just laura

Essayist Geoffrey O’Brien has called the personal mixtape “the most widely practiced American art form.” I’m the lucky girl who received not one, but two, mix CDs in the last two weeks. Yep, I’m feeling loved. Thanks Mary and thanks T for the CDs! There is only a short list of things that might make me happier than getting music selected by someone else for me. I’m still glowing over Samantha’s mix CDs she gave me before Kenya… the perfect selection of classics mixed in with new to me songs that make my heart all warm and fuzzy, songs about her, songs about me, and songs that just make me want to dance around the living room. And who can forget Greg from Zambia and how he came over with his laptop on my last night in Lusaka to add a Zambian monumental playlist to my iPod? Or Nitza, Susie, and Josh for sending me music in Kenya to keep me from cracking? Or Chris this summer sharing music that he thought I needed to hear after missing new music for a 1 and a half? They are but a few of the kind and generous souls who’ve shared music in the recent past. I do love my friends!

Do you love your friends? Here’s an outdated but spirited mix tape how to by someone online who calls himself “Jack Tripper.” Enjoy!

How to Make the Perfect Mix Tape 10.19.01

Picture this: You’re in love. Great. Everything’s perfect. Well, at least that’s what you think in the beginning. Slowly you’ll realize there is a missing void, a certain something begging to fart out. And what’s worse is that this certain something is tearing up your relationship. So what is it and how can you fix your relationship? It’s a mix tape is what it is, and you can start by making one.

Picture this: You just found a new best friend. This new best friend scans your music collection and is on the verge of asking to borrow some. But of course, you are extremely selfish and prefer not to share your CD’s, but at the same time, you are desperate for a friend. So, what do you do? You make a mix tape.

You’re in the grocery store. You ask someone where’s the cereal aisle. The person points you in the right direction. What do you do? You make a mother fucking mix tape.

Mix tapes are perfect. Not only are they great for sharing new and old music, but they dig down deep into the bottom of the heart, and expose the bloody organ for all it’s worth. It’s as personal as stripping down naked and saying, “This is me, take it or leave it.” Usually they would just leave it, but with Jack Tripper’s (read: my) help, they will indefinitely take the bait; because as we all know, tricking people into liking us is the best way to live life.

So what’s a mix tape anyway? It’s just a tape with a whole bunch of songs, right? Just scramble a few songs together and that’s good enough, right? Wrong. Creating a mix tape is one thing, but creating a perfect mix tape is a whole other story. It takes enormous amounts of outlining and planning before executing a perfect mix tape. Sure, you can throw a bunch of random songs together, but don’t come crying to Jack Tripper when that special someone dumps you or your new best friend ditches you — because they will. I promise you, if you follow these little guidelines, you’ll have that special someone or best friend for at least a month longer.

So where do you start? First of all, you need an audio cassette. Most cassettes found in Wal Mart or Sam Goody will suffice. Mix taping doesn’t imply spending $10 on a tape just to show how much you care. After all, it’s about the execution and design — oh yeah, and the music. On the other hand, you don’t want to use a bad tape, such as a previously used tape or one that has been collecting dust. It’s safest to start clean with a new, moderately priced, blank cassette.

Now, the question is… What is the recommended length for a mix tape? The most popular lengths are 60-minutes, 90-minutes, 110-minutes, and 120-minute tapes. The choice is ultimately yours, but for your first mix tape, you should play it safe and go with 90-minutes. I mean, after all, this is your first mix tape; if you screw up, wouldn’t you rather be screwing up for only 90-minutes, rather than 120-minutes? So you’re probably wondering, why 90-minutes and not 60-minutes? My answer: don’t ask too many questions, you ungrateful little punk.

Once you’ve acquired your tape, it’s on to the next topic: themes. Themes are extremely important in the art of “mix taping”. Among the popular themes are “love songs”, “summer songs”, “sad songs”, etc. Only you will be able to choose the appropriate theme for the occasion, so unfortunately, I have to leave that up to you. After your theme is chosen, you will have to whip up a clever title. My recommendation is to keep the theme and title simple for your first attempt.

After picking a sufficient title and theme, you can begin choosing songs. Choosing songs pertaining to the theme is not too difficult. Just make sure you don’t throw on a song just because you love it — it has to fit the theme. And more importantly, don’t throw on any shitty songs. I don’t think they will appreciate listening to shit. Which leads us to the next step: tracklisting. Tracklisting is the single most crucial aspect of mix taping. After choosing a batch of songs, you must narrow them down to which songs will fit the best, and which are most compatible with one another. Try pairing up songs and working around them. You should create test lists and go through each song making sure they all fit with each other. I cannot stress how important tracklisting is. Radiohead almost broke up over the tracklisting for Kid A — do you get my drift? After some experience, you will be able to pull off two themes on one tape. For example: Side A: “Love Songs for the Retarded” and Side B: “Songs for the Pickup Truck”. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, you have a long way before you will reach that kind of status.

The most important song is the first song. It can’t be too obvious, cheesy, or predictable. And it can’t be too obscure that the person will be too worried about wondering who it is, or whether they like it or not. The song has to ease the listener in slowly, but confidently. Some people prefer coming up with the first song, then working from there. That’s a good approach, too, and can often be more effective than the “pairing up songs” approach for the tracklisting.

Joke songs. Yes, they are funny, but do you really think your loved one or best friend will laugh every single time the song is played? There are a couple rules to help you decide whether or not to use joke songs. On rare occasions, a joke song will work on a particular person over and over. If it happens to meet this criteria and you’re 100% confident that it will, go ahead and do it. And if your tape’s theme happens to be “joke songs”, then go ahead and do it; although, that theme is not recommended if you want a relationship over 3 months. Bottom line: If your joke song doesn’t meet these two rules, then it should be left off — or you might as well start looking for a new friend or special someone.

Transitions between songs play a vital role in mix taping. It depends on your theme, but if the theme calls for variety, making smooth transitions between songs is highly important. Variety is good, but you can’t expect to leap from genre to genre without having any linking songs. Let’s say you throw on a cute rocker, such as “Underground” by Ben Folds Five; and somehow you want to transition to Tortoise’s “Djed”. You can’t just go straight from pop rock to detached, experimental post-rock. You need a link. Come up with songs that may fit in between, and if you can’t find any, then one of those songs has to take a hike.

Don’t be discouraged if you don’t get it right the first time. Mastering the art of mix tapes takes practice, and more importantly, patience — so, expect screw-ups. If you are really serious about mix taping, I recommend finding a temporary best friend or lover to test the tape before using it on the ones you really want to impress. That way you can gain more practice without screwing up any serious relationship you may have in the future. Follow these rules and you’re guaranteed a friend or lover for at least 20-30 business days.

-jack tripper

Not a chickadee in Fremont
(aka Horn bill in my yard in the village)

This morning there was a chickadee sitting on a branch outside my window in Fremont. Yep. This morning I was absolutely fascinated by watching a little bird. I was so fascinated I was actually a bit shocked at myself. I was sitting in my green chair, in my cozy robe, when I noticed something fluttering outside. I live on the second floor and looked out to see an itty bitty tiny chickadee hopping from branch to branch just inches from my window. Can I just try to tell you how super excited I was to see a bird, even if it was just a common little chickadee (not even a crested crane or a black-and-white casqued horn bill or even a bronze and blue sparrow)? It made me remember that Seattle doesn’t really have much wildlife in the city, at least not in Fremont. I don’t think I’d even realized how much I missed my life in the village where we had cows and sheep in our yard, and super cool wild birds and cranes everywhere, not to mention lizards, spiders, and insects in the house, in addition to the random pigs, rats, insects, ducks, chickens, and occasional monkeys outside the house. I’m not sure how long I was fascinated with the little bird this morning, but I had to laugh at myself as I could feel my grin getting bigger and bigger the longer I stared at it. Definitely made me miss village life… who knew a city girl like me who loves galleries and theatre and live music would grow to love the quiet life in the country quite so quickly? I left knowing what I’d have to give up (dinners, parties, dating, friends, stability, income, internet, libraries, news, etc) but I don’t think any of us can really know all of what we’ll gain upon arrival in a new place. You just have to be open to life and I suspect the beauty and the lessons will find you soon enough…

I still silently lament the disappearance of Sunday Dinners at the Yellow House (one of the things I gave up to go to Kenya and discovered was gone upon my return). They were one of my staples, my weekly fix of amazing creative people, my time to just hang out, be lazy, not worry about scheduling, and just be surrounded by love. I know the Sunday Dinner phenomenon is gone now, but tonight I had a nice though imperfect Yellow House fix. I responded to an Abbey email this morning, had coffee and dinner with a sick Susie, then ran into Duff in the PCC parking lot, and lastly got a call from Marth in DC. I’m super excited to book my ticket to visit her and Abbey next month. Can’t wait to see them and hear all about their first two months on the East Coast! It’s no Sunday Dinner, but I’m thankful for any Yellow House fix I can get!

• 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.
• Consider spending the weekend at the Truly Central guest house/bed and breakfast. It’s great.
• 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 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!

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. :)

Many thanks to the amazing Samer for sending over this article that seems to pretty accurately describe me and so many others.

The Odyssey Years
October 9, 2007
By DAVID BROOKS at the NY Times

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.”

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.

I’ve been back for more than two months and I still haven’t been dancing and have only seen limited live music. I’m excited to announce that Tullycraft and Math and Physics Club are doing a show at the Croc next Thursday Oct 18. It’s only $8 and I’m so there! Who’s with me?

I have Samantha to thank for introducing me to Tullycraft. And have John Richards to thank for introducing me to MAPC (though Samantha was also an early supporter… it’d be hard to say who talked about them first). I first saw them live at one of the John in the Morning at Night shows back in 2005. They were on the bill with Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah, the National, and John Vanderslice (my fave of the evening).

Anyway, I digress. So… who’s with me for the Tullycraft and MAPC show? Any takers?

I think I was so busy going out in August and so busy working three jobs that I pretty much neglected to post any pictures from the month’s festivities. You can maybe find a few pictures posted on the actual month, but I’ve got about 40 to post here in October a bit belatedly. Enjoy! :)

Fabulous former roomie Erin B after a dinner at Mesob!

Nitza and I went to check out the new Olympic Sculpture Garden

I particularly liked the eyeball benches…

Maggie, Ian, and I had lunch one day at Stell’s and I gave Ian the soccer jersey Susie and I picked up for him in Nairobi. He changed into it right there in the restaurant and I think it’s safe to say he loved it!

I love live music and I love Maggie for many reasons, among them generously passing a pair of tickets to Zoo Tunes at Woodland Park Zoo! I love traipsing through the zoo to get to the clearing where they do the concerts, knowing it’s all for a good cause, and then being able to sit out on a gorgeous Seattle summer night with a picnic, some friends, and some live music. Nitza and I joined Kim, Nancy, and a bunch of Nancy’s PCT friends for Great Big Sea (a Canadian rock-ish folk-ish band).

More old August photos…

Golden Gardens Park is one of my most favorite Seattle places

I love sitting in the sand looking out over the Puget Sound towards the Olympic Mountains

Susie and I take a self portrait by the water like many we took on the African coast (only here I’m wearing long sleeves in August because it was kind of chilly)

Awww… I love the Pacific Northwest!

These talks at the Bush School look like they’re going to be really good. I’m hoping I can make a few. Anyone care to join me? (I don’t know if I’ll be able to make the Oct talk before the Tullycraft concert or not. I do hope to be there for the Nov one).

Cornel Pewewardy
‘Indian’ Mascots and White Privilege in American Sports Culture
Date: Thursday, October 18
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Community Room

Join us as we explore the stereotypical messages that “Indian” sporting
mascots convey and the reasons for their persistence in the 21st
century. Cornel Pewewardy is Comanche-Kiowa and a member of the Comanche
Nation of Oklahoma. With a distinguished career in education, he holds a
B.S. in Elementary Education, an M.Ed. in Guidance and Counseling, an
M.A. in Educational Management and Development, and a PhD in Educational
Administration. Beginning his career as a Kindergarten teacher on a
Navajo reservation, Pewewardy went on to be the architectural designer
of the American Indian Magnet School in Saint Paul, Minnesota, earning
him the “Indian Educator of the Year” award from the Indian Education
Association. Click here to read an excerpt from an article written by
Pewewardy.

===================================================

Angela Davis
Prisons and American History: The Prison Industrial Complex
Date: Thursday, November 15
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Mt. Zion Baptist Church (corner of 19th Avenue and Madison
Street, Seattle)

Philosopher, writer, and activist Angela Davis will engage audience
members around issues related to the prison system in America, urging
all to think seriously about a world without prisons and to forge a 21st
century abolitionist movement. Davis is a professor of history of
consciousness and feminist studies at the University of California at
Santa Cruz. She ran for U.S. vice president on the Communist Party
ticket in 1980. Click here to read an excerpt from an article written by
Davis.

More Information
All events are free and open to the public. Unless noted, events will be
held in the specified room at The Bush School, 3400 E. Harrison St.,
Seattle. To RSVP and for more information, contact Dr. Eddie Moore Jr.,
Director of Diversity, 206-326-7731, eddie.moorejr@bush.edu

===================================================

Upcoming Speakers

Dr. Shakti Butler
Mirrors of Privilege: Making Whiteness Visible
Date: Friday, January 18
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Community Room

The Mirrors of Privilege film features the experiences of white women
and men who have worked to gain insight into what it means to challenge
notions of racism and white supremacy in the United States. They reveal
what is often required to expose and move beyond the denial,
defensiveness, guilt, fear and shame that keeps systemic racism in
place. The film’s subjects model some of the skills and awareness needed
to make effective commitments toward building racial equality and
justice. The dialogue that follows viewing the film promotes the kind of
learning that can heal and transform unconscious bias, privilege and
racism towards building a world that is more inclusive and equitable.
Learn more here.

===================================================

J.W. Wiley and Eddie Moore Jr.
The ‘N’ Word: A Message of Madness and Method of Polarization
Date: Thursday, February 14
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Community Room

The session will take a look at the history of the “N ” word. The
session will challenge participants to examine their personal and
professional histories with the “N” word, examine when and /or how they
were first introduced to the word and to explore the pictures and
different feelings associated with the word. We will look at how current
events, media, popular music and movies have used “N” over the years and
if the word has had any impact or influence on the millennial
generation. Lastly, the session presenters will consistently offer
suggestions about the need and importance of understanding the various
realities associated with the “N” word and recommend how to challenge
and encourage all people, but specifically young people, about the
ramifications of casual or uninformed usage of this extremely
troublesome word. Learn more here.

===================================================

Frederick Gooding and Khalid Peterson
You Mean There’s Race in My Movie?
Date: Thursday, February 28
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Community Room

Did you know that there is race in your movie? Prepare yourself, for
this is the report that Hollywood doesn’t want you to see. This session
provides a structured forum for discussing and analyzing the ways in
which Hollywood consistently marginalizes minority characters at the
expense of consistently glamorizing white characters. Learn specifically
how to identify six primary character patterns occupied by both minority
and white characters, and explore the reasons behind their creation and
perpetuation. We guarantee that after this presentation, you will never
see movies the same way again! Learn more here.

===================================================

Jean Kilbourne
The Naked Truth: Advertising’s Image of Women
Date: Thursday, March 20
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: New Gym

We are each exposed to more than 5,000 ads every day, yet most of us
believe we are not influenced by advertising. This presentation
illustrates that ads sell a great deal more than products. They sell
values and concepts of success and worth, love, sexuality, and normalcy.
Drawing on more than 30 years of research, Jean Kilbourne explores the
relationship of advertising images to problems in society, such as
violence, sexual abuse, eating disorders, racism, and sexism. Learn more
here.

===================================================

John Palmer
Karate Chops, Geishas, and Nerds: Asians and Asian Americans in the
Media
Date: Thursday, April 17
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Community Room

Many Americans believe that Asian Americans are the “model minority” and
thus do not suffer from racial discrimination and oppression. In
addition, because of the stereotypes in the media, Asian Americans are
not typically considered “real” Americans. By taking a closer look at
these stereotypes, I hope to show how these stereotypes have caused not
only anguish within the Asian American community, but have also led to
increased hate crimes against Asian Americans and as a result the
further belief that Asian Americans are second-class citizens. Through
an in-depth into the stereotypical portrayals of Asians and Asian
Americans in the American mainstream media, I hope to inform the
audience that no stereotype is a “good” stereotype.

For more info:
http://www.bush.edu/home/news-detail.asp?pageaction=ViewSinglePublic&LinkID=1551&ModuleID=75

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’m pleased to report I’ve started journaling again this month and just joined a gym for a two week trial membership. I’m hopeful about both and hope I can stick with them for a while. I think journaling as a teen I used to journal about about whatever injustice was happening. I think in recent years journaling helps me to be intentional about life, self aware about where I’m at, and appreciative of everything I’ve been given by the world. It generally makes me just want to say thanks to everyone all the time.

Unrelated: I’m sad to report Caroline and Jess are now both gone, and that pretty much wipes out the majority of my social ventures thus far upon my return. Still navigating changes in old friendships/relationships, still fondly remembering those who’ve left Seattle in recent months, and still excited about deepened friendships with the likes of Susie and Cindy, and about future possibilities with others. I’m excited for the future adventures of Jess and Caroline, and know it’ll force me to be more immediate with finding new social circles and new people, be better about connecting with the people I already have in my life, etc. I suspect on some level it’ll also allow my schedule to slow down a little to allow me more quiet time to think, process, journal, exercise, and generally practice self care. While I’d rather have them here (and Marth and Abbey too!), I’m a big fan of balance and see myself working for more of that in my future.

And in other unrelated news: Instead of someone else moving away, I have a mention of an arrival. Hanna sent a note today saying she got her flight from Seoul to Seattle! She’s only going to be in the States for a short visit and then will continue living in Seoul. I’m excited Seattle will be her first stop on her US tour! She’ll be my first visitor in my little Fremont studio and it should be great having her here. My place still feels slightly larger than most Korean apartments I saw, so hopefully she’ll feel right at home.

Unrelated interruption: I’m tickled to report that Date just called on my cell at 11:50pm while I was taking a journaling break to do a quick blog entry. He was apparently thinking of me and just wanted to say hi so we chatted for a little bit. How very nice. I was actually just thinking of him tonight doing the obligatory search of him online. He admitted on date one that he’d looked for me online. And while that’s not my style, I’ve decided after date three that I know there’s stuff out there and I might as well see what some of it says. Not surprisingly, I found out even more to confirm just how impressive he is. Published author of a book. Published article in Fast Company. Quoted in the New York Times. Awards and fellowships. Speaker at conferences. Summited Mt Rainier multiple times. All around fun, patient, generous, well traveled, hard working, seemingly well balanced, self aware guy. Healthy ego while remaining quite modest too. Yay Date. (Do I even need to bother mentioning that date #3 this weekend was much fun and left me smiling?). I will mention that dates #4, 5, and maybe 6 are already planned (theatre, theatre, and maybe hiking). While I guess that advanced planning could be intimidating, I like to think of it as his vote of confidence in me/us. The txt msgs and late night calls from him probably help too. Gotta love direct communication! I feel like I’m on the polar opposite end of the dating spectrum from where I was a month ago in terms of communication (and most everything really) and I guess that’s okay. It’s a bit odd to be dating someone so very, very different, but all good so far.

In general, I’m happy to be alive, happy to have fantastic people in my life who I care about and who care about me, and generally happy to have the opportunities I’ve had thus far. Will I work this job forever? No. Are friends always going to come and go in life? Yes. That said, I’m feeling pretty good about work, friends, and life today. I want to be sure to be appreciative and thankful… careful not to take my life, or the good people in my life, for granted.

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.

Copyright © 2007 The Chronicle of Philanthropy

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!

Dear me,

You’ve been back in Seattle for exactly three months now. How does it feel? You’ve got your old job back and are moving into your old 2 bedroom apartment in one week! Seems a little odd, but hopefully it’ll all be great. Hope you’re well.

Love,
me

My friends are starting a great business in the heart of Capitol Hill! Let’s support them!! I’ll definitely be there on Nov 1st to stop by and wish them well!

OFFICE NOMADS, LLC BRINGS COWORKING TO CAPITOL HILL
Community office space to change the way we work in Seattle.

Seattle, WA — Office Nomads LLC is proud to announce the opening of their Capitol Hill-based coworking space on November 1st, 2007. Fueled by the efforts of founders Jacob Sayles & Susan Evans, Office Nomads inspires to bring community to the independent professionals of Seattle by creating a workspace where people can come together, collaborate, and share resources while maintaining their independence. “Coworking embraces individuality without the isolation usually associated with running an independent business”, says Sayles. “It’s easy to undervalue the stimulus that comes from conversing around the water cooler, until you’ve lost it.“

As the coworking movement has taken off around the country and around the world, Sayles, a computer programmer with a background in cohousing, knew this was what Seattle was waiting for. “It’s not about the office, it’s about the people. We don’t need more desk space, we need more community” says Sayles. Shortly thereafter he met Susan Evans, an environmental consultant who wanted to create neighborhood-based centers for telecommuters, and he knew they shared a common vision. Says Sayles, “Susan’s focus on sustainability rounds out what Office Nomads can bring to Seattle”. His sister, Kara Dugaw, completes the Office Nomads team as their dedicated bookkeeper, bringing with her a vested interest in integrating work and family life.

Monthly membership to Office Nomads is $475, which includes a desk, 24×7 access, high-speed internet, printer, fax machine, and meeting rooms. Daily drop-in rates are also available. As of November 1st, Office Nomads is welcoming visitors at 1617 Boylston Avenue, Suite 200 from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Find out more: http://www.officenomads.com

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!

Yay babies! We have a quick return to the baby blog after a few months without new little ones!

Congrats to my old boss Brett who’s now a grandmother! Congrats to Kaylee who had her little boy on Monday! A bit early but all is well! And many congrats to Katie who had her little one yesterday on Tuesday! Also a wee bit early, but it seems to be the trend this week.

And as long as we’re on the topic of babies… my all time favorite little guy is my nephew Gus and he’s got a blog too: www.bigbadgus.com. It’s a bit quiet this week but Stef usually post lots of great pics. Enjoy!

Please join us for two upcoming events to help keep Cascade People’s Center open!

Event #1: City Council’s open budget hearing
Tuesday, October 30th. Meet at City Hall at 4:30. Hearing begins at 5:30.

Join us at the 2nd City Council hearing on the mayor’s proposed budget. We will be meeting at City Hall (600 4th Avenue) at 4:30 p.m. and the hearing begins at 5:30 p.m. This is a chance for folks to come down and tell the City Council what they think about the Center and why it is so essential to keep it open. Bring family, friends, neighbors, and children. Wear CPC gear and bring signs, flags, banners, etc. to show the City Council that people care about Cascade People’s Center.

Event #2: Community organizing meeting
Wednesday, November 7th, 7-9 p.m.

Come together with friends, family, neighbors, and other concerned community members to talk about the next steps in keeping the doors of Cascade People’s Center open. This will be a chance for folks to get caught up about where we are in the funding process, as well as a chance to brainstorm the direction in which Cascade should go to ensure funding for 2008 and beyond. Come on down and share your thoughts!

If you need more info or have any questions about either of these events, call the Center at 587-0320. We hope to see you there!

Caroline says this is a must-attend…

Urban Craft Uprising – Showcasing the BEST of indie crafts for your holiday shopping needs (and wants)! A gathering of over 100 artistic and crafty vendors from all over will be under one roof to give you a unique shopping experience. Shop outside the box! What’s Happening December 1st and 2nd?

• A craft sale by indie designers and crafters throughout the day
  beginning at 11 a.m.
• Swag bags will be handed out to the first 100 visitors each day with
  samplings from vendors and sponsors – so be sure to arrive early!
• Fashion show both days at 2:30 p.m.
• Free giveaways every hour

Date: Saturday, December 1st and Sunday, December 2nd
Time: 11 a.m.- 5 p.m.
Where: Seattle Center Exhibition Hall
Admission: Free!
www.glamspoon.com: bohemian chic for women with tenacity.

From my former boss/proud grandmother Brett: “Broden Riley arrived on Monday, October 22 at 8:14 am. He came in at 6 pounds 13 1/2 ounces, 19 inches long with a 13 3/4 inch head. He ate when he was 30 minutes old and has been doing it with great enthusiasm since. He and Kaylee are doing great. They are spending time getting to know each other and figure this whole thing out. ”

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!

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?

From Laura V in NYC: “Jensen Michael Cigala was born at 11:11 am on Sunday, October 14, weighing a whopping 11.1 pounds and measuring 38 cm. His big ‘ol head, which wouldn’t fit through my pelvis, has a circumference of 55.5 cm. And it is totally covered with the finest, most golden blonde hair. He looks like a surfer baby!” Many congrats to Laura and Michael! I can’t wait to see pics!

Time for giving to the KEXP pledge drive. Love music? Love independent radio? Of all the things I missed living in the village in Kenya, KEXP.org was definitely towards the top of the list. I would actually sit around on my foam little twin bed and compose emails to John Richards in my head (love that man, best DJ ever?). I’d long for local music, independent music, commercial free music, live local music shows, 500 club shows, brunches with the DJs and staff. I missed Best Ambiance, Wo Pop, the Road House, Audioasis, Cheryl Waters, Kevin Cole, Kid Hops, Abe Beeson. I’m happy to be back in the world of constant internet where I can listen online at work, and lucky to be back in Seattle where I can listen in my car or on my home radio.

I love going to Austin, NYC, Chicago, or SF and seeing people with KEXP pins, knowing they’re supporters of this great Seattle music resource. I love standing at a show in Austin and hearing people talk about the “first time I heard this band was on KEXP.” So great and totally around the globe (just so long as you’ve got electricity/internet).

I made my donation this morning and got my free t-shirt and free CD. Have you given yet? http://kexp.org/support/pledge No time like the present. Every little bit helps.