Onetruelife....amessymanifesto

Bright Lights, Big City

2006-07-14T11:31:00.000-07:00

The lure of the emerald city has sucked in my little brother like a moth to a bright thing. The others in his gypsy caravan have carried on down the coast to California, but HE HAS STAYED BEHIND. He wants to move here and start a new life away from his bad news "best" friend and the dusty repression of his rural roots. Yeehah!

We still have to go out of town for a few days, but he's going to housesit and explore and hopefully not bolt before we get back.

I've been on this creative high but have been too busy hostessing and tripping. Here are my work-in-progress quilt pieces:
There are more, but I didn't feel like spreading them all out. I've been writing and reading and giving Jack his first experience with crap cereal.

He didn't hate it.

Off to get organized and pack for the trip to the land of geysers, grizzlies, and grandpas.

Keeping Company

2006-07-08T12:34:00.000-07:00

Aren't things supposed to slow down in the summertime? The in-laws came and went. We all went to Orcas Island and voted it beautiful- unanimously. I've been exploring the San Juan's bit by bit and this is by far my favorite. I felt so far from home, and there were postcard views around every bend.

Jack got some quality time with his grandma, and four generations got together.

Fun was had by all.

Now we await my sister, her partner, their son, and my little brother. They'll be here tonight after dinner- just in time to take my baby brother out for a beer on his 21st birthday. He's a gay country boy who's just become legal on his first trip to the city. My hairdresser says to just give him taxi fare and get out of his way, but I'm going to do a little more protective hovering than that. :) My two queer siblings are visiting at the same time- I'll be in Capitol Hill all week.

Next week I'll be nursing my hangover in Yellowstone and then the rest of the summer is pretty low key. I can remember to stress out about the adoption (Come on 171-h!), obsess over the submissions I have out, sit out in the garden I busted my ass on and get back to writing.

Work in Progress- I've been trying my had at machine quilting and experiment with piecing different shapes and patterns. I like to quilt, but I'm not so into patterns. We will see how it turns out.

We had dinner at Carmelita last night while some friends watched Jack and it was really nice. We even stopped into a pub for a pint on the way home. I prefer Cafe Flora for local gourmet vegetarian (how great is it that we have a variety of veggie restaurants?!?), but it was more elegant (read: less kid friendly) and yummy all the same. Last week Sam's mom watched Jack while we had dinner at Bombay Grill - and that was DELICIOUS. When Jack gets more used to it we can experiment with staying out later and maybe go to dinner AND a movie, or (gasp!) a concert! Still, we've had more dates this month than the rest of 2006 combined, so I am not complaining.

Enjoy the warmth and blue sky.

Recommendations for the short and scrappy.

2006-06-16T16:34:00.000-07:00

I love The Adventures of Polo almost as much as my kid. It's a wordless graphic novel-ish picture book for the preschool set that I heartily recommend. Chez Polo

If you're more in the mood for family tunes than illustrations you should get John Bregar's Stomp Yer Feet. Not only is he the father of one of the coolest kids I know, but the kid tunes he has made are a treat for ears big and small. He's performing a free show tomorrow afternoon at 4 in the U Village Land of Nod. You should see it.

On the adoption front... We went to Yakima last week to get fingerprinted and file our I600-A form because our social worker finally finished the homestudy from hell. Today I sent our dossier to get authenticated and I feel really good that we are progressing, even if we are just waiting. Woo hoo!

Good weekend.

2006-06-05T09:27:00.000-07:00

We had big ideas about kayaking, shopping, and socializing this weekend but the kid still wasn't feeling up to his usual scrappy self. We stayed home and I baked bread, cooked, gardened, and read a good book (King Dork). Sam finished building a deck to go around the new pond and the kid played.

Today we'll landscape around the pond so it looks more natural and try to get Rick smogged. I was kind of worried about scheduling some surgeries around the hordes of company we will have this summer, but so far so good. Tonight, I write!

On a positive health note, I used to get fake migraines. I thoughthad migraines for years, until I read an article in the PCC mailer that a lot of migraines were misdiagnosed muscle problems. I had a knot in my shoulder that would flare up around the time I'd start aching, but it was a chicken and egg thing and I never looked at it as the little knot causing the monster pain. In a fit of wild hope I scheduled some physical therapy and through some new yoga moves, deep tissue massage and being more aware of how I position my body- VOILA!- the 3 day headaches that came every 10 days have turned into maybe 1 day headaches once a month if I get lazy and don't do the yoga. Now I have hardly any excuse for being an inert recluse. Feet, do your stuff!

Dreams of Flying

2006-06-01T17:55:00.000-07:00

Wonderful
series
of photos
that made me smile
by Jan Von Holleben.
(thanks, Swissmiss)

Are you lost?

2006-06-01T17:22:00.000-07:00

I ran errands today. It's our first day out in a while due to a nasty flu. Taking care of a sick kid has fried my brain. Everywhere we went concerned citizens have been asking if I needed help, was I lost, etc. We came home and we made a a little button bouqet (thanks to the fabulous new blog Kiddley) Some colorful simple repitition is just what the doctor ordered.

What else? I found an old Volvo wagon of my very own. :) He shall be known as Rick the Brick. He shall be loved.

We are one step closer in the adoption process. We got word today that the pesky homestudy is officially done. After. Five. Months. All's well eh? Yakima, here we come!

My mother-in-law is coming over the pond with her mother and her mother's husband for a two week visit. They're renting a lovely house in Alki, but that doesn't mean I don't have to clean the basement.

Wanna wager I'm wanting a wagon?

2006-05-10T20:21:00.000-07:00

I have an overwhelming urge for an old, boxy, Volvo wagon. I can't explain it. I have wanted one since I was old enough to drive, but let myself get talked in to more reliable/sensible/cheaper to upkeep Hondas, Nissans, VWs, a Chrysler Le Baron convertible (!) and yes, a minivan. Now I want a wagon, an old one. I'll sell the mom mobile (that even the 3 year old is disgusted by) after I get my hands on my swedish tank. :)

We are in the process of adopting from Guatemala. I haven't been talking about it much because it's freaking me out and I've found that the people we have told are constantly asking for updates on our status that we are exasperated not to have. We started in January and should have been about midway through the process, but the state of Washington had other plans. The first active step is to have a homestudy while you accumulate a pile of official paperwork (your dossier) to send off to various government agencies. A homestudy usually takes a month or two and basically consists of a social worker interview and a state background check. You need the homestudy before you can start to file a slew of national documents that are needed before we can get a baby referral. So we started our homestudy in January and we're still waiting for the clearance from the state, so that we can ask for clearance from homeland security. It's been four months and I've been trying to be mellow, but the bueracracy is starting to freak me out. We still have a long road ahead, so I'm hoping that we're working out all our needless delay karma now in the beginning. I am ready. to. move. forward. now.
Time to quit stalling. I have a submission deadline and I should be making story revisions. Instead I've been blogging and searching for an A line skirt pattern that I can make with the amoeba like fabric I covet. Perhaps I just need to use some writing prompts ala McSweeney's.

Alright, time to show, not tell.

No Nukes!

2006-04-21T15:15:00.000-07:00

Our microwave has been broken for almost two weeks. It's built in so it should be covered by our Fidelity Home Warranty. On day one we called and they said someone would call to set up repair in a couple of hours. On day three we called again and they said someone would call us that day. On day five we called and they said to wait for a call from a repairman who called back on day seven to arrange a visit on day nine to say that built in microwaves made him nervous and he probably couldn't fix it since he tends to damage the area around the microwave when he moves it. : I paid a $45 copay and the insurance company kicked in another $200 to cover that little visit. So Sam called the insurance company again and they've offered to replace the high end stainless steel nuker (that came with the house) with the cheapest bisque microwave available from Sears Commercial.

This lack of technology has led us to embrace the culinary techniques from days of yore like pickling eggs. I've spent enough time seeking some level of nourishment in bars and rural gas stations to develop a taste for these aromatic ovals. We missed Easter Sunday, but we had it done by Springster Wednesday.
First we colored.

Then we pickled.

Now, we wait.

We'll be distracted tomorrow while we walk around the Phinney/Greenwood Rummage Sale.

Next weekend is the Washington SCBWI conference, which should be pretty good, if you're into hanging out with swarms of people who try to think like little kids. Apparently, I am.

One of the best things about Seattle is all the great events when it starts clearing up. I am just nutty for spring right now.

This week I'm going to work in the backyard, break out the kayak, take a few walks, finally make Jack a superhero cape like I made for Rebecca, and revel in the lack of houseguests. Ahhhh.

This post brought to you by my newly instituted, questionable, and so far successful Bribes for Naps Program. And viewers like you.

Periodicals less periodically.

2006-04-12T13:34:00.000-07:00

I just got a "special offer" for a subscription from Seattle Magazine as a "preferred resident" of Seattle. What the hell does that mean? I've been embraced by (those that cater to) the high society of Seattle. I feel dirty, in a bulk rate sort of way.

I'm addicted to magazines, but not so much that I read Seattle Magazine. I do like the new Seattle Metropolitan magazine, though. It seems a tad more down to earth.

I was a little bummed when Organic Style was finito, but then Budget Living blew their budget and now Martha Stewart's Kids is no more. Where am I supossed to go for a fix of fluff on a glossy page? I thought the new Wondertime might be sappy, but it wasn't bad. If you need something lighter than Violet or Brain, Child (the best parenting rag hands down) but not as sanitized as Child, Parents or Parenting, there you go.

Can we get some more periodical print on creating and less on consuming? Just a thought.

Better links than Jimmy Dean's.

2006-03-27T17:54:00.000-08:00

I am happy for spring.

I like to read Waiter Rant. It reminds me of my era of waiting tables, in a way that makes me glad I don't have to do it anymore and kind of oddly miss it all at once.

I'm strangely intrigued by Custom Paint by Number kits.
I'm even more intrigued by TerraPass.

F Minus makes me laugh out loud sometimes.

So do silly jokes.
Q. Why do mice have such small balls?
A. Because, sadly, very few of them ever learn to dance.

We went over to the penninsula for the weekend to explore. The Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort was pretty dissappointing, even with low standards. I got over my fear of salt water kayaking in Port Angeles, and the drive to Cape Flattery was really worth it. Fun was had by all.

We have a zero-thorn tolerance in our yard. The woman who owned the house last year was fond of roses, and it was today's mission to remove them. I pulled out eight cottage rose bushes, breaking my shovel and becoming a pin cushion in the process. I had some sort of warm weather high, so I kept going. The roses are gone and I'm about a third done with a 10'x3' hole for a little pond. Let's see how much progress (read: mess) I can make before my mom gets here on Saturday.

the prodigal girl returns

2006-03-22T10:31:00.000-08:00

Our computer has been wonky, and life has been hectic. I don't even know where to start, but I'm typing a couple of lines just to start posting again. I'll be back with more in a day or two. Until then may I suggest:

the Moisture Festival

Or some swappin.'

Coming events

2005-12-29T00:54:00.000-08:00

Apparently I'm behind the game because I haven't lined up a preschool for NEXT FALL. I was under the silly assumption that preschool enrollment was something I could take care of late spring/summerish. Apparently, the time is now. We'll probably go the co-op route again, but I'd rather try a new site that's nicer and/or closer to home. The cost benefit is nice, but I really like the involvement and community. I'm finding that the appealing non-co-op preschools that have purdy websites and snazzy philosophies are crazy expensive. I love the boy, but we would have to give up- well, food to send him to one of the (many) $600+ per month preschools lying around the Emerald City. It seems that most deadlines are next month and you are usually expected to take a tour before attempting to register. The quest continues....

Jack is more than a little impatient to see his favorite primate
on the big screen. Curios George movie comes to theatres
on February 10.

Organic Style magazine has ceased publication.

Sam got me the Street Smart Naturalist by David B. Williams and it's a pretty great way to learn about Seattle's ecology. I'm really enjoying it.

He got me the National Audubon Society Regional Guide to the Pacific Northwest as well. I'm a bit of a nature nut and we're still exploring the area, so I'm finding it all a bit fascinating.

If the rain lets up this week I'm going to look for tide pools. I returned a couple of goofy presents for a couple of Lucinda Williams and Wilco cd's so a short road trip is in order. Sam is off all week, so we need some mini-adventure squeezed in to all this relaxing.

I dragged Jack around to a few stores today and he was unamused at the limited access to "kid sections." So we passed a department store with a sale sign.

Jack: What did the words on that sign say?
Me: I don't know, I didn't see it.
Jac: (In disgusted, bored voice) It said, "We have fragile stuff here and it's boring. Keep going and don't buy anything!"

The wise ass force is strong in this one, and he hasn't even hit three. Lord help me.

Wishing you a fun, peaceful, safe holiday!

2005-12-25T20:19:00.000-08:00

The day has been too stimulating, so I've spent the last half hour vegging out online while Sam gives Jack a bath. I needed a break from relaxing with family, food and gifts. I'm having a great time, but as a little girl I would occasionally get under my bed for a few minutes at my own birthday parties.

I don't know if my neurosis is caused by nature or nurture, but I do know that it's long running.

Conversation overheard at the gift counter at Seattle central library.
Person #1- "I'm so tired of everyone making a big deal out of saying "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas." I'm just going to say it, "Merry Christmas!"

#2- "I don't celebrate Christmas."

I took my mom to Teatro Zinzanni last week and it was as good as everyone says it is.

It's steep, but worth every penny. She didn't have a single complaint for over three hours, and I thought it was great to boot. I thought I was done with my desire to run away with the circus, but those talented performers, the antique tent, the ambiance.... It's all renewed.

The big toys hits for Jack this year are a bed tent, a new bridge for his train set, and a Playmobil forklift.

I wish we were closer to our families, but I liked getting cozy with our own little unit. It's been a great day.

Fakemas, mucus, and fanfare- Oh my.

2005-12-10T11:27:00.000-08:00

So it's been almost a month since I've posted.

First, we had colds. I can count on one hand the number of times Jack sniffled before he joined preschool. Since September he's had a full blown cold 3 times. They shouldn't call it co-op, they should call it cootiefest.

Secondly, we went to Colorado for Fakemas (def. the early celebration of Christmas with my parents that the entire immediate family [with one neurotic exception] commits to attending so that we are free to spend actual Christmas with our inlaws/at home etc. that takes place over the Thanksgiving weekend). It works as well as it can in the surreal environment that is my parents home. There are two separate large TV's in the living room tuned to different stations and running at least 10 hours a day. At least a couple of people are drunk at any given time from about noon on, and a motley mix of conservatives, liberals, straights, gays, hillbillies and cityslickers can be found exchanging gifts and getting goofy with board games late into the night while the kids sleep, the snow falls, and the coyotes howl from nearby in the woods. It would be great fodder for some creative semi-fiction if I didn't think they'd shoot me.

Once we got home some spyware had made our computer even slower than the grandparents' dial up and I lost all patience for the internet until Sam could clean everything up.

The whole family got another round of fevers and mucus. Lovely.

That brings us to the present. We're getting over our colds and ready for our own yuletide festivities, houseguests, and such while waiting in vain for more than 1/24" of snow.

Last night we went to the Moisture Festival's holiday benefit pantomime at Hale's Ales. My husband Sam grew up going to see a panto every year before Christmas in the U.K. Good fun was had by all and I think we'll start our own holiday tradition here as long as the Fremont Players continue to put one on.

I'm reading Tales of a Female Nomad by Rita Golden Gelman and so far it's pretty good. She writes books for kids while she explores the world. It's light and inspirational.

I'm almost done with Christmas shopping. I was picking up a few essentials last week at the grand opening of the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Company such as the very reasonably priced (and for a great cause) gravity detectors and threat minimizers. I've been excited about this new creative axis when I wandered through the atomic teleporter from the store to the heart of 826 Seattle where the Tang was flowing and the literate were mingling. While Sam and Jack were sampling gum drops I found myself standing beside 826 founder/ philanthropist/writer/all around bad ass Dave Eggers, who I very much admire. Sam is a little jealous, but I don't want to boink Dave, I want to be Dave. Anyhoo, We're standing/leaning there and I am searching my brain for something to say that doesn't sound like an incoherentasskissinggushoffanaticallove and I can't. My Tanged up son streaks by, I make some lame parting mumble about catching an escaping short martian that Dave chuckles at and that's it. We leave and I miss the opportunity to have some witty discourse with one of my personal heroes because I was trapped in self-doubting frazzled brain mode. My only consolation was that I didn't make an ass out of myself, but that's really no consolation at all is it? I did not embrace the situation because I was too daffy and chickenshit, and I regret it.

In honor of the temporary loss of my cajones last weekend, I am hereby declaring the rest of this weekend an exercise in extrovertiveness and a course of creative courageousness.

Congested Chickenshit out.

the fine line

2005-11-15T14:33:00.000-08:00

There is a fine line between teaching your kid a lesson and TEACHINGYOURKIDALESSON. If "That will teach him!" runs through my head, I try to reexamine the my parenting style. I'm trying to stay in the lower case, and Jack is trying to make as little sense as possible. His only focus lies on his newest project- Operation: Thwart the Parents! He laughs at danger, giggles at directives, guffaws at requests, and chuckles at desperate pleas.

There is also a fine line between
<------- cute, fuzzy, and possibly needing help and violent, ingrateful, wild fat ass.

Neighbors and ideas. Good, bad, and ugly.

2005-11-13T14:32:00.000-08:00

I really love our neighborhood. It's got community, damnit. Apart from the fantastic ability to walk to the store/coffeeshop/library/park etc. Our neighbors are damned friendly. We've been here a few short months and have befriended or at least met most of those around us. The people across the street who leave nasty "anonymous" notes when we have the nerve to park a car on the street in front of their house not withstanding, everyone else is great. There is an old widower around the corner who brings homegrown veggies for us and grapes for Jack. We've gone to the dog park with the next door neighbor and she invited me to join her book club. We lived in a house in L.A. for four years and the only thing we ever got (indirectly from the neighbors is crime tape.

Our dog has California blood. He spent (at least) the last few years of his life in southern California and has the surfboard, Disneyland pass, and knowledge of reikis to prove it. ;) He also has thin blood. If he has to go outside or wait in the car for 5 minutes he starts shivering like a junkie on a methadone placebo. So we have caved and bought him a.....

dog sweater.

Yes, he looks silly. I thought his stylish little weasel heart would be shamed at the faux suede fleece combo and he would try to chew it off. The truth is he seems to like it and it looks cozy, if not foolish.

I was inspired by this blog to go to the lovely and well-stocked Uwajimaya for a tupperware-esque bento box (similar to this) to hold a Jack lunch-to-go. The little compartments are perfect for his toddler appetite and the price is right ($5). I also left with noodles, Pocky, and other good yummies. I love that place.

Crash is a great movie. I was a little put off at first, but it ended up getting under my skin and I've been thinking about it ever since.

We went to Dan Zanes last weekend and loved it. Jack in particular thought it was superb. He got to meet Dan afterwards and the little groupie was starstruck.
He's been singing Dan's songs pretty continuously ever since. Me thinks he's got his dad's music genes.

I am trying to stay creative and budget-conscious for the holidays. I'm knitting some snazzy scarves and felted bags and my little brother shall get some homemade Bose-knock off headphones via Instructables. Some lucky loved ones will receive a goat or maybe 1/2 a water buffalo from Heifer International. And if I had money to burn my husband could thank Mimi Smartypants for exposing me to this spooky primate. His office would go from drab to fab every time he did something to anger the Chimp.

What happens when you tell a duck a joke?

2005-11-03T21:23:00.000-08:00

He quacks up. (courtesy of Jack)

Where the hell have I been? I thought it had only been a couple of days since my last post but alas, my sense of time has always been a little wonky.

Today was the Free First Thursday for some of the Seattle museums so Jack and I braved the rain to go to the Burke Museum (It's small, i.e. saw everything in about 1/2 hour small.) and then the Museum of Flight which we found more entertaining.

It was a dark and stormy day so we took a raincheck to see the planes on the tarmac, but it would be worth a return trip.
I definitely see the appeal of flying. We're near Lake Union so on nice days float planes buzz over pretty frequently. I'd like to learn to fly someday- and what a place to do it! A bird's eye view of the mountains and sound would be incredible.

Speaking of aspirations... You Can Do It! The Merit Badge Handbook for Grown-Up Girls is a good read. It's got practical applications and advice for those secret things we pine to be (singer, rabblerouser, barnstormer...) It's cooler and less self-help than it sounds.

We're going to see Dan Zanes on Saturday and I'm excited. We're all excited. We're geeky like that.
I'm feeling nice and lighthearted right now. I was in dark hermit mode for a while and it's lifting.... mostly. I'd had some more skin surgery on my face and and it took longer to heal this time. I was feeling like I looked a lot better a couple of days ago when I saw a friend I hadn't seen for a while and the first thing she said was, "My God! Did you get in a car accident?" I guess the cuts weren't quite as healed as I thought. : I've had 100+ stitches 20-40 at a time on my face in the last couple of months so I was starting to get used to to the whole Frankenmama thing. I should be done with the major stuff for a while, so I can laugh about it. ha ha! Take that, tumor!

I never know what to say. If I say I have skin cancer people look so striken and then I have to babble about how I'm not dying and it's not one of those cancers blah blah blah. Then people freak out and say something random like, "My Uncle Bernie had testicular cancer." Alright. I tried to be vague and just say I had a "skin thing" but Sam says that sounds too "contagious and spooky." Soon the pink lines will go away and then I don't have to say anything at all.

I have a new story rattling around in my head that just keeps.... sitting there. No amount of procrastination or self doubt seems to be sending it to the land of forgotten prose at the back of my brain so I think it might be good, or at least draft-worthy.

I'm off to stain some pulp and write the old-fashioned way.

Ode to Mighty O

2005-10-18T11:31:00.000-07:00

I love Mighty O donuts.
I have an admitted prejudice against vegan foods. I'm even a vegetarian, but I know that most of the time vegan treats can turn in to tricks. This is not the case with our local Mighty O donuts. They are sooo yummy. My husband doesn't like vegan food or cake donuts and he gobbles them up. They are divine.

Want some pot?

2005-10-17T18:05:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Catawampus I found a couple of great deals on cooking pots (what did you think i meant?) at Amazon. I try to avoid Amazon, but it was too good of a deal. There is a Calphalon Commercial Hard-Anodized 8-1/2-Quart Saucier with Lid marked down from $180 to $19.99 (!) despite rave reviews.
If you need more there is also a Cuisinart Chef's Classic 8-Quart Stockpot with Cover that went from $100 to $20.99.

I mentioned to my husband that a couple of new pots under the Christmas tree would be a good thing (The domesticity of this fills me with self loathing.) and 2 boxes mysteriously appeared from Amazon a couple of days ago. They are now hidden in the basement because they are CHRISTMAS SURPRISES. Just two short months to wait.

I found this photographer named Kelli Connell who I really like in a Cindy Sherman kind of way. Look at the images and then read the info. It's pretty nifty.

We bought our house from an older woman who had lived here alone for six years. We'll call her A. You could politely describe A. as a crabby introvert. We are going through the process of meeting the new neighbors and people always say, "Oh, you're the one's who bought C.'s house" C. was the owner of the house prior to A. It makes me sad that A. was so miserable that this close knit community collectively erases her time here. We're not the most outgoing people in the world, but when I remember A. I try to be a little more sociable. I found her to be abrasive in person but just from seeing the mail that doesn't get forwarded and the few bits she left around the house (She apparently gives a lot of money to some great causes, runs marathons, and travels to exotic locales) I think I missed something by not getting to know her, and she missed a lot by not getting to know this place. I don't know how long we'll be here, but I want to leave an impression.

The parts that shouldn't be there.

2005-10-10T15:23:00.000-07:00

My bare lips are the color of anemic earthworms, but I'm not crazy about lipstick. When I read that the average woman eats pounds of lipstick in her life and that many mainstream brands have placenta I wanted to go a more natural route. My absolute favorite lip color is Terra Tints Blaze by Alba Botanica. It's more like a colored balm but it's moisturizing, minty, and a great color. It's light enough that I can slap some on without a mirror and not worry about looking like a clown, but it gives a good healthy blush to my kisser.

Need something to take your mind off that placenta lipstick thing? Watch a bizarre anime video of strange and wonderful plants (via Boing Boing).

2005-10-06T15:08:00.000-07:00

First a question: Can anyone tell me how long chile sauce lasts? Is it indefinitely good? I think the chile stops mold etc. from forming so it never looks rotten. I've had the same bottles for ages (read: years) and I'm usually kind of uptight about throwing stuff away before the bacteria colonizes...

I just read The Highest Tide by Jim Lynch. It's about a boy who explores the tide pools of south Puget Sound, his discoveries, and how he deals with them. It was really a fantastic read. It was well written, and it gave me new found respect for the sound.

This weekend we went to explore the Cascades. We drove to Burlington and then over to Diablo Lake and back stopping many times along the way to explore. It was a beautiful way to spend a day.
Jack said it smelled like "Old stinky trees." but I like that smell. He was just pissed because I told him there were marmets and then we didn't see any. Bad mama move #43256.

I'm very enamored with our little corner of the world right now. If you want to see more pictures of what we saw last Saturday click here.

Instructables is the most inspiring site I've come across in a while (thanks Not Martha!). Get off the computer and go make something! I need to be inspired. We started a tradition last year of a handmade gift for a family member. We exchange names. Last year I got my sister's partner Val and I made her a large, striped patterned felted messenger bag from soft Peruvian alpaca. I should have taken a picture because it was fucking unbelievable. That thing was such a monster I didn't knit again for months. Now I have a reputation for the best crafty present. I got my little brother this time and so far I'm at a loss. What do you make for a minimalist, gothic, 19 year old gay boy on a diet who lives in the woods?

I'm not sure either.

Recent life

2005-10-03T14:06:00.000-07:00

We took our kid to his first march last weekend. It was an anti-war rally with over 5000 people in Seattle and a few hundred thousand in the other Washington, San Francisco, L.A., New York, London, and Rome. We were there as part of Code Pink, so I made him a hot pink shirt that said "Fighting is bad!" on the front and "Peace is good." on the back.
It was a fantastic, peaceful protest that closed down a few blocks downtown and had very few counter protestors (We saw none.). You wouldn't know how massive it was by watching the local news. If tivo-ed the major station newscasts. If they mentioned it at all it was late in the broadcast after rehashed hurricane coverage, injury-less car accidents, a shed fire in Bellevue, some upcoming ferry safety drills, and the pressing announcement from the D.A. that someone charged with manslaughter last year will be put on trial "soon." It really pissed me off how something so big could be ignored. For the record, I would be equally annoyed at a newscast with little mention of a large conservative protest. Mass media has become so fluffy it makes me sick.

We are done with breastfeeding. Long live breastfeeding. I felt like I was losing my mind this week and was weepy over everything. It took me a few days to figure out that my hormones were very wonky. They've since mellowed out and I'm starting to feel better. Now if only my chest wasn't so sore. ...

Snap judgements.

2005-09-21T15:52:00.000-07:00

I'm planning on constructing an abstract sculpture out of copper pipes and bowling balls. I plan to put it in my front yard. I am taking advantage of our lack of a home owner's association. My neighbors can blame my previous neighbors. We kept getting cited by the city because our hedges weren't trimmed the right way. Now I'm rebelling. What fun is living in an artsy neighborhood if you can't be expressive?

Speaking of rebels....

We were riding the ferry back from Bremerton the other night and I saw a couple by the food area taking pictures with the camera I covet- the Canon Rebel.

I nudged the guy and said, "I bet you're having a lot of fun with that Rebel."

He looked confused and said, "Yea, we are havin' a guh-rate time."
I was walking away and the woman poked the man and said, "How'd she know we're from Mississippi?!?"

The guy says, "I dunno, I thought you were wearin' yer ol' rebel flag shirt, but ya aren't!"

I was about to turn around and correct the misperception when she said, "People in Seattle are startin' to cuh-reep me out." The man said, "Yeah."

I just continued on and let them be in awe of my Seattle voodoo. :)

*On another Seattle note... I'd seen the Half Price Books on 47th and Roosevelt, but always assumed it was just close out books, which depress the aspiring writer in me. They have a HUGE selection of used books. Huge.

There is also a great used and new bookstore for kids on 45th in Wallingford called Alphabet Soup. It's a fantastic little store with a great selection and a passionate staff. They are also definitely worth a visit.

This is our humor level.

2005-09-16T11:37:00.000-07:00

Want to crack up a 2 & 1/2 year old?

What's green and sour and hangs out in your armpit? -A tickle pickle.

What's it called when your puppy is out in the rain? -A soggy doggy.

What's yellow, yummy, and goes beep beep? -A corn horn.

My husband is worried that our son is too enamored with rhymes. I often talk in rhymes and we read a lot of Dr. Suess. Jack has started to justify his actions like so:

Me: "Hey, how come you hit the dog? That's not nice."

Him: "It is! He needed a chufalump thump."

How can you argue with that?

Change of perspective

2005-09-14T22:08:00.000-07:00

For about a week I've been in a little bit of a funk. I was mopey, lazy, apathetic, grouchy....for no apparent reason. I just had some funky blues and it was oozing out of my pores. Enter: this week. My kid is sick, I'm sore and self conscious from some minor (no, not cosmetic) face surgery, the weather sucks and my husband is STILL working on last months's deadline. So, I don't get to see him and I'm not getting a lot of help around the house. I'm self conscious about my stitches and my kid is contagious and to put it politely- PISSY. We've been pretty homebound. Now I'm just pissed at myself for wasting last week on a funk.

Well, if the little guy has less snot and attitude tomorrow WE ARE GOING OUT. If anybody is crass enough to ask about my face, instead of regaling them with a public service announcement about USING MORE SUNBLOCK I am going to tell them I was a victim of a cougar attack and if it wasn't for our trusted little five pounder Fireball pictured below (not her real name)

I would not have made it.

Stitches freak people out.

On some different notes......

Plan on making a website? For the love of god, use Moonfruit. They completely rock. When I think of the time and money I wasted with yahoo and tripod.... Well, let's just not think about it.

Moonfruit has a free 14 day trial, FANTASTIC building tools and easy add ons, free ad-supported hosting and non-ad sites starting at about $40 a year with payment plans. You don't have to pay up front for a year of mystery hosting. It doesn't get any easier, folks. They kick geocities ass. I am not a geek (despite my husband's best efforts) and I kicked out a multi-page website for our kid's new co-op in a couple of hours. And it rocks. I am moony for Moonfruit.

Also.... do you like to giggle? When the Best of Craigslist hasn't been updated for a while and you want to laugh the online version of McSweeney's has some damn good chuckle oppurtunities. Remember the Devil Went Down to Georgia?

My grandpa used to give me quarters for the jukebox when I visited him at the Moose Lodge and that is what I would play. I spent my summer vacation with Charlie Daniels and Shirley Temples.

If I was anywhere south of here having lunch....

2005-09-06T12:36:00.000-07:00

I would be eating Mexican food like a fiend. Globalization has failed to bring authentic Mexican food to the emerald city. There are some okay places, but nothing authentic enough to knock our socks off. If I could change one thing about Seattle that would make it my Perfect Place to Live Forever (PPLF) it would be to add an abundance of great Mexican cuisine. Bring on some red sauce with kick and depth! Smother everything with green chile! Gimme! Gimme!

There are two seperate restaurants here that we've found that claim to serve Hatch green chile (this is to chile what Napa is to wine). We were so excited to try it out, but both times if it was Hatch it was cleverly disguised in the chef's own efforts at tasteless mediocrity. If they would just leave it alone and serve it as it is- it would be wonderful and the people would come.

I spent part of my growing up in New Mexico and the beginning of fall will forever make me nostalgic for the smell of roasting peppers. aaaahhhhh....

Alas, I actually far prefer Seattle to L.A. or Albuquerque. I just miss the chile! And sopapillas!

If they could just make the burritos longer, I would hold some hope. Burritos aren't supposed to be cubical, Seattle-ites! Maybe a formula of greater than or equal to 3 times the width could be a standard.

exhibit a:

Be careful out there.

Stop supporting Geoffrey.

2005-09-05T20:56:00.000-07:00

Dear Toys'R'Us;

I grew up in a town too small to have a Toys'r'us. I truly felt that this compromised my childhood. When we visited distant family I would beg and whine until I grated my mom's nerves down and she would take me to the mecca of plastic and gender specific packaging. I loved everything from the long fluorescent aisles to the selection of record shaped bubble gums by the checkstands. It was my kind of place.
A couple of decades pass and I now have better judgement.

I hate Toys'r'us.

Is it that...

everything in the entire place is made by the same half dozen toy monopolies?

anything remotely artsy is packaged in hot pink?

that at Toys'r'us, pretend play means pretending you're working at McDonald's building Big Macs or polishing your mini Kitchenaid blender with Mr. Clean dustcloths?

the entire fucking aisle of war toys?

anything related to tools has "Home Depot" in 3 inch letters all over it?

Bratz wasn't creepy enough- now you have to walk by a 12 foot pyramid of Baby Bratz?!?

everything is crossmarketed with some other product as if my kid was a some consumer sponge rather than a child just looking for something to play with?

I had an $80 credit from a returned baby shower gift and I thought we would get something for the monkey. He has low standards so I thought it would be easy, but it wasn't. We got some train stuff and some plastic crap for the sandbox. I hope they somehow go out of business before I have to go back. Blech!

I'm off my soapbox now, and I'm off to support the little guy.

Funions and cigarettes were just the beginning....

2005-08-23T13:00:00.000-07:00

Culture-o-rama!

Paris introduces book vending machines.

Art-o-mats!

The Japanese have seen the creative potential of vending machines all along.

A few great things

2005-08-23T11:09:00.000-07:00

1. Seattle Public Library's website. I can search the entire catalog, and put holds on the books I want and they're delivered to my local, very tiny branch for pick up.

2. Aqua Verde Damn good tacos, decent drinks, and a view of the lake that keeps the kid happy while we enjoy our meal. If you're feeling active you can rent a kayak down below and zip over to the arbortetum.

3. Freeway Bloggers Get your radical liberal groove on and spread the word.

hung in St. Petersburg, FL

4. Banksy Criminal or Revolutionary? He sneaks his art into the Tate (among other prestigious art institutions) and graffitis the Palestinian wall.

5 & 6. Tom Robbins I'm rereading some of his books, since they're often partly based in Seattle. I forgot how great and far out he is. Elliot Bay is everything a bookstore should be- large, intimate, creaky wood floors, full of cozy alcoves, literate employees, a yummy cafe and a marvelous selection of over 150,000 both new and used books, mags, and zines.

7. Make magazine- a geekier version of Readymade chock full of great projects that appeals to both my video game programming husband and my crafty self. Make your own DVR, feed the cat with the unused vcr, or launch some potatoes. Go wild, geeky one!

8. Scarecrow Video-They're huge. The clerk says they have over 65,000 titles. The employees are, err, knowledgable and the selection is unmatched. Remember that documentary your neighbor made on his 8mm about his pet spaniel in 1985? yeah. They probably have it.

9. Picking your own fresh fruits and veggies.

10. Naps.

Great stuff in Greenwood

2005-08-16T10:45:00.000-07:00

I've been blog blocked. I'm going to try and get the ball rolling again by listing some good discoveries in Greenwood.

1) Greenwood Space Travel Supply coming soon to Greenwood and 85th. Apart from the space air, gravity detectors, peace treaties and towels- the site will also host and help support the newly opening 826Seattle. This is the newest chapter following the success of lovely and talented Dave Eggers' flagship 826 Valencia- a fantastic organizationt promoting literacy and writing skills for people 8-18. Stop by when they open- it will be a fantastic addition to the emerald city.

2) Gordita's on 85th, just past Greenwood. Vegetarian friendly cheap eats that are as good as any mexican food you'll find this far north. The kid's burrito is $2.50 and large enough to satiate your favorite 300 lb. 10 year old. It's a little dingy and loud, and the toys they have on hand for the little guys are past crusty but it's worth a stop.

3) Not a recent discovery, but very worth mentioning is Top Ten Toys a couple of blocks west on 85th. A HUGE selection of original and wonderful play things for anyone with any playfullness at all. They're great. My favorite is still Izilla Toys on Madison, but Top Ten is it's very cool big brother.

Are you going to Bumbershoot? You should. We are. Live music where little guys are welcome? Rock out.

Also on the calendar of upcoming events to entertain little guys and parents.... Dan Zanes, Ralph's World, & Stomp are all on the line up at the Paramount over the next few months along with some other kids' stuff. Go let the rhythm get you.

More or less

2005-08-01T13:04:00.000-07:00

I'd like to ________ more.
laugh
write
sleep
run
create
star gaze
be outgoing
be patient
kiss
eat pho
focus
read
explore
watch the dogs run
contribute
seize the moment
finish projects

I'd like to ________ less.
jiggle
fret
procrastinate
chicken out
cuss
weigh
bonk my head
pick dog fur off my clothes
zone out
crave pho
clean
abandon ideas
hum "Copacabana"

A new leaf.

2005-08-01T12:48:00.000-07:00

I'm turning over a new leaf. New blog, new town, new phase, new things. I've had a good 30 years, and I plan to have a fucking fantastic 60 or so years more. I am pursuing greeat ideas, things, places, people and times. In the words of my son, "Watch out! I'm off like a shot!"