now i lay me down to sleep

Welcome to Lucifer's

2009-02-02T13:03:00.000-08:00

Noland is playing this videogame right now called Fallout 3 - in it he's walking around the DC area in a post-apocalyptic world fighting the bad guys and is often wandering around partially blown-up buildings with open walls and no ceilings. As I was sitting reading the other day and half-watching him play one of the scenes he was in reminded me of this place I used to go the summer between my senior year of high school and my freshman year of college.

We called it Lucifer's. It was in Lawrence, KS - about 20 miles from where I lived in Topeka - where older teens would go at night and hangout. Some people would bring booze or pot or shrooms, but at that point in my life I didn't do more than have a beer or two. It was an apartment building that according to what I heard, burned while in the midst of construction, and for some reason or another the project was abandoned. So it was 3 or 4 stories high - had cement floors and staircases and partial walls, but nothing else. While it was right in the middle of the city, and not to far from other apartment buildings, the property was full of trees that probably were going to be cleared, but never were and was quite overgrown. So from the street below you couldn't really see or hear any activity up there. A majority of the building was covered in graffiti - some of it just random, some of it was beautiful artwork. The kids who hung out here weren't the jock or cheerleader types - this was a hang out for the artsy kids, the weirdos, the punks and the 'goths' (as they'd be called now). And on one side of the building someone had painted in huge letters "Welcome to Lucifer's!"

I remember going there one evening after being out dancing at a local club that we could usually get into. There was a big electrical storm going on and there was a guy sitting the edge of the top wall. He was big and bald and reminded us of Tiger(?) the bad guy from the old Buck Rogers TV show. He was dressed like he was ready for the RenFest and even carried a big staff. As the lightning cracked overheard he would just raise his staff in the air and laugh. I think he might have actually been selling - but we were more entertained by his antics than anything else he had.

I also remember being there once when the cops showed up and we had to bolt down the hill through the trees and leave whoever's car was there up in the parking area for them to retrieve later. It was one of the last nights we were all going to be together that summer. School started soon and people were headed off to various colleges so someone had brought a keg, a rare occurrence, and they had to leave that behind as well.

It was one of those places that has always held a sentimental soft spot in my heart. And probably one of those places that freaks parents out because they imagine the worst... yet it was nothing more than a little bit of booze and minor drugs, couples making-out in dark corners, and friends enjoying being young. It made me smile to think of it as I watched Noland trot around his videogame land, and it made me smile even more to think that places like that and the people I met there probably were the first step in Noland and being such a perfect match.

The Gnome is Going Down!

2008-12-24T14:24:00.000-08:00

Buried... but breathing!

Oh.... just an eye left!

Photo blogging the "Arctic Blast" of 2008

2008-12-18T07:23:00.001-08:00

Schools have been closed for three days. Everyone is driving like an idiot or terrified to go out in the streets. The local news is the reigning king of fear-mongering.

Check out the photos of this crippling snowstorm...

Good lord! Someone is driving in this? Be careful!!!!

Wheee - snow day - no school - let's build a snowman!

Treacherous roads! Especially on curves and hills!

Brrr... soooo cold!!!

What exactly is he shoveling?

Good things he has those chains for all that snow!

It's the time of year...

2008-12-14T13:22:00.000-08:00

...for snow! And the annual smug post about how pathetic Oregonians are when it comes to it. We've got a decent amount of snow for Portland - maybe 2 inches I'd say - and the wind is blowing good, so it's moving around a lot as well. And it's cold, so it is indeed sticking. However as we were out and about this morning, I was once again reminded why we can't go out when it snows.

Driving cautiously does not mean going 15mph in what's normally a 40mpg zone. All that does is cause traffic to block up behind you and everyone has to ride their brakes behind you, thus causing acidents.

If you decide you need chains (which you don't unless you're headed into the mountains) don't stop in the driving lane of a major road, or interstate, to put them on. Do it in a parking lot or driveway, or.... no no... it's too easy.... designated chain up area before you get to the mountain!

Don't brake when approaching a hill, you need momentum to get up when you have less traction.

If any other these things 'cause you to say, "but...." then you don't know how to drive in snow and should stay home. There's no shame in that - or at least not much. But we'll all be safer without you out there.

Thank you. That is all.

Dream Analysis Difficulty Level - LOW

2008-12-12T10:53:00.000-08:00

It was my birthday and we were going out with all the people I work with. We got to the place that we were going and I only had $2 in my wallet, so I couldn't use the vending machines to get a drink - I had to find an actual human bartender. But it was pretty early in the day and many of the bars in the complex weren't staffed yet. So I wandered down to the basement and the folks down there were watching a movie - so I sat down and joined them. We were watching and having drinks and I guess I didn't realize that so much time had passed, because then someone came downstairs - one of the really young ones - and asked if we were ever going to come up and party. I went upstairs and it was already dark - it had been the middle of the day when we went downstairs! So I looked around and all the people upstairs were hot and tired and many of them covered in random paint splotches and had been having a great time dancing and drinking and I missed it!

So then we were at home and had to get ready for the wedding, it was two of my blogger friends and I was manning the guest book. I had to pick up my grandparents and Noland's family and my parents, so we were supposed to get there early, but we ended up arriving just about the time that the other guests were arriving. As we walked in there was a big sign proclaiming that regardless of the laws of the state that they were getting married. I was in a hurry, so I heard one of the grandparents or parents - I'm not sure - call out asking why they needed that sign - and I call back to them as I walk in the door - "oh, didn't you know they're lesbians?" I take up my post at the table but someone already had it under control, so I just signed the poster - and after my name tagged "divebarwife" 'cause they might not know who I was by my real name - and went into the chapel. I ran into a few of my cousins whom I haven't seen since I was 12 or so - but they recognized me 'cause I was wearing the same dress I wore to my cousin Andrea's wedding back in like 1982. Although I felt a little overdressed - everyone else was much more casual and I didn't know that it was a more informal affair, so I rolled the sleeves up. But then they called out that they needed someone to perform the ceremony, the person they had couldn't do it and had anyone else ever performed a wedding before? I tried to call to Noland to see if he could get up front, but there were several other volunteers who got there first and one of them performed the ceremony.

Losin' my View

2008-12-11T15:14:00.001-08:00

There's a building going up that is soon going to block my view. From my office window I can look to the east and see Mt. Hood (even after a decade in Oregon is seems weird that there are mountains to the east.) I can look to the northeast and on some clear days see Mt. St. Helens (can today!) the Willamette, parts of Waterfront Park, the buildings in the Convention Center/Lloyd District, the Hawthorne, Burnside and Broadway bridges... it's a beautiful view of Portland. But there's construction going on at 2nd and Morrison... right now the frame is about 12 stories high - but today they've started to add two more. It' now hitting the point where it's beginning to block off my view. I've already lost a part of the park and the Burnside bridge. If it goes another two higher all of the northeast side is hidden, and beyond that - it starts to block the mountains. I'm all for progress - but if they're going to build a building that blocks my pretty city/mountain view -there'd better be a job for my husband in it!

Racist Trolls

2008-11-18T20:35:00.000-08:00

I missed the original article over the weekend with my 72+ hours internet downtime this weekend, but there was a good article in the Oregonian about a family in my neighborhood and the lack of grocery options/transportation options for low income families, despite being a lower income neighborhood.

What I saw today though was the note talking about the comments, nearly 100, a majority of which were racists remarks because the family in the story is Hispanic and it said they used food stamps. Remarks that the mom or the daughter needed to get jobs. Remarks about them being lazy because they didn't walk to the store or dumb because they went to one farther from their home. Just ridiculous. The whole point of the article was that they had to travel farther because while they have stores closer, they're stores that are more expensive.

The Albertsons most of the comment trolls mentioned is the closest grocery store to us and we don't shop there on a regular basis because it's overpriced and we're not low income. The Safeway they mention is our regular store, but we definitely pay more than WinCo for the nicer store. The point is these people are in a tough situation and it's a problem for many low income neighborhoods that needs to be addressed. And all they can focus on is that she speaks Spanish.

Most of the time idiots on the internet don't bug me, but this time, they just really pissed me off.

I don't have words

2008-11-11T21:20:00.000-08:00

My friend Cindy is... well... I don't have words. I've been in tears all day. She is on life-support and her family is with her. Please, prayers for she and her family.

Advent Conspiracy

2008-11-10T18:56:00.001-08:00

This is something that friends from my church have brought to my attention - but whether or not you you have any religious leanings or not, it's still a good cause and a good perspective.

The first year that Noland and I were married we spent Christmas in New Zealand as part of our honeymoon. It was funny, sitting in a cafe in Wellington a few days before Christmas hearing the locals talk about how ridiculously commercial the city had become. When the night before as we walked the streets of this city of just under a half million people, that we commented how little it 'looked like Christmas' compared to back home.

No matter how much we love Christmas, we know that it has in many ways become ridiculous. The amount of money spent. The stress. The pressure. And if you do believe in the Christmas story - it's supposed to be a day of simple celebration.

So that's what the Advent Conspiracy is - take back Christmas - regardless of your spiritual views - to be a day of simple celebration with your family. Make it a day where you demonstrate your love not with piles of expensive gifts, but with something heartfelt. Then do something to help others.

For example - Americans spend more than $450B on Christmas gifts, decorations, etc. each year. It would take about $10B to solve... not temporarily help but SOLVE... the world's water crises.

Wow.
What we could do if we tried.

Tell Me What to Do... Please!

2008-11-09T18:57:00.000-08:00

So I know I don't have a ton of people out there reading this blog, but I know there are some. I am calling you readers to action. Come out of the lurky shadows and help a girl out.

When I have down time I spend way to much of it in front of the TV or the computer. I should spend more of that time reading. Especially now as the wet winter sets in. I love to read, I read pretty fast and once I start a book I tend to plunge in and can't put it down. My biggest problem is finding books to read. I walk through libraries and bookstores and can't decide. It ALL looks good.

So I want you to tell me. What should I read?

I know... most of you will say, but we don't know what you like... whaa whaa whaa... Well really, I'd love any suggestions, but to give you an ideas:

I loved reading all the classics in high school and college English classes, but there are some I'm sure I've missed, or others I should revisit.
I love historical fiction - great human stories just add life to real situations
I love fantasy, strange monsters, werewolves, fairies, vampires. magical spells and the like
I love a good mystery - I was weaned on Nancy Drew and Trixie Beldon as a child
I love a good biography - a fascinating person or glimpse of a lifestyle

Those are the things that come to mind first, but then again - that's where I go when I'm looking, I'd love to branch out and explore more.

So please - add a comment - give me your favorite books or authors. Light reading or heavy. Fiction or Non-fiction. Expand my horizons!

aw crap!

2008-11-08T20:28:00.000-08:00

Only Day 7 and I miss a day. Well - I will say that I was under the influence of NyQuil and that I remembered, but I was already to far into the sleep coma to do anything about it. But in my dream I had Noland guest post for me!

Oh well, I'm gonna keep going anyhow and try again next time.

Admitting defeat...

2008-11-06T18:58:00.000-08:00

I was sick yesterday and stayed home from work. I easily cold have stayed home today as well, but honestly I don't think I've ever taken two sick days in a row in my life. I had perfect attendance most years in school. My mom didn't let us stay home unless we were throwing up. I've typically not used more than two sick days a year since beginning to work some 20 years ago. I hate being sick - but even more I hate missing work for being sick.

I know that if I'm sick, it's better not to go i and infect my co-workers. And I'm organized enough, that I can typically tell - like I did yesterday - that I didn't have anything super urgent on my plate and with just a few emails cold convey the info my co-workers needed to follow-up on the couple of time sensitive issues. But I just feel guilty calling in and saying I won't be there.

I think part of it stems from my childhood. As I said, we didn't stay home sick unless we were REALLY sick. I don't ever remember going to the doctor because I was sick. I went when I cracked my skull open and needed stitches. I went when I had chicken pox. But I didn't go because I ad a cold or the flu. We didn't get antibiotics or codeine. I remember hearing my parents speak negatively about parents who took their kids to the doctors, saying they were coddling them. I guess I learned that to be sick, is to be weak. And if there is one thing I am not - or at least don't like to admit - is weak.

I know now that's silly. But a part of it is still there. I don't want to be weak. I don't want to be sick. So enough already!

A family Thanksgiving

2008-11-05T19:39:00.000-08:00

Halloween is over.
Barack Obama is the 44th President.
What now?

Well - I need to start making lists and plans for Thanksgiving festivities at our house. Right now we're looking at 8-10 people for dinner with another half dozen or more coming after family dinners for dessert and cocktails. And that number could easily go up before the day occurs.

Thanksgiving has never been an exciting holiday for me. My mom wasn't ever a big cook, so dinners were traditional with yummy turkey and stuffing, canned cranberries and green beans, Just usual fare. And since we didn't have any relatives nearby, we never had big family celebrations. Mostly it was just a day off of work or school. After my brothers got married and then started having kids, it was a little more interesting, because it was a chance to see them.

When I first moved to Portland and could no longer go back to Kansas easily for the holidays it became an even more boring holiday. When I had a part time job at the video store, which was open on holidays, I'd always volunteer to work so that people with family celebrations didn't have to. (And then I never had to work New Years Eve!) But for the first several years it was just another day.

After Noland and I got married that has all changed. We began 4 years ago, opening our home up to any of our friends who wanted a place to go. We cook a turkey and a bunch of other goodies and all our friend bring a dish. We have lots of drinks and food.. oh, and I guess there's football on for those that are into that sort of thing... and it's something that I've had others tell me they really look forward to.

Most of our other gatherings aren't "dinners" so to speak, so it's kinda fun to sit down at the table and eat together. It gives me a chance to break out my fancy china that I hauled around the country with me in boxes for almost a decade before ever using. Now I LOVE Thanksgiving.

My family is of course my family, and I love them. But days like this are what reinforce that my friends are my family. And I love them.

What else can we say...

2008-11-04T22:27:00.000-08:00

Tonight... a historical night in so many ways. I wasn't feeling well... we had some rough news on a personal front and decided to ditch on on my plans for a big election night party... but my fabulous friend Julie came over and took me out, we met up with another friend at a local pub to watch election results... and we did it. We all did it.

I have always been, and will always be, proud to be an American citizen - but tonight - it made me cry.

Thank you.

I don't want to be a pessimist

2008-11-03T14:29:00.000-08:00

It's the last day of campaigning, TV ads, phone calls and junk mail for the elections. As Cesar said, I'm cautiously optimistic.

I was two months to young to vote in 1988 - so helping to elect Bill Clinton in 1992 was my first foray into politics. I was a senior in college and not very educated in most things political. I knew enough to know that I leaned pretty left, but mostly it was surface issues. I voted for him again in 1996 and despite his stupidity with the whole Monica Lewinsky thing, I would have voted for him a third time if given the option. I liked Al Gore in 2000 mostly because of that fact. He would keep a good thing going. Even though he didn't get to take office - I was three for three in picking winning Presidential candidates. But I hadn't been super-invested or involved in any of the elections.

After the first 4 years of Bush - I began to see how important it was to elect the right candidate. I spent time researching candidates, leaning about policies, learning about processes. I wanted to know who I liked enough to really make my vote count in the primaries. Living in Oregon now instead of Iowa, my primary vote doesn't really count however, and my candidate of choice - Howard Dean - was really already out of the race by the time we voted. When Kerry was nominated I got behind him. I didn't have any issues with him - but he didn't strike me as someone who would really turn around the downhill slide we were on. He would be better than Bush for sure - but he wasn't my first choice.

This year however - I - like many Americans - am really excited about the idea of President Obama. I think he has the energy, the education, the poise, the grace, and the leadership skills to really make a difference. I don't think he's perfect or that he'll actually be able to accomplish close to everything he promises... but I do see him as hope at the end of a very dark tunnel. The idea of him not winning, scares the crap out of me. I am the optimist of the family. When someone is being an ass, Noland is the one who calls them an ass - I'm the one who says maybe they're just having a bad day. I'm the one who wants to see the good in people. But if the American people would elect McCain over Obama, I don't know that I could have that optimism anymore. I don't know that I could believe that people are inherently good anymore.

I don't want to be a pessimist. Let's do this thing America.

An Oral History

2008-11-02T17:11:00.000-08:00

I read yesterday that Studs Terkel died. He was 96-years-old, and honestly I didn't know he was still alive. But reading the article got me thinking back - I first heard about him in Mrs. Wilson's Honors Junior English class. (The one we were always late to because we didn't get off the field from marching band practice in enough time.) We read some of Terkel's work, and I believe listened to some interviews that had been recorded for it and published as well, then had to complete an oral history project on our own. Most people in the class talked to members of their family - grandparents or great aunts or the like. All of my relatives lived pretty far away, so I interviewed a couple older members of the church that m family went to.

Although I don't now remember his name, I remember specifically talking to one man who was close to my grandfathers age. He talked to me about living through the depression, about what families sacrificed to make ends meet. He was a young man at that time, really a boy, at an age where he should have been in school, but talked about going off to do day labor instead. Dropping out of school to work doing anything he could to make a few dollars to help his family eat and survive. He talked to me about the war that followed and how he ended up joining the army and going off into WWII. And that his story wasn't dissimilar to many of the young men his age.

Looking at that story from where we are today, it lends an interesting new perspective. And makes me wonder, will we in 40 years, tell similar stories? Will we come together as one country and get through this? Or will we will continue to divide ourselves economically, politically, socially... so that some tell stories or poverty and pain, while others tell stories of great wealth and the bounties of capitalism?

Stranger Danger!!!

2008-11-01T15:42:00.000-07:00

We drive to Seattle last night right after work to catch The Sonics and Girl Trouble at the Paramount Theatre. (For a review of the show, check out Noland's blog.) We stopped about halfway up to gas up and grab a quick bite at a fast food joint. I'm not sure what town we were in - but we were right next to the crazy libertarian sign guy.

So I'm walking to the restroom before we go and pass a table with three kids in Halloween costumes and their redneck parents. The littlest one - probably about 5-years-old - holds out a Happy Meal toy towards me and tries to get my attention saying "hey hey hey" as I walk by. I look and smile and keep walking. As I do I hear the following between the three kids...

7-year-old boy: "That's a STRANGER!"
5-year-old boy: "No it's NOT!"
10-year-old girl: "Yes it is!"

When I walk back by to leave all three of them just stare at me in silence.

I'm not which amused me most. That the youngest one totally thought he knew me (or doesn't know what a stranger is), that the others were so freaked out that he talked to a stranger... or that they all called me "it."

Silly kids.

IT Dreams... or Nightmares!

2008-10-31T13:07:00.000-07:00

So our office have never really done Halloween before, but this year more than half of the office donned masks... of our IT Director... going down to the conference room in the elevator together was rather creepy.

Have You Voted Yet?!

2008-10-30T15:35:00.001-07:00

Shhhh..... it's a secret....

Or maybe not!

If you're in Oregon - it's too late to mail in your ballot... drop it off at a library, the elections office, the Obama campaign offices...

If you're not in Oregon - don't forget to go on Tuesday!

I Love You

2008-10-29T12:41:00.001-07:00

My desk at work is in a converted conference room, we're out growing our space so the big table was removed and 6 of us in the marketing/IT departments were moved in. Pretty much there are no secrets between any of us, there are no partitions or dividers whatsoever. It's a good collaborative working environment for the most part. It also means that when we do have a personal call...everyone else hears it.

When Noland and I talk on the phone, we always tell each other that we love the other. We tell each other 'I love you!' constantly. I can't imagine not proclaiming that I love him every chance I get.

All 6 of us in the room are married. I hear each of us on the phones with our spouses at some point at least every few weeks. Of the other 5... one talks to their spouse like they do their child; giving instructions, telling them what to do and why they need to do it. Three of my co-workers talk to their spouses like a friend; they make plans, they joke and laugh, say what needs to be said and say good-bye. Only one of my co-workers says 'I love you' to their spouse when they end their phone call.

I think they all have strong, healthy relationships... I'm not hinting that there's anything wrong... I just find it interesting.

UPDATE: Ok, just as I posted this I heard one of them on a call and replied with an "I love you." :D

Rated R: may include language inappropriate for children under 17

2008-10-28T20:30:00.000-07:00

I had the beginning of an interesting conversation with my parents about curse words. We didn't get very far because they just assumed I was being argumentative and that we just shouldn't cuss. Period. But that's not the thought that was in my head.

It goes back to that 'random rule following' again. Why are certain words 'bad' and others that mean the same thing ok? Or at least to a degree. If a child calls another child a 'poopy-head' he's probably going to be told it's not nice to call names, made to apologize and sent back on his way. But if he calls the other child a 'shit-head' he's going to get spanked, or detention, or grounded. But it's the same thing. Albeit neither one is nice - but that was the point. The child was mad at the other child, so he called him a name. Why is one considered so much worse?

And many parents, including mine, encourage their children to use these substitute words. Don't say damn, say darn. Don't say shit, say shoot. Don't say fuck, say fudge. But if I'm just subbing a word, my intention is still the same. To make a derogatory statement about the other person or thing - or just yell out in anger, pain or excitement. So if you think it's wrong, than it all should be wrong. And then we're forced to bottle up raw emotion. The fact that even the most prudish person will probably curse when the old hammer on the thumb occurs shows that it's a natural and appropriate word for certain situations. Or if we understand that sometimes expletives are needed because we're mad or frustrated, then all are ok. Just like anything else, we just have to learn how to use them correctly and in moderation.

For the most part, I don't swear much, so it's not like I feel the need to shout swear words from the roof types, I just think we need to reevaluate what's "bad."

Now using words that actually ARE offensive.... a racial or ethnic slur, not acceptable. And most people will agree on that. Some folks do still use them just because they're bigots, others think they're using them 'ironically' or because 'that was ok when I was your age.' And those people are wrong.

Words that are used to make a negative association about a person by relating them to another group of people. Like calling someone or something retarded or gay - also not acceptable. But the kid on the playground probably will get the 'poopy-head' punishment not the 'shit-head' punishment for saying either one. But when you think about it, which is more offensive to society overall... calling someone who is a shithead, a shithead or calling someone who is a shithead, retarded?

Spewing

2008-10-23T13:38:00.000-07:00

I had a variety of reasons for leaving Metroblogs receently, but a primary one was to spend more time on my blogging personaly. I just don't have the bandwidth to really do multiple things like that. One will always be neglected, and I really want to spend more time with my personal blog. Maybe actually learn how to set up a space of my own rather tan on Blogger. I hear rumor that the BlogHer conference emay be held in Portland this year - and I'd love to attend that. Really develop this as something that's very me.

At this point though, because I haven't had much time to write just for me, things are just coming spewing out. Not much direction, not much organization, not even a whole lot of editing. Rather journally. (of course that's a word.) So there may be some random spewing here for another few weeks. Get my rants and raves out of my system. Then I'll get some focus.
I promise.

Don't tell me to follow the rules. Convince me why they exist.

2008-10-20T15:33:00.001-07:00

I'm not a big fan of the random rule following. Those designed to protect the safety of myself or others... like laws... for the most part I'll follow - that's what keeps us civilized. But believe me, even those aren't steadfast! But rules that seem to exist arbitrarily even from the get-go, I want to know why.

I've had more than one run-in with an HR person over silly dress codes. And usually because of my questioning the rule, not only did I not have to follow the silly rule, others didn't either. I started working at Blockbuster Video as a part-time second job after college. Employees were to wear khaki pants or skirts, a light-blue dress shirt and tie. I'm not a boy. I don't wear ties and I don't wear button down-shirts. Those are boy clothes. So I got a shirt and I got a tie. I wore them both - but I wore the shirt unbuttoned over a colored cami and I wore the tie like a scarf. I was told be several people that I had to wear the tie. I replied that I was. Soon others stopped sporting their ties. Unbuttoning their collars and untucking their shirts. We relaxed the dress code to be much more practical for the job we were doing.

I also worked part-time at Kohl's. There we had to wear the equivalent of office casual. One hot and humid Iowa summer day I wore a cute sun-dress of an appropriate length and nice sandals. I was called out by the floor manager for not having pantyhose on. I was told I needed to purchase hosiery and put them on. First of all, it's hot, second of all, at that time my legs looked great in a skirt and sandals and thirdly - I was wearing open-toes sandals. Open-toed sandals and hose at a huge fashion mistake. Being a bit of a smart ass, and totally unwilling to wear something evil like pantyhose, when I went on break I I went to the children's department, bought a pair of lacey ankle socks, and put those on. Then I went to the breakroom, found a copy of the employee handbook, found the dress code which only said "appropriate hosiery" not that pantyhose or covering your legs was required... made photocopies, highlighted them and posted them on the wall. And stuck a copy in my pocket for when I ran into that floor manager back upstairs again. Most of the 20-something female staff went barelegged for the rest of that summer.

Good comes from questioning rules. Mary Tyler Moore told the producers of The Dick van Dyke show that she wanted to wear pants. Maybe if Lucille Ball had done that, my mom wouldn't have had to wear dresses to school in northern Minnesota in January. Maybe if my mom had told the bank she worked at in the 1980s that she wasn't going to wear high heels and hose, then I wouldn't have had to more than a decade later in a department store.

And if you can't even question rules on simple things like modernizing fashion, how will you ever question rules that really matter?

Like those in many churches. Sure, some are pretty harmless, the one we went to for Amy's wedding had a "no flash photography' rule. Why? It doesn't hurt for me to ask that. Maybe there are exceptions, or no one ever bothered to change it after it no longer applied. But others, like the rules that don't allow women to participate in certain roles in many churches. Valid at one time? Maybe. Valid now? No. But they still exist in too many places. We must step forward and assert that the time for the rules is long gone. One reason I am drawn to the church I now attend, is that while they are very conservative in many respects, they are also not afraid (sometimes) to question 'rules' that were most likely made arbitrarily by some man hundreds of years ago.

All that blind following, because that's the way it's always been done... leads to nothing good. Rules like who's allowed to drink from what water fountain or take a seat on a bus. Rules about who is allowed to marry and who is not. Rules about people of all genders and races getting equal pay for equal work. Rules about whether a woman has the right to decide her own right time to have a child. Rules that say if people don't agree with our religion, they shouldn't exist.

If you want me to follow your rules, you'll have to convince me why they exist.

Going fully digital

2008-10-19T16:45:00.000-07:00

Today I've started "the conversion." Nothing too scary, not crazy rituals or surgeries...I'm talking music. From my first CD player - a high school graduation present in 1989 - up until around 2001 I was an avid CD buyer. I joined and quit and joined and quit the bmg music club time and time again to take advantage of the introductory offer. I scoured used CD stores looking for bargains and albums from harder to find bands. For the five years I worked at The Des Moines Register I'd be the first one in line at the annual sale where they'd put out all of the discs sent in to be reviewed - on sale for $1 each (and all proceeds going to charity.) Often times I'd completely unknown artists because I liked the cover art, the band name or some other random reason. Sure - I ended up with some junk - but I also discovered a number of treasures. And the junk could always be taken back to the used CD store and resold.

Throughout that same decade, a young man I did not yet know living halfway across the country was doing the same thing. When we met, one of the first things that he did before heading out for a week long business trip, was hand me a handful of CDs and ask me to take a listen. I loved almost all of them. He already knew me, and knew my musical taste. And while we certainly diverge in some instances (he tolerates the Indigo Girls and looks pained when I play Madonna...I cringe at Slayer and just shake my head in bewilderment at Manowar) there is a lot of common ground.

There are still primarily His and Hers CD shelves...but after we bought our house we went through all the boxes of music and eliminated the dups - and then adding the sum total of that artists collection to either one of our shelves. And all told - we probably took more than 100 duplicate CDs to sell/trade once we were done.

In this last decade however, the music has gone digital. While we'll still occasionally cruise the used CD bins and find some gem that I must have - most of our musical purchases are now done online. Up until last year, we always still listened to CD in our cars - so even though our at home and at work music was mostly of the recently purchased digital variety, the old friends were with us when we drove. But then came the new car...with the MP3 jack for the iPod...and the discs that are in the car now - have probably been the same five for more than a year now. Random songs here nd there have been digitized for specific playlists for parties or events. But for the most part our CD collection has sat lonely for too long.

Noland just bought me an external hard drive and I'm beginning the process of converting everything over so that we can listen online, on our iPods, etc. While I've been typing this I've downloaded 10 discs. Only 840 more to go!

Return to Kansas - Part II

2008-10-15T15:57:00.000-07:00

Although I spent most of my childhood there, I don't think I ever really belonged. After all the short-term places I lived as a small child we ended up in Topeka when I was eight. I lived there for 10 years. Then I lived for nine years in Des Moines. I've been here in Portland now for 10 and a half years. Longer than I lived anywhere else. This is home. And it fits me. I enjoyed my childhood in Topeka - but I couldn't live there as an adult.

I think my parents thought I was picking on them when I took this photo and kept talking about it, but really it's just my wonderment at how different life can be in places not so far away, and that used to be familiar. Now when I go back there the things I take for granted don't exist and even common things seem foreign.

See there - all in one container headed to the landfill - yard debris, cardboard, plastic bags and food waste. Here at home - that's at least three separate containers - if not four. Yard Debris. Recycling. Trash. Compost. Only one of those is going to go to the landfill. Now my folks do collect newspapers and aluminum cans in their garage and my dad takes them in a few times a year, so they do recycle what they can - but the city has NO curbside services whatsoever. Nearly everything is simply thrown away. Nearby in Kansas City, they do have curbside recycling - so hopefully it's something that will continue to spread across the country, it's such an easy thing for people to do.

I was happily surprised that I didn't see as many McCain signs as I thought I would. I did see more on my parents block than I have in all of Portland (three - I've only seen three in Portland - I love that!) But it wasn't nearly the overwhelming tide I assumed I'd see. Of course I didn't see a single Obama sign until we got to Kansas City, so my thought is that the people of Topeka aren't fully embracing either candidate. The staunch conservatives will still vote McCain - but they're not going to advertise for him. We get a (pleasantly) biased view of things like that here in Portland. You can safely assume that a majority of the people you talk to are going to be more liberal. If not a registered Democrat - they're an independent who leans that way.

And then there are the things like our NW coffee and beer addictions. My mom brought back some good coffee from their trip to Montana last month, but Sat morning after being wakened at 7:30 am but two little girls - and knowing that since that was the day of the wedding that I'd likely be up quite late - I wanted a big four-espresso shot latte. So I asked where I could go to get coffee. I got a recommendation for the Phillips66 station. And at the Renaissance Festival I went to with Steve and Tracy and the kids - with the exception of one Guinness stand I saw - everything else they served was made by Bud, Coors or Miller. Shudder!

At least, unlike Violet, I had internet access.

The Return to Kansas - Part I

2008-10-15T11:09:00.000-07:00

We've contemplated trips back to the Midwest a few times over the past two years since our last trip, but prices have been high, then my folks were out to visit last year at this time and Noland's folks have been out 3 or 4 times in the past two years, so we keep putting it off. While I love my folks, if we're going to spend $900 and burn a week of valuable PTO - we want to do more than sit on the couches of our parents homes. We'd just been talking of making a trip pin January - after holiday prices dropped - but just going for a long weekend and each going to our respective parents homes once we landed in KCI, saving us 3 or 4 days of PTO by not having to divide time between the two. Then I got the invite for Amy's wedding and it fit into the plan perfectly. Since Noland's folks had just been out the month prior, he didn't go - but I took off to Kansas for a whirlwind weekend of family and wedding festivities.

Often when I've been back, both my brothers and their families come to my parents for a day or so when I'm in town. This time scheduling stretched things out a bit more - and I think it worked nicely that way. I had about a day with just mom and dad, then my brother showed up with his little girls and we had about a day together, then a brief stint at the wedding and over to my older brothers for an evening and the next day with his family. It was good - I got adult time with mom and dad - and even a brief visit to an old family friend (who was also an undecided voter...I don't think I actually know any of those, so I got a chance to make a good plug!) Then I had a chance to play with the little girls and give them my undivided attention. We had a scavenger hunt, did manicures, drew pictures and played restaurant...they're pretty adorable (and I think the 4-year-old is a bit of a mini-me - complete with proclaiming "dammit" when she was told no more Skittles before bed. Dad and grandma weren't too impressed, but big sister said "that's what mommy says" and I was trying so hard not to laugh! Good luck with that one James and Colleen...tee hee...) And then I had a chance to talk to my teenage niece and nephew without the little ones vying for all of our attention. Almost grown up those two - we talked about colleges (the smart ones!) debating, driving, drama...and that twisted sense of humor that us Newman kids all have...although I think it comes from the Grandpa Amble genes.

And I had one good high school friend at the wedding whom I got to sit and chat with at the reception for a brief time. I probably should have gone ahead and rented a car so that I didn't have to bolt out of the wedding immediately after dinner, but it was very nice of my folks to drive me around to it all. And I'm so glad that I was at least able to make it to the wedding.

The only problem with the family time being so spread out, is that I didn't really get any friend time. There aren't many people left in Kansas, and even fewer in Topeka - but it would have been nice to have been able to see some of them. So if your in Kansas and I didn't see you, or you didn't even know I was there - next time! Or you'll just have to come out to Portland!

I Get Bored Easily

2008-10-01T15:13:00.001-07:00

I think I'm growing bored with "city blogging." I've been writing for Metblogs for more than two years now, and not that it's a huge span of time - but it is a good chunk of time. I just don't have huge inspirations for posts these days. I post things because I should. I post things because I don't want to let the MB folks down, especially after being the last man standing there for awhile after all the brouhaha. Because I'm a responsible person. But not because I really am excited to. I'm not even very excited to read what's posted. It's beginning to feel like a lot of the same old thing. Even over on OurPDX - which is cool and I read daily, but I'm just not as excited as I used to be...Tri-Met woes, cool bands, new restaurants, bike stuff, tech stuff, quirky things spotted downtown. I often find myself just skimming.

I know I can have a short attention span. I was a member of the OMTAAMB for 5 or 6 years - then I got bored and quit. I've sung in community choirs - then after couple seasons I got bored and quit. I took purely for fun classes - dance, guitar - then I get bored after a semester and quit. I don't want it to become a chore, and there is someone new now who can take the reins to build a new author group - something I had no interest (or talent) to do. So I think it may be time for me to call it quits on Metblogs. By taking a break, maybe I'll return again later more enthused. It's kind of sad 'cause it has been (mostly) fun - but in a way it will be good. I still read a lot of blogs - it's just my 'go to first' blogs have shifted. It's the more specific blogs I'm drawn to lately. Individual people with more personal stories or specific topics I'm interested in. So I'm not sure what that means exactly, but I think it means that I'll be writing here a heck of a lot more!

WWhhheeeeeeee!!!!!!!

2008-09-09T15:36:00.000-07:00

To Be Totally Superficial...

2008-09-04T20:58:00.001-07:00

Just by comparing the crowds at Obama and McCain's final convention speeches it's easy to see who is truly in touch with 'the people.'

One if full of people young and old, white and black and latino and asian, well-dressed, hipply dressed, sloppily dressed... awake. Tonight the poor camera man kept having to focus on the same two or three young people (and by young I mean under 50) to make the crowd look better balanced, all in stuffy suits, pretty darn white, and oh so many yawns...

My husband will love this

2008-08-27T14:33:00.000-07:00

From the 'brilliant' minds of I Can Has Cheezburger come a new endeavor...

ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK!!

2008-04-07T20:56:00.000-07:00

CHAMPS!!!!!!

Dumb Portland Schools

2008-01-28T13:41:00.000-08:00

I've lived in Portland now for 10 years. Longer than I 've ever lived anywhere in my life. But Portland 'snow days' still just kill me. Today - all the schools were delayed by 2 hours and a bunch were closed. Most of the city had no snow whatsoever, some places has a light dusting - and up in the west hills they got an inch or so.

When I first moved here I would have made fun of them doing any of that. And to a large degree I still do. But now I understand how woefully unprepared anyone who lives in Portland is for any sort of winter weather - and can accept the people in the higher elevation areas being concerned about their inch of snow....so those couple of schools in that neighborhood can close...or maybe the few parents whose house sits at that top of that big hill...don't come in until later. But seriously - there are thousands of kids home from school today without even a meager dusting of snow on their front lawns. Thousands more who were delayed for two hours causing their parents to have to go into work late or figure alternate arrangements. It's just plain dumb.

People complain about the quality of education here, they blame class sizes, and not having resources and all that crap...but with the exception of modern technological changes, thing now look pretty much the same as they did when I was in school...so who knows, maybe this is an indicator of how little those in charge really care. If they're willing to give the kids a day like today off...maybe education just isn't a high priority for our educators.

Things People Say on the InterWebs Make Me Laugh

2008-01-17T21:58:00.000-08:00

The Merc had an article last week about the trials and tribulations of finding a place to live...not finding and apartment or a house - but finding room - moving in with other people you don't know. To me that's kind of a bizarre situation - other than Kyle & Crane filling a spot at the Monkey Ranch I don't know anyone who's lived with people they didn't know. Their roommates were always at least some sort of friend. So I commented that wa - and this was one of the response:

divebarwife, one example might be women who don't identify themselves by what their husband does for a living. maybe such women wait to get married beyond the first guy with a bank account they manage to fuck. in the meantime, they need to split rent (ahem, pay their own rent at all), and their friends may already have places when they find themselves looking.

in summary, don't be such a cunt.

Heh heh - yes, 'cause that's me - ha ha!

I Don't Want Pictures of Your Kids

2007-12-18T14:54:00.000-08:00

I love getting Christmas cards from my friends, especially the ones who live across the country and I don't get to see very often. I like their brag letters telling all the wonderful things that happened to them this year and I like the cards with photos of the whole family.

Let me repeat that.

I like the cards with photos of the whole family.

So far I have received three photo cards from friends or family who live in Kansas and Minnesota. I got one from my cousin Brian and his wife - it's a totally adorable picture of them out in a boat wearing silly hats or something (I'm not sure exactly what's on their heads!) I love it. I hadn't seen Brian for years and years until Grandpa's funereal last year. We got a chance to reconnect and it was cool. It's nice seeing the photo and I'm glad he's keeping in touch. (Now I just need to do the same!)

I also got one from a friend in Topeka and one from a friend in Minneapolis...both just photos of their kids. Swell. I don't get it. Why would you send me a picture of your kids and not yourself. You are the one who is my friend. Your kids are adorable and all that - but YOU are my friend. I want to see a picture of YOU. What - you think you take a bad picture, that your smile is weird or you have a double chin or you're going bald. I don't care. It's not that I don't care about your kids, if all of you are in the photo that's the best. But honestly - if it came down to it you could take them out and have it just be you (and spouse or whoever if you have one.) You're my friend, if you're going to send me pictures - send me ones of you. I miss you.

A Little Somethin' About Me...

2007-12-13T14:56:00.000-08:00

I got tagged to do this...so why not?
The ones in bold I have done...

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said "I love you" and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby's diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and didn't care who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger's table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your CDs
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Played touch football
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an "expert"
83. Gotten flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Kissed on the first date
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror
96. Raised children
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
98. Passed out cold
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn't stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn't have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Touched a stingray
110. Broken someone's heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Touched a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey
135. Selected one "important" author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head
149. Caused a car accident
150. Saved someone's life

A Bit of Holiday Cheer

2007-12-12T11:25:00.001-08:00

Sent to me by my friend Jennie...

"Straight No Chaser - 12 Days"

Dance the Night Away

2007-12-05T13:24:00.000-08:00

I’m a little slow in getting this down…but it’s been in my head for a week now. After bowling last Thursday I bolted over to the Doug Fir and met Julie to see VHS or Beta. Julie knew the opening band - Moving Units - and they were pretty good – but I was most stoked to see VHS or Beta. I wasn’t aware until they started their set that they, or at least the singer, were from here. He mentioned that he’d grown up in Eugene anyhow – so close enough. We’d had some beers at bowling (and I’d wandered into the men’s room without having any clue until I came out to see a guy giving me the stink eye as he walked in and Violet about to walk into the women’s room laughing at me!) and of course we had some cocktails at the Doug Fir. By the time the night was over I had a nice buzz…but the drink wasn’t what was keeping me so pumped.

It was just such a fun show – and it was the type of show that I really hadn’t been to in a long time. Sure – Noland and I go see lots of bands, and I love them. When it’s the stuff I don’t like – I don’t go, he heads of with Bill or Ian. So I do really have fun at the shows I go to – but Noland doesn’t do this type of show, and since I’ve moved to Portland I haven’t been friends with anyone who does. The band is a bit reminiscent of 80s techno-pop…New Order, Duran Duran, Pet Shop Boys…but not a retro-rehash. Very unique actually. But it’s the type of show I would have gone to with Anita or Susan or Jennie…and we would have danced through the whole thing – not just stood there and watched. During their set I was thinking that I need to send all of them a CD of some of their music in case they don’t know it (so if by chance any of you read this – act surprised when it arrives!) But that’s what Julie and I did – we shook our grove things! I didn’t realize how much I’d missed that. I know that Kelly or Violet or even Steve like going to those types of shows as well – but between V needing a sitter or K’s travel plus things like bowling, shows that go see with the guys, and just general life – when it comes to deciding on which social things to do and which to skip, this is the stuff that always gets back burnered. But for Julie – these are the front burner things – so I’m glad that she’s here to kick my butt into gear and do some of them!

After the show we were in the bar hanging out with a friend of hers up from Atlanta and some other folks until almost 2 am on a school night, so if I hadn’t gone – I might not have been so wiped out on Saturday and we may have made it out to Satyricon or Dante’s….and that would have been fun. But I typically leave a show at Dante’s ready for bed. When I left Doug Fir, if I hadn’t had to work the next day I could have gone all night. That’s a much better feeling.

Gun Play

2007-11-29T12:13:00.000-08:00

I think this is a great idea.

I'm not actually opposed to toy guns - my brothers and I all played cops-n-robbers, cowboys-n-Indians, army man, etc. - and none of us are gun owners as adults. I completely disagree with the parenting style that doesn't allow kids to ever see something bad. (And as a non-parent I totally have that right - ha ha!)

But I DO have a big issue with private gun ownership. I think all semi- and automatic weapons should be illegal for personal ownership. I think having rifles/"hunting" guns are fine, but should be quite restricted. And I think handguns should be even more restricted, as I see little need for them in a home.

So even though I don't think toy guns are harmful to kids - I do like the idea of them deciding to turn them in for a different toy.

People Who Piss Me Off

2007-11-27T21:48:00.000-08:00

I try to ignore them, but they drive me crazy and I just want to pull my teeth out. You know them. You've heard them. Maybe you've cheered them on. Maybe you ARE one.

'The only television I watch is PBS and The Discovery Channel.'
'I went on this cleansing diet of nothing but lemon juice and it was amazing.'
'My little Jimmy/Janie decided to be a vegetarian at age 3.'
'We only use natural/recycled/organic products in our house.'
'Our kids were just under stimulated in public schools.'
'I never eat fast food.'
'We don't even own a TV.'

Sure - Discovery had some good programs - but you've never been flipping channels and gotten sucked into something ridiculous...or something fantastic, but totally not educational? No? Bullshit.

And your cleansing fast? You loved it? It felt great? And all the people sucking up to you telling you how great it is that you did that? Bullshit.

I could go on. And you know what. I don't believe ANY of you. Self-righteous, smug little twats.

And that goes double for you people who cheer them on.

How to Train Your Dogs to Pee

2007-11-20T14:49:00.000-08:00

Our dogs live outside when we're not home. We have a nice fenced back-yard with room for them to run and a variety of places to get out of the rain or sun depending on the weather. During nicer weather - most of the time we spend with them is spent outside. They come inside occasionally, but spend most of their days outside. As the rainy weather set into it's daily drizzle - that pattern changes - and we bring them inside most every evening that we are home.

Being outside dogs however - they aren't trained to go outside, pee and come back in. They figure if they're going outside it's to either play, walk or just be put back outside. Even if they're the ones who indicated that they wanted out. Begbie does pretty well, but once outside Faith is so excited about the prospect of the ball being thrown that she's lost interest in peeing. Even when it's midnight, wet, and we just need them to go once more before we go to bed.

So Noland has come up with a brilliant plan on how to train them on that particular command. The last several nights before we go to bed, when he opens the door and sends them out with the "go pee" command, he goes and pees with them.

All three come back in relieved for the night and ready for bed.
So adorable.

So Close to Home

2007-11-19T09:16:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we delivered Thanksgiving boxes to families that may not have had much for the holiday otherwise. More than 100 boxes were delivered - which feed more than 600 people - nearly 400 of whom are children. We had a little conversation before hand talking about how doing this isn't for us to feel good about 'doing something good' but truly to be helping those who are in need. Noland and I took 4 boxes - I believe everyone was given fairly random assignments of where their boxes went. Two of the boxes that we had in our car - ended up being delivered to home just blocks away from our own house. I know we don't live in a wealthy part of town...when we're feeling lazy and put our aluminum and bottle recycling out on the curb rather than taking it to the store - I think it's one of our neighbors that usually picks it up. But it was still a bit of a shock to think that poverty really is that close. That our neighbors might not be eating, or not eating well, while we really do have so much.

Doing the Thanksgiving baskets is great - and I'm glad that East County does it, and there are a lot of other great things done - especially around the holidays - but what about these people the rest of the year?

So my company is putting together an initiative to get involved in the community in a volunteer aspect and I'm leading part of that program. I think what we're going to do, is get involved with the Community Transitional School. It's a school for kids who are homeless...they have a bus that goes around and picks them up wherever they may have spent the night before..the route changing daily. For many of these kids - this school may be the only stable thing in their lives. They've been in a variety of temporary locations over the years - but are now building a permanent building not to far from where we live. So I'm going to talk to the people at the school to find out how we can best help - if it's donations of school supplies, they also need basic hygiene supplies for the kids, if we can do something at the school itself.

It's not about us - it's about them...but I'd be lying to say that it doesn't make me feel good that we can do this.

What Good Does Flushing Do?

2007-11-16T14:34:00.000-08:00

Before you pee that is.

There's a woman who works across the hall (we share restrooms with another office) who always flushes the toilet when she first walks into the bathroom. As far as I can tell - always - not 'cause someone else didn't.

Beside wasting water - what's the point?

I don't get it.

I Am Invincible!

2007-11-15T11:58:00.000-08:00

The last time I was there they thought I was sedated. They thought I had no idea what they were doing. But I wasn't completely out and I knew. Luckily they almost got busted and I got away. I never told anyone about it because I was afraid they might try to come find me, and somehow they did. I was now back there again. But this time I had the upper hand. They thought I'd have no memory of the last time, but I knew exactly what they were planning.

My mom dropped me off as planned - but I had her grab my purple overnight bag and take it with her instead of leaving it behind. I told her to just grab it as she walked out the door and to be subtle. I didn't tell her why. I went back into my room like I was supposed to, then into the bathroom - but from there I slipped out the back door and around behind the buildings. I started to head toward the parking lot, but saw a group of folks in uniform so I slipped back into an alley and came into the parking lot on the far end. Because I knew what they were planning - when I left my keys with the parking attendant I had only left a copy - I still had them in my pocket, now I just had to find my car. I couldn't see it and I knew I didn't have much time, so I hit the unlock to see if I could catch the lights flashing. Ah-ha. There it is. I get in, but I've been spotted and the alarm has been sounded. I'm running toward my car - but so are they. I get in and start it up - but one of the guys is hanging on the door trying to climb in after and stop me. They have some sort of electro magnetic device that they use to shut down my engine - and I can't go any further.

There's a bit of a scuffle - and they decide they need to move me to a different facility. They still don't know how much I know however - so they only put me in the back of a car with an "attendant" like nothing is really wrong. And they don't check for things like - if I still have my phone. I pull it from my pocket and try to call Noland. No answer. I can't speak so I send a text message, but I'm not sure if it gets through. We've been driving around for a while and I think they've been intentionally going a winding back route to confuse me - because I'm not exactly sure where we are when we pull over to get supplies. I feign sleep so they leave me in the car - I dial 911 and am able to give the operator a few words before they return to the car - but I leave the phone open so that if they say anything that might help the 911 operator find me, they can overhear it. They weren't to bright though and they put me on hold because all of a sudden there was elevator music playing out of my phone and I'm busted. They tell me to throw it out the window and I argue with them. They're going to have to make me.

Suddenly a song comes on the radio that we all like and start singing along... 'Merican by The Descendants... they're impressed that I know the song, so I relent and tell them that I remembered last time. That I wasn't sedated - but that even though I knew what was going on I didn't tell anyone and they can trust me.

I think I might have 'em convinced.

Gilligan's Island and Pumpkin Pants

2007-11-01T11:10:00.000-07:00

Ahoy!

But now I owe Spencer beer...

The Ultimate in Klutzy

2007-10-10T09:35:00.000-07:00

I’m not sure when I became a klutz. Maybe the extra 100 lbs I’m carting around has something to do with it – but I used to be graceful. I used to be a dancer. For like 12 years! Of course – I’ve also gave myself a skull fracture twice before the age of 17 by running into walls – so maybe I’ve always been a klutz…it was just in disguise.

These days I manage to do things like land on my ass in the middle of the street while doing nothing more than walking from the car to the mailbox. Land on my ass and sprain my ankle and skin my knee while doing nothing more than walking from the house to my car. Land on my ass walking through the grocery store while doing nothing more than – walking through the grocery store. Land on my ass and twist my ankle while walking to get water while camping – walking down a cleared path.

And keep in mind – I no longer live in a place that gets icy and snowy for 4 months of the year! Landing on my ass, twisting my ankle and banging my knee while walking the dogs after a freak snowstorm doesn’t count – everyone fell down that day and I was being pulled by a 100lb dog.

But now – now I have achieved the ultimate glory in klutziness. Last night – I fell down and landed on my ass…. while doing nothing more than sitting.

Yup – that’s right, I fell down while sitting.

Ok, ok, stop laughing! I did have a little help. We were at the NW Lucky Lab – Noland and I were on one side of the picnic table, Spencer and Julie on the other side, Sarah and Colin at the table next to us. Julie got up to go inside and asked me to hold her dog Andy’s leash. Then Spencer got up to go inside as well. We’re sitting there chatting and suddenly Andy sees something that needs his attention at the table behind us – I had only a loose hold on the leash before, so when he pulls – I tighten my grip – but he’s a small dog, so I don’t really pull back. My mistake. He may only weigh 19 lbs – but he really wanted to go – so he pulled, then suddenly in slow motion…..

…with no counter weight on the other side of the table…and both Noland and I on one side… I’m pulled back with Andy… the bench/table start to tip….beers start to slide … Noland tries to stand up… we both slide off the bench... tipping the table, but not tipping it over… 2 pitchers (one empty, one half full) and 1 or 2 partially full pints follow us… and Noland and I go home with beer butt. (Thanks Betsy!)

OMG – it was so ridiculous – broken glass and beer everywhere, my tailbone is a bit sore today and Noland got a nice bump on his elbow and a few small cuts, but luckily neither of us (or Andy!) were really hurt – but man – we were both just soaked! We drove home quickly and quietly – we hadn’t had much to drink at all, but cops from miles away could probably smell us coming.

Just call me grace!

A Travel Tip From Me To You

2007-10-08T17:39:00.000-07:00

Just because your hotel room is up on the 10th floor or so doesn't mean that no one can see you standing naked on your balcony. You may be on vacation - but we're in the offices across the parking lot.

Horray for Iowa!

2007-08-31T09:06:00.000-07:00

So there was bad news from one of my home states last week – but good news from my other home state today.

A Polk County judge on Thursday struck down Iowa's law banning gay marriage.

The ruling by Judge Robert Hanson concluded that the state's prohibition on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional and he ordered Polk County Recorder Julie Haggerty to issue marriage licenses to several gay couples.

I’m sure that this won’t be the end – there will be challenges, there will be debates and it may get reversed again before it’s all over. But every time something like this happens we get closer and closer to extending this wonderful thing called marriage to ANYONE who wants it.

Go Iowa!

21 Days and Cooking

2007-08-30T13:40:00.000-07:00

My mom was not a big cook. I think she probably could cook ok, but it was never anything she really seemed to enjoy doing and she worked a lot – so a home cooked meal in our house most often consisted of things like:
• Macaroni & Cheese (Kraft from a box of course) with hotdogs
• Tacos – I actually remember that she usually only used a half packet of seasoning mix because otherwise it was too spicy – and the toppings consisted of cheese, lettuce and tomatoes – no salsa or hot sauce or sour cream or guacamole
• Basic meat and potatoes: pan fried pork chops and boiled potatoes, pot roast and potatoes, etc.
• Hot dish – tuna and noodles and a can of creamed soup, ground beef and noodles and a can of tomato sauce (we actually called that spaghetti)

They were all fine meals – and I do actually like most of them – but there was little variety, very few spices, nothing remotely ethnic and nothing very unique.
• I honestly didn’t know until I was about 17 that you could make a piecrust.
• My dad doesn’t like many vegetables so my mom never made them – so we never had them – so I just decided without ever trying most of them that they were gross. I was in my 20s and had a roommate that cooked before I started to eat them and decided that most were pretty good.
• My dad also doesn’t like Chinese food, so maybe we got it from him – but my brothers and I used to refer to any dish we didn’t thin looked good as ‘Chinese food’ it was synonymous for ‘bad.’ When I was a senior in high school my friend made me go to a Chinese restaurant…..OMG it was so good!

So because of this upbringing – I never really learned how to cook. When I went to college – I fended for myself. I could do the very basics – mac & cheese, sandwiches, frozen dinners, but I even remember calling my mom once asking how to bake a potato, because I’d had it in the oven for almost an hour and it wasn’t done and I thought maybe I was doing it wrong. I lived by myself or with a roommate often on opposing schedules – so it was almost always cooking for one – not worth learning to cook. I joked about it and I didn’t care. If I wanted something more exotic – that’s what restaurants are for!

Well that was 10-15 years ago. I have since learned to cook – and I think I’m pretty good at it. I’m always nervous it’s going to be rotten, but most of the time my stuff turns out pretty good. Usually because Noland is there and he is an awesome cook! One of my former co-workers (who is a fabulous cook) and I used to sit in our cubes and share recipes and discuss ‘foodie’ things through our shared window all day long. She would tell me things like she loved getting my recipes because they are always so good. And when we throw a party or bring something to a friend’s party – we usually cook up something pretty fantastic. The last 4 or 5 years I’ve even been reading cooking magazines and having all kinds of fun learning how to do some cool stuff.

So this brings me all to the current thought that keeps running through my brain. It seems that every time I’ve talked to my mother on the phone recently it’s been near dinnertime and I’ve mentioned something about that. This past week we’d been out all weekend, didn’t have much to work with at home, so Sunday evening I was making some basic mac and cheese. Some rotelli, 2 kinds of cheese, milk, a dab of sour cream, and some red pepper flakes for kick – toss it all in a dish and bake. Simple – but nice. My mother’s comment “ew – the icky kind – Kraft is the only good kind you know.” Her other comment “aren’t you done yet, aren’t you cooking it on high, aren’t you the girl who says that everything should be cooked on high?”

Sure – when I was 18 and you yelled at me for boiling noodles on too high a temp.

Nearly every time I’ve told her about a dinner we’ve made, or a party we’ve had or gone to – she tells me that what I’ve just described sounds “icky” or asks me who made it for me. They are coming to visit in a few weeks and I said that I was going to cook for them every meal and they’d see that I am a good cook…and she told me that she’d bring a bag of her own food and hide it in the closet.

So thanks mom. Way to make me feel like I’m 16 again. Way to make me excited about the visit.

So I’m warning the rest of you now.
I may be a bitch for the next 3 weeks.
And then I may need a lot of drinks.

Either that or I’m going to get my parents to eat Thai food.

If they weren't so powerful I'd have to laugh

2007-08-24T12:41:00.000-07:00

The things that I hear coming from my home state often mortify me. While I haven’t lived there in nearly 2 decades – it is where I grew up and it is where my family all still lives. So in a small way it is still home.

My friends here often joke about the fact that we don’t believe in gravity – referring to the anti-evolution stand the Kansas education department keeps pulling out of their butts. But now I learn that Brownback – one of the worst senators to come from Kansas in decades – and a Republican Presidential hopeful – has co-sponsored a bill that will help remove the free or extremely discounted contraceptives from the hands of the women who need it the most. Because of Planned Parenthood’s stand on abortion they are the targets of these morons who don’t understand that all they’re doing is increasing the number of women who will need abortions.

First Missouri passes a bill that makes it so that Planned Parenthood can’t provide sex education information to schools – even though they are undeniably the most qualified to do so – and now Brownback is trying to take away their funding to provide condoms and birth control pills to women who can’t afford them. Sure – some of these contraceptives are going to teenagers – and that is offensive to these people – but hey – at least the teenagers are smart enough to try and not get pregnant! But a good percentage of them are going to married women, to adults, to people who may have a couple kids already and know they shouldn’t have any more.

I know there are some wonky old-school Catholics and Mormons out there who still believe that “every sperm is sacred’ but for the most part even the Pope realizes that is a fight that is not going to be won in US. But since all these puritanical nut jobs can afford to buy their own pills – they don’t understand why telling these adult, maybe even married women “if you don’t want a baby – don’t have sex” isn’t really kosher. And I’m sure that as crazy as Brownback, McCain, Tancredo and Romney (all who support the bill,) are – that none of them believe that too – but they’re willing to sacrifice that right for others – for the poor, the minorities, the teenagers… to slowly and surely knock out agencies like Planned Parenthood in a subtle and sneaky way of ultimately trying to end the right to choose.

And they're the ones upholding the morals of America.

Warning - Sappy Post

2007-08-20T20:26:00.001-07:00

Friendships are a strange thing. I have always considered my close friends to be family. I love my family but I love my friends just as much. Some of my friends and some of my family have had a hard time understanding that. Some understand completely.

There are those friends that you knew the day you met you'd be friends for life. And I love that there are some of you out there reading from places across the country that fall into that category! Even though we don't talk as much we did when we lived in the same place when we are together we can instantly fall back into that same comfortable place. And the fact that you read- I really appreciate. Even when I'm bad at writing or calling - I love the comments I get from Iowa, Baltimore, Kansas or other places.

Then there are those people you think fall into that category - but as time goes by you realize that there's just nothing in common any more except the past. And the people that fall into that category - I know don't read this. And this can apply to people who live both near and far.

But then there are also just the opposite - the great people that you may never have figured to be a good friend - just a casual acquaintance - but then over time you realize how important and special they are to you.

I've been thinking of all this lately because of two incidents:

Last week my best friend from high school came out for a family visit and we got to spend a couple of hours together one night. This was only the second time we'd seen each other or spoken in more than 4 years. When Noland and I were getting married she was going through some personal stuff and didn't come out for the wedding. I was hurt more than words could ever say. We've never talked about it - but we did have a nice little cry before she left this time and while it may take some time to get back to the comfort level we had before - for the first time since then I feel like we're going to make it back.

Then there's my friend here in town - the first friend I had in Portland actually (not counting the one I brought with me :) I invite her to do things, she either can't come out or if she does it's for a very short time or she just sits silently being cranky. Then she stops responding to invitations at all. Eventually I give up because it can't be a one sided effort. Then I hear from another friend that she thinks I'm mad at her and not talking to her. It's hard to not talk to someone who doesn't return calls or initiate them. She was a good friend for that period of my life - but I'm done. It's just not worth the effort.

So I guess this is my sappy message to those of you out there reading - that you are so important to me - friends are family.

And Amy - we talked when we were kids about our plans as adults. We never thought even then that we'd live in the same city. You were going to have a house in a small town on a lake where I'd come and spend 4th of July... and I was going to live downtown in a big city where you would come and spend New Years Eve. So we're not exactly in those situations - but you are still close to home and I am far away - and maybe one day we'll spend one of those holidays together. As family.

Blame it on the Cardigan

2007-07-06T15:40:00.000-07:00

Following my Metblogs post on the Laurelwood - which as many commentors pointed out is truly more about the obnoxious parents than the children - I learn that it's all the fault of Mr. Rogers.

That sweater and tennis shoes thing was always a little weird.

Name That Ass

2007-06-18T12:39:00.000-07:00

Since I wrote about the weekend here and Noland wrote about it here...for this post we're simply going to play a little game:

Ready...

Set...

Name That Ass!

Favorite Day of the Year

2007-05-24T15:08:00.000-07:00

My mom sent me one of those "get to know your friends" internet chain mail items that we were all sick of by about 2001, but it's mom - and she's not to handy on the internet (unlike dad who's probably reading this!) - so I filled it out and sent it back to her, my sister in law and my aunts who were all on her original list.

One of the questions on the survey was "what is your favorite day of the year?" I don't really have a favorite day - so I answered that January 4 - my birthday - was.

But I was totally wrong. The best day of the year is today - May 24th - the day that my, maybe not perfect - but perfect for me, husband was born. Without the events of this day 37 years ago my life would be incomplete.

Happy Birthday Babe - I Love You!

First Concert Follow-Up

2007-05-15T20:17:00.000-07:00

So - I blogged on Portland Metblogs yesterday about a guy that I worked with who has never been to a concert.

It was still freaking me out today when I went to work, so we were talking about - and it turns out he's not mid-30s like I thought - but only 28. Married and has 3 kids - and I the oldest one is 8 or 9. One drink after work on a Friday is a crazy night out. Wow - see when I meet people like that - it's what helps me from ever feeling old.

A co-worker's husband was turning 29 last week and she mentioned that he said it was his last good birthday because after that he would be old. When I lived in Des Moines, my good friend Laurie turned 30 she was freaking out a bit - she is several years older than me, so when I told her I didn't get it - she told me to just wait. When I turned 30 - I definitely didn't feel old (and those of you who helped me celebrate that night can certainly attest to that!) And I still don't.

I feel very young for my age in fact. When my mother was my age - Steve was 12, I was 9 and James was 7. I was old enough to remember her - both my parents at this age - and I am much younger than they were. My sister-in-law is only a year older than me and she has a 15 and 13 year old. And not that the kids make you old - but for some people it does - I do have other friends with kids (yo Crafties!) who still go out, who still know how to have non-PTA fun - but not these folks. And all of that has worked for them - but it definitely does keep me feeling young.

Until today.

We were at work discussing a call to out office in London - the same co-worker who started the 'first concert' discussion started singing 'London Calling' - I laughed and said I always think of that too - the other two guys gave us blank stares. I looked and them and said 'you know - The Clash?' More blank stares. Followed up with - 'Was that a band or something?'

After threatening them with bodily harm - one guy then called another in our office and asked him - "have you ever heard of 'The Clash'?"
Nope.

Two of these 3 were the ones who earlier in the year had commented that they weren't yet born when Micheal Jackson's Thriller came out.

The kids with the kids keep me feeling young - but when they don't even know the music - that makes me feel old.

And Noland Wonders Why I Don't Think Doctors Can Really Help...

2007-04-23T15:56:00.000-07:00

I don't go to the doctor often. In fact I don't understand the whole hypochondriac thing - 'cause I'm the total opposite. Noland has to practically force me to go even when I am sick. So it frustrates me that the few times I do go - nothing ever works the way it's supposed to.

I take two really basic and simple prescriptions - nothing unusual, nothing narcotic that I could get any money for on the streets, nothing that has any severe or dangerous side effects - and I've been taking both for years now without any changes.

So because of Noland being laid off and me recently changing jobs - we had to switch or insurance provider as well - we never lapsed in coverage - but it's a different plan and the doctor we used to go to isn't in the preferred list of the new plan. She was also located out in Beaverton since that was where we both worked - but since neither of us do anymore - that's not very convenient either.

Of course the timing worked out so that both of my prescriptions expired - as in the 12 months of referrals are up - this month. So you have to get approval from the doctor to get a refill. I know this - so I refill a week in advance so there is time for the processing - I submit my refill to Walgreens - then I call the doc's office immediately after so that I can explain to them that I will not be able to come in for an exam prior to getting a refill - that I have to switch doctors due to insurance - but can they authorize one more refill so that I have time to make an appointment with the new doc? I was pro-active. I gave them full information. I did it a week early - they have signs all over their office saying they need at least 5 days. So on Thursday of last week, they leave a message - on Noland's phone (which is another issue I have with them - I have told them to call ME every time I've gone in or done anything - they always call him) saying I need to make an appointment to come in. I look online and see that according to Walgreens my prescription has been filled - so I assume that the doc was following up about the appointment since they did refill it - that's what they always do when they refill without seeing you. But I didn't try to pick them up until the weekend - and of course - they're not there.

But to add to the confusion - Noland again gets a call from a different Walgreens saying that they have my prescription. Again we're not sure why they called Noland's phone - he's never even used Walgreens. So I call Walgreens - they say they have nothing - but have faxed the doctor a request twice. I call the doc again this morning - explaining the situation again - and ask them to call ME - giving them my phone number again.

Noland calls me shortly after that saying that the doc called him and they've sent my prescription over. I call Walgreens - nope. Nothing. I ask them to check the other location. They say there's nothing. I call the doc - they say they've sent it over. To the wrong one. But of course the one they've sent isn't the one that I've been out of since last Friday now - it's the one I'm still good on through this Sat.

So MAYBE they'll get it refilled in the next 70 minutes so that I can pick it up tonight. Otherwise MAYBE they can get it done tomorrow - by which point I'll be - oh let's see - Sat, Sun, Mon, Tues of not taking it - nice medical practice. They tell you not to just stop taking your medication - yet despite all my best efforts they have forced me to stop taking it for at least 4 days now - maybe longer.

I never had these kinds of issues with the person I went to before - so although I kinda liked the doc out there - but I think I'm glad I'm switching to another office.

Maybe they won't be as retarded.

I Still Love Portland, But They Could Never Pull Off SXSW

2007-03-25T16:24:00.000-07:00

Portland is an impressive music town - we have some great live music venues - everybody knows somebody in a band, we get lots of good touring acts - both big and small - but after spending the weekend in Austin they absolutely have us beat.

Now I get that during SXSW of course it's going to look like a lot more - 1200+ bands in one city for a weekend wold do that anywhere, but a group of us had a long discussion on why SXSW works so well there - and why NXNW flopped so badly and turned into the very sad NW Musicfest. And some of those reasons are reasons that we love about Portland - so it's not necessarily a bad thing - just different.

First off - they shut down several major streets through downtown for several days - I guess it would be close to the equivalent of shutting down Hawthorne, Belmont and the side streets in between from about 30th to 39th. For 4 days straight. I just can't see that happening here.

Secondly - on those streets - nearly every business is a bar or restaurant - now there were a few retail shops scattered in between - but not many. Hawthorne/Belmont is the closest, but Portland just doesn't have an area that has that high of a concentration of that type of business. And that's ok - I love that we have all of neighborhoods that have their own scattered bars, eateries, shops, etc. - that we don't have the one strip where EVERYONE goes on a Friday night. But for something like SXSW - it makes it very convenient. More than 50 different venues in about 10 blocks of space made it easy to hop from one show to the next and see a huge variety and number of bands. Now compare that to having to get across town from the Tonic to Dantes or Ash Street and then down to the Crystal...

And finally - in those bars and restaurants - they were super flexible with their space.
- A cajun restaurant that I don't think normally has any kind of music - had tables pushed aside and a temporary stage set up - where we got to hear Jello Biafra lead the crowd in chants of "F*ck George Bush!" and talk in his funny little voice about why we need a real liberal - not just Hilary 'I support censorship' Clinton - before launching into some great rock at the Alternative Tentacles showcase.
- a tiny parking lot off an alley behind a bar was turned into a second outdoor stage for that bar where we saw....um....someone with a Hawaiian lead singer/guitar that Mike knew.... who were simply amazing.
- The patio of another restaurant/bar was converted into a second outdoor stage so that the Woggles could play inside while the Cynics played outside at the 'Get Hip' stage. Many places did this - any patio space, parking lots, alleyways, divided rooms - they all became second stages. No matter where you were, you heard music coming from somewhere - but it never overwhelmed the band that you were actually watching.

So thanks Austin - and especially all the bartenders, doormen, waitstaff, cabbies, foodcart vendors - who'd been working their asses off for a week - and still moved fast, lines for drinks or food were never very long - were friendly and seemed to be really having fun with it all. Portland is still very proud of it's music scene - but you guys are impressive!

Herman - Meet Gresham Troglodyte

2007-02-25T15:30:00.000-08:00

Thank You. Mr-God-damn-mother-fucking-shit-ass-Gresham-hick-troglodyte-son-of-a-bitch who doesn't know how to back a piece of shit SUV out of practically empty parking lot with really wide aisles without running into my less than one month-old under 700 miles brand new car.

Asshat.

Goodbye Felix....Hello Herman!

2007-02-22T20:45:00.000-08:00

Random Ramblings After a Long Absence

2007-02-22T20:34:00.000-08:00

So between the new job and me being really lazy – I've been rather lack in posting here – although I will say that I have been active on Metblogs – so just read me there if you're sick of seeing nothing here!

I am really loving the new job – I'm doing what I did before – but I there is actually some rhyme and reason to what I'm doing now and I have a lot more personal responsibility to do what I think needs to be done. And of course I LOVE being downtown…
- my commute has been shortened from 45-60 minutes to about 15-20
- can walk from my office to get a soda, coffee, lunch, mail something, buy something, etc.
- have numerous options for food that don't include McDonalds, Taco Bell, Red Robin and the like
- can actually read The Mercury or Willamette Week hard copy if I want to
- don't ever have to go to Beaverton for any reason anymore (except occasionally to visit a friend and drink tequila!) That is the best reason ever – in the 3 months since Centric closed – I have been to Beaverton a total of 3 times. A birthday party for Toni, a Christmas gathering at Cole's, and one time when Noland and I were out meandering around on a Sat – ended up down in Tualatin and then remembered he had a prescription to pick up at the Target by his work – so we headed out to get it.

I am trying to decide if I'm going to do the OMTAAMB again this year – and the fact that I'd have to go out there weekly for practice is one small reason that I may not. Most of last year I was very cranky about being part of it – the routines that Tom creates are either incredibly dull because he recycles everything from year to year so that the slow people don't have to learn anything new – or he tries to be super complex as if we were on field for a DCI show – but those types of flowing off count moves don't translate well onto the street and we just end up looking bad. He is just not a good choreographer - and he is a very poor instructor – he never has anything written down by counts, doesn't demonstrate well, or understand the concept of teach a little move on, teach a little move on – then all together….it makes it very frustrating. And the field show – that is the worst thing ever – because again – he tries to do it as if we were a DCI group – we need to do things in counts of 4 and always hit yard markets or halfway between, no flowing lines, arches or off beats – we don't have the time (or in many people the ability) to do more than that. So again – it ends up looking terrible and everyone yelling at one another. Fun pastime eh?

So I don't know – I may just have to pass this year…..we'll see….

It's been quite a month!

2007-01-16T16:17:00.000-08:00

First Noland had an accident on the highway - he slid on the highway going into work one morning when it was a little icy - he bounced off the cement barriers between the east and west bound lanes and slid all the way across 4 lanes of traffic to the shoulder where he was able to come to a stop. It happened at about 7:45 am on a pretty busy section of road - but somehow no one else managed to hit him or get hit by him and he was ok - luckily insurance covers most of the bill so while it still sucks to pay at all .

That happened about mid-November - 'cause we took the rental car back before Thanksgiving so that we didn't have to pay for a 4 day weekend where he didn't need it and we could just drive my car everywhere.

Of course then a week later - Monday Dec. 4 I'm driving home from work and my radio starts betting all staticy, then it seems like my lights are dimming - it reminds me exactly of what my old car Gus did on a highway late at night in Iowa in the middle of snow onc - when I ended up needing a new alternator - then my car died in the middle of an intersection - luckily some nice people (who were also stuck behind me until I moved:-) helped me push it into the parking lot of a church that was there on the corner - and luckily this happened after I had finished the highway portion of my commute, was back on my side of the river and not too terribly far from home. We tried replacing just the battery - and that worked for a few days - but then it died again - so we had to replace the alternator - Noland and Spencer did it - but it will took a few days for the right parts to gt ordered from the Auto Parts store - so I was carless for a few days. And we only "hope" this will fix the problem!

All this time though I'm freaking out about having to pay bills - 'cause we've speculated for a few months that my company might not be lasting much longer - but since Thanksgiving or so - it's really seemed that may be the case, and this week that my car is dying is also the week of our final show - it was almost for sure due to all the clues coming from our GM and President. So sure enough Friday morning the 8th they call us into a meeting about 10 am after the last person in the offices shows up (we are only 12 people at this point) and tells us that effective immediately we are no longer in business. They paid us or one additional week and we would be "on call" in case they needed anything from us to help close the office down and gave us 2 weeks severance pay plus any PTO we had left but we were to pack our stuff and leave right then and there.

So needless to say we all headed straight to our favorite after work bar - where the bartender asked "how did you guys all get off work so early today?" and drank there for a few hours before heading to Toni and Warren's place - who live near there - and continued drinking until we had done so for about 12 hours - 10:30am - 10:30pm!

Oh yeah - to top it all off the following week someone stole Noland's stereo (although I must say I was pissed at him at the time - how many times do I have to tell him that he doesn't love in the country anymore and our neighborhood, while not the total hood - it not the best either and he needs to lock the car?! My car was locked and my stereo wasn't stolen, so I don't think they would have broken the window - they would have just passed right on by had it not been unlocked.) But now I know I was just being cranky :-)

But - then after all that on the bright side....a girl that used to work at our company called me after she heard we were closed and that they might have a position....so I went in on my birthday for an interview and they called with an offer the next day! It sounds like a great job and a great company, it's an increase in salary - and the best part is that I don't have to drive to the suburbs anymore - it's actually downtown! I was going to start today- but they called yesterday and pushed it back a week because they need to get some stuff in order first - so basically I ended up with a 6 week Christmas vacation!

I do still need a new car - the new alternator helped, but I just failed DEQ so without sinking more money into repairs I can't renew my tags - so I get to go car shopping (YEAH! - a good thing now that I have a job again!)

Really - everyone that reads this knows all this - but I haven't blogged here in so long I felt I need to actually give some news.

Next time - back to the fantasy!

24 - starring ME!

2006-12-22T17:12:00.000-08:00

As always - it's tough to distinguish who is REALLY on your side and who is double-crossing you, because you are in fact also double-crossing them and maybe double-crossing those that are double-crossing them with you....got it?
Whew!

Well Jack needed to go in and do the serious dirty work - so he had me leave the room - he didn't want me to have to see what he was going to do - and I also think that he secretly thought I might break and they'd know we weren't really who we said we were.

So I'm standing in the hallway guarding the door when the maid comes to clean the room. I let her know that we are still using the room and that she can come back later - but apparently the maid was also not who she seemed, as she suddenly yells something about vengeance for her people and that she's got a bomb.

She sets the explosive and takes off back down the hall. I run into the room and alert Jack that we've got trouble. He says that if it's just a flash bomb we're fine - I let him know that it's way more serious than that - and that the windows are the only way out. Unfortunaltey we're way up on the top floor. Jack takes a few runs at the window until the glass is shattered - then he tells me that we have to jump. And with that he's out the window. I stand on the sill and watch him fall to the ground - it seems so easy - he lands on his butt, lays still for a moment then jumps up and is fine. I can do that. Sure - I know I can. But my feet are not leaving the ground - and we only have a few second more until the explosion goes off. Jack looks up and sees my hesitance - he calls to crowd that has now gathered below - tells them that it's my first big jump and that they need to give me some encouragement. I hear the calls coming from below:

"JENN! JENN! JENN! JENN!"

I jump. I am flying. I am falling to the ground. But once I go it's not that far. The ground approaches and I put my body in the landing position. I hit the ground hard - and man does it hurt - but I'm fine. But as is always the case when Jack's around - we're not out of the woods yet. The building is about to explode and when it falls it's going to collapse right where we're at - we must roll down this hill into the lake below......

And cut.

Wow - that jump was really scary - but at least it was only off the hotel set - which was really about 3 stories high - they'd go back and do their TV magic to make it become a 30 story building.

Not bad for my first day.

Enough already!

2006-12-01T09:55:00.000-08:00

I HATE being sick.

To admit you are sick is to admit you are weak.

And I am not weak.

Ok – I realize how ridiculous that is, but it’s the way I was raised. I can’t ever remember going to the doctor because I was sick. Head split open and needing stitches – yes. Coughing and fever – no. And the only time we ever got to stay home from school was if we were throwing up. I’m sure part of it was that we didn’t have very good insurance and couldn’t really afford to, but I also think my mom just felt that going to the doctor was unnecessary. I know I’ve heard her make more than one comment as an adult about somebody who takes their kids “all the time” and she thinks that’s ridiculous. So it’s in my blood. If you’re not dying – you just tough it out.

So I have been fighting some nastiness for – well – almost a month now. Never really sick – not enough to miss work, and it’s only kept me from a few social engagements – but just enough to keep me from sleeping well and being rested enough to heal completely. I went to the doctor a couple of weeks ago (at the insistence of my wonderful husband – and as the doctor noted as well – I’m lucky to have someone who cares about me enough to insist!!) and also said that I indeed have bronchitis. He gave me a plethora of drugs, including some Vicodin for the painful sinus headaches it was giving me – which was the worst part of the entire sickness. However the actual bronchitis is still lingering and it’s DRIVING ME CRAZY!

I’m taking major quantities of drugs now (which I hate to do) but by God I am going to get rid of this if it kills me.

Less than nothing

2006-11-28T11:47:00.000-08:00

Really people - there is a light (let me repeat that....LIGHT) dusting of snow outside. Or there was at 7am - it's all gone now. But even when there was that LIGHT dusting that is no reason for you you to drive so slowly. Susan drove better in REAL snow the first time she ever did it and she grew up in the desert! (Hi SSSS!)

And no - I don't believe you when you say "it was worse at my house", "well - I live on a hill", "it's not the snow, it's the ice."

And I don't care of you're from California, Texas or the deepest ugliest southlands - it's still not enough of anything to get excited about. So STFU already! I'm tired of hearing you tell every person you talk to about the crazy weather we've got going on here. And unless they're from the south - they're probably laughing at you too.

If Fish Could Walk

2006-11-27T13:49:00.000-08:00

So I had a crazy dream that I was visiting my friend Jennie in some strange land, and she had these crazy pets. There was this whole tank of fish - really big ones like dolphin sized - but then when I looked into the tank there wasn't any water in it - they could walk on land....she seemed very surprised that we thought that was odd....

I send Jennie a little note telling her about said dream – and what does she send back to me, but this story she’d seen the day before.

Weird.

Oh sweet sweet day

2006-11-08T10:12:00.000-08:00

GOP Says Rumsfeld Stepping Down
By Associated Press

13 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Republican officials say Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is stepping down. Word comes a day after the Democratic gains in the election, in which Rumsfeld was a focus of much of the criticism of the Iraq war.

Awesome!

2006-11-06T13:10:00.000-08:00

Who woulda thunk?

2006-10-25T15:11:00.000-07:00

That New Jersey would be more progressive than Oregon?

"the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to receive the same state benefits, protections and obligations as opposite-sex married couples. The court ruled that the Legislature must either amend its marriage law to include same-sex couples or provide these benefits, protections and obligations by some other means such as civil unions."

Of course they didn't have Karen Minnis...and hopefully after November 7th we won't either!

Point and Laugh or Cuddle and Cry?

2006-10-19T22:14:00.000-07:00

I'm sure that Noland, no....I KNOW that Noland is inclined towards the first. But me - I was torn...I pointed (the camera) and laughed..but then she was so pathetic and sad I just had to cuddle and pet her.

She got a gash - almost a puncture - just above her back leg. We don't know if it was from one of Begbie's teeth when then were wrestling around at some point - or if on one of her mad dashes through the bushes to chase down the red ball she got caught on a low branch, but it was a pretty good wound. So we took her to the vet to have it checked out - and to make sure it didn't get infected, they gave us a topical antibiotic to put on it. And so she doesn't lick that off....the retarded dog collar.

It really is hysterical. She tries to run between the patio furniture and gets stuck. She wants to still play ball - but she can't pick it up. She turned over her water and food bowls trying to get at them.... she would just run up and run into things and stop - stand there and stare. Totally baffeled.

Luckily she didn't have to wear it long, and the wound is healing nicely, but man....that was one pathetic looking little pit bull.

Nightmares

2006-10-11T11:17:00.000-07:00

It was mine. Or at least I would assume so – I was carrying it around with me in one of those portable-carrying thingys. I was trying to get some work down while waiting in the terminal – so I found a corner with a bench and small table and not many other people nearby and pulled out the laptop and started working. They announced my flight so I packed up my laptop, grabbed my book and a bottle of water and headed off. I was already sitting on the plane when I remembered I’d forgotten something. I jumped up and ran back to go get it – hoping no one had taken it – that would really suck. But it was still there. There was someone watching it – I knew her actually and she told me that she’d wondered when I was coming back – that I really shouldn’t leave it like that. It started to make noise so I picked it up but then it looked like it was going to explode – and I was wearing a cute top I didn't want to get messy – so I turned it upside down and hung it off the edge of the bench – where it did proceed to make a giant mess everywhere. Some employee came by and told me that wasn’t the way I was supposed to do it and now he was going to have to clean up the mess. Whatever – I just blew him off – that’s his job. So I wrapped it back up and put it back in it’s carrying case and headed off.

And I thought dreaming about spiders or being attacked was bad!

It's Not a Sign of Maturity - I SWEAR!

2006-10-05T09:44:00.000-07:00

I am not a morning person.
People say you grown out of it - but at 35 I can still sleep until noon on a Saturday if I don't have anything else to do.

I actually laughed out loud at a propsecptive employer during an interview when they told me the hours were 6am - 3pm. (I still got the job, they consented that it wasn't really neccessary for me to come in THAT early.)

I am not an athletic person.
I first realized this when I threw up after running a mile in PE class in elementary school.
Or maybe it was when I say down in the outfield to draw in the dirt while playing T-ball.
Sure - I danced from age 9 to 18 - but that was always just 'fun.' And I've had stints of gym membership, aerobics classes, etc. off and on for the past 15 years in three different states. But only one time ever in all of that did it really feel good, work out well with my schedule, and I was really motivated to do it - and then they changed the time of the class and it didn't work for me anymore.

So the past two days - I have gotten up BEFORE work and gone to the gym. And I think I really like it. Other then a few technical difficulties because I wasn't used to having to get ready for work from the gym and I wasn't fully prepared the first day - it works GREAT in my schedule. I don't have to get up that much earlier then normal. I get home almost the same time as I did before. And because I do have to get ready for work - it doesn't leave me with that "now it's time to just go sit on the couch" feeling that I always had after coming home from the gym when going after work.

Weird. Very very weird.

Fun with Diversity

2006-09-22T14:01:00.000-07:00

So this weekend marks the beginning of Ramadan, Rosh Hashanah and the Autumnal Equinox. What do you think would happen if you threw a big Muslim, Jewish, Wiccan party?

Wicked – Musical vs. Novel

2006-09-21T14:09:00.000-07:00

So off the bat – even though I’m talking about a musical here – you boys (you know how you are) shouldn’t just skim this post (like I do Bill’s heavy metal reviews – sorry Bill) You’ll see why soon enough.

So I went and saw the musical version on Sunday with my sister-in-law, my niece and Kelly – I had borrowed the book from Nancy a couple months ago when we first bought the tickets – so I had already read that (and actually have the sequel at home, but haven’t had a chance to start it yet.) The show was fantastic – and I would highly recommend it to anyone who likes musicals – it was well-written, great songs, fun attitude, good pace – all that you need to keep a musical theater crowd happy. Totally glad I got I to see it!

However – as we were leaving the theater and everyone is discussing the show on their way down the stairs (it’s always funny to listen to those conversations – as everyone around is saying nearly the same thing) Most of the consensus seemed to be that they liked the show better than the book – Nancy thought so as well (we were the only two in our group to have read it all - Kelly hadn’t finished the book and my niece wasn’t allowed to read it – there was a paragraph of puppet sex in the first chapter) and not that there is anything wrong with liking the musical version better – but as I thought about it, I decided that I definitely liked the book better so I wanted to write a little review – and that is where you boys come in. I think you would love the book – but you would never read it because the musical is where it became famous and therefore is too girly or nerdy or whatever – but the book – is NOT any of things – not by a long shot.

The musical adaptation did what all adaptation has to do – condense a huge story with lots of delicate character development and intricate subplots into a concise single story that draws the characters with a big wide obvious brush. It also stuck by the musical theater golden rule of a happy ending. Deviating from the book a LOT.

But the biggest thing that the musical lacked in comparison to the book was a sense of meaning – substantial meat that you could dig your teeth into. Gregory Maguire’s novel was something that you could easily have read in an advanced high school or college lit class (and if you were an English nerd like me) just devoured. I can imagine the fantastic discussions that novel would have generated in one of Ming Lu’s classes at Drake or even Mrs. Bakalar’s AP English class at Topeka West.

Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West – the full title of the novel – is a fantastic social and political commentary. A look at what is really good and what is really bad, and who decides. It examines how if one has money, power or beauty – or simply follows the status-quo - that they are often assumed “good” regardless of their actual behavior. Those who challenge authority, don’t conform to the social pressures of their peers, and think for themselves – are often labeled as “wicked.”

It’s an analogy that can be placed in any society, in any high school, in any government, in any community. And it’s one that we’ve all seen and heard before – but nonetheless presented in the midst of a fantastic story. And of course, in our current political climate – one that is extremely apropos. Take the portion of the story about the Animals Right to Speech – that could be almost directly correlated to Gays Right to Marriage.

The people in charge feel that if Animals are allowed to speak and hold jobs like humans, then society will fall into decay and disrepair as we lose all sense of what it really means to be human. Those who disagree with the government are obviously subversive; have no morals; are a threat to society; don’t care about the good of the country - even if they are ones fighting for the rights of others.
Doesn’t sound familiar at all does it?

And that is simply one of the much more obvious points. I am not implying that when Maguire wrote this – that he had that exact example in mind – but I don’t think any author has a direct one-to-one analogy in mind. But I think to deny that those concepts are there – is to give the book a very shallow reading.

Now again – that commentary was there in small doses in the musical version – it just didn’t (and can’t) delve into it the way the book does.
The book is dark, thoughtful, introspective and makes your mind race.
The musical is light and fun and reassures that in the end everything is a-ok.

Both are very very good.
I love musicals – and this one was everything I could hope for.
I just think that as in most book to movie adaptations – the book is much better.

And I hope that non-musical fans won’t ignore this book because of the musical – because it is so much more than just a catchy song and dance.

One step forward, one step back

2006-09-10T18:45:00.000-07:00

Well - less than a month ago, I was pleased.

Now we have to stand up - again - and tell them - again - to stop trying to restrict our rights.

"The Oregon Secretary of State’s Office certified that a mandated parental notification measure will be on the November ballot. This is a near replica of the notification measure that Oregonians rejected in 1990. Like that measure, this initiative would change Oregon law to prohibit an older teen who is 15, 16, or 17 year old from seeking abortion care from a medical professional unless a parent receives a mandatory written notification letter at least 48 hours in advance. There are no exceptions for rape and incest and doctors could be sued if the parent doesn’t get the notification letter. Current Oregon law already requires minors 14 years old or younger to obtain parental consent before any treatment."

Measure 43 isn’t written for the real world
Not every child is raised in a stable, healthy household – news reports about abuse and sexual assault from family members confirm this almost every day. Requiring notice to the very people who may be responsible for the assault makes a bad situation worse. Troubled teens at risk need a counselor, or a doctor, not a judge, and not a notice in the mail to the abusive parent.

Measure 43 could drive a troubled teen to put their health in jeopardy
Desperate teens that live in homes filled with abuse or violence could put their lives and health in jeopardy by seeking illegal abortions from unlicensed providers.

Measure 43 is unworkable
If a teen wants to bypass the notification provision, she is required to go through a bureaucratic process run by the Department of Human Services that requires her to plead her case before an administrative law judge, who can take two weeks to reach a decision. Administrative law judges usually deal with permits and license disputes, and aren’t even required to be lawyers.

Measure 43 is not necessary
Oregon’s teen pregnancy rate has declined by 39% over the past ten years as a result of strong prevention and education programs. And surveys have shown that 75% of teens voluntarily consult a parent when faced with an unwanted pregnancy.

So be sure to remember to vote on November 7 - and along with your elected officials - VOTE NO ON MEASURE 43

Otherwise known as amateur night

2006-09-10T18:00:00.000-07:00

Anyone reading this has most likely attended a New Years Eve fest at our house, the Craft's home, the Jane's, etc. You have also probably celebrated St. Patrick's Day at such fine Guinness serving establishments at the Yamhill or the Vern. In other words - you know that holidays such as those are also known as amateur night for the drinking crowd - and that if you have the kind of experience that we do, you really should by all means, stay away from any place that tries to celebrate it.

After Friday night's "Little Steven's Garage Rock Show" I'd have to say that Musicfest NW is the same thing. Amateur night for going to a show. Now - the show was good - the opening band was trying way to hard, but The Woggles were, as always, fun and energetic, Mooney Suzuki was as good as I remember, Phantom Planet was really good - although their style didn't really fit the bill (but being the OC theme song band, I think that alone made Kelly's night!) and the Zombie's were classic. But the crowd.....the crowd was weird.

I am all for getting more people to go to rock shows - I am by no means saying that they should stay away, and if this type of event is what gets some of them to start looking at other shows that come through town - more power to it, but unless it's a band I REALLY want to see and don't think I'll get to see again. I'll pass on Musicfest shows from now on.

It seemed like many people in attendance (with exceptions of course like the surprising number of old people there for the Zombies) were not there to see any of these bands. They were there because it was Musicfest and therefore the cool thing to do for the weekend regardless of who's playing. Many of the chics walking around looked like they would be much more at home at The Dixie, the Tube or whatever meat market is trendy right now, then at a show.

Now there were of course tons of people there because they do like those bands or that garage rock sound, and again, this isn't a criticism of those who came out just because it was Musicfest...if that experience encourages them to become show goers - that's great - that's needed to keep the scene going. But for those who simply come to see and be seen...please go back to Bettie Fords and leave our places alone.

Add the irritating crowd to the fact that the organizers try to crowd so many bands on one bill so that the whole festival band count is higher - that the bands don't get to play a decent length set. I've seen the Woggles play twice that long and the leader singer is still jumping around on the tables.

It was still a good time - I'm glad I got to see the bands, and we as always had fun hangin' with the Douglases (that still seems kinda weird to say!) mocking some of these people - but next time - I'll pass on a Musicfest NW show.

It's About Time

2006-08-30T15:26:00.000-07:00

I've had a counter clock on this blog for well over a year now as the FDA extended past it's deadline for approving the morning after pill to over the counter status for more than 3 years after it was ok'd by doctors. I'm glad to say that it is no longer there.

As of last week (I've been on vacation - I was out of touch, and of course this isn't on the local news in Kansas or Missouri) it will be available. Only for women over the age of 18 and only at a pharmacy counter, but no prescription is needed. That's not the best answer, because the age restriction is rather random and not-ideal, but in an age of so many steps backwards, it's nice we finally got one forward.

BBQs and Mended Pieces

2006-08-30T14:38:00.000-07:00

So we’re back from a week in the Midwest visiting the family. All in all it was a really nice trip (the miserably hot and humid weather aside). We got to spend several days with Noland’s parents – including one day with his sister and her kids who had been visiting the week before – I think by the time we all left they were exhausted!

And then the last three days at my parents house – both my brothers and their wives and kids were able to come to town for a while well we were there so that was all good. We didn’t get to see Steve and his family too much - with teenagers – their schedule is awfully busy, so they weren’t able to be there long, but we at least had some time to chat. Some of my old BTN friends came over for a BBQ in our backyard on Sat so that was cool.

It was a pretty small turnout and the butcher gave us WAY more meat then we needed (we told them 20 – and we did have 18 plus some little kids but we could have fed 50 easily) but it was a good time – and I think my mother even survived having people near her house (barely but she made it) She was stressing out before they got there I could tell – she kept trying to arrange things and make it all structured and organized – but once we got her to stop fussing about, I think she might have even had fun sitting out on the deck talking to people.

It’s funny how similar I am to my mom in some ways and how different in so many others. We have some similar mannerisms and habits, but I am – and always have been – such the social person. Love to be surround by my friends, love to be the hostess of the party, love to have something going on all the time – and she is so totally opposite, more then about 6 people in a room at one time drives her crazy. But I hope that this BBQ helped her see that it IS fun to be social – and that it doesn’t have to be stressful or a big deal. And that people really appreciate it – my friends were happy to get together with each other – even though they all live there, they don’t see each other a lot - I was glad to be able to see all of them in the short time I was back, and I was glad my folks let me do it at their place – and everyone had a good time.

The best part of the trip though, had to have been the lunch that we had the day that we flew back home.

WARNING TO ALL YOU BOY READERS – I’M GONNA GET SAPPY

I have not talked to Amy, one of my oldest and dearest friends, in about 3 and half years. She was going through some really rough times in her life at just about the same time that I was going through one of the happiest times of my life – and neither of us was able to be there for the other. At the time, I definitely blamed her – she withdrew from me – but I have come to see over time – that I was selfish because I was hurt and that I failed to reach out to her in the way that I should have, make it not so easy for her to withdraw. So our friendship, made even more difficult simply by the physical distance, became very strained and while we both wanted to, neither really knew what to do or how to do it, to bring us back to where we should be.

She was a piece of me that was broken and missing but I didn’t know what to do.

I sent her an invite to the BBQ – and she wasn’t able to make it, but she called my parents house while we were there and asked if we could hook up for lunch – so Noland and I met her and her boyfriend Judd in KC on Tuesday afternoon – and we just sat there in a Mexican restaurant having lunch catching up. We talked about dogs and houses and school (she’s back in) and work and trips and our families and we only had an hour or so – she had to go to work, but it was the best hour.

Flying back to Portland later that evening – I was sitting there with my headphones on staring out the window and tears just started to run down my cheeks. If this plane crashes – I thought – it will all be ok, because all is right in my world again. We never talked about why we didn’t talk – at this point we didn’t need to – maybe someday, but not now. She seemed so happy – and that’s all I wanted for her – and I am so happy in my life – and I know that’s all she wants for me.

But now I know that the piece of me that is Amy is not lost and is not broken and will always be there.

Cheers to the Douglases!

2006-07-31T11:07:00.000-07:00

This had to have been one of the funnest (I know, not a word, I don’t care!) weekends of the summer.

Beginning on Thursday I went over to M&K’s to help Kelly do the flowers for Saturday. The boys were all off getting their tuxes fitted and once they came back they grilled up in the backyard while we did the flowers and once all the work was done we enjoyed some lovely BBQ on the deck and got to hang out a bit with Kelly’s folks and Mike’s brother and sister and kick off the beginning of wedding weekend.

On the way home, about 10pm – we get a call from the Craft-ies who have just closed on a new house in SE – they’re movin’ out of the ‘Couve! They have a sitter and are headed out to celebrate – Noland, Spencer and I meet them at the Lowbrow and help celebrate in fine fashion.

The Friday morning was Brewfest prep – My fabulous Noland and I both took the day off, so we slept in – got up and headed to Biscuits for some all-day drinking base. One sausage and cheddar omelet with hash browns and biscuits later – we head toward the waterfront. As we crossed the bridge and the tents came into view – as Noland said “it’s like seeing the circus Big Top when you’re a kid – it just makes you feel all giddy and wobbly inside!”

We arrived about 10 till noon and set up camp in the SE corner of the tent. Tony and Phil showed up next just as the taps opened and the day begins. This year had to have been some of the best weather we’ve had for OBF in years – I hated to say it but it was almost chilly there for the first hour or so – it was fabulous. Nearly everyone (but the bride to be – she was a little busy) made it down at some point during the day and even as I went to get my final beer at about 4:30pm – there were no lines longer than a person or two. We even found these great handmade wooden beer steins that were so cool – we had to go back on Sunday with more cash to pick up a pair!

Then it was off to the Forestry Center for wedding rehearsal and back to Lola’s room for the rehearsal dinner. All seemed to go very well and no one freaked out at anything! After a late night Thursday and an anticipated late night Sat. - we crashed out early – by around 9pm and headed home to play with the dogs and fall asleep on the couch.

Saturday morning was good putzing around the house before heading up to the Forestry Center for the main event. Crazy parking issues aside – the wedding was fabulous – Mike and Kelly looked so happy, there were no melt-downs, crazy in-laws, obnoxious drunken uncles or any of that other stuff that you seem to hear always occurs at weddings (as I told Noland later when we caught something on TV showing some Texas-sorority girl wedding “see, this is why our friends are so normal – no drama!”) My husband was (of course) a fabulous officiant - getting praises of “we wished we’d had you do our wedding” or “we’ll be calling you for ours you know.” Even though it was Mike and Kelly’s ceremony – I like to think it was me in his thoughts when he wrote all those nice thoughts of love and marriage. After all the official to-do was over, basically everyone under the age of 40 that was there headed downtown to the Matador – where we proceeded to take over the entire back-half of the bar and close the place down. It was great – all the out-of-towners from both Mike and Kelly’s side of things were all hanging out with all the Portlanders and everyone had a fabulous time. And now those crazy kids are official husband and wife – pretty cool.

Walkin' in someone else's shoes

2006-07-26T15:23:00.000-07:00

The new season of 30 Days starts tonight - if you’ve never seen it, it’s pretty interesting. It’s Morgan Spurlock, the guy who did “Super Size Me.” The premise of the show is that he – or someone else – walks in someone else’s shoes for 30 days.

There was only one episode last season that I thought was pretty worthless – one where a mother tried binge drinking for 30 Days to “teach her college age daughter a lesson.” It just didn’t work, because it wasn’t the person ‘living in the others shoes’ – and therefore the one that the show follows – who was supposed to be learning something. The homophobic guy who lived in the Castro for 30 days, the strict Christian who lived with a Muslim family, the high-tech New Yorkers who lived in a hippie-like commune, Spurlock and his fiancee living in Detroit on minimum wage, etc. – they were all pretty fascinating. Seeing these people who either opposed the ideas held by the people that they lived with – or simply had never been in that situation before – learning to adapt.

This season looks to be interesting as well. Tonight starts with someone who is very anti-immigration moving in with a family of illegal immigrants. There is one where someone who moved away from Christianity to become an atheist lives with a Christian family. Spurlock spends 30 Days in prison (although I heard he only actually lasted 28 and decided “he had enough footage.”)

They do a pretty good job of getting people who are ‘normal’ examples of whatever the behavior or life they’re representing and I think that’s why it works. Why it doesn’t become a big Jerry Springer disaster. The straight/gay episode for example – sure they had him go to the Castro, but as Noland and I said – if they followed one of our gay friends around to see “how the other half lives” it wouldn’t be much of a TV show. But they guy he lived with wasn’t a drag queen, he wasn’t clad in leather chaps, he wasn’t lispy or effeminate or anything else most other shows of this type would have required the person they picked to be. He was a guy, with a job and friends and a cat - who happened to be gay. And that’s what the episode really showed the guy who came to live him.

I hope that continues to be the way – that in the Atheist/Christian show for example – that the Christian family that they send the person to live with is a normal family with a house and kids and a dog or whatever – and is also Christian – I’m sure they’ll be someone who is very involved in their church, if they were just casual attendees – again, it wouldn’t be much of a show. But that they won’t be super-right wing, Focus on the Family, nut-jobs. Because like the straight guy who was to represent the point of view that thinks that all gay men are weirdoes – I’m sure the atheist is supposed to represent someone who thinks that all Christians are crazy-right wingers who don’t believe in science, freedom of choice, etc. claiming it all to be on God’s name – so it’ll be interesting to see if they find a good Christian family who is much more representative of Christians than those usually in the media.

They also have an episode however, that is supposed to be a pro-choice/anti-choice pairing. I’ll admit – I have my bias (I’m sure you couldn’t tell that) but I’m not really sure how that will work without it being extremist. Apparently someone who is pro-choice has to be anti-choice for 30 Days – so what will they be doing? Bombing medical clinics? Picketing girls picking up the birth control pills at the local Planned Parenthood? It’s definitely a divisive topic – but not really something that you live in day after day like the others. I could see it slightly more from the other side – an anti-lifer having to work in a clinic and see the pain and torment these women go through having to make that sort of decision, but even then it doesn’t work very well.

So anyway – I’m curious how it’ll all work out. And you should be too!

Where oh where are you tonight

2006-07-18T15:19:00.000-07:00

I don’t know if it’s because I haven’t been sleeping as much, or maybe I’m stressed about something, but I’m just not having my regular bout of fun dreams to share with you all these days. There are snippets that I remember – but not like normal where it’s the entire story beginning to end, including the lucid parts where I go back and change it because I don’t like it....all I’ve got as of late...

- being in a public restroom and running out of toilet paper

- hanging out with some women with a really strong southern accent – I didn’t really like her very much

- having my car tip over while going around the curve of the exit from 26W onto 217 S (I did that one over again and didn’t tip)

- trying to walk both the dogs by myself and getting all caught up in the leashes like on a sitcom

- waiting for someone to show up who never does - but I was waiting in my treehouse

I want my cool dreams back!

Beer Fest Weekend

2006-07-12T16:14:00.000-07:00

While I will say that even though my ass was dragging when I got out of bed at 6:15 this morning after going to bed at 2 - it was well worth it! But it would be very redundant if I talked about the Electric Eel Shock show last night - so just read this or this for THAT!

However - the Portland International Beer Festival is this weekend and I am stoked. I've been to The Big-One every July since I moved here 9 years ago - and this will only be the 3rd year at the PIB - but I must say it's really growing on me. The beers are just as good – and really, it’s not like you can taste them all anyhow – and they seem to have more variety from year to year than the main event. I am quite fond of my hometown brewery’s contribution to the event, but enough with the Porter – especially in July – bring another variety sometime, PLEASE!
There is also a refreshing lack of frat-boy swagger and irritating testosterone-fuel call that resonates through the tents more and more frequently as the day goes on.

Plus you get the bonus of “Happy Hour” at the PIB – 5 extra tickets if you get there the first hour it opens? Yeah – that’s a tough call to make. See ya’ll on Saturday!

Never again a 7 year hiatus

2006-07-02T10:30:00.000-07:00

Whoops- found this in drafts from back on July 2nd - never posted:

From when I discovered the Indigo Girls in about 1989 until I moved to Portland in 1998 - I saw them in concert probably 8 or 9 times. They came through Des Moines, or Ames, Lawrence or KC about once a year and we were always there. Steve and I saw them the first year that we lived here at Lilith Fair in PGE Park before they renovated it. And then - dry spell. None of my friends here were big fans - last summer I even had tickets to the show at the Veneta Vineyards outside Eugene, and ended up selling them on Craigslist because no one I knew here wanted to go and the airlines were being huge buggers and it was going to cost SSSS an arm and leg to try to come out for the weekend from Des Moines.

Last night - Kelly and Mark and I loaded up on some Bud (yes - really - it was all they had that wasn't dark and it was to hot to drink dark beer) MAX'd it out to the zoo - where you can then buy a bottle of wine (I can't imagine any other show I've been to in practically the past decade where they would voluntarily arm the crowd with big glass bottles) for pretty cheap and chilled on the lawn of the zoo ampitheatre until Amy and Emily hit the stage.

They started off with their biggest hit and then into the very appopriate for this time in the world "Shame on You" and we decided we couldn't contain ourselves at the back of the crowd and moved right down the very front amongst all the others who couldn't just sit and watch but had to dance and sing along. They played a great mixture of old songs from lots of different albums, stuff off of their soon to be released new album - there was a new song that Emily did that was just fantastic. They moved the soon-to-be-bride to tears with "The Power of Two" and when they played "Hammer and Nail" I had to call Anita and just hold the phone up. After more than two hours of just two amazing women and their guitars on stage they took a quick break and came back for a few song encore - closing the show with "Galileo"

We headed out back to the Max station where we jammed way more people that is probably legal onto the trains and headed back downtown. Everyone on the train was laughing and smiling and talking to strangers - I've never seen people so smashed into one place that were still having such fun. As one girl commented - everyone should be required to listen to the Indigo Girls before they get on Max and the world would be a better place.

Never again do I go 7 years between shows.

It’s gonna be a boozy weekend

2006-06-23T12:31:00.000-07:00

Of course the main event being Ms. Kelly’s bachelorette festivities this evening…and the pre-requisite hangover brunch tomorrow morning to amuse ourselves with drunken stories of the night before and check out all the pics of the great things we’re going to make her do.

I’m actually quite excited – the only other bachelorette party I’ve been to was my own – we all had a fabulous drunken time and I was SO happy that the ‘kung fu girls’ threw it for me since I’d only known them a short time – and we didn’t do any of the cheesy things that you hear about (thankfully!) But I never really went through that period in my 20’s like so many others seem to have where there is a summer or two where all of their friends suddenly get married and it’s one party after another. None of my college friends – or even high school friends that I kept in touch with – got married until they were into their 30’s – or are not married – so by the time any of us did we were scattered across the country – I attended the weddings when I could, but didn’t do any bachelorette type parties. And most of my friends here of the marrying sort either were already married when I met them, got married so soon after I met them – like Violet and Laurie – that I wasn’t involved in that sort of thing. Or do a Sandy and AJ and call on Tues and say “hey we’re getting married Friday at the courthouse – wanna come?”

So at the age of 35 this is the first friend of mine that is getting married locally where I get to hear about the plans and be involved in some things like tonight – it’s pretty cool just to be able to celebrate with friends that way.

And then to follow that up, tomorrow is a tropical themed bbq for Ann’s birthday where her hubby has coordinated that for a total of 7 of us this is the booze menu he has planned – plus beer:

750ml Tequila, Limes, Margarita mix,
750ml Light Rum, Grenadine, Pineapple Juice
750ml Vodka, Guava Juice, Ginger Ale, Orange Juice
750ml Malibu Rum, Triple Sec, Cranberry Juice
750ml Dark Rum, Amaretto, Coconut Cream

Whew….

Lifetime Summer Vacation

2006-06-20T13:08:00.000-07:00

So there are 14 weekend in the summer (real summer - Memorial Day to Labor Day - I know school doesn't get out until mid-June but we don't have kids so we don't care and I know that 'officially' summer doesn't start until tomorrow - but it also doesn't think winter starts until Dec 21st and while it may not get cold around here - I spent enough snowy Thanksgivings (and even a Halloween or two) to know that's not very realistic!)

So there are 14 weekends in summer:
1. Starlight Parade/Misfats at Ash Street/Ian's B-day
2. Festival of Bands/Grand Floral Parade/Misfats on the East Coast
3. whew...drinking and relaxing....
4. Bachelor/Bachelorette weekend/Noland in CA
5. Indigo Girls/July 4th Fest
6. Camping?/Canada Party?
7. International Beer Fest/Noland's mom
8. bridal shower
9. M& K WEDDING!!/Brewfest
10. Wedding #2 T&W
11. Camping or M&K's sausage fest
12. Camping or M&K's sausage fest (I don't remember which weekend we said for which...)
13. back to the Midwest
14. Labor Day fest

Whew!
I love summer - especially in Oregon where it's sunny and not to hot most days - but man, are we going to be exhausted when it's over. Happy - 'cause that is a lot of fun packed into one strech of weekends (and who knows what develops over the weekdays - patio beers a plenty though I'm sure!)

But really - doesn't this alone make a pretty good argument as to why adults, not kids, need a summer vacation? I mean really - what are they gonna do all summer long but drag their parents to endless swim lessons, baseballs games and cries of "mom - I'm booooreeed.."

I say we start a movement for permanent summer vacation.

Don't Mess with the Olive Garden

2006-06-02T11:59:00.000-07:00

I’ve refrained from ranting about a co-worker here, because it is after-all a small world…and a small office….but I just can’t help it today. Today is neither the unadulterated bigotry, the close-mindedness, nor the constant need for “one-upsmanship.” Because those make me genuinely angry and I would say way more than I should.

No – today it makes me laugh. This co-worker had to storm out of the office ahead of those that were all going to lunch together because I had the gall to say that I don’t like the Olive Garden and women wearing ties. Ok – and some of it may have harkened back to yesterday when I said that Walt Disney was a fascist. Magic Mountain is her favorite place in the world – so I think that hurt a bit.

But seriously – a group of people from work often go to lunch together on Friday. I often go as well. Today they asked if I wanted to – I hadn’t planned on taking a lunch today, so I was only going to go if it was someplace that sounded really good. The Olive Garden would not qualify, so I said no thanks. Honestly – that’s all I said. I know some of you reading this may find it hard to believe – but I did not provoke this at all! Her response was that “Jenn doesn’t want to go because it’s corporate, they’re all Nazi’s, and they’re all fascists….” I thought that was funny – so after each statement I called out a resounding “yeah!” Another co-worker thought it amusing too – she said she used to work there and that she could tell us what not to eat – and that included soup because the waiter’s ties were always dipping into them and no-one ever washed them. That led us into a brief dress code discussion – which I of course am quite opinionated on – and that included that fact that I hate ties and that women should never wear them…. apparently she likes ties – she chimed in and said so, I dared to say I disagreed – that they way they lay over the boobs just isn’t attractive…and for God knows why, that just put her over the edge and she stormed away – leaving behind the others that were going with her…..

Seriously.

I like to argue. (I know - surprise) But I also will gladly acknowledge when I'm arguing with someone - trying to pick on their weakness, push a few buttons, and I'll admit I enjoy doing that with this particular person... there are so many buttons to push. But this was just a conversation about lunch. Wow.

So yesterday I posted about coming across as older or younger than you actually are – and I often don’t mind that people assume I’m a bit younger than I am – but at least the way I act doesn’t make them think that I’m 12.

Pondering the ages

2006-06-01T09:44:00.000-07:00

I seem to have gotten engaged in a number of conversations lately regarding age – people who do or don’t look their age – act their age, etc. While I’m not a big worrier about getting older – it does inspire me a bit.

I was only 25 when one of my good friends in DSM was turning 30, and freaking out about it. I didn’t understand why and her comment was ‘just wait 5 years and you’ll understand’ Well – 5 years later I turned 30 with one of the biggest and best birthday celebrations ever – and lovin’ every minute. It was at that age of 30 that I then met my wonderful husband – to me turning 30 was fantastic.

Now at 35 I have friends starting to turn 40 – some are doing ok with it, others are freaking out a bit…and I still don’t understand. I know that they’re probably thinking – just you wait – but honestly it doesn’t bother me now and I don’t think it will then. But I think it has more to do with the way that we live our lives.

A gal that I do flags with in the OMTAAMB told us last year that she was getting ready to go to her 40^th class reunion. We just about fell off the bleachers – there’s no way she was a day over 45 let alone nearly 60 – but sure enough. This same woman points out to me that another flag members mom who always comes to watch is the same age – 60 – as she is. Again – falling off the bleachers – only 60? I would have put her closer to 80. So they’re both 60, but Nancy looks in her 40s and this other woman in her 80s.

Not to that same extreme, but it’s interesting to look at your family and how old they seem. My Newman side grandparents seemed old for as long as I can remember. Much older than the Amble side grandparents. But the Newmans were retired as far back as I can remember, grandma baked and canned and quilted and all those “grandmotherly” things, grandpa was a bit crotchety and cranky the way old men are. They talked about ‘darkies’ and the days when children respected adults.

My Amble grandparents had a cabin in the woods where we rode motorcycles and went out in the boat. We always had to say please and thank you, but grandpa loved to buy the latest and greatest new gadgets and anything modern.

I can see the same sort of different in my parents and Noland’s. And maybe it’s just a skewed perspective because it’s hard to see your own parents getting old – he may think just the opposite – but I never knew his parents when they were younger. I do think that if I were to meet the two independently I would assume that his folks were at least 10-15 years older than mine. Just in their mannerisms, the things that they believe in….his parents have been retired for as long as I’ve known them – my dad just retired and my mom is still working. A Saturday afternoon could find his mom baking, quilting or canning. It could find my mom at lunch having margaritas with her girlfriends.

But to give them both credit – they are all close to the same age as the two women at flags – and neither of our sets of parents seem as young as Nancy – nor as old as the other woman.

I don’t know that there is a point behind all of this rambling – but just an interesting perspective I guess.

One more personal freedom down the toilet

2006-05-25T14:08:00.000-07:00

Wow – as if trying to prevent the use of condoms, blocking the sale of the ‘day after’ pill, removing sex education from schools, pushing abstinence as the only option and trying to destroy every last remnant of our freedom of choice if you are pregnant - wasn’t bad enough – the government has now decided that all women from age 12 (or whenever their first period starts) until 60 (or whenever menopause occurs) should behave as if we’re trying to become pregnant at all times.

Of course I guess the odds of that are more likely with all the rules they’ve put into place restricting our ability to prevent pregnancy in the first place.

New federal guidelines ask all females capable of conceiving a baby to treat themselves -- and to be treated by the health care system -- as pre-pregnant, regardless of whether they plan to get pregnant anytime soon.

Among other things, this means all women between first menstrual period and menopause should take folic acid supplements, refrain from smoking, maintain a healthy weight and keep chronic conditions such as asthma and diabetes under control. The report also recommends that women discuss with their doctor the danger alcohol poses to a developing fetus.

Women should also make sure all vaccinations are up-to-date and avoid contact with lead-based paints and cat feces, Biermann said.

Obviously most of these items fall under general health care anyhow, it’s healthier if you don’t smoke, maintain a healthy weight, etc. but really – we can’t even change the kitty liter box anymore?? (of course I’m sure there are millions of teenage girls jumping for joy over that one.)

And the bigger question is - how far is between “New federal guidelines ask” and “New federal guidelines require”?

The fact that they’re already trying to do so….and subversively slip it into our regular medical care indicates it’s not far off.

Experts acknowledge that women with no plans to get pregnant in the near future may resist preconception care. "We know that women -- unless you're actively planning [a pregnancy], . . . she doesn't want to talk about it," Biermann said. So clinicians must find a "way to do this and not scare women," by promoting preconception care as part of standard women's health care, she said.

Sure, it would take a lot for it to become some sort of ‘punishable by law’ offense for a women to smoke, drink and not take vitamins – but it wouldn’t take a whole lot under the current administration for them to withhold or reduce our insurance benefits if we weren’t following these “recommendations.” Insurance is higher for those who smoke. This could easily be a first step to raising premiums or reducing coverage for those who don’t follow the guidelines.

Which then, if a women did choose to become pregnant, or does so accidentally – and the child had some sort of health issue, the insurance company then restricts or reduces coverage on that child because the mother didn’t follow the ‘pre-pregnancy recommendations’ even if she stops smoking, drinking, etc. once she knew she was pregnant.

I know – I sound awfully conspiracy theory here – but seriously – it’s these small things that slide in when no one is looking that come back to bite us in the ass down the line. Wait and see – if we don’t stop the government from trying to tell us what we can and cannot do with our own bodies this is going to become a huge ass-biter in another decade or less.

I'm like Noland going all Link-y

2006-05-11T15:17:00.000-07:00

So to start it off...my husband totally needs to try for this with his brand new bacon-band...

What I like best about this is that the "related items" on the side bar include categories such as: "signs of doom" and "worst practices"

I normally agree with the emails I get from MoveOn.org, but this one I had to delete without signing. Now don't get me wrong - don't hate the chilluns - I just don't think the world revolves around them - and I do think that families with kids get a lot of benefits the childless families do not. I have/had several co-workers who were allowed to work from home a couple days of the week because they have a baby at home and don't want/can't pay for sitting. I think that's great for them - it's a wonderful option and I don't begrudge them that. However if I asked to work from how 2-3 days a week because it fit my lifestyle better. That would not be an option. ANd that's what this little organization is proposing.

Look specifically at Letter 'M' and 'O' - PAID leave for both parents? Leave, yes. Paid no. Or if they want paid leave for having a kid - I get the same time when I get a new dog, or house, or pair of shoes. We were discussing this at the Moon & Sixpence over lovely beers last night and decided that if the average numbers of children in a family is 3 and they get say 30 days PAID leave when a child is born - I get 3 - 30 day chunks of time that I can take as well. Say as often as every 9 months.

And then the 'O' Again - I think flex hours are great - but they need to be offered to ALL employees, not just parents. If you can decide to work a half day to go to a school play, teacher conference or such - I can do the same to go to a beer festival or sleep in the morning after a late night.

We just want you to play fair.

When Beer Movies Go Bad

2006-04-25T12:45:00.000-07:00

It was just supposed to be a simple night out with the girls. Kelly and some other chics and I were headed to the latest Cameron Diaz flick. Not normally my style of movie - I just don't do the chic-flick well - they irritate me - but I'm all about hanging with the girls. Besides, we decided to be a little naughty and turn it into our ouwn beer movie even though it wasn't officially one.

The only problem was, the girls, in all their typical flirtatiousness, managed to draw a large amount of attention to our little group by the theater manager...who then proceded to notice the beer bottle sticking out of my jacket pocket (why didn't I carry a large purse...I don't know.)

So the manager takes me back to the office, I give them my beer and act all apologetic, "yes, you're right, I shouldn't have done that it was wrong, blah blah blah......" I figure that's it and I can go back and watch the movie now. That would have been nice.

Apparently the movie theater manager decided that I had a problem and it was time for an intervention. Soon there is a whole staff of people in this conference room talking to me about how wrong it is to do something like this and that it's the first step to a very sad and pathetic life. That what if I was applying for a job and it came back to the potential employeer that I had done this? Soon I'm thinking - so they not realize that I am allowed to have a beer - that I am old enough?

There is a small video screen in the office that we're in that's projecting the movie - it's starting and I don't want to miss the beginning so I'm watching that not really listening to them anymore at all.

Because what I really need in my life is to be lectured by a stranger who is holding the same job that my friends did in high school.

Dream-vertising?

2006-03-31T10:46:00.000-08:00

I'm a big fan of cool dreams and cool marketing and advertising (yeah yeah I know - marketing people suck....) but all I can say it this had better be an April Fools joke.

Family Ties...

2006-03-14T12:45:00.000-08:00

Well the trip back to Minnesota for my grandpa's funeral was, all things considered, a good one. Grandpa had lived a long good life, and while it wasn't surprising that he passed away it was still sad as everyone had such wonderful memories of him. That of course was the part of the really good aspect of this trip. I was able to get to Bemidji a day early and therefore got to spend time at Suzie and Mike's house with just my parents - going through pictures with my mom to put up at the funeral home and the church for the services. There were pictures spanning the years from present day and dating back from the beginning of grandma and grandpa's marriage in 1940....as well as diaries that they both kept during those early years. Those were great for everyone to look through reading grandpa's entries about 'secret smooching on the porch' and grandma's wondrous feelings of "could I really be in love?" Along with reminiscing through the pictures - laughing at our parent's crazy clothes and hairstyles of the 60's and 70s - as well as our own of the 80's (my high school graduation hair was frighteningly large I must say) it was good family time and something grandpa would have been pleased to see. And since that's something I don't do often at all being that I live nowhere near any of my family, it was good.

I was especially glad to be back there for my mom - she lost her mom when she was about my age actually, and this was really tough for her. She's felt bad the past few years as grandpa has gotten worse that she wasn't able to be around all the time, so I was glad both my brothers and I were all able to be up there with her and dad.

That being said, in another way it was kind of a strange trip.

While they are family - there is that strange bond that only family has - I haven't seen some of my cousins in probably more than a dozen years if not more - and those I had seen more recently were just from that trip back there last spring - when that had been the first time in more than dozens of years. So despite the fact that the last time I spoke with them we were all still in school and now we're all married/divorced/parents/moved away or what have you - we were still able to talk and joke and enjoy the time. Admittedly some of them still live there, so they're all quite close and have been all their lives, but a couple have moved away as well as all of us Newman kids of course. But despite that familial closeness - there was just this weird sense of

One cousin's family is headed to Texas on vacation - why anyone would go to Texas for ANY reason, let alone vacation is beyond me....

One cousin and spouse headed to Vegas - I thought HEY - now that's more like a vacation.... until I heard that they were going as chaperone's for a group of high school students. At least they're not little kids, but still WHY oh WHY would you ever take kids to Vegas?

Speaking of kids - I am the only one of all the cousins that does not have them. Only those who lived in Bemidji were there - and they are all really good kids...but even that small group of kids all in one place, and the way they took over everything, just reinforced that I love being Aunt Jenn

I made mention that I finally got to use my iTrip device driving up - I can't use it here because there's to much interference from other radio waves, but in Northern Minnesota it was free and open...the cousin and spouse that I mentioned this to didn't know what an iPod was....

But the biggest kicker was when someone was trying to figure out where exactly El Paso was - if it was in central Texas or farther south. I said that it was right on the border and mentioned that a friend of mine grew up there and had family that basically lived in the same metropolitan area - but he and his parents were in the US and his grandparents in Mexico...and that as a kid they just went back and forth across the river. My family member's reply to this was "well I hope they can't do that now - they should have somebody there to shoot 'em if they try."

I don't know if my jaw could have fallen farther to the ground.

Of course this wasn't the only commment along those lines - these thinly 'veiled as humor' comments on gays, abortion, immigrants, minorities, war protestors and the like that in any other context would have set me off like no tomorrow...but it was family...it was gathering for a funeral... and I was there to support my mom. The thing I was most worried about going there was that mom and I would fight and I didn't want that to happen, so I just bit my tongue and thought, no matter how much I love them...

And I did mention this blog to some of them in conversation, and I know that at least my cousin Brian and my brother James looked at it... so who knows if they, or anyone else, will again. That made me a bit aprehensive to post this - I wrote it more than a week ago before posting. But my thought is if they do read it, and they felt the same creepy, uncomfortable feeling I had when you realize some of your family is really biggoted - at least we can sympathize. Or if they read this and didn't think that those kinds comments were biggoted - maybe this will help them realize how it sounds to other people.

Either way - I held my tongue then - I don't have to now.

I Must be Psychic

2006-03-13T11:30:00.000-08:00

No. Really.
Saturday night I had a crazy dream about living in dorms and running across this huge campus warming everyone about the tornado that was coming - I saw it destroy the science building, but no would beleive me and soon it ripped across the whole area destroying everything.

Since this is the dream that I remember - based on the way the REM sleep works and all I probably dreamt this dream around 6am based on waking at 8-ish.

So then I read about this killer tornado hitting the campus of my Big 12 Champs about 8 am CST...

I must be psychic.

Now you have to go back and read my dreams and see what else has come true!

Not too shabby...

2006-02-17T13:02:00.000-08:00

I'll credit Cesar for finding this...a personalized map of all the US states I've been to. When I was in my mid-20's and started doing some traveling, I decided that I was going to make it a personal goal to visit all 48 continental states before the age of 30.

Moving to Portland at age 27 kind of messed with the plan as it took alot of funding as well as moved me much farther away from the parts of the country I had left...but I still don't think it's too shabby.

And now when I visit them, I get to do it with my wonderful husband!

create your own personalized map of the USA

Noland with the Wrong Shoes?

2006-02-17T12:53:00.000-08:00

Don’t ask me why. Don’t ask me how. But apparently Noland and I are running a marathon. Or at least attempting to. We got all signed in. We got our lockers. We’re good to go.

Crap.

I’m still carrying my purse and I’m wearing Birkenstocks. I need to get back into my locker but I don’t remember the combination. I go to the office to see if they have the combo on file. There’s no one working, but the file box in on the desk so I shuffle through that until I find my name. Get the combo – head back across the campus to the locker area.

Pop the locker open – there’s all kinds of stuff in there – but no running shoes.

Crap.

They’re at home. Noland looks down and realizes that he doesn’t have running shoes either. I give him my keys and he’s going to try to get home and back with our shoes as fast as possible We think there’s still time to make it, but man we’re pushing it.

Not the way to start off for your first marathon.

I got this card for my birthday last month

2006-02-14T14:31:00.000-08:00

I laughed so hard I almost had to pee my pants. Not that anyone who would be reading this doesn’t already know, but:

A – I am from Topeka

B – My brother is a forensic chemist for a law enforcement agency (and no his life is not nearly as glamorous as CBS would like us to think....'geeks in lab coats' would be his take on their job.)

So when Susan, my groovy friend in Iowa, found this card and sent it to me for my birthday I really did just about spit beer laughing.

Apparently the folks in my hometown do not see the humor.

And the best is that due to this quote….

"I find it offensive," Mayor Bill Bunten said Thursday. "It's probably drawn up by somebody from West Virginia who hasn't been here."

…West Virginia has now demanded a public apology from the mayor.

Maybe Kansas are just sensitive.

Several years ago I was sent this hysterical magazine article about someone born and rasied in NYC moving to Iowa - not even to Des Moines, but to Pella or Story City or something like that....they wrote about all the humor they found moving to a small rural town after being used to a metropolis.

There were some amusing observations.
Some pretty obvious about people loving the Olive Garden and driving pick up trucks.
Some were things that I, having lived in cities - but cities in rural dominated states, might not have noticed as strange or amusing until someonw else pointed them out. Then I thought - wow - that is kinda funny. I never noticed it before because I'm used to it.

So I forwarded this on to several fellow former and current Kansans and Iowans who I thought could also see to laugh at themselves. I received scathing replies from two such friends. Telling me that if I wanted to forwarded them jokes, or good luck wishes, or personal stories that was fine - but if I was going to just tell nasty mean things about our wonderful place of childhood then they would rather not hear from me.

Of course one of these messages came from someone who - when her husband was offered a temporary job in another state - in a beautiful part of the country where his company would:
- raise his salary
- pay for the move and storage of anything they didn't take with them
- pay for their housing & living expenses during the two years they wanted him there
- pay for their transportation during the two years they wanted him there
- pay for he and his family to fly back to visit their family twice a year for those two years
She did nothing but complain about how horrible it was going to be.

Whaaa.

Funny thing is - he works for Hallmark.

Retro Vegas and Animals with German Accents

2006-01-30T12:17:00.000-08:00

The Vegas trip in December was great – but it must have really been good beside I decided to go back last night with all of my girl friends from high school. It was a pretty amazing job considering who was there and the last times that I have seen most of them before this:

· Amy was the one I thought would absolutely positively be around forever, but just a few months after a really emotional holiday together where I was so glad we could still talk like that, she stopped talking to me when I told her that Noland and I were getting married, so it’s been three years since we’ve exchanged more than a polite greeting card.
· Beth and I remained great friends spending much time together when I was home for the summers during college right until graduation – but once I moved back to Des Moines to find a real job after that graduation summer I don’t think I ever saw her again.
· Tami and I had a great time at our 10-year reunion (more than 7 years ago now) but that was the last time I’d seen her after we drifted apart sometime during our college years.
· Neither Rebecca nor Stephanie was at that reunion – there have been occasional emails or random bumping into when visiting our folks over the holidays – but we began our drifting apart process once we were off at college so the visits were few and far between.
· The other Amy was part of a grand in-fighting drama and a bit of an exile from our group just before graduating high school.
· Robin, Tanya and LaNelle were part of ‘the love bunch’ as we were known – but a bit more on the periphery – although I did enjoy catching up with Robin a bit at that reunion.

So needless to say, the 10 if us getting together in Vegas was a pretty amazing feat! The weirdest thing was that other than my Amy – I’d been to Vegas with all of them in the past at some point. Unfortunately we didn’t get to go very far or do very much. As we were standing around gathering everyone up just gabbing, someone noticed that I had weird spots on my skirt. Looked up and they were all over my shirt as well. Oh, and hey, there was blood running down the side of my head from just above my ear. And for it to have traveled all the way down my whole body like it did it had been flowing for a while – so off to the emergency room we go.

So when I wake up, I’m at home resting and the dogs are totally freaking out in the back. I get up to check on them and of course they have no water or food, so I feed them and water them and toss the ball a bit. But they are still just going nuts at something. I look around and don’t see anything, so I go back inside. A day later I go out and check things again – this time I see it – and while I didn’t see it before I know it was there. A big shiny gold birdcage with this tiny little yellow and white bird inside. I think I should get the bird some water and some food so I go back in to do so, but somehow get distracted and don’t get back out again until the next day. By the time I get over there, the bird is just laying down in the cage – it looks like it might still be breathing, so I toss in some breadcrumbs and try to figure out how to pour water into this tiny little container that seems to be the water dish – when the bird nibbles on the bread – and just pops right up. It’s asking me – not talking, but somehow I know it’s asking – for water. But I just cannot seem to get anything into that tiny dish. So I open the door of the cage to let the bird out to drink from the pitcher I’m holding – which it does.

Now this is where things get a bit sketchy. Not only does it take a drink of water. But then it proceeds to transform into a human being – and dude – he was pissed that we’d left him in the backyard with the dogs, no food and no water for so long. I think that must have been when I decided that I was out of there.

Laws are for sucks

2006-01-25T13:03:00.000-08:00

So how do we get this sort of power at the voting booth? If George can reserve the right to ignore laws that he doesn’t like – can’t we do the same?

I voted against the extra Multnomah County income tax – shouldn’t I have the right to ignore it? When I placed my vote against paying for other people’s kids, while they get tax breaks for having them, shouldn't I have had the option to sign a little piece of paper that says I have no intention of paying even if the majority of voters agreed to it.

I voted against Measure 36 that discriminates against marriage equality. I’m sure that all those people that got married before the measure was passed, whose marriages courts now says are null and void, would have loved to sign something that says – thanks but no thanks. I’m ignoring this law.

Our fearless leader has conveniently decided that he is above the law, or that he is going to ignore what our leaders and voters have decided more than 500 times in his first 5 years…more times than all other Presidents combined.

Early President’s used the right a few times each if at all – Carter used it 24 times, Reagan 71, Bush Sr. 146 (2nd runner-up with only 4 years time) and Clinton 105 times.

More than 500 times.

Unbelievable.

I take that back. It’s totally believable.

Don't do it

2006-01-13T09:31:00.000-08:00

If you drive a VW do not get a license plate that says "Bug"
If you drive a Jeep do not get license plate that says "Jeep"
If you drive a BMW do not get license plate that says "Beemer"
If you drive a "Blank" do not get license plate that says "blank"

Get it? Good.

'Cause if I see it again.
I might have to hurt you.

One more reason suburbs suck

2005-12-21T13:57:00.000-08:00

When Noland and I were looking to buy a new house last spring, we had many of the usual requirements homebuyers have. Our budget of course, the minimum size and numbers of bedrooms, bathrooms, yard size, etc. Since we don’t have kids and don’t plan to the whole school thing was irrelevant – but the neighborhood was not. East side preferable and the closer in the better. We wanted Portland. We like Portland. We live in Portland for a reason. Northeast, Southeast, North – all fine. Suburban dwelling was not ever an option.

Ever.

We both however work in Beaverton – me way down off 217 by the evilest of evils – Washington Square Mall – and Noland way the hell out 26 by the empires of Intel and Nike. Both about the same distance from home, but far enough away from each other that even driving together is not a viable option. We knew that where we ended up buying we would be stuck driving a fairly lengthy commute – and that was something we were willing to do to live in the area that we wanted. Where we are now is basically at the limit of how far we would be willing to go – living much farther out then we are now and we would have had to seriously consider other options.

So that being said – I try not to complain to often about the drive. We very well could have bought something in Beaverton, probably larger and newer, for about the same price and it would take us 5 minutes to get to work. But we’d rather live where we live then where we work. So off hours – it takes about 25 minutes door to door. In commuting traffic from 4 – 6 pm it takes about 40 minutes. A bad day with slow traffic can be up to an hour.

Yesterday it took 1 hour and 39 minutes to get home.

My office is in a generic office park right off the main road that leads to the mall…..as well as a Target, Circuit City, Powell’s, etc. it’s a 3 minute drive from the parking lot to the entrance of the highway. Yesterday it took more than 20 minutes. And you can bet that every single one of those extra cars was some suburbanite headed to the mall. Crawling through downtown at 5 mph. And you can bet that every one of those extra cars were suburbanites shopping downtown who didn’t know where they were going. An hour and 15 minutes to cross the river. But once I did – once I was on the east side of town – traffic back to complete normality. Smooth sailing home.

God I hate the suburbs.

Fighting with all I've Got

2005-12-08T10:47:00.000-08:00

On Monday, with only five days before Vegas, I start coming down with some sort of illness. And of course the Portland ITEC was this week, so instead of quiet days in my cubicle working online and drinking hot beverages - I was on show site running around, helping get stuff set-up and having to be friendly and helpful to all the Exhibitors and Attendees – while trying not to cough and sneeze on them. So every night this week I’ve come home to Noland fixing me tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches, bags full of drugs and vitamins, him doing all of the stuff that needs to be done around the house, and me crawling into bed super early around 9pm…so that said and done – I believe that the bug has been mostly kicked – and we are ready to roll!

Or as Violet so eloquently stated:

WHEEL!

OF!

FORTUNE!

A Happy Family

2005-11-16T11:22:00.000-08:00

Whew – the folks were here – we had a nice visit and now they’re gone – WHEW! As Noland noted – it’s a bit of a passive-aggressive pattern between my mother and I and if they were here for more then the 65 hours that they were here – we would have to do even more serious dinking then I’m already in need of…

Here is an example of a conversation we had on Thursday night (mind you they’d been in town a total of maybe 4 hours at this point):

Mom: so you need to put the leftovers in the refrigerator you know

Me: I will

Mom: so lets go clean up the kitchen and put those away

Me: I’ll do it later

Mom: well but won’t you feel better if you do it now, plus that needs to be refrigerated…

Me: I will do it later

Mom: Let’s go do it now. I’ll help

Me: Mom – I don’t think the enchiladas sitting on the counter for another hour will hurt. It’s not like its 90 degrees in here or there are bugs crawling around my kitchen

Mom: well, but there are all the dishes to that need to be washed

Me: Yes, and we have a dishwasher, and maybe tomorrow I’ll load them in and wash them. Dishes often sit in my kitchen for more then a day and the world doesn’t fall apart…

(We didn’t put the enchiladas away then, but about an hour later we did have to load the dishwasher – and I had to start it running to stop her from making me do the hand wash dishes right then and there)

End of the first full day - Friday night:

Mom: you know it’s time for the news.

Me: (rolling eyes) we don’t watch the news

Mom: well some of us just like to know what’s going on in the world

Me: you know you can read the news and then you don’t have to watch the same sound bites over and over again.

Mom: but then it’s at least a day old…

Dad: and besides - you don’t even get the daily paper.

Me: it’s called the Internet – and then it can be minutes old

Mom: but here we can see what’s important in the world

Me: Sure, important to the programmer trying to get ratings…I bet there will be nothing on this broadcast that I didn’t already read online today…and with more information

Mom: all media is biased, you’re not getting anymore of a correct story by reading it online, so why not just watch it here

Me: I’m not saying it isn’t biased, but because I can link from one source to another to get different perspectives on the same information I know more about the topic then what’s covered in the 30 seconds they devote to it here…

(We did watch the NBC Nightly News, but I refused to watch the local news, and that disturbed them as well, even though they don’t live here and have no idea what it would be about)

Or in a store on trendy-third Saturday afternoon as Noland and I were looking at a dining table and chairs that we liked:

Me: This is the type of table we want – its big and sturdy and solid

Mom: but just one for a lot less then that

Me: well, no not really, most that are like this are in this price range, we just need to wait a few more months to save up for it

Mom: I’m sure there are ones that are less

Me: well I’m sure a little, but this is about what it will cost

Mom: plus you can’t get that – it’s wood and you’ll set your drinks on it and ruin in

Me: yes, because we’re twelve we don’t know how to take care of things

Mom: well people will come over and they won’t use coasters and you’ll get marks on it

Me: it’s a table; you’re supposed to use it

Noland: plus I kinda like that distressed/used sort of look

Mom: well people don’t mean to, but they just don’t think and they’ll ruin and then you won’t have a nice table anymore

Me: well then yes, by all means we won’t be able to get that…

And so it goes…every conversation turns into a bit of a power play…her trying to still be the mother in charge and me fighting back like I was still 16…

I love ‘em – but man am I glad I don’t live anywhere near ‘em.