Snoopy Dance.... errrr, kinda

Am now famous. Expect a call from Dancing with the Stars soon.



Over and out.

good mexican food & snow

I must be home. Last night I had delicious Mexican food. You can't get that everywhere and I've pretty much given up on the existence of good Mexican food in the Eug. sigh

Oh, it is also snowing. I'm sure it will switch to rain by noon, but for now it is enough.

Hug Attaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!

Stick figure in ink on birthday card.

tis the season

brick walls

I must confess, I too share KFR's desire to lay on the floor. If I had a turntable I'd involve that in the process as well. Making CDs will have to suffice. Perhaps I'll skip out on the 2 hour marathon potluck at work... but can one then skip out totally? Go have your own nice lunch? It will be Tuesday after all... I could have tacos.... and we all know that alliteration was invented for both tacos and Tuesdays.

In other news, I'm currently engaged in shrinking approximately 5 albums down to my own version of a greatest hits. But this greatest hits list I'm crafting is not the greatest hits album released by the artist. Perhaps it's better to think of it as a Starter Kit. You have to be careful when introducing someone to music. It can't be too earnest. You've got to pepper the mix with some earnest, but don't go overboard. Other issues to take into consideration center on growth and experimentation. You try to show the transition from one form to another if possible, demonstrate that growth and experimentation while maintaining your high standards. But does the Starter Kit work best as a chronological piece? Perhaps group things thematically? Does that first song grab the listener but leave the really good stuff for later? You don't want to go for broke on the first song, after all. Oy.

Maybe I should combine parts 1 and 2 of this post and rent High Fidelity.

Miss S. as cowgirl

She has a bit of growing to do before my boots fit....

a visit

V. is in town visiting, taking care of business, etc. with the fabulous Miss S. Ahem, quote of the morning from S., directed at me: "You mean you're not MARRIED!!??"

Perhaps I should get S. and my grandma together... During my first year of graduate school my grandma did basically ask me if I enrolled in the program to find a husband. No grandma. I did not enroll in the program to find a husband. But thank you for the gentle reminder of the vastly different worlds we come from and the (somewhat limited) progress we've made.

Entertaining Moment of the Day #47

Whilst stepping out of my car to do a little Christmas shopping I saw a girl in the front passenger seat of a minivan completely and emphatically DANCING. Then I heard what she was groovin' on: Mambo #5 by Lou Bega. Bear in mind that I hadn't even closed my car door yet.... I heard the music from a good 15 to 20 feet away and all her car's windows were up, doors shut.

The whole scene made me smile.

That Lou Bega, he makes people do crazy things.

At the moment...

Things I know about myself at the moment:

• I only need one good, strong cup of coffee in the morning
• no matter how hard I try, whatever the configuration of events, it takes me an hour to get out the door in the morning
• I much prefer live recordings to studio (within reason, of course... I'm certainly not going to go out and purchase a live Bob Dylan album)
• I can be terrible with call-backs. I really do want to talk. I promise.
• sleeping temperatures in bedrooms should hover around 55-57F (down comforter preferred)
• some words/terms have particular hold over me: riff-raff, indeed, accoutrement, wee... (and KFR, I have to say that your non-word "mayhaps" is creeping in)
• I possess the ability to incessantly listen to the same song or album
  

Seasons Greetings: Schweaty Balls

What a week....

What a week, what a week....

A & J's wedding, Santa Cruz and and the Cool Kids, a pirate ship, flooding, a birthday feast with my birthday compatriot M. and friends (had the burger, thank you), and The Golden Compass hits theaters today. Phew.

A big thank you for the Happy Birthday calls, emails, well wishes, presents, support, friendship, etc. etc. etc. Thank you.

Here's a picture from A & J's wedding, or dinner after the wedding, rather. Both KFR and his homie C. are photographing their delicious food....

Day of the Ninja. Day of my Birth.

So, I'd like to wish everyone a happy Day of the Ninja. I think it was fate that I was born on this auspicious day.

the weekend, a snapshot

• planes
• wee ceremony
• cool kids
• fun
• hangin' out
• more planes

Title IX, Education Amendments of 1972

"No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance..."

E., C., and I ventured to a 35th anniversary/celebration of Title IX this evening. While the above quote applies to all areas of public education/federal funding (basically), most people know Title IX through its impact on athletics. Equity is a constant battle in most facets of this little bit of legislation. In fact, C. pointed out that there was a period in the 1980s when Title IX no longer applied to athletics due to a Supreme Court decision... I'll let her expand if she so choses (she did write a legal encyclopedia article on it).

It's all about parity, people. We don't want to cut anything, we merely request parity. In everything. Hmmm, just had a thought: I wonder if "equality" is too scary a word and thus people prefer to use the term "parity" (of which I was obviously indoctrinated)...

Anyway, thanks Title IX! For both the educational and athletic opportunities!



Four future college athletes in this little picture....

For Matt-O

Gobble Gobble!

Go on and rock the stuffing! Pile on a second helping of mashed potatoes! Fight for that turkey leg! Then drift off into a triptophan stupor and dream of the Golden Compass. It's only a few more weeks away! Happy Thanksgiving!

purity products

Hmmm. Yeah. Purity Products. So... upon my return from a run I saw a box at a neighbor's door left by a delivery person: "Purity Products" in big bold letters. Pray tell, what is a Purity Product? My mind immediately flashed to the movie "Robin Hood: Men in Tights". It is a clearance chastity belt company where you place your orders by fox (Broomhilde: "No ding-ding vithout a vedding ring!")! After checking it out on the internets, I have to say, my explanation is much more entertaining than a discount vitamin company.

I guess that's just the mood I'm in. While on said run I almost ran into a squirrel. Picture it: run-run-run-music-music-music-run-run-run through leaves..... just as you reach the edge of a new pile of leaves a crazy squirrel hauls ass across the sidewalk and up a tree. I think I caught the squirrel quite unawares. Of course, I could say the same of it. That damn squirrel gave me such a start I almost ended up in the tree with it.

Yeah.

more nostalgia

The Week. Some nostalgia.

Something is in the air. Perhaps it is the impending holiday season. After all, we're still staring Thanksgiving, etc. in the face. There is no food/alcohol/celebration hangover to stop the thought process: places been; people seen; people missed; change; etc., etc., etc. They're all lining up for their turn in the staring contest. Perhaps they assemble themselves more as a child's flip-book. The frozen images flash so quickly across the screen they form a disjointed movie of sorts. Some incomplete bits are filled in as the images pass while others are completely dropped. Ah, well. Flip-books are nice to have.

costume fun

Thanks for your wishes of wellness! I made a full recovery by Saturday and then gathered my gnome costume, ready to celebrate Erin's birthday. The birthday girl wished for an enchanted costume party... she got that and more: an enchanted bowling costume party! My particular costume was that of garden gnome. Fun was had by all: the unicorn, medusa, the fawn, a peacock, an alligator, some fairies, the dragon herself.... The BCC outdid itself, yet again.

Well done, all! Really, I'm starting to believe that dressing in costume should be encouraged a bit more in American society. At least more than Halloween.

That is all.

ICE PICK WANTED

or, perhaps someone would like to slam my head in the freezer door. That could work.

Migraines. Bluh.

No scary, please.

I've been avoiding the post for a good while now. It should come as no shock, I do not like scary things. I do not go to scary movies, I do not read scary books, I do not go on scary rides. Frankly, I don't really understand individuals who need the Big Bad to go about their daily lives. Of movie/book/ride trio, I find the scary/troublesome books to be the hardest to handle. Sure, there might be a more immediate scary/shock value with movies and rides, but the big bad of books stays with you.... reading in the dark with one light on... when there is no sound to speak of.... yikes! I'm currently reading two books that toe the line with the scary/disturbing. I'm not entirely sure how these two slipped into the queue around the same time. I started reading before really thinking it through. I knew they would be mildly disturbing, but certainly not scary. Certainly not! Thus I find myself absolutely extending my torture because I can't read these books at night, a normal reading time for me. The two main characters of In the Cut will forever be so close to the end they can both see it, but I've made no move to get through the "she knows/he knows she knows/she knows he knows she knows" ending. While leaving the In the Cut characters to hang out, what book do I then pick up???? MY FIRST STEPHEN KING NOVEL!!!!!!! I'm such an idiot! But this one isn't scary so much as disturbing, Different Seasons. Frankly, I'm getting stuck in "Apt Pupil".

Bluh. I need to go read Jane Austen.

Metal, redux

Messing around before I step out the door.....

Pirate's Booty; or, Swag Redux

Swag (swåg) ∆ n. Slang Stolen property; loot. [Prob. of Scand. orig.]
-> this particular definition comes from my trusty wee American Heritage dictionary, 4th edition. This is not to be confused with another meaning: (n.) An ornamental drapery or curtain draped in a curve between two points. We're not even considering international meanings or swag as a verb. For our purposes, SWAG is a promotional item or a gift.

Anyhoo, my swag consisted of 4 moderately sized blankets. One. Two. Three. Four... that's a few too many for carry-on convenience. The women who regulated the initial airport security check-in area were none-too-pleased with my attempt to quickly walk past them with my 4 bags carrying 4 blankets. Not that they knew it, but the size of the plane didn't really care much for those blankets either. Before I could make it past security I had to stuff the blankets into a giant plastic bag given to me by one of the ladies who stopped me at security. I sat on the bag to squish it down to an even smaller size*. Needless to say, I boarded the plane without seriously wounding anyone with my blankets... though a few were bumped, methinks.

In other swag news, I was promised a jacket of some variety for speaking at the event. I have a vision in my head of those weird 80s paper jackets that you could decorate yourself.

* Side Note: I wrote in the "Edit Html" mode and blogger kindly finished my "incomplete" (non)attempt at html.... ". .... Interesting. Very intersting. It's still isn't showing up. Hmmm, what kind of nerd an I turning into?

Pirate's Booty; or, Swag

Huzzah! my presentation went well! And I'm not joking when I say that someone uttered the phrase "belle of the ball" in my general direction. I think it is safe to say that the Ass Kicking Phase from "The many moods of presentations" won the day.

A long day in list form:

• 4:30AM alarm
• 6:15 AM flight (the airport is fantastically busy at 5:30AM... who knew?)
• green room schmoooooozing
• presentation with Boss v2.0
• free lunch
• conference riff-raff + fun updates
• more schmoooooooozing + the exchange of business cards (very weird)
  
• swag, in abundance
• promise of more swag via mail
• hanging out, consumption of free Naked juice, free wi-fi, airport avoidance
  
• airport swag security issue: I had too much swag! had to carefully consolidate to be able to meet carry-on standards
• home by 11:30PM

Phew. Now I'm quite tired. I had to get up relatively early today as well. Well, it was a normal wake-up time, but given my 19 hour day yesterday it felt extremely early.

The many moods of presentations

Bluh Phase: not excited about prospect of presentation. Not excited about power point. Not excited by the amount of times I'll mumble "uhhh" instead of accepting a small amount of silence and making eye contact. Not excited about flight in the the wee hours of the morning, nor slow drive in traffic, nor navigating the ginormous campus where said presentation shall take place.



Ass Kicking Phase
Hells yes, I'm excited! I'm gonna kick this presentation's ass! Clear voice, eye contact, no "uhhs" or "like", etc. etc. etc. Accolades will flow, epic poems dedicated to my genius shall pass down to posterity, and I'll get me some swag.

I can use the flight in the wee hours and impending traffic jam to my advantage! Huzzah! I'm a presentation maniac!


Perhaps somewhere in between these two extremes would be best.

Boo!

Happy Halloween!

Your Search for Value: a response

I totally stole these images from an email my friend sent. But I had to. KFR recently posted on some (one) of the (pop) cultural revolutions of the 1980s. I'd like to offer a timely reminder of our low standards.

Image Back Story: a dude helping to install a ceiling fan in father-in-laws house finds a JC Penny catalog from 1977. Please fasten your seatbelt, make sure your belongings and tray are safely stowed, and have your seats in their upright position. Enter time warp.

Please note the colorful stretch terry coordinates. Holy crap, pajama party? I think these guys are ready to party poolside.

Dig it, man.







Um.... so... I was a sheriff for Halloween. I could have used a shirt like this one. I think. Maybe not.











I just.... there aren't... I can't....

Is this gentleman wearing a shirt? A fur vest perhaps?





All the models rested in between changes at this lovely dining set. You too could own a barrel with a table top for four. hundred. and. fif.teen. dollars....

Not that people don't use barrels for this sort of thing now. Step into many wineries and you'll find an updated version of this. I just don't think I want it in my breakfast nook.


So you see, in many respects (not all, I think?), we simply have low standards. Of course the 80s were fantastically revolutionary in music, but perhaps a better descriptor is responsive. The 80s were incredibly responsive. I mean really, take a moment and think about the 70s. What does your mind conjure up? Yeah. Of course, I didn't actually live in the 70s, but I fully participated (was indoctrinated?) in the 80s. Yes, indoctrinated. It fits much better.

My apologies for the rambling crap. That is all.

my dogs are barkin'

This girl is tired. Gone for 5 days... five days filled with meetings and presentations, etc. In case anyone was wondering, my presentation with the clip from Cabaret went swimmingly. Lots of laughing and even a request for the link. I'm not kidding. A hit. Big hit.

Not that it was all work, work, work. Besides seeing my coworkers who are largely entertaining individuals in their own right, I was able to visit the venerable KFR and B. I'm pleased to report an evening of food, wine, and music video assured me all was right in their world (except for the whole loud neighbor crap). Pesto is as cute and as difficult to photograph as ever. As a result of some poor planning on my part, I wasn't able to spend that much time with them. But anything is better than nothing, right?

ps: there were two Hug Attttaaaaaaaaaacks. One from me and one delivered on behalf of the brilliant A. Mission accomplished. Shock and Awe hugs.

Money, and such

Once again I embark on another adventure down the Left Coast. I felt this particular clip from Cabaret apropos as I'm using it in a presentation I'll be giving later this morning on this very topic. I have difficulty drumming up enthusiasm to talk about money if things like class, race, gender, etc. aren't involved. My natural instinct is to shrug. So, why not let Liza make it entertaining? The gal I will be presenting with lives in Cali and, let me tell ya, that does not leave time for Cabaret rehearsals.

On more important topics, I will venture to the land of KFR, Beetles, and bunnies while on my trip. Woot! Hug Attttttttttttaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!

The 3 Bears + Goldie = 1 Square Dance

So, yes. We might have square danced this weekend. Might have square danced in costume. Yes, that's right. Costume. Can you handle that mental image? The evening was quite delightful. Fondu before, dressing as one of the 3 bears (I was Papa with the tie), square dancing.... do see do, swing your partner, roll the barrel (not kidding), see-saw- oh how the list goes on. There was even a proper Caller to lead the way and keep us on the right track. He was a larger man who wore Key overalls as one might expect if they were to take the time to imagine such an individual. He was impressive. Overall the music was fantastic, people danced with enthusiasm, and a migraine only slowed me down at the end. All in all, a good night.

Try it people, you might like it.

gracias

WFH: coffee anyone?

Yeah. So, I have to go online and take a personality test to see what sort of temperament I have in relation to the other worker bees. Woohoo!

More coffee please.

the day

• rain
• sun
• work/work/meeting/work/
  
• walk
• work/conversation with a bunny lover/work
• caught in big rain.... water dripping down from hair to bridge of nose.
  
• hail
• sun
  
• headache?no headache? I don't know! make up your mind, Mind!
• autumnal veggies
  
• conversations with Matt-O
• new down! new duvet! Take That cold nights! Bam!
• Alias
  

Super Nerd

So.... I have a few things to report.

• attended my first football game... cause, you know, I have school spirit and stuff
• attended my first roller derby EVENT... that one needs to marinate before I can fully appreciate the enormity of the spectacle
• brilliant sunshiny day today. John Denver would approve (if he hadn't crashed in the ocean)
  
• home office modification.
• microbrew beer in a can.
  
• am now frying expert.
  

Poetry on 8 Wheels

Yes. Poetry on 8 Wheels. Can you handle it? Picture it: red carpet on walls, black lights and mirror ball illuminating the way, Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" blaring over the sound system, me in skates. Oh yes, my friends. Poetry on 8 Wheels.

There were a number of highlights from last night's skating adventure, so I'll narrow it down to two. It may have come about 17 years late, but I can now check something off of life's To Do list.... I spun in the middle of the skating rink with my friend. Holding tight, focusing on your spinning parter (so as not to Machio), spin spin spin until the momentum just carries you through. It was like Blades of Glory, but cooler because it was on skates.

And just when I thought nothing could top the spinning in the middle of the skating rink, my friend A. and I requested Journey from the young roller skate pro in charge of the tunes. As the first notes of "Don't Stop Believing" began a wave of interpretive skate inspiration swept over us. Let me tell you something, if you think interpretive dance is difficult normally, try it in skates. There were coordinated hand signals, moments of flying, bursts of speed, and a not-to-be-attempted-by-amateurs move I like to call the Black Lotus. Weeeeeee!

Poetry on 8 Wheels.

Happy Friday.

fernando's newest tat

fernando_tat
Originally uploaded by another kind of nerd

Gather round for another edition of Name That Tat! This one should be healed up by this point as the image sat in my cell phone for a while.

not nice!

I ambled into the break room today for some water and saw this lovely little PostIt left by one of the security guards on a Pepsi machine. I'm of two minds about this: a) I totally want to make fun of it (hence the blog post) b) I wish Dude had contacted me as this particular vending machine has stolen at least $1.00 from me over the year. I could hold the vending machine re-stocking guy while he retrieved our collective $1.75. Rest assured, I no longer use this vending machine for my subsidized caffeine.

What is particularly striking about the note, at least to me, is the threat of it.... "I'm with security up front." Okay okay, this isn't as threatening as say, "I'm with security." Period. Direct and to the point, there's no messing around. Or how about, "I'm with security and plan on chasing your ass down on my Segway. Then I'll beat you over the head with my company issued bike helmet until I get my $0.75 back." Cause, you know, specifics can be scary.

Perhaps I could recruit this fellow for my Black Ops mission to destroy the household Christmas lights I saw up. But then again, he wears high-water pants. In the security world of Segways and "safe for another day" comments (not kidding with that one), high-water pants indicate newbies. The longer your tenure in the security world the closer the pant cuffs get the the ground. It is, after all, something to work towards in a world where the uniform is the same for all security guards.

Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant water break.

Bits

This little yukon gold was a stowaway from a trip to a farm to gather early Fall gourds, fruits, and veggies. I did not purchase potatoes on the outing. When gathering my purchases before me at home I spied this lonely little potato. What does one do with a mini potato such as this? Not much. In fact, you sort of stare at it and shake your head. One potato. One wee potato. Shall I roast it? Cut it into mini-fries? Make hash browns? Perhaps carve a stamp and make Halloween cards?

On other topics, last night I had my October Bliss seriously disturbed by the garish glow of Christmas decorations. ****CHRISTMAS****!!!!????? What in the Sam Hill is that about? It's October! I'm seriously contemplating a Black Ops mission to deal with that. It is, in my humble opinion, absolutely unacceptable to display Christmas decorations outside of the month of December.

That is all.

Sweet October

Rejoice my friends, for today is the 1st of October. Rejoice in sweater weather. Rejoice in cool nights. Rejoice in the sharp light of the sun as we turn on our axis. Rejoice in the World Series. Rejoice in piles of leaves that welcome an enterprising individual's leap. Even in the earthy smell of the leaves as they break down. In apple cider. In crisp mornings. In yellow, orange, and flaming red leaves. In ghosties and goblins demanding tricks and treats. In corn mazes. Rejoice in transitioning, summer to winter.

October, an august occasion.

waiting.

cell phone make-out

cell phone make-out
Originally uploaded by another kind of nerd

So, I'm rather disappointed. The US suffered today. Badly. I might go so far as to say, they had their asses handed to them. Marta was brilliant. Her goals... The Goal... words are insufficient. Brazil, quite frankly, outplayed the US at every single point on the pitch. But in all fairness, Shannon Boxx never should have been sent off. Terrible, terrible call. An egregious mistake from the refereeing team as no line(wo)man pulled the center ref aside to discuss the call. Out came the 2nd yellow. Thus out came the red. In stoppage time, no less! Story: At one small place I stayed at in Italy the little old woman who ran the B&B knew no English (it makes things interesting)... anyway, one night, she noticed a chair on the patio, set a bit apart from the others. In an unfortunate but funny accident, the chair broke earlier in the day. All the little Italian woman could think to say when she noticed the newly broken chair was "Disaster!" That's how I feel. Disaster! This is why I'm including the "cell phone make-out" photo. I'd just like to say, in this time of sorrow, that I'm glad that I have friends who perform acts of cell phone PDAs. Errr, I think. I'm also glad that my sister left me with high class vodka.

+ a goalkeeper change

Interesting. Briana Scurry will play in the net against Brazil tomorrow, not Hope Solo. Most interesting....

turn up the heat?

Fall is fast approaching. Time to do a Snoopy Dance if you haven't done so already. We are still, however, in that temperate climate netherworld that is late September-early October. Will it be warm today? Why yes, it will be warm, but only for a 30 minute period between 2:45 and 3:15. Dress accordingly. I'm quite excited and prepared for Fall Sweater weather. No coats, no problems.

Here's the problem... when does one turn on the heat in the house/apartment/loft/condo? Some try to hold out until November, relying on the calendar rather than any honest assessment of temperature. Many also wait for monetary reasons. I'm inclined to let the month of October be my guide. I don't need heat until October... maybe mid-October. And then I'll set it low... 67 or 68. You just watch me. Because I like my windows open, when I get up in the morning it's around 57 degrees in my house. That's a bit chilly. But the windows... at least 1 or 2 must be cracked! They must! Especially the bedroom window at night. It must be open if not cracked! Of course, I guess it all depends upon the climate one calls home.

ps: it is a very comfortable 67 degrees in my apartment right now. Sweatpants and a long sleeve shirt. Hot-diggity-dog!

The Rekishi Ninja

The Rekishi Ninja. Another Cool Kid/history nerd joins the blogosphere. This one is Cooler than most. Check him out.

Do it.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington -OR- Saddam

Oh, the irony. See, this is what happens when you take two personality tests on two different levels of coffee consumption. I took the the What Kind of Classic Movie Are You? test with the first few sips of my cuppa joe. The What Famous Leader Are You? test came a bit later, coffee basically done and getting cold. Hmmmmm......

What Classic Movie Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

What Famous Leader Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

Of interest.... or not.

First of all, when doing an "Of interest... or not" post one has to make the decision to use bullet points... or not. I've opted for the not, so clearly in my head I think I have some interesting things to say. Or not. Suddenly I just had the image of a debate much like the one between the The Man in Black (your hero and mine, Westley) and Vizzini in The Princess Bride... "You fool! You fell victim to one of the classic blunders! The most famous is never get involved in a land war in Asia, but only slightly less well-known is this: never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line!" But that is neither here nor there.

A few thoughts cropped up this evening. First (or is that second?), I must reiterate the deliciousness of the beer from the Schwelmer brewery in Germany. The Pils is particularly striking with a subtle hint of honey that absolutely slays me each and every time I have it. Sorry, I haven't had the Pils in a while and it is a fantastic beer. Additionally, I know an exceptional gal from a fine German town near this particular brewery. I must like it. Second, I didn't mind so much that the fellow who helped me at the Beer Haven called me "Hon" repeatedly. I was, after all, buying the delicious Schwelmer-Pils-with-a-hint-of-honey. But more than that, there was no creepiness in it. I heard the same in London, but it was "Love" there. I've since heard from a Brit that the term "Love" is not necessarily a given in England. I have to say, I enjoyed it when I heard it, probably needed it as well. But the "Hon"? Necessary? Probably not. Needed? Definitely not. What exactly is the social protocol for "Hon"? I don't, after all, live in the south. Is that the only reason that it didn't bother me, because I view it more as a weird southern hold-over, essentially foreign? Wait a minute, I say "honey" more than most (thanks Mom).... or not. I guess it's just enough to say that I haven't heard that in a while and enjoyed it more than the blanket "ma'am" that any female of 20+ years receives.

That is all.

pink + blue

Shhhhhh........ fall is coming. Don't say it too loud. Just go stock up on your late summer fruits and veggies and get cozy. Went to a farm yesterday and came away with delicious produce and a nice bouquet of flowers. How many tomatoes should one consume in a day, do you think? I'm currently avoiding the kitchen because I'd turn into Cookie Monster. Not the Cookie Monster of old (the cookie consuming one I grew up with and love), but the Cookie Monster that is hip to things like childhood obesity and thus stuffs his face with fruits and veggies.

Huzzah! 2 - Nil!

Yay! The Women's National Team defeated Sweden 2 - nil.

Now, random thoughts:

• The talent of Chuck Norris knows no bounds... anyone who has heard the Walker, Texas Ranger theme song can attest to that.
• The yummy goodness of garlic really is worth the dragon breath.
• An interesting barometer for any town is whether or not fairy wings are an acceptable addition to any outfit for an adult at any point during the year.
• The acceptance of capes, in the style of a superhero, is also an interesting barometer of a town.
• Cool, overcast days are delightful when they immediately follow 90+ degree weather.

Finis.

darnitallto.....

A tough start, but not one that can't be overcome. The first game ended in a 2-2 draw between the Women's National Team and the Korea DPR. Sweden is up next for the US.

I don't like that games start at 4:45am US time.

manual labor and other such things

So, this weekend I did about 3 hours of manual labor... outside... moving dirt... a lot of dirt. I have to say, that the 3 hours went by in a flash. Caught up in the spirit of community, pushed forward by good tunes (if I do say so myself) and necessary dance breaks, as well as a wee game of catch with a pooch, I was happy to be of some use. That 3 hours further cemented something (as if I needed it) that I have long since known about myself: I'm not cut out for manual labor. I'm a wimp. After the work was over I came home, took a long shower, and popped some necessary ibuprofen. Wimp, wimp, wimp. Of course, it's only because I don't have to make my living doing manual labor that I can be so cavalier about the whole thing.

To sort through past decisions and those moment that change the trajectory of ones life, numerically speaking, I checked the latest census numbers for my current city X and my hometown of Y and culled the most pertinent to any discussion of labor, manual or not.

City X ................. City Y

Population (est. 2003) .............................. 142,185 ............................... 80,223
Language, other than English
spoken at home (2000) ............................. 10.0% ................................. 30.5%
High school graduates, percentage
of persons 25+, 2000 ................................ 91.5% ............................... 69.4%
Bachelor's degree +,percentage
of persons 25+, 2000 ............................... 37.3% ............................... 16.0%
Persons below poverty, 1999 ................... 17.1% ............................... 22.4%
Per capita money income, 1999 ............... $21,315 ............................... $15,920

And the sad part is, my hometown isn't the worst, by far. Just to give you a look at just how close people are to the poverty line, a single person that earned less than $9,800 in 2006 lived below the poverty line as determined by the government for the 48 contiguous states and D.C. Yeah. Big thanks go to Mom and Dad for pushing me towards college and your continual support. I'm not dumb enough to think I did it on my own.

my little friend

This summer I've had a fairly regular visitor. He first showed up on my basil...


He stayed a week or so, then seemed to disappear. A little less than a month ago I spotted him hanging out on my screen door. I think he was watching TV. Anyhoo, he disappeared again.

Last Friday I spotted him in my kitchen... sneaky little bugger. My little friend and sometimes basil thief was hangin' out on the ceiling, like he was listening to Lionel Richie or something. To each their own, right?

Needless to say, I couldn't leave him unaccompanied all weekend, so out he went (gently). On the way out he told me his name was Pierre, named by his Francophile father who, of all things, road the rails.


ps: migraines still suck

elastic waste band

I sing the praises of the elastic waste band:

• beer expansion
• miniature cheeseburger expansion
• miniature Moon Pie expansion
• Zubaz pants... expansion in all quarters. hells yes.
• Sweatpants! Thank you no, I haven't given up on life, KFR.

one visit, one almost visit

Guest #2 arrives shortly. My abode is turning into a veritable hotel... or veritable Bed & Breakfast... or veritable Hostel... or I suppose the repeated use of "veritable" might diminish the meaning just a tad... but hey, who's counting? Incidentally, this also may be a veritable post of ellipses.... Err, I apologize.

The one visit: Trust in Steel will be here this evening, one stopping point on his move into the depths of hell better known as the L to the A. There are some visits, some food, and some billiards on the agenda.

The one almost visit: Ms. Naturally is once again on US soil. I believe much of her 24 hours in country were spent on sleeping, an appropriate and highly understandable response. This response, however, had an unfortunate side effect; she slept through our lunch. No problem, she'll be back down soon enough and I can entertain myself (read: eavesdrop on other customers of the eating establishment).

Enjoy the rest of your week.

Over and out.

market of the farmers

Bee.

Carrots.


Mushrooms.

in numbers: 7 days

• 1 moderately awkward dinner= 3 normal people + 1 talker = 3.5 hours/2 gin & tonics
• 850 miles in 19 hours of driving... averaging the staggering speed of 45 mph due to traffic and driving conditions, but well worth it. Woohoo!
• 2 states
• 3 (wee) snakes
  
• 2 tamales
  
• 5 beautiful people
• 1 missed funeral. bad.
• 1 Easy Cheese Tower contest (picture at right)
  
• 1 cuban cigar... more like a half, or 1/3
  
• 22 hours worked in two days. Double Woohoo!
• 1 trip to a government office = 2 new plates = 1 hour
• omnipresent threat of bears... for some anyway, and particularly at night. Gasp!... yes, I'm including omnipresent as a number and I don't care what anyone says... I've worked way too many hours this week to care one hoot.
  

treadmill, a random rant

Treadmills. They're devilish machines; a special kind of torture, methinks. When in the home, they're hidden away in rooms people don't use or covered with dirty clothes while in gyms they're lined up, displayed for all the world to see like a student of torture proudly displaying his tools of the trade. Yeah. Mostly I just find them inane and boring. If I ever had one in my home it would be in a room filled with boxes and TV from 1972. At gyms I rarely, if ever, use them. Run outside. Even better, run to the gym rather than drive your car. This is all a very long-winded way of saying I ran on a treadmill yesterday for the first time in years. I think the only reason I got on was due solely to the fact that a considerable amount of time had passed since my last go. Ugh. Are you kidding me? Running in place and getting nowhere? At least make it entertaining... I'm thinking something akin to the running wheel in a hamster's cage.

There is, I must admit, one entertaining side effect to running in place and getting nowhere. After a certain point of spinning your wheels, your workout done, you disembark. When you walk away from the machine is when the fun starts... not because you're no longer running, but because you feel like you're walking at warp speed. You might as well be standing on the deck of the Enterprise. Twenty minutes of running and not moving makes the motion (at least the view) of walking appear ridiculously fast. Try it sometime, then wait a few years and try it again. I promise you'll find it as entertaining as I did.

In other news, Lauren flies in tomorrow! C. and I shall retrieve her from the big city for the weekend. Huzzah! Now, I'm not psychic, but I see Easy Cheese in the future. Additionally, my old pal from the Cave (serendipitously, we had the same start day as Faces of the Basement) has got herself a shiny new blog -cough- never mind that 4 post drivel from a year ago -cough- . Give Teddy Jean a read.

From the Archives: Police Blotter

Cleaning out the guest room in preparation for our very own Hebrew National consuming, history studying, endlessly analyzing fly-by-night camper Smurf This, I found another example of the wonders of Ellensburg's police blotter. This one is about 5 years old:

• Patio furniture was taken from a 14th Avenue location.
• A car was reported stolen from a Cle Elum car lot.
• A Nelson Siding Road woman reported that she need two deputies because she believed her husband has been trying to kill her over the past 14 years with lasers he had installed in the walls of the residence.
• A vehicle versus bicycle accident was reported on Third Avenue.
• A Reecer Creek Road resident reported hearing sirens, then saw what look like a ball of fire fall from an airplane.
• A motorcycle versus tree accident was reported on Bullfrog Road.
• A man was laying face down in the center of Berry Road.

The choice of favorite is a difficult one. Lasers, balls of fire, trees getting into accidents.... Madness!

Today Was A Good Day

Out on a walk this afternoon I saw one of the Goodyear blimps. All I could think of was Ice Cube...

Small note on rappers, not that I listen to that much rap or have anything to say worth hearing: I miss the female rappers of the 90s. Salt n' Peppa, Queen Latifa, TLC.

Your assignment, should you choose...

... to accept it, is to write your own "welcome to the company" email. Errr, write my own welcome email that details my many workplace achievements as well as past employers that serve to mark me as qualified or worthy? Welcome. Email.

It will be short.

This is all a way of saying that I was finally converted to a full-time employee, no more of this contractor-no-vacation-or-sick-days riff-raff. So, Huzzah! This has been in the works for almost a month or so and since I technically start my new position on Monday I thought I could now write about it. Didn't want to, you know, jinx it and stuff... *twisting toe back and forth on ground*

Among the firsts in this process was the salary negotiation. That was interesting. The HR person really gave me the hard sell, detailing my many inadequacies. This was all, of course, an attempt on their part to get me to accept the low first offer. Little did they know that I prepared for such tactics by having people heap ridiculous amounts of praise on me while simultaneously figuring out my mental negotiating outfit: dark pin-stripe suit complimented by some worn in and well used cowboy boots.... there may have been a broom handle stuffed up the back of the suit as well. Of course, I don't own a dark pin-stripe suit and I didn't walk around with a broom handle stuffed up the back of my shirt. No matter. These little mental images and ego boosters from friends did the trick. I performed beautifully, parrying every snide comment on my lack of experience or location with a skill that both surprised and delighted me. Somehow I don't think they want achievements such as this detailed in the Welcome Email.

ps. I'm now open to suggestions for my task. I was thinking of something along the lines of, "_______, a Sagittarius with strong undercurrents of Scorpio, loves food and travel... particularly when the two are combined." As you can now plainly see, I got nuttin'.

Police Blotter

I'm absolutely terrible about checking one particular email account I've had for a while. Thus I totally missed this wonderful message passed on to me from a friend and former roommate almost 2 months ago. . . bad, bad me.

And anyone who knows me also knows they can't escape stories of the Yak or the Burg. Such is life.

I present one entry of the Police Blotter for the Burg, from 30 - 31 May. My favorite one is the 12th one down....

• A Smithson Road resident reported finding cattle in his yard.
• A man from New York was acting strangely and refused to accept his $50 in change after all his credit cards were declined and was forced to pay cash at a Main Street business.
• Someone smashed a car window of a vehicle parked at a Pine Streetrecreational center.
• A large black pig was running down Wilson Creek Road.
• An angry man accompanied by a young boy was making religious statements for several hours in front of a building on Walnut Street.
• A concerned citizen reported that a Rainier Street resident of Kittitas was not watering or feeding three dogs.
• A Juniper Avenue resident reported that a man came into her residence while she and her roommate were sleeping.
• A Parke Creek Road resident was bit by a dog.
• An argument on Seattle Street was reported.
• A Reecer Creek Road resident reported that her neighbor was refusing to prevent his cattle from destroying her property.
• A Walnut Street resident reported seeing a man and a woman walk into her apartment.
• A Mellegard Road resident reportedly suffered eye and leg lacerations after her sister punched and threw her down in a dispute over property.
• Someone drove away without paying for $63.36 in gas pumped at a Canyon Road business.
• A Robinson Canyon Road resident reported finding five horses in her yard and another seven were on Thorp Highway.
• An officer unwrapped a puppy that was tangled and choking on its leash on Second Street in Cle Elum.
• A domestic dispute involving a man on top of a car parked on McDonald Road was reported.
  
• A group of people were arguing on Third Avenue.

You can't make this stuff up, people.