill and what did we find placed next to the recycling bin but a lovely guitar just waiting for a new home! Samantha was obviously meant to be the new owner and you can check out the guitar at the upcoming pumpkin carving extravaganza. :)
Today I spent all day at the farm mulching, composting, and getting the ground cover ready for the winter. We also did lots of harvesting… kale, thai basil, collage greens, peppers, and chard! Yum! It was a gorgeous, warm fall day for the daylight hours!
When the rains set in during the evening, Samantha and I headed out to see the new Cameron Crow movie. That makes two movies I’ve seen in six months! :) It was a little cute for my tastes, but still generally entertaining. I loved the funeral scene… definitely the best part of the movie! Afterwards Samantha exhibited great listening skills and patience as I processed my week aloud. She also exhibited great friend skills in calming me down and great Samantha skills in her eloquent insight into the meaning of life. Gotta love that girl! If you’re not getting your dailydose of Samantha, you’re absolutely missing out! Give her a call, drop her an email, invite her for drinks or a show, and you’ll know what I’m talking about!
When will Texas loosen up with the sex toy laws? Enough, already. It’s 2005 and we’re all adults here.
From Wired.com
Last month, Trojan penetrated the mainstream market with a disposable vibrating cock ring, available in condom aisles across the country, from CVS to Walgreens. At about $9 a pop, disposable vibrating rings are comparable to one dose of Viagra. Women with low libidos might want to check out a device like the Elexa as a temporary measure until the FDA gets its head out of its ass and approves a longer-term solution.
These devices won’t increase your libido — but if you can make yourself get started, you might find that you’re more into the sex than you expect. It certainly helped us (well, OK, me) disconnect from the stress of the day and reconnect with one another.
I’m taking about a dozen to Texas this week to hand out to my girlfriends while I’m on vacation. For as innocuous as it is, the Elexa ring is not sold in Texas, nor is it available in Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi or Virginia.
Trojan apparently doesn’t want to take on the nonsensical laws those states have about sexual behaviors among consenting adults.
And unlike Dr. Scholl’s and Hitachi personal massagers, a vibrating cock ring cannot pretend to be anything other than what it is, although one tester mentioned that it might pass for a ponytail holder or a cat toy.
“Like any sex toy, success has a lot to do with the humor and willingness of the couple,” concluded a female volunteer. “You need to keep an open mind — and recognize that this won’t make up for lack of skill.”
Yesterday I had a work dinner that was really quite lovely and kept me smiling all night. Have I told y’all lately how much I love the people I work with? Regardless of how much I choose to work, I do it because I love my job. And I love my job not for the paperwork, but for the people and the community. After last night’s dinner I was feeling pleased, excited, and hopeful.
I came home from dinner and had a few more craigs stop by for furniture and games and such. One man came with two friends and they were the nicest folks ever. If I were living in Seattle, I’d have to hope they’d instantly become part of my circle of friends. And I hope maybe just for a few weeks that they will. In moments like these, and a million others, it makes me sad to leave Seattle. I’ve been blessed with so many random moments of kindness and with so many fantastic new friends each year that I’ve been here. From my very first friends Ross, Moses, Erin, and Rod… to the new folks I just met last night. While I’m very excited about my upcoming year in Africa, it’s really going to break my heart to leave all of the fantastically kind people I’ve met over the years in Seattle.
The folks last night from craigslist were just like the rest. Arrive, see my newly empty apartment, ask “Are you moving?” Yes, I say. “Where to?” Africa. “What are you going to do there?” This conversation has repeated itself, seriously, maybe 30-40 times in the past week as I call to cancel magazines, change my address at my banks, sell stuff on craigslist, close out my utility bill account, etc. Everyone, all of these random strangers, have been so nice, so genuine, so caring, and so thoughtful. They’ve wished me the best of luck. Told me they admired me. Said they were impressed. They told me I was going to do amazing things. One woman last night, who bought a table of mine that will go in her new studio space, gave me a gift… a hand sewn and beaded scarf she designed and made in her art studio. I just about hugged her, and she seemed to feel the same way. I think we shook hands, maybe two or three times, while saying goodbye.
Side note… I got an email from her friend and he said, and I quote: “we all thought you were very interesting and very nice and we all thought it was too bad (only for us though) that you are leaving… There are going to be some awfully lucky people in Africa. Take care again and we hope to see you again before you leave.” How fantastic is that?
Sometimes we get so wrapped up in life, in the to do lists, in the responsibilities, that beauty in life isn’t always the first thing we see and think about in the morning, at noon, or at night. But today I’m taking time to be thankful to all of the random strangers who’ve come into my life at points in the last week. It’s been really touching for me to feel the support of so many well wishes, both in my circle of Seattle friends, and in the random strangers who I’ve just met. One of my coworkers told me he was bitter about me leaving, and that he was sad to lose a mentor. I know I thanked him for the kind words, but it was really touching for me to know how each of us can find a place in life with others. I just wanted to say thanks to y’all too… it means much more than you’ll know and I’ll carry that support with me in my heart for a long time to come. To say our lives intersect is a start, but it’s really just the beginning…
I seem to remember posting about the most recent KEXP benefit but I can’t seem to locate it if so. Hence, a recap post today. But before we get to that, marvel at the beauty that is me and Samantha talking and gesturing on film. Yes, Samantha and I are pictured on the KEXP home page while supporting a local music benefit! Yay us, and yay KEXP! Anyway, on to the most recent KEXP benefit.
Math & Physics Club
(Bob Saget returns to Seattle to play in local band?)
Samantha’s been stalking the Math & Physics Club for months and now I understand why. They’re kind of quiet and understated, kinda geeky, and kinda sweet… quite unlike most rock bands with egos bigger than the Space Needle. I liked the music these boys made… even with their 30s dorky dad look. :)
John Vanderslice was a funny, funny guy! Great, highly entertaining songs! And his “bring people up on stage and clap-a-long” was great! I particularly liked the energy of the guy in the light blue t-shirt.
Athlete – Brit band dresses funny but puts on a fun show
Hard to tell if he’s a rock start, a golf player, or a third grade teacher. If I got to play fashion police, the plaid shirt and sweater vest on a clean cut kid just wouldn’t cut it for a rock band persona.
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Like the last band, the lead singer didn’t put on much of a show, but I think that’s because the music could speak for itself. They were, by far, the most energetic and liveliest band on the bill. The crowd LOVED them, went crazy for them, and ditched the rest of the bands once Clap Your Hands was done. I enjoyed their music more than the band playing it. Either way, great show!
The Nationals
Drunky McDrunk, lead singer for the Nationals, openly admitted to being drunk, acted drunk, and continued to drink throughout the show.
The rest of the band looked less than thrilled about their drunk lead singer.
The final band of the night was M83. I think M83 sucked so badly I decided not to even honor them by taking their picture. I was angry to see such a sucky show twice within one week. (I saw them the Sunday before in Austin). The Austin show lacked energy, lacked intensity, lacked creativity, lacked a connection to the crowd, lacked everything basically. I wrote it off and gave them the benefit of the doubt. Maybe it was too hot for them, maybe I was just grumpy because I was too hot, whatever. Nope! I stuck around for their show this week, they were the last band of the night, and they still sucked even with the cool, Northwest fall weather. I think they got together, along the same lines as the Yes Men, and decided it’d be funny to be soo soo awful as musicians that they could make a political statement by being awful and still seeing people embrace their music. It was astounding that they’d intentionally be so bad and yet people stayed. They were so loud, people were actually covering their ears. They were screeching and painful to listen to. They played 93% of their set without any lyrics. They were flashing bright lights into the eyes of the audience to the point people were shielding their eyes and looking away. Does a serious band do these things? No. Does a band that respects it’s audience do these things? Absolutely not. Why did some people stay? No idea. Must be sheep or be comfortable being duped into listening to a sucky band. I suspect some people already know they suck and that explains the mass exodus after the Clap Your Hands show. Yes, I’m bitter. And I’m disappointed I wasted precious energy last week in the 108 degree heat trying to enjoy their set. I skipped precious sleep this weekend to give them a second chance. I think they sucked and I think the world should know. It’s not that I hate them, I just don’t deem them worthy of an audience. Let the hate mail begin. :)
Minus the unfortunate mid-adventure of M83, the rest of the benefit was great fun. I met Samantha’s friend Josh, I drank some good water, I got woken up during M83 by some cute boy who thought I was passed out and wanted to make sure I was okay, and I thoroughly enjoyed the first five bands. Yay KEXP!
A local guy wrote this for National Coming Out Day on October 11, commemorating the first March On Washington for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights. The history of our movement in Seattle is excellent. I thought it was worth a read…
Sexual minorities in Seattle: Historical gains and set-backs
September 22, 2005
By Brad Hoover, M.A.
Sexual minorities are represented in every socio-economic class, color, age group and occupation, and come from varied experiences within and without the straight world. Who are we? We are your sister, brother, mother, father, daughter, son, nephew, niece, neighbor, and community partners. We are more than the stereotypes portrayed in the media. We are a population too large and diverse to assume we all know and identify with each other.
Contrary to popular opinion, the gay rights movement and the civil rights movement were more or less mutually exclusive. However, similarities between them do exist. For example, both gained national attention after a defining moment. And like the events that occurred after Rosa Parks made her stand in 1955, the Stonewall Riots of June 1969 signaled the start of the gay liberation movement, transforming the oppression of gays and lesbians into calls for pride and action
Like all minority communities, gay communities have existed in all major cities, including Seattle, long before the civil rights movement gained national attention. It is important to note that during the early to mid-20th century, the relationship between gay-owned establishments and local law enforcement, involving security provided by Seattle law enforcement personnel, played a role in mitigating the level of harassment
compared to other gay communities. While instances did occur, they never reached the level of riots seen in other major U.S. cities. Seattle never had its own version of Stonewall. In this respect, Seattle’s gay community had a chance to develop differently. The positive and negative consequences of this controversial relationship can still be felt today, especially regarding the awareness and responsiveness to the onset of HIV/AIDS in the 80’s.
Current census data confirms that statistically 1 in 10 persons in the United States can identify as a sexual minority and, for the first time, is represented in every county in the United States. Civil protections for sexual minorities in Washington have contrasted significantly during the last century. Court records reveal the first recorded prosecution for a same sex relationship, here in Seattle, occurred in 1893, the same year the Washington Legislature essentially banned homosexuality. It would take 82 years to fully dismantle this legislation.
The 60’s and 70’s were especially significant. In 1966, a memo from then Seattle Mayor ‘Dorm’ Braman directed police to “…discourage the inflow of these people [homosexuals] to Seattle…” mainly by focusing attention on gay-owned establishments utilizing tactics such as “…close surveillance, even to the point almost of harassment…” Ultimately, this would help inspire Seattle City Council’s first-ever hearing on lesbian and gay civil rights that same year. By 1973, Seattle City Council would vote to extend existing protections in employment to lesbians and gays. A similar housing ordinance was later approved, and in 1975, sexual orientation was officially designated as a protected category.
Civil rights for Seattle’s gay and lesbian population finally began to take hold in November 1978 following the defeat of Initiative 13, a controversial bill that would have repealed the earlier City ordinances. Finally, on July 1, 1976, Olympia officially decriminalized same sex relationships.
Seattle would strengthen civil protections for sexual minorities again in 1999. And most recently, on March 8, 2004, contrasting sharply with the1966 Braman memo, Mayor Nickels issued an executive order requiring the City to recognize same-sex marriages by municipal employees.
Despite this progress, a very real vulnerability remains, because on the federal level, there are no clear laws that ensure employment protection on the grounds of sexual orientation. Even today we see how gay civil rights legislation continues to be challenged and/or reversed by local and federal elected officials and religious leaders. Unfortunately, this tradition has endured here in Washington since 1893.
What human services are needed for the gay community? The same human service needs offered to everyone else. Keep in mind that being gay adds an additional barrier through the active and passive practice of prejudice, stereotyping & discrimination which has conspired to systematically deny equal standards of living for all minorities. It stands to reason that human services are especially critical for a population that not only struggles for protection — but for recognition as a population that needs civil protection in the first place.
“The United Nations said more than 2.5 million people were left homeless by Saturday’s monster 7.6-magnitude quake, and doctors warned of an outbreak of disease unless more relief arrives soon. Most of the dead were in Pakistan’s mountainous north. In the shattered streets of Muzaffarabad, at least 11,000 people died. India reported more than 800 deaths; Afghanistan reported four.”
Erin found a roomie who happens to have all living room and kitchen stuff so I’ve started some stuff on seattle.craigslist.org (and already made $225+), but still have a ways to go. I’ll probably wait to do my bed and that kind of stuff until Nov, but for now there’s a full apartment worth of stuff up for grabs. :)
Update: Some very nice guy from UW came by tonight and bought large parts of my living and dining rooms, and kitchen stuff too! He bought the dining table and four dining chairs, and cleared out my living room with the purchase of two end tables, a TV stand, and a book shelf. He took misc kitchen stuff like muffin tins, glasses, dish clothes, bowls, and more! Someone else came by and bought the VCR, and a third person came by for some kitchen stuff and a sweater. Considering the amount of big stuff out of here, and considering the small wad of bills that traded hands, I guess those three tonight make up for the four flakey people who didn’t show up yesterday. :) Not only am I saving myself trips to Goodwill, I’m actually getting a little spending money that will help buy a camera or a sleeping bag or other essential items. And I have Maggie to thank for convincing me to sell stuff in the first place. Yay Maggie!
Wood frame futon and mattress – $60
4 port Belkin Router – $15
Bissell Carpet Sweeper – $10
8 qt Stockpot with lid – $10
Farberware Stainless Steel Tea Pot – $10
T-Fal 10-1/4 in nonstick griddle – $10
T-Fal 7-1/4 in nonstick saute pan – $5
Stainless Steel Oval Rival Crockpot with carry case – SOLD
Corningware Blender – SOLD
Down Comforter – Pacific Coast brand – great condition, allergy free! – SOLD
4 ft Folding Table – SOLD
Twister – SOLD
Jenga – SOLD
IKEA Stefan dining table chairs – 4 black wood chairs – SOLD
Panasonic VCR w/ remote – SOLD
Old coffee tables – SOLD
Old dining table – round 60 in – SOLD
4 ft black floor lamp – SOLD
Black desk lamp – SOLD
SunRay brand Sun Lamp / Light Box – SOLD
GE Waffle maker – SOLD
DAK food dehydrator – SOLD
IKEA Duvet cover – SOLD
LexMark Color inkjet printer – SOLD
If you want anything, we can play Let’s Make A Deal! :) Everything can go for pretty cheap as far as I’m concerned.
This is not a request… but… my family and a couple of friends have already asked, so just in case you wanted to get me a Christmas, birthday, or goodbye gift but didn’t know what to get, a gift card for REI would be lovely. Despite the fact that I’ve lived the backpackers life and traveled across parts of Europe, Asia, India, the Middle East, and Latin America, I don’t actually own a sleeping bag or a back pack. I also don’t own a travel tripod or a solar powered battery charger or a silk sleep bag or all kinds of other handy stuff for travel. I’ve borrowed from friends and family in the past but I think it is now time to purchase my own gear. A gift card in any amount ($10 – $1,000,000) would be fantastically helpful.
Much love,
Cat
PS I’ll likely need to replace my little digital camera before I go as well, since I’ll be in a village without electricity. But, that’s a story for another day.
A coworker was asking me about my pet peeves earlier this week and I couldn’t think of anything huge right off the bat. But I’ve definitely got it now: flakey people. People who say they’re going to do something and then don’t. This morning I got up early after not much sleep because three different people were going to drop by and pick stuff up from craigslist. Did any one of the three show up two hours later? Nope. One emailed – ran out of town. One emailed – can’t get cash. The third forgot. Hmph. I guess two out of three days of luck with craigslist isn’t too bad?
Halloween is by FAR my favorite holiday of the year! I generally start thinking about costumes and parties months in advance, even if I usually wait until the very last minute to actually throw something together.
If you’re looking for fun, entertaining, scary, sexy, or bizarre costume ideas, check out the pictures from last year’s parties. Always entertaining. Halloween 2004. And if you have any clever costume ideas for this year, I think I’m going to yet another 80s party. I don’t want to show up as the same character, or as the same news story, so any ideas would be greatly appreciated! Group costume ideas are also welcome!
As for this weekend:
Friday went to celebrate Ramadan with a feast to break the fast
Saturday was productive around the house
Baked cupcakes and celebrated Rod’s 32nd birthday in Capital Hill!
Ran into Drew and an AC friend in Capital Hill
Went to Will’s 28th birthday in West Seattle with Samantha and Caroline and watched both Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death AND Old School.
Sunday I’ll sell stuff from craigslist, go to Sunday dinner, and see a movie in the theatre for the first time in months! (I can’t remember for sure, but I think the last movie I saw in a theatre was during SIFF)
Check out Pretty Ordinary for some new photos. :) And be proud to know I sold another picture today… the ever popular boat photo from the Ganges River. I’d say it’s definitely one of my top five best sellers.
Last weekend Caroline and I did two photo shoots together. Caroline is truly impressive to me… in addition to working full time AND going to school, she also makes time to be a much more serious photographer than I am. She’s totally been much more actively expanding her experience and building her portfolio. I, on the other hand, meet a cute girl, ask if she’ll model for me, and go from there. So, my first time shooting in a studio, with a model, and having it all posed was (relatively) painful (frankly). It goes against everything in my body that wants to let people be natural and try to capture them in their element, but that’s what studio work is and I think it was good experience. It challenged me to be creative and try to think of poses, angles, props, facial expression, hand placement, etc… all new and different and more work than you might think. :) Anyway, the day was made possible by Caroline’s generous use of studio, by Sarah’s generous use of backdrops, and by Carol and Carly agreeing to let us take pictures. I know it’ll get easier and more natural with practice, and sadly I doubt I’ll have the chance again anytime before moving in five weeks. Alas… I’m thankful the forces came together to make it all happen for one (long) fun filled day. :)
John Prine – still rocking at age 60 (though he looks like he’s 100 on stage)
9/23/05
“John Prine (born October 10, 1946 in Maywood, Illinois) is an American country/folk singer/songwriter who has achieved widespread critical (and some commercial) success since the early 1970s.
The son of William Prine and Verna Hamm, he emerged in 1971 with a highly acclaimed debut album titled John Prine. He and friend Steve Goodman (another folk singer/songwriter) had been minor stars in the Chicago folk scene before being “discovered” by Kris Kristofferson. The album John Prine included his signature songs “Illegal Smile”, “Sam Stone”, and the environmentalist newgrass standard “Paradise”. The album also included “Hello In There”, a song about aging that was later covered by Joan Baez and Bette Midler, and “Angel From Montgomery”, a song now also associated with Bonnie Raitt, who occasionally brings Prine on-stage with her for live performances of the song. The album received many positive reviews, and some hailed Prine as “the next Dylan”. Bob Dylan himself appeared unannounced at one of Prine’s first New York City club appearances, anonymously backing him on harmonica.
Having penned such uniquely humorous and sentimental songs to such acclaim in his early 20s, he set a standard that was difficult to match. Later albums include Sweet Revenge (containing such Prine fan favorites as “Dear Abby”, “Grandpa Was A Carpenter”, and “Christmas In Prison”), and Common Sense (with “Come Back To Us Barbara Lewis Hare-Krishna Beauregard”).
His album, The Missing Years is named after one of its songs, “Jesus: The Missing Years”, Prine’s bemused take on what Jesus did in the decade or two between his childhood and his ministry, a time the Gospels do not record. This album won Prine the Grammy Award he had long wanted, and established him as one of the leading voices in contemporary folk music.
He won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album in 1992 for his album, The Missing Years. In the mid-1990s, he battled and overcame cancer, releasing an album of new songs in 1995. In 1997 Prine released In Spite of Ourselves, a compilation of mostly classic country duets with the top female country singers of the time including Lucinda Williams and Iris DeMent (Prine was largely responsible for bringing DeMent to a national audience).
In 2003 he was given a Lifetime Achievement Award for songwriting by the UK’s BBC Radio 2 and that same year was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.”
OMG. Who knew I’d still be screwing around and wasting time on my little website 10 years and one month later?? I feel like there should be a party to celebrate the accomplish/mourn the loss of time wasted that I’ll never get back.
On a related note… there’s a helpful Public Service Announcement that should be required reading for all bloggers. It has very useful and relevant info people for other’s in similar situations who need support.
Mark your calendars… The first Thursday of each month has become a traditional day for celebrating art and culture across the United States. In Seattle, gallery owners in Pioneer Square started the Gallery Walk over 20 years ago, attracting art-lovers from all over the region into Pioneer Square to view, discuss and buy art.
Today, the Gallery Walk continues, along with other First Thursday events taking place throughout the City. In Pioneer Square alone, these include the Gallery Walk, Art in the Park, street performers, and resturaunt and coffeeshop shows. I’ve also seen fashion shows, DJs, burlesque shows, and much, much more! Capital Hill has a First Thursday art walk too. And other ‘hoods like Fremont and Ballard have their own art walk on other days. For more in-depth information, please visit the following links:
It’s so rare that schools make it into the news for being successful and innovative. As usual, media seems to focus on the problems. KCTS has a national series focusing on success in education and tonight they’re highlighting Garfield High School! If you’ve got a TV and want to watch, check it out tonight and see everyone’s favorite local school, Garfield, demonstrate their success with a new reading program.
Garfield’s Read Right Program will be one of the programs featured in Wednesday Night’s segment of Making Schools Work, KCTS 9:00PM. Share the news.This is truly a tribute to Garfield’s powerful parents -and with remarkable community support- who have made Read Right a reality at Garfield this year! I hope you will all watch!
Making Schools Work, Wednesday, October 5, 2005, KCTS Channel 9, 9:00pm
MAKING SCHOOLS WORK, from producer Hedrick Smith, focuses on educational successes. The two-hour program highlights the school reform models and the district-wide reforms that have significantly raised student performance and closed achievement gaps for minority and poor students. It cites examples that affect more than a million students in seven different school districts, from coast to coast and from inner city to rural America.
Unrelated side note: Did you know that Jimi Hendrix went to Garfield, but got kicked out for having sex in the halls (among other behavior problems)? It’s true. :)
Quit my Seattle job that I love where I’ve been working four years
October: Advertise, recruit, interview, hire, and train someone to take over my job as director of the nonprofit
Save more; Remember that my salary is gone in a month, and that I’ll still have car payments while I’m away
Go see my friends as much as possible before I move away from Seattle (a potentially permanent move away from Seattle)
Figure out where to move to after Kenya (Seattle? Austin?)
Move some stuff to storage (in Austin? in Seattle?)
Learn Swahili
Get my Kenyan visa
Get my shots, pills, etc
Go to the dentist and doctor while I still have access to health care and modern medicine
Research water filtration systems
Get my international drivers license
Figure out camera dilemma… Bring my digital camera with no electricity to charge it? Buy a nice digital SLR w/ no electricity to charge it? Buy a nice film SLR? Borrow Bill’s old SLR? Other?
Figure out music dilemma… Buy i-pod w/ no electricity to charge it? Bring batteries and discman? Burn mix CDs? Bring tapes that can be played with a machine they already have in Kenya?
November: Go to Lopez Island with friends
Have a goodbye party in Seattle (Thurs Nov 10)
Get rid of some of my furniture and belongings. (sell? gift? donate?)
Move out of my apartment
Road trip w/ Caroline to Texas
Spend Thanksgiving with the family in Florida
December: Training on the East Coast
Have a hello/goodbye party in Austin
Holidays with the family
Vacation with the family? Use parents time share?
Prepare and pack for Kenya
Make sure everyone has my address so they can get ready to start writing letters
Last night I hung out on Broadway for the first time in a while. :) (Well, actually, for the first time in less than a week). It was fun and entertaining as is always the case when hanging with a friend on Broadway. Afterwards I stopped by Samantha’s and returned some of her stuff that I borrowed back in July! Yay generous Samantha!
Today I’m wearing a raincoat and hoping for the best.
“Mates of State are a musical duo based in San Francisco, CA. The group is composed of Kori Gardner on organ and Jason Hammel. They met in Lawrence, the musical metropolis of Kansas while they were involved with other people and other musical projects. Although they exchanged daily e-mails, they didn’t get together until 3 months later when they were both single again, and were inseparable from then on. The main instruments used by the band are drums and the organ. Although they both started out playing the guitar, they found they ended up fooling around with the organ and the drums in their practice space more often than with more traditional instruments. They formed in the midwest during 1997 but shortly thereafter moved to California, where Gardner applied to medical school but opted (in 2001) to devote her time to making music and touring with Hammel (who also became her husband in 2001). Their songs are notable for the male/female vocal harmony, shifting rhythm, and quirky song structure – most tracks comprise distinct, almost disjointed movements. The band recorded one album on Omnibus Records before moving to Polyvinyl Records for their second and third full-lengths. They have also released five 7-inch singles and two EPs.
On October 11 2004, the band held a contest for fans to create their own video for the first track on their All Day EP: Goods (All In Your Head). The winning entry became the official video for the song, and was aired on MTV on the 12th of June 2005. It and an all-dance video made by director G.J. Echternkamp are available from the Media section of the band’s official site. Interestingly there were at least two versions of the dance video, one in which Mr. Echternkamp dances alone in a room during the song and another version in which he is joined by new dancers throughout the video. The solo dance was first available for download and later replaced by the version with multiple dancers. The explanation for this can be found in the band’s online forum.”
Kasabian were one of my favorite shows of the weekend
9/23/05
“Honest and real, arrogant and naïve, Kasabian are four lads making music with total disregard for anything else going on and are sure to be the next big thing. Their contemporaries in attitude if not musical style are bands like The Coral and SFA. And in singer Tom and songwriter Serge, Kasabian have not one but two charismatic front men. Kasabian have been described as “Music made by the people for the people”. Kasabian are named after Linda Kasabian, Charles Manson’s getaway driver turned star prosecution witness in the Manson “family” trial.”
I LOVE the Muppets. With clips like this growing up, who wouldn’t love the Muppets?? I actually own more Muppet movies than any other kind or brand or series of movies. It’s true.
And you know what else is true? Sesame Street is adding to its cast a muppet who is HIV-positive.
Origins: Sesame Street has offered a variety of social messages and images since its debut in 1969. Its regular characters include adults and children of different ethnic and racial backgrounds, and it has featured characters and guest stars with various disabilities.
In September 2002 it added to its cast of muppets a female character who is HIV-positive. Segments including this new muppet will air only in South Africa (where the show is called Takalani Sesame — takalani means “be happy” in the Tshivenda language), but it is possible that eventually this character will appear in shows broadcast to the other eight nations that air Sesame Street.
The South African character has been named Kami and will be a female mustard-colored furry Muppet who likes nature, telling stories and collecting stuff. Kami is a “monster Muppet” like Grover or Elmo, the least human-like of the Sesame cast, said Joel Schneider, vice president of Sesame Workshop. The muppet will associate freely with the show’s other characters as a way to fight stereotypes about people with the virus, said Yvonne Kgame of the South African Broadcasting Corporation.
“We know that she’ll be lively, alert, friendly, outgoing, and HIV-positive,” said Schneider, who in July 2002 announced the character to delegates attending the 14th International AIDS Conference in Barcelona. “It’s about instilling positive attitudes toward people who are HIV-infected,” Kgame said.
North Americans may wonder at the wisdom of inserting an HIV-positive character into a show aimed at tykes 3 to 7, little ones we would deem too young to expose to such harsh realities. But in South Africa, where Takalani Sesame airs, one in nine people is infected with HIV, and many of these are children. In that country, the horror of the disease is further compounded by the stigma attached to it, especially if the infected person is female.
The new character is aimed at undoing some of that stigma through presenting her as a happy, outgoing creature.
In an odd fashion, this July 2002 news story about a new muppet echos a far earlier and utterly false rumor. In 1990, the grapevine was a’buzz with whispers that Sesame Street planned to kill off Ernie as a way to teach young children about death.
“A research project at the MIT Media Lab has a plan for getting $100 laptops in the hands of millions of people around the world. One notable feature is a hand crank for providing power in places where electricity is undependable or unavailable. Power modules are intended to slide into the thick hinged section of the laptop, and a carry strap doubles as a cord for plugging the system into wall outlets.”
John G sent me this link and I think a $100 laptop with hand crank is perhaps the most amazing electronic gadget OF ALL TIME. Two words: Super Cool. Read all about it and look at the pics!! The only down side: it’s probably not going to be on the market till 2007. Kinda lame…
Today’s a cleaning day and I now have three loads of clean laundry! I also now have my flannel sheets on my bed since fall is definitely here, and have added my darker duvet cover for the change of seasons. I’ve also been cleaning the apt and sorting stuff to give away to friends, give away to Goodwill, and give away on Freecycle. In a few minutes flat, I was able to post and give away both a broken floor lamp and a hot pink 80s prom dress. I’ve also passed along my gold sequined tube top and fake eye lashes to Erin, and four wigs and some fairy wings to Samantha. Yay cleaning day!
PS Be excited to know that Jessica has set a date, picked a location, and already started trying on wedding dresses this weekend! Very exciting!
I’m not only leaving Seattle in six weeks, I’m leaving behind a great roomie and a great apartment. Both could potentially be yours if you’re worthy! The skinny:
WHAT: Great 2 bed – 2 bath apt in Fremont!
Available mid-November.
Second floor unit with balcony
Building is quiet, modern, and built in 1980s(?)
Bedroom has windows and access to balcony
Kitchen has built in microwave, disposal, dishwasher, etc
Full size washer & dryer in unit
Good storage (long hall closet and a kitchen pantry)
Great for public transit or driving… three buses within 2 blocks (358, 44, and 5)
Free gated parking in a reserved spot, easy access to Aurora
Bike storage under building
WHERE: One block off of Fremont Ave near 44th. Lots of shops in 1-2 blocks walking distance: Marketime grocery store, Buckaroo Tavern, Video Isle, Paseo, Fremont Classico, Persimmon Café, Swingside, Highland Coffee, etc.
WHO: My roomie is fantastic and deserves a similarly great roomie! She’s mid-20s, laid back, friendly, has a 9-5 job working with kids, had friends, has a social life, likes music, and Thai food take-out.
HOW MUCH: Rent is $412.50/month; Deposit is $200
Electric/utilities are about $15 each/month
WiFi/Wireless DSL is about $15/month
Have a free hour or two? Then this is the event for you! CleoZombie is organizing a Zombie Walk… gotta love Seattle! She writes:
Walk with your un-dead brethren through the streets of Seattle in the light of day. With all your gore and glory, let’s mob the city! Be one of us because you are a Horror movie fan, because you love costume or to make a statement on how apathetic our nation has become to the horror in the world at large. How often do you get to participate in something this weird and free? All that is required is that you show up in costume, respect traffic laws and practice common sense. Bring your friends…….Nothing says you love someone quite like caking yourself in make-up, limping down the street together and eating them in the park!
Sat. OCT 15TH- Ballard
Start: 3:45pm sharp
Where? Meet @ SUNSET BOWL- 1420 N. Market St. (Do not park in their parking lot.)
4:00pm- Walk down Market St. and mill around the Ballard Sat. Street fair.
Finish: 6:00pm or so @ The People’s Pub- 5429 Ballard Ave.
OCT 29th- Fremont
Start: 2:45pm sharp
Where? Meet @ THE TROLL under the Aurora Bridge.
Milling in Fremont from 3:00pm-5:00PM
Finish: around 6:00pm @ George & the Dragon Pub- 206 No.36th St.
After Party at Nectar- 412 N. 36th St.
(There is a RIP section reserved on the mezzanine for us!)
HALLOWEEN!!!
OCT 31st- CAPITOL HILL
Start: 3:45pm sharp
Where? Meet @ THE RESERVOIR, Between Olive and Denny on Nagle
4:00pm walking downtown on Pike St.
FINISH: 7:00PM @ Pike Place Market
* Finally: As mentioned previously – zombies are only really effective when traveling together in large groups. Bring your friends, foes, family and other loved ones.
TRY TAKING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM THE EVENT!
Potentially useful things to keep in mind:
1. Participate at your own risk.
2. Do not pretend to “attack” people not part of Zombie Walk who do not obviously want to be involved.
3. Only swarm parked cars because, if we cause traffic problems, the Police will interfere.
4. There are no permits for this event. Be safe and look out for the safety of others!
Options for people who want to participate in Zombie Walk but don’t want to BE a Zombie :
1) Walk with us and take pictures, then email them to cleowolfus@hotmail.com.
2) Wear a “Hello my name is” name tag that says “Eat Me”.
3) Run or Hide (just kidding…..)
4) Bring sidewalk chalk to draw chalk lines around fallen “victims” on the concrete to denote a murder scene.
5) Hug a Zombie and see if their flesh comes off on you!
6) Walk with a cardboard box with a sign on it that says “Lost Zombie Parts”.
7) Help Zombies disperse when needed so that they don’t cause traffic accidents.
8) Volunteer to be a “Victim”
9) Organize a “Zombie pin-up” photo shoot after the Walk.
Tomorrow night I’m going to see more live music at the second KEXP John In The Morning Benefit. :) Tonight I’m going to go to bed early since I’ve been embarrassedly yawning at a bar for the last hour or two.
I guess before I post my goodbye party info, I should really make the official announcement. I quit my job and plan to move to Africa on January 2nd!
There’s lots to tell, but for now let me start with the basics and add more when I have time.
I accepted a position to do social services work in Kenya.
I’ll be placed in a small village near the Uganda border. It’s about 7 hours northwest of Nairobi.
I will work with youth and set up a volunteer program.
The contract is for one year with the option to renew up to two additional years.
Neither my home, nor the village, have electricity or running water.
LP says “Revered by anthropologists as the ‘cradle of humanity’, Kenya is wild. If you’re adventurous – and sensible – it promises the globe’s most magnificent wildlife parks, unsullied beaches, thriving coral reefs, memorable mountainscapes and ancient Swahili cities.
The Swahili word safari (literally, journey) wouldn’t mean much to most people if it wasn’t for this East African adventure land. No matter how many Tarzan movies you’ve seen, nothing will prepare you for the annual mass migration of wildebeests in the Maasai Mara.”
And on that note, I’d be extremely happy to host visitors! I’ll even have a guest bedroom with a bed and mosquito netting for anyone who want to come see me and tour around in Kenya! Want to do a photo safari? Want to tour the great rift in a hot air balloon? Want to hit Mombasa and chill on the coast? Me too! The job is a Monday through Friday, 8am-5pm job with vacation time, and I definitely want to visit “the globe’s most magnificent wildlife parks, unsullied beaches, thriving coral reefs, memorable mountainscapes and ancient Swahili cities” on my vacations!
Me:
will i go far in life?
God:
The oracle says: Might happen.
Me:
will my parents freak out if i go to kenya?
God:
I think so.
Me:
why must they freak out about kenya?
God:
Do you go to Church? You can find the answers in God.
Me:
but i like to travel
God:
Tell me where you have been.
Me:
here, there. africa. europe. latin america. texas.
God:
Oh there. I’ve been waiting for you. Have you ever been to America? Who are you talking about? Tell me a little about your life in TEXAS.
Me:
scary. i left 5 years ago.
God:
Don’t be afraid.
Me:
what do i do next?
God:
What would your friends say if you asked them?
Me:
go.
God:
Go where?
Me:
kenya
God:
What were we talking about again?
The Asylum Street Spankers (one of my longtime Austin favorites)
Aqualung (mellow, and included a great Queen cover)
Built to Spill (not as wild as I was expecting)
The Frames (I saw a little bit of this show, but can’t remember much of it)
Death Cab for Cutie (great to see them twice in a month!)
The Fiery Furnaces (I was tired from the heat by this point and listened from my chair)
Jet (these Australian boys rocked the house! Loved them, and not just because they reminded me of AC/DC)
Bloc Party (one of my favorites from the whole festival… what a fun, positive show! “Edgy” Brit pop/rock.)
Sunday Sept 25: Day Three of ACL Fest
Sunday had the best line up yet, and was full of hard choices. Sadly, my motives on Sunday were partially based on temperature and ease of venue, not just allure of the bands. Here’s the great lineup I saw…
M83 (too mellow for 105 heat. I needed more songs with lyrics to focus on instead of the heat)
Took a swim break in Barton Springs – was fantastic!
The Bravery (Saw the last portion of their rockin set! Loved it when the lead singer took a stage dive into the crowd!)
The Arcade Fire (All of the hype is true! This was one of the most entertaining, high energy shows of the festival, despite it’s 4pm time frame at the hottest part of the 108 degree day! They switched instruments every song and were rocking! The lead singer was funny and great, as was his crazy red-headed younger brother. Loved their attention to audience involvement, and audience state of being. They even threw lots of water and wet towels to the crowd… What a nice family and friends! Samer – they’re from Montreal and you should totally check them out!).
The Decemberists (Saw part of their set, which was great, but then left for another quick dip in Barton Springs. “Don’t you wish rock bands would quit telling you to stay hydrated?”)
Franz Ferdinand (He was more entertaining than I was expecting. Enjoyed hearing more new songs and older ones I already knew).
The Black Keys (I didn’t know them, but did end up enjoying them. Great two piece band that does it all. I guess they’re considered rock/blues? They did a Beatles cover – “She Said, She Said.”)
Coldplay (One of the other highlights of the weekend! I didn’t know I was a Coldplay fan… guess I was in closet or in denial? Turns out I DO know a bunch of their songs, and turns out they’re quite the showmen on stage. Coldplay did a cover and tribute to Johnny Cash – “Ring of Fire.” The flashy camera stuff was distracting, but otherwise it was a great set and a great finale to this year’s festival).
I flew back tonight and only arrived an hour late from Houston. It was great to arrive after midnight and see Abbey and Martha’s smiling faces greet me at the airport! What saints for picking me up even when my flight was delayed! Totally unnecessary, and very much appreciated. :) It was also great to arrive and feel the cool night air greet me when I stepped out of baggage claim. Yesterday at midnight in Austin it was still 95 degrees. What a relief to be back in Seattle! Who knew five years ago that the Northwest would ever become my home?
Despite the three days of heat, and despite the settling fog of headache-inducing dust (I suspect we’ll be bleeding dirt for weeks), a majority of festers still dragged themselves to Coldplay’s flashy event-ending set. Of course, being the final hour-and-a-half-long act gave Chris Martin’s quartet the right to be as theatrical as Cher and as self-righteous as U2’s Bono. The big-screen camera shots and negative-exposure effects didn’t help their music, but it sure didn’t hurt the experience.
“Politik,” “Yellow” and “The Scientist” were more than just crowd pleasers — their inspired singer, Martin, immersed himself in each song with a passion matching what his studio albums have captured. With the subtle addition of guitarist Jon Buckland and quaking bassist Guy Berryman, the songs adopted Coldplay’s most anthemlike sound yet.
Perhaps they were trying to prove themselves as ACL’s last act. Intimidated by an earlier headliner, the Arcade Fire, Martin gracefully admitted that bands like Fire, “should make you try all the more hard.” Another inspiration was Johnny Cash, to whom they paid homage with an English-accented “Ring of Fire.” (Does this mean that Trent Reznor is going to start to cover Coldplay?)
After encore songs “Clocks” and “Fix You,” the show came to an end. The soft piano melody on “Clocks” was as hauntingly loud as ever, and “Fix You” vibrated with an acoustic flutter. Gritty figures sifted out of the concert grounds with one thought in mind: If this kind of show keeps up, Martin’s crew could easily leave Dave Matthews and his cronies in the dust.
The heat this weekend was miserable and oppressive… especially coming from Seattle where weather has been in the 60s. Yesterday had the best line up of bands from the weekend, but I felt so awful after just the first band (M83) that I left the festival and convinced Bill to join me for a dip in Barton Springs. I felt human again after a few minutes of immersing myself in the chilly natural springs, but eventually braved the heat and went back to see more shows. The shows were great. The dust from the park was not great. The dust filled my lungs and I haven’t stopped coughing since last night.
From the Austin American Statesman:
Sunday was the hottest day of the year so far, at 108 degrees. The National Weather Service recorded the blistering temperature, a new high for the date in Austin, Sunday afternoon at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. The previous high for that date was 97 in 1956.
It was the fifth consecutive day of triple-digit temperatures. Dry and warm winds on the western edge of Hurricane Rita, plus a strong area of pressure over Texas that helped push the storm eastward, also stuffed hot air into the atmosphere, compressing it, said Frank Strait, a meteorologist with Accu- Weather.com. All this, combined with soil parched from below-normal rainfall, made for record-breaking temperatures.
Usually, Strait said, Austin has about 10 inches of rain from June 1 through late September. This year, there have been just more than 4 inches.
A concert review with a good description of the heat by Lynne Margolis:
When Jason Mraz introduced his drummer, Adam King, during their ACL Fest performance Sunday, Mraz said, “He hasn’t seen this many naked people since Glastonbury.”
I have news for him: Maybe being naked helped at that U.K. festival, but it sure wouldn’t have made a difference in the afternoon heat at Zilker Park — unless those naked people were skinny-dipping. If this weekend’s weather proved anything, it’s that Austin’s festival needs to move back even further. October would have to be cooler. Otherwise, it needs to go back to two days. As it is now, the event is just too much of an endurance test. Mraz wound up playing to an audience that might have been far more enthusiastic — screaming girls notwithstanding — if they’d been able to do much more than try to keep from sweating to death.
Another heat review from Ray In Austin:
The heat and the dust were awful. By sundown Zilker Park looked like lower Manhattan on 9/11. A thick cloud of dust over everything, crowds of people with bandanas over their faces, coughing and spitting and pretending to have a good time. The record heat and the dust made this more of a death march than previous years. Honestly, if they keep having it in September, I’m not completely sure I’m going to keep going back. I understand that they don’t want to have it in October because the weather is so unpredictable. But in mid-September, the weather is all too predictable, and it’s guaranteed to suck. New Orleans manages to hold Jazz Fest in April, and tell me April in New Orleans isn’t a volatile weather season. I say move it or lose it. The festival should be a weekend of fun, not a test of human endurance.
To be brief, I saw lots of people, lots of bands, got covered in lots of dust, and sweated lots of sweat. I’m now home after the Coldplay concert and am ready for bed. More later, very soon. Take care!
Many thanks to Sameer who sold me his pass for ACL Fest! Today’s 100 degree heat put my body into shock… in Seattle I’ve already been wearing my wool sweaters and hoodies. But other than the oppressive heat, everything was quite lovely. Bill and I saw lots of bands (mostly Texas music and indie rock), we hung with the fantastic Chris & Alyssa for a few hours, and we also saw Crow & Ajit (they evacuated Houston, drove an awful 17 hours, and decided they might as well see the festival as long as they were here). After the show we met up with Scott & Zoe, Tisen, Joey, Norm, and my first ever Seattle friend Ross. Ross was additionally my first roomie in Seattle, and he was also the first boy I had a crush on in Seattle. Was great to see Ross, and great to see the whole crowd of folks. Hopefully I’ll get to see them again tomorrow… I haven’t seen Ross is forever, and haven’t seen Scott, Crow, and Ajit since their wedding in February.
I tend to forget these things, so I’m writing them down now. This year they put in huge video screens and kept the volumes high… so even if you weren’t directly in front of the stage you could see double the bands playing. So, today’s bands were:
Well, I was in evacuee mode all morning as I was stuck in the Houston airport for a number of hours with the thousands of people fleeing their homes. When I lived in Houston and did consulting, I spent a lot of time at the airport, but nothing like this morning. Most families today had nothing more than a duffel bag of family history and papers, the family pet in a carrier, and a backpack of food supplies for their kids. It was a very, very sad morning. Roads are backed up for hours. Highway exits are blocked so people can head straight up to Dallas. Reports are coming in that the drive is taking over 12 hours to get to Austin, despite the fact it’s normally only 3 hours. At the airport, there were a lots of tears. Sick children. Worried talk about how to get grandparents who were receiving treatment at local hospitals and can’t miss appointments. After missing two flights because of delays (over 200 TSA employees didn’t show up this morning), I eventually got home to Austin, which is more or less functioning like normal. There are canceled football games all over the radio, and our local high school is now the latest evac center since the rest are all full.
My sister in law’s family in Louisiana is heading up to Austin today and will stay here till the storm passes. Sameer plans to fly to Chicago to escape the storm. Laura and Ajit said they were going to drive from Houston last night for Austin… haven’t heard yet if they’ve made it or if the 3 hour drive turned into 15 like the horror stories. John and Erin are from New Orleans, living in Houston, and apparently can’t make it out of town. John says “Short of some kind of miracle, we won’t be able to leave. Too many people on the roads. Many people are sitting on the road for hours, running out of gas, or giving up and turning back.” Evacuating Galveston’s 27 thousand people is one thing and is (ideally) manageable. Trying to evacuate Houston’s 4 million people is an entirely different matter. Please think warm wishes for those needing to get to a safer place…
Okay… for you non-ACL Fest folks, or for ACL-Fest folks who want to hang out 24/7, I’m going to see if Saturday evening works better than Thurs. New plan: For anyone interested, let’s hang out Sat night from 9pm till ??. Where? Dunno. I don’t have the energy or the head to decide, so please give suggestions or someone pick a place. Hope to see y’all then!
Update at 8pm: “The U.S. National Hurricane Centre said Rita had become “an extremely dangerous” Category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 165 mph (265 kph) as it moved over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. A Category 5 storm can cause catastrophic damage.”
I’ve been on the Red Cross website for the past few days trying to figure out where I will volunteer with evacuees while I’m in Austin this weekend. Now I’m on the weather and news websites instead… trying to read up on Hurricane Rita to see if it is going to cause a change of plans. They’re forcing a mandatory evacuation of Galveston’s 27,000 residents and moving folks further inland. In Cuba, 58,000 people were evacuated from the northern coast in preparation for Rita. Several thousand Louisiana residents, who were moved to Texas after Katrina, are now being moved a second time (to Arkansas and Tennessee). I agree with Bill and Alyssa… I think the storm could put my weekend on a slightly different path. From ABC.com:
Hurricane Rita is expected to remain a Category 4 storm until it makes landfall, meteorologist Chris Landsea of the National Hurricane Center in Miami said. That’s now predicted for Saturday somewhere between northern Mexico and western Louisiana, most likely in Texas.
“But our ability to forecast wind speed is limited,” Landsea said. He said the storm could strengthen to Category 5 with wind in excess of 155 mph or ease to Category 3, with wind less than 130 mph.
Acting Federal Emergency Management Agency Director R. David Paulison said the agency has aircraft and buses available to evacuate residents of areas the hurricane might hit. Rescue teams and truckloads of ice, water and prepared meals were being sent to Texas.
Well, turns out 93% of people have plans on Thursday or will be out of town, so no social hour this week (which is probably a good thing). This happily means I’ll be able to do dinner with my family… perhaps the only time all week since I know my brother, sister-in-law, and I are all planning to be at ACL Fest on our three-day passes.
So, if you want to hang out while I’m in town this Thurs-Mon, it’ll require you to be a bit old fashioned and actually call me to make plans. :) Hope to see y’all soon!
Somehow in the last two weeks the leaves are turning colors and the winds are picking up. Sadly, that means not only are the rains approaching, but it also means it’s no longer tank top weather in Seattle. Tonight I’m doing my annual project called “Go through the closet and see what shorts/tanks I can get rid of, and which I want to save for another season.” I’m not particularly trendy, so it’s not like a) they’re going out of style anytime soon or b) they were even in style in the first place. Most are just your wardrobe basics… khaki shorts, solid colored tanks and halters, etc. I realize some of my favorite shorts and tanks are actually from sophomore year of college… and could probably be donated (or destroyed). The favorites are hard to get rid of… even when they have a million holes and are super frail I still get a little sentimental. I even have one favorite pair of jean shorts (my only pair of jean shorts) that were a pair of jeans I stole from my dad’s closet back around age 14 and cut into shorts. At that point, his Levi’s were already probably 10-15 years old, and so at this point these shorts are probably about my age… maybe 25-30 years old. They’re the softest cotton shorts you could imagine and they still fit great. The only problem is that they ravel more and more with each passing year, to the point they’re possibly the trashiest Daisy Duke style shorts this side of the movie set.
Anyway, that’s what I’m up to tonight. Many thanks to Caroline for braving my dusty closet with me, and for the fantastic gifts! Gotta love it when your friends show up with gifts in tow for no reason other than they’re fantastic friends! Thanks Caroline!!
Oh, and don’t you forget to vote tomorrow! I already sent in my absentee ballot a week or two ago… hope everyone else remembers their photo ID and gets out to the polls ASAP. Take care!
UPDATE: I’ve succeeded in getting rid of five bags of clothing, one bag of shoes, one box of kitchen stuff, one box of Xmas stuff, and one bag of knitting stuff left over from the motherload Anita give me a few years ago. Not bad, eh?
Today I’m thankful for a fantastic new team. We just had our two day retreat out in the woods and things went better than I could have hoped for. I’m continually impressed by the talented, insightful, fun, and compassionate people that we have and I feel lucky to have them all in one place. I’m also very proud that as a group they’re willing to be challenged and willing to push themselves, with the support of the team, for both individual growth and group bonding. They’re also supportive of me, and open, which I greatly appreciate. And they have a sweet tooth, and they like kayaking, and they travel, and they’re hip with campfires… all good in my book. The End.
Happy Birthday Savi! Celebrations tonight at the War Room were dotted with the usual suspects and many other new faces. Good times, good times.
Photo meetup tonight had a good turn out with 14 or 15 people coming out for the Sept challenge: Self Portrait. (Not a bad crowd considering only 5 actually RSVP’d). :) I think next month we’ll end up doing a road trip to Leavenworth to photograph the leaves changes colors. Anyone interested?
Also hung with Fester, Zombie, Charlie, and Sam tonight at the swank Belltown bar near Fester’s place. I’ll get to see her again tomorrow as I have passes for Tim Burton’s “Corpse Bride!” Yay!
And with that, I’m off to bed. No caffeine for me today. I wouldn’t do very well with another night where I only get 3 hours. I’m exhausted. G’night…
I’ve gotten a couple of dinner invites, and now a wedding announcement too, from someone I’m sure is a very nice person. Only problem is I don’t know who they are. If it was sent to a list serve, I’d just assume it meant the invite was for the people who know her, not me. But as it is, I’ve gotten emails to a few folks, and a wedding reception and halloween party invite via evite to many folks. And none of the other invitees look familiar. Anyone know a Benni or Jole Sack? If so, do share!
Okay… I have Sameer’s ACL Fest ticket and I have frequent flyer miles begging to be used, so I’ve booked my flight and am coming to Austin. I’ll be getting into town on Thurs 9/22 at 9am, and leaving Mon 9/26 at 7pm. If anyone wants to hang out, at or away from the concerts, let me know. Last year I spent the better part of three days at ACL Fest and saw lots of great bands. Hoping to do the same this year, with a day of rest on either side to hang with family and friends.
Hmmm… last year we also did a BBQ at Laura’s place so I could see everyone and hang out. No immeadiate plans for a repeat of that… but I wonder if a Thursday night happy hour would work for anyone? If you’re free or interested, let me know your availability. Take care!
Despite the leaves changing colors and falling as though it were already autumn… good things are happening in abundance today after a crazy last week!
My lost camera was located and returned to me… you can imagine how happy that makes me! :)
A certain scared someone is content once again.
My Honda hit the 25,000 mile marker.
I finally got to meet Erin’s (cute!) new-ish boyfriend.
Samantha was a great listener this weekend when I was feeling a wee bit manic.
The girls sweetly provided me with a gift to make it through the week!
I got a lovely foot massage yesterday.
There are two free movies this Thursday if I can get enough shopping done early.
And above all that… Sameer has offered me his extra ticket to ACL Fest AND Continental still has cheap flights. I could go Thurs-Mon on the frequent flyer ticket I found and not pay a penny. It’d be fun, sunny, and full of friends. :)
So, what do we think? Despite my plan to stay home and not travel for a while, should I go back to Austin for ACL Fest?
Oh yes… after many months of broken style sheets, required log in for comments, lame trackback spam, and all kinds of other problems, I’ve finally taken the time to re-install WP! Yay! Of course, none of this could have happened without Jeff (a friend and local bookseller) generously spending his Sunday afternoon helping me out.
Okay everyone… now’s your chance to test out the site. Try to comment and see how easy it is now!
How lucky am I to get calls today from three of my favorite men? It was great to catch up with everyone! Ajit is in Seattle visiting from Texas, Sameer is back in Texas from visiting SE Asia, and Samer is starting classes again up in Montreal. Yay favorite boys!
I don’t always need a ton of sleep, but I definitely need more than I’ve been getting lately. Happily, today I didn’t need to be anywhere until 6pm so I went to bed last night at 2am and didn’t set my alarm. The freedom was great, and I was only kind of surprised when I woke up this morning and discovered it was almost noon. I also took a nap this afternoon closer to 4pm. It was great. I’m still tired, but happily my cold or virus or whatever is pretty much gone now after 3+ weeks. YAY! I spent my waking hours this afternoon folding laundry, doing dishes, unpacking from recent trips, and trying unsuccessfully to pry the back panel of my phone off so I can switch my SIM card to a new phone that works.
50 Foot Wave – Kristin Hersh’s new band, lots of screaming. bassist was in a Seven Cycles t-shirt.
Tom Brosseau – folky music. Funny, funny man. great Johnny Cash sing-a-long.
The Pale Pacific – my favorite of the night. fun indie rock. great
Ian Knapp – Brittish singer/songwriter played solo. I really liked his songs. not much stage presence tonight.
The Saturday Knights – maybe my favorite of the night! high energy hip-hop DJs! kinda reminded me of the Beastie Boys.
And can I just say how nice and refreshing it is to come home from a show at a bar and not smell like smoke? My clothes don’t reek, my hair doesn’t reek, my eyes aren’t itchy and bloodshot from the smoke, I’m not coughing and my throat doesn’t hurt. I’m not sure if the Croc is generally smoke free, or if it was a KEXP or a John decision, but either way… thank you, thank you, thank you! Let’s hope all of Seattle’s venues are like this after the Nov 20th election!
And speaking of elections… all you absentee folks out there should have gotten your ballots a week or so ago for the September primary. After last year’s crazy vote counting fiasco with last minute counting and bad signatures, I’ve reread my instructions and already filled it out and mailed it back early. If you already know how you’re voting in the primary, I’d encourage you to do the same and send it in early. :)
Week one is done and I’m done too. A new employee lost my digital camera (not a good first impression). Everything is coming out and coming undone. Heaven help me maintain my sanity for just a little bit longer. Please.
Have I mentioned the incredible amount of pain I’ve been waking up to for the past two days? I feel like one of those people in a movie that throws out their back and feels like they can barely move… I’ve had sore muscles before, but have never known back pain that was even remotely near what I’ve been experiencing randomly for the last two nights. Not sure why… no heavy lifting, no new work out schedule, no different bed or anything. I hope to get a massage Saturday as soon as I have an hour of free time that won’t be spent sleeping.
In other news, I’m tired and work is busy. This weekend I hope to SLEEP as much as possible, hope to see exactly ONE concert, and hope to fix my problem-filled website. Hope y’all are well.
Btw, did everyone notice how fantastically cute her new haircut is? It’s great!
PS Tonight was another evening of celebrating Samanta’s further ascent into old age. It’s kinda fun to see a crowd full of friends and know that 80-90% started as friends from the internet (photo, blogger, meetup)… let’s hear it for the digital frontier! And let’s hear it for Manuel for introducing us to our first games of dirty digital trivia… what better way is there to say happy birthday to a dear friend? :)
Today was the last day of Bumbershoot, which is probably for the best. Caroline, Samantha, and I went and we were all tired for much of the day. Our itinerary included…
Best show of the day! They put on quite a production and you know they’re having tons of fun onstage. The second guitar guy was my favorite… he played anything from a guitar, to a slide guitar, banjo, xylophone, and more. The indie rock band also featured an upright bass (happy birthday, Nate!), lead singer/guitar player, violin girl, keyboard/accordion girl, and a three piece horns section. Very cool indeed!
Venezuelan band that played fun dance music. I went on Duff’s recommendation, but apparently the rest of the crowd already knew them. Tons of dancing, lots of singing along. Entertaining the whole way through. Almost a little campy, but quite fun. Added bonus: Weather was gorgeous and sunny and life was good.
Indoors. Long line. Show was okay, but we were tired and left early for refreshments.
Snack break!
Can you believe we actually spent money on a Fried Snickers Bar?! Caroline and I had never had one, so we figured this was our chance to partake in this cultural experience. Props go out to the nice vendor guy who let me take pictures, answered my questions, and ended up giving me a free fried Twinkie to try. (I promptly turned it over to the group and we tried our best). Conclusion?
Fried Twinkie: C. Didn’t taste too different, just so-so.
Fried Snickers: A. It was yummy melted gooey goodness.
I’m intrigued and want to listen to a CD now, but sadly the mixing at the show was awful. Lots of feedback and screeching from the mics. Loud bass blocked out the too quiet vocals. Ted – very cool. Other two guys – way distracting b/c of their awful hair. Sad, but true.
And with that, I’m at work trying to get ready for the first week of school. :) Hope everyone had a great Labor Day weekend! Mine was not relaxing, but was full of music and full of friends which makes for a good weekend! Best of luck to Suzan as she begins her new grad school program tomorrow!
Tonight, in Seattle, I saw a very cute boy at a show at the EMP. I think he even kind of smiled at me when I headed to the restrooms. I thought he was the cutest boy in the crowd. (Samantha thought the cute boy at the merch table was a hottie, but we rarely find the same men attractive. Very different tastes on an ongoing basis). So, anyway, the cute boy. I think he smiled at me during the first set (The Carolines) and I admit to Caroline and Samantha that I thought he was a cutie. They encourage me to go talk to him, but really y’all, it’s no secret that cute boys make me nervous. Being forward with boys in general makes me nervous. I can be bold and confident in many things, and boys are not one of them.
Anyway, the first band ends (thankfully) and a newer, much better local band called (Key Note Speaker) begins their set. Who should leave his good seat at the bar near the stage and head all the way back to our last table in the venue? Yep, afore mentioned cute boy. He smiles, I smile, he says Hi, I say Hello. And that’s how it began. We proceed chat and smile and talk music and trade travel stories. He was cute, which generally makes me nervous. He likes live music. He travels lots. (8 weeks in SE Asia to Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia; 4 upcoming weeks in Costa Rica). He smelled fantastic. And he kissed me. In front of Caroline and Samantha. On the cheek, but oh what a nice move. It wasn’t a peck, it was a nuzzle, and you know how much I like shaggy boys.
So that’s where it began. But where does it end? Where is all of this leading? No where! A few skeptics out there have posed the assertion that I might be afraid of commitment… hence getting involved with multiple boys that were long distance in the past two years. I’ve always disagreed with the afraid of commitment idea. I’d be happy to commit to a nice boy were one to fall into my lap. I’d love to date a local boy. Someone who could hold my hand, cook dinner with me, go see shows together, or take care of me when I’m sick. It’s not like I go to Minnesota looking for love, or head to Guatemala hoping to hook up. No, I just meet nice boys and they’re not from here. I met the last one after Samer through a mutual friend four miles from my apartment in the U-District, but it turns out he’s from LA. And the cute boy from tonight who approached me at the show and gave me a good bye kiss… where’s he from? I shouldn’t even have to tell you since if you know my luck in the past two years you’d know automatically that a nice guy, cool, talented, likes to travel must only be from out of state. Yep, he’s from Arizona. And Arizona doesn’t help me. So anyway, for the skeptics in the crowd who say I find LD boys because I’m afraid of commitment, for the skeptics who think I might choose LD boys because they’re unavailable, I rest my case. It’s not that I pick them, they pick me.
My buddy Alan did a road trip from San Francisco to Seattle this weekend and it was great to see him! I think the last time I saw him was when we joined forces with the Dutch kids and did a road trip from Seattle to Tijuana. All six of us crashed at his place in SF and a good time was had by all. :)
Yesterday I spent some time at Bumbershoot with Samantha. We saw Visqueen rock out during one show… they were really great. Yay local bands! I also saw two of Vamola’s samba sets and danced and danced and danced. And of course the finale of the evening was amazing. Really. The 826 Seattle benefit was fantastic beyond words. Imagine if you will…
Lemony Snickett on accordion, accompanying Death Cab for Cutie (known for the night as the Transatlantic Orchestra), joined by Mike Doughty (from Soul Coughing) on guitar for a killer cover of Duran Duran’s Hungry Like a Wolf. Fantastic. Beyond. Words. Imagine also Sarah Vowell (NPR’s This American Life) with a history lesson on the Battle Hymn of the Republic with musical accompaniment by Death Cab. Imagine Daniel Handler (aka Lemony Snickett, author of an Unfortunate Series of Events) as a tuxedo clad game show host totally and completely making fun of a 9 year kid on stage. Imagine Dave Eggars (A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius) howling and reading a letter written by Steve the dog, while accompanied by the guitar stylings and background howlings of Ben Gibbard.
Yes folks, if you weren’t there, you missed out on the potentially most entertaining night of show biz Seattle will see this year. But for those of you there (Jeff, Samantha, and 2997 other people), it was freaking fantastic! And even better, it was all to raise money for 826 Seattle, the new youth center Dave Eggars is opening this year. Total count for the night: $13,000. Impressive!!
Seems this is going to be a music weekend through and through!
Thursday: Pearl Jam
Saw them Thursday at the Gorge. One of only 5 stops in the US tour. Fantastic. Pearl Jam opened for themselves, did one quieter set all sitting down, then a second more rocking set that lasted forever. All in all they ended up playing for over three and a half hours! Great mix of older and more recent songs. Great Tom Petty cover. Great show!
Friday: Black Crows & Tom Petty
Apparently he was playing Friday at the Gorge, so we camped out and decided to spend one more day there. As long as you’re going to make the drive, might as well make the most out of the opportunity. Black Crows were good… Chris Robinson dances really funny/cute and looks way young. Tom Petty rocked out like the rock star that he is. Hard to believe Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers released their first single back in 1976! Pretty impressive run of hits over a 28+ year period. Lots of fun! Opening band: Radio Nationals.
Saturday:
Heading to Bumbershoot.
Sunday: The Carolines at the EMP
Caroline wants to check out local indie band “The Carolines” tomorrow night, so I’ll probably head there with her. :)
I just got back from my first ever trip to the Gorge (in George, Washington) and it was fantastic! Great venue, great people, great bands, and great fun! Now, I’m off to sleep before running in the morning then volunteering with Vamola!
The more I read, the more photos I view, the more news stories I watch… the more I keep tearing up. My thoughts and wishes go out to all of my friends, their families, and other folks from New Orleans.
Queens Botanical Garden (43-50 Main Street, Flushing NY)
Originally created as an exhibit for the 1939 World’s Fair, the Queens Botanical Garden opened in its present location in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in 1963. It is 39 acres of city owned land, has a Victorian gazebo area you can rent out for weddings, and has bees, birds, herb gardens, and woodland gardens, in addition to pinetum, backyard demonstration gardens, an arboretum, and seasonal display gardens.
It’s not far from one of New York’s Chinatown areas, and when I spent an afternoon at the garden the park was filled with a few families from the local neighborhood and a handful of elderly folks talking walks or reading books. It’s a very serene park tucked into an amazingly quiet area is a very loud, busy Chinatown neighborhood. I know the other botanical gardens in NYC are supposed to be much fancier than this one in Queens, but I was content. The quiet and the solitude were actually kind of nice.
And people aren’t the only ones who enjoy the gardens. This chocolate eating squirrel looked quite content here as well. (No, I wasn’t the one who fed him chocolate. Some older gentleman and his grandson were the culprits).
That was an offer from a very friendly guy at the bar last night organizing his future brother-in-law’s bachelor party. Samantha and I were out to catch up, tell stories about our trips, talk about boys, and generally people watch. It was a successful night on all accounts. :)
The entrance to the memorial is full of quotes and news snippets on hunger
The peaceful memorial is tucked right into a bustling area of lower Manhattan
“New York State’s Irish Hunger Memorial, built in 2002, is an extraordinary memorial devoted to raising public awareness of the events that led to the “Great Irish Famine and Migration” of 1845-1852.
Timothy S. Carey said, “During The Great Hunger almost a million died, and almost two million more were forced leave their country. And yet, through the worst of the famine, foreign landlords continued to export food from Ireland, condemning hundreds of thousands to cruel and needless deaths. It is my sincere hope that The Irish Hunger Memorial will encourage all the nations of the world to work together to put an end to starvation and the use of hunger as a political weapon. Brian Tolle has captured not only a vision of Ireland, but its very essence. I eagerly look forward to the day when people from all walks of life visit the memorial to touch the sod of our heritage and understand the courage of those who were forced to leave their homeland and travel across the ocean to start a new life.”
The 96 foot by 170 foot Memorial rises above a base structure that is level with the sidewalk on its eastern end and 25 feet high on its western end. A passage in the western end of the Memorial opens inside a ruined fieldstone cottage imported from County Mayo, a gift from Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Slack, and Mr. and Mrs. Chris Slack. Leaving the cottage, the visitor can wander through abandoned fields and overgrown potato furrows that evoke the terrible desolation that famine brought to Ireland. The Memorial, which was landscaped by Gail Wittwer-Laird, is planted with some 62 species of native Irish wildflowers, plants and grasses and has stones from each of Ireland’s 32 counties.
Along the base of the Memorial, lines of illuminated text that focus on the history of the Hunger and the Irish people are separated by layers of imported Kilkenny limestone. The Memorial’s location, which looks out on the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, reminds visitors that America welcomed survivors of The Great Hunger and was in turn changed and strengthened by their countless contributions to our country.
The size of the cultivated area of the Memorial, one-quarter of an acre, is significant. In 1847, Sir William Gregory proposed an additional clause to the Irish Poor Law stipulating that no person occupying land of more than one-quarter acre was eligible for any relief. This law had a devastating effect and contributed to the suffering. The unroofed abandoned cottage reminds the visitor of the stark choice between survival and holding home and hearth.
In 1996, Governor Pataki signed a law making instruction on the mass starvation in Ireland a part of the New York State curriculum. New York schools are now required by the Board of Regents to teach courses in patriotism, citizenship and human rights issues, devoting particular attention to the study of genocide, slavery and the Holocaust.
So extensive was Irish immigration that between 1847 and 1851 more than 848,000 Irish arrived in New York City alone. By 1930 Irish Americans were more than 21 percent of New York City’s population. In 1980 about one in seven Americans claimed Irish ancestry, and more than 40 million Americans described themselves as predominantly Irish. Almost 800,000 residents of New York City and 2.8 million residents of New York State trace their ancestry to Ireland.”
For my last day in NYC I debated a ferry out to Staten Island or Ellis Island, maybe taking pics of some famous sights, maybe lunch with Laura one last time. What did I end up doing? Spending most of the day in bed using as little energy as possible. Even with 8 hours of sleep I was still exhausted from this lame cold. I watched Ray on HBO and the did my packing before heading to a late lunch. And with that, my three weeks in NYC were done. I came, enjoyed myself, and did everything I wanted to do on the trip. Met nice people, saw friends, hung out in the city, saw some shows, read some books, watched some movies. Not a bad paid working vacation. :)
Lunch at the Tikka Grill (Astoria Blvd, Queens)
Decent “fast food” from a locally owned little hole in the wall Indian cafe. I had a combo platter with sagg, channa, and curry pakora. There were three tables, and a hot foods line with 4 or 5 veggie options and 4 or 5 more meat options. Custom dishes could also be made, at a 10-15 minute wait. The naan was yummy, the mango lassi was so-so. Decent food… enough to satisfy me before getting onto a long cross country plane trip without food service.
I like to go see shows, but rarely go see movies and hardly have time to read most weeks. However, this month of vaction-type time has been very good for entertainment. :)
I’ve started and finished two books while in NYC: Digital Fortress (Dan Brown) and the more impressive 100 Years of Solitude.
I’ve watched a couple of movies: Wedding Crashers, Mr & Mrs Smith, Fabulous 4, Brady Bunch Movie, Home Fries, etc.
Saw two Broadway shows: RENT and The Producers
And now, there are two new films are coming out very soon that I’m excitedly anticipating…
Tim Burton and Johnny Depp get together again for another animated film: Corpse Bride.
And the star and producer of Lagaan, Aamir Khan, has another film in the works… one of the biggest productions ever coming out of Bollywood. Read more about it in an interview with Aamir.
Worked from 10pm last night to 4am today. Slept for a while this morning then went back to work at noon to do wrap up and cleaning. After I finished I headed over to Greenwich Village (my new favorite neighborhood) and was apparently so tired I fell asleep twice on the subway. I woke up in time for my stop at West 4th so I could meet up with Dave and get dinner. I should clarify… Dave B. From Seattle. Oh wait… the only two guys I know in NYC are both named Dave, both have last names that start with B, and both moved here after living in Seattle. So tonight was dinner with former coworker Dave. He’s a very cool guy, I was glad to meet up with him tonight, and I’ll definitely miss having him in Seattle.
I told Dave he got to pick any restaurant in the Village for dinner and he choose Gobo all on his own, despite being a meat eater. Surprising, but fine by me as I’m a big fan. :)
Dinner at Gobo (again)
The slow cooked Malaysian curry continues to reign as an instant hit for all audiences. We also tried the pine nut vegetable medley with lettuce wraps (yummy) and yucca and yam fries (yummy). Frozen yogurt afterwards was procured at some bagel place and eaten in Father Fagan Park.
I’m now home sorting through my hotel room to begin the packing process. I’d love one last day in the city tomorrow before my 5pm flight, but we’ll see. My cold feels like it’s peaking in misery so I might just stay home and nap in privacy where I can blow my nose nonstop, let my breathing can be labored, self medicate my pounding headache with Aleve, let my eyes tear without needing to dab them, and avoid talking as it’s hard when you can’t breathe. I’m hoping to begin the path to recovery this weekend so I’m in a decent condition to meet, welcome, and train my new team that starts Monday.
I’ve pretty much been my own boss for the past few years, both personally and professionally. I’m an independent, single gal at home. And at work I’m the director of my program. This month I’ve been working in NYC, and not only did I have to report to someone, that someone was both a friend and an ex. Have I mentioned Dieter’s my boss in NYC? It’s a source of constant entertainment or exhaustion depending on when you ask me. Since I don’t always spill Dieter’s good qualities here in recent years, let’s do so today.
he’s fun
he’s helpful
he’s laid back
he’s doing my laundry (washing my dirty socks, underwear, and work pants)
Nice, eh? A coworker LH asked if we knew each other before this NYC assignment. I said “yes, we’ve been friends for a few years.” She said “Ahh! I knew it. It’s like y’all are brother and sister or something.” Um, I guess so.
As someone who’s been my own boss for a while now, and as someone who’s worked in process development consulting to help create efficiencies, it’s been a transition for me to work for someone else much less work for someone who works for a company that works with three other companies to work jointly for a client.
The working for someone else idea is a transition I’m acutely aware of when I look at other jobs too… Caroline and I have both had conversations about wanting mentors and being our own bosses. I want to have a mentor, someone to learn from, someone to say “go home and get some rest… you’ve done a great job and need to go easy on yourself,” someone who can give me honest coaching, who can help me grow by saying stuff like “I have a book for you I think you’d really like on (blank) topic… I learned a lot from it and bet you’d like it too.” I want this mentoring and coaching and support, but as I already know and continued to understand this month, I also love my freedom and independence. I want some basic orientation. I want some basic feedback on how my work is going. I want some freedom to do things as I see fit within the goals of the program. What I learned on the job this month: I like being my own boss. When things are disorganized, you can organize them without stepping on any toes. When things are inefficient, you can take steps to create quick processes to save time and energy for all involved.
Not to say I don’t like working for others or that Dieter wasn’t helpful, but that I really appreciate situations where I’m given freedom – whether as my own boss, or with a boss who gives me freedom in my daily tasks (I spent a year working for Brett and she was the world’s best boss in this regards). I’m generally someone who wants to go beyond “doing my job” and take it a step further to “doing my job well.” Today was a key example. Today 10-12 people were just standing around chatting while 2 people were working. I absolutely love friends and employees who ask the fabulous question “What can I do to help?” So I go up to boss man Dieter and ask “What can I do to help finish this up?” He says something like “What? Do you have somewhere else you’d rather be?” I put a patient smile on my face and say “I’m trying to be a proactive, helpful employee. Would you like any help cleaning up?” He says, “Calm down.” Arg. Different in leadership styles? Reasons we don’t date? Same difference? Anyway. Just a story.
Thinking about the possibility of moving to Kenya can be stressful for many reasons (far from home, not much communication, language barriers, new job field, etc). Thinking of any future boss who’d repeat situations like the above short snippet is just tiring. I have actually seen some elements of my early leadership style in Dieter this month. It’s not exactly the same situation I was in… he is the boss, but his hands are tied because there’s a project manager above him and multiple agencies sharing leadership of the project so I know he can’t just take every suggestion or grant every request and I know that he doesn’t always see easy changes as things that seem perfectly feasible to me. That said, it’s taken me a while to get to where I feel comfortable with where I’m at professionally, both in the work I do, and in front of a team, dealing with employees, etc. I think I was always confident in my approach of the task, but that doesn’t always mean I think I did a great job. And it doesn’t mean I’m full of myself and think I do a great job now. I know I’ve identified areas I want to work on. However, I do feel I’ve grown and changed and improved my own style along the way. After all, I’ve had a few years of practice and you’d hope I’ve grown and learned something.
Somewhat related story… I got the world’s best pick me up email last week from a former employee who’s since moved away and gone on to other things:
Hi Cat! How are you? I just wanted to write a quick note & tell you how greatly I appreciate all you did for us all last year. I know it has been quite a while! But, I’ve just been reflecting lately & soul searching & thinking of all the ways I grew & all the things I learned last year (thanks to you & our team!) & I just can’t even put into words how thankful I am to have had that experience. So, thank you again for all your hard work & great ideas & all you did to help me to learn & experience all that I did. I hope this finds you smiling & having a great day! Love, (name)
Anyway, Dieter had to put up with my questions as I learned about the project, learned about the different partnerships, and learned about the areas where both of our hands were tied. It was pretty easy work (hard work physically, but easy intellectually). There were nice folks that made the time enjoyable. And the project and trip overall were enjoyable. Did I mention that I got to see RENT, eat good food, see old friends, make new friends, and that Dieter is doing my laundry tonight? It’s a nice wrap up to a fun project for three weeks of the trip I’ve deemed NYC Working Vacation 2005, and nice to have time to reflect on the project, my professional life, and my goals and growth areas.
Today I was granted a really good day, where it’s necessary to step back for a minute and give thanks for all that’s good in life. It’s always nice to be able to stop for a moment and know that today you’re content in life, regardless of any ups and downs that might be happening on the surface or behind the scenes.
Today (this morning) despite the unpleasant circumstance of having to fire an employee, we finished work at an all-time record early hour, and I was able to get to sleep way earlier than usual (I was in bed by 4am!). I then woke up nice and early, made my way to Times Square, bought tickets for a show, wandered SoHo for a few hours admiring the iron work of the city’s first tall buildings.
I then headed back uptown to see another performance of my favorite production of all time: RENT. I’ve seen it many times on stages across the country, and I own the soundtrack, and somehow it still brings tears to my eyes every single time. Sappy to admit, but it’s so true. I thoroughly enjoyed today’s performance, and maybe even cried more than usual. (It’s possible the tears and drippy nose were also from the painful cold I have that’s making my throat burn and head pound and body creak and cough wheezy, but there’s really no way of knowing). I’m quite intrigued by the upcoming release of RENT on film. It includes an all-star cast of folks who’ve done the Broadway show and national tours, as well as current movie and TV stars like Taye Diggs (How Stella Got Her Groove Back) and Jesse Martin (Law & Order, Ally McBeal, etc).
Dinner was at Gobo(401 Avenue of the Americas in the Village, (212) 255-3242)
The butternut squash risotto with toasted almonds and toasted sage was good, though the best part was the sage leaves on top… who knew toasted sage leaves could be so yummy? Crispy and oh so good! Side order of yam and yucca fries, and a Locomotion smoothie for dessert with banana, soy milk, and peanut butter… the perfect blend of protein, sweetness, and fruit. :)
No time… as usually I’ve got to run and be at a work meeting in 5 minutes!
This morning we finished work early and I came home and slept for 8 hours… perhaps for the first time in the three weeks I’ve been in NYC! I was very tired when I woke up, and am not sure if it’s from the cold I’ve been fighting or from the perceived excess of sleep my body doesn’t normally get. Either way, it seemed like a good idea at the time. After waking up and watching my first ever episode of Trailer Fabulous… instead of a sappy show like Trading Spaces where there’s a loveable host of kind people who does good things for people in really awful life situations, this MTV show takes a slightly different angle on home improvement.
Each week, rapper Brooks Buford and his design team roll into a different trailer park to give one lucky kid and his trailer a head-to-toe style makeover. Trailer Fabulous will definitely prove that there’s no place like home.
I’d admit it openly… I loved every minute of the episode I saw. Johnny Hardesty is maybe my favorite part of all… though the behind the scenes looks were totally great too. Like in today’s episode they accidentally lost the people’s cat when the design teams came in and started tearing up the trailer. Realistic? Yes. Would you ever see the Trading Spaces crews admit that kind of a thing? Not likely. Anyway, entertaining TV. Yet another reason I shouldn’t watch it… so many distractions from leaving the house. Eventually I did make my way to Manhattan and then spent the day wandering the Greenwich Village, taking some photos, but mostly doing a lot of people watching.
For over 100 years, this small area below 14th Street and west of Broadway has been a Mecca to the creative, rebellious and Bohemian. Although today no starving artists could afford to live here, the vibe still lingers and the beat goes on…
Lunch at Karavas Place (Greenwich Village)
The falafel platter included a huge Greek Salad and a side of fries… way more food than I could eat. I think this must be about the 10th Greek Salad I’ve had in the last three weeks… more than in the last two years combined. Odd, but good.
Dinner was from Rosa’s Pizza (Queens)
Considered the best pizza in Queens. Their sun dried tomato and garlic pizza was perhaps the most intense pizza I’ve ever seen. Those folks don’t skimp on toppings, I can tell you that.
I’m definitely sick, no longer in denial. Heading to work now… be home Friday night. Gotta run.
Had some $$ stolen from my wallet yesterday.
Ate Thai food for lunch.
Dropped Rod at the airport.
Watched skaters in the park.
Dinner at Oneness-Heart-Fountain.
Off to work. Tired. Tired. Tired. More later when have more time/energy.
Another loooong day. Got up early (again) and spent the day walking around. :) Started in Times Square, headed to lunch in Midtown, stumbled upon the India Independence Day Parade near the Madison Square Park Conservancy, made some friends, headed back to Broadway to see the Mel Brook’s musical The Producers, dinner with Rod, then home now so I can head to work on no sleep. Promises to be a long night…
Today was another long day of wandering around lovey New York. Rod said the hot, sweaty, humid weather was a bit much for him, but I liked it as it reminds me of home in good ol’ Texas. :) The dirty/sweaty feeling all day I could have done without, but I do like the warm weather. The day began when we jumped in the car and headed to Coney Island… birthplace of the hot dog and long time amusement parks on the seaside boardwalk. From there we headed uptown for dinner and a walk on the Upper East Side, then from there we headed down to Union Square for some people watching and dessert. Around midnight the heat or walking caught up to us and eventually we headed home for Queens.
Afternoon snack was at Randazzo’s Clam Bar (2023 Emmons Ave, Coney Island, (718) 615-0010)
The french fries were great and the staff was super friendly. The cash register was the original from about 80-90 years ago. :)
Cool beverage of the afternoon was from Ralph’s Famous Italian Ices (Coney Island)
My old fashioned peanut butter milk shake was fantstically rich and creamy and perfect for a hot day walking along the coast.
Dinner was at the Candle Cafe (1307 3rd Ave, Manhattan, (212) 472-0970)
After greasy fries and a milkshake, I needed some health food so we took a trip to the Upper East Side to the acclaimed Candle Cafe. It’s all vegetarian, largely organic, quite swank, artfully arranged, and fantastically yummy. We began with a Mezza place that we quickly devoured (preserved lemons, olives, hummous, babagonoug, and tabouli). I ordered the Indian plate and loved every bite of my sweet potato curry, dal, cabbage, and sweet stewed raisins. Fantastic!
Dessert was at Cosi (841 Broadway in Union Square. 212.614.8544)
While the cook-em-at-your-table s’mores seemed quite popular, we decided to split the brownie sundae. It was good, but totally unnecessary. Good people watching, but between the two of us we still couldn’t muster the energy to finish either the brownie or the ice cream. Again… good, but unnecessary.
Today I got a little bit of sleep then got up early to go wander around town with Rod. First stop on his list was the WTC site (ended up being mostly construction with tons of people with cameras peering through big metal fences). I wandered that area some and especially liked City Hall Park. Later we wandered Battery Park and I particularly enjoyed the memorial to the Irish Famine (it opened in 2002 and I don’t think I’ve seen it before). It’s perches on the edge of Battery Park in Lower Manhattan, right between big buildings with a view overlooking the water. We also had a view of the Statue of Liberty across the water, but the hazy, drizzling day didn’t do much for photo opts.
After the slow pace of the Esplanade at Battery Park, we picked up the pace and headed for Times Square to seek out dinner options in an environment with a little more energy before heading back to Queens so I could go to work.
Dinner was at the Heartland Brewery (127 W 43rd St, Times Square, 646-366-0235)
For only $12, I had a large Ceasar salad and a big bowl of spicy gazpacho soup. Happily, when I said no crab topping, they topped it with avocado instead… a nice touch and a good waiter. Rod said his chicken Marsala was good too… apparently not too heavy like some places. Who knew the Heartland Brewery would be surprisingly affordable with good food in the midst of Times Square madness? Oh, and their newly remodeled bathrooms were pretty nice too… slate floors/walls and the trendy new sink bowls that sit above the counter. :)
Today was another lazy day. :) I got almost 7 hours of sleep! I did a few hours of work stuff. I watched Mr. & Mrs. Smith on DVD, courtesy of my coworker R. I did a little leisure reading (One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez). I uploaded photos that I’ve eventually post. Rod arrived around 6pm today and will be staying for the weekend to see NYC. That’s all that’s happening in my world…
Oh, and did you know a year ago this week I was hanging out in Guatemala, going to a conference, and getting to know the lovely and talented Samer? It was a good week, a good trip, and good memories.
Dinner tonight was at Watawa Sushi (3310 Ditmars Blvd in Astoria, (718) 545-9596)
Rod, Dave, Dieter, and I all had some sushi and I enjoyed both the company and the food. The sweet potato roll was definitely my favorite! Total bill for 4 of us was about $65… not too awful for sushi.
Dessert tonight was at Martha’s Country Bakery (3621 Ditmars Blvd in Astoria, (718) 545-9737)
They had a huge selection of very cute cupcakes, as well as dainty mini cakes and pastries. I tried their tiny cheesecake with strawberries… cute, but just so-so. On the up side, it was totally gluten-free (no graham cracker crust) which was good for me. :)
In the last week Samantha’s stepdad died, Clare’s father died, and Susie’s grandmother passed away. Please think kind thoughts for my beautiful friends during their greiving process.
Today I spent the day on a field trip with Suzan and my lovely coworker L. We started with a lovely lunch, followed by some quality time at the MoMA (Museum of Modern Art), followed by a lovely dinner.
I’ve been to NYC’s Metropolitan Museum of Art before (the Met) and have also been to the Brooklyn Art Museum. And today, thanks to Suzan’s generosity with free guest passes, I was able to visit the MoMA. It’s in a huge, gorgeous new building and the exhibits are pretty fun. I’m used to art museums and churches with old art collections… I’ve seen (more than?) my fair share of historic museums like the Louvre or churches around the world that that feature DiVincis, Raphaels, Rodins, Greek statues, etc. Most art museums can be beautiful to me, or educational, but I’ve got to say I like having an entire huge museum dedicated to modern art. It was pretty fun… not always a general term of use for museums. And, as an added bonus, they have an outdoor sculpture garden with great people watching opportunities. Stuff like this definitely reinforces my love of big cities.
Lunch was at Organic Harvest Cafe (235 East 53rd St, (212) 421 6444)
As Suzan pointed out, it is kind of pricey for a little hole in the wall, but I loved the item I ordered. Between the two of us we ordered a lentil burger (no fries or sides included), a peaches and cream smoothie, and a small Greek salad. Our total bill was $26 for not a lot of food. That said, life with an expense account is great so money wasn’t an issue. The menu was all organic, and mostly vegetarian and vegan, and everything looked really appealing. L’s portabella wrap was okay… but she was disappointed by the excess of tofu and skimpy serving of portabella. Suzan’s Greek salad was pretty standard (hard to mess up chunks of feta and kalamata olives). My lentil burger was super fantastic. I’ve tried many times at home to make homemade veggie burgers with all kinds of online recipes and I’ve never had any success with my attempts at lentil burgers, black bean burgers, or walnut burgers. Organic Harvest, however, did a fantastic job. It was super yummy and full of fantastic veggies. The Peaches and Cream smoothie was great too (your choice of apple juice, orange juice, cow’s milk, soy milk, rice milk, etc). I recommend the place if you’re in the area and have spending money. I want to go back and try a few more items… so many choices!
Dinner was at Meskerem Ethiopian Restaurant (468 W. 47th Street, (212)664-0520)
It’s a small restaurant on a residential side street a few minutes walk from Times Square. It felt like Seattle’s Ethiopian places… small, laid back, very simple, with Ethiopian locals hanging around the bar. Even had some of the same airline posters on the wall with scenic photos of Ethiopia. :) How did it compare to my favorite place Mesob? The menu included more veggie choices than Mesob, the veggie platter was slightly larger than Mesob’s (also had a slightly larger price tag at $10.95), and like Mesob the veggie combo was definitely big enough to serve two people. There was some mysterious yellow mush that was kinda odd, but the rest was very good… great injera, great lentils, and potatoe and chickpeas. I’m still partial towards Mesob, but I highly recommend Meskerem if you’re looking for Ethiopian in NYC. (Many thanks to JD for the recommendation!)
Lazy day today… read my book some, watched Wedding Crashers, lounged about. See… I can do vacation-y things if I try. :) Did dinner tonight with Laura and finally got to meet her boyfriend Michael. He’s a nice guy and they seem very happy together.
Dinner was at Thai Angel (Astoria at 25th & 30th)
Good massaman curry… nice selection of veggies and veggie options… great thai iced coffee. The spring rolls were veggie (+), but were fried (-). Choice of sweet chilie sauce and peanut sauce was a great touch. All in all, a lovely dinner with lovely people followed by an amazing panoramic view of the city from Laura’s apartment a few blocks away. Wow!
The Seattle Sockeye is the current US national Ultimate champion, and Thursday they’ll play the current Japanese National Champion the Buzz Bullets (a combination of players from Tokyo and Osaka).
Gametime is 8pm at Sealth Stadium in West seattle. There will be
- doorprizes
- exciting play
- a chance to see really amazing players in action.
It’ll be fun and family friendly, and in Seattle! Please bring your friends and support your local Ultimate team!
Sockeye vs Buzz Bullets
Thursday 8/18, 8:00 game time
Sealth Stadium, 8402 30th Ave Sw
Directions to stadium:
I-5 to West Seattle Bridge
Turn left onto 35th Ave SW (2.5 miles)
Turn left onto SW Thistle St (0.2 miles)
Turn right onto 30th Ave SW (<0.1 miles)
End at 8402 30th Ave SW
Today I spent my day getting out of Ohare and into New York. It was long. Eventually I did dinner with coworkers then headed back to the hotel to prepare for work.
Dinner was atBaluchi’s Indian Food (111-30 Queens Blvd)
Very nice decor and very good food. In fact, I’d say the food was fantastic and thankfully there was lots of it! I think we split 9 entrees between 8 of us, as well as multiple kinds of nan, samosas, raita, mango chutney, and of course a mango lassi. Of course, I don’t think we finished many of our entrees, but that means I have yummy leftovers for later.
This weekend I went to Austin for 24 hours for Charles’ wedding. The wedding went well, no major problems (no sound on the speakers was just a minor problem), and it was quite beautiful. Seeing Chuck so happy and giddy was quiet entertaining! Congrats to Charles and Laura! Was fun to see folks like Susan and Kim, Mike & Eliz, the Austin crowd, and all of the babies. :) Also got to do brunch with family at Magnolia Cafe… was nice.
Getting home from Austin, unfortunately, also took 24 hours. Storms in New York meant all flights were canceled, and I ended up stuck in Ohare for 24 hours. Had to pay for a hotel, missed work last night, and finally got back this afternoon a full day late. Ooops.
Not much else to report. I’m FINALLY seeing part of a movie I’ve wanted to see for years…. So I Married An Ax Murderer is on HBO. Of course, I’m heading out to dinner in another five minutes, so I’ll still have to rent it some other day. But at least now I have a sense of why Suzan loves it so much. :)
Today I FINALLY slept in a little! I’ve been working the overnight shift and my body’s not quite adjusted. So, I’ve only been getting 3-4 hours of sleep a night, which isn’t good when the work is tiring and the hot weather is draining. Today, however, I got home from a long 10 hour shift, fell asleep by 9am, and slept in until 4pm! Yay! Hanging out tonight was with my old middle school friend Laura – always great to see her and realize we’ve been friends for 15 years! I think I get to meet her sweetie next Tuesday.
Temp: Too freakin hot, but with a nice breeze
Dinner tonight was at Meghna Restaurant (34th St in Astoria)
I was craving Indian food and so we checked out this small place off of 30th. Good samosas, and good food in general. However, everything was kind of sweet for my taste buds. I prefer my Indian food hot and spicy, not quite so sweet like my mali kofta and the raita. Even the papadam was nice but didn’t have any peppers. Not bad, but probably would want to check out a new place next time.
Dessert tonight was at the Avenue Cafe (35-27 30th Avenue in Astoria, (718) 278-6967)
I was still craving dairy and fruit, and this place was a perfect choice. Great mango smoothie. Great ice cream with bananas and chocolate. Fabulous outdoor seating on a warm summer night. Good people watching. :) Lovely choice.
Gotta run now… I work tonight from 10-7, then get back to the hotel in just enough time to grab my bag and get to the airport for my 8:30am flight home for Charles’ wedding in Austin!
Today I headed to the Upper East Side to hang with lovely Miss Suzan in Central Park. As an added bonus Jeremy was home from work and we were lucky enough to be serenaded by him (I love me some Simon & Garfunkle).
Temperature: Too freaking hot
Dinner tonight was at Gobo (1426 Third Avenue in the Upper East Side, 212.288.3799)
Gobo was decadent, a definite splurge. Their menu is Pan-Asian & Pacific Rim, Vegetarian, and Japanese… with tons of choices for vegetarians and even gluten free folks like me. Our slow cooked Malaysian curry was great, tomato and olive soup was great, mashed sweet potatoes, and sweet potato fries were all great. Shitake mushroom caps were so-so.
Dessert tonight was fromEli’s Manhattan (1411 Third Avenue in the Upper East Side)
Eli’s is a amazing 20,000 sq ft gourmet grocery store… way huge compared to most anywhere else in NYC. They have a giant mouth watering selection of bakery and dessert items and we eventually decided on a flourless chocolate cake (quite tasty) and peanut butter chocolate fudge (good, but would have been even better without the chocolate liqueur in it).
Hanging with Suzan before she leaves NYC for Chicago: Great as always.
Last week I went to see Clint Black in concert down at Summer Nights at South Lake Union. It was a fun show, he’s a funny man, the music was great, the people watching entertaining, and the views of the lake gorgeous. Met some nice people, had some gluten-y cookies, and life was good. I’m proud to be one of the apparently few people in Seattle who own a cowboy hat. (Many thanks to my team for this fantastic addition to my wardrobe!)
This week I’m in NYC and I just got two emails about free shows I’m going to miss in Seattle b/c I’ll be out of town. Hope all is well on your home front. I’ve been spending my days sleeping, watching HBO, eating nice meals, and lounging about at gardens or by the pool. Today I shall venture out to Manhattan and see Suzan in the Upper East Side. Yay adventures on the subway!
Today I lamented long subway rides to free concerts where I’d have to learn early to be back in Queens for work by 9:30pm. Alas. I decided to spend the afternoon lounging at the pool instead.
Dinner tonight was at a Japanese restaurant in Queens
For $18, I ordered all you can eat sushi and it was yummy!! Great veggie tempura rolls! Good asparagus, egg, tofu/avocado, etc. The atmosphere was pretty basic with a slow but okay waitress. (I think it might have been Hokkaido on Queens Blvd. near 63rd Dr, but still not sure). Every time I go out for sushi I always end up wondering I don’t go more often… it’s so good!
Today I visted the Queens Botanical Gardens. They were pretty. There were neat flowers. I saw people taking wedding photos. Lots of old folks on benches. That kind of thing. Today I also bought the world’s cutest eggplant shaped coin purse in Chinatown. Just in case you were wondering.
Dinner today was at Ubol’s Kitchen Thai Cuisine (24-42 Steinway St. in Astoria/Queens, (718) 545-2874)
Good food (though not as spicy as I might like). The eggplant was just okay. The Massaman curry was much better. The Tom Khai soup was good as always. Thai ice tea was lacking proper sugar overdose. The BeeGees on karaoke was astounding, and the waitress super sweet. The company of coworkers made the dinner fun and entertaining overall.
University Village Sounds of Summer, Crate & Barrel parking lot, Seattle, 206-523-0622
Wednesdays July 13 – Aug 17 6p
Concerts at the Locks, Ballard Locks, 3015 NW 54th St, Seattle, 206-689-2622
Sats & Suns July 16 – Sept 4 2p Swing bands, marching bands, big bands.
Magnuson Park Summer Concerts, Magnuson Park, 206-684-7026
Fridays July 15 – Aug 12 7p
Seattle Peace Concerts, various Seattle locations, www.seapeace.org
Sun Aug 14 12p-6p Gas Works Park Washington Blues Society
Sun Aug 28 12p-6p Volunteer Park Cadillacin’ Riding First Class
Sun Sept 11 12p-6p Seward Park Washington Blues Society
Sun Sept 18 12p-6p Gas Works Park Grand Finale, Part 1
Sun Sept 18 12p-6p Woodland Park Grand Finale, Part 2
Cultural Celebration Concert, Columbia Park, 4721 Rainier Ave. S, Seattle, 206-760-5385
Wed Aug 17 6p Cultural performances from African American, Pacific Islander and Jewish groups.
When I was in Austin two weeks ago for the reunion, I got to see a good number of old friends including ex-boyfriend Chris. :) We ate a Chuy’s (yummy!) and ran into old RHPS friend Linda as well (small world). Gotta love having a Chuy’s in RR! I’ll be heading back there this weekend for Charles’ wedding (my first time ever going back 2 times in less than a month!).
The Korean Church of Queens is large enough to rival most any mega church in Texas
Collecting recycling on the overnight shift is better than doing it in daylight b/c at night you can’t see the maggots. Along with that… manual labor is hard work and makes your joints creaky.
Hotels with free internet, coffee, mocha, cookies, and fruit are good in my book.
The smog here is really insanely worse than I expected.
Sri Chinmoy inspires some amazingly tasty vegetarian fare in his restaurants from Seattle to NYC.
You can’t turn right on red lights.
And with that, I’m off to soak in the hot tub. :) Take care!
Dinner tonight was at Oneness-Fountain-Heart (157-19, 72nd Ave in Flushing) Everything we ate was just fantastic. Appetizers of mushrooms and nachos – great! My Thai Heaven curry was great. The smoothie was great. They even had a wheat-free pasta with pesto sauce! Wow! Staff were super nice, funny even… much better than the staff at Sri’s Seattle location.
After a 2 hr flight delay for the redeye from Sea to JFK, I arrived at the hotel around 9am before starting work at 10:30am. I am working for an environmental consulting firm, and we’re basically collecting recycling so other people can sort and analyze it. I am the proud new owner of Carhart pants and steel toe shoes. It’s about 10 pounds more than my normal clothing, which is an adjustment. Oh, and my hotel room has a sofa sleeper if anyone in web-land decides they want to visit. So far so good. :) Take care!
It’s been a busy week, not even counting packing and prepping for my three week trip to NYC. My friend LL was in town this week crashing at my place, which is always fun and also kinda tiring at the same when you need to go out to dinner and socialize, but you also need to do work and need to get ready for a long trip. This week was also spent training my new p/t person at work, which is going more smashingly than I even expected. The week also meant finishing up all of the end of year exit interviews, reporting, evaluation, and finances since I’m heading out of town today and the school year and summer programs are done.
On a non-work related note, I ran into Samantha in Fremont on Monday – at the exact moment I was calling her about plugs for her upcoming China trip. Entertaining. Note: It’s very important to use currency converters even if you don’t need a plug adapter – my China trip in 2000 was where I fried my second digital camera – a true tragedy. (Side note: My third digital camera was stolen at one of our elementary schools back in 2001 – leaving me out a lot of money. My fourth digital camera was stolen by an employee at the USPS – though this time I had the foresight to get insurance on the package and was able to get it replaced. My fifth digital camera now features a spot showing up in he corner of some prints… not sure if it’s a burned out pixel, or a piece of sand from maybe Hawaii or Egypt. Either way, it’s going in the shop pronto).
But I digress. On other non-work notes, yesterday we hit Stace’s “Goodbye I’m moving to Canada” party which is exciting for her, but sad for her friends. And we finished off the night with a relaxing and entertaining stint at Jacob’s for a mini hot tub party. Today I’ll finish up things at work, pack from NYC, and head off to my vacation moonlighting as an environmental consultant in the big city. Folks planning to visit me: Rod and Dave (and maybe Caroline if I can convince her). Folks in NYC I’m planning to see: Suzan, Jeremy, Laura, David, Erin’s brother Chris, and Heather. Hope y’all are well!
Get your tickets to what might be the last KEXP John In The Morning at Night shows. Tickets are selling fast, it’s a good cause, they’re cheap, and it’s likely to sell out. I already got my tickets for both shows! Anyone want to join me for Sept show? (I think Samantha’s joining me for the Oct show)
Sept 10th Crocodile Cafe 21+
Bobby Bare JR
50 FT Wave
Tom Brosseau
The Pale Pacific
Ian Knapp
Oct 1st Nuemos 21 +
M83
The National
Athlete
John Vanderslice (solo)
Math and Physics Club
w/Special Guests Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Tickets for the John In the Morning benefits are $20 @ all Rudy’s Barbershops and select QFC locations as well as ticketswest.com. A SPECIAL COMBO PACKAGE of $30 for BOTH SHOWS is available ONLY at TicketsWest phone center by calling 800-992-TIXX (8499). This combo package is not available at outlets or on the internet.
The Three Musketeers, presented by Theater Schmeater at Volunteer Park’s shady glen, www.schmeater.org
Fri Aug 5 6:30p Volunteer Park
Sat Aug 6 4:00p Volunteer Park
The Tempest, presented by GreenStage at various Seattle locations, www.greenstage.org
Sat Aug 6 8p Camp Long
Sun Aug 7 3p Discovery Park
Sat Aug 13 8p Volunteer Park Amphitheater
Sun Aug 14 3p Volunteer Park Amphitheater
Fri Aug 19 8p Seward Park
Sat Aug 20 3p Seward Park
Sat Aug 27 8p Magnuson Park
Sun Aug 28 3p Magnuson Park
Henry V, presented by GreenStage at various Seattle locations, www.greenstage.org
Fri Aug 5 8p Camp Long
Sat Aug 6 3p Camp Long
Fri Aug 12 8p Volunteer Park Amphitheater
Sat Aug 13 3p Volunteer Park Amphitheater
Sun Aug 14 7p Volunteer Park Amphitheater
Sat Aug 20 8p Seward Park
Sun Aug 21 3p Discovery Park
Fri Aug 26 8p Magnuson Park
Sat Aug 27 3p Magnuson Park
Twelfth Night, presented by Wooden O Theatre at various Seattle-area locations, www.woodeno.org
Wed Aug 3 7p Richmond Beach Park, Shoreline
Movies at the Mural, Seattle Center Mural Amphitheater, 305 Harrison St., Seattle, www.seattlecenter.com
Gates open at 7p; movies begin at dusk.
Fri Aug 19 Beetlejuice
Sat Aug 20 Napoleon Dynamite
Fri Aug 26 Shark Tale
Sat Aug 27 Apollo 13
Sun Aug 28 The Princess Bride
Fremont Outdoor Movies, N 35th & Phinney Ave. N, Seattle, www.fremontoutdoormovies.com
Gates open at 7p; movies begin at dusk. Pre-show activities & entertainment. $5.00 suggested donation.
Sat Aug 6 The Goonies
Sat Aug 13 Teenagers from Outer Space
Sat Aug 20 Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
Sat Aug 27 Jaws
Movies on the Wall, 4400 California Ave. SW, Seattle, www.sidewalkcinema.com
Gates open at 7:45p; movies begin at dusk. Live music performed before the movies.
Fri Aug 5 Big
Sat Aug 6 Marx Brothers in Horse Feathers
Linda’s Wednesday Night Summer Movie Madness, Linda’s Tavern, 707 E Pine St., Seattle, 206-325-1220
Movies begin at dusk. Movie selections range from the campy to the commercial. Last summer’s films included: On the Waterfront, The People Next Door, Reefer Madness, The 49th Man, school science films, cartoon classics, old commercials,
and old industrial films.
Wednesdays through Aug 31 to be determined
Cinema on the Piazza, S 3rd St. & Burnett Ave. S, Renton, www.ci.renton.wa.us
Gates open at 7p; movies begin at dusk. Pre-show activities & entertainment.
Sat Aug 6 Ghostbusters
Sat Aug 13 Shark Tale
Sat Aug 20 Sound of Music (sing-a-long!)
Sat Aug 27 Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
I’m quite excited that my first trip out to the Gorge will be for the Pearl Jam show in September! Many thanks to CE & S for getting the tickets before they sold out! :)
An evening with Pearl Jam – The first hometown performance at the Gorge in 12 years. – Nearing completion on their 8th studio album, Pearl Jam has already announced a number of Canadian tour dates, generating phenomenally successful sales across the country. The Gorge Amphitheatre show is one of only a handful of special shows the band will play in the U.S. this year.
To recap, my “vacation” in Texas was good though as usual wasn’t exactly slow, quiet, or relaxing. However, it was great to see folks and great to see live music and tour new homes and bask in the heat. You might not care about the details below, but I’m always entertained looking through the archives to see what I was doing in the past, so whether you read this or not I’m posting regardless. :)
Wed: Spent all day shuttling back and forth between four airports – tiring. Home by midnight thanks to Mom and Dad for picking me up.
Thurs: Ran errands with Dad, dinner with Stef and Charlie at Magnolia Cafe, and an excellent Storyville reunion show at Antones, with opening band All Day I Drive. Lovely. Home by 2am.
Fri: Mowed the yard. Got a rental car. Had lunch at Chuy’s with ex-boyfriend Chris, his wife Aimee, their super cute daughter Cathryn. Reunion formal $60 dinner with John Dunn as my fabulous date. Fights, drama, old classmates, catching up. Dinner afterwards at Kerbey Lane Cafe with Will & Jackie, Corey & Heather, Lester, and Ben. Home by 2am.
Sat: Quickie breakfast with John, Beal, and Hannah at a new Dim Sum place. Reunion picnic at midday – tons of kids. Family bonding/bowling in the afternoon with my parents, brother, and sister in law – entertaining. Dinner with Laura Beal and friends – Thai food. Drinks at the Lavaca Street Bar with Bryan Hood and more HS reunion shenanigans. Concert at Antones with everyone’s favorite naughty boy Bob Schneider. Party appearance at Dan’s new home. Home by 3 or 4am.
Sun: Long talks with Mom and Dad about potential move and job change. Quick tour of Bill’s new home. Dinner at Magnolia with Chris & Alyssa and baby Tyler, Charles & Laura, Kat & Steve, and Andy. Ice cream with Chris. Chatting with Alyssa, Andy, and Chris. Bonding with a very not-sleepy baby Tyler. Tour of Charlie & Stef’s new home around 11pm. Sleepover.
Mon: Head back to Seattle… another 15 hour day of travel through four airports. Killed time by reading (finished the fantastic book The Corrections) and watching movies (I loved Sideways, I hated the dumb humor of Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle). Home to Seattle by 11pm. Very, very tired.
Happy Birthday to Charles!! Today he’s one step closer to becoming an old man, and is one week closer to getting married!
Here’s my weekend recap:
Thurs: CE’s birthday and a call from Charles Del Dotto! In bed by 2am.
Fri: Graduation (yay!) followed by sun and beach time and long awaited Sundi time. CE’s birthday party with Samantha and party games.
Sat: Epic walk with Caroline, blackberry picking then swimming in Lake Washington with Caroline. Wine tasting with Rod, Claire, Elizabeth, et. al. I was exhausted and had to go home by 10:30pm.
Errands for work. Errands for second job. Sorting/picking photos for Maggie and Jim. Movie with Erin (should I be hesitant to admit that I thought the French movie Love Me If You Dare was a sweet movie in it’s own kinda-sick way?). In bed by 1am.
Sun: Worked lots trying to get ready to be gone from the office for 3 weeks.
SEAFAIR Torchlight Parade, begins at Seattle Center and continues along 4th Ave., Seattle, 206-728-0123 . “Hooray for Hollywood” theme
Sat July 30 7:30p
Ballard SeafoodFest, 22nd Ave. NW & NW Market St., Seattle, 206-784-9705
Music, entertainment, seafood, and Ballard’s own microbrew.
Sat July 30 11a-8p
Sun July 31 12p-7p
Pista sa Nayon, Seward Park Amphitheater, Seattle, 206-296-4004
Filipino American community festival with food, arts & crafts, and live entertainment featuring contemporary and traditional music and dances.
Sun July 31 9a-8p
Magnolia Summer Festival & Parade, Magnolia Village, Seattle, 206-619-0518
Parade, art show, craft vendors, children’s activities, and food booths.
Fri Aug 5 10a-10p
Sat Aug 6 10a-10p Parade at 10:30a
Lake City Summer Festival & Parade, Lake City Way & NE 125th St., Seattle, 206-363-3287
Family-oriented festival with children’s activities, street fair, entertainment, salmon dinner, and antique car show.
Sat Aug 6 10a-10p Kiddies Parade at 6p; Grand Parade at 7p
First, HUGE congrats to Suzan on her acceptance and decision to attend the MBA program at the University of Chicago’s graduate school of business! It’s one of the top 5 MBA schools in the country and I couldn’t be more proud of Suzan and excited for her adventure moving from NYC back to Chicago! Of course, I’m very happy she won’t be leaving NYC till the end of August… I want to spend as much time hanging with her as possible when I’m there next month!
And second, while less exciting, is still good news: I’ve finally updated a few links yeterday. Scroll way down below to see added links for Charles, Captain Mike, Elizabeth, John, and Bill. Who knows… maybe in NYC I’ll finally have time to play with my site and redo some layout. :)
Chapter 1: High School
Last weekend was my high school reunion… a crazy event that will need a blog post eventually. I’ll skip forward to yesterday which was CE’s birthday. We went to the Nickerson for drinks and nachos which was perfect because I was tired and wanted to be somewhere I could just sit around and talk. I’d been invited to go debating at Neighbors afterwards, but I’m glad I decided against it. Ends up I received a call around 10:15pm from a number I didn’t recognize and got pulled into an hour long chat with none other than Mr. Charles J. DelDotto. Charles and I went to MS and HS together, reconnected and traded a few emails about 5-6 years ago, but didn’t stay in touch. Last night he calls out of the blue… and it was great to catch up! Sure, I was anti-social spending an hour on the phone at CE’s birthday, but it was for a good cause. :) Yay HS friends!
Chapter 2: College
When I got home around midnight, I checked my email before bed and found an unexpected note from my old buddy Ron! We were friends early on in college when he was doing political outreach (for the Young Democrats, I think). We met freshman year, kept in touch okay during college, and haven’t seen each other since then. I got an email once a few years ago when he appeared on a game show (he won one episode of something like Who Wants to be a Millionaire or Weakest Link), but otherwise we’ve gone our separate ways. Every so often I go through my email list of old, old friends and will drop them a random note years later. If people respond at all, I’m always totally psyched! And Ron totally emailed last night and was just as high energy and funny as ever. Yay college friends! Bummer we couldn’t have connected in Austin last week, but alas. Email is pretty exciting in and of itself.
Chapter 3: Work
Today is the end of summer and last day of our academic year, which means it’s the day of our team’s graduation celebration. I’m not one to plan much sentimental hoopla, and have instead planned a beach bash on the waterfront with games, music, and lots of food! CE was asking if I cry at events like this and I’m not sure if I will. It is a sad, sad day when the people you’ve hired, brought together from across the country, struggled with, bonded with, and grown to adore end their year of service and move on to something new. However, it’s also a beautiful day to celebrate the team and the group of amazing individuals we’ve been fortunate to have in Seattle working together for a year. My job is a ton of work because you have to rehire and rebuild the program every year, but it’s worth all of the work as I get teams each year with a vibrant new group of folks that are amazing, intelligent, talented, gifted, and oh so funny! Yay team!
I think Ben was convinced in less than 24 hours to move to Seattle! We did dinner tonight at Broadway Grill and then spent the remainder of the evening walking around Pike, Pine, and Broadway. :)
Btw, I updated Phil’s glossary photo by request. I’d like to add John G, but he was a bit camera shy last week… alas.
I’m excited to say at least one of my friends from high school will be at the reunion! Woohoo! I’m not in touch with very many people from HS and it seems most of them aren’t going to the reunion this week. Kris just had surgery, Jane will be doing a family reunion with her hubby, Ben will be in San Antonio, etc. However, I’m excited to see my friend Will will indeed be there! Three cheers for Will!
This week was lovely… spent time playing tourist with Kat and Steve, with Bill, and with Charles. :) We hit some of my favorite places… the EMP, the downtown library, the Troll and other public art in Fremont, and favorite parks like Kerry, Golden Gardens, and Gasworks. Billy & Ginger’s wedding yesterday at the Woodland Park rose gardens was gorgeous… I don’t know if I’ve seen a bride ever look so glowing. The reception high up in at Smith Tower was also gorgeous… pics to be posted eventually. Chuck, Kat, and Steve all left early this morning at 5am, and Bill left after brunch at Rod’s 3rd Ave Cafe. By this afternoon I had time to enjoy a blissful quiet time in the sun and then watched a movie (Kinsey) before heading to Sunday dinner at the Yellow House. Tonight’s theme was initially puzzling but overall much fun: Mother-in-Law. My tater tot casserole (Rod’s inspiration) was devoured, and my first ever Jello mold received high marks (even the ones who refused to eat it still appreciated its appearance). And now it’s late and I’m ready for bed. Hope y’all are well.
Ben – call me and we’ll hang out this week!
Texas folks – I’ll see you Thursday onward!
This woman posted 25 places she wants to eat in Seattle. I’ve eaten at many of them, but the rest sound like a good cross section of town. :) Anyone up for exploring?
For right now I’m heading to Ginger and Billy’s Pagan/Wiccan wedding. :) Should be lovely…
Today we hit the Experience Music Project and I’m excited to say it never gets old for me. I’m a charter member and after almost 5 years of going, it’s still fun every single trip. There’s always something new and this time was my first time seeing the fantastic Yes Yes Y’all hip-hop exhibit. Quite fabulous. If you haven’t been to the EMP yet, and you want company when you go, drop me a note. Or, if you want to go but don’t want to pay full price, I still have a few buy one, get one free coupons. Just let me know. :) Hope y’all are well! Viva la musica!
Life is quickly moving along this week. I’m wrapping up the school year with exit interviews and reporting, had a lovely time catching up with folks at the photo meetup, and have a bunch of Austin friends visiting Seattle for the next few days! Bill’s in town for Microsoft meetings, Kat & Steve arrive in town this afternoon for a friend’s wedding, Charles gets in town late tomorrow night, and Ben arrives on Sunday for a conference. I’m amazed they all ended up in town within the same week, and I’m excited to see each of them. :)
My (broken) blog apparently no longer takes comments unless you register. Have no fear, I promise not to sell your email to any diploma, poker, or viagra sites. :) (As though as I’d have time for that). In any case, I suspect you can even enter a fake email… no matter to me.
Yellow House girls light the Sunday Dinner 1st Birthday cake
One of my favorite events each week, and one of my favorite things in Seattle overall, is Sunday Dinner at the Yellow House. It’s an ever changing crowd of the most fantastic people in town. I love that the crowd of random 20 & 30-somethings, plus everyone’s favorite 2 year old, really feel like my extended family. It’s not just that they treat me like a rock star (which, of course, is quite fantastic). And really, they treat everyone like a rock star so it’s not just me. The beauty of it all isn’t the rock star treatment for everyone, it’s the fact that everyone there really is a rock star. So many wonderful, funny, beautiful, creative, enthusiastic, supportive, well traveled, adventurous, genuine people in one Yellow House is a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful thing. I love it dearly, and know I’ll miss it greatly when I eventually leave Seattle. But for now, I wish a very happy 1 year anniversary to Sunday Dinners at the Yellow House, and hope for many, many more Sundays to come!
So, it’s confirmed that I’m going to New York City in August for a few weeks. It’ll almost be like a vacation since I won’t be working 60 hours weeks, but won’t exactly be restful. Either way, I’m looking forward. It’ll change things up a little bit, I’ll get to see friends, and I’ll get to explore more of the big city. I also plan to make some time for reading some books on my list. I’ll also be heading to Austin for a quick trip in August for Chuck‘s wedding. :) Hope everyone is well!
Heather and Trista tied the knot earlier this year in Vancouver, and had a wedding reception this weekend back home in Seattle. Trista and I met 11 years ago when we were public health volunteers in Costa Rica. I’ve heard about her parents, and her parents had seen pics of me, but we didn’t meet till this weekend. What fun!
I’m always thinking about travel, and it’s been six months since Egypt so I’ve definitely been feeling the travel bug lately. I think I finally have an idea of my next big trip, and suspect it might be Kenya. (I had college classmates who made me curious, I have a Kenyan friend in Seattle who has contributed to my desire to see Kenya, and I know a nun who’s moving there this summer). I usually get my books from the library (more environmental, less capitalist, all that good stuff), but sadly the library doesn’t have any of the readings I’m looking for. If anyone wants to send a random gift, feel encouraged to check out my Amazon.com Wish List. :)
After a long service project in the pouring rain up in the mountains at the Iron Goat Trial, I came home, dried off, and headed back outdoors for a BBQ. It was quite chilly, but we managed a good 5 hours of grilling, laughing, and birthday celebration for Kerry!
Coming up next…
2005 Vashon Island Strawberry Festival
Friday, Saturday, Sunday July 8-10, 2005
My first trip to Cape Cod was very nice… a house about 2 minutes from the beach and good meetings that (as usual) went well into the evenings. I was there to help a new director plan orientation for new folks, which was great fun. At this point, travel tires me out… but happily I generally get the free first class upgrades. I watched Miss Congeniality 2, Hitch, and The Wedding Date. I ate ice cream sundaes and hot roasted nuts and fruits and salads and all kinds of good stuff like veggie burritos. I got home and was delighted to find my car all repaired (and even washed thanks to the nice people at Downtown Honda!). All is well here, though I’m tired and ready for bed. G’night…
Friday night Phil and Brad helped hang my photo (see above courtesy of Samantha) and many others at our gallery space in Pioneer Square. Caroline and I helped organize another group gallery show and the group will be showing work at First Thursday. That’s right… the gallery show is going to be this Thursday in Pioneer Square. Be sure to bring your friends and neighbors to see my photo above and many more by great local photographers! I can’t make it (since I’ll be in Boston), but I hope everyone else can be at the event and say hello to the crowd on my behalf.
Place: 619 Western (at Yesler), 5th floor
Time: Thursday 6-10pm
Most important stuff: Free wine & snacks & live DJ
Ex-boyfriend Chris called today with the news that they’re moving again! Happily, they’re not leaving Texas until after I’m home next month, but still. It seems like he moves more than most people I know… Texas to New England to Texas to Boston to Texas… maybe with a few more New Englands thrown in there. Their upcoming move will be from Austin to Los Angeles at the end of July… cementing my need to visit LA sometime in the next few months. I really want to spend some time with my old roomie Meg, I’d love to see Scott who moved just a few months ago to be with his girlfriend Z, Lincoln’s there as an added bonus, and now Chris, Aimee, and baby Cathryn will be there too. Who knew LA was becoming so popular for former Austinites?
A big hearty justlaura welcome to new reader S. She didn’t know I had a site and didn’t know I had a first name, but just stumbled upon the site, figured out the name and the connection within a few minutes, and confronted me in person shortly thereafter. :) Yep, I do go by my middle name. Yes, my first name really is Laura. Yes, different people in different places call me different things. Also a big hearty welcome to her bf CE who helped change my flat tire tonight. It was my first Honda flat tire, which should be sad but I was just excited it happened at their house and not in the middle of nowhere on the drive home from Vancouver. Happily, the boys are all too nice and were totally willing to change my tire. (Yay big strong boys!). Sadly, since I’m going out of town tomorrow I’m not really sure when I’ll have time to get it fixed and get the tiny little spare off of it. I haven’t even made a claim yet on the dent from the trash can outside of Neighbors a few months back. Arg. Timing = hard = busy as usual. I think I need a vacation.
I decided Saturday morning to do a last minute road trip to Canada to take full advantage our of three day Independence weekend. Samantha willingly joined me for the trip and for her first ever trip outside the country! Yay Canada, yay Canucks, and yay entertainment!! I’ll have to post pics eventually. For now, you should know that I bought a dress for my HS reunion, got waved at by firemen in their big red truck, spent some time laying on the beach, went to the Night Market in Chinatown, hung out at my new favorite Granville bar with the best name ever (el Furniture Warehouse), and ate some yummy vegetarian fare… The Naam and Hon’s on Robson. Life in Canada = the good life.
Tonight I plan to clean my apartment and wash my car and unpack/pack fo my trip to Boston on Tuesday. :) Hope y’all are well!
Update: I instead decided to hit the pool with my roomie, then went to a BBQ at a friend’s place. I got a flat tire leaving there and the wonderful boys happily jumped right up to fix it (honest, they’re too nice to me). I’m now home and need desparately to finish up paperwork before tomorrow, and need to finish making signs for the photo show by tomorrow, and need to frame a few prints. Whew! Guess packing will have to be a last minute affair tomorrow evening.
Along the same lines of “life is busy as always…” It seems to be a reoccurring theme when I reflect on each week, and I’m wondering to myself when it going to not be quite so busy like this? When does life slow down a little? I had good mtgs with my executive director two weeks ago when I got back in town from South Dakota, but we need to continue the talks. I’m going to meet with her again next week… I’ll fly all the way out there to Boston. I booked my ticket for the only two days that worked for her, which TRAGICALLY included the night of our next group photo show on First Thursday. Yes, Caroline and I are helping organize another group gallery show, this time at Caroline’s fantastically hip Pioneer Square gallery for the First Thursday Art Walk. My flight on Continental arrives at 10:55pm and I’m quite sure the art walk would be more than done by the time I arrive. It looks like I’ll miss the show… what a sad, busy world.
On the bright side (and there generally is a bright side), we decided to hang the pics nice and early. This saved Caroline from having to transport and hang them all on her own… and it meant I could be a part of the event and see all of the pics even if I’m out of town during the actual opening. After the hanging party, we went out for dinner and drinks in Pioneer Square, followed by drinks at the Bus Stop (it lives up to all the hipster hype!), followed by dancing at Neighbors. The music was better at the Bus Stop, but dancing at Neighbors was still fantastic. And can you guess who we ran into there?! C’mon Beal… c’mon Dieter… guess! None other than my old neighbor Chad!! I thought it might be him… but people grow up so much from 19-24… boys kind of fill out and mature, ya know? I couldn’t tell from across the room, but we ended up dancing side by side at some point and I leaned over and said “Are you Chad?!” And he replied “Ahhhhh! Are you Catherine?!” It was great and was followed by hugs and kisses and catching up and dancing! He’s still very thin, and definitely looking older and healthier. :) Was so great to see him, and so great to see friends after a long and tiring week.
Let’s hear it for the start of a nice holiday weekend…
I turned on my old laptop tonight to get a file from my machine. Seems I had a pile of blog posts I never actually put up, so we’ll try to get to that soon. Please excuse the belated thanks on this post from May…
I got home from MN & WI last night and was delighted to find a package in the mail from Alyssa! What fantastic delight arrived while I was gone? A limited edition two disc KGSR CD set! I listened to it in the car today and it’s great. Thanks Alyssa!
I’ve got to say, I totally approve of the mohawk craze that’s been sweeping Seattle streets for the past six months. :) Cute, formerly shaggy boys and girls who’ve gone a little clean cut, with a rugged, little wild streak. What fun!
And did I mention how tired I am? Staying up late doing homework? Waking up early to go running at 6am? I’m relatively proud of myself for trying to do work, school, and self care all at one time… but really I’m just in awe of normal people who manage to do it all the time. My hat is off to the folks who put themselves through school or who go back and attend classes in the evening like my dad or the lovely Miss Caroline. I think I’m about burnt out for the night… time for me to fold up my books and go to bed soon.
Last night and tonight, despite crazy busy work + school schedules, I took some time for me. :) Last night I got a massage from very generous Jacob S currently attending massage school (and also came home with fresh veggies from his garden… how fantastic is he??). Tonight I was able to get Samantha, Erin, and Caroline all out to dinner last minute which was quite lovely. Bamboo Garden. Mailbox Gelato. Fascists at the Lenin statue. All kinds of fodder for exciting, energetic conversation that included footed pajamas, skanky plans, 18 year olds, and pasties. (More later on the Lenin drama… I’m hoping Samantha posts since I’m exhausted, out of energy, and somehow left home without my camera). I’m also hoping to make an inappropriate but oh-so-heartfelt t-shirt that says something like “F*ck you and f*uck your fascist daddy too!” However, my memory is pretty pathetic these days so we’ll see if that ever happens. Who does this awful man from Denver think he is coming into my neighborhood to destroy our public art? Social justice my ass. I’ll show you social justice, buddy…
Currently listening to: ABBA
Wish I was at: yesterday’s Seattle Pride Parade
Just watched: Before Sunset
Wish I had: a sweetheart and a free gym membership
Avoiding: More budget reading
I’ve been to the deserts of New Mexico for a hot air balloon festival that was snowed out. I’ve been to dry Eastern Washington for a hot air balloon festival that was rained out. I’ve been to a third hot air balloon festival that was canceled for wind storms. Seems the timing was never right. And then I made a trip earlier this month to South Dakota for the first time in almost 10 years. My grandpa had moved away but wanted his burial to be near Sioux Falls where he used to live. The two days of services for my grandfather were full of rains, flooding, and even tornado warnings. The next day, once we’d laid Grandpa’s body to rest, the paper announced perfect weather for the Great Plains Hot Air Balloon Race that was happening just 8 miles from our hotel. I woke up at 5am to head out there and the day was already warm and promised perfect blue skies. I was finally in the right place at the right time and got to attend my long awaited hot air balloon festival! I think my grandpa made his own decisions about right time, right place, and everything just happened pretty quickly. He’d been sick this spring and was finally back in his home state, in his own home, had spent time with family for two months solid, and I think he was ready. I don’t doubt he played some role in making it work out as it did that I was there for him and got to see the hot air balloon festival too. After all, he was not only the person to buy me my first camera, he was also the one responsible for packing up the RV and taking me and my brother on road trips as children introducing me to the wonders of travel. We may not have seen eye to eye on everything, but he’ll always hold a very special place in my heart.
I’m trying to do my reading this weekend for my finance and budgeting class and it keeps putting me to sleep, no matter what time I sit down and try to focus. On the bright side, my ongoing procrastination has led me to vacuum the apartment, cook a meal at home, run errands, go to the bank, and hit the farmer’s market. I’ve also organized my CDs, my kitchen pantry, and my bathroom cupboards. :)
Currently listening to my newest CDs: Cat Power (thanks Erin!) and the Postal Service (thanks Marth!)
Currently reading: The Corrections
Currently craving: Mint Chocolate Chip Meringues from Trader Joes
I totally want to go one of these days! “Built in 1971, SRO’s Puget Park Drive-In Theatre boasts a 50′x 100′ screen with FM stereo sound and 700 parking stalls. The Drive-in operates from May-September. Double Features – always 2 movies for the price of 1.” Ticket Prices: Adults (12 and older) $7.50. Box office opens at 8:30pm – First show at Dusk. Days of Operation: Open 7 days a week through August.
What’s Playing:
6/24/2005 thru 6/28/2005 Batman Begins (PG-13) Star Wars: Episode III (PG-13)
6/29/2005 thru 7/5/2005 War of the Worlds (PG-13) Batman Begins (PG-13)
Tonight was the first show of the 2005 Summer Nights concert series, which means it was also the first show at the new South Lake Union Park location. I saw Lucinda Williams tonight and was content with the new location. I liked the Pier better… nicer views… but the crowd seemed to like the new locale. Lucinda put on a good show, but the wind kicked in and it got cold much quicker the it ever did at the Pier. I was freezing and tired and was actually happy when she had to end the show at 11pm. I’m now home, I’m exhausted, I’m still cold, and ready for bed. G’night…
I’ve posted my Fremont Solstice Parade photos on flicker.com… feel free to check them out. :) Warning: Photos may contain pictures of naked, painted cyclists.
Yesterday I hired a part time person for the office… yay! This makes me so incredibly happy it’s not even funny.
Next week I’m taking a class at UW to finish my certification in Nonprofit Management. Yay me!
Happy Solstice Dinner tonight… looking forward to seeing friends.
Thanks for everyone’s well wishes over the past few weeks about my Grandpa. It’s been too crazy busy to return all of the calls and emails, but I really do appreciate the kind thoughts.
I’m trying out flickr and will try posting some naked cyclist photos hopefully tomorrow…
Sometimes I can’t believe the crazy, silly, ridiculous things that happen in life. It’s one, great, big adventure. Other days I can’t believe life is always this busy. Happily, yesterday was a fun (and not hectic) day. I met up with a bunch of friends in the morning for the 2005 Fremont Summer Solstice Parade. I saw tons of fantastic naked cyclists up close and personal… always my favorite, most entertaining part of the parade. Caroline and I wandered afterwards through the crowds, saw some art, ate some food, laughed at the art cars, and saw a million of my current team members, not to mention site supervisors, and new recruits for next year’s team. We also saw some really good music… I highly recommend you check out Picoso… they were fantastic! (“Started on the streets of Seattle, Picoso radiates raw energy at shows. Their original music innovates while remaining grounded in the roots of son, salsa and jazz. Come prepared to dance”)
At the end of the night, I hung with Erin and Jessica for a while, took a fantastically relaxing bubble bath, and then went to bed before midnight! (First time in over a month!). Yay! Hope y’all are well! I’ll try to post some parade pictures sometime soon…
The weather man said 50% chance of rain with thunder storms and the day started out gray and chilly. I’m super glad it eventually turned sunny, but I think I put on my sunscreen a little too late. I think I have the worst/most noticeable sunburn of my whole life. Or maybe I’m exagerating. But either way I definitely look waaaaaay ridiculous.
I posted a bunch of new pics on www.prettyordinary.com. (And I totally cheated by adding additional pics for the month of May and associating them with previous dates). :)
Last night was dinner with Maggie, Jim, and Ian. They’re one of the most amazing families I know, with an equally amazing knack of hosting and traveling. It was a good evening!
Tonight I plan to run errands and get myself ready for the most fun day of the whole year (Summer Solstice Parade is tomorrow… yay!!). Hope everyone is well!
I had my once every two year evaluation visit this week… it went very well, there was a bonus and a raise, and I’m exhausted. Meetings from 7am-9pm aren’t easy when you’re functioning on 3 hrs of sleep.
Wed night I left a family event after 7pm and decided to hit the blogger meet up since I was already in the downtown area. It felt like the first one I’d been to in over a year… but I’m not really sure. As always, it was nice to see familiar faces and meet new people. Read more…
Fremont Fair (tel. 206/633-4409; www.fremontfair.com), Fremont neighborhood. A celebration of the summer solstice with a wacky parade, naked bicyclists, food, arts and crafts, and entertainment in one of Seattle’s favorite neighborhoods. Third weekend in June.
Out to Lunch (tel. 206/623-0340; www.downtownseattle.com). Free lunchtime music concerts in plazas and parks throughout downtown. Early June through early September.
July
Fourth of Jul-Ivar’s fireworks (tel. 206/587-6500; www.ivars.net), Myrtle Edwards Park, north end of Seattle waterfront. Fireworks over Elliott Bay. July 4.
Washington Mutual Family Fourth at Lake Union (tel. 206/281-7788; www.onereel.org), Lake Union. Seattle’s other main Fourth of July fireworks display. July 4.
Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival (tel. 206/382-2628; www.cwb.org), Center for Wooden Boats on Lake Union. Featured are wooden boats, both old and new, from all over the Northwest. Races, demonstrations, food, and entertainment. July 4th weekend.
Chinatown/International District Summer Festival (tel. 206/382-1197), International District. Features the music, dancing, arts, and food of Seattle’s Asian district. Second weekend in July.
Bite of Seattle (tel. 425/283-5050; www.biteofseattle.com), Seattle Center. Sample bites from Seattle restaurants, or take in a wine-tasting exhibit. Third weekend in July.
Seafair (tel. 206/728-0123; www.seafair.com). This is the biggest Seattle event of the year, with daily festivities — parades, hydroplane boat races, an air show with the Navy’s Blue Angels, the Torchlight Parade, ethnic festivals, sporting events, and open house on naval ships. Events take place all over Seattle. Early July to early August.
Bellevue Art Museum Fair (tel. 425/519-0770; www.bellevueart.org), Bellevue Square shopping mall, Bellevue. This is the largest arts and fine crafts fair in the Northwest. Last weekend in July.
August
Chief Seattle Days (tel. 360/598-3311), at Suquamish tribal headquarters. Celebration of Northwest Native American culture across Puget Sound from Seattle. Third weekend in August.
September
Bumbershoot, the Seattle Arts Festival (tel. 206/281-7788; www.bumbershoot.org). Seattle’s second most popular festival derives its peculiar name from a British term for an umbrella — an obvious reference to the rainy weather. Lots of rock music and other events pack Seattle’s youthful set into Seattle Center and other venues. You’ll find plenty of arts and crafts on display, too. Labor Day weekend.
Friday morning we headed to South Dakota… land of wide open spaces. This weekend was also land of severe weather alerts, land of rains and flooding, land of tornado warnings, and land of lots of family. Grandpa died a week and a half before his 89th birthday. He was widowed and was in a relationship with Marge (his lady friend/companion) for more than 10 years. One nice thing about this weekend was meeting her family. Many of her clan came in town for the funeral and it was my first time to meet her sons, or their children, or their children (Marge has several great grandkids, as compared to our five cousins, none of whom have kids yet). It was also the first time in almost ten years I saw my grandpa’s brothers Norman and wife Doris or Harold and wife Louise. It was nice to see how many people loved Grandpa, and great to remember all of his accomplishments in life. Mom, Charlie, and Stef are heading back to TX, and Uncle Tom, Dad, and Aunt Kandy are headin to AZ to sort through stuff at Grandpa’s house.
Lucikly, Grandpa’s very detailed side made things easy for the funeral. Grandpa lived a full life and was very clear in his will about how the funeral should go, where it should be held, etc… services in Sturgis where he lived in recent years, services in Parker where he lived most of his life, and a Masonic service (he was very active with the Shiners, Masons, etc). He was also clear that we were supposed to organize a lunch at the church after the burial, and a family dinner later in the evening. We had about 54 people at last night’s dinner… mostly family with a few close friends invited… poeple like Chuck and Gracie and Kenny who’ve been some of Grandpa’s best friends since he was a young man growing up in the depression.
The whole funeral weekend makes me want to (re)write my will. I think I wrote one once in high school, but don’t know if I distributed it to my parents or anyone. Probably just kept it in my diary. There should definitely be a party after I go, maybe at a hotel similar to this one with a giant water slide and two waffle makers. :) Or maybe something entirely different that involves mass amounts of karaoke and margaritas. And lots of talking. And story telling. And laughing at all of the stupid things we did in life, and all of our crazy eccentricies.
BTW, for those interested in reading about something other than death… I’m the proud owner of new body wash from Walgreens, new cute pajamas (since I pulled an overnighter at work and I wasn’t too thorough in my 10 minutes of packing), and a new bathing suit bottom (I lost my bottoms somewhere between MN, WI, NY, NJ, Walla Walla, and Portland… no crazy story there, just a disappearing 1/2 of bathing suit). I’m packing it all up now and getting ready for the drive back to the Twin Cities for the flight home. And that’s where I’m at right now. Hope y’all are well.
PS Caroline and Samantha – I have excited news about Grandpa’s parting gift to me. :) I’ll share later when I don’t need to pack my bags.
Tuesday – I worked all day and all night. Finally turned in the long overdue grant. Met with funders. Did interviews. Planned orientation.
Wednesday – Left home at 7am, flew from Seattle to Billings, Billings to Salt Lake, Salt Lake to the Twin Cities. Got a rental car. Bought pajamas (since I forgot some and am splitting a room with my cousin and her husband). Ate at Dennys. Slept at the MicroTel Inn (free wi-fi, free breakfast, free local and long distance calls, only $69/night for two queen beds).
Thrusday – Hit the Mall of America for lunch, drove to South Dakota, ate dinner. Everyone feels sick. Uncle Tom booked is a very nice hotel… way nicer than most hotels I was expecting to find a) in Sioux Falls and b) right off the highway. Each bed gets literally seven pillows. And there’s free high speed internet in the rooms. And the pool has two water slides. And there’s a library, and business center, and breakfast, etc. It’s a comfy place to call home since there’s not much else going on in Sioux Falls.
And on that note, I think I’m heading to bed. The rest of the family arrives tomorrow and the Parker services start tomorrow. Hope y’all are well. G’night…
time to go home and pack for the trip. I have crazy amounts of work to do right now (potentially even more than usual… since I have 12 new employees starting work in a week. eek). I tried to get caught up tonight/this morning before flying out. Hope everyone has a lovely photo meetup and a lovely SIFF weekend. See y’all next week. Take care!
Meghan, Vince, and I will all fly out tomorrow morning for the funeral. We’ll fly to the Twin Cities then drive a rental car from there to Parker, SD. Services will be Wednesday night, Friday night, and Saturday. We’ll drive back to MN on Monday morning and fly home that night. If anyone with a decent sized car wants to pick us up on Monday night at 11pm, you’d be my new hero. :)
It’s officially over. According to Grandpa’s wishes, his care was suspended and he passed away 16 quick minutes later. I think I’m going to curl up and try to get my crying self to go to bed. Please think warm thoughts for the whole family and especially for my incredibly brave Dad, the oldest child, who is alone right now in South Dakota after having to honor Grandpa’s living will. I couldn’t imagine anything harder for a child of any age to do for a parent.
Dad just had the minister come to Grandpa’s hospital bed and give last rites. The machines are being disconnected as I type. If Grandpa dies tonight like the doctors expect, there are tentative plans for the funeral to be at the end of the week. My aunt and uncle are in Europe right now, so that should give them a few days to find an emergency flight home, and give me a few days to find a cheap flight or maybe drive. Nothing is certain right now.
Last night Caroline and I saw another SIFF film… “5×2″. It’s by the same French director who did “Swimming Pool” and I thought it was a good movie. It starts with a couple’s divorce and tells the story of their relationship from the end to the begining. I thought the lead actress was fantastic and really enjoyed the flick. I also enjoyed hanging with Caroline afterwards and enjoyed finally eating at the new-ish Pomme Frites place in Capital Hill.
Frites: Belgian Fries (at 10th & Pike across from the Comet)
“There aren’t many places in town you can go exclusively for fries. Not only does Frites serve up delicious, thick-cut russet fries in a heavy paper cone in three sizes, they also offer more than a dozen sauces to eat them with: ketchup, curry ketchup, mustard, honey mustard, barbecue sauce, tartar, ranch, poblano ranch, garlic aioli, homemade pesto mayo, rosemary mayo, and roasted red pepper chipotle. All are homemade, and all are terrific. The first eatery of its kind in Seattle, Frites is located next to Neumo’s and open—club hoppers take note—until 2:30 a.m.”
Today I spent the day at work then did a low key Sunday dinner with the girls. I’m excited to know one of my old team members is going to be in town later this week. (Hopefully I won’t miss him b/c of funeral timing). And that’s it for tonight. I’m now home and ready to pass out from exhaustion…
We found out there’s no chance of recovery for Grandpa. He’s suffered permanent brain damage and is unresponsive. My dad is on a flight as we speak to South Dakota to ensure Grandpa’s Living Will is honored and enforced (ie. discontinuation of life support systems when the diagnosis is terminal). Mom and Dad have the information from Grandpa outlining his wishes for services, funeral, and family meals, and they’re starting to make arrangements for the events that will happen sometime soon. One of Grandpa’s suits is being Fed-Exed from Arizona for the burial. There’s no way to know how quickly or slowly he will die once life support is discontinued, but the doctors suspect it’ll be quick considering the most recent EEG results.
I don’t know why I’m crying this much all day considering it’s been heading in this direction for the past few months. I know it’s never easy… no matter how much time you have to prepare for the loss of a loved one.
My grandfather, who has been on a slow downhill since his emergency trache in March, had a heart attack while I was camping this weekend at our team retreat. Dr Aldridge indicated that it probably would be several days before we know whether there is any prospect of recovery.
I’m thinking seriously about where I want to travel after I eventually quit my job. Kenya? Around the world? Other? This is all despite the fact that I just got a grant to increase my salary by $11,000. Insane!
For now, I’ve got to pack… I’m going camping this morning and I haven’t put my stuff together yet.
This weekend staying home in Seattle was exactly what I needed!
# of bbqs: 3
# of movies: 2
# of brunches: 2
# of Spankers shows: 1
# of days at Folklife: 1
# of cute boys: 1
# of times seeing old friends I hadn’t seen in forever: tons!
My good fortune began Saturday when I was out with a friend for lunch and we ran into Dieter’s old roomie Jane. It’d been 6+ months since I’d seen her and it was fun to catch up! This morning I was lucky enough to hang out with my old friend Jane… we’ve known each other since we were 8 years old, we were classmates through high school, and hadn’t seen each other in over 10 years! She was in Seattle for a few hours and I’m proud to report she looks great, is all grown up, and was fun to catch up with after all these years! And I quote, ” I didn’t feel like 10 years had gone by!” We seem to always miss each other when I’m back in Texas… but hopefully we’ll cross paths again on one of my upcoming trips.
After meeting up with Jane this morning, I met up with ErinD at Folklife. Despite crowds of over 220,000 each Folklife weekend, in one afternoon of the festival, I ran into tons of folks… including folks I hadn’t seen in forever! First I saw Rod, Clare, and Kat… it’d been almost 24 hours since I last saw them. I also saw Zombie and Fester for the first time in almost 48 hours (and finally met Fluffy… Fester’s loveable, very social python). Then I saw my old friend and coworker Elisa… it’s been two years since she moved away to Oregon and I’ve been wanting to see her for some time now! And I even saw my old roomie Kathy… it’s probably been 2 or 3 years since I last saw her (we exchange emails and party invites every so often but we don’t seem to catch up in real life). Among other misc folks we ran into, I also ran into Ben, this guy who apparently runs in some of my same circles. We randomly keep bumping into each other at photo shows, music events, house parties, and work conferences… very mysterious.
And on that note, it’s 9:57pm and I’ve got to squeeze a few last bits of excitement into my Memorial Day weekend before it’s too late! Hope everyone is well!
I am! That’s right. Me. Cat. Well, I’m experimenting with it if nothing else. Sometimes. :)
First: I now own a pair of high heeled sandals with bows on them. Yep, bows. While I love my gay men, I think I generally disappoint them with my (lack of) fashion sense. I told a gay coworker about my heels with bows, and he just laughed out loud at the idea of me in bows or high heels. I silently pointed to my feet, with my painted pink toenails, and he was in awe. Yep, things are a-changing around here.
Second: I bought lip gloss (pink). Cute.
Third purchase: I’m now the owner of a polka-dot blouse with a bow on the front. I thought it was pretty funny, and wasn’t expecting to get compliments on it.
I’m not sure why the sudden fascination with bows or pink… but it keeps me entertained.
Yesterday was gorgeous and there were many highlights! I ate my lunch outside in the grassy front yard of my office building, which was too fantastic for words. After work I went to a reception at Caroline’s office and atteneded my first SIFF film ever. (For you out of towners, SIFF is the Seattle International Film Festival, the largest film festival in the county). We saw the world premiere of Earthling, followed by a Q&A with the producers. It’s a documentary by/of the family of Wolfgang Bayer, a renowned wildlife photographer who has shot tons of amazing docunemtaries for National Geographic, PBS, BBC, etc. The narrative was a little hokey at times, but the film was absolutely, amazingly gorgeous. As with all things in life, it made me want to quit my job and travel and take pictures. Wolfgang allowed his son over a million bucks out of pocket to make this film over the last seven years… if only my dad would give me a million bucks to go forth, travel, and document the process! I don’t see that happening anytime soon, so life must go on. :) Last night life continued at Big Time (with Phil and Randy), then at Ruby’s (met a fantastic friend of Caroline’s from CA), then the War Room, the Cha Cha, etc. It was a long, entertaining day, and a great kick off to Memorial Day weekend! Thanks Caroline!
I think I took a week of summer vacation back in 2001 (I went to Texas), but don’t think I’ve taken time off in the summer since then. So, when I just realized I have 8 weeks of vacation time I haven’t used this year or last, I’m actually considering a vacation. (Yes, eight weeks of unused vacation!). I’ve always wanted to see Alaska. I’ve always wanted to visit Argentina, or go back to Costa Rica, or see Cuba, or maybe visit Belize. I’m kind of leaning towards warm and sunny, but I’m always kind of partial in that direction. Anyone want to travel with me? Maybe early-to-mid August? Suggestions? Recommendations? Anyone?
On an unrelated note, I’m excited to find out that I didn’t sell just 6 photos, I actually sold 11 on Saturday. Yay! And Phil, be proud to know I doubled and tripled the prices this time around. I think I’m starting to get the hang of this. :)
I’ve been invited to one Minnesota wedding, one Texas wedding, and one Florida conference this summer… and all three events happen to fall on the exact same weekend in August. Pretty bizarre, eh? Who knew Aug 13th was such a popular date? I’m bummed to miss Rheta’s outdoor wedding featuring a reception with square dancing, whiffle ball and s’mores. However, I’m excited to go home to Texas to see one of my oldest friends get married!
Just finished reading…
The Red Tent (Anita Diamant) – A powerful, excellent book that I’d highly recommend.
Nine Stories (J.D. Salinger) – A super quick fun read.
Currently reading…
The Corner : A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood (David Simon, Edward Burns) – A true, intense, and educational book that studies Baltimore’s inner city poverty and drug use. (Side note: Did you know Baltimore is the city with the largest number of IV drug users in the country?)
In case you were wondering exactly where Dave Matthews was yesterday morning at 11:45am… he was eating brunch in the Jitterbug Cafe, just a couple of blocks down the street from my apartment. Yes, he was with his wife and kids, Rod and Clare confirm. Now you know. Now you cou can sleep soundly again. Carry on.
Yesterday I made my first trek ever to Port Orchard for the ICY Benefit. It was at the Western Washington Center for the Arts and my pictures were scattered all around the room. It was an intimate (ie. tiny) crowd, but it was definitely a feel good event. I knew it was going to be a silent auction (I’ve been to many, many nonprofit silient auctions), but I didn’t know that I was the only contributor to the silent auction. Needless to say, people bid on my photos and I think 6 or 7 were sold last night. Always nice to know people will hang my pictures on their walls, and nice to help fund raise for ICY as I’m donating a cut of the sales to them.
Speaking of ICY… International Community of Youth is a budding non-profit that aims to send five high school students to Guatemala this summer. They will help youth develop an appreciation for cultural diversity, learn community development tactics, and gain leadership skills. While there, they will also study Spanish, trek in the jungle of Tikal, visit Mayan ruins, and help rebuild a local school. You can learn more (or donate online) at icyconnects.org.
JustLaura.com has been around a while, but the rest of the Lauras have caught up. I think all of the Lauras in my life now officially have websites! The newest is from the lovely Laura L… you can check out her blog at jeroboam.net. :)
So, I’ve been out of town lots and am a bit behind on these things. Let’s recap…
Rebecca and James got married in WI at the end of April and it was a beautiful event. I cried every time she or her mom spoke, and I cried when I saw her dad being wheeled down the aisle (he developed a brain tumor last year and had a stroke four weeks ago). They were able to get him out of the hospital for he ceremony, and the family is pretty sure he was able to comprehend the wedding taking place was for his daughter. After the crying during the ceremony and the welcome in the reception, I laughed my way through the rest of the dinner and dancing.
I was seated at a table with a few very funny (and wildly inappropriate) couples, and spent much of my evening laughing and dancing with them. It wasn’t Thursday night at Neighbors, but it was fun to dance for hours to cheesy disco, classic 80s, and ultimate party tunes like Sir Mix-A-Lot’s “Baby Got Back.” I was also befriended early in the day by one of the single guys in the grooms party and he kept me laughing and dancing much of the night too. He not only dipped me during swing numbers, he also did high lifts with me, tossing me way up into the air! Yay! And craziest of all, even though I was the guest at their wedding, Rebecca gave me a gift bag full of goodies! (I was apparently the only Seattle friend to make the trip and I think they felt compelled to thank me for coming). They gave me Wisconsin chocolate and caramel, local honey sticks, a WI cheese themed mug, and my favorite Midwest delicacy… cheese curds! I had a great time joining their celebration and afterwards I made the drive back to Waukesha grinning like fool. :)
James steals a move from Top Gun and serenades Rebecca with “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling”
This first week back in town’s been hectic, but two exciting things have happened…
1. Thanks to the KEXP 500 Club, I had free tickets to see a performance of the Seattle Symphony last night! It was the first time in years I’ve seen the Symphony, and it was great fun!
2. I hired a p/t employee Thursday to help out around the office. It’s just a 10-15 hrs a week position, but even that should be a great help!
International Community of Youth is hosting a small benefit event in May and I’ll be exhibiting many of my Guatemala photos in their silent auction.
Solo Photography Exhibit
Saturday, May 21st from 1-4pm
Western WA Center for the Arts
Port Orchard, WA
ICY is a non-profit agency that provides young adults with the opportunity to travel abroad, and to learn about the places they are visiting through work service, artistic exploration, and cultural education. They are currently raising funds to send youth to Guatemala and hope that each participant develops the passion for becoming a true global citizen, as well as develops an interest in sharing their experiences in their local communities. For more information, please email icy_connect@yahoo.com.
I’ll be driving out there, so if anyone wants to join me, there’s space open in my car. :)
My friend Elizabeth is now on Live Journal and you can read all about her adventures in motherhood! Check out her site at: http://www.livejournal.com/users/et1004/.
Even my friend Erin has a puppy who’s now got a blog. Read all about Zoe the Wonder Dog at her new blog.
One of my all time favorite Austin bands is coming to the Tractor Tavern later this month. If you’ve never seen them perform and are a fan of live music, they’re a must see event! Who wants to join me for this fun, high energy show??
Fri, May 27
two shows from our favorite wacked-out vaudevillians
ASYLUM STREET SPANKERS
KING STRAGGLER opens the late show
8pm & 11pm
$12adv/$14dos – both shows www.asylumstreetspankers.com
Tickets also available at Sonic Boom!*
You might have noticed I added a new link on the right side of this page… yep, my friend Sameer is officially throwing his hat in the ring for an eventual Congress seat. I think his site promises to be fun. In his words:
I’m finally starting a blog–and I’ve got a reason, too. You all know about my political ambitions that lie not-so-hidden underneath my IT consultant surface…well, now I’m starting to do something about them. I started a blog to share my thoughts on all sorts of political topics–with the intent that by late next year I’ll have a real platform with which to run a real campaign!
Note to self: Need to print and frame Guatemala pics for photo show this weekend. Then need to post Brides of March, Arizona, Minnesota, Wisconsin, New York, New Jersey, and hot air balloons.
Chuck Palahniuk www.townhallseattle.org
Wednesday, May 18 , 7:30 PM
“Called “an over-the-top gore fest” by Booklist, Chuck Palahniuk’s (Fight Club, Lullaby) new book Haunted is a novel made up of twenty-three stories told by people who have answered an ad headlined “Writers’ Retreat: Abandon Your Life for Three Months.” The resulting macabre stories have a powerfully surprising emotional core that will please his many and devoted fans. Downstairs at Town Hall, enter on Seneca Street. ”
Friends of Arthur Benefit www.friends-arthur.org
Thursday, May 19th at the Showbox (all ages)
Live set by Smoosh (doors are at 6:30pm)
Silent auction to raise money for Arthur’s treatment of autism
Seattle Works Day www.seattleworks.org
Saturday May 21st, all day
Seattle Works’ largest day of service brings together hundreds of people to complete projects at local nonprofits, parks and schools, followed by a celebration of the day’s accomplishments.
Service Projects: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
AfterParty @ South Lake Union Park: 2:30 pm – 6:00 pm
Impact on the community: 365 days a year
U District StreetFair www.udistrictstreetfair.org
Saturday & Sunday, May 20th – 21st
“Attracting more than 50,000 people and nearly 400 craft and food booths to the District, the Street Fair is an energetic and exciting celebration of arts and crafts, community, music, and food. You’ll find a whirl of color, craft, creativity and downright craziness! There will be two great music stages, a special children’s area with age appropriate events, a live theatre stage, and a wonderful medley of street performers.”
I just signed up for this program; and wanted to let you know about it – in case you have a Washington Mutual account. Once you enroll, the school of your choice benefits every time you swipe your debit card.
Then- every time you use your WaMu card, your school gets ca$h. If you don’t have a particular favorite school to sponsor, I can recommend a couple of schools for you that could definitely use extra help!
Me, me, me! But don’t worry… in a few short days I’ll be back in town and I plan to sleep lots, eat regular meals, and spend some quality time reading on my couch. (Currently reading: The Corner, a book about inner city life in Baltimore where residents have the highest rate of IV drug use in the country). I’ll balance couch time with going out and appreciating Seattle… I have tickets for the Seattle Symphony, a KEXP party, an EMP party, and tickets to the Seattle Sounders (professional soccer).
Speaking of going out and appreciating life, Prom was last night and now that it’s over, my life is already less hectic. Helping coordinate a big dance with music, decorations, food, people, photos, and entertainment, all while being out of town for the weeks leading up to the event, was a bit of work. It was fun though, and I was glad to see people showing up, dressing up, dancing, doing karaoke, having their prom portraits taken, and drinking punch. Many thanks to Samantha and Caroline for coming out to the party, and for Jim and Rowena for taking pics at the dance! And while my posting of pictures is generally slow, especially when I’m out of town, today’s a special occasion! I’m posting this entry from my brand new laptop! And my new laptop works, and has memory, and even has a little disk drive for my camera’s memory. Yay shiny new working computers!! Update: I’ve now installed Office XP and photo editing software! I feel so official!
In other news, while I am currently home from the NYC & NJ, I’m about to head out of town for two more (quicker) trips. This weekend will be a road trip to see the Hot Air Balloon Festival in Walla Walla, Washington. :) I’m looking forward to the trip… it’ll be bonding time with the girls, it’s been a few years since I’ve been to a balloon festival, and I never been that far east in WA. After I get back on Sunday night, I’ll get a little sleep before heading down to Portland for one more conference for work. I really enjoy travel, love seeing old friends, and love meeting new people on my trips, but after six back to back trips in six different states in four weeks time… I’m totally exhausted! And with that, I’m going to see if I can catch another hour of sleep before getting up and packing. Hope y’all are well!
I’m home. My voice is back (and cracking). :) I’m working tomorrow then heading out of town again Saturday morning. Hope everyone is well! Don’t forget… prom is tomorrow for anyone interested! (Phil? John?)
Anyone want to go to prom? It’ll be on Friday the 13th and the theme is “Date from Hell.” There will be people in bloody prom dresses, people in blue jeans, and people in anything else in between. There will also be dancing, karaoke, punch, balloons, and prom photos. We have everything a prom needs, but with adults instead of teens. If you want to go, leave me a comment and I’ll send you the address and details. :)
My mom’s a wonderful woman who taught me about being a leader, and about being a strong woman in a man’s world, and about choosing a career where you’re helping people, and about the importance of volunteering, and about how to put condoms on bananas and all kinds of other important stuff that’s too long to list. I respect her greatly and while I couldn’t call her today (that whole pesky laryngitis thing), I did have my personal assistant and translator (i.e. Suzan) call from my phone and leave her a voice mail in my name. Happy Mother’s Day Mom!!
Yesterday morning I arrived in NYC and met up with Suzan and friends for some exploring. Suzan, Jeremy, Harris and I spent a long day riding the subway, wandering Brooklyn, being super heroes, drinking coffee, visiting the Brooklyn Art Museum, taking pictures, eating Thai, playing darts, and whispering. Well, they were talking but I was attempting to whisper since I seem to have completely lost my voice last week. I’ve got allergies so I’m no stranger to sore throats, but this whole laryngitis thing is new and painful.
I’ve known Suzan for probably 8 years, and visiting them in NYC and catching up would much easier if we could actually talk. It’s hard to catch up when you can’t speak. I met Jeremy’s friend Harris yesterday too, and despite spending like 8 hours with him, the day consisted of mostly charades and painful attempts to hoarsely whisper in his ears. He was a patient, nice guy and we’ll be posting the link for his photoblog when I find out where it’s hosted.
Today was girls day from start to finish and my voice was still gone. Suzan called my old friend Laura for me (since I couldn’t talk) and we made plans for brunch. It’s been maybe 15 years since I last saw Laura and it was great to spend all day with her! I’d really wanted to introduce Suzan and Laura to each other too, and I finally got to do it in person today! We started with brunch at a vegetarian cafe called B&H Dairy in Greenwich Village (note to Rod & Clare: We should try apple & cheddar omelet next time at brunch!). We then walked and wandered lots, did some window shopping, saw a contortionist in the park, talked about boys, hit Times Square, ate dinner, and capped the day with a Broadway play. Christina Applegate just made her Broadway debut in Sweet Charity and we got to see her in it tonight (it’s only been open since late April). Sweet Charity is a Neil Simon play directed by Walter Bobbie (who did “Chicago”). I’d never heard of it, but did recognize the songs once we got into the show (“Hey, Big Spender” and “If My Friends Could See Me Now.”). The story was pretty cute, the theatre was gorgeous, it was fun to be on Broadway, and the tunes are really catchy in that stick-in-your-head and find yourself humming them later kind of way. Eventually Suzan and I headed home, and Laura and I said our goodbyes promising it wasn’t going to be another 15 years between visits! That catches us up to the present time and that means I can go to bed and rest peacefully knowing I didn’t neglect the blog for too long. Hope y’all are well! (And many thanks to sweet Caroline for delivering me to the airport Friday night when I was late packing, barely ready, unable to talk, and way too tired to be fun!).
Q: How tired am I?
A: So tired it took me most of the day before I realized my underwear were inside out.
Not surprising since I just finished a marathon of work this week… staying until 2 or 3am every night then going back in at 7am. Today’s conference went very well. And I’ve hired a part time person for my office to cut down on some of my work load. And I’ve hired two more new staff for my team that will start in September, and am waiting to hear back on three more offers! Yay productive week!
Now I’m finally home and need to pack for NY/NJ since I leave in less than three hours. Red eye flights aren’t always my favorite, but I suspect I’ll have no problem falling asleep tonight. Hope y’all are well!
International Community of Youth is hosting a small benefit event in May and I’ll be exhibiting many of my Guatemala photos in their silent auction.
See my photography! Saturday, May 21st from 1-4pm Western WA Center for the Arts Port Orchard, WA
ICY is a non-profit agency that provides young adults with the opportunity to travel abroad, and to learn about the places they are visiting through work service, artistic exploration, and cultural education. They are currently raising funds to send youth to Guatemala and hope that each participant develops the passion for becoming a true global citizen, as well as develops an interest in sharing their experiences in their local communities. For more information, please email icy_connect@yahoo.com.
Happy Cinco de Mayo! (Ie. Let’s celebrate the victory of Mexican forces led by General Ignacio Zaragoza over the French expeditionary forces in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862 by eating Mexican food and drinking margaritas!)
From fabulous prizes to live music from Smoosh, the Friends of Arthur Raffle & Auction promises to be good fun and even better for the soul. Date: Thurs May 19th. Location: The Showbox. Friends of Arthur is a non-profit effort that funds therapy and long-term care for Arthur. Suggested therapy care costs more than $25,000 each year and is the responsibility of Arthur’s parents.
Buy your $25 adult tickets now at ticketswest.com. $10 kids tickets available only at the door. Cash and Check only at the event, please.
Raffle and Auction Prizes: The Friends of Arthur is hosting a big RAFFLE and SILENT AUCTION this year. Raffle sales will begin in early April. The winners will be drawn at the May 19 event. You do not need to be present to win. Silent Auction items will be displayed at the May 19 event. Bidding begins at 6:30. To sell or purchase raffle tickets, please contact Katrina at 226-6119 or katrinakdavis@yahoo.com.
The Raffle and Auction will include amazing items from the following categories:
-Vacation Packages (airfares included!)
-Spa & Pamper Packages
-Food and Wine Deluxe
-Restaurants
-Mac Mini
-iPOD
-Music
-Lots of Art
-Jewelry
-Health & Wellness
and much much more!
I’m barely back from MN & WI, and now I leave for New York City in about 72 hours!
(Boo for working like crazy to get caught up, but yay for seeing friends in NYC!)
Please think positive thoughts for my Grandpa because he’s having a hard time this spring. He was perfectly healthy a few months ago, then at the beginning of March he had a reaction to a medication and everything went downhill from there. Lungs quit working. Trache tube. Kidney failure. Low blood levels. Staph infection. Surgery to remove infection. Collapsed veins. PIC inserted, then removed when it caused swelling. We had to fly my grandpa and his girlfriend from Arizona to Iowa for the surgery he needed on April 23, and he began a good recovery period. My aunt and uncle are taking care of him, getting him to doctors visits, etc. However, there’s more swelling now, and a rash, and the doctors had to have the tube removed, and he is off all meds so they can try to determine what’s causing the latest batch of problems. Things aren’t getting any easier for him, so any positive thoughts for the family would be greatly appreciated.
Between Wednesday and Sunday, I spent about 16 hours driving on Wisconsin highways. The last time I did a drive between MN and WI, I had Jens along in the car with me and time seemed to speed right by. It was in October after visiting for Mike and Eliz’s wedding, I was heading to WI to see Mary’s twin baby girls, the sky was bright blue, and the trees along the highway were turning beautiful brilliant shades of reds and oranges.
Of course, that was a year and a half ago and lots can change in a year. This year Mike & Eliz were welcoming their new baby boy William to the world. Mary’s twins were walking and talking, and we were now welcoming her new baby boy to the world. Last year Jens came along for the ride and then invited me to India. That was before Jens and I dated, before Jens cheated on me, and before Jens got an 18 year old high school girl pregnant last summer. My how things have changed.
Needless to say, this year I did the drive solo without Jens. Even though it was May, I alternatingly drove through hail, rain, and snow. And since it was the last weekend in the month, police were busy trying to meet their end of month ticket quotas (which I subsequently helped them do, oops).
The drive was otherwise uneventful and going solo afforded me many luxuries… pulling over to take pictures of barns, stopping for an impromptu mini-shopping trip at Khols, and blasting my Journey greatest hits CD without complaints from passengers. All in all, totally a worthwhile trip. :)
After a long and lovely weekend (that included lots and lots of driving), I’m now home! Saturday was Rebecca’s wedding and it was much fun! Today was getting up at 6am and driving 5 hours through snow and hail storms, then sitting in planes and airports from noon until 8pm. I’m happy to be back home, but am rather tired now. :) More details and pics to come!
My friend Alan is riding in the AIDS LifeCycle again this year. If you’ve got $5 or $100, feel encouraged to donate a little to this great cause. An explanation from Alan:
Join me in a journey of a lifetime.
This time last year, I decided to participate in AIDS LifeCycle 3, a fundraising bike ride benefiting the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. The ride gathers money to raise awareness of this insidious disease and to raise money to support critical services provided by the foundation for people living with HIV/AIDS. As I was training for the ride, I remembered asking myself, Why am I doing this? Dragging myself from bed in complete darkness and riding 60-80 miles in chilly San Francisco weather was not my idea of fun. But I had to do it, because HIV/AIDS is still here.
As I look over pictures from last year’s ride, I can remember the sheer exhilaration to be among 1,200 riders working towards the same goal and the sense of accomplishment that we made a difference in the lives of many.
I remembered last year how riders like myself had a direct impact on communities through spreading HIV/AIDS awareness and education where, previously, it had been limited. Neighborhood kids in their bikes and skateboards gave us high-fives as we passed through. Families in rural California came out to cheer us on and learned about what we were doing. The whole town of Bradley welcomed us with hot dogs and chips. And school children interviewed us for their class projects on HIV/AIDS. Our very presence demonstrated that HIV/AIDS affects everyone.
So the decision to ride again this year was simple. The AIDS pandemic is still with us. And riding my bike 585 miles to raise funds for education, prevention, and hopefully a cure someday is something I can do. And I would like you to join me in a journey that gives people hope and life.
Yesterday was a fun day for me! I don’t generally get to hang with little kids much, so when I do it’s awlays fun. I know it’s not generally relaxing for a mom to cart around three little kids, but it’s fun to step into her shoes for a day and help out. Mary and I watched the Wiggles with the kids, saw Bear in the Big Blue House, and saw some cartoon about stackable toys whose name I forget. We then took her 20 month old twins (Mya & Malinda) and 4 month old baby boy (Owen) out to breakfast, then up to Milwaulkee to the Children’s Museum, then to visits at both grandmothers’ houses, then to a rummage sale, then back home by dinner time. While some might not think it’s much of a relaxing vacation, I had lots of fun and there will be pictures posted when I get back!
In other news, this morning I bought a new laptop! I’ve had hand-me-down computers since I was in high school, and this is my first ever purchase of a new computer. My current laptop is hand-me-down from my college ex-boyfriend Droopy (yes, the laptop is that old). It’s a trooper but it’s way past its prime (screen flickers, keyboard quit working months ago, no cd burner, hard drive full, etc). I’m not excited about spending the money for a new one, but I think it’s time… especially since my brother gets a discount from his work. (Thanks Charlie!)
And in final news, tomorrow I head to Beloit, WI for a friend’s wedding. She used to work with me in Seattle a few years ago and is now back in the midwest near her family. I haven’t seen her in three years and I’m excited to finally meet her family! It’ll be a long day… drive there for the wedding at 2pm, drive back in the late evening, then get up early Sunday for the 5 hour solo drive back to the Twin Cities so I can then catch my flights back to Seattle.
Minnesota has been cold and rainy since I’ve been here, so I thought this was an appropriate photo. :) Last night was a quick trip to the Walker Art Museum and sculpture garden, and then Indian food at some yummy place called Taj of India. Conference has been great. I’m off now! Take care!
Hi all… conference in MN is going well. Am staying with Jens’ old roomie Lucas who is taking good care to make sure I’m getting lots of good food at good cafes. :) Got to see Mike and Eliz and their beautiful boy William! He’s a sweet, sweet child and didn’t cry till the very end of the night! Also ran into Jens and his girl friend and baby, randomly, at the place we were eating. Talk about crazy world! For now, I’ve got to get back to a workshop. Hope y’all are well!
Today I spent the day working from 8am-7pm, then had dinner with Dieter, and now in 12 short hours, I’ll be in the air on my way to Minnesota. :) It’ll be the first of many consecutive weekends out of town, but I’ll be back in Seattle the weekend of May 21st. Btw, anyone going or wanting to go to Sasquatch? I’m debating heading out of town that weekend too… I’ve never been to the Gorge and thought that’d be a good first concert experience. Any thoughts? Any advice?
Sasquatch Mainstage
: Pixies
: Modest Mouse
: Kanye West
: Wilco
: The Arcade Fire
: Ray Lamontagne
: Jem
: Bloc Party
: United State of Electronica
Wookie Stage
: Matisyahu
: The Frames
: Joanna Newsom
: Bobby Bare Jr.
: Be Good Tanyas
: Benevento Russo Duo
: A.C. Newman
: The Dears
: Menomena
: Aqueduct
Yeti Stage
: She Wants Revenge
: Crystal Skulls
: Visqueen
: Blue Scholars
: Smoosh
: Parks and Recreation
: Math & Physics Club
This is what Seattle’s sky looked last night when I was heading to dinner at the Morrocan place on Capitol Hill. Cotton candy pink, a gentle amber glow, with the mountains silouetted against the sky. In a word: Perfect.
In less than desireable news… My grandfather was readmitted to the hospital again last weekend (he got an infection from one of the IVs… not good!). My dad flew out there to help take care of him and is sending updates. Grandpa’s scheduled for surgery, but all of the hospitals in the Phoenix area have a waiting list. And, very sadly, his girlfriend was also admitted to the hospital last weekend. Couple those with my week of sickness and it’s really not a good health week in my family…
However, on the bright side (literally), today was probably the most gorgeous day of the year! It reminds me of last year’s first perfect day… I think it was over Easter weekend when Jens was here visiting. Jacob came in town and he and I spent the day at Gas Works Parks, sitting by the waterfront, soaking up the sun, enjoying the splendor of a glorious, blue sky, sunny, 80 degree day in Seattle. For today’s perfect day, we did a service project at a low income housing community, and I spent the morning, noon, and afternoon sitting outside on a sunny patch of grass. There was a taco cart involved, some ice cream sandwiches, productivity, companionship, and the most blissful rejuvinating sunshine you can dream of. It’s the kind of day you hope will never, ever end. The kind of day where I almost convince myself to quit my job so I can just lay around in parks for the rest of my life. The kind of day I can look back at years from now and know that, regardless of the ups and down, I had a really good life.
Ask and ye shall receive. :) (This was passed along by Samantha)
1. You’re stuck inside Fahrenheit 451, which book do you want to be?
Do you mean, what book would I want to burn? I’m not really into burning books (which might be surprising considering I’m from a conservative small town in Texas). I remember back in high school when some local parents were trying to ban I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. I think that was around the same time the Bible thumpers were trying to keep Apple computers from moving to town (we could’ve used the jobs and economic boost, but the religious zealots didn’t approve of Apple offering benefits for same sex partners). Anyway, I digress.
2. Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character?
I have crushes on all kinds of characters (books, movies, real life, you name it)! Sharif Basha-al-Baroudi (in the book Map of Love), Johnny Depp (in the beautiful film Finding Neverland), and Patrick Fugit (in the funny movie Saved) to name just a few.
3. The last book you bought is:
Zaat by Sonallah Ibrahim. I picked it up in Cairo on Marwa’s recommendation and it was fantastic! It was a powerful and tragic story, and was more than educational with lots of news clippings thrown in for good measure.
4. The last book you read:
The DiVinci Code by Dan Brown. All of the cool kids were doing it and I felt the peer pressure. It was a fun page turner…
5. What are you currently reading?
I just finished the The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. It’s a really beautiful story about a place that’s got an anything-but-beautiful recent history. Anyone have recommendations for my next book? I got on a plane on Sunday and will need a new book before then…
6. Five books you would take to a deserted island:
1,000 Places to See Before You Die
GRE Prep (finally… there’d be no distractions!)
Meg Wheatley’s newest book (I haven’t had time to read it yet)
Teach Yourself Spanish (always a good idea)
My diary
(No idea really… my reading list is always L-O-N-G and growing)
I’m still sick. And I haven’t had much time to write lately (as you may have noticed by my slow blog and unreturned emails). I think I even forgot to mention surprises from last week. Thursday night was social night (dinner with a friend, drinks with others, and then dancing with yet another friend). Entertaining tidbit: I’ve been asked out twice by guys I met last week. Less than entertaining tidbit: Some stupid kids broke a storefront window where I was parked in Capital Hill, and also kicked over a metal trashcan onto my (feels like brand new) Honda. The trashcan dented in the entire side panel and left long blue scratches from where it traveled on its way down. Lame. Not sure if I want to claim it on my car insurance, or if I should just leave the big dent and scratches in my (until now) lovely car. It’s barely two years old… just a baby really.
I’ve been in denial since Friday when I thought I was just reacting to the cold, rainy day tromping around in the tulips, but yesterday my sore-achy body and runny nose confirmed it. I went to two parties last night… one corrupt spelling bee and one wig party for Max’s 30th… but couldn’t muster up much energy at either even though both were highly entertaining events. Today I’m even skipping brunch… and you know how much I love my Sunday meals with friends. Being sick is lame.
Not so much a post as a snapshot of my life this week…
Hung out with KEXP folks
Went dancing at Neighbors (again). This time got hit on by men instead of women. Am starting to recognize regulars.
Did 20 interviews at work! (ie. crazy busy week!)
Won another grant (this one to increase my staff size by 11 new employees!)
Went to the photo meetup
Did some cooking including another attempt at homemade spicy black bean burgers (they worked better than the nut based burgers I’ve tried before, but I think I’ll try the lentil burgers recipe again next)
Had a couple of friends over last night for dessert (we made creme brulee, fondue, s’mores)
Got dinner with Erin
Bought my plane ticket to NY & NJ
Called my brother and talked (for a long while) at 4am
Went on my annual shopping trip for my once a year jeans purchase
Went up to Mount Vernon to see the 22nd annual Skagit Valley Tulip Festival (there were pretty flowers but it was really cold, windy, and rainy)
And maybe best of all, I started reading a new book, The Kite Runner, and am really enjoying it!
Hope y’all are well! I’m off to socialize on a busy Saturday! Take care!
I used to think Meetup was a cool free site to meet new people. (I like cool free sites… like craigslist.org, freecycle.org, groups.yahoo.com, and gmail.com). Anyway, I thought Meetup was cool so I even volunteered my time, energy, and money to help organize a group. And now they’ve announced a new required fee. Do the members pay the subscription fee? Nope. Only the volunteers, who are already workin their butts off for free, are required to pay. That’s right. They’re not paying us to do the work, we have to pay to work for them! Check out the news about this, or visit the Meetup boards to see thousands of angry messages.
Turns out I DO actually own the helio sequence CD… and it turns out it is pretty good! The first track is “harmonic song” and that just makes me happy. I saw them in concert last Wednesday at Chop Suey and their CD cover looked familiar though I didn’t know the music. It turns out I own it but never listened to it. The CD and the show were both really good, though opening band Mercier left something to be desired. Good times were had by me, Samantha, and all of the Philly kids (Dave, Steph, Lawerence, and Ryan-kind of). :)
I’m using Word Press these days, and disabled “trackbacks” from the beginning, but somehow still get tons of “trackback spam” on a daily basis despite my settings that don’t allow it. Anyone have ideas on how to really turn it off and avoid the crap?
And while we’re at it… anyone have ideas on how to avoid the comment spam? I have a long list of blocked words that keep stupid comments from showing, but it still clutters up my DB on my server.
If you know these things, do consider sharing your wisdom! I’d greatly appreciate it!
Work keeps moving our meetings around, and this year instead of doing our winter meeting in Baltimore, we did it in DC. And now instead of doing our spring meeting in Baltimore (sorry Sameer), we’re doing it in NJ at some tiny town on the coast. I’m pretty content with the coast, and while I’ll actually kind of miss visiting friends Baltimore, I’m excited to come up a weekend early and hang in NYC to see Suzan and Laura! So, to recap… I’ll be in MN and WI in April, then NY & NJ in May, then Austin in both July & Aug. :) Yay hectic spring schedules!
I’m now the proud owner of 3 pairs of the “world’s softest spa socks” and 6 pairs of “no shows.” If anyone would have told me 4 years ago that someday I’d enjoy buying socks and would do it for fun, I’d have told them they were out of their minds. I guess that’s something that goes with living in the Northwest or in a place with seasons that extend beyond warm and ridiculously hot. The cold and rainy weather here just isn’t conducive to my sandal habit.
Also neat-o: My massaman curry last night turned out fantastic, and dancing with Caroline & Samantha at Neighbors was just as fun as dancing a few weeks ago! Highlights: One pretty boi asked if Samantha was my girlfriend, the bartender calls me sweetie and doesn’t charge me for drink, and some drunk girls wants to touch my breasts (not okay but still entertaining). Gotta love Neighbors.
Also neat-o and kinda scary: Yesterday I finally committed to attending my high school reunion. That means
I need to join a gym rather than talk about joining a gym (or just go dancing more often).
I need to be okay spending the time and energy and vacation days and money to go to Texas twice in three week’s time (the reunion is in July and Charles’ wedding is in August). Plane tickets aren’t cheap, and neither are reunion tickets or wedding gifts or eating out lots and lots.
I need to figure out how to look hot one of these days so I can impress old classmates I don’t care much about.
I need a date. :)
Hope y’all are well! My internet is working again after days of living without, and I’ve got a movie in the DVD player calling my name! Take care!
I just got notification that I won a SECOND grant this week for work… another one that had a short turnaround time that drove me batty and forced me to work late getting it done on time…. but it worked! We got the funds! Yay us!
Yesterday was John’s birthday! (And Caroline’s studio show for First Thursday Art Walk!)
And last weekend it was Andrew’s birthday and Alex’s birthday! And next week it’s Suzan’s birthday and Marwa’s birthday! Yay getting another year older and even more beautiful!
Congrats to Captain Mike & Elizabeth on the birth of their new baby William Loring!! I think this shot of father and son napping together is pretty fantastic! I’ll be out in St. Paul in a few weeks and hope to see the parents and baby in person!
I just got a call from a friend living in Korea! She’s been teaching English there since Sept and this is the first phone call I’ve gotten. That’s pretty cool! :)
One of my employees called this morning and said she couldn’t be in at 9am because her apartment building was surrounded by SWAT teams, her car was blocked in my police trucks, and armed police men were blocking the enterance to her apartment. It sounded like a creative excuse if you ask me. ;) However, she had KIRO TV backing up her claim, so I guess it was okay to show up late. (You don’t really expect apartments in Magnolia to endure the wrath of the SPD and local SWAT crews, ya know?) Anyway, if you’re bored and have free time, check out the video to see the Police Arrest Suspect In String Of Robberies. Yay excitement at 8am.
One of the great things about short grant deadlines is that they’re often accompanied by shorter than normal deliberation periods. I just got a call awarding me on of the grants I applied for last Friday! That’s a three day deliberation, the fastest I’ve ever seen, and it’s pretty damn exciting! Yay! Let’s hear it for hard work paying off!
I’m super excited about the just announced 2005 lineup of Summer Nights! :)
Series Favorites And Newcomers To Christen New Venue
Summer Nights at South Lake Union Park is pleased to announce our 2005 concert series lineup! Veteran Summer Nights performers Lucinda Williams, Lyle Lovett, Buddy Guy, John Hiatt, Chris Isaak, Indigo Girls, B.B. King, Susan Tedeschi, and Blind Boys of Alabama will help us break in our new venue at South Lake Union Park. We’ll also welcome newcomers to the Summer Nights series, such as Ann Wilson, Clint Black, Aimee Mann, Los Lonely Boys, Ozomatli, Keali‘i Reichel, and Trio! (Stanley Clarke, Bela Fleck, Jean-Luc Ponty).
Yep, that’d be me. If you didn’t notice yet, I just updated my links last night (long overdue) and finally added friends to my index instead of a separate page. If I’m missing some of your sites, let me know. I admit I’m tired and it’s nowhere near a complete list of online folks I know and love.
Anyone go to camp as a kid and sing lots of camp songs? Songs that 10 or 20 years later are still indelibly carved into your brain? Today I have a fun little ditty in my head from Girl Scout camp in elementary school. It goes a little something like this…
I am slowly going crazy. 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – switch.
Crazy going slowly am I. 6 – 5 -4 – 3 – 2 – 1 – switch.
It’s a repeating song that you keep singing over and over and over, getting faster and faster and faster each time. As you can imagine, it’s a rather painful song to have stuck in your head while trying to write grants.
After spending barely three months in Seattle, my old college friend Dot moved away last week. I think she and Bruce are currently in Northern California, but one can never be too sure. She might be on her way back to the Texas sun, though I’ve also heard rumors of Athens, GA. Either way, it was fun having her here while it lasted! Anyone else up for a few months in the great Northwest? Ask Dot or Beal… it’s fun!
I’m hungry and at a dead end with the grant I’m working on. It’s the third due in one week, and all three had turn around times of less than two weeks. All of this makes Cat a very tired and overworked young lady. On the bright side: my morning conference planning meeting was in the Central District, mere blocks from my favorite Ethiopian restaurant. I got lunch there today before heading back to the office. (I’d hate to think of how much earlier I’d have burned out today if I hadn’t gotten lunch there today). Let’s hear it for Mesob!
I’m rather biased, but I think Friday night’s group gallery show was a success. :) I wanted to see people take new pictures and get more active in our photo group, and I think both happened. We had a great turnout (crowds of people the whole time) and we had lots of new folks show up who weren’t active in the monthly group meetups. Shawna brought a fisheye lens and even let me play with it for a while (new toys are FUN!). After the show, John, Jeff, Samantha, Caroline, and I all hit Dragonfish for their latenight happy hour to debrief and hang out. All in all, a lovely night!
Today was productive. I helped Dieter move. Gave away stuff on freecycle. Cleaned and vacuumed and did laundry. Watched a movie (save your money by not renting Open Water). Now I’m off to fall peacefully asleep with my new heavier down comforter. :)
OMG! Tonight was 80s dancing at Neighbors in a combined girls night with Steph and Samantha, and a birthday dance party for Andrew’s big 3-0! And BTW, it was fantastic fun! I used to go dancing so often when I was younger. It started with Paradox (where they’d let me in without an ID), then continued in college with the 404 (love me my gar bars). From there we did lots of Poly Esters (I’m a sucker for cheesy 80s) and then by junior and senior year of college dancing was a weekly affair and was always a great time. Anyone remember our weekly Thursday night party at the less-than-fancy and now defunct Club Austin?! Ah, the memories of Bri and Criag and the Firestarter. In Houston we did Riches, and the goth dance club (name currently escaping me), and after moving to Seattle I did Neighbors. However, it’s been over a year or two since I’ve been there and I think another Thursday night tradition has been reborn! Dancing is one of those events that works best with lots of friends… definitely the more the merrier. So, if you’re up for some dancing, please join us next week!!
Performance Anexiety
a group show by Seattle Photo Meetup members
Friday April 1st, 6-10pm
4911 Aurora Ave N (1 block south of the zoo)
The Photo Meetup was a few weeks ago and we had a good crowd! A few months ago Caroline & I decided to offer a photo challenge to get people taking new pictures and get people more involved in the meetup. I announced it last month (on Caroline’s birthday) and this month a bunch of new and returning members all stepped up to the challenge and came out with their framed photos on the theme “Performance Anexiety.” You can check out this group gallery show tomorrow night at the Black Box Gallery in Fremont. Hope to see you there!
Too much to do, in every part of life, or so it seems right now. Too much work. Too much socializing. Too much photo stuff even, and not enough time to dedicate to any one thing. Life remains a balancing act as it usually is in my world. I think it’s time to hire someone at the office part time to give me a little more balance. Wish me luck.
Today was a good day too. :) Did a Greenlake this morning at 7am. Read my book for a little while. Worked 8+ hours. Saw They Might Be Giants play a 45 minute set at Easy Street. Capped the day with a fun dinner to celebrate the end of Dot’s time in Seattle. Samantha, David, and Jeff also made appearances tonight for some or all of the festivities. Everyone wish Dorothy well as she drives away from Seattle to the great unknown!
As usual, Sunday is pretty much my favorite day of the week! I got up without my alarm. Chatted with my parents. Read some of my book (currently: The DiVinci Code). Worked out. Took a hot shower. And then went to brunch this with Rod, Clare, and Dot. The food was yummy as always (and gluten free!) and afterwards I busted out a package of HEB egg dye and a dozen medium eggs for some egg dying fun! I don’t think I’ve dyed eggs since living in Metropolis with Matt back in 1999 and it was crazy long overdue! After brunch, I headed straight to Queen Anne to the girl’s house for an early Sunday Dinner. This week’s focus was a giant Easter Egg Hunt (aka Ian’s first hunt!). At 2 years old, Ian is always the youngest in attendance at Sunday Dinner and he’s officially the cutest kid ever. He found a few of the 80 eggs that weren’t hidden too hard, and we gave him lots of help finding the rest. :) Sunday Dinner was great… it’s always fantastic to see the rotating crowd of friends who come together each week to cook and eat together. It’s just a great sense of community and always great fun! After Sunday Dinner I went to the Sonics game. The score was close, and the game was high energy, but it ended with us losing by just one measly point. Alas. After the game I returned to the small crowd left at Sunday Dinner and capped the evening with homemade peppermint ice cream.
And, in case you weren’t there, Erin’s open mic last night was great! Erik and I went to see her perform I think the whole crowd agreed they did terrific! One women was asking about who wrote all of the songs (Erin did!) and another as asking if they had a CD for sale!! I think that speaks tons about the quality of their performance… especially knowing it was their first time performing together! Yay Erin!
Oh, and in case you’re wondering, yes I did indeed finish my taxes this weekend. :) And pay my bills. :) And watch The Swimming Pool, Anchorman, and The Notebook on DVD. :)
Earlier this week I was lucky enough to see Low perform a private concert for KEXP listeners at my favorite venue ever (the Triple Door, of course). Last night I went with Erin to her band practice and they sounded really great too! I’ve got quite a talented roomie! If you don’t believ me yet, you can hear for yourself tonight at the Cascade open mic! Everyone’s invited to perform songs, beat boxing, spoken word, or whatever strikes your fancy. Or, if performing isn’t your cup of tea, just come on out for the free food, free entertainment, and good company!
Cascade is located in South Lake Union near the Denny Triangle, just 2 blocks from REI. Directions:
From I-5 or from Aurora/99, get onto Denny
From Denny, go north on Minor two blocks
Turn right on Thomas and park immediately
Cascade is at the intersection of Thomas and Pontius
It is on the same block as the park and p-patch garden, across from a white church. :)
In less than a month, I’ll be on my 2005 mid-west road trip. :) I’ve paid for my plane ticket to MN. I paid for the conference registration. And I even booked a rental car (kind of a necessity… it’s cheaper to fly into St. Paul, get a car for a week, and drive to WI than it is to get a three way plane ticket). Mid-west here I come!
I feel myself staying up later and later, even when I’m very, thoroughly tired. And it’s not like I have anything I’m wanting to do or anything I’m busy doing… I just finished a book a few days ago so I don’t even have the reading excuse to keep me awake late at night. And to top it off, my body has been waking up an hour or TWO early lately even though I have no desire to be awake in the five or six am hour. Alas. It’s 12:31 am and I think I’ll probably head to bed since I’ve succeed in boring myself sitting alone in my dining room.
On a side note, tonight David and I went to see the new Catherine Keener and Daniel Day Lewis flick The Ballad of Jack and Rose. While I don’t like the filmmaker (Rebecca Miller also did “Personal Velocity”), I did enjoy this film a good deal. And while I’m a long time fan of Catherine Keener, I think it was the first time I’ve enjoyed Daniel Day Lewis in a movie (a pleasant surprise). Might I also add that I thought Camilla Belle was stunning! It was engaging, interesting, and left me wondering. The ending left something to be desired, but I often feel that way after a movie I enjoyed. Conversation after the movie was also enlightening.
And on another, and final, sidenote… yesterday Samantha and Steph and I watched Saved! I’ve wanted to see it for a long time and it was worth the wait! It was a super cute and super funny movie… highly recommended… and not just because I love nuns! The girl time, brownies, and ice cream was the perfect complement to the evening. Next week girl night will hit the streets as we take girls night to Neighbors! As they say in the movie, “Let’s kick it Jesus style!”
I have a really, really long list of things I want to do in life. This handy little website lets me start to put a couple of them down in writing: www.43things.com. Do you have a list too?
I’ve wanted to do a road trip through MN and WI again to see some friends and their growing families. My friends Mike & Eliz in Minnesota are having a baby in mid-to-late April. My friend Mary in Wisconsin has been saying “Come visit us!” for the last year! She had baby Owen in December and I haven’t seen the twins since they were super tiny. And I just got a wedding invite in the mail yesterday for my friend Rebecca who is getting married in Beloit, WI the last weekend of April. This wedding just happens to be three days after a recently announced social services conference in the Twin Cities that I was debating attending.
It’s all too perfect and after three quick emails, I think I’m ready to book my flight! I’ve got money in my training budget at work to buy my airfare and conference registration. Jens’ old roomie Lucas said I can stay with him in St. Paul, Eliz said I can come see them (and maybe the newborn baby), Mary said I can crash at her place in WI, and even more coincidental for dates… Mary is going to Beloit for a twin’s conference the very same day as Rebecca’s wedding! (Who knows… maybe I’ll even feel brave enough at some point to email Jens and say hi. Wouldn’t it be odd to meet his girlfriend and the baby this April 2005 when last year in April 2004 we were still involved and he made a trip out to visit me in Seattle?)
If there’s karma or a higher power, I think this is their way of making sure I get a break and see an abundance of life after my crazy intense time last week. After so many old folks and sick people in the hospital, I’m pretty sure seeing lots of babies and friends galore will snap me back into place. :)
I really enjoy volunteering all over town… environmental projects, working with homeless, youth programs, boats, drug addicts, arts empowerment… all of the above. On one on my volunteer projects at a local food bank, we were delighted to see this scary donation. I mean really, what would one need to do with Pork Brains?
I’m feeling more than a lot exhausted right now. Part of me wants to spend lots of time with healthy people my own age who are of sound minds and bodies, going to do things like eat Thai or Indian or anything that’s not a 1/2 a ham sandwich with a side of chicken soup. And the other part of me thinks when I get home next week I might be antisocial for a while… catching up on sleep, reading, eating vegetarian, gluten-free foods with spices and flavor, not doing all of the driving, cooking, cleaning, crying, etc. I’m glad I could be here this week, but I admit I’m tired and feeling more than a little worn out.
Besides sleep, peace of mind, sanity, feeling peacefulwhen we go to bed, and feeling rested when we wake up?
A: SXSW.
“South by Southwest has been called “spring break for the music industry,” but it’s really a working vacation. What started out 19 years ago as a modest gathering of musicians and the people who make a living from them has swollen into a gargantuan schmooze-fest and band showcase. In recent years, an appended movie festival and “interactive” conference have made it even bigger.
Officially known as the South by Southwest Music and Media Conference, but usually shortened to SXSW, it’s held each spring in Austin, Texas, and now attracts 10 times as many people as it did its first year.
About 1,300 acts will perform between March 16 and 20; that’s more than 50 bands at any given hour on any given night. And that doesn’t include the invitation-only parties and showcases, nor the daily seminars. Some of these have considerable star power: When Robert Plant is your keynote speaker, it’s not your normal convention.
There’s a myth about SXSW being the place to discover the Next Big Thing. A few breaking bands, most recently Los Lonely Boys, do use SXSW as a springboard to national fame. But usually it’s a chance for fledgling acts to get a little attention, established ones to take it to the next level and, in a few cases, rock stars to remind people they’re still around.”
As Erin pointed out, Jacob’s party was the subject of this week’s Party Crasher column in the Stranger. The writers must have been there after I left, because at 10pm they still had live bands and a large crowd out in the back. It’s the second one of my friend’s parties to be crashed by Stranger staff in recent months. The first one was in Capital Hill and the article highlights included mention of keg stands and underage girls. :) Yay small-world-Seattle.
Today grandpa did pretty well… minus the whole stripping buck naked, ripping out all of his needles and tubes, and dragging himself out of the hospital bed to a nearby chair. Alas. The nurses nipped that in the butt pretty quickly. :)
In other news, his old friend John Z stopped by the ICU today and was telling stories from Grandpa’s younger days. Stories involving road racing at 120 mph and stories involving hanging cats in trees and stories involving strip clubs!!! Shocking, I know! Believe it or not, this apparently is my same Grandpa… the one who requires suit jackets during family meals and has always been a yes sir, no sir rather formal, must have cloth napkins kind of guy. Quite enlightening. I’ll have to have John come around to visit more often! This is a very new side of Grandpa I’ve never seen or heard of in all my life!
If I haven’t returned your calls or emails this week, it doesn’t mean I didn’t get them, or that they’re going to junk mail, or that I don’t love you, or that I don’t sincerly and deeply appreciate your kind, supportive words. I’ve just been busy and tired and time alone for email and phone calls is limited. Promise.
Today Grandpa was doing much better than yesterday! Yesterday he was agitated, had an irregular heartbeat, was heavily sedated, was on a ventilator to facilitate his breathing, was not coherent, was not given food, sleeping all day, etc.
Today he was much calmer, and was able to come off the ventilator entirely. He was breathing on his own from around 10am onward. He was also off the sedatives, and the kidney doctor gave him a day off dialysis. The doctor did say grandpa would probably be on dialysis for the long term future, probably about 3xs a week in outpatient treatment. Grandpa’s still acting out… he pulled out his catheter again today (when Marge and I were away at lunch), and he got a bit of blood everywhere. (He wrote me a note saying he got in trouble for that one). Guess he didn’t get in too much trouble, as by 5pm they took out the trache and put in the passy muir, a smaller tube so he could actually talk. It was great to hear his voice! He didn’t remember anything from the morning… didn’t know he’d been x-rayed, didn’t remember that Marge and I were there all morning, didn’t remember that I’d hung photos of the family in the room and read him the cards, etc. By tonight he was more coherent, and by dinner around 7pm, he was eating his first foods in a couple of days. He had about 4 bites then gave up… wasn’t impressed by he “terrible hospital food!” I don’t blame him… the gray mushy roast beef puree smelled
and looked pretty awful to me.
I told him of my plan to sneak him some French Silk Pie tomorrow for breakfast and he just laughed. I don’t think he believed me at first, but imagine his surprise when I cleared my plan and got permission from Nurse Emma. It’s already in tupperware and waiting for breakfast. If you’ve ever wondered, I’m pretty sure my Grandpa is responsible for my two strongest additions: chocolate and ice cream. :) Least I can do is bring him some pie… it’s soft and mushy and fits the requirements of easy to swallow foods.
Hope y’all are doing well. I’m tired but otherwise doing okay… Take care!
CAT scan came back negative/clear. He was sedated, off the drugs, and then sedated again. He was also off the respirator, and is now back on again (too agitated, irregular heart rate, and irregular breathing). He is still doing daily dialysis for the kidney failure. Next up is a VQ scan (of the lungs). They’re looking for blood clots or anything else that could have potentially caused Grandpa’s problems.
On the upside, he was coherent for a little while today between the bouts of sedation. I gave him updates about all of the calls we’ve gotten of people concerned about him (lots of family and lots of friends). He opened his eyes, stroked my hand, mouthed questions when he didn’t hear something I said, and laughed about Marge’s hair. :)
This is what I did for part of the day on Saturday. :) More wedding photos to come, most likely when I get back to Seattle.
This is what else I did for part of Saturday. More updates later on Save the Taxi. At the present time, I think we helped Jacob raise over $1200 through the BBQ, the website, the garage sale, the bake sale, the live bands, and the kissing booth. :)
So Grandpa is apparently getting a bit agitated at the hospital staff… which doesn’t seem too bizarre to me. They poke, prod, suck blood, and connect him to machines without explanation, and he can’t comment or ask questions because he had the tracheotomy and can’t speak with the hole/tube in his throat. He’s a stubborn man any day of the week. You can’t stick him in a hospital and not expect him to swat away the nurses’ hands like he was doing today. Tonight they sedated him (heavily, apparently) and they’ve scheduled a CAT scan too. Things don’t seem to be improving.
Since I wouldn’t be able to see him during his sedation/scan, I took his partner/lady friend Marge out to dinner. We were dressed and out the door pretty quick, but it took a 20 minute search to find car keys, and another 10 minute search to find out how to close the garage door from inside the car (many thanks for the friendly neighbor for the garage door help). We got home and returned some phone calls (her son Hod then my aunt Kandy). We ate some pie from the Village Inn (french silk) and now I’m ready for bed. Hope everyone is well.
“For temporary dialysis in the hospital, a patient will have a catheter implanted into a large vein in the neck. Once the access is made and healed, two needles are inserted in the fistula or graft, one on the artery side and one on the vein side.
Blood drains into the dialysis machine to be cleaned. The machine has two parts, one side for blood and one for a fluid called dialysate. A thin, semipermeable membrane separates the two parts. As dialysate passes on one side of the membrane, and blood on the other, particles of waste from the blood pass through microscopic holes in the membrane and are washed away in the dialysate. Blood cells are too large to go through the membrane and are returned to the body.
Dialysis can be used temporarily until the kidneys resume function or the patient receives a transplant, or for years if those options are not available.”
I booked my flight last night and I’m leaving this morning for Phoenix to be with Grandpa. I plan to be back next Monday night, March 21st. Hope everyone is well…
I realized I hadn’t posted in a few days and thought I should this morning so I sat down to write that last post. When I started writing it, I was genuinely unsure what my topic would be. But once I got going, it quickly became clear to me that family was on my mind. Crazy how if you just write, something will always flow. You don’t always know what, but you know that it will happen. Like in middle school when we had to do journals or timed writings… topic was irrelevant, but putting the pen to the paper was the important part of opening the doorway to the mind. Funny how we just need an outlet sometimes. I’m surrounded by people every day at work, by people in the evenings for dinners and such, by people at big parties like last night, but even with all of that you can still feel so alone and just need a place to let it all out. I could’ve done it on scratch paper and it’d have the same effect, but computer is easier for me (habit forming as it is), so now y’all are subjected to my thoughts and family medical updates. I hope you and your own families are doing well. Take care…
Not sure which direction to go with today’s post….
Do I talk about this week’s photo meetup and the upcoming photography exhibit I’m helping organize?
Do I talk about work and the recent successes that have made me very proud but very busy?
Do I talk about life and meeting new people and my wedding yesterday and the Save the Taxi fun?
This post might just end up with me rambling some and posting on some other stuff later… I guess the stuff on the forefront of my mind for this week and the past month has been family. It’s not the stuff that keeps me busy, and it’s not the stuff that keeps me going 90 mph, and it’s not that stuff that requires lots of time to keep in check. However, it is the stuff that makes me break down in tears when I finally do have a quiet minute to stop, rest, and breathe. While I’m spread out from my family half way across the country, and while our political ideologies aren’t always in alignment, I love my family dearly. While I dream of quitting my job and taking an around the world trip, I feel like I should spend some time on sabbatical and connect with/support my family.
Last month my grandfather in North Carolina was diagnosed with a terminal illness and given a few months to live. He’s receiving hospice care to help ensure his last few months are peaceful and comfortable. (My grandmother, his wife, died from cancer when I was in college). On Friday my other remaining grandparent was hospitalized and as of today it’s not looking much better for him. He’s had a distinguished career, a successful business, a growing family, and in retirement continues to remain civically engaged, surrounded by friends, and active in travel. In recent years he’s gotten on line and reads this blog from his home in Arizona. (My other grandmother, his wife, died when I was in elementary school). Sadly, my grandpa has had lots of illness in the last 10 years, to the point in 1996 he sold his home, had an estate sale, and gave away much of the family belongings. He stabilized since then, but is definitely showing his age (he’s almost 90 and he’s still sharp as a tack).
On Thursday he had a reaction to one of his medications and they performed an emergency tracheotomy on him (a surgical incision of the trachea through the neck to make an artificial opening for breathing). He can’t speak with the tube in his throat, his partner Marge is overwhelmed by the whole thing, and my uncle who flew to AZ has to leave tomorrow morning. This stress of the reaction and surgery on grandpa’s body has caused other problems and now he can’t breathe without the machine and they’re doing work to ensure the kidneys are functioning (now also with the support of a machine). Apparently the kidneys weren’t eliminating waste and there was an accumulation of fluids, so they’ve put a catheter in the jugular vein and he’s now on a kidney dialysis machine (this will last “indefinitely,” according to the doctors, though he can eventually do outpatient dialysis).
I’ve been planning a trip to North Carolina to visit my mom’s dad, but now think I might take a visit to Arizona to visit Dad’s dad too. I know my parents (in Texas) want to visit both of my grandpas, but they’re in the middle of an estate sale and need to finish a huge move. My brother (in Austin) had surgery of his own last week and he’s not able to use one of his arms (it’s immobilized after the surgery and will need a few months of physical therapy to ensure a proper recovery).
Anyway… took a break to call family as crying alone in front of the computer has been less than satisfying for me this morning. I spoke with my grandpa in NC and he’s doing okay (“barely doing,” Grandpa said, “which is better than not doing at all.”) He’s alone most of the day, every day, and he really misses my grandma. His eyesight is now legally blind from the immacular degeneration, but he can still see a few feet in front of him and passes much of his time watching TV. I also called my Aunt Bobbie (wanted to wish her a happy 31st anniversary and congratulate her on being a grandmother), but got her voice mail and left her a message. I then spoke with the hospital in Arizona, but they don’t accept flowers in the ICU and grandpa can’t speak with the tube in his throat. Happily, I got to speak with my uncle who was near the nurses’ station, and we both thought I should check on plane tickets. Most of the family is unavailable to make a last minute trip, but I think I might be able to do it. Work’s been busy for so long with the conference in Washington DC, with the annual assembly, with our first community event in 4 years, and with all of the mid-year grant reporting and evaluation. I’m now done with that string of deadline and it feels like I might finally be able to take off for a few days to be with family. So, I’m off to search expedia. Y’all take care and do send your prayers or warm wishes to my family.
There are so many birthdays of fantastic people to mention, all within a week of each other! Happy Birthday to:
My friend Nitza
My buddy Moses
My cousin Meghan
My cousin Mike in NC
My cousin Jon in Iowa
My friend Alyssa in Austin
My friend Samer in Montreal
and my friend Dieter in NYC!
I miss all of my friends and family, but if I’m missing your b-day too, do let me know! In the mean time, additional congrats and best wishes go out to my Aunt Bobbie and Uncle Dave… congrats on your 31st annivesary!
Update from Ted, a visitor to the site who felt it’s very important that we clarify a few things:
“I was reading on your blog about the “clothing optional” wedding you went to in January. You said that it happened at the Longhouse, a nudist retreat center in Redmond.
The Longhouse isn’t a nudist retreat. It is a “sex positive” retreat center. It hosts many “sex positive” events which includes pansexual events, and light BDSM events among other things. It also hosts Pagan events.
It is clothing-optional in many areas (if not all areas) of the center, but just because it is clothing-optional, it doesn’t make it a nudist center. Nudists emphasize that their nude lifestyle doesn’t have anything to do with sexual behavior. It is very imporatant to distinquish between places like the Longhouse and true nudist facilities.”
I got the sweetest call from a friend yesterday… what a fantastic gift on a lazy Sunday afternoon! Among other things and just checking in, they wanted to know why I wasn’t writing on my blog anymore. It seems they’re right… I haven’t really posted much in the past week that wasn’t a picture or an announcement. So, while I don’t have anything profound to babble about right now, that’s never stopped me before. :) Here’s my weekly recap from last week:
I did brunch with Rod and Clare, Thai with ErinD, Indian with Renee and her husband, pizza with ErinB and Dot, dinner and coffee with Nitza, a party in Greenlake, and Sunday dinner in Queen Anne. A sweet friend gave me an unexpected thank you gift (the Terminal DVD), which I promptly watched the same night. Later in the week I watched an indie movie called Elephant. I worked out six times, including loops around Greenlake once with Caroline and once with Deanna. I silently rooted for Samantha’s blind date, for Caroline’s weekend, and for my brother who went into surgery on Friday. I went to one open house and to one house warming. I went on an Indian food cooking kick… I made mass quantities of yummy raita, cooked some spicy kaju paneer curry, and tried my hand at chile aloo. I did some beading and am content with my first few bracelets and (frankly) impressed with my first earrings. I got a $180 cell phone bill (I somehow went over my minutes for the first time in NINE YEARS of having a cell phone!). I got a long overdue haircut. I worked many late nights and went in again on Saturday to finish up some midyear reporting. I stayed in bed late each morning giggling at John and Cheryl on the radio. I donated more money to KEXP. I thought a lot about racism and white privilege. And I thinned out my closet a little bit so I could donate clothes I don’t wear anymore. That was my week in a nutshell, more of less. How was your week? Do anything fun?
It was too freezing cold and rainy for me to want to go inside during this trip to DC, I’ve seen it enough times. I was content to snap pictures from across the reflection pond.
Noam Chomsky
Illegal but Legitimate: A Dubious Doctrine for the Times
Meany Theatre at 7 pm. Admission is Free and free ticket is required (contact the University Bookstore).
Noam Chomsky was born on December 7, 1928 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His undergraduate and graduate years were spent at the University of Pennsylvania where he received his PhD in linguistics in 1955. During the years 1951 to 1955, Chomsky was a Junior Fellow of the Harvard University Society of Fellows. While a Junior Fellow he completed his doctoral dissertation entitled, “Transformational Analysis.” The major theoretical viewpoints of the dissertation appeared in the monograph Syntactic Structure, which was published in 1957. This formed part of a more extensive work, The Logical Structure of Linguistic Theory, circulated in mimeograph in 1955 and published in 1975.
Chomsky joined the staff of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1955 and in 1961 was appointed full professor in the Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics (now the Department of Linguistics and Philosophy.) From 1966 to 1976 he held the Ferrari P. Ward Professorship of Modern Languages and Linguistics. In 1976 he was appointed Institute Professor.
During the years 1958 to 1959 Chomsky was in residence at the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton, NJ. In the spring of 1969 he delivered the John Locke Lectures at Oxford; in January 1970 he delivered the Bertrand Russell Memorial Lecture at Cambridge University; in 1972, the Nehru Memorial Lecture in New Delhi, and in 1977, the Huizinga Lecture in Leiden, among many others.
Professor Chomsky has received honorary degrees from University of London, University of Chicago, Loyola University of Chicago, Swarthmore College, Delhi University, Bard College, University of Massachusetts, University of Pennsylvania, Georgetown University, Amherst College, Cambridge University, University of Buenos Aires, McGill University, Universitat Rovira I Virgili, Tarragona, Columbia University, University of Connecticut, Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, University of Western Ontario, University of Toronto, Harvard University, University of Calcutta, and Universidad Nacional De Colombia. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Science. In addition, he is a member of other professional and learned societies in the United States and abroad, and is a recipient of the Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award of the American Psychological Association, the Kyoto Prize in Basic Sciences, the Helmholtz Medal, the Dorothy Eldridge Peacemaker Award, the Ben Franklin Medal in Computer and Cognitive Science, and others.
Chomsky has written and lectured widely on linguistics, philosophy, intellectual history, contemporary issues, international affairs and U.S. foreign policy. His works include: Aspects of the Theory of Syntax; Cartesian Linguistics; Sound Pattern of English (with Morris Halle); Language and Mind; American Power and the New Mandarins; At War with Asia; For Reasons of State; Peace in the Middle East?; Reflections on Language; The Political Economy of Human Rights, Vol. I and II (with E.S. Herman); Rules and Representations; Lectures on Government and Binding; Towards a New Cold War; Radical Priorities; Fateful Triangle; Knowledge of Language; Turning the Tide; Pirates and Emperors; On Power and Ideology; Language and Problems of Knowledge; The Culture of Terrorism; Manufacturing Consent (with E.S. Herman); Necessary Illusions; Deterring Democracy; Year 501; Rethinking Camelot: JFK, the Vietnam War and US Political Culture; Letters from Lexington; World Orders, Old and New; The Minimalist Program; Powers and Prospects; The Common Good; Profit Over People; The New Military Humanism; New Horizons in the Study of Language and Mind; Rogue States; A New Generation Draws the Line; 9-11; and Understanding Power.
How fun am I? In the last two weeks, I racked up over 45 hours of comp time. Sad but true. And I’m tired. Beyond tired. Sometimes at work I feel like I get the same amount of respect as the wicked witch of the west. And I’m moving to beyond being tired of my job. And then, it’s the little things that can give me just a bit more energy to go on. Yesterday a coworker gave me a gift (a DVD I’d mention wanting to see), and the week before a coworker gave me a long talk about their respect and appreciation for all I do on their behalf. And it’s those little things that make me think maybe I can stick around for the rest of the year to finish out the program, or maybe even stick around for the next year as they’ve invited me to renew my contract. We’ll see. Right now I think I just need some time off or some rest and relaxation before I make any snap decisions.
Four years ago today I started my morning like I still start most of my mornings. I sat at the computer and checked my email like I generally do each day before work. That morning I was impressed that my roomie was not only up early, but was also playing with the cats and giving them much needed attention. At least, I assumed that’s what all the noise was at that hour of the morning. (When you have a basement room and above you there are hard wood floors, it can be kind of loud, ya know?) Of course, when the noise and rumbling continued, and when the lamp fell, and the bookshelf crashed to the ground, and the bucket of water outside near the plants started sloshing around, I quickly put 2 and 2 together. It wasn’t Ross upstairs playing with the kitties making noise in the morning… it was the Nisqually earthquake. The rumbles eventually stopped, I was a little shaken, and I ran to the stairs to check the rest of the house. That’s when I saw my roomie in his undies bracing himself in the doorframe for safety. Quite memorable. He rushed to work to check on his office, leaving me home on my own to fret about aftershocks. Let’s recap my first month in Seattle, shall we? We had a freak snowstorm (with enough snow to weight down a tree branch until it broke and fell into my windshield). We had a riot at a Mardi Gras celebration that ended with cars being overturned, fires in the streets, and a couple of people dead. And we had an 6.7 magnitude earthquake with $4 billion in damage.
I was new in town, just barely learning about Seattle’s mountains and lakes, and I had no clue at the time that Washington state had the second-highest risk of earthquake in the United States. It was quite a fun “Welcome to Seattle” series of events for my first month in town! I figured with excitement like that, I’d have to stick around here just to see what else the city had up its sleeve.
Best I know, Seattle’s only got one FREE taxi service in town… with the baby blue paint, plush purple interior, and original genuine Checker cab frame (from the Checker Motors Company founded in 1922). My buddy Jacob is the founder, and his cab needs some love. Come to the fundraiser on March 12 (with BBQ, live music from local bands, and other excitement yet to be announced). Or, just make a donation online for this worthy good cause. Find out more at http://freeridecabs.com.
Samantha and I hit the thrift stores yesterday in search of the perfect bridal gowns and accessories. We picked out some pretty entertaining bridal finds at Value Village and Goodwill, and our final stop of the day was at Red Light where Sam and I bemoaned the hoards of cute hipster boys that roam Capital Hill. Neither of us has dated hipsters, but that doesn’t mean we can’t drool over them. Well, who’d have guessed we’d both end up in an “I Saw You” ad a few hours later? I’m the brown hair pink shirt girl mentioned, but Samantha is the target of the ad (not unusual as she’s quite a cutie). Alas… I seem to always the bridesmaid and never the bride. :)
“red head at the Red Light – m4w
i really hope you read these things. you were with another girl — brown hair, pink sweatshirt. you had a cute striped scarf around your neck. we made eye contact a few times and smiled. i should have introduced myself….”
Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak has asked parliament to change the constitution to allow multiple candidates in presidential polls. You read that right… Egyptians actually get to pick from multiple candidates now. Read about it on the BBC: Egypt announces democratic reform
Hosni Mubarak is Egypt’s longest-serving ruler since Muhammad Ali in the early 19th Century and one of the longest-serving leaders in the Arab world (20+ years). And this week he announced, for the first time, that they’d open up elections to more than one candidate. For a country that controls rent in the housing market, has no freedom of speech or assembly, is run under a military state, has an economy that relies on baksheesh (bribes/tips) to get anything done, requires mandatory military service for men, and has government run media, this is monumental and impressive and long overdue! Viva Egipto!
Happy birthday to my brother Charlie who turns 30 today (the card’s in the mail)! And happy belated birthday to Steph, whose birthday was yesterday. I had made cupcakes to surprise her on Wed, but she bailed last minute on Girls Craft Night and missed out on her birthday treats. Alas… happy birthday anyway!
Is 64°F a record high for us in February? The cherry trees are in bloom way early, some daffodils are already blooming too, and that all means the tulips can’t be far behind. It really doesn’t feel like winter to me when I get to wear short sleeves and sandals in February! Doesn’t it make you want to visit the beautiful Northwest? Uh huh, you know you want to visit. As always, my couch is open if you’re interested…
Phillustrations Photography at Black Box Gallery (1 night only!)
Friday, February 25th – 7-10 PM
Parking is available on Aurora, in front of the gallery. Or you can also park on 49th.
The artist will be in attendance.
The artist will pose for pictures and sign autographs.
The artist will pour you a glass of wine. (If you get there before it runs out)
It’s official: One of my oldest and best friends has proposed to his girl friend and she accepted! I’m feeling a bit protective (less than enthusiastic?) as Charles hasn’t known her for long (about 90 days), but he says they both knew almost instantly. I have lots of arguments for waiting longer, but can’t easily argue against the whole “love at first sight” idea. While I can’t personally confirm it’s existance, I am told it happens.
So, Charles my dear, you deserve the best. I wish you all the happiness in the world.
Congrats to my cousin Prentice and her husband Mark! They’re the proud parents of a brand new baby boy! Look for a photo to come sometime soon (hopefully!). :)
Just wanted to send wishes for a few February birthdays before I forget! Andy’s is today on the 22nd, Kat is on the 26th, and my brother will hit the big three-oh on the 25th! Yay!! And on that note… I’m home from DC, exhasuted, and ready for bed. G’night.
I’m on day three of the conference in Washington DC and I’m surviving better than I’d thought. :) I’ve lead two training workshops and am additionally the facilitator for the whole conference. I wasn’t exited (at all!) about speaking in front of a crowd of 200 people all day long, but am actually pretty content now. I’m not saying I’m a great public speaker (I’d never claim that), but I know it’s my fate for the weekend so no sense stressing out. Might as well enjoy it. It’s been busy so far, but hopefully we’ll find a little time where we can go see the sights and experience the city. Hope y’all are well!
Helen Prejean, SJ Founder, Moratorium Campaign & Author
Dead Man Walking – The Journey Continues
Kane Hall, room 130. Admission is Free and free ticket is required (contact the University Bookstore).
Sr. Helen Prejean has served on the board of the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty from 1985–1995, and has served as Chairperson of the Board from 1993–1995. She is also a member of Amnesty International and an honorary member of Murder Victim Families for Reconciliation. She presently is the Honorary Chairperson of Moratorium Campaign, a group gathering signatures for a world-wide moratorium on the death penalty. On December 18, 2000 S. Helen, Paul Hoffman, board member of Amnesty International and Mario Marizziti, representative of The St. Egidio Community in Rome, Italy presented Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the U.N. with 2.5 million signatures from people all over the world who are calling for a moratorium on the death penalty.
Sister Helen was born on April 21, 1939, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She joined the Sisters of St. Joseph of Medaille in 1957 and received a B.A. in English and Education from St. Mary’s Dominican College, New Orleans in 1962. In 1973, she earned an M.A. in Religious Education from St. Paul’s University in Ottawa, Canada. She has been the Religious Education Director at St. Frances Cabrini Parish in New Orleans, the Formation Director for her religious community, and has taught junior and senior high school students.
She began her prison ministry in 1981 when she dedicated her life to the poor of New Orleans. While living in the St. Thomas housing project, she became pen pals with Patrick Sonnier, the convicted killer of two teenagers, sentenced to die in the electric chair of Louisiana’s Angola State Prison.
Upon Sonnier’s request, Sister Helen repeatedly visited him as his spiritual advisor. In doing so, her eyes were opened to the Louisiana execution process. Sister Helen turned her experiences into a book that not only made the 1994 American Library Associates Notable Book List, it was also nominated for a 1993 Pulitzer Prize. Dead Man Walking: An Eyewitness Account of the Death Penalty in the United States was number one on the New York Times Best Seller List for 31 weeks. It also made the International Best Seller List and has been translated into ten different languages.
This weekend was spent connecting with friends at Laura and Ajit’s third wedding extravaganza. Many of you probably don’t know the folks and therefore don’t care about the long, long list of people that showed up from the four corners of the country. I’ll spare y’all those details. And you probably don’t care about how many folks were married or engaged or living with their partner since the last time I saw them so we won’t mention them all by name. You might not care about just how many folks were there from HS, college, work, or Houston. And you might not care about just how beautiful my friends are.
I will say, however, that it felt pretty amazing to be surrounded by such a great group of people. It felt fantastic to joke around so much and laugh, laugh, laugh. It felt fantastic to reminisce about the good old time and laugh at the crazy days of our past. It felt fantastic to dance like a banshee and keep dancing till I was dizzy. Oh, and the hugs. I got sooo many amazing hugs, and squeezes, and kisses, all from friends who felt so comfortable. They felt like home. There were times over the weekend that I couldn’t believe my friends were that fun, that beautiful, that amazing. And then more would call or walk into the room and I’d have to tuck away my sappy thoughts for later and just enjoy the moment being surrounded by close friends.
..::..
When I got into my shuttle yesterday morning to take me home from the airport to my apartment, the driver asked where I had visited. I told him sunny and warm Texas. I was referring to the weather but he responded with “Welcome back to introverted Seattle.” So true, so true indeed.
Last year I was lucky and got to spend the VD weekend with a boy I adored. This year I was, quite literally, flying solo on Valentine’s Day. Yes, I’m single this year. And yes, I was in Austin this weekend and flew home by myself on the country’s most manufactured love fest. However, no complaints for me. I consider it really good luck that I was able to spend the weekend with family and friends I adored. I also considered it really good luck that I was upgraded to first class tickets for both flights home!
Oh, and a giant thank you to the fantastic friend (who will remain anonymous) who left me the most entertaining voice mail last night: “Just calling to wish you a happy Valentine’s Day and remind you that boys suck and we don’t need them!!” Hope everyone had a lovely day, whether or not you celebrated with pink balloons and red flowers and expensive meals. Take care!
This morning I left for Houston and the reunion has started! Lunch had Gary from LA, John and Cricket from Houston, Suzan and Jeremy from NYC, and little old me from Seattle. Beal and CJ have now joined the party to represent Austin, and we haven’t even gotten to the big event yet! The wedding itself is at the Crockrell Butterfly Center and it promises to be amazing!! Hope everyone is well!
Happy Birthday to Caroline! (And John, and Kathleen, and Aleksandra!) Tonight was a birthday dinner for Caroline and it was like playing in a living puzzle… the project was putting faces with names and names with the stories I’ve been hearing for so long! Quite fun!
I don’t make it back to Texas very often, despite the fact I lived there almost 20 years and still consider Austin my home. I lived in Houston for two years in the late 90s and I’m heading back there this weekend for a wedding… the second time going to Texas in six months. I had a fantastic circle of friends in Houston, many of who moved away at some point in the past few years. Happily, many will be returning to town for the wedding and I’m excited about the opportunity to see a lot of my favorite people in the same place for the two short days I’ll be in town. Matt’s coming in from Boston, Suzan will be there from NYC, Beal will drive down from Austin, I fly out of Seattle on Friday, and John’s graciously hosting the slumber party to end all slumber parties. :) Should be great fun to see everyone… and it will be wonderful to see Crow & Ajit tie the knot! Hope everyone is well!
This weekend I sent three care packages in the mail.
Yesterday Erin and I hung three walls with three sets of photos (Guatemala, India, and Egypt).
Last night I went to three birthday parties.
Yesterday I worked out (we did three miles). Today I worked out again (ie. three days in a row).
Today I did three things that I rarely ever do:
1. Went clothes shopping and found stuff that fits and/or looks nice (bought three things).
2. Saw a movie in a theatre (Million Dollar Baby… cried at least three times).
3. Watched football (about three minutes worth).
Today I received three evites for next weekend (including one “Scary February” party, one birthday, and one “My So Called Love-Life” party).
Tonight there were three of us girls, who’d all dated Dieter at one point, in Dieter’s apartment.
As of tonight, I’ve delivered all of my sold photos except for three.
It’s now three minutes till midnight. G’night y’all!
Caroline and I got up at 8:30am to run around Greenlake today in the 37 degree weather! Yay! And yesterday I got up at 7am to try kickboxing. Double yay for trying new things and for working out two days in a row! :)
Town Hall , Seattle located at Eight and Seneca at 7pm. Admission is free and no tickets are required.
bell hooks (nee Gloria Watkins) is Distinguished Professor of English at City College in New York. Born in Hopkinsville, Kentucky in 1952, hooks, received her B.A. from Stanford University in 1973, her M.A. in 1976 from the University of Wisconsin and her Ph.D. in 1983 from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Although hooks is mainly known as a feminist thinker, her writings cover a broad range of topics on gender, race, teaching and the significance of media for contemporary culture. She strongly believes that these topics cannot be dealt with as separately, but must be understood as being interconnectedness. As an example, she refers to the idea of a “White Supremacist Capitalist Patriarchy” and its interconnectedness, rather than to its more traditionally separated and component parts.
Celebrated as one of our nation’s leading public intellectuals by the Atlantic Monthly, as well as one of Utne Reader’s 100 Visionaries Who Could Change Your Life, she is a a charismatic speaker who is considered as one of the leading public intellectuals of her generation.
I guess I was supposed to post something like this a month ago, but a month ago I was still soaking up the sun in Egypt. So, here’s my belated 2004 retrospective in Q&A format that’s been floating around. How was your year?
What did you do in 2004 that you’d never done before?
Show my photos in a gallery.
Go to Guatemala and Egypt.
Sell photos.
Earn Elite status on my favorite airline!
Did anyone close to you die?
For one of the first years in memory… no. Happily, thankfully, no one close to me died. (Other than my super sweet family pet Max, RIP).
What would you like to have in 2005 that you lacked in 2004?
More work-life balance and more sanity. (I’m working on both)
What date from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
abstain
What was your biggest achievement of the year?
More exercise (for a while)
Better work life balance (for a while)
More international travel (Guatemala, Egypt, India, Quebec)
Showing photos in galleries
What was your biggest failure?
Losing my sanity.
Pushing away a close friend.
What was the best thing you bought in 2004?
Sun lamp
Plane tickets
Where did most of your money go?
Same place it always does – travel
Compared to this time last year, are you:
Older or wiser? I feel older, but I know I’m wiser.
Thinner or fatter? Not thinner, but doing okay.
Richer or poorer? I got a raise, but I put it directly towards my IRA so I’m basically the same.
What do you wish you’d done more of?
Read more books
Take more photos
Exercise consistently
What do you wish you’d done less of?
Work
Stressing out (I did well with not stressing out too much over work. But in an unfortunate and unplanned twist, I seemed to stress out more at home)
What was your favorite TV program?
I don’t watch much TV, but admit that I got sucked into Law & Order (thanks to my lovely roomie Erin). I also found 6 Feet Under at the library and loved Season One!
Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I don’t hate anyone, anywhere. (Though there were some angry/hurt feeling earlier)
What was your greatest musical discovery?
The Killers are rock stars!
Top 3 Music releases in 2004 in your opinion?
1. The Killers (Hot Fuss)
2. Bob Schneider (I’m Good Now)
3. Modest Mouse (Good News For People Who Love Bad News)
What was your favorite film of this year?
Didn’t see many… maybe Supersize Me or the Brazilian flick City of Gods.
What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Sanity and/or direction about what I want to do next in life.
Boyfriends who live in my same town. (Don’t get me wrong… they were both great, but would have been even better if they were closer).
How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004?
I don’t have a fashion concept, but my wardrobe and look is generally too casual. I’m not a slob: I shower daily, I don’t own sweats, and I wear clean coordinated clothes. However, I really should care more about looks than I tend to.
What kept you sane?
Not much… sanity was at an all time low. (Though my sun lamp was good for the few weeks I used it before Egypt)
Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I don’t follow many public figures… though Bob Schneider always make me smile, and John Kerry gave me great hope for part of the year.
What political issue stirred you the most?
Most of them…. War. Women’s health. Gay marriage. Cuts to social services. Environment. Education. Health care. Nutrition. Governor vote-recount-revote. Etc. Etc. Etc.
Who did you miss?
I regularly miss Beal and Dieter, and TX friends and family. Right now I miss Samer.
Tell of a valuable life lesson learned in 2004:
Life is a balancing act. No matter how low you might feel, in time things will always work themselves out.
The girl rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, stepped off the plane, and bravely headed for the passenger pick up area. If she felt a tiny bit tentative, outside observers wouldn’t have been able to notice. She knew little more than the friend of a friend’s drove a red car and sported a leather jacket. She was thankful he had offered her a ride and a spare bedroom, and she wasn’t above accepting kindness from strangers. When she arrived at the house there a small party was going on downstairs. If she felt a tiny bit tired and overwhelmed, she tried not to show it. Perhaps they both needed air, or perhaps the connection was immediate, but they left the house again within minutes. He drove her to an overlook she later learned was called Kerry Park. It was smaller than any park she’d seen growing up in Texas, but the night view of the city skyline and the Puget Sound was awe inspiring in her tired eyes. And at that quiet moment on top of the city, she knew she was embarking on a grand new adventure that was to be filled with amazingly generous people and fantastic opportunities she hadn’t yet dreamed of.
I just realized with delight that it was four years ago yesterday when I stepped off that plane and first set foot in Seattle. The gallery timing wasn’t intentional, but looking back I couldn’t imagine a better anniversary than being surrounded by friends at my show last night. Thanks for all of the memories and the celebration.
My gallery show was tonight and I declare the night a success! I stayed up late framing and setting up earlier this week, so tonight all I had to do was show up and be social. I didn’t have time to do any public advertising, and instead just invited friends and coworkers. Happily, they showed up and were really supportive! What could be a better Friday night than seeing friends, eating food, and talking about travel and photos? I was content! I also got the added ego boost of actually selling a bunch of photos! I can honestly say I didn’t expect to sell anything and was just excited about the process and idea of showing to a public audience. Imagine my surprise when Dot showed up first and instantly threw down money! Then Ray and Rebecca showed up and bought another picture! And then Nancy showed up and bought two! And then more and more folks showed up, and rotated through, and bought stuff too!
This proves two things:
1) I really should’ve priced them a bit higher.
2) I’m a very lucky girl to have such supportive friends!
The real credit goes to Matt for the opportunity, Loriana for helping hang, Caroline & Dieter for photo pickup, Phil for serving, and Sam for bread. And the Roomie of the Year award goes to Erin! My amazingly supportive roomie not only helped with photo selection, she even brought wine and flowers and friends! I’m so lucky to have her!
Currently reading: Bowling Alone (Robert D. Putnam)
Currently listening: Spoon (Kill the Moonlight) and The Killers (Hot Fuss)
Currently renting: Six Feet Under – Season Two
Currently feeling: Sniffly and exhausted
Just read: Another Roadside Attraction (Tom Robbins), Holidays on Ice (David Sedaris), and Divine Secrets of the YaYa Sisterhood (Rebecca Wells)
Just watched: Napoleon Dynamite
My grandfather in North Carolina is a funny man and when we were growing up he always knew how to make us laugh. Whether he was doing a cannonball into the pool, telling dirty old man jokes, or giving bad driving directions (“just reverse till you hear glass!”), he kept the atmosphere light around the house. He served his country in the war (he and some buddies from high school voluntarily enlisted in the Air Force the day after Pearl Harbor) and served his community as a high school teacher and then Red Cross volunteer for 20+ years after he left the military. His home is the gathering place for the whole family, and he’s very generous with his house. He is the kind of guy you want to sit around BSing with any day of the year. Last week he went into the hospital and today he was diagnosed with a terminal disease. His doctors are giving him less than six months to live and he’s already been approved and accepted for hospice care (it started today when he came home from the hospital). I suspect I’ll be making a trip out to visit sometime soon and I know he’ll be in my thoughts often. If you have a moment, think some kind thoughts and send them his way. Thanks…
I know I’ve been slow posting this month and you have my apology for slacking off. Life has been a little hard this week, but I’m a trooper and am surviving. The updates you might be curious about… Samer and I pretty much broke up last weekend (ended our long distance thing) and that’s sad because while the distance is awful, he is fabulous. In other lame news, I had to fire one of my employees on Thursday (not something I ever enjoy doing). In addition to the straight up pain factor, there’s always the worries… are they going to fight it, will they take me to court and bankrupt the agency, will they hurt someone, will they hurt them self? How will the rest of the team respond when I tell them? How long will it take to hire and train someone new? Such fun. To cap the week, despite copious amounts of anti-bac and hand washing and intentionally normal eating and sleeping, I still couldn’t avoid catching the sickness that is going around. One third of my staff has been out sick, my roomie’s been sick, and I’m now feeling sick too.
On the brighter side… I’ve been able to catch up with a lot of friends this week! Italian with Rod, Moroccan with Will, Mexican with Dieter, Thai with Jacob, Indian with Erin D for her birthday (happy birthday Erin!), and a movie with Caroline. Tonight and tomorrow are two more dinners and two parties. Yay life balance!
A week ago we had snow and I was cranking up the heat and wearing scarves, coat, gloves, and hat. This week we had flooding. Today it’s unseasonable warm (62 degrees!) and unusually sunny. I’ve got my windows open and am happily wearing short sleeves. What a bizarre January. I love breaks in the weather like this… makes the whole winter more bearable!
On an unrelated note, last night we did dinner at Marrakesh in Belltown. The Moroccan food was good and I was thoroughly entertained by sitting on cushions on the floor and by eating with my hands (it’s quite messy!). No belly dancers on Tuesdays, but still a fun place worth checking out.
As usual, when there’s too much going on in life, I tend to leave the blog blank. Know that I’m well, just busy processing, coping, thinking, and analyzing… on just about all of the standards… life, job, grad school, boys, potential move, etc. I recognize I was debating these exact same things at this time last year too, and the year before, and a few years before when I quit my tech job in Jan and moved to Seattle for the nonprofit scene. Perhaps the annual January analysis means I should just ignore it and know that it’s my annual time to overanalyze? Or maybe that means if the questions haven’t been answered in over a year since last Jan and the topics can still dominate my thoughts, then maybe it’s time to finally do something about it? But then again, why should I expect questions can be answered? Do we ever really have the answers to life’s questions? Maybe other people have the answers? While I feel very fortunate for most opportunities I’ve been given in life, I’m pretty sure I’ve never been given the answers… But that’s just me. I’ve had a good long tiring weekend in Canada, and today had a long day of work and a long night of talking. I’m now tired and ready for bed. G’night y’all…
My week meant moving to a new office building, spending two days orienting a new employee, having to go to many, many, many meetings, suspending/firing another employee, sending another employee to the ER multiple times, and me not being able to be everywhere for everyone all at once. Balance that will, well, nothing much and it basically meant working all week, just like last weekend. Happily I got away for one dinner… a long awaited lovely dinner with Caroline and Phil at Bamboo Garden… an all veggie restaraunt near Seattle Center. I’ve heard of it forever, but never made it out there. The company was fantastic, the food was fantastic, and I hope to go again soon. For now, I’m heading back out of town this weekend and going to Canada. Y’all stay warm and take care!
In Egypt I found that many men, both young and old, were thrilled to see me when I passed down a city street… all wanting to hold my hand, wanting to walk me to my hotel, or (as was often the case) wanting to be my husband. This gray haired grandpa in Luxor wanted nothing more than for me to dance with him in the streets. With a smile like that, how can a girl refuse, especially me a girl who loves to dance?
Building a mosque bring good points (good karma) to Muslims, so there are many, many mosques in Cairo for the 17 million (mostly Muslim) inhabitants. Five times a day the melodic call to prayer is projected into the city streets urging all of the devote to take a break for prayer. This Ahmed Ibn Tulun Mosque is one of the older ones in town, built around 868 AD.
Many thanks to Samer (one of the best boyfriends ever) and his friends for suggesting Al-Karm for New Years and for including me in their tight knit group of friends from university. We pretty much had the whole place to ourselves and it was an amazing trip. Gorgeous setting, great hiking, intriguing local culture, delicious food, hot sweaty days, and cold nights perfect for snuggling and star gazing around the fire. When Samer and I decided to leave the group for a few days to do a night hike on Mt Sinai, the good folks at Al-Karm even managed to arrange for our transport out across the desert… what a bumpy and sandy ride!
From the web: “AlKarm offers a fantastic lodging in the local style and yet with all the facilities modern man needs like bathrooms and toilets and a decent kitchen. It has no electricity and mobile phones don’t have coverage there…. Manager is the amazing Jamil Atteya who not only is familiar with all the trails and forms names but is a walking encyclopedia of Bedouin-culture who doubles for a poet.” -SaharaSafaris
“Inaugurated in 2002, the mountainous retreat was built on the ruins of original Bedouin houses in Wadi Araba. It acquired its name “Al-Karm” meaning the “Grapes Garden” in Arabic, from the fact that this area was known for grape cultivation, but that was back in the heydays when rain was not as scarce as today…. Amm Gamil, a local Bedouin who is in charge of Al-Karm, is a reverent man who literally radiates peace and serenity. He, as the majority of the Bedouins living in the area round St Catherine Monastery, is from the Gebeliya Tribe… In contrast to the majority of Bedouin tribes of the Sinai and Negev deserts, the Gebeliya tribe is not descendant of Arab origin, but rather of, oddly enough, eastern European. It is believed that the Roman Emperor Justinian I, who ordered the building of St Catherine Monastery during the sixth century, had sent a hundred or so guards to protect and serve the monastery. They later intermarried with the locals and formed a separate tribe. Though they converted to Islam with the Arab conquest in the seventh century, the Gebeliya maintained a symbiotic relationship with the monastery’s monks. No one can ascertain for sure the guards’ origin. Some claim they were Romanian while others go for Macedonians or even Balkans. Mohamed El-Hebeishy” -Ahram Weekly
“Apart from running what are probably sinai’s only composting toilets, al karm is providing the Bedouin experience par excellence. The lodge is efficiently run and the simple food is excellent – frankly, better than many multi-starred hotels in sharm al sheikh. The local staff take care of their guests very well, and provide a host of hiking and trekking opportunities in the area. Marketing, however, is lacking and for the time being the lodge remains if not a completely undiscovered jewel, at least an under-discovered one.” Matthew Carrington – AmCham
“For reservations, costs and hiking arrangements out of Al-Karm, call Amm Gamil at +02 010 132 4693. As there is no mobile network in Al-Karm, your call to the above number will be automatically diverted to a voice mail. Leave a message with all the details and Amm Gamil will get back to you. Don’t worry; his replies are prompt.” Mohamed El-Hebeishy- Ahram Weekly
Frisbees… they’re perfect for scraping the snow off your car when it’s covered in a few inches of fluffy white stuff. (Just in case you were wondering… we got our first snow of the year this morning). And just in case you’re wondering I’m back at work again today. We’re moving to a new office building which means in addition to lugging desks, filing cabinets, art supplies, libraries of kids books and other resources down three flights of stairs and to the new location, I’m also sorting through 10 years of program history. It’s not a quick process, but is a well needed purging of outdated papers and files that I’m excited to do.
That said, it’s snowing outside and I’ve got a million errands to run and people to see since I just got back in town… which leaves me debating the merits of working another long weekend day or leaving to go for brunch. Happily I had a nice break from work yesterday and got dinner with Samantha, Ryan, and Stephanie, so there’s been a little balance so far.
To recap my exciting life:
Got home Wed and slept
Thurs worked till 4am, then slept 3 hrs before going back to work
Friday worked then slept
Saturday worked, went to dinner, then slept
Sunday work
Hope your 2005 is shaping up to be just as exciting! (Just kidding… I wouldn’t wish this on anyone!). :) Take care y’all!
“The Sultan Hassan Mosque and madrasa (School) is considered stylistically the most compact and unified of all Cairo monuments. The building was constructed for Sultan Hassan bin Mohammad bin Qala’oun in 1256 AD as a mosque and religious school for all sects. It was designed so that each of the four main Sunni sects (orthodox Muslim, or Sunni rites, consisting of Shafite, Malikite, Hanefte and Hanbalite) has its own school while sharing the mosque. The cornices, the entrance, and the monumental staircase are particularly noteworthy.
The madrasa was originally introduced to Egypt by Saladin to suppress non-orthodox Muslim sects. There is a difference in congregational as opposed to Madrasa style Mosques such as the Sultan Hassan. While some congregational Mosques have been used as schools, those designed for that purpose generally have smaller courtyards (Sahn) and the buildings are more vertical, allowing for classroom space.
Many consider the Sultan Hassan Mosque to be the most outstanding Islamic monument in Egypt. It is of true Bahri Mameluke origin, built of stone, and while it is entirely different in design, it shares a like boldness to the Ibn Tulun Mosque. There is no architectural indulgence here, but rather self confidence in its clarity of execution and restraint. In allowing separate schools for the four Sunni rites, the Sultan Hassan is based on a classical cruciform plan, meaning that the Sahn opens from each of its sides into a separate liwan, which is an enormous vaulted hall, each serving one of the rites. While the design of liwans predates Mohammed (Peace and Prayers Be Upon Him), it was the Mamelukes who arranged them in the Cruciform manner, and as in the Sultan Hassan Mosque, advanced this architecture with the addition of a domed Mausolea. However, this Mausolea is empty, for Sultan Hassan died several years prior to its completion.
Structurally from the outside, the Mosque is very impressive, holding its own with its impressive cornice and the protruding verticals of its facade, even though it stands in the shadows of the massive Citadel. As one enters the Mosque from Sharia el Qalaa, there is an impression of height, especially from the towering doors decorated in a Mameluke fashion. Even during the Mameluke error in Cairo, building space was at a premium. Thus the outer walls are somewhat askew, in order to fit the available lot, but these designers had a wonderful way of creating the impression of uniform cubistic effect inside regardless. “
Learning the lute (a traditional Egyptian instrument)
After Amsterdam, I went to Cairo where Samer arranged for me to meet up with his friend Marwa before I headed out on my own for a week of sight seeing. I couldn’t have been luckier in his choice for a first contact (thanks Samer!). Marwa was a most gracious and generous hostess, her family was super cute and giving, and more importantly, she herself is a talented, fun, and amazingly sweet individual. My first she arranged for me to go to Cairo’s famous bazaar, Khan el-Khalili, then we went back to her place for a lute lesson, dinner, and dessert. What a terrific taste of Cairo in one short night!
Check out CNN… Seattle’s been named the “fittest city” by Men’s Fitness magazine… and Houston won the title for “fattest city” for the fifth straight year! I’ve lived in both cities and could have easily predicted either of those rankings! :)
Before I forget to mention it, I’m coming home for a record SECOND and THIRD time in one year! I’ll be in Houston in Feb for Crow & Ajit’s wedding, and will come home again to Austin in July for the reunion. Don’t forget about me before then, and get your babies ready to be cooed over!
Love,
Cat
PS Remind me to start looking at jobs in the airline business. All of this travel stuff is getting costly!
I want to work out. I really do. I always want to, but admit I’m alternately good about it and (more often) not so good about doing it on a regular basis. This time I’ve got the classic motivation: the date for my 10 year HS reunion was just announced last week. This means I’ve got 6 months to lose the weight I put on over in the last 4 months! I might even be willing to join a gym for the first time in my life!
Anyone know anything about Seattle gym options?? What’s good? What’s affordable? Let me know if you have suggestions, guest passes, or other ideas for working out in the cold, rainy season. Thanks!
The trip started with a brief visit to Amsterdam… where my lovely host Wouter lent me gloves and a sweater so we could ride around town on bikes all day in the freezing cold, taking breaks here and there, seeing the sights, and taking pictures in a crazy santa wonderland place. If was a (freezing) fun day! :)
Note: See the snow on the trees? It wasn’t real. Yep, the Netherlands were cold enough to have ice on the streets… but there wasn’t snow. That was fake in the wonderland place where we took pictures of Wouter with Santa and photos of me riding a reindeer. Now compare that lovely, temperate Seattle. We “never get snow,” but somehow the weathermen are predicting snow for the next few days? Makes me wish I could stay in Egypt for a few more days. The weather was warm, there was still much to see, much to say, and much to sort out.
Tuesday night we did some last minute shopping and a dinner party with some of Samer’s friends. By 2am I was at the airport, in tears from saying my goodbyes, spending my early AM hours waiting for my flight home. The time in Egypt wasn’t long enough and I’m already missing it. After 20+ hours of travel, a layover in Amsterdam, and about a half hour of sleep on my first flight, I’m home and exhausted. Seattle welcomed me with sunny blue skies and freezing cold weather, and with a guy giving me his phone number in our airport shuttle. I’m exhausted but trying to stay up till 1am to get my body on a normal schedule. Seems Seattle is expecting snow on Thurs and Fri, which seems less than desirable to me right now. I think I’m going to go out and run some errands (namely depositing my paycheck from a few weeks ago, buying food for my empty fridge, and returning an overdue Lonely Planet – Egypt to the library). Take care!
Well, it’s that sad time when my holiday is coming to an end and I know the real world of work is lurking right around the corner. Sinai for new years was amazing… we had a big group staying at a beautiful eco-lodge in the desert/mountains. We slept in mud huts, didn’t have electricity, ate around the campfire at every meal, and were attended to by the nicest Bedouin hosts. Samer and I also went to St. Catherine’s for a day trip to hike the mountain and see sunrise (just as Moses did when he went to Mt. Sinai). We left our camp at midnight to get to the top of the mountain by 6am, and while it was freezing cold and super windy, the sunrise and the company were well worth it! I’m now down to my final day in Egypt and I leave Cairo on Wed morning for the trip back to Seattle. Hope everyone is well!
We apparently don’t leave till about midnight tonight, so here’s another post. :)
My new favorite food: Kushari. For less than a dollar you get a huge bowl… it starts with rice, which is then topped with lentils, topped with chick peas, topped with fried onions, and finally topped with herbed tomato sauce (not sure what spices). I added their hot chili sauce, though it was just as tasty without it! I think I might go back to the same place for lunch today! Dessert last night was a decadent rice pudding topped with nuts, raisons, and ice cream. Craziness in a bowl.
Last night Samer and I met up with yet another friend… this time to see a puppet show at the Cairo Opera House. I was pretty excited (I like puppets!), and I was hoping for a kid’s show (as were all of the kids in the audience?)… something silent with puppets instead of something with lots of Arabic. Unfortunately, I got a puppet show with lots of talking and some puppets. For adults. I don’t feel too bad about having to sit through an hour log diatribe in Arabic… I feel worse for the kids and their parents who seemed to expect a puppet show suitable for families. The first (really long) scene was a man beating a woman, over and over an over. The next scene was two men fighting. Etc. One of the final scenes was about oil, from what I could see of the props used. Afterwards Samer told me it was apparently a political play about Westernization and global domination. I couldn’t understand a word, but suspect I’d likely agree with many of the angry sentiments about the US and other countries plans for greed and destruction in hopes of gaining control of more money and Middle East oil. Alas, I couldn’t understand anything other than the puppet violence… something else I can’t support. ;)
Happily, we then said goodbye to his friend and decided to take a lovely walk along the Nile, near some of the fancy, smancy hotels (apparently for rich Arabs and rich tourists). The hotels were amazingly gorgeous (fancier than most I’ve ever seen), and the river views were quite gorgeous too.
Oh, and I’ve now got my list of souvenirs needed, and I plan to shop in my last two days once I get back from the mountains in Sinai. Of course, in those same two days I hope to hit the camel market, take a day trip to Alexandria, see Sufi dancing (the famous Whirling Dervishes), take a felucca (sailboat) ride on the Nile, go out to a fancy dinner (at Samer’s suggestion), and see a couple more of his friends. I suspect it’ll be a busy few days.
After I didn’t post for a few days Dad sent me a nervous email making sure I was okay. So, here’s my post. :) Aswan was lovely, but very brief. It’s not really the southern most city, but it’s the largest southern most city. I actually got up one morning at 3am to take a bus 240 km south to Abu Simbel… an amazing temple that has been moved to a new location on the Nile. (The original location flooded when they built a dam a while back). If you have free time, look for the story online… it’s the largest rescue project even undertaken by the global community with the help of UNESCO. Very impressive.
After Abu Simbel, I was back in Aswan to see the Nubian people, villages, and culture. I made a lovely new friend (Mustafa) who took me on a tour of their island, took me around the Nile on his boat, etc. Very nice guy.
Upon leaving Aswan, I called my Nubian Oasis Hotel in Luxor. They remembered me and I told them I was on an overnight train to Cairo that would be passing through Luxor later that night. When the train went through the station a few hours later, the owner himself was there for the 5 minute stop to hand deliver my laundry. What a sweet man! And so I arrived in Cairo yesterday morning with a backpack full of clothes, and full of the start of my souvenir shopping.
Note: If anyone has requests from Egypt… stuff they want me to pick up for them… let me know. Spices? Belly dancing outfits? Scarves? Alabaster vases? Tiny granite pyramids? Hooka water pipes for smoking? Flavored tobacco? Leave a comment if so.
Okay… so anyway, I was saying I’m back in Cairo. Samer arrived the same day I did and so now the social calendar is VERY busy. It’s like when I go home to Texas… balancing time between family, high school friends, college friends, old coworkers, and all of the different groups of lovely people I want to see in a very short, limited time frame. He lived all of his 30 years in Cairo and has lots of folks to see, and family, and of course he’s determined to be my tour guide too. Needless to say, we’ve been busy going from dinner to party to coffee to pyramids to drinks to gardens to dinner etc. I’m getting to meet tons of people and am staying with his super sweet and very generous friend Marwa.
And on that note, I’ve tied up her family’s phone line long enough and should shut off the dialup. Hope everyone is well! On Thursday we head to Sinai to go camping in the mountains for New Years. (Note to Dad: There’s no electricity, no phones, and definitely no internet, so don’t expect a post for a few days. I’m safe, in good hands, and having fun). :) Take care y’all! Happy New Years!
My already dismal travel wardrobe just got even worse. First, after two days of bike riding, my khakis are covered with bike grease and torn up a bit. (Old bike = no chain guard and unprotected spiky things that tear clothes). In addition, when I checked out of the hotel this morning at 8am, my remaining clothes weren’t cleaned and dried yet like the owner promised. He said he’d have them waiting for me when I left for my train. Well, about an hour into my train ride I had a startling realization: both he and I seemed to have forgotten about my clean, dry clothes. My already small travel wardrobe is now missing 1/2 my short sleeve shirts (the nice half), 1/2 my underwear, and one pair of fantastic SmartWool socks. Way to go, Cat! Guess that just means I’ll have less to carry in my pack…
That’s Arabic for happy birthday to me! (a few days late, but that’s okay!)
3:20pm
My first day in Luxor seemed way too long, with too many people harassing me, and now my last day in Luxor seems to have come too soon. I’ve been bike riding nonstop since arrival. I’ve hung out in the market (one of my favorite places in Seattle, and one of my favorite places anywhere really). I’ve meet some really nice folks from around the globe (all folks traveling alone)… a British piano teacher, an engineering student from CT, a policy grad student from DC, a stoner from Barcelona, and other random folks. And I’ve met some very nice Egyptians too. Yesterday I spent an hour chatting with an 11 year old school girl, Kareema, and her neighbor Ibrahim, a 23 year old trying to sell felucca rides. I had so much fun last night I decided to spend the whole day with them today. We started with a five hour donkey ride through the Tombs of the Nobles, the Ramesseum Temple, and up to the top of the mountain high above the Valley of the Kings. I think it was maybe the first time in my life I’ve ever experienced true vertigo. The sheer drops of the cliffs overlooking the temples and tombs were astounding. Although my little donkey didn’t seem to bat an eye at them as we galloped along the tiny, rocky, steep path, I was sure at various times that we were on our death march. This land continues to amaze me… and I’m at a loss for how to describe the magnitude of the mountains or the monuments with the backdrop of the bluest sky ever. I have faith my pictures won’t do them a bit of the justice they deserve.
After the ride, Ibrahim invited me to his family’s house where his sisters, mom, aunt, cousins, and neighbors kept me entertained for a long time! He showed me all of their family pictures from over the years, his sister Miriam fed me a late lunch, and finally I regretfully had to bow out so I could get back to the hotel and head to the train, which is where I’m going now. Tonight I’m off to Aswan, the southern most city in Egypt. I’m expecting more temples and tombs and wonderfully nice people. (Samer told me he thinks Nubians are some of the nicest folks on the planet, so I had to go and see for myself). Hope everyone is well! Take care!
Yesterday I turned another year older, and happily no one here noticed. In fact, the men of Egypt all seem to like me regardless of age. Note to self: Don’t ask for directions anymore. Or shake hands. Or smile. And quite looking up from the ground. By now I should know that all of those just mean I’m asking for a marriage proposal from some young boy, teen ager, man, or old man.
Btw, did I mention I danced with an old man yesterday? He gave me a crystal to remember him by, and a second crystal for my daughter. (Note to self: maybe I do look older?) It was entertaining. Pictures will be posted eventually.
What else to babble about? I’m seeing lots of temples and tombs. I started to take pictures today. Eating lots of fallafel (it’s like 1/2 Egyptian pound = 10 cents).
7:40pm
Marwa called yesterday and made plans to come by and pick me up for dinner from my hotel. Later, she called to say she’d be a few hours late and was sending a friend of hers (Hassan) to pick me up. He called, I told him I was wearing a black jacket, he said he was wearing a white car, and we agreed on a time to meet for dinner. I don’t know many people in this country, so imagine my surprise when I saw in the white car someone I actually knew! Out of 17 million people in Cairo, imagine my surprise that Marwa’s friend was actually another man I met this summer in Guatemala! He knew her from nonprofit work, she knew Samer though college, and crazy enough I knew both of them!
We went to a famous coffee shop, smoked some shisha, saw a huge mosque, and wandered the narrow bazaar streets of old Islamic Cairo. Eventually Marwa came and we went to her beautiful house for a lute lesson, with a few other friends of hers from AUC (who also knew Samer). I feel quite well connected and quite well cared for.
Today was more sight seeing with Marwa (mosques in Islamic Cairo), then I hit the gigantic Egyptian Museum – home to tons of amazing and odd stuff. Mummies, gold head dresses, mummy cows, boomerangs (for killing birds), gold sofas, statues, etc. Some of the grosser stuff was in regards to burials… like a recipe for juniper and cedar enemas. Insert juniper enema in the anus to liquefy the organs, plug with a linen tampon in the ass. Once liquefied, the tampon is removed, the liquid is drained, and then the bodies can then be oiled and preserved. Kind of gross, but quite clever.
And now I’m checking out of the hotel and heading for my overnight train to Luxor. The staff here at the New Sun Hotel are quite lovely, and have promised me a birthday party if I would stay one more night with them. I told them my train ticket wouldn’t wait, so they said next week they’d throw a party too. Have I mentioned that the men keep giving me phone numbers and email addresses? I bought a fake wedding ring to wear, and think I might have to start wearing it! Hope everyone is well!
When I first met Samer in Guatemala, I thought he was quite a sweet talker… very smooth, lots of jokes and big smiles, and able to get anything we wanted, anywhere we went. He was quite impressive with his sweet talking ways. He modestly denied it, and said he was actually shy (ha!). However, jump forward a couple of month’s to my current trip in Egypt and it’s like there’s a whole country of sweet talking boys and men ready to use their charms on me. Boys in the street, men in the hotel, guards in the museum… everyone wants to say hello and chat and smile big charming smiles. Even some of his favorite phrases (“trust me!”) are repeated back to me by other Egyptians I just met. Too funny!
It’s 4:30pm on Monday, I slept for a long time, and Samer asked my first impressions. So, here goes…
Everyone is very welcoming to their country.
It’s loud, yes, but mostly just horn honking. And some chanting, but nothing like the chanting of the monks in the Tibetan village where I stayed in India.
Most people who talk to me want to sell me tours or perfume.
The streets aren’t that crazy. There are parking meters, and stop lights, and even some lines painted on the street. That’s about a 10 times easier than India. Plus, there are no horse drawn carts, bicycles, or cows… so make that 100 times less scary than India. Cairo’s pretty tame in comparison (so far, anyway).
Anyway, I was just online looking for Marwa (hopefully meeting up with her tonight for dinner), and I wanted to make the most of my time at the internet cafe. I’m off to attempt to navigate the streets. Hope y’all are well!
I’ve made it from Fremont to the airport (thanks Caroline!), Seattle to Amsterdam, and Amsterdam to Cairo, and the airport to Tahrir Square for the Sun Hotel. I’m way tired (haven’t slept since Thursday), but am otherwise doing quite well. :) In Amsterdam I meet up with Wouter (a wonderful host) for a fun day of catching up and sightseeing. We rode bikes, went to the Red Light District, saw the parks, took pictures of canals, sat in Santa’s lap, drank wine out of paper cups, and all kinds of other good stuff we could fit into one fast day of tourism. Now that I’m here in Cairo (it’s 3am), I think I’m ready to pass out for some serious sleep before hitting the train station or seeing any museums. Hope everyone is well!
One final holiday party yesterday, and now I’m out of here! I suspect I’ll be off-line for a couple of days, but I’ll try to post once I get into Cairo after I get some sleep. I suspect I won’t be online too much, but feel free to leave birthday wishes on the site or send email. :) Hope everyone has a great break! Take care!
“Now that’s what I call a good night! I want to go home with you!”
-Trader Joes cashier when I was shopping for yesterday’s party
(2 bottles of red wine and a box of chocolate dipped almonds)
I got home from work tonight around 1am and what did I find outside my apartment building? A bubble wrapped package addressed to me! I opened it up and found an autographed copy of a cool book called Wildly Austin: Austin’s Landmark Art. There was no card, no inscription, and no return address. It’s just a brown envelope with the book inside. I don’t know if it’s from an anonymous fan, a friend back home, or from the author(!). If it’s you, do share! I think it’s quite fabulous!
And speaking of fabulous books… Charles told me he was sending a bunch of us the same gift this year… and I admit I was a bit skeptical about what would be good for all of us. I got my answer this week when the Fed-Ex package arrived containing “a thought experiment that will leave your brain spinning inside your skull.” I’m looking forward to it!
And speaking of fabulous birthday gifts… The radio station this morning was having listeners tell about bad gifts they’ve received, and at the very top of the “bad gift” list was art and lingerie. Personally, I like getting both lingerie and art. This birthday tyd and John both gave me great art… very cool stuff that I already have hanging on my wall!
Next… File this under Very Cool Kitchen Gadget: the lovely and generous John Dunn sent me a cool high tech tea cup like no other I’ve ever seen. Creative, useful, and perfect for the cold Seattle winter! Thanks John!
Then… Who doesn’t need a little more fun in their life? Steph and Ryan gave me a magnetic dart board (to prove just how uncoordinated I am?). People see it then they walk right over and grab the darts. I think it’s been used every time someone’s come over to the apartment since then!
Finally… Money is always the right style and color. I give thanks to my lovely family who sent a check!
Not a bad pile of birthday loot from generous friends… and it’s not even my birthday for another week! :) And now… I really am off to pack!
Just a head’s up… mark your calendars for Fri Jan 28th. I think I’m going to show some photos at a Fremont gallery, then maybe have folks over to the apartment? Not sure yet, but details should materialize sometime after I return in January. :)
* Last night was our holiday party for work it was lovely, yummy, cozy, classy, and entertaining. Dot and Bruce joined us for the festivities (and did quite well meeting a new group of 20 tight knit people). I really do love my team, even if (on rare occasion) I might want to grab them by the shoulders and shake them silly. :) Last night was not one of those occasions. Last night was a love them, love their quirks, love their funny, love their mad Pictionary skills, and love their fantastic hugs kind of night.
* Today, however, Dot and Bruce are leaving me a little earlier than expected. I told them about the fun I had with Santarchy last weekend, and when I mentioned there were other SantaCon events happening this weekend in other NW cities, they started planning their costumes and packing their bags! Everyone wish them well sneaking their way into Canada with a car full of belongings!
* And on a final note… I just got a call from a guy who was looking for Pampered Chefs reps in Seattle. He found my website, found that I had a friend that did it, and called me to order some stuff holiday gifts through her. I just gave Kathryn his number, so hopefully it will all work out. Ahh… the wonders of the internet.
I’ve been trying to be more intentional about making quiet time for myself. When you barely have time to eat and sleep, making quiet time is hard for me. I feel like I’m pretty good about seeing friends and keeping up relationships, so most nights I’ve got dinner plans or exercise plans or music plans or coffee plans to hang out and catch up with someone. Which still leaves little time for just me to sit quietly and read a book. Sometimes if I do have quiet time I’ll stay at home and cook, sometimes I’ll read a book that’s been on my list forever, sometimes I’ll go on a quiet walk. I can’t remember all of the books I read for pleasure last year, but are some of the ones I made time for…
Franny and Zooey (J.D. Salinger)
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius (Dave Eggers)
Interpreter of Maladies (Jhumpa Lahiri)
The Day I Turned Uncool: Confessions of a Reluctant Grown-up (Dan Zevin)
Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas (Tom Robbins)
I Know This Much is True (Wally Lamb)
Coraline (Neil Gaiman)
The mistress of spices (Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni)
Running With Scissors (Augusten Burroughs)
Holes (Louis Sacher)
Turning to One Another (Margaret Wheatley)
Waxwings (Jonathan Rabin)
The Deep End of the Ocean (Jacquelyn Mitchard)
The BGF (Roald Dahl)
Shutterbabe: Adventures in Love and War (Deborah ??)
House on Mango Street (Sandra Cisneros)
a simpler way (Wheatley & Kellner-Rogers)
Lonely Planet Guatemala
Bodega Dreams ( )
Ishmael (Daniel Quinn)
1,000 Places to See Before You Die
Map of Love (Ahdaf Soueif)
The innocents abroad; or, The new Pilgrims’ progress, being some account of the steamship Quaker City’s pleasure excursion to Europe and the Holy Land (Mark Twain)
On an unrelated note: I have two holiday parties left and two days left till Egypt! AND… I’ve got friends in town! Dot and her lovely boy Bruce are moving from Austin, Texas to Vancouver, Canada and staying with me for a few days on their way up! It’s been a few years since I’ve seen Dot and while it’s crazy hectic this week (understatement!), it’s fun to have them here!
Ya know… I think I’m in a better place than I was at this time last year. Maybe I’m more content with the friends I have. Maybe I’ve gotten so deep into my job it’s only able to stress me out for shorter periods of time. Maybe my “be healthy” idea of working out and using a sun lamp is actually working? I’m not sure about what all is contributing to my current mental state, but I’m pretty content with life right now. And holiday parties might well have something to do with that too. :) My issue with not having one circle of friends is that I only get to see friends from time to time as I “rotate” through the different groups. However, holiday parties solve that problem as you get to see lots of friends in a compact period of time.
The blogger white elephant party on Friday was lovely… half the folks I see on a regular basis, and the other half (the stitch and bitch crew) I’ve only met once… a year before at the same party. The gift exchange was entertaining and the crowd was quite fun. Thanks Stace!
John’s party on Saturday was fun too… and he wasn’t kidding about the planned overkill of Christmas music and holiday goodness! I was kind of sad that Santa never showed up, but I was more than content to make Christmas cookies and hang out with cool new folks from around the globe. Thanks John!
The Sag party on Saturday was also entertaining in the “it’s such a small world!” kind of way. I went expecting to know just one person and ended up recognizing a whole room full of people… some I’d known for a couple of years, others I just met earlier this year! Crazy when you never expect the circles to overlap, but as always, Seattle remains a small town. Thanks Caroline!
The girls’ holiday party last night was fun too. It was a “dress fancy” affair and quite fantastic to see everyone looking so snazzy! And I do mean snazzy… girls were wearing makeup instead of fleece and the boys we’re looking hot in their ties, suspenders, and even suits. I’m quite happy that Sunday dinner has become a part of my weekly routine… it’s really nice to have that connection with a cast that includes so many fantastic people.
And now, on that note, I should really get back to work. :)
Today I saw close to 100 Santas downtown, a couple of reindeer, and a Christmas tree. One Santa even kissed me, told me I was on his naughty list, and said he wanted to spank me. Gotta love Seattle.
Yesterday I went to the Blogger holiday party hosted by the lovely Stace and Sean. (I think that’s maybe the third or forth time I met Stace, and she’s always quite fun). I ate well more wheat than I should have as it was hard to resist the brie and crackers, spinach dip, pasta, apple cake, and lemon bars. The gift exchange quality was much higher this year and I think my gift was quite impressive (or shocking?) for the crowd. No one guessed it was from me, which was great! Yes, I had a lovely time and will post pics later. Today I braved the crowds downtown in an attempt to do shopping.
# of cool bracelets I made at work today: Two
# of days till I leave for Egypt: Seven
# of holiday parties in the next seven days: Five
# of staff meetings I have to lead in the next month: Zero! I’m done till Jan 7th!
I love this time of the year! Or maybe that’s just my sunlamp speaking! Either way, I’m content to be alive and excited to be around friends and excited about my upcoming trip. Hope everyone is well!
Who’s the cutest couple ever? Well, if you had already checked out their wedding site, you’d know that it’s Laura and Ajit. They’re currently in India for the (first half of the) wedding ceremony… so think strong thoughts with your best wishes! I’m quite excited to say I’ll be heading back to Texas for the second (domestic) half of the wedding in February. Should be great fun to be there for the event, and great fun to see the old Houston crowd for a weekend. Hope everyone is well!
Just so you know… I finished my scarf at Friday’s party! My focus wasn’t too great, but Steph was patient and helpful! Yes, I can officially claim to be among the cool kids who know how to knit! It’s fabulously long (longer than me) and is fabulously warm (virgin wool) and fabulously narrow (so you can wrap it around your neck without suffocating). I had many missed stitches and it’s nowhere near perfect, but I’m definitely proud enough to wear it in public.
Also on the cool kids list this week: Jim Dedman, a net friend from UT, has finished his new indie flick “Pleadings” and had the trailer premiere last week! You can download the trailer and watch it from home!
Oh, before I run out the door to work, I wanted to welcome two new readers to the site…. Laura – Thanks for reading, and thanks for coming over last weekend! It was great to see you!
Sundi – Was great to see you too… though remember that any likeness in this blog to real people is imaginary. If you find anything incriminating, please disregard immediately. :)
Published in 1869, it’s Mark Twain’s crazy account of a huge trip he did on an ocean steamer from California to Europe and the Holy Land. I’m usually always entertained by Twain, and his chapters on his time in Egypt didn’t fail me. They just built even more anticipation for the pyramids and adventures and meditations they can spur!
“The Innocents Abroad is one of the most prominent and influential travel books ever written about Europe and the Holy Land. In it, the collision of the American “New Barbarians” and the European “Old World” provides much comic fodder for Mark Twain—and a remarkably perceptive lens on the human condition. Gleefully skewering the ethos of American tourism in Europe, Twain’s lively satire ultimately reveals just what it is that defines cultural identity. As Twain himself points out, “Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” And Jane Jacobs observes in her Introduction, “If the reader is American, he may also find himself on a tour of his own psyche.”
I love this time of the year, when there’s a party almost every night! Update the numbers again… there are now six seven holiday parties in 16 days… three of which are apparently “dress fancy!” parties. Should be fun! (Note to self: Christmas in July could be great fun next year! Why not have a holiday party in the summer to spread out the holiday cheer for another month?)
I’m starting my research and am starting to get really excited! :) Just in case you wanted to follow along from home, I think my trip will look something like this:
Dec 18 Leave Seattle
Dec 19 Amsterdam (hang out with Wouter)
Dec 20-21 Cairo
Dec 22 – 24 Luxor (and my birthday!)
Dec 25 – 26 Aswan (and xmas!)
Dec 27-29 Cairo (Samer arrives!)
Dec 30 – Jan 1 Camping in Sinai mountains (for new years!)
Jan 2 Cairo
Jan 3 Camel market!
Jan 4 Cairo
Jan 5 Return to Seattle
So after about forever, I finally made the switch away from Blogger. I’ve been playing with WordPress today and I’m proud to say I think I’ve adequately installed and configured my template and CSS. If you find anything I missed, do let me know. Oh, and if you have any ideas for how to import HaloScan comments into WP, I’d love to know that too!
Party recap: Last night was our first stab at a house warming-holiday-birthday-fondue extravaganza and I think it was lovely! I’m going to be out of town for my birthday, Xmas, and New Years, so I decided to throw an early, all purpose party to see folks before I leave and miss them at all of the year end festivities. Erin and I had fun going overboard on the decorations and I have Samantha to thank for helping with last minute prep and Caroline to thank for lending a light up fiber-optic Christmas tree that was quite a hit. We had lots of fondue (homemade caramel, chocolate, and Swiss) and we had lots of friends over (I think 20 people RSVPd and think we had close to 40 stop by over the course of the evening). Not everyone knew each other, but if people wanted to meet new people – they could, or if they wanted to catch up with friends they already knew – they could do that too. Everyone played nicely and Erin and I decided not to force anyone into scary party games like Poop the Potato. A few generous bloggers even brought gifts… thanks Steph, tyd, and John… very sweet of y’all! Overall, and most importantly, I got to invite lots of friends into my home and see lots of folks before leaving for the winter break. And an added bonus: fondue leftovers make for a yummy breakfast!
Carline’s studio is having an open house this week… and you should go!
The holiday season now approaches… come join Art Squad this First
Thursday (Dec. 2nd) as we open our studio and display some lovely local artist-made offerings for your gift-giving pleasure!
5 artists (paintings, photos, wearable art)
music + wine
Thursday, Dec. 2nd from 6:30 PM – 10 PM
619 Western Ave – 5th floor, north studio
The whole building is open on First Thursday, so come not only to see our stuff, but to shop the whole 6 floors of yummy arty goodness.
Last year most of my Christmas cards didn’t go out till January after my trip to India. This year I’m hoping to get them done a bit earlier. If you’ve moved in the past few months and haven’t sent me your address, do send it on over!
BTW, we set the holiday party date for this Friday (Dec 3rd) at 8pm and you are invited. If you need my address, leave me a comment and let me know. :) We’ll provide the fondue if y’all can bring some kind of drink to share…
We said our goodbyes at 5AM and left for the long trip home. After an okay flight from Florida to New Jersey, and then a painfully long flight from New Jersey to Seattle, I’m finally home after three movies and MANY hours later. (I Robot, Hidalgo, and the Notebook, in case you’re wondering what Continental is showing nowadays). I’m glad to be home, but I’m currently starving and my legs are killing me from the cramped trip from NJ to Seattle. I’m off to make myself dinner then suspect I’ll pass out early tonight. G’night y’all!
Reduced dress code policy (business casual) for the big dinner
Frozen cosmos and mudslides for the whole family
Opey… the world’s cutest dog
Never getting too old for the always entertaining kids table
Seeing Grandpa dapper, smiley, and proud
Seeing my female relatives who have no filter on their thoughts and speak everything that comes to mind (no matter how mildly inappropriate or shocking!)
Green bean casserole, garlic mashed potatoes, and homemade pecan pie
The beach, ocean waves, hot tub, heated pool, and sun
Elite status on Continental (i.e. free first class upgrades)!
Things I have to be thankful for every week:
My friends
My family
And all of the other details that make life entertaining, challenging, memorable, and gratifying
Skies in Naples, Florida have been mostly sunny and weather is in the mid-80s. It’s entirely lovely. Tuesday we spent the day at the astonishing Rod & Gun Club (built in the 1860s)… the generous number of dead animals hanging from the walls reminded me of all of the royal dining halls in India. Food and atmosphere were otherwise great… our table was waterfront and that’s always good in my book. In the afternon we took an airboat tour of the Everglades. It’s a classic touristy thing to do and it was expectedly campy and entertaining. We got to see pelicans land on our boat, pretty birds, multiple alligators, and ship wrecked boats left over from drug trafficing. :)
Wednesday we did a huge Thanksgiving in all of it’s glory (9 hours of cooking, 3 hours of drinking and eating and drinking, and 2 more hours of cleanup and drinking). Today we shall relax. I’m currently sitting at the beach house watching the waves crash around the surfers while I eat left over pecan pie. More to come later when I’m not neglectng my family. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Samer was visiting Seattle this weekend and his visit was really nice! (Coincidentally, I was much better behaved than when I visited Montreal last month, but that’s neither here nor there). The weather even cooperated and didn’t rain once all weekend! We spent our time eating lots of good food, visiting some of my favorite places (like the Market, Archie McPhees, and Golden Gardens), met some of my friends and coworkers, watched the sunset, and even had some time to relax and drink some hot cocoa while watching a movie in my apartment. Not a bad weekend, eh?
After he left today I worked a little, did brunch at Rod’s place, then did dinner at The Girls’ house. I’m now home and starting to pack for Thanksgiving. I leave this morning around 9am for three days in Florida and I’ve got to get my clothes and gifts packed. Hope everyone is well! Take care and happy Thanksgiving!
Most recent email from my grandpa: “IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY POLICY FOR THE MEN TO WEAR A COAT, SHIRT AND TIE. AT TOM’S SUGGESTION SINCE THE WEATHER WILL BE QUITE WARM HE THOUGHT THAT SLACKS, SHIRT WITHOUT TIE, WOULD BE APPROPRIATE. THE LADIES CAN DRESS ACCORDINGLY.”
Go Grandpa! That’ll making packing for Monday’s Florida trip a little easier. :) Hope everyone is well!
I’ve been dabbling in the idea of maybe having a little social sometime in Nov or Dec. I used to have lots of parties… holiday parties, house warming parties, birthday parties, egg decorating parties, toy parties, Elvis’s birthday party, toga parties, keg parties, whatever. However, I haven’t thrown a party in over 2 years and I think it might be time to give it a try. :) Theme ideas welcome. Everyone’s invited.
“You can only go half way into the darkest forest,
then you are coming out the other side.” ~Chinese Proverb
My rough year and month keeps getting easier. When a research group called last week, I was content to answer. When they offered to pay me to talk on the topic of travel, I was even more content. And when I showed up tonight for the research group, I was ecstatic to hear they didn’t need me after all but would still pay me the whole amount. Woohoo! I took the cash and went on my once a year trip to the mall for Christmas shopping for the family. I tend to dread gift shopping and malls, but I was pretty entertained and content with everything I found so far. With a little luck, the next few gifts will be just as easy to find in the next few days.
President Bush has announced his plan to select Dr. W. David Hager to head up the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Reproductive Health Drugs Advisory Committee. The committee has not met for more than two years, during which time its charter lapsed. As a result, the Bush Administration is tasked with filling all eleven positions with new members. This position does not require Congressional approval. The FDA’s Reproductive Health Drugs Advisory Committee makes crucial decisions on matters relating to drugs used in the practice of obstetrics, gynecology and related specialties, including hormone therapy, contraception, treatment for infertility, and medical alternatives to surgical procedures for sterilization and pregnancy
termination.
Dr. Hager is the author of “As Jesus Cared for Women:Restoring Women Then and Now.” The book blends biblical accounts of Christ healing Women with case studies from Hager’s practice. His views of reproductive health care are far outside the mainstream for reproductive technology. Dr. Hager is a practicing OB/GYN who
describes himself as “pro-life” and refuses to prescribe contraceptives to unmarried women.
In the book Dr. Hager wrote with his wife, titled “Stress and the Woman’s Body,” he suggests that women who suffer from premenstrual syndrome should seek help from reading the bible and praying. As an editor and contributing author of “The Reproduction Revolution: A Christian Appraisal of Sexuality Reproductive Technologies and the Family,” Dr. Hager appears to have endorsed the medically inaccurate assertion that the common birth control pill is an abortifacient.
We are concerned that Dr. Hager’s strong religious beliefs may color his assessment of technologies that are necessary to protect women’s lives or to preserve and promote women’s health. Hager’s track record of using religious beliefs to guide his medical decision-making makes him a dangerous and inappropriate candidate to serve as chair of this committee. Critical drug public policy and research must not be influenced by antiabortion politics. Members of this important panel should be appointed on the basis of science and medicine, rather than politics and religion. American women deserve no less.
There is something you can do. Below is a statement that can be sent to the White House, opposing the placement of Hager. Mail GW at president@whitehouse.gov.
We oppose the appointment of Dr. W. David Hager to the FDA Reproductive Health Drugs Advisory Committee. Mixing religion and medicine is unacceptable in a policy-making position. Using the FDA to promote a political agenda is inappropriate and seriously threatens women’s health. Members of this important panel should be appointed on
the basis of science and medicine,rather than politics and religion. American women deserve no less.
Woodinville’s Columbia Winery holds an annual Taste of Red event and it was happening this weekend.
Join us at Columbia Winery for the season’s most decadent affair. Pamper yourself with a sophisticated selection of our premium red wines, decorative chocolates and beautiful live music. Don’t miss the opportunity to taste one of our select wines directly from the barrel! Special discounts will be offered on the wines featured and will be in effect this weekend only. Admission includes this special wine tasting, a red wine logo glass, and chocolate gift bag.
Caroline and I decided to check it out and ending up spending all afternoon in the winery. There were close to 20 wines to sample and tons of local food vendors there showing products and offering samples. We each tried nine different wines and ate tons of rich foods… fancy cheeses, lots of local honey, cherries, nuts, and oh so much rich Belgium chocolate. One of my favorites was a company called Helene’s Chocolate Affair. They had a huge spread of chocolates, cookies, truffles, fruits, and fudge that were meant for dipping in their 5-tier Belgium chocolate fountain. It was quite indulgent and quite fun. :) I couldn’t imagine drinking and eating that much on a regular basis, but for a once a year splurge it was well worth it.
I get to go to Baltimore for work at least three or four times per year. My previous coworker used to complain about it and make excuses not to go, but I quite enjoy it. Yes, there’s lots of poverty and drugs and is the “murder capital” of the country, but it’s otherwise a nice town. I love the cute row houses. I love that people really do say “hon” all the time. (See baltimorehon.com for proper usage). The cost of living is way affordable. There’s a nice waterfront. There are lots of cute areas for going out to bars and nice dinners like Fells, Charles, Inner Harbor, Little Italy, etc. And, of course, my favorite part of the trips are seeing great people like the lovely friends above. They not only make time in the crazy lives to hang out with me whenever I’m in town, they also offer up their couches and guest rooms every single trip. :) It’s true… I’ve yet to pay for a hotel in that town and I’ve been going for a few years now. These pics were from my most recent trip in October 2004.
Today I slept in until 11:30am (!!!), had a super relaxing day, watched some Sex and The City with Erin, did some knitting, went to a friend’s birthday party, danced for a few hours, and met lots of entertaining people.
While I was in my breakdown mode on Thursday, seems Alyssa was in her water breaking mode! I got word last night that little Tyler arrived a wee bit early into the world! He’s a 7 pound, 19 inch beautiful baby boy. :) He wasn’t due till Dec 9th, but I’m guessing he must have known how excited everyone would be to meet him and how much planning was being done on his behalf! Congrats Chris and Alyssa!!
Today all was well. :) In the morning I took my team on a group outing to the Seattle Aquarium. We finished up early at 2pm so I jumped at the opportunity to do one of my favorite things: leisurely wander the market. Pike Place has always been one of my “happy places” in my Seattle life. Rainy, sunny, happy or sad, I always find it very comforting to be in the mass of crowds, walking among the fish boys, tourists, fruit stalls, and flower vendors. I love the musicians, the raspberry almonds, the dried fruit, the fresh honey, the bakery with wheat free cookies, the cheese curd shop, and the piroshky shop. I eventually headed home to meet up with a friend for some long overdue hanging out. In nine hours time we had a good dinner (Vietnamese), saw a fun movie (Mean Girls), and had lots of excellent conversation.
Today was a rough, long, long, long day and I’ll keep this short, and in chronological order for each section.
+ Despite my profound lack of religion, I spent a lot of time making private speeches to God and wasn’t afraid to ask her the tough questions. Thanked my lucky stars for the fantastic support network that continues to amaze me. Saw Citizen Cope rock in concert. Bought a sun lamp/light therapy box. Got my own copy of the Killers CD. Had a bunch of friends over for craft night. Learned to knit. Spent four hours journaling – nonstop. Had an epiphany. Temporarily too tired to cry any more.
- Still can’t sleep. Had to work eight hours, even though Veteran’s Day is a federal holiday. Went to a funeral for a 22 year old who left behind a wife and kids. Cried ungodly amounts. Friend’s 2-month-old baby had heart surgery. Cried. Couldn’t stop journaling no matter how tired I was my mind wouldn’t quit and my hands kept going against my will. Cried ungodly amounts. Had an epiphany. Cried ungodly amounts. Still can’t sleep.
Overall, whether painful or otherwise, I’m just excited to have had an epiphany. Doesn’t happen every day, you know…
“The idea behind Marry An American is simple: You have the power to rescue a progressive American from four more years of George W. Bush.
Americans, sick of the political climate of their homeland, have long sought refuge within Canadian borders. And let’s face it, when compared to the United States, Canada is a liberal utopia & we have universal healthcare (in two languages!), gay marriage, free marijuana for everyone, and we don’t like guns.
Already, our American counterparts are fleeing the U.S. in droves and buying up land along our borders. We envision a movement where everyone wins: Freedom of expression and a politically convenient marriage with love and igloos for all.
Canadian singles, tired of the dating scene, are willing to act for love or just plain pity. Let’s drop our borders/inhibitions/commitment issues, set a date, pick out our china patterns and wed a sexy American liberal.
Guess who was on TV this week? Multiple times apparently? Making really awful faces? That’s right. Yours truly was apparently spotted on KOMO TV multiple times this week when I was sampling (and making horrific faces at) the new Jones Soda holiday pack. I said sure, I’m willing to taste test the new flavors on camera, but had no idea what I was getting into. The five limited edition flavors apparently include Turkey & Gravy Soda, Cranberry Soda, Mashed Potato & Butter Soda, Green Bean Casserole Soda, and Fruitcake Soda. I didn’t think Fruitcake and Cranberry were too bad. And while I’m a fan of real green bean casseroles, I’m no fan of the soda. And don’t even get me started on the turkey tasting one. Yuck! It was pretty disgusting (though I am a vegetarian and a probably bit biased). I encourage you to have your own tasting party at home (keep the cameras ready!) and feel confident knowing that proceeds go to Toys for Tots.
Jonathan Borofsky put “Hammering Man” statues in Seattle, Seoul, Dallas, and Germany, and is famous for his huge people statues that are in over 20 major cities around the world. Now he’s adding Baltimore to that list. His new “Male/Female” statue is 51 feet tall, has a “pulsing” red/blue heart, and towers above the city skyline. The statue is “unmistakably Borofsky” and combines the intersecting figures of his 24-foot “Male/Female” in Kagoshima, Japan, and the pulsating heart of his “Heartlight Man” in Tokyo. They say the artist is a believer in the theory of “All public art that gets people talking about art is good art. Even if they think it’s bad, it’s served its purpose to get people talking, which is good.” Or something like that. Or so I’m told. I really have no idea, but that’s the word on the streets of Baltimore.
There have been tons of forwards sent after the elections with relevant stories… on everything from how to deal with election results depression, info on how to move to Canada, reasons not to move to Canada, reasons not to slit your wrists, IQ and voters (dems get the high IQ), and family values. They said this election was won on family values, which is pretty distressing to me. I was called judgmental earlier this year when I said a republican boyfriend might not be the best choice for me because we likely wouldn’t place the same value on community/human services. Here’s an article from a professor at Catholic University in Washington, D.C. that shows the research on what most of us already know. (I grew up in Texas, with a mom who worked in human services, and can verify the stats about Texas are pretty accurate/consistent to what I saw growing up).
Walking the walk on family values
Boston Globe, October 31, 2004, by William V. D’Antonio
PRESIDENT Bush and Vice President Cheney make reference to "Massachusetts liberals" as if they were referring to people with some kind of disease. I decided it was time to do some research on these people, and here is what I found.
The state with the lowest divorce rate in the nation is Massachusetts. At latest count it had a divorce rate of 2.4 per 1,000 population, while the rate for Texas was 4.1.
But don’t take the US government’s word for it. Take a look at the findings from the George Barna Research Group. George Barna, a born-again Christian whose company is in Ventura, Calif., found that Massachusetts does indeed have the lowest divorce rate among all 50 states. More disturbing was the finding that born-again Christians have among the highest divorce rates.
The Associated Press, using data supplied by the US Census Bureau, found that the highest divorce rates are to be found in the Bible Belt. The AP report stated that "the divorce rates in these conservative states are roughly 50 percent above the national average of 4.2 per thousand people." The 10 Southern states with some of the highest divorce rates were Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas. By comparison nine states in the Northeast were among those with the lowest divorce rates: Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
How to explain these differences? The following factors provide a partial answer:
More couples in the South enter their first marriage at a younger age.
Average household incomes are lower in the South.
Southern states have a lower percentage of Roman Catholics, "a denomination that does not recognize divorce." Barna’s study showed that 21 percent of Catholics had been divorced, compared with 29 percent of Baptists.
Education. Massachusetts has about the highest rate of education in the country, with 85 percent completing high school. For Texas the rate is 76 percent. One third of Massachusetts residents have completed college, compared with 23 percent of Texans, and the other Northeast states are right behind Massachusetts.
The liberals from Massachusetts have long prided themselves on their emphasis on education, and it has paid off: People who stay in school longer get married at a later age, when they are more mature, are more likely to secure a better job, and job income increases with each level of formal education. As a result, Massachusetts also leads in per capita and family income while births by teenagers, as a percent of total births, was 7.4 for Massachusetts and 16.1 for Texas.
The Northeast corridor, with Massachusetts as the hub, does have one of the highest levels of Catholics per state total. And it is also the case that these are among the states most strongly supportive of the Catholic Church’s teaching on social justice issues such as minimum and living wages and universal healthcare.
For all the Bible Belt talk about family values, it is the people from Kerry’s home state, along with their neighbors in the Northeast corridor, who live these values. Indeed, it is the "blue" states, led led by Massachusetts and Connecticut, that have been willing to invest more money over time to foster the reality of what it means to leave no children behind. And they have been among the nation’s leaders in promoting a living wage as their goal in public employment. The money they have invested in their future is known more popularly as taxes; these so-called liberal people see that money is their investment to help insure a compassionate, humane society. Family values are much more likely to be found in the states mistakenly called out-of-the-mainstream liberal. By their behavior you can know them as the true conservatives. They are showing how to conserve family life through the way they live their family values.
William V. D’Antonio is professor emeritus at University of Connecticut and a visiting research professor at Catholic University in Washington, D.C.
I was off site at meetings for most of the day and when I arrived back at work this afternoon I was greeted by LOVELY flowers! Thank you Samantha for these sweet, sweet flowers, and thanks everyone for being so kind this past week! There’s been some heart-breaking talk of closing down my nonprofit (hence some of my crazy, emotional blogs last week), and I was a bit emotional this weekend while thinking of my own (non-work) life. While it’s not all resolved quite yet, I can assure you that I’m doing much better than I was last week! Thanks for all of your kind words, calls, and thoughts! I really appreciate having y’all in my life!
With 5(?) weeks left till little Tyler is due, Alyssa has been revamping her website and took up the blog that sat dormant for the past year and a half. You can check it out at hedgefamily.net. :)
I too revamped my design this weekend and had a lovely, relaxing weekend. I had time to hang out with my friend Erin, I watched Groundhog Day (recommended by the video store clerk who gave me the free rental), read for a while, went to Target to start my holiday shopping, hit both of my banks, did some grocery shopping, and picked up more Egypt books from the library (including the new Aug 2004 Lonely Planet!). I also dressed up Saturday night and spent some money at The Homelessness Project’s charity auction. Yep, that’s the exciting life of a single woman. :)
Holy Christ!! I, Cat, now declare 2004 the year of the baby. Just when you thought no more friends could possibly decide to have babies this year, think again! I just checked my web mail and found an email from an ex… which is always fun to see! Jens and I ended our well intentioned, but failed, attempt at a long distance relationship in April. Seems he almost immediately got his new partner pregnant. He writes, “We decided to keep the baby and stay together, which I am becoming more and more glad of every day.” Many congratulations to Jens… I suspect he’ll be a fantastic dad. Many congrats also to DeAnza, and Mary, and Prentice, Cathy and Jeff, and Janine & Chris M, and Alyssa and Chris H, and Chris B ,and everyone else I’ve forgotten or don’t know of yet! There are a few months left in 2004 and that means there could easily be more babies on the horizon.
Anyone know anything about sun lamps? Anyone have one in their closet collecting dust that they’d like to loan/sell me? I’m thinking about buying one but would love feedback from anyone who’s had one, uses one, has a friend who uses one, or thinks I should avoid them. Full spectrum or broad spectrum? 5,000 lux at 20 in for 45 min or 10,000 lux at 14 in?
They look a little pricey ($250-500), a little bulky, and a little time consuming, but I’m hoping it’d help combat the dreary Seattle winter. In the summer we have about 17 hrs of sunlight and it’s my favorite time of the year! Winter, however, has only 9 hrs of daylight and most of it is cloudy and gray. My inner-Texan seems to need the sun, and so I’m starting to research these lamps. I’ve looked online and started talking to an employee at Fremont’s Indoor Sun Shoppe. Any ideas y’all have would be fantastic! Thanks!
Because I was busy in the conference for the whole week, and because my battery charger and adapter would not work to charge my camera, I was only able to take a few photos during the trip. However, I’ll try to pick from the ones I did take and post a few here over the coming week or two.
Most of Antigua’s economy seemed to be tourism: language schools for tourists, bars and restaurants for tourists, and textiles sold to tourists. The local Mayan women and their kids would come daily from the neighboring villages to sell goods in Antigua. They’d pile huge baskets of goods tall on their head, walk through the streets, and sell from the Parque Central. All of the goods were very colorful, hand woven textiles like this little girl’s outfit. The vibrant colors and outfits were too much to resist and on the last day of the conference I bought myself a skirt from one of the street vendors in el Mercado.
This morning was a rush to get to the airport after the pre-paid shuttle the conference arranged for never came to pick me up. It was sad combination of saying goodbyes, a solo breakfast, and the lack of shuttle… I think the combo actually had me a bit emotional. Luckily, I was able to get to the airport in time, didn’t miss my flight, and was only out $40. Not ideal, but better than a missed flight.
Happily, getting home from the airport proved much easier and infinitely more enjoyable. Both flights had movies and meals, and upon arrival in Seattle my friends Rod and Clare were very sweet and picked me up and delivered me and my luggage safely home! It’s now time to attempt to unpack a tiny bit before midnight. :) Hope everyone is well!
Ive just got a sec to post and Im not feeling terribly like writing. However, theres net access so it seems like a good idea. My short update for the week: The works been good, weve been putting in long hours, Im super tired, the people have been amazing, and Im bummed today was the last day of the conference. I fly out bright and early tomorrow morning and am not ready to go home. Ill be quite sad to leave here… Ill post more later and include photos. Take care!
I’m here in an internet cafe getting a massage from a handsome Egyptian guy. There are many handsome Egyptian guys… que bueno! Actually, there are tons of interesting folks from all over the world… Kenya, Japan, Germany, USA, UK, Columbia, El Salvador, Mexico, etc. The conference is quite disorganized, and they’re having problems with translation, but all else is going well. Meeting lots of folks is great fun… some speak fantastic English, others laughed at my broken Spanish, but all are great. Antigua is very touristy, but very nice. Clean. Pretty. Antique. Amazing history. Ruins. Surrounded by volcanoes on all sides. It’s a very poor country (over 1/2 live in poverty), but Antigua is nice. Flush toilets with toilet paper. Paved streets. Even some street lamps. Not at all the in your face poverty of India. The only problem: my converter doesn’t work, and my digital camera battery will die any time now. Que MALO! Alas, I’m off for a night on the town with the Egyptian boys. Adios!
Last night, Wed, was a fun photo meetup. A couple of new faces in the crowd, and a couple of updated portfolios from old and new alike. One newcomer works for an agency and was in full story telling mode all night… and I was pretty content to listen. He’s wasn’t on the level of Shutterbabe, but not bad for a local freelancer.
Thursday was the 4th or 5th or 6th week in a row that Caroline and I went running around Greenlake… despite the millions of meetings that seem to keep up both busy.
Today doesn’t feel like today yet… considering I haven’t slept yet. However, in a few short hours today I’ll be in class making my final group presentation on a strategic analysis case study of a local nonprofit social service agency. It has been a really great class. Lovin it. A few hours after our presentation, I’ll run home, throw clothes and a camera in a backpack, and then head to Guatemala. At some point between now and death, I plan to catch a quick nap. :) Not sure about internet access in Guatemala, but if I get it, I’ll be sure to post a quick blog. Hope everyone’s well!
By the way… don’t forget to mark your calendars for Aug 21st – the gallery opening of our joint photography show. I won’t be there, but you can still go to the White Dove Gallery in Lakewood, look at all of our photos, and give tons of praise to Jeff, TYD, and John. I’ve never even see the photos, but I still highly recommend it. :)
Nope… nothing exciting in my life to report, but I thought I’d brag about Charles for a moment. For those following along from home, Charles is one of my oldest friends (I think we’re at 13 years!!). Not only is he a long time friend, he just gets better with age. Take this month. He just had his birthday two weeks ago, and not only did he have a birthday party, he also got a new roommate AND got a new girlfriend… two entirely different girls! I could only hope something that exciting would happen on my birthday!! Not the roommate part… I love having Erin! But the birthday party or new relationship… either of those would be much fun! Go Charles!!
I.R.S. Will Broaden Inquiry Into Salaries at Nonprofit Groups
By Stephanie Strom
The Internal Revenue Service said yesterday that it had broadened its inquiry into the compensation practices and policies of charities and foundations.
The agency has already begun examinations or sent letters of inquiry to 200 organizations, and it plans to query roughly 1,800 more as part of its effort to crack down on excessive compensation and benefits.
Steven T. Miller, commissioner of the tax exempt and government entities division at the I.R.S., said more than 500 organizations would be subject to an examination, which involves them having revenue agents in their offices rather than simply submitting responses to written questions.
Mr. Miller said the I.R.S. would add 70 auditors to its staff overseeing tax-exempt groups, raising the total number of agents to roughly 300.
The nonprofit world has been bracing for this I.R.S. inquiry for some time, but it expected the scope to be smaller.
In testimony at a Senate Finance Committee hearing on charitable oversight, the commissioner of the I.R.S., Mark W. Everson, said in June that his agency would be looking into compensation practices at “hundreds” of organizations.
Michael W. Peregrine, a lawyer in Chicago with several large nonprofit clients, said, “So many organizations were assuming this wouldn’t apply to them, and now it’s clear that the scrutiny is going to be much broader.”
I’m sure it’s not aimed at 99% of nonprofit staffs… but it still seems funny to add 70 auditors to evaluate the salaries of the lowest paid sector of the economy. I’m pretty confident I won’t be evaluated in the crackdown. :)
Some might say I’m burning the candle at both ends right now… getting up in the 5am hour to read for class, then going to work for 7-8 hrs after already sitting in class for 8 hours. Yep, I’m tired and operating on very little sleep. But that’s not why I’m writing. This is a story about Monday. A manic Monday. Monday night after a very long day I was in bed, trying to sleep. It should be easy considering how tired I am this week, but my eye was giving me such trouble that eventually I dragged myself out of bed to inspect it in the mirror. Turns out there was something large and white poking me… hence the discomfort. It wasn’t a hair, an eyelash, or a little fiber. I’m not really sure what it was. All I do know is that I couldn’t get it out with my finger or by flushing it with water. I didn’t want to poke two much for fear of re-living my childhood eye trauma. (On two separate occasions I was climbing tress, got debris in my eyes, itched them, scratched my eye, and had to wear an eye patch. Perhaps it’d have been cool if I was playing pirate, but that was never really my agenda. I was always just pissed to be hurt and a bit scared of causing myself further injury). Anyway, back to Monday night. So eventually I became so distraught in the middle of the night that I got dressed, went over to my ex-boyfriends, and continued to knock loudly enough that it roused him out of sleep. After a few (excruciatingly long) minutes of painful operating, he eventually made it disappear. I then quit crying and went home to bed feeling a bit pathetic and even more tired. Man… some days just seem more manic than others.
Today, however, feels more like I’m on speed. Hopped up on too much coffee and too many immediate deadlines. Looking forward to a run tomorrow morning to force my body into something less intense. :)
I apparently was too tired this weekend to post on Sunday, despite the fun that ensued. So, here’s a belated recap. I forced myself to come home Saturday night after one party and skipped out on a second beach party (eliciting a midnight phone call from Andrew… sorry about that!). I decided I should continue reading my assignments for class instead of party it up in a bikini at Chuck’s house. Of course, once home on a Saturday night, the more I read, the more I was distracted and inspired to create new programs for work, so those two got intermingled and I spent a few hours doing each until the wee hours of the morning. Sunday I woke and read, ate some food, read some more, and then treated myself to a well-earned break: Shakespeare in the Park. Lovely Chris (of the walking across country fame) and his lovely sister Wendie (the international traveler) invited me to picnic with them in Lincoln Park and see Greenstage’s production of All’s Well That Ends Well. The play was, well, adequate (not my favorite Shakespeare, but it did elicit some laugh out loud moments when you have to groan at the bad puns or cheesy plot twists). Chris and Wendie’s company, on the other hand, was fantastic. Hopefully I’ll get to hang with them more before Chris leaves Seattle to move back to Denver. :)
And on that note, I should really get back to more reading for this morning’s class and our first group assignment. Hope everyone’s well! BTW, anyone planning to attend the photo meetup on Wed? I’ll be giving myself another study break and will definitely be there! Take care!
I’m taking a class this week at the University of Washington’s Evan School / Graduate School of Public Affairs. It’s the final class for my Certificate of Nonprofit Management program. Even more than last year’s class, this is making me want to go back to grad school. While hundreds of pages of assigned reading each night was never ideal (not in undergrad and not this week), I do love the studies and the theories, I love the debate, and I love the case studies and consulting projects given so we’re forced to apply the ideas. It reminds me that school could be fun… unlike my business undergrad that I didn’t appreciate as much as I should have. Of course, the first step in going to grad school would be finding time to study for and ace the GREs. Guess it could be a while…
In college we had an automated phone system to register for classes, with the voice prompts done by one of the assistant deans. At the end of the call, when you completed all of your class selections, the closing was always the same very serious refrain: Goodbye and good luck. It’s been a familiar sentiment lately as there’s been lots of change happening around here in my professional life.
One staff member who’s been with our agency for 18 years just left… and I regularly find myself thinking “Oh! I’ve just got to show her this thing!” and then come to the sad realization she’s gone…
There’s also tons of turn over right now among my peers who direct other programs in the Puget Sound. There are about seven or eight main programs in the county, and three of those directors are leaving their jobs this summer. They’re all great people who’ve been there since way before me and are all the folks I’ve worked most closely with over the past three years. I’ll be sad to see them go, but I am excited for the new opportunities they’ll be pursuing!
Closer to home… while graduation for most of my staff was last week, yesterday was my last team meeting with my original 5 staff members. I decided we’d celebrate with a road trip and so we took a day trip to Whidbey Island. We rode the ferry, hit small towns, ate way too much pizza, found silly stuff at a thrift store, and spent a long while playing around at Deception Pass Park. We also took tons of silly photos while goofing off and reminiscing about the year. It’s good stuff, just sad to see such a great team moving on.
And finally, I just came home tonight from a goodbye celebration for Janine and Chris who are moving back to Australia. I’ve known for about four months that she’s be moving this week, but it doesn’t feel too real yet. I suspect it’ll take a while to sink in… like each morning when I get to work and want to run over to her desk first thing to give her the latest updates. Janine started just a month or two after I did and it’s really not going to be the same working there alone after these past few years. You’d think I’d have had time to cope since I’ve now been to one baby shower, one goodbye party, and one joint baby shower/goodbye… but it’s hard! It’ll be great for them to move back home to the beach and be near family. However, I’ll miss having her here and will really miss not getting to see her have the baby! She’s 33 weeks right now and doesn’t have much longer to go! Guess all I can say now is goodbye and good luck!
Caroline and I were running around Greenlake this morning and the at one point the topic turned to the recent amount of crime in the area. Anyone else feeling a bit creeped out by this increase? I hate to admit it, but the recent string of 14 arsons in Seattle is a bit alarming to me. There were 5 within a mile or two of me… including one less than a mile to the East in Wallingford, and another that was barely a mile to the West in Phinney Ridge. There’s been an increase in gang activity in the U-District neighborhood where my office is located. Even closer, there’s been an increase in theft at the Chevron station two blocks away. And right at my office, for my little nonprofit, there was a break in last week. One woman was working late, alone, was confronted by a robber in her office. He had her bags and other items and was in the process of leaving with them. Screaming wouldn’t matter in an old, empty building. She didn’t know whether to attempt running, give everything away, or attack. She didn’t know if he had a gun, or a knife, or if he was going to be violent, or if he was going to abuse her. Luckily when she walked in the office it caught him off guard, and he dropped the items and left. However, you never know what the next desperate person might do. I work late pretty often… sometimes till 10pm, midnight, or even 2am if I’ve got a big deadline and I’m on a role. I’m not keen on the idea of someone picking three sets of locks to get into my building, floor, and office. Alas.
Kind of funny… Terrorist threats don’t worry me in the least… I don’t cancel fireworks plans or buy duct tape or stay away from large celebrations. I kept flying after 9/11… hopped a flight a couple of weeks later and continue to fly almost monthly. I don’t get nervous when traveling alone to places like India or Europe or Latin America… even when it’s often considered unsafe for single, American woman to travel alone. I don’t get nervous going into the supposed “bad” parts of town. I don’t get nervous walking home at night, by myself, even after leaving a bar or a concert after midnight. I don’t get worried about homeless or drunks. However, as odd as it is, the recent fires and robberies are just a bit disarming. I’ve decided to plug my smoke detector back into the wall… that’s the best I can think of right now. Guess I’ll leave the rest to someone else more capable than me?
Elvin Bishop sings his classic “Fooled Around and Fell in Love”
The BB King Blues Fest rolled through town and did two shows this weekend at the Pier. I saw the concert on Sunday night and had a fantastic time! There were three opening bands before BB came on for the headlining set, including Dr. John, Elvin Bishop, and Shemekia Copeland. There were a few special guests: Jay Geils and Magic Dick! Both played in the blues rock J. Geils Band that formed back in the late 60s. It was a “hard driving white rhythm and blues show band” and they continued to evolve as the years went on. I wasn’t around in the late 60s, but I do fondly remember their foray into cheesy 80s at about the time MTV got it’s start. I think we’ve all probably danced to Freeze-Frame and sang along with (Angel is a) Centerfold!
BB himself was fantastic! He’s 78 years old, has bad knees, bad back, and Diabetes, but he’s still touring and still having a grand time on stage. He is a funny, funny man and had total control over the crowd, the band, and the mood. It was fantastic, and I’m glad I got to see the show while he’s still able to tour!
Rating: Highly recommended, must see! Shemekia Copeland and Dr. John might have been good, but they weren’t amazing. However, I’d love to see Elvin Bishop, BB King, Jay Geils, and Magic Dick again!
The webmaster at A Picture’s Worth 1000words.net has been emailing me and asking for photo and essay submissions for the past year. I finally submitted both and apparently they are today’s feature. If you’ve got time to kill, you can read my essay (less than 1,000 words) as well as check out the photo. :)
Last night I had the opportunity to drive around Seattle in the Pants on Fire mobile and it was a pretty entertaining ride. The giant Bush trailer had signs, lights, and flames up his pants… kind of a less than subtle “Liar Liar Pants on Fire!” reference. There was peace music blasting from the speaker system that included songs like Bob Marley’s “Get Up, Stand Up.” There were also links for the PantsOnFire.net website on all sides of the trailer as well as an LCD screen that scrolls lists of the lies Bush has told the country. The goal: “Pants On Fire is a campaign to make Americans aware that George Bush has lied to us about many of the most important issues facing our country. Our aim is to make sure that Americans never forget about those lies so that we DON’T GET BURNED AGAIN.”
We received many supportive shouts, cheers, and honks are we drove around town… some folks even knew about the car, knew the website partners, and even knew who began the campaign (Ben, of Ben & Jerry’s). Many people shouted supportive niceties like “F*ck Bush!” and “I’m not voting for that ***hole!” Others responded with “What the heck?” or “Sh*t!” as they tried to figure out why a flaming Bush was driving down the street. Others seemed to miss the subtlety(!) and they seemed to think it was pro-Bush. One favorite was when a guy at the Whisky Bar downtown saw us from inside, and came running right out the front door towards the car, grabbing himself, and shouting “You can suck my f*cking c*ck with that f*cking s*it!” Of course, to be fair, not everyone in Seattle is anti-Bush. There was one car of people who didn’t cheer for us: a few 16 year olds in an SUV that shouted “Kerry can suck my left nut!” before throwing something at Emily. It was kind of funny (luckily, they had bad aim so she wasn’t hit).
Overall it was definitely a fun night. Police men smiled at us, bus drivers grinned, taxi drivers gave thumbs up, 10 year old kids cheered, and even Cadillac owners tooted their horns for us. BTW, if you missed us last night, the car will be around Seattle for two weeks, with different volunteers driving each day. Look for our buddy Andrew to be driving Thursday and Friday nights.
FLUFF: It’s true that I got my hair chopped off about two weeks ago… this time it’s about an inch above my chin. Short, but in a fun (maybe even sassy?) style that’s good for summer. Not exactly hip, but I am getting more whistles and cat calls than before. (Maybe that also has something to do with tanktops that girls wear in the summer?). Either way, Suzan requested a hair photo so here it is. It’s from a friend’s housewarming party this weekend. You probably can’t see much of my hair under the cowboy hat that was getting passed around, but you can see my tan. I think the haircut actually makes me look a little younger (despite my grey hair), as I’ve been carded twice in the past two weeks. Anyway, the housewarming party on Sat was fun, as was the party on Friday, as was the BB King concert Sunday. (BB King was AMAZING, in fact, and I’ll post some pics very soon). G’night!
Stricken with Hepatitis C in April 2003 and lacking health insurance, Alejandro Escovedo has been the focus of scores of benefit concerts in Austin, Texas, and across the U.S. There’s a new 2 disc CD just out this week, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit the Alejandro Escovedo Medical & Living Expense Fund (as well as a developing effort to develop an ongoing assistance effort for musicians afflicted with Hepatitis C). The album has Austin bands like Los Lonely Boys and Charlie Sexton, Seattle bands like The Minus Five, Alejandro’s family members Shelia E (Prince) and Pete Escovedo (Santana), and many others. Buy yours today, enjoy some great music, and help out a favorite Austin musician.
Por Vida: A Tribute To The Songs Of Alejandro Escovedo
But don’t just take my word for it. From Amazon.com: These 32 songs offer further aid–and a dizzying, daring appraisal of a brilliant, if commercially hard-luck, songwriter. Opening with Lucinda Williams’s slurred, Spartan electric groove, the set covers the obscure (“Sacramento & Polk,” in a manic paranoid take by Lenny Kaye) and the exquisite (the road-weary ballad “Thirteen Years,” in a stately, aching reading by Tejano legend Ruben Ramos). Those familiar with the restless style-shifting of Escovedo’s career won’t be surprised by the juxtaposition of Ian Hunter’s bar-band strut with the Jayhawks’ psychedelic wall of delay, or Peter Case’s glam garage with Bob Neuwirth’s unguarded, accordion-laced sigh. Surprises include a poignant vocal turn from keyboard legend Ian McLagan, a reunited and stunningly revived Son Volt, and Escovedo himself, charging through a new tempo-twisting rocker cut just before he fell ill. There is tangible enthusiasm, even love, in the performances of these wildly diverse admirers. –Roy Kasten
Today was the photo protest/workshop down at the Ballard Locks. While it’s hard to imagine anyone getting harassed by Homeland Security for taking photos of one of Seattle’s biggest tourist attractions, it’s a sad but true state of world affairs. Today there were thousands of tourists milling around, exclaiming noisily about the locks, the boats, the migrating salmon, the flowers, or the live music. There were also 50+ photographers there in a photography protest. Many were spurred to action by Myk’s blog a few weeks ago, while others heard of it more recently after the Stranger and local media gave the protest idea some press. More photos (including one from the PI?) later this week.
Chris receives a gift of slippers after completing the walk
Last night I spent a few hours at a party for some guy I don’t know, hosted by some people I don’t know. All things considered, it was pretty entertaining and everyone was (almost surprisingly) really nice. :) Apparently there’s a Seattle woman named Wendie who has a little brother named Chris. He got it in his head a few years back that it’d be fun to walk across the United States. Not to raise money, not to protest, not to further a cause, not to promote health. Just to walk, meet the neighbors along the way, and have an adventure. Well, he started last year in Savannah, GA and 207 days of walking later he arrived in Seattle last night. I’ve gone to parties with less exciting themes, and this seemed like an interesting way to spend a Friday night. His sister Wendie was great (just got back from volunteering in Nicaragua), and Chris himself was very entertaining (he had lots of stories, as you can imagine). To read all about his trip and send him congratulations, visit dontforgetus.net. To hang out with him sometime in the next few weeks before he takes a train back to Colorado, drop him an email.
Today was our big graduation celebration at work! (Happily, the weather cooperated and shifted about 15 degrees cooler so it was more tolerable at the beach!). My staff at work has full turnover every year and it’s really quite sad to get such an amazing group of people, watch them grow over the course of a year, and then loose them all when it’s over. Two are moving out of the country, a few are moving out of state, and happily, the rest are staying in the Seattle area. I know it’s the nature of the program, it’s just sad to see them go. (I feel like a parent must feel when their kids move out into the great big world and they’re left all on their own). Regardless, we did a BBQ at the beach to celebrate the year and played some badminton and frisbee. I had gifts for everyone that included training certificates, sappy sentimental stuff, super cool personalized t-shirts from NorthShoreShirts.com, and gift certificates for stuff like kayaking, the EMP, free movies, etc. I’ve had the most amazing team full of fantastic people and while I know I shouldn’t pick favorites, there’s no doubt at all about the status these folks have earned for themselves. They’ll go down in my heart and in the history books as the best team of all time. Wish me luck recovering and lots of luck with my new team that starts in a few weeks!
In the mean time, there’s tons of fun stuff happening this weekend in Seattle. Tomorrow I hope to hit the Scottish Highland Games, and then plan to party at a friend’s Saturday night. On Sunday I’ll be at the photo workshop (protest) and then am REALLY excited about the chance to see the BB King blues fest at the Pier! Hope everyone is well!
Don’t forget… big photo opp this Sunday at the Ballard locks. Myk saw Ian’s blog about being harassed by Homeland Security while taking pictures of one of Seattle’s biggest tourist attractions: the Ballard Locks. Myk posted a blog entry a few weeks about encouraging others to photograph the locks in protest and tons of photographers responded, from both near and far. The link was shared on tons of blogs and photo list serves within a few days, and it seems that by now all local media know about the event. In fact, the Stranger has even listed the protest event as a “recommended” event this week. I’ll be there Sunday midday with a few cameras. Anyone else?
SUNDAY AUGUST 1
The PATRIOT Act Sucks
(AND SO DOES RACIAL PROFILING) When Ballard resident Ian Spiers got stopped by Department of Homeland Security special agents a few weeks ago for snapping photos of the Ballard Locks as part of a class assignment, he wrote about it on his website, www.brownequalsterrorist.com. Now, dozens–maybe even hundreds?–of people who’ve read the outrageous story are heading to the Ballard Locks this afternoon, cameras in hand, to quietly stand up against something truly terrifying: PATRIOT Act-fueled law enforcement officers bullying innocent citizens. They’ll also be taking pretty pictures of boats. (Ballard Locks Photo Workshop, Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, 3015 NW 54th St, 1 pm-4 pm, free. )
I received official word today that I did not test positive for Celiacs Disease. :) That means we still don’t know what caused the bumps and scars, but at least I can eat the occasional cookie and not worry about death. Yea!
In other pressing news, I now own linen pants in an attempt to keep cool while remaining fully clothed. The other option I generally choose (wear less clothing) is okay for home, but not always okay on days like today where you must present in front of the board of directors.
And in equally riveting news, I’ve attempted to remove most traces of color from this website. It’s too damn hot right now to look at anything colorful. Geez… I think I need to climb out of the oven leave my office.
Oddly enough, I got a voice mail last night from my brother. He wanted to let me know my friend Beal got home safely to Austin… apparently he also flew into Austin last night and ran into her in the airport. SMALL WORLD!
And speaking of Charlie flying to Austin… he found out last week that he’s being transferred from Phoenix, AZ to San Antonio, TX… only an hour away from where my parents live/where we grew up. That means he and Stef have to sell their newly built house in AZ and find a new place very soon in either Austin or San Antonio… hence the apparent trip home this weekend. Congrats to Charlie and Stef on the transfer! I know they’ve been wanting to get back closer to friends and family for the past few years. Congrats also to Mom and Dad… who just bought a house a few weeks ago and are moving out of our childhood home. Craziness. Guess everyone’s home in Texas now except me. Hope y’all are well…
The games are happening this weekend and since I’ve never been in 4 summers of living in Seattle, I’m hoping to go on Saturday. Anyone want to join me in Enumclaw? Any photographers up for a road trip? Any girlie girls want to go giggle about boys in kilts? Anyone? Do share!
Miss Beal and I have had a good time of being girlie and just relaxing around town… two things I seem to rarely do in Seattle. I enjoy getting to giggle about boys, dressing up, going out to bars, drinking coffee at coffee shops, etc… I do it some the rest of the year, but in small doses and not very often. Guess most of my random friends aren’t really into that kind of thing… best I can tell anyway. (This weekend was Indigo Girls, Whidby Island, berry picking, trying on vintage swim suits, Deception Pass, Gasworks, picnic at Golden Gardens, Blue Water Bistro, Bauhaus, College Inn, Qwanjai, and then some). Girlie or otherwise, Beal’s visit has been much fun and long overdue. And speaking of long overdue, I got my hair cut again on Friday. (Got 6 or 8 inches or so taken off in April, and had another 4 taken off on Friday). It was pretty fun and now it’s shorter and perhaps a bit sassier? I can’t tell if the haircut is getting me all of these whistles, honks, and cat calls in the past week, or if it’s just the record high temperatures going to people’s heads, but either way, something crazy seems to be in the air. (Beal and I as a pair have gotten a good deal of cat calls too). I kinda doubt it’s my amazing physique… trying on new jeans this weekend was thoroughly depressing seeing I might need to go up a size, despite the running and hiking and semi-regular working out. And speaking of working out… Dieter, Beal, and I saw Super Size Me tonight. I rarely eat fast food and don’t eat meat, but it’s still given me a renewed interest in working out. It’s sad enough over 60% of our country are overweight or obese… making it the second largest preventable health disease in the country. I just don’t want to add myself to that statistic. I suspect that’s all the random info you folks really need for today. Hope everyone is well… I’m tired and am off to bed. :)
Having fun balancing a crazy work week with Beal’s visit. Not sure about today’s plans, but I do know that on Sunday we’ll be at Golden Gardens in anyone wants to join us. :) Hope everyone is well!
Beal arrived Tues morning, we did lunch with Dieter, worked the afternoon, then saw the Bob Schneider instore at Easy Street Records, had bubble tea with Ben, hit Bimbo’s for dinner with Jake, then came home to watch City of Gods. (I highly recommend Dieters, Jakes, Bens, Bobs, and City of Gods. Wow!).
Today I worked some, and then we hit the market (ate some fruit and donuts), played some pool (at Tom’s moving away party), hung out with Rod (informative evening), cooked some dinner (mac & cheese for Beal, beans & rice for me), and finished up City of Gods.
I’m not really sure what Thursday will bring, but I know by Friday we’ll no longer be in the company of quite so many men. In fact, we’re likely to be surrounded by women as we’ll be at the Pier for the Indigo Girls concert. Have a great night y’all!
Wow… I’ve been stressed and crying a lot lately, and tonight is no different. As a name group, I think there are more important “Lauras” in my life than perhaps any other single name, and they’re all my same age within a year. Laura D was my 6th grade best friend (during such a traumatic, drama-filled time). Laura C and Laura B were college, Austin, work, and Houston friends. Laura C holds the honor of my first visitor ever in Seattle, and Laura B holds the records for most visits to see me in Seattle. And Laura V was a friend from camp… a sweet, sweet friend who’s now in NYC getting ready to be a public school teacher. Her father passed away a few years ago, and now her mother just passed away on Sunday. I’ve had a lot of death in my life, but never imagined a world that’s now a reality for Laura… a world where both of her parents died before her 30th birthday… where they’ll never get to see her marriage, her kids, her graduate degree, etc. If you feel called to, please say a little prayer for Laura and send her your thoughts.
The lovely Miss Beal called today around 4pm, decided she wanted to come to Seattle immediately, booked a flight, and will be arriving in Seattle in about 12 short hours. You might remember Beal from such great stories as “Crazy college co-eds,” “Bikini babes in Houston,” and “I can’t believe she slept on my couch in an efficiency apartment for a whole summer without driving either one of us crazy!” Yes, the great Laura Beal is coming back for her third trip to Seattle to sleep on my couch… though this time it’s only for a week. I suspect we’ll BBQ at some point this weekend if anyone’s free or interested. :)
I’ve decided I deserve a little trip to quench my traveling desire. So, this weekend I booked my plane ticket and am going to attend a conference in Antigua, Guatemala in August. I’ve been super stressed lately (as Dieter and a few of my staff can attest!) and I decided it’d be a worthwhile trip. I’m going into it knowing I’ll be stressed before the trip (taking a grad class at UW) and stressed after the trip (have my new staff starting the day after I return). Regardless, a community organizing conference in Guatemala seemed like a chance that shouldn’t be passed up. So, if anyone knows anyone in Guatemala City or Antigua, please do let me know… I’d love company for my free times before and after the conference. I’m hoping to hike one of the volcanoes in the area… either Volcn Pacaya or maybe Volcn Agua. Also hope to visit the village of Santa Mara de Jess for the views of the valley and the local Mayan women.
I’ve not studied much about Guatemala yet, but do know that the country is extremely poor. About 75% of the population live below the poverty line. One book to read is “Out of the Dump,” a collection of photos and poems done by some of the 1,000+ children who live and scavenge in the Guatemala City garbage dump. Amazon.com says “In this stunning and heartbreaking book, the dump children photograph and write about their parents, siblings, animals, and about their plans for the future. Mirian Esquivel writes, “Women always have a lot of children because they fall in love when they’re only fifteen years old.” Rosario Lopez promises, “When I’m a mother, I’m going to educate my daughters.” Gladiz Jimenez says, “My parents can’t read. / They can only write their names. / Maybe I will be their teacher. / Ma me mi mo mu.” Any advice for the trip?
Bob Schneider, one of our most entertaining Austin musicians, is going to be back in Seattle again on Tuesday… this time playing with the Bodeans at the Showbox ($20). Anyone up for another Bob show?
1. Last night I was diagnosed with giardia! While I’m not super excited to have a parasite, I am pretty stoked to have a diagnosis and subsequent treatment plan! My lab results from a week ago came in and they say I have a “rare strand” of giardia. Reading online, it seems it can lay dormant for months on end, so it’s probably what was afflicting me all spring and summer after my second bout of malaria. 
Friday night was Cuban night dinner and party in First Hill and it was like a mini AC reunion… great fun! However, I was positively exhausted and left at midnight after feeling tired and light headed. I went home and proceeded to sleep for 10+ hours… very rare. Maybe I caught the bug Ryan caught? He’s been sick this week and stayed home from work for two days…
I dropped Samantha off at her place on my way to Capitol Hill and what did we find placed next to the recycling bin but a lovely guitar just waiting for a new home! Samantha was obviously meant to be the new owner and you can check out the guitar at the upcoming pumpkin carving extravaganza. :) 
From fabulous prizes to live music from Smoosh, the 
