Let Us Go Then, You and I

I am interupting the normal lack of programming...

2011-03-03T10:19:00.002-05:00

...to say Happy 600th Post to Maggie over at Maggie Rose Online. I also hope I win today's giveaway from Shabby Apple! (pick me! pick me!)

You can now return to other blogs while I continue to slog through hand-addressing invitation envelopes.

Food Matters

2011-01-26T09:35:00.004-05:00

Blogging. Something I have really not even thought about, except when my friends pester me to update. I suppose since I did move across the country, I owe them something. But I really don't want to bore you with every wedding-related idea I'm currently obsessing over. I reserve that for my poor fiance.

The most notable things going on with me right now are my attempts to revise my grad school personal statement, and also revise the way I eat. I've been shopping around trying to find the right "formula" for a way to eat healthfully. I don't want to diet, and I don't want to deprived myself. I don't need those things in my life. But I do want a structured way to make the right decisions. I found it! I didn't need to look much farther than Mark Bittman, my favorite "celeb chef" whose New York Times blog has been on those links to the side there for years.

Mark Bittman recently wrote "Food Matters", a chronicle of his own awakening to the "insane" way we eat in America loaded with facts and analogies to illustrate how factory farming is destroying more than just cows and chickens. It's also destroying our environment, our health, and our financial well-being. Since then, he's also been touting a more sane way to eat, and a food deal he struck with himself. It's called "Vegan Before Six." He eats no dairy, meat or processed food before dinner, then he eats what he wants. Learn more here. (While most of the information is not new to those of us who've read Michael Pollan or watched Food, Inc. But I find Bittman's conversational and practical voice convincing in a fresh way.)

I'm on Day 8 now, and I won't stop here! After the first 2 days, I stopped wanting the string cheese I'd recently stocked in the work fridge. I used soy in my coffee and didn't mind the difference. I bring lunches of veggie-hummus wraps and this delicious squash dish I made this week. I haven't cut out homemade backed goods, and probably never will. That would not fit under the "sane" eating label, in my book. Now I feel it's easy, and the more I read "Food Matters", the more fortified I am in my resolve. Last week I probably ate a total of 7 servings of dairy and 5 of meat. Almost every day I ate my 5 recommended servings of fruits and veggies. I haven't been tracking my weight, but I feel lighter. It's a sustainable and intelligent alternative to a diet, and to our current culture's eating "situation."

I will try to post my favorite recipes here, as I continue the pursuit of Vegan Before 6, or "VB6." What do you all think of this? Have you made similar changes to the way you eat lately?

Holiday Hustle and Bustle

2010-12-06T21:37:00.001-05:00

It is difficult to blog when you are also applying to graduate school, trying to work out 3-4 times a week after a 40 hour work week, trying to join an intimidating new book club, manage holiday gift giving (and making), and plan a wedding. It is difficult to find time or motivation. And to be quite honest, I'm not seeing a huge flow of bolstering comments around here to light the fire.

Speaking of fire, here is what Aaron and I did this weekend, in addition to visiting the awesome Newseum and hosting an out of town guest. We gathered a few discarded branches at the tree lot, where we also found this cute little number on the right. The stockings are from Target, but I'm hoping to snag some discounted post-holiday fabric and Martha myself some new ones for next year. (Like how I used Martha as a verb? It's the new "Google".)

I'll be home for Christmas for 2 weeks in December and am very much looking forward to it. I may be taking just a bit of research home for a new work assignment (possible publication??) and will hope to do a blitz of wedding decor shopping and crafting. Apparently DC does not donate anything (no Goodwill within the limits), does not create anything (no mainstream craft hubs to speak of), and does not want to by anything for a dollar, or at least from a dollar store. Hard to execute a budget wedding in these hostile conditions.

Next weekend we're going to visit New York for some big city holiday cheer. I'm looking forward to it. No promises for big blogs in the near future, but hope this resuscitates things a bit.

Book 16: Absolute Trust in the Goodness of the Earth

2010-10-28T21:57:00.002-04:00

My most recently finished book was also my first DC Public library book. Absolute Trust in the Goodness of the Earth is a book of poetry by Alice Walker, author of one of my all-time favorite books, The Color Purple. After my brutal 2 months trying to finish Book 15, I thought I deserved a break.

Here are two of my favorites from the political, earthy, simply-stated, sensual collection.

Patriot

If you
Want to show
Your love
For America
Love
Americans
Smile
When you see
One
Flowerlike
His
Turban
Rosepink.

Rejoice
At the
Eagle feather
In a grandfather's
Braid.

If a sister
Bus rider's hair
Is
Especially
Nappy
A miracle
In itself
Praise it.

How can there be
Homeless
In a land
So crammed
With houses

&
Young children
Sold
As sex snacks
Causing our thoughts
To flinch &
Snag?

Love your country
By loving
Americans.

Love Americans.

Salute the soul
& the body
Of who we
Spectacularly &
Sometimes
Pitifully are.
Love us. We are
The flag.

Grace

Grace
Gives me a day
Too beautiful
I had thought
To stay indoors
& yet
Washing my dishes
Straightening
My shelves
Finally
Throwing out
The wilted
Onions
Shrunken garlic
Cloves
I discover
I am happy
To be inside
Looking out.
This, I think,
Is wealth.
Just this choosing
Of how
A beautiful day
Is spent.

Book 15: Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell

2010-10-27T21:25:00.000-04:00

There were many times I almost gave up on Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. I started reading it in a Brazilian airport on our way back to the states. After a long plane ride and a solid beginning, we moved, I started a job, and we started planning a wedding. All of these took up lots of time and energy. I was only reading about 10 pages a day, on average. Not a good pace to finish a 1,000-pager.

In the end, I'd give this book 3 of 5 stars. It had a strong beginning and a few great high points. However, as someone told Mozart in Amadeus that his music had "too many notes", this book may have had too many stories. Susanna Clarke creates an elaborate history of magic in England, and the two gentlemen-magicians bringing it back the the fore during the Napoleonic wars in the 19th century. She certainly paints a detailed picture of the time, setting, and skillfully inserts her own fantastical history into it. There were footnotes of stories real and imagined, and interactions between fictional and historical characters. It was fun to read, when it wasn't meandering.

One of my most literary friends raved about this book (and she isn't alone - it won loads of awards), and I heard it compared to a cross between Jane Austen's witty narration of English society and JRR Tolkein's elaborate, dramatic fantasy. I would agree, and add that it was also the length of Pride & Prejudice (minus the most romantic scenes) plus 2/3 of the Lord of the Rings Series. It was well done, but not for everyone (Everyone including those with short attention spans and significant life events occurring.)

Ghosts of History

2010-10-17T22:11:00.000-04:00

Ever since moving to DC, I've been awestruck by the number of historical (and just historical-looking) buildings in the city. If you walk from my office to my apartment, you go straight through the Mall and the Capitol, past the monuments, and brick and marble buildings like the Supreme Court or even just Senate offices. I always think that if just one of these buildings, even a pretty humble one that is just used as offices now, were transplanted into Portland or San Francisco, it would become a local celebrity. For all the West Coast's attributes (and I could go on and on), it certainly doesn't feel as historically significant, as monumental (literally.)

Tonight I joined some friends on a walking ghost tour of DC done by Washington Walks. This is the Octagon House, the most haunted place in the District. Three times as creepy in person and at night.

Aside from it being a well-delivered tour and a gorgeous night, it was a reminder of what a cool place I've moved into. Significant events happen here daily in the political sector, the vast amount of art and artifacts on display (and mostly free) is mind-boggling, and nearly every corner of the city has a history all it's own. The past is constantly present, and for a history nerd like myself, that is pretty awesome.

Adorable DIY

2010-10-12T11:02:00.000-04:00

I like to take breaks at work. Sometimes the breaks consist of mindless clicking through facebook, sometimes I'll listen to the hourly news on NPR, but sometimes I discover a whole new corner of the internet that I never knew existed, and sometimes that is monumental.

Today I discovered "I Do"-It-Yourself, an amazing and inspirational blog full of wedding details. Many downloads are posted, from lemonade labels to invitation templates. Every little bit is cute and clever and classy - a true DIY feat. I especially love the vintage-inspired designs with decorative flourishes.

During my break (which became a little long), I clicked through to The Wedding Chicks and The Vintage Moth, all in the vein of beautiful, downloadable eye-candy. Now, your turn for a break.

October Flavors

2010-10-09T12:51:00.000-04:00

Hello, October. I've missed you.

It's my favorite month! This weekend it was made better by amazing fall weather, a visit from our Berkeley buddy Vanessa, and this delicious leek bread pudding I helped her make last night. The dressing we made for our salad involved lemons and we have lots leftover. So I am going to put them to use with my mom's famous lemon bread tonight.

We're headed out into the beautiful DC day for a museum and maybe a pumpkin spice latte. Then I'm back to attempt this family favorite.

Mom's Lemon Bread

6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 lemon, grated rind only
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk, at room temperature
***Glaze:***
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-inch loaf pan. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs; beat well. Add lemon rind and juice. Sift together dry ingredients. Add to butter mixture alternating with milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Pour into pan. Bake 50 to 60 minutes until a tester comes out clean.

Meanwhile, prepare glaze: Dissolve sugar in lemon juice. As soon as bread is done baking, spoon glaze over hot loaf. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan.

Note: You can add ½ cup chopped walnuts or blueberries for variation. You can use smaller, aluminum bread pans and cut the baking time in half.

Engagement Photos - bookstore series

2010-10-01T16:03:00.000-04:00

Our photographer, Kendra Joy Seymour, had a great idea for our engagement session. I think it's adorable, and showcases a very special part of our past. I love the colors from the bookshelf, too. Enjoy!

Engagement Photos - First Look

2010-09-28T15:47:00.001-04:00

I'm excited to unveil a first round of engagement photos shot by our good friend and burgeoning photographer, Kendra Joy Seymour. We spent an afternoon walking around Georgetown, the waterfront, and Dupont circle getting some fun shots. It was fun to be a model for a day, even with Aaron talking about how many ways he would kill himself to end the misery (Aaron does not like having his photo taken, especially for several hours.)

Here are some of my favorites for a first round.

Enjoying the view of the Potomac River

Georgetown brick

Strolling

A fitting sign for this engagement business

Historical house in Georgetown

A fountain at the waterfront

Walking on the waterfront, 3000 miles from the waterfront where he proposed

Showing off

A laugh at Dupont

and a sweet moment

Dupont Circle fountain - we took lots of takes. There were photos where I got great air, but this had the cutest faces.

Thank you, Kendra for taking so much time to take and edit the photos. We are so thrilled, and hope it will be a good start to a surely-extensive future portfolio!

Stay tuned for bookstore hijinx and a visit to the Smithsonian...

Worst Summer in the US

2010-09-26T16:47:00.001-04:00

To prove that all my whining about DC's heat and humidity is not just me being a weak West-coaster, the Weather Channel dubbed DC the Worst Summer in the US, weather-wise.

It was supposed to rain today, but I see blue skies out my window. Still, I will be breaking out the rainboots soon. And I will be glad to have days out of the high 80s.

<<<>>>

I braved an oppressively hot day yesterday for the National Book Festival on the Mall, put on by the Library of Congress. Many authors from a variety of genres gave presentations and signed books, and I dragged Laura to see Jonathan Safron Foer, author of one of my favorite books ever Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. He spoke mostly about his latest work of non-fiction, Eating Animals. Reminded of what a great story teller he is, I will probably read Eating Animals, though I'd been putting it off, feeling a little worn out on food exposes. Someone asked if Extremely Loud would be turned into a movie, as his first book (Everything is Illuminated) was. He said it was being looked at, and there was probably the same likelihood of it being turned into a movie as of Iran getting a nuclear bomb. Not sure where that puts us, but I will look forward to it and hope for the best outcome. We couldn't bare to stand in the signing line, but it was fun and enlightening to hear Foer's short presentation.

Bridal Blogging

2010-09-24T11:07:00.000-04:00

As a future bride, I can now look at wedding blogs! (Actually, it means I can look at wedding blogs openly, not having to frantically opening a new tab and try to act cool when I'm almost caught.) Here are two of my favorite blogs for eye candy, inspiration and romance:

Style Me Pretty

Once Wed

Both feature beautiful real weddings that have charming details and a unique, indie flare. Lots of DIY ideas and personalized touches to light up the pleasure centers of my bridal brain.

Housewarmed

2010-09-19T19:28:00.000-04:00

This weekend we hosted our friend Derek from Berkeley, kicking off a full fall roster of visitors. We also threw ourselves a little housewarming party. It was really nice, and comforting, to be able to fill our apartment with old and new friends after only a month in DC. (Not that we've been out cultivating friends like social guerrillas, we just got lucky with about a dozen people we already knew who proceeded us in the migration.)

In addition to some classic deviled eggs, I cooked up these stuffed mushrooms. Our California buddy Vanessa first served them to us at her casa, and I've still been thinking about them a year later. They are delicious.

Stuffed Mushrooms
Brian Reid, after Julia Child

Outline:
• Prepare mushroom caps, saving stems.
• Preheat oven to 375.
•Make the filling, spoon it in to the caps on a baking pan.
• Put butter and cheese on top of each filled cap.
• Bake 20 minutes and cool 10 minutes. Remove to a platter for serving.

Ingredients:
• 12 large white mushroom caps
• 1 stick of butter, melted [or less]
• 1/4 cup white onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup of white parts of shallots, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup dry white bread crumbs, unseasoned
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup Madeira wine [or replace with a bit more butter]
• 1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese [I doubled the Parm instead]

Making:
• Remove stems from mushroom caps. Put caps on a lightly-buttered baking pan (it needs sidewalls), then season each with salt, pepper, and melted butter.
• Chop the mushroom stems into fine pieces. Wrap them in a dishtowel and use it as a tourniquet to squeeze as much water as you can out of the chopped stems. [I skipped this step and it was fine.] Put the squeeze-dried chopped mushrooms in a bowl with the chopped shallots.
• Sauté the chopped onions in butter over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, making sure they don’t brown. Add the mushrooms and shallots, turn the heat up a bit, and sauté for 6-8 minutes, or until the mushroom pieces separate and start to brown.
•Add the Madeira and boil it down until it’s almost gone. [I just added more butter.]
• Turn off the heat. Add bread crumbs, Parmesan, 1/4 cup of the Gruyere and some tarragon.
• Stir until it’s blended, then add salt and pepper to taste. Let it cool a little bit so you don’t burn yourself spooning it into the caps. The filling wants to be a little salty because you’re making an appetizer.

Baking:
• In an oven preheated to 375 degrees, bake them for 20 minutes.
• Cool 5 minutes, then use tongs to move to a serving platter. They will be too hot to move with your fingers, they will fall off a spatula, and you won’t be able to get them onto a spoon.

"Everyone thinks that girl's a lady..."

2010-09-16T15:52:00.000-04:00

Kate Nash has been one of my favorite singer/songwriters for years, and her latest album delivers even more cheeky British wit. This is probably my favorite song on the album, and the video is adorable.

Enjoy!

Amen.

2010-09-12T10:53:00.000-04:00

I have been so bothered this week by the outpouring of Anti-Islam sentiment splashing around, between the Quran-burning pastor in Florida and the outcry against building an Muslim community center in New York. There seems to be a sudden rash of rage against Muslim people, and it is incendiary and troubling.

I was relieved, but not surprised, to see that Nicholas Kristof took on the subject in his column this week, Is This America?

“This is not America. America was not built on hate.”

A Few of my Favorite Things...

2010-09-07T17:09:00.000-04:00

If we had the luxury of starting work later, Aaron and I would have been museum and monument hoping every day. Unfortunately (but fortunately for our bank accounts), we started work almost immediately after moving to Washington. Aside from a quick visit to the dinosaurs in the National Museum of Natural History this weekend, we've been avoiding touristy things on the weekends.

Here are some of the places that are shaping up to be my favorite non-touristy things in DC:

1) Baked and Wired. I have been here three times in as many weeks. This cupcakery lies in pretty red-brick Georgetown. They have the best cupcakes I've ever tasted (which are, in order of consumption, Chai Tea, Carrot Cake and Red Velvet. Aaron loves their Elvis - Banana cake, peanut butter icing and chocolate drizzle.) They also have delicious coffee.

2) Zola Happy Hour. Because Happy Hour is a big deal in DC, and so is this restaurant. With $5 cocktails and $1.50 gourmet sliders, I can see visiting this place many weeknights in my future.

3) Kramer's Books in Dupont. If I had a paycheck (and if that paycheck weren't already spent before it even touched my account), I would march it right down to the bustling Dupont Circle neighborhood and give it a work out at this independent bookstore. It has extensive offerings but still feels cozy and local. They also let us play around a bit taking engagement photos this weekend. (Here is a sneak peak... more to come!)

4) The Mall. Yes, this is actually quite a touristy place. I actually just like to walk by and around it. Aaron and I have taken several walks near it on our way home from the neighborhood in which we work. I like to see the Washington or the Capitol building peaking out from above the trees. There is usually a softball game going on and countless beautiful buildings on the walk.

5) Our Apartment! The honeymoon phase is not over. The more we decorate and settle in, the more I love it. It has stayed pretty cool in the heat, and our proximity to Metro cannot be beat. Sometimes I feel differently at 5 am when someone drives through the neighborhood blaring Lionel Richie music (I know.. right?), but generally it's perfect for us. It will be even better when we get our new bed delivered tomorrow!

Our DC Apartment

2010-09-04T11:41:00.000-04:00

We've been residents of our DC apartment for three weeks today and I feel like we're really settled in. We dubbed our abode the Potomac Penthouse, since we're on Potomac Ave and our apartment is on the top floor.

We both were working this week, getting into our metro commutes and even had our first after-work DC Happy Hour. We've taken several evening walks to the Capitol building and down the Mall. We have our favorite grocery stores, though we need to find a good spot to buy produce.

We finally got most of our decor up this week, and are taking advantage of the Labor Day sales to buy a bed! (Thanks Laura, for letting us hog your air mattress for awhile.) The bedroom isn't entirely put together yet, but our living spaces feel complete, and I thought I'd finally share.

Our living room, with the new TV (Aaron's post-bar gift to himself.)

Another angle on the living room - the couch is a sofa bed (great for visitors!) but the white cover was pretty dingy. We've got a sheet over it until the right slipcover presents itself.

The dining room table was purchased from the last tenants, and the maps of the Pacific Northwest and the San Francisco Bay Area will remind us of the other great places we've lived. Our collection of board games is supposed to advertise how fun we are. The empty champagne bottle on the shelf is a momento from our first day in DC, when Kendra and Laura were waiting on our doorstop ready for a toast.

The kitchen - small and now much cleaner than when we got here.

Hopefully the bedroom will become photo-worthy soon. The bed will help!

We're Engaged!

2010-08-27T22:11:00.000-04:00

What a month of excitement we've had with Brazil, moving to DC, and starting new jobs. Oh, and getting engaged!

Aaron asked me if I'd like to get married on August 13 near Pier 33 in San Francisco. Since it was our last night in the Bay Area before we flew to DC indefinitely, we had planned to have a nice dinner overlooking the bay. Aaron suggested we get there early and we spent some time strolling along the Embarcadero, admiring the city scape and the gray bay. We started talking about our favorite California memories and took a seat on a bench overlooking a boat dock. Once we were alone, Aaron asked a memorable question...

Us, after I said yes and earned my "prize" for answering correctly.

After a short celebration we had a delicious dinner and toasted with California wine at Butterfly.

I took a picture of the Ferry Building on our way home to capture an image of that night. Even though it's a technically poor photo, I think it perfectly shows the mood of the night - bright, excited, a little surreal.

We were ecstatic, but couldn't take much time to celebrate before packing up and leaving CA. It was a long day, full of emotions from all over the spectrum!

Aaron pouts a little before we pack up our boxes into that U-Haul and send them off to DC.

Books 12-14

2010-08-26T15:13:00.000-04:00

Since I finished 3 books in the last few weeks (basically the only redeeming quality about long flights), I decided to compile a short summary for each. So, here is my brief review on each.

Book 12: I Was Told There'd Be Cake by Sloane Crosley
Most hilarious book I've ever read. Read this book of witty, frank essays. I probably will again.

Book 13: On Beauty by Zadie Smith
A novel exploring how a community relates to each other: student to professor, professor to university, parent to child, husband to wife, liberal to conservative, private self to public self, across and amidst classes and races. Smith's narrative is beautiful while her characters are at times repulsive and their lives are painful.

Book 14: Candide by Voltaire
A short, classic volume. A real zinger on the naivite of optimism, and the ugliness of 18th century European Bourgeois.

The Story of Brazil

2010-08-24T15:44:00.000-04:00

I have been back from Brazil for nearly 2 weeks now, but so much has been happening that I haven't had the time to post. Okay, actually I've had the time, but not the energy. I decided that if I get to ambitious with this post, it will never happen. And certain people have been nagging about, I mean requesting, an update.

My facebook album is here and available to everyone. I tried to give detailed caption that tell a coherent story of our adventure.

To recap, our journey was divided into three major sections with a few days of travel and transition between.

Part 1: The Pantanal, the World's largest wetland. It had us singing The Circle of Life from the Lion King constantly, because the Savannah landscape surprised us a bit. Maybe I didn't do my research, but I expected some jungle habitat. Well, turns out Brazil is huge and varied. Who knew? We went on "safaris" looking for wildlife and got a kick out of the "birders" who took a gazillion pictures with comically large cameras. We got sore bums from riding horses, got up close to caymans and cranes, went on boat rides at sunset and fished for piranhas (I caught 5!) and found a young anaconda in the wild! The fun thing about this part of the trip was that I would have never planned it for myself - and I had a great time! The eco-tourist lodge was cozy and served great food, and our guides were knowledgeable and fun.

Part 2: Iguassu Falls. We spent a day on the Argentina side of this amazing natural wonder where we took trails over and around the major falls, and the next day on the Brazilian side taking in panoramic views and getting drenched on catwalks. It was so much fun, and absolutely breathtaking! We also learned some valuable lessons about Brazilian culture in the city of Iguassu - 1) The soup buffet is never free. 2) Despite what you may expect, the McFlurry is not standardized around the globe. 3) Toucans are cheeky little birds, and don't really understand personal space. 4) In Brazil, even "family shows" may include ladies in thongs and pasties.

Part 3: Rio de Janeiro. Nearly all of my expectations were defied on this leg - our only real time without a structured tour. It was foggy, chilly, and we only spotted 1 scantily clad beach-goer! Despite the disappointing weather (we know, it's their winter, but even the locals said it was colder than normal), we saw the Christ the Redeemer statue, Ipanema and Copacabana beaches, and toured around the bohemian neighborhood where we stayed in a cool B & B - Santa Teresa.

After a 25 hour travel day, we arrived back in California ready for a big salad. It was a fantastic trip - and I would recommend Part 1 & 2 to anyone ecologically minded, and Part 3 or looking for an adventure in a city. If I did it again I would have hit the Rosetta Stone Portuguese seriously - that language sounds nothing like what you'd think, and they look at you blankly most of the time we tried Spanish.

Thanks to the Brauer-Riekes for an unforgettable experience, and Dolly from Amazonia Expeditions for the excellent tour!

A Taste of Brazil

2010-08-07T17:52:00.000-04:00

Until I get back to the states, and blog in depth (with pictures) about the amazing vacation in Brazil we´re having so far, here are a few teasers to hold your attention:

I held an anaconda snake found in the wild.
We watched a beautiful red sunset over a river from a boat.
I went pirhana fishing and caught 5!
A tucan violated my personal space.
I saw waterfalls spanning the equivalent of 26 city blocks at Iguassu.
We´re on our way to see a 130 ft Jesus in Rio.

Until I return in 4 days, Boa Noite from Brazil!

Book 11: Love in the Time of Cholera

2010-07-24T13:15:00.000-04:00

It seems out of place among the posts about frantically packing to post about Book 11. But I have spent many hours captive on planes and buses in the last two weeks, and finishing Love in the Time of Cholera became a reward at the end of this week's long days.

The timing is bad, however, for me to write a post as detailed and lauding as I wish I could. To put it shortly, as Library Journal review describes, "this is a compelling exploration of the myths we make of love." The story sweeps a grand scale-over half a century that sees the rise of the telegraph to the automobile. But within that wide scope, Gabriel Garcia Márquez paints an amazingly detailed picture with every short scene, every entangled character, and makes heartbreaking observations about life, death, and love. Many times I would reread a luminous sentence or an entire colorful paragraph. One of my favorite lines, tucked into the drama, was this: "...but he allowed himself to by swayed by the conviction that human beings are not born once and for all on the day their mothers give birth to them, but that life obliges them over and over again to give birth to themselves." (page 165)

Each character, even if they only appear for a page, is a potential novel of their own. The Caribbean city of the saga, though it is never named, plays a large role. The changes of the 19th century, the quarrels of husband and wife, the delusions people cling to, the past that so dictates the future, they are all deep and vital pieces.

Near the end of the book, Florentino Ariza, who has been lovesick for 50 years, begins to write a meditation on life - what it means to love, to live, to die. This story is that. It is at times beautiful, ridiculous, intimate, frustrating, powerful, or surprising. It was a wonderful world to escape into.

A Nearly Empty Room

2010-07-23T15:24:00.000-04:00

Here's our room, down a bed (don't worry, we have a guest room for another week). Most of the stuff is packed into boxes and stored in the basement for our return from Brazil, when we'll take it all over to Amtrak and send it on the rails to meet us in DC. The remaining packing tasks are sheets, glasses, clothes and shoes, some miscellaneous clutter, and that sewing machine.

Plan of Attack

2010-07-20T01:49:00.000-04:00

Well, vacation is absolutely over.

I have a major draft of my summer work project due on Wednesday and hope it isn't too rough. Additionally, I face a mountain of cleaning, sorting, packing, selling and good-bye-ing to do in the next 10 days. I've created To Do lists for each day, front-loading most of the work and leaving some days open except for social obligations to serve as a reservoir for unfinished tasks.

Here is my life until July 30:

Most dreaded tasks include cleaning the living room with huge windows to wash and lots of surfaces to clean, and packing the kitchen stuff (everything is so oddly shaped!) Most enjoyable duties will be Friday night mojitos with gal pals to toast Julie's birthday, the premiere of Mad Men Season 4, and the AmeriCorps graduation celebration on July 29!

Dream Jobs

2010-07-19T01:18:00.000-04:00

At each job interview I had last week, I was asked what my dream job was. In the moment I answered with which ever of my 13 dream jobs most applied to the position. But it got me thinking back to all careers I've considered over my life. Here is a short list in roughly chronological order.

Mermaid*
Orphan
Author
Teacher
Paleontologist
Ballerina
Marine Biologist
Historian*
Journalist
Politician*
Lawyer
Art Historian
Professor*
Policy Analyst*
Lobbyist*
Director of worthy-cause organization*

*= still under consideration.

New Beginnings Abound

2010-07-15T15:55:00.000-04:00

I've been staying on a wonderful air mattress in Laura's adorable DC apartment since Monday night, and I am sad to leave. It's been a few days full of fun, good food and conversation, promising job interviews, and the slightest nagging from Laura to blog. The current tenants of our new apartment had me over to see the place and I am so happy with it! The apartment couldn't be closer to Metro, but the neighborhood is removed a bit from the hub-bub of the urban center. I think it will be just perfect for us, although we'll have to adjust to the space constraints of a city apartment after living in such spacious quarters in Berkeley. I have 3 new favorite restaurants where I had 3 fabulous meals with old and new friends, 3 potential job prospects (knock on wood), and a renewed excitement to move here!

I came to DC by way of Chicago, where I spent last weekend celebrating the wedding of PLU friends Justin and Chelsea. I wish I could post some pictures of the epic Bachelorette party, or the lovely rehearsal dinner, or the wonderful wedding day. Alas, I left my memory card at home and am waiting for someone else to post their shots on facebook. They are a perfect couple and I was honored to participate in their ceremony as a reader, and then enjoy their delicious and generous reception.

Now I'm off to a wedding in Seattle. I will be staying with my fabulous friend Megan for 2 nights, and then Aaron is going to come up from Portland (where he's been camped out studying for the bar) to accompany me to Katie and Kellen's wedding celebration. I'm hoping for a chance to relax and relief from the humidity of DC. I guess I better get used to it!

A Dozen Labors of Love

2010-07-06T00:38:00.000-04:00

Blogging gets tough when every spare moment should be dedicated to 1) packing, 2) reading the novel for my last Bay Area book club, 3) spending time with California friends, or 4) finishing up projects which have taken far too long to finish.

This weekend I did those last two - attended 3 BBQs in as many days (one by a very awesome pool), and finished creating cloth napkins. This online tutorial guided my way. Cutting and pressing 12 napkins took the length of 2 episodes of The Sopranos, 5 of 30 Rock, and the full-length feature Bend it Like Beckham. No surprise that I am quite thrilled to have them finished.

Despite how labor intensive they were, I am very glad to have made them. In DC there is no composting for used paper towels, only the trash. To inspire me when pressing got tough, I looked up some statistics about paper towels at 1-800-recycling.com. Did you know: "As many as 51,000 trees per day are required to replace the number of paper towels that are discarded every day"? That's crazy. Plus, cloth napkins look so much classier than paper.

Now that the napkins are out of the way, I can happily move back to packing. Who wants to guess how many TV reruns will that take?

45 days to DC!

2010-06-29T19:08:00.000-04:00

Aaron and I will be flying into our new home city, Washington DC, in just 45 days. Take away the time for our vacation to Brazil and we have only a month in California left! Aaron will be spending most of that month studying and sitting for the bar exam in Oregon.

To prepare for the whirlwind ahead, we've been doing lots of selling and packing. I had a modest little yard sale last weekend and we sold our bedroom couch and other items on craigslist. I've found that getting things out of the house is very addictive. I can't wait to go home everyday and fill other box, tape it up, and lug it down to the basement. I haven't had the time to run to Goodwill, but I have a trunk-full of stuff ready to be delivered.

I have a few big projects I continue to work on at Girls Inc. to complete my AmeriCorps hours. It's nice to have the structure and consistency of working in an office to balance out the slow-but-steady packing madness and busy social calendar. I've taken a little hiatus from writing cover letters , but am still following the job listings. It's hard to be organizing lives on two different coasts - choosing to spend my free hour reading a book for my book club here or reading DC job descriptions on Idealist.org. Life here in California is starting to become very sentimental and nostalgic. At the same time, I'm beginning to feel closure. Mostly, though, I'm just feeling busy!

MIssing Missy

2010-06-25T15:45:00.001-04:00

This chain of inter-office correspondence is too funny not to share!

Weekends

2010-06-19T02:39:00.000-04:00

To celebrate the weekend and update this lonely blog, here are a few photos from weekends recently past.

About a month ago a group of us went paintballing. It was my first time, I really hated getting pelted with paintballs, and I had a sprained ankle. I probably wouldn't do it again, but by the end I was kind of into it and even captured the flag for my team - twice!

For Memorial Day weekend, we did the All-American thing and went camping. I don't really love camping, but it was still fun to be in nature, play cards, and cook s'mores!

Some of my amazing Girls Inc. co-workers got together for a wine tasting party. We had a little fun with the camera and played ping pong. These are some seriously awesome ladies.

My younger sister graduated from High School last week! Here is the family picture, plus my little cousin Emerson who decided she belonged there and cracked us up a bit.

This weekend I will be relaxing, visiting with my mom and sister, a little packing, and maybe ushering for an Opera (if I can get over my new fear of marble stairs, that is.)

Book 10: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

2010-06-10T01:00:00.000-04:00

Book 10 and half-way through my New Years resolution to read 20 books this year, ahead of schedule!

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows was our most recent (and aptly titled) book club selection. After our meeting about it tonight, our consensus was that it was pleasant but predictable. I wouldn't rate it the 4.5 stars that it has from customer reviews on Amazon.com. Maybe a 3.

I did enjoy the narrative style through letters. I also identified with the main character's love of books - she broke off an engagement when she discovered her fiance' packing up her books and replacing them with his trophies. I also loved it's historical aspect - the story is set just after WWII and centers on the German occupation of the Channel Islands between France and England. Everything was charming, even when it seemed it shouldn't have been (or maybe I'm just a little too dark and twisty.)

The general theme was that books can be cherished by people for many reasons, speak to us in different ways, change our worldviews or give us companionship. They are a wonderful reason for people to come together - there is a special bond formed when you discover someone's favorite book is your own. Whether it's a book club or something else, horrible events can also bring communities together and strengthen them in unexpected ways.

Final Countdown

2010-06-08T02:34:00.000-04:00

This is my last week with my after-school girls! I am broken-hearted, but distracted with madly orchestrating the last week and finalizing projects. Today we had a little graduation-from-program party and I gave them awards and gifts. It was rewarding to embarrass each one of them with my lavish praise in front of their parents. The hugs and the thanks from the parents were pretty awesome, too. I am saving my tears though!

Here is one of my favorite pictures from the year. It's from our recent field trip to "Pump It Up: An Inflatable Party Zone."

On Friday after our last big party, I'll fly into Oregon too see my sister Krysta graduate. Between her, Aaron and my class, graduation season is busy for me this year!

Glee!

2010-06-04T00:38:00.000-04:00

There are few things better in this world than flash mobs and Glee. Put them together and it's almost too much joy for your average bear. Below is a number from a recent episode, in which Artie, a paraplegic, fantasizes about becoming a dancer.

Summer(travel)time

2010-06-02T01:41:00.000-04:00

Memorial Day marks the beginning of summer, right? We can officially say it's summer? Well, I will just assume so for these blog purposes.

I have had travel on the brain! Even more than usual. In July I'm doing Chicago-DC-Seattle for a wedding-job searching-wedding week. In July/August I am exploring Brazil with Aaron's fam for 11 days and I'm dying of anticipation! And then is our big relocation to DC! Despite all this time in airports ahead, I am still enjoying daydreaming about exotic locations and feeling jealousy pangs when my friends talk about the interesting places they'll visit.

If you need some fodder for your daydreams or want to research your upcoming destination, my favorite travel sites are the NY Times Travel section and the National Geographic Intelligent Travel blog. Both are brimming with amazing pictures, advice for all brands of tourists, diverse perspectives, and new ideas. On NG's site I recently found an article about Washington DC's evolution from "stodgy to exciting." It enticed and intimidated me at the same time.

Here is a picture of Brazil's Iguassu Falls which I'll be meditating on. Where are you dreaming of this summer?

On the Vine

2010-05-28T16:08:00.000-04:00

Look what is appearing in one of our tomato plants! I cannot wait until they ripen!

Book 9: Julie and Julia

2010-05-25T23:50:00.000-04:00

Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously by Julie Powell was not supposed to be Book 9. But it turned out to be just what I needed. Julie is a secretary approaching thirty, happily married but feeling very mediocre and needing a serious boost. So she attempts to cook every recipe in Julia Child's formidable Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and blogs about it. In the year, there are culinary disasters and triumphs, lots of tears and times of joy, loyal "bleaders" (blog-readers) who cheer her on and various animal organs cooked in lots of butter.

The story struck a chord with me, as this is exactly the kind of thing I would attempt. This 20 books business is a light version of the Julie/Julie Project, in fact. I understood her - I've too been a 20-something in the midst of a we'll-laugh-about-this-later-but-curse-about-it-now situations, cynical and searching for meaning. I have also been swept away by missions that seem inconsequential but demand to be seen through (the 1001 Books To Read Before You Die List, por ejemplo.)

Julie is also crude and sarcastic. I love that. Here is an excerpt from the book that exemplifies her writing style and the nature of her Julia Child quest. At this point, they had no water in their apartment thanks to some frozen pipes. Not a good thing for a cook trying to cook Navarin Printanier, a lamb dish. (I also probably like this part because it happened amidst one of those "really, life??" moments, of which I feel I encounter an unfair proportion.)

Chop up some potatoes and carrots and turnips. If you're feeling patient, you can care the vegetables up into beautiful smooth round shapes. does it make a difference? I wouldn't know; I'm not patient. Also peel some pearl onions. If you have no water but melted oily gray snow you scooped up from the sidewalk into your cooler (a cooler that will now have to be disinfected with lye), just so you could flush the toilet, you'll have to peel them the hard way, without parboiling them first. You might need another gimlet for that.

When the lamb's been cooking for an hour, take it out and add the vegetables. Julie wants you to 'press the vegetables into the casserole around and between the pieces of lamb.' There will be way, way too many vegetables for you to do that effectively, but what the hell, give it a shot. The lamb is going to smell fabulous at that point, which is good, because it makes you forget how much you want to kill yourself.

And so she soldiers on in the kitchen, despite the strain the project puts on the seams of her now-snug clothes and her marriage. The media attention helps, and so do the delicious French dishes that come out right. In the end, she accomplishes an incredibly unique feat, which is quite the point of a project like this - if your life is primarily about what other people expect, what they demand , and what they think, you'll need to retake it with something radical and personal. And if the bleaders follow, we'll that's fine, too.

(Note: I have not yet watched the movie, but I believe I will do that, um, now.)

Foxy lady

2010-05-22T14:19:00.000-04:00

Back to the topic of styling. This month I gave myself a little wardrobe allowance in my budget - I'll need a few snappy professional ensembles when I leave the after-school sector. When I envision great office attire, my thoughts drift to the office of Sterling Cooper circa 1962 in AMC's Mad Men. We just finished Season 2 of this amazing show - it's heavy with mood, totally tantalizing and has impeccable styling. Can't wait to pour through Season 3 before Season 4 premieres!

My favorite character is Joan Holloway, the sex bomb head secretary. If she had a sound effect it would "bow-chica-wow-wow." Her character is deliciously self-assured, her hour-glass figure perfectly, and unapologetically, accentuated. I'm clearly not the only one who loves her - Esquire voted Christina Hendricks, the actress behind Joan, the Sexiest Woman of the Year in 2010.

So when I imagine my future office attire, I think of her sweaters and pencil skirts, her curve-celebrating dresses, her eyeliner. Here is a little eye-candy and my current style inspiration:

The challenge of a Joan-inspired makeover is that modern clothes, pardon the expression, just aren't made like they use to be. Most girls my age would be shocked to learn where the natural waist is. We certainly don't wear boning or girdles. But I will do my best to embrace the principles of flaunting curves and feminine shapes while keeping it classy. I hope I can conjure Joan's fixy attitude along with the style.

True Colors

2010-05-19T22:19:00.000-04:00

In July of 2008, our friend Kendra visited San Francisco and we spent an afternoon shopping downtown, trolling for deals. I very clearly remember her saying "we need to get you in some color." It was very true at that time that if I hung my clothes by hue, I would have a big block of black, some brown, and a chunk of emerald green. I was still in a very Seattle-esque phase. Since that day I have attempted to choose the cardigan color other than green, and the scarf that wasn't black. I look over at my closet now and see blue, coral... and still a lot of green, but lighter green.

With a new apartment comes an opportunity for rebirth of my decorating palette. Aaron and I recently did the math and decided we would opt out of the road trip to DC and fly. We'll ship only the essentials (ie my books, his box of assorted computer cords, the KitchenAid mixer, computer, and sewing machine. Oh, and clothes.) With the savings, we will just buy new-to-us furniture. This means I can create my decorating vision from scratch. How exciting!

I will make an intentional effort toward color in the living room and kitchen. (But let's not get crazy - our bedroom will feature green.) I recently framed this Jackson Pollock Print, "Croaking Movement (Sounds in the Grass)" - Thanks Laura. I love the possibilities of color it suggests.

The primary colors pop, but are still tempered. It will go great with the brightly colored maps of San Francisco and the Northwest from Aaron's parents. It's got me daydreaming of blue and yellow contrasts and pops of orange! It's enough to make Kendra proud!

And just like that, we signed a lease.

2010-05-16T15:03:00.000-04:00

After the excruciating process of house-hunting in Berkeley, I was steeling myself for another grueling round in DC. It would be worse, though, because we were 3,000 miles away this time! I never imagined that it would take literally 10 days after replying to the first craigslist ad to sign a lease!

It just took a few emails, a few phone calls, and a few really wonderful and discerning DC friends to check it out and take photos. They gave us the okay, and in practically no time at all, we have an official DC address! Huge gratitude to Laura and Kendra!

Here is the unfurnished view of the living room (with fireplace!)

This is the reverse angle, and how it is furnished. (Photo by Laura and Kendra)

A skylight between the living room and dining room - we're on the third (top) floor.

Dining room with current tenants furnishings. Notice the wine rack and shelves on the wall? They stay!

The kitchen, in a really lovely shade of blue. Nice appliances. A little small, but as long as my mixer fits (and matches), we're in business!

Another good paint job in the bathroom. According to the girls, it has good storage space. There is also a linen closet and newish washer and dryer!

This was where I fell in love - a hyper-organized closet unit in the bedroom!

The apartment is removed a bit from the central hub-bub of the city but is only one block from a Metro station! The feedback we've received indicates the price is very good. I've already started to mentally decorate.

Now, if only finding a job could be so easy!

Con-grad-ulations, Aaron!

2010-05-15T02:02:00.001-04:00

Aaron graduated from Berkeley School of Law today! It is obviously a big milestone for him, and me, but it seems significant to this blog as well. It all started with an acceptance to law school and a move to California, and here we are 3 years later!

Aaron's parents Gretchen and Dave came down from Oregon to celebrate. We've had a good time introducing them to friends and eating good meals (because, after all, that's what one does when one's parents visit!)

We braved a chilly Berkeley morning to see the commencement ceremony at the Greek Theater. There was a very jovial tenor to the proceedings, even with some boring bits. The students celebrated their JD degrees with cheers, back-handsprings and political protesting - a fitting diversity.

Here are a few pictures:

His name is called...

...and he receives his hard-earned (placeholder) diploma!

This woman walked across the stage with her two kids (not unusual) and then sat right down in the middle of the stage with this sign ("Public education belongs to the public." It's a major University of California system issue at the moment.) The dean conversed with them for a second, then announced that the proceedings would continue. People just walked past them.

Vanessa, Derek and Aaron. Some of Aaron's favorite people, and mine. I am so sad to say good-bye!

Proud parents! (PS how perfect is this tree backdrop? It seems symbolic....)

Me and my man on what seems like our graduation from law school.

Congrats, Aaron! You've earned it. Now, welcome to life without homework! (But you will have to get up before 11 am on weekdays. Worth the trade?)

Book 8: Daisy Miller

2010-05-13T20:58:00.000-04:00

So far in my quest to read 20 books this year, my genre tally was:

Non-fiction: 2
Modern literary fiction: 1
Standard classics: 3
Philosophy: 1

I just racked up another tally for the classics with Daisy Miller by Henry James. It was a lovely, thin book - James' first commercial success when it was published in 1878. It follows the acquaintance of Mr. Winterbourne, a young American who has lived in Europe for some years, and Daisy Miller, a recent arrival to Europe who travels with her wild younger brother and mousy mother. In the sophisticated expat society in Europe, the Millers stick out starkly. They are wealthy, but are not very well-mannered and Daisy is quite an irreverent flirt. Mr. Winterbourne is instantly infatuated with Daisy, but established members of society are scandalized by Daisy's impropriety and the family's lack of social grace.

From Wikipedia: "This short story serves as both a psychological description of the mind of a young woman, and an analysis of the traditional views of a society where she is a clear outsider. Henry James uses Daisy's story to discuss what he thinks Europeans and Americans believe about each other, and more generally the prejudices common in any culture. In a letter James said that Daisy is the victim of a "social rumpus" that goes on either over her head or beneath her notice."

I enjoyed the book quite a bit - the language was elegant and smart. When I read the prose, I imagined an animated Renior painting. How funny that James was a contemporary of the Impressionists!

Next, onto another volume of modern literature for the next book club pick. Stay tuned!

Book 7: Franny and Zooey

2010-05-12T02:25:00.000-04:00

I finally read Franny and Zooey by the late, great J.D. Salinger. Franny is the 7th and youngest child in the Glass family and Zooey is her brother, the second youngest. I've read about their older brothers Buddy and Seymor in Raise High the Roofbeams, Carpenters.

I like this summary from an Amazon user review, and comparison with Salinger's character in The Catcher in the Rye:

"Apparently the Glass kids had a special education in an ecumenical religiosity and philosophy, and their situation as whiz kids has led to emotional distress, much a-la Holden Caulfield but more illustrated. The Glasses, just like Caulfield, are intelligent people, very frustrated with the inadequacies of life in general and the people who surround them. They are very neurotic in a New York way. They are angry because people aren't as intelligent as they should be, and because the ways of the world are not what reason and humanism tell us they should be. How to cope with it?"

As in the other books I've read by Salinger, I admired his critical narrative style, attention to small, telling gestures, and witty dialogue. The back story he built about the Glass family as radio personalities and child geniuses is imaginative and funny: "Public response to the children was often hot and never tepid. In general, listeners were divided into two, curiously restive camps: those who held that the Glasses were a bunch of insufferably ‘superior’ little bastards that should have been drowned or gassed at birth, and those who held that they were bona fide underage wits and savants, of an uncommon, if unenviable, order."

The situation in Franny and Zooey is equally quirky - Franny is exasperated with the pretensions of academia. She says: "I’m just sick of ego, ego, ego. My own and everybody else’s. I’m sick of everybody that wants to get somewhere, do something distinguished and all, be somebody interesting. It’s disgusting, it is, it is." And so throws herself into a nervous breakdown trying to reach piety and enlightenment. Zooey is recruited to help his sister by their mother, and tries to help but ends up just picking her apart, as only siblings can do.

It was definitely worth a read for Salinger fans, but not quite as transcendent as Catcher in the Rye.

What I Did This Weekend:

2010-05-09T17:40:00.000-04:00

-Completed this easy and cute tote bag pattern on Friday.

-Dyed a stained white sweater. The sweater was only $1, so a little TLC made it well worth it!

-~~Ushered Saturday Matinee of SF Ballet's Romeo and Juliet~~ Attempted to usher but took a spill on the marble stairs before the shift and sprained my ankle. I was very well taken care of by the in-house nurse and I was allowed a seat for the show even though I didn't work for it. It was breathlessly beautiful!

-Hobbled to a delicious Sunday brunch with my girlfriends. Enjoyed Southern biscuits and girl talk and lots of coffee courtesy of the very attentive host.

-Looked 7 times at pictures Laura and Kendra took of an apartment we're trying to land in D.C. Thanks for going to look, ladies! I'm crossing my fingers.

-Read. (Here is a peak at the To-Read section of my bookshelf.)

-Wrote a cover letter for a DC job.

-Laid in bed with my ankle elevated and iced for the rest of Sunday... and maybe Monday...

Book 6: Committed

2010-05-06T01:18:00.000-04:00

I was saving this post until I finished the book club conversation about it tonight. We were 5 ladies at Marc 49 wine bar sipping a lovely red and discussing our views on Committed, and its main topic - marriage. I thought I would have more to say after the discussion, but I'm actually feeling a little talked out now. I will try to briefly summarize.

Committed is the follow-up to Elizabeth Gilbert's hugely successful Eat, Pray, Love. It's a similar narrative style, but a little more info and a little less memoir. Each section is a response to the popular cultural assumptions and the research she's done on a topic - such as marriage and children, marriage and autonomy, etc. Some of the research I'd already been exposed to as a Women's Studies student - that marriage literally diminishes the quality of life in women while it increases for men, that marriage originated as a transactional arrangement, and that the later and more educated one is when they marry, the longer their union is statistically bound to last. Gilbert's personal response and relationship anecdotes are what enliven these facts.

Among the familiar were new gems of truth and insight that really got me thinking long after I'd closed the book. I particularly liked this quote, which encapsulates why getting married can actually be an act of subversion:

"Every couple in the world has the potential over time to become a small and isolated nation of two - creating their own culture, their own language, and their own moral code, to which nobody else can be privy."

The main question that I left the book with, and that we discussed over our wine, was - why do we do it? Especially considering it's so unnecessary - we don't need the physical protection, the legal standing, the social status, or the exchange of assets. It's the question at the heart of Gilbert's book, and one I think we should all really ask at some point. Preferably before the whole wedding thing.

If you don't have time to read the book, listen to this interview with Elizabeth Gilbert about the book. It's a pretty good introduction.

Making Way

2010-05-02T22:00:00.000-04:00

I have only six weeks left in my school year, then it's just another six weeks of work in the agency HQ (possibly research?) until I'm done with Americorps, and California. Last week I hit a wall of burn-out and lack of motivation at work, though once the girls get into the classroom I'm kicked back into gear. It's the meetings, trainings, and admin work that have been wiping me out, and boring me, let's be honest. I hope that this bout of Spring fever is fleeting.

While I try to remain engaged in work for program, and savor the CA Spring, I am slowly gearing up for our big move to DC. I sent in my first job application, which may have been way too early, but I got a little excited. Aaron and I have started to solicit advice from former and present District residents about which neighborhoods are best. That has been confusing business since they all passionately endorse different neighborhoods, but it's definitely helpful. I packed up all my winter scarves and sweaters today, which is the first in many boxes yet to be packed.

I also smooshed a short visit to DC for apartment hunting in between Chicago and Seattle wedding weekends in July. I hope that I'll be able to nail some interviews while I'm there, and get us a lease. With this trip and the weddings, wrapping up my Americorps service, and trying to land shelter and employment, July is looming large. I can only hope to be prepared at this point, but I expect to be.

In other big transition news, Aaron has completed his last law school class and will be taking exams next week. He graduates May 14 and starts studying for the Bar. So much new change on the horizon, we will barely recognize our lives in a few months!

2010-04-30T02:23:00.000-04:00

Two muffins were sitting in an oven.

One muffin turned and said to the other, "Is it just me, or is it getting hot in here?"

And the other muffin said, "Aaaaugh! A talking muffin!!!"

And that's all I got for ya this week.

Book 5.5: A Series of Unfortnate Events, Book 1

2010-04-25T16:35:00.000-04:00

Lemony Snicket's book 1 in the Series of Unfortunate Events, aptly called The Bad Beginning, is 5.5 in my pursuit of 20 books in 2010. It's only counting as half a book, first because it's a children's book, and second because I read it for work. I have been reading it in 2 30-minute sessions per week since February with one of the girls in my after-school program. She's labeled an English Language Learner, below reading level and started the year pretty self-conscious about her reading.

Each day that we read together I pick her up from her classroom and she makes a big show of how relieved she is to be leaving whatever "boring" activity she was doing in class ("boring" is absolutely her favorite word.) We go down to the library and sit in the same sunny corner. She spends at least 5 minutes, sometimes 15, making small talk, primarily to delay reading. She'll cut a deal with me most days that I'll read every other page. While she still mumbles her way through complicated sentences and often adds syllables to words (Mr. Poe is always pronounced "Mr. Po-ee"), she has made great strides. I've seen her become more engaged in the text, stopping frequently to ask questions or make a prediction. She is more willing to stop and sound out long words. She's also become much more confident in her reading, which is really the main accomplishment. She is one of my favorite girls in program-she is clever and sarcastic and charming. Needless to say, I enjoy our reading times a lot.

As far as the book, it is also clever and charming. I appreciated the dark humor and smart children characters. It is a tale of 3 orphan children whose parents' will leaves them in the custody of a creepy, sinister distant cousin, Count Olaf. As soon as their miserable situation begins, Count Olaf is scheming to get to their fortune and do away with the orphans. Can they outsmart him? Will they ever escape their fate? Well, even by the end you still don't know - there are 13 parts in the series, and we'll just be starting Book 2 on Monday. I definitely recommend to anyone you know ages 9-13. Or even older, really, because I liked it too.

Little Usher in a Big Opera House

2010-04-23T00:47:00.000-04:00

One of the items on my California Bucket List was to attend the San Francisco Opera. My housemate Julie found a brilliant way to get into a performance for free - and contribute to the arts! She got us into a training for new volunteer ushers at the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco last weekend (and I thank her for jumping through a lot of hoops to line it up!) The SF Ballet and Opera both perform at the Opera House, and the ushers for the venue work for both companies.

After an orientation and training, we took a tour of the ridiculously gorgeous opera house. Interesting notes - this is where the United Nations charter and the treaty to end the war with Japan were both negotiated! I've been twice before for the ballet, but it was cool to get a more behind-the-scenes look.

Following the training was our ushering trial run, when we had to prove our salt. After an hour of smiling and handing out programs, we were able to see the SF Ballet perform one of it's Spring programs. We got Orchestra level seats, and just had to pop out and be ready to assist during intermissions. My favorite ushering moments were watching the little girls in their puffiest skirts twirl and kick around the lobby. Here is a sample of the first piece of the program we saw - it was beautiful!

It was a long day in marble halls and velvet seats, but we've been trained and "accepted" as volunteer ushers! Julie and I are crossing our fingers to be able to usher the ballet's closing show, Romeo & Juliet, in May. Opera season starts in June, and I've requested to usher two shows. It will be a short and quick run for me, but a great experience! DC has a ballet, too, and they may just need an experienced usher!

Do You Tithe?

2010-04-21T01:55:00.001-04:00

The word "tithe" has very religious connotations. The first I ever heard of tithing was in the context of church-going friends giving 10% of their income to their church. This seemed like a taxation to me, and suggested something shady about the church that required it. The offering plate was one thing, a set requirement was another. That is to say, I am great with giving to a church so long as it's not scrutinized or mandated. That's me though.

Recently I've been hearing about philanthropic individuals "tithing" to charity organizations rather than churches. This not tied to salvation, and very voluntary. The money is generally sent to organizations that alleviate poverty. That's more like it. (If you look at church tithing in a less critical light, I suppose you could say that eventually the funds will go toward work in the world. However, since the money goes into a general pot that may also payroll child abusers and their sympathizers, I remain suspicious.)

In Half the Sky, the authors suggest the act of regular charitable giving as a solution to women's oppression worldwide. The funds go directly to an organization doing work and create sustainable aid where it's most needed. I found this NY Times article about the "Atheists collection plate." I also found one in an Atheist publication which suggests 2% tithe to charity to start. (By the way, I'm not an Atheist, these were just the articles I found.)

I have been thinking about the concept of charitable tithing lately. It seems more intentional than other kinds of donations, a more whole-hearted commitment to giving. Since I technically have no income in AmeriCorps, I am not in the position to tithe. For now I just give dollars to the occasional homeless person and volunteer my time. But I am looking forward to getting a little cash flow after this summer, and directing a small percentage to my favorite charities and making a habit of it. I may end up giving to church-related organizations, I may end up giving to groups a church would never touch. The beauty is that I can choose, diversify and oversee my giving out of pure intentions, and without the complications of holy guilt.

What do you think? Do you/have you/will you tithe? To church or charity? I would love to hear more about experiences with church tithing, since I so clearly have a one-sided opinion here.

A New Coat of Paint

2010-04-16T00:07:00.000-04:00

Over Spring Break I took on a little home improvement project. I decided to spruce up a dresser that was bordering on "shabby chic," but looked a little too much like it once belonged in a nursery. It needed some minor repair and a new look.

BEFORE:

I picked up a dark finish at Home Depot and spent a sunny afternoon sanding and staining. The color was Red Mahogany, but it actually seems more like a rich chocolate to me.

AFTER:

I feel this looks much more grown up. To complete the transformation, I hope to acquire new knobs or paint the current ones, and line the drawers with the leftover paper from the box project.

Viva Las Vegas

2010-04-13T23:38:00.001-04:00

What can you say about Vegas? It's a crazy waste of resources, a tacky display of greed and skin, and a black hole for anyone with any addiction. It's also an absolute blast!!

To celebrate Aaron almost being done with law school and Spring Break for those of us teaching types, ten friends met up in Vegas. We stayed in a timeshare generously offered by my mother (thanks, mom!) and a car of us drove through the night Thursday to get there, others flew in at various times. By Friday we were all there and ready to hit the city. We took the shuttle into the city and shared it with a particularly belligerent bachelorette party. We chatted them up and our friend Andy gave them a lock of chest hair to fulfill their scavenger hunt. The bachelorette (the soberest one at her party) and the Maid of Honor (drunkity-drunk-drunk) wanted photos with us at the end of the ride. (All the girls in jeans in the photo are from the party. Guess which one is the MOH?) We wished them well and managed to stay out until about 12 o'clock when our sleep deprivation took over.

Saturday we lounged in the resort's lazy river, absorbing lovely sun. We chatted and baked for most of the day. Then we took to The Strip and spent the early evening walking past and through the opulent casinos. Some of us ladies took advantage of the lax open container laws in Vegas and sipped as we strolled.

All of us sat for an intense buffet... and sat some more as we digested. We regained our gusto and hit the casinos. We found a relatively cheap blackjack tables and hovered over it, waiting for a free seat. Some of the group broke off andfound a dance club, saw more casinos, or started warming up the craps table while Laura, Aaron and I enjoyed a lucky run at blackjack. After a few hours I had doubled my $40 buy in and was feeling pretty good. Laura and I joined Derek and Steve at the craps table. Then the laws of the universe totally suspended for the luckiest, longest craps run ever. We screamed with joy and disbelief as we made more and more money. We couldn't possibly have left the table while any luck lingered, and we didn't finally break until 6 am. I made $110 off $10 that the boys bought in for me, and I was the least of the winners by at least 1/3! Then we celebrated our streak with a giddy cab ride home in the sunrise.

Sunday morning we all groggily left. The 10-hour drive back home dampened things somewhat, but I will forever cherish this nearly perfect trip to Vegas, and the hilarious memories we made.

Book 5: The Sound and the Fury

2010-04-08T23:04:00.000-04:00

I really wish I had read this classic by William Faulkner in a literature class, to be able to unpack all the meaning and symbolism. It's a simply difficult book to read. As one reviewer of The Sound and the Fury wrote, " It is tremendously difficult to read and it takes over your life." I needed a study guide to check in with every time I got turned around.

The major obstacles to understanding are that three of the four sections are written in stream of consciousness, and the first two are told by unreliable narrators. Things were said that were out of order, incomplete, or plain untrue, and you have to really be an astute reader to decipher it. There is also not much joy in it. The last section is a beautiful third-person narrative, though, and by the time I reached the end I was a bit enraptured. I was also quite relieved to be done.

Workin' hard or hardly workin'?

2010-04-07T23:23:00.000-04:00

One enormous benefit of working in a school are the breaks - Thanksgiving break, Winter break, and now Spring break! I've been really enjoying sleeping in and me time this week. I haven't been totally idle though. I've done several hours of lesson planning and burned some calories on our new Wii Fit (I'm going to go ahead and count that as work.) Yesterday I stained an old dresser (photos soon) and today I volunteered a few hours at the county food bank.

The most exciting part of my Spring break, aside from avoiding all drama related to tether ball, is that we're going to Las Vegas this weekend! There will be ten of us total, including housemates, Aaron's law school friends, and Laura in from DC. We're staying two nights in a timeshare (Thanks, mom!) and enjoying the sunny weather. We're doing it on the cheap a la coupon book, groceries, and free casino drinks at cheap blackjack tables. It's going to be a fabulous weekend, if we can survive the 9-hour, overnight drive down Thursday night!

By the end of the weekend I may be ready to get back to the world of 4-Square and juice boxes... Maybe.

Growth

2010-04-05T16:58:00.000-04:00

It's been about a month since we planted our little potted vegetable garden. There has been much rain and shine, it's amazing how fast things can grow! Here is a visual of how great our spinach seedlings are doing.

MARCH 7:

APRIL 5:

The spinach we started from seeds is showing promise, as are the snap peas, tomatoes and cilantro. We've harvested some spinach and kale, and the oregano and rosemary. I will need to start doing more with the oregano - it's growing like crazy.

The most recent addition - basil seedlings from the farmer's market - is going to get up to 5 inches. Seems like we've got awhile to wait still.

It's so predictable, but growing your own food really does make you think more about your food source and food waste. Nurturing a little plant from seed to bloom is a cool experience. The anticipation of one little tomato is so different from mindlessly picking up a pound from the grocery store.

The Great Road Trip Plot

2010-04-01T22:20:00.000-04:00

We're not moving to DC until August. We're not moving to DC until August. We're not moving to DC until August.

This is what I try to remind myself when the urge strikes to pour through craigslist apartment ads, or when I want to start looking for jobs. These things simply are not possible yet, and won't be until June. The planning freak in me has a hard time with this. I try to find things I can think about that are reasonable and sane. Only a small fraction of the things I deem reasonable are also reasonable to Aaron. Of this small fraction of reasonable things we can discuss, one is how we will physically get there.

We've tentatively decided to drive a moving van across the country on a Great American Road Trip. Since we won't have a car in DC, it would be a pain to refurnish our apartment. It's much easier to hold onto our bed, couch, computers, appliances, dresser, clothes, boxes of cords (the only thing Aaron hoards), books, and our plant Thomas. Since our move from one coast to the other seems very epic, I find it appropriate and poetic to make this drive. We'll be pioneers in reverse, as it were.

I've make just a rough route on Google maps. The only important stops so far are the Grand Canyon which we've never seen, Denver for a quick visit to family, and Manassas for a little historical tourism.

View Directions to washington dc in a larger map

If you have any ideas of what to see or do between Denver and Manassas, please let me know! Has anyone made such a big road trip before? Done a move in a van? I'd be thankful for any tips or ideas y'all could share.

Container Makeover

2010-03-30T22:11:00.000-04:00

"Oh no, another container," Aaron said when I showed him my thrift store find. I suppose he's right. I do have a sick obsession with containers. I just love how they, well, contain things. But I wasn't going to let his skepticism get me down. I had big plans for the worn, but still functional box I found for $1, in addition to the two other brown, round boxes I'd collected over the year of bargain hunting. A container makeover, if you will.

BEFORE

Aforementioned thrifted containers, costing $2.75 for all. (Aaron threw this orange into the picture, and insisted I use the shot.)

Lovely sheet of paper from Paper Source, patterned with vintage postcards written in French. Bought with a roll of sturdy, solid sage wrapping paper for $9.

AFTER

Matching boxes, functional and adorable, Less than $12 for the set!

California Bucket List

2010-03-28T14:58:00.000-04:00

I have less than 5 months left in the beautiful Bay Area. While there are aspects of this area that I will not miss (lack of happy hours, state budget crisis, Meg Whitman running for Governor), there are countless things that I will mourn the loss of. The foremost of these is the wonderful group of friends I have here. The second is taco trucks.

There are many things I have still not done as a resident, that tourists to San Francisco do all in a week. Until last weekend, I had never set food (only wheels) on the famous Golden Gate Bridge. Aaron and I walked from the Ferry Building to the bridge, about 6 miles together, along the beautiful, sparkling bay. We passed through Fisherman's Wharf, and I finally saw the infamous "Bush Man" scaring passers-by. Once we hiked up the bridge, we walked about a mile across, another back, taking in great views of the SF city scape and the Golden Gate strait. It was a perfect day with very little wind, and I actually got Aaron to take a few photos with me! Here is one of my favorites:

There are lots of other jewels to see before we head East, some I've never done*, some are favorite activities I want to repeat. Here is a short version of my California Bucket List:

Wine Country (x3)
$1 Sundays at the horse races
Berkeley Rose Garden*
Cable Car ride*
Santa Cruz*
Winchester Mystery House*
Sail on the Bay*
City Lights bookstore*
Italian Food in North Beach*
Twin Peaks*
Palace of Fine Arts*
Yosemite National Park*
SF Moma
Zachary's Pizza
See Redwoods*
Pacifica*
Ferry Building Farmer's Market*
SF Opera*
Bakesale Betty's

Anything I'm missing, locals? Anybody want to escort me in striking something off this list?

Book 4: Half the Sky

2010-03-26T13:29:00.000-04:00

I've been excited to read Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn since before it was released. Kristof is one of my favorite NY Times columnists (and an Oregon native), and books about women's issues are always enticing to me. The subtitle of this book is "Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide" and that is exactly what the book suggests. The rounded out thesis would be that by educating and empowering women, much of the violence, disease and death in the developing world would cease.

The authors, the first married couple to win a Pulitzer Prize for journalism, have traveled the world for years meeting all kinds of women. The stories of these women are the bulk of the book, each chapter focusing on an issue like sex trafficking, maternal mortality and honor-killings, introduced and explained through the eyes of a real woman they've met. They add facts, statistics, research and theories, as well as their own opinions of what should be done, to paint the bigger picture. There are so many startlingly simple ways we could solve some of the most daunting problems that face women. For example, iodizing salt in villages would help increase the development of fetuses in the womb, raising the IQ of the child, and making it more likely that girls could succeed in schools. If girls are educated, they are more likely to control the number of children they have which decreases their chances of dying in childbirth, and be more respected by their community and families which decreases their chances of being beaten or married off as a child. Countries with educated females have more females in leadership positions, and incidentally are more stable and peaceful places. All because of a little micro-nutrient called iodine.

Although the book is filled with heart-wrenching accounts of horrifying violence and despair, I greatly enjoyed reading it. Kristof and WuDunn's optimism shines through every dark story. Every chapter is filled with possible solutions, and each chapter is followed by the story of an American girl or woman taking action to help global women. At the end of the book are two chapters entitled "What You Can Do" and "Four Steps You Can Take in the Next Ten Minutes." You will end this book with a bucket of overflowing with ideas. The book's website also has a Get Involved section.

One of the Four Steps they suggest is joining the CARE Action Network. "This kind of citizen advocacy is essential to create change," they say. "This movement won't be led by the president or by members of Congress, any more than their historical counterparts led the civil rights or abolitionist movements-but if leaders smell votes, they will follow. The government will act where our national interests are at stake; however, history has repeatedly shown that where our values are at stake, leadership must come from ordinary citizens like you." Feeling a little stirred?

So, read this book and then let's get serious about turning the world around for the girls and women who suffer around the globe. It will pay big dividends for the global community.

Got a Reason

2010-03-23T00:21:00.000-04:00

Last August my brother and I went to Outside Lands music fest in San Francisco. One of the best acts was Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band. Conor is also known from Bright Eyes, a more well-known musical act. Tonight their Outer South album is getting me through a resume revision and lesson planning. My favorite song from the album is called "I Got the Reason #2."

I couldn't find an official video for the song, but this video has pretty good audio even though it's a little shaky. Enjoy!

Sunday

2010-03-21T15:43:00.000-04:00

This morning I made delicious cream scones while listening to coverage of the Health Care bill. It seems like it may pass after all - and it's about time.

Aaron and I are getting ready to take a walk in San Francisco, hopefully ending across the Golden Gate Bridge. I never have walked it - and it's on the list of "things to do in California before we move." We're also going to revisit our favorite SF restaurant, Bissap Baobab. It's amazing Senegalese food in the Mission.

I only hope I can shake the nag of work to do. I hate working on the weekends, and try to avoid it as much as possible. Some weekends I just have to write lesson plans, buy supplies or otherwise prep for the week ahead. We have another week of short school days (long after-school program days) and that just kind of ruins my stress-free weekend. That's why I'm trying to battle back with scones and a walk San Francisco.

"In a surprise move"

2010-03-20T17:36:00.001-04:00

The CEO of Tribune Co. has released a long list of words that it's news radio anchors can not say. Read the whole list here. Among the banned words and phrases that seem most troublesome to me are "time for a break," "perpetrator," "alleged" and "campaign trail."

I suspect this is a list compiled over years of developing pet peeves. Time for news reporters to break out the thesaurus!

Lucky Day

2010-03-18T02:03:00.000-04:00

Tonight I'm baking up these tantalizing Irish Coffee Cupcakes from Martha Stewart Living. I picked up the magazine because the pictures are so phenomenal and by luck came across the recipe. It's actually for a dinner party tomorrow, but we'll just grandfather it in as a St. Patrick's Day celebration. I'm sure the cupcakes will be delicious finished, and I can so far say that the batter is awesome.

In other news of luck, Aaron was offered a legal fellowship at the Center for Democracy and Technology in Washington D.C! The position begins in August, which is perfect timing for the end of both my Americorps term and our California lease. In addition to being a major career victory for Aaron, I feel like I've won too! With the coercing of friends and the nagging of adventure, I've had my sights set on D.C. and now it's all coming to fruition! I can hardly wait to begin job and apartment hunting. In the meantime I've also got to make the most of the amazing Bay Area while I'm here!

Out and About

2010-03-14T22:27:00.001-04:00

What a whirlwind week!

At work it was conferences week, so the students in my afterschool program were released from their daytime classes at 1:30 instead of 3:00 pm. This was 1.5 extra hours a day I was spending with 16 5th graders, and 1.5 hours less a day I had to prepare. Despite the feeling of being constantly behind, it turned out to be quite fun. Highlights included making paper beads from old magazine pages and learning about dirty pollution by making them write with charcoal briquettes (can you tell we're in an ecology unit?) We also took a field trip ice skating! It was such a blast, and I got the warm fuzzies from holding their hands, guiding them around the rink. Here is a picture of my group - they're such divas!

Tuesday I sent Aaron off to a job interview in Washington DC! I was very excited and anxious for him, and honestly also very jealous. Sounds like he nailed the interview, and also enjoyed a few action-packed days in the capitol seeing the monuments and friends. (Stand by for any major news in the next week.)

Saturday I visited the Albany Bulb with some girlfriends. It's a landfill turned wetland and open-air gallery of urban art. Aside from the graffiti, the main attraction are people built from old wood, rebar and scrap metal. There are also great views of the bay. While we were there I picked a colorful bouquet of wildflowers. Here is one of my favorite "installations":

Saturday night we rode into the city for a girlfriend-y evening of cocktails and a modern dance production by the amazing ODC. At the nice $15 ticket price, I'd recommend this show to anyone! My favorite piece was called Waving, not Drowning (A Guide to Elegance). It was set to an original score which included narration of an etiquette guide from the 1960s. The choreography was brilliantly tongue-in-cheek while also beautiful and athletic. Check out a behind-the-scenes podcast here about the piece.

My only complaint about the weekend was how fast it went by! Tomorrow I jump right back in to another busy week. Tonight I'm trying to enjoy having Aaron back and maybe an episode of Mad Men, the new obsession in our house.

Happy Sunday Evening to everyone!

Visit Oak-land!!

2010-03-12T21:35:00.000-05:00

This might turn out to be a stream of inside jokes that won't be funny to anyone outside of the Bay Area. I thought I'd share anyway. Working in Oakland this year has been quite an experience, and while there are lots of sad truths regarding the income and resource disparities in Oakland, this video takes a more humorous look at the city.

We Planted a Garden

2010-03-10T00:48:00.000-05:00

Inspired by Food Inc. and a beautiful California Sunday, we started a little potted garden of our own. This is how it all came about.

Aaron, Julie and I were walking home from brunch in the sunshine, discussing our desire to grow a garden. We would need it to be portable, we reasoned, since we're all moving eventually. Literally as we were saying this, we came upon a yard sale and a variety of clay plant pots. We bargained 9 of varying sizes for $10.

We carried the pots home. Once there, we recruited Jill to our adventure to find contents for the pots. Aaron needed to do homework, so he only appears in this story as our muscle.

Jill, Julie and I headed out into the sun to find a nursery. We tried three locally owned places but they were all closed on Sundays. Not wanting to waste the sun or our will, we forged on to Home Depot's garden section. We picked up soil (half organic was all we could splurge on) and some starter herbs and veggies. Very pleased with our purchases, we headed home to plant!

Then, we got to work! We tried our best matching the depth suggestions for each plant with our odd variety of pots. We put rosemary, oregano and a little sweet pepper plant in one large pot. We also sprinkled in some basil seeds to see if they germinate. We broke up the spinach seedlings into six smaller pots and allowed Swiss chard and cherry tomatoes their own.

Then we were out of pots. In a little ground patch we turned over the dense, dark soil and tried to create a hospitable environment for a yellow pear tomato plant and some sweet pea seeds. We're keeping our fingers crossed for these ones.

Then we arranged our new garden on and by our back steps, and watered our veggies-to-be.

And now we wait until we can harvest delicious greens, tomatoes and herbs (and hopefully some peas and a pepper!) We hope to add a basil plant soon and I'd like to get more herbs like mint and cilantro.

Any gardening tips for us?

Food, Inc.

2010-03-07T15:11:00.000-05:00

It's been out for awhile, but I just recently watched Food, Inc. which is up for an Best Documentary Oscar today.

I thought it was quite well done. It's main talking heads are Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation), and my Grandma's personal god and Berkeley-resident, Michael Pollan (The Omnivore's Dilemma, In Defense of Food.) While clearly they have a message and bias, they present many perspectives of the multifaceted saga of our food industry.

The movie tells so many stories. They interview farmers that sell their chickens to Tyson, and those that sell locally and contrast the differences. They feature a mother whose son was killed by E. coli from a hamburger, and then the scientists who engineer the cows to get rid of the E. coli, then show why it's there at all. They unravel the history of fast food, how small organic companies are marketed, and how one corporation owns most of the soy beans in the country. It also exposes how meatpacking industries lure then exploit undocumented workers. After each story, there's the floating text: "(Corporation) declined to be interviewed for this film."

The documentarians are shining an unflattering light onto the food industry, and are no friends to Tyson or Monsanto, but I would say it is still quite fair. It's pretty hard to find the positive or pretty side to this machine. It doesn't demonize those who eat conventionally, but I guarantee you'll be reconsidering how you eat by the end.

A must-see, especially for those who haven't heard about this all before. It runs a risk of falling into a niche and only preaching to the convinced, but everyone who eats needs to see it.

Potholder Party

2010-03-04T19:56:00.001-05:00

The potholder party started out as a usual Wednesday Pizza-and-Girls Night. Every week we meet over gourmet pizza that our friend Leah makes at the co-op bakery where she works. It's delicious! To add a little extra fun to our Wednesday gatherings, it was suggested that once in awhile one of us gals lead an activity. I decided, since I've been on a craft streak lately, to lead a little potholder-making party.

I made potholders last weekend with the fabric leftover from my apron project. I used an online tutorial instead of a pattern. I used an old towel with little absorbency left for the inside padding.

Here is the before...

...and the after:

You may think a potholder is the most uninteresting thing in your kitchen, but they become very exciting when you make them yourself!

Here are some shots from the girls in action last night.

Leah sews for the first time! And what a lovely job she did with her first stitches.

Jill sews and Michelle pins the binding on their potholders... the last step!

Julie shows off her adorable finished product! She used a bandanna she found at a yard sale, which I think creates a very country-chic effect.

Upcoming Pizza-and-Girls night activities may include Spanish lessons, hip hop dancing, baking, and paper crafts! Stay tuned.

Sunday Confession

2010-02-28T13:39:00.001-05:00

It's about time I come out of the closet.... I'm feeling nervous about announcing this, but...

I read the New York Times Wedding section every Sunday.

I tell you this today, because I wanted to share a Vows story that was truly extraordinary. I hope the adventure and romance of their story will vindicate me.

Spoiled Californian

2010-02-27T17:39:00.000-05:00

Living in California has spoiled me. I lost the ability to withstand rain as a true Pacific Northwesterner. I used to wear flip-flops in the rain. I didn't own rain boots until I moved to California. I didn't use an umbrella. Recently lots of Oregonian friends started joining the facebook group "Real Oregonians Don't Use Umbrellas." I felt too ashamed to join the group. Earlier in the day I'd opened my own umbrella while I was still in the car.

There are definitely differences in lifestyle - in Oregon or Washington we only went from house to car, or through a parking lot in the weather. We didn't walk several blocks to get to the bus stop. I also never had the brutal task of telling children that there wouldn't be recess because of the rain. Try doing that and tell me you love the rain.

Today I groaned at the sight of some grey clouds. I said it was chilly, while it's 58 degrees. We're considering moving to DC, which just suffered a "snowpocalypse," while Berkeley's lowest temperature is on record was 25 °F. Another relocation option is Seattle, which is it is cloudy an average of 201 days and 93 partly cloudy days per year. It has 37.1 inches of rain a year, versus Berkeley's 23.57. Portland has 37.5 inches per year.

After a few years of this Mediterranean climate, I'll never survive the world beyond, the elements out there.

Stuff I've Made Lately

2010-02-25T01:00:00.000-05:00

Since my curtains, I haven't really update y'all on my crafting projects. I haven't mentioned them mostly because I made things as gifts. Here are a few photos of things I've made for people in the last few months.

I made this Slanket for my dad for Christmas. I also made one for Aaron for his birthday. I used a very thick polar fleece. They are quite simple to sew, and a lovely, fun thing.

This is the tote bag I sewed for my mom for Christmas. I made 5 of them of all different patterns and styles, and have 2 more started. I used fat quarter panels, which you can buy for a few bucks each. I didn't use a pattern, so the process was very... educational. I wish I had taken pictures of all of them before I wrapped them up!

I painted this for Aaron for Valentine's Day. He's a big "Star Trek: The Next Generation" fan, so I looked up the proper Enterprise ship and painted it bit by bit whenever he was out. Now he has something very him to hang in our room. It was great to get back into painting (I did lots in high school and some in college.) I have all the supplies now and hope to do some more in the future.

Here is my latest creation - a retro-style apron! It was my first totally solo pattern project. I did it in bursts, but probably could have finished it in a day if I'd committed. Now I'll feel domestic and adorable when I'm whipping up muffins. (Recognize the curtains in the background?)

Any ideas for future projects?

A favorite poem

2010-02-22T21:00:00.000-05:00

By Emily Dickinson

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune--without the words,
And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.

I've heard it in the chillest land,
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.

Book 3: Love, Power and Justice

2010-02-20T14:26:00.000-05:00

Paul Tillich is one of my favorite thinkers. I took a course on his theology in college, and it was a semester of mind-blowing moment after mind-blowing moment. His book "The Courage to Be" is outstanding. His definition of God as Ground and power of being and faith as ultimate concern comprise the existentialist, academic theology I find very compelling.

I chose to read the thin volume of 1954 lectures on Love, Power and Justice to revisit Tillich's theology. It's interesting to go back to dense, academic writings after nearly three years out of college - I'm not really in shape for it! But I really enjoyed delving back into questions of being and ethics.

The thesis of the lectures was that "the problems of love, power, and justice categorically demand an ontological foundation and a theological view in order to be saved from the vague talk, idealism, and cynicism with which they are usually treated. Man cannot solve any of his great problems if he does not see them int he light of his own being and being-itself." [pg 125]

In this treatment, in short, Power is the driving force of life - the "possibility of self-affirmation in spite of internal and external negation." [pg 40] Justice is the dynamic that occurs when two beings encounter each other, the "claim of every person to be treated not as a thing but as a centered, deciding, free, and responsible self." [pg 114] His definition of love intentionally rejects the sentimental, and he criticizes the idea of love as self-surrender to another. But I find the way he describes love to still be quite poetic: "Life is being in actuality and love is the moving power of life...Love is the drive toward the unity of the separated. Reunion presupposes separation of that with belongs essentially together.. Estrangement presupposes original oneness. Love manifests its greatest power there where it overcomes the greatest separation." [pg 25]

Tillich isn't just a typical "dead white guy" philosopher. He's a total badass. He incurred the wrath of Hitler and had to come to America in 1933. He's been on the cover of TIME magazine in his time and was a well-known pop culture figure. When he gave sermons people would pack the house and literally hang from the rafters, as my professor told it. Also he has the most amazing voice ever. I read Love, Power and Justice in that voice in my head. It definitely enriched the experience. (Listen to the video, fast-forward 6:00 to hear him speak about love.)

To get your own fix of Tillich mind-blowingness, read The Eternal Now online.

I Don't Like Shaun White.

2010-02-19T00:19:00.000-05:00

My house has been watching the Olympic coverage and we have been groaning every time the cocky Snowboarder Shaun White is on screen. He carries himself like a playboy, flipping his super-styled hair with his trendy man jewelry. He says things like "I guess I'm the guy to beat." Ugh.

Sure, jaws around the world dropped during his gold medal halfpipe run last night, including my own. I recognize his incredible talent. But why did he have to follow that run with these comments: "It was the savvy thing to do, saucy."

I respect a humble Olympian much more than someone who calls himself saucy. They're suppose to talk about how hard it was, how tough the competition was, how grateful they are to be at the Olympics.

Michael Phelps won 8 Golds in one Olympics. And he never called himself saucy.

Play Like a Girl

2010-02-17T01:39:00.000-05:00

I get excited on Tuesday nights because the next morning I get to wear sweat pants to work. Wednesdays start earlier and I have a longer after-school program day (4 hours with my group of girls instead of 2.5), but I look forward to dressing down for our sports and fitness day. This month I have a guest yoga teacher on Wednesdays. Although I do a lot of shushing giggling girls, I get in a few poses.

Sports and fitness are one of the main components of my program's curriculum several days a week, along with nutrition, science, leadership and youth development. In the fall I was teaching them soccer. (Actually, I was very much pretending to teach them soccer. They're little Latina soccer stars already.) We did our Thriller dance practices which got the room so sweaty we steamed up the classroom windows. We're just wrapping up a basketball unit. In the spring I'm excited to play softball with them, and roll out another dance unit - both personal favorite activities of mine as a youth.

Our program attempts to compensate for the diminishing activity in their days. Slimming budgets squeeze out PE, video games and computers keep kids planted for hours, and Oakland kids have alarmingly high obesity and asthma rates. I've found that my girls are pretty active and enjoy exercise, and I'm glad that we give them the structure of team sports in a more laid back environment.Today the NY Times reported that girls who play sports in fact become healthier, more well-adjusted women. "A large body of research shows that sports are associated with all sorts of benefits, like lower teenage pregnancy rates, better grades and higher self-esteem." This is something my agency talks about a lot, and it's nice to see it validated in research, and in print.

The Crazy Story of Immortal Cells

2010-02-06T16:14:00.000-05:00

My mom recently sent me an article about the immortal "HeLa cells" used by medical researchers to develop a gaggle of innovations from the polio vaccine to chemotherapy. Where these cells came from was kept a secret, even from the woman they came from - Henrietta Lacks.

A new book unravels the remarkable story of these amazing cells, from the extraction, to the research, to the courtroom. There are issues of ethics, science, and family all bound together. The book is apparently quite good, but you can just read the Smithsonian article for a small dose of amazement.

Dream Nest

2010-02-04T21:10:00.000-05:00

Aaron and I have been talking a lot lately about our next move, to come after this summer. We're unclear about where it will be, or what jobs await us, but it's put me in a mood for nesting.

Laura made me the awesome print above for Christmas, and it inspired me to imagine the nest it would eventually hang in. Here are a few pictures that fit into my daydreams of a cozy, unique future home. (Click on the picture to get to the source.)

(This room evokes a wonderful, comfortable feeling.)

(This screen is rad!)

(I can't figure out if this is one piece or many, but I can easily imagine my own books and frames on it.)

(A large framed photo would showcase my love of dead trees. This one is by Tanya Marcuse.)

(I can only fantasize about a home office like this!)

(If nothing else, this chair is a total necessity.)

(I can't grab the photo, but this lighting fixture is neat, too.)

Book 2: The Three Musketeers

2010-02-03T00:32:00.000-05:00

The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas was one of those books I didn't think I'd need to read. One might assume they've seen so many adaptations of the story on screen and stage that it isn't necessary. But after reading Dumas' Count of Monte Cristo, and totally loving it, I was excited to crack open another classic tale of adventure and intrigue. (It's also on my list of 1001 must-reads.)

The Musketeers did not disappoint, though it's a lighter jaunt than the dark and mysterious Monte Cristo. (It's also only 600 pages to Monte Cristo's 1200.)

My unabridged edition began with a preface by a scholar who didn't seem to admire Dumas much and credited his stories to hired underling writers. That was a bitter start. The afterward was more celebratory, but pointed out that since the story was originally released as a serial in a paper, it is a bit choppy chronologically. Despite these criticisms, the tale endures for a reason - it's a romantic and boyant swashbuckling adventure!

One of my 5th graders, upon seeing the cavaliers on cover of the book, remarked, "those guys are so ugly! Who would want to date them?" Well, seemingly every lady in France in 1625.

When Life Hands You Brussel Sprouts...

2010-02-01T19:31:00.000-05:00

...or rather, a huge stalk of brussel sprouts!

Clearly, I was befuddled by this huge stalk we found at a farm stand on our way back from Monterey?

Find out what my housemate and I did with it on Julie's blog!

Trimming the fat, while trimming the fat

2010-01-25T22:38:00.000-05:00

I've learned some budgeting lessons over the years, but all those tricks to scrimp have been really put to the test on my AmeriCorps stipend! When it comes to "trimming the fat," nothing is safe. Not even a gym membership. (Ironic, yes?)

On a normal salary, it's forgivable to make it to the gym only once a week, or have a spate of busy/sick/lazy days and not go at all for awhile. This is what gyms count on for their livelihood. On my paycheck, it just wasn't acceptable to spend $30/month on an under-used gym membership.

So I canceled it and found ways I could work out without ever leaving my toasty living room. I bought two exercise DVDs on Amazon.com. Both are dance fitness, which I've found is the most enjoyable and effective workout for me. One is called Dance Body Tone and the other is Dance with Julianne: Cardio Ballroom. Both are led by Dancing with the Stars instructors, and both are, predictably, a little cheesy. But they get my heart-rate up, and the time goes fast because I'm really enjoying myself. I also have a New York City Ballet Workout that always leaves me feeling strong.

I also signed up for a free membership on YogaToday.com. You can pay for a more extensive subscription, but for $0 you get a free weekly video. If you really like a particular work-out, you can buy the video for $3.99. Definitely beats the $12 you'd spend to go to a studio! I did my first video on the site yesterday, and found it easy (it was a beginners video) and full of good insights about alignment. The instructor was a little awkward, but it was the yoga that mattered - and it's not like I was paying for it!

Of course, I also employ the good ol' fashion walk as often as I can. Since our car has been out for a few months I usually get at least 30 minutes of walking in a day just to and from public transportation, often more.

When in need of new inspiration, I've found that buying a Self or Women's Health magazine once in awhile gives me new ideas, exercises and motivation. (Or just visit the web site for free!)

There are a few ways I've discovered to keep me in shape for very little moolah. Any tips of your own?

Six Word Memoirs

2010-01-23T19:26:00.000-05:00

Have you heard of Six Word Memoirs? Smith Magazine has an online forum where people post the story of their lives in six words.

My mom caught the trend awhile back and one of her memoirs appears in the latest compilation of the lines, "It All Changed in an Instant: More Six Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure." (Hers is: "Nordstrom prom date, thrift store dress." So clever!)

I think I'm a little verbose for this exercise because it took me a long time to brainstorm one of my own. But here are a few of my attempts:

Happiness is a book and muffin.

All in, if cards are straightened.

High school cheerleader, loves a Trekkie.

Traded living wage for pinky promises.

Listen to an interview with the editors of the book on NPR's Forum here.

What is your six word memoir???

Cruisin' the California Coast

2010-01-18T20:54:00.000-05:00

While I didn't have a three day weekend (I painted an elementary school cafeteria with AmeriCorps on MLK day), I did make the most of it! Six girlfriends and myself drove South to Monterey, California for a little coastal tourism.

On Saturday we started with some time in Cannery Row, eating lunch and indulging in some serious girl-talk (boys, haircuts, ob-gyns, you name it.) Then we drove down the coastal Highway 1 to Big Sur. Rain was forecasted, but it stayed clear all day and we took frequent stops to take pictures of the beautiful Pacific ocean, rocky shoreline and greenery.

We were trying to use the camera timer to take a group shot with a scenic background. I set the timer and ran to take my place on the end of the row, but almost fell down the slippery slope we were on. After that shot we staged an "after" photo too.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

After a night at a local pub and cards in our hotel room, we woke up early on Sunday to go to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. It claims to be the best aquarium in the world and I think they may be right. While they didn't have a Great White Shark anymore (and they certainly don't have a famous killer whale) they did have some amazing exhibits and I felt like a kid in my excitement and awe.

Here are some ever-fascinating jellies...:

...and some mind-boggling Sea Dragons from the Sea Horse exhibit:

It was fun to get out of town, play tourist and log some girlfriend time. Now that it's unclear whether Aaron and I will stay in California next year, I feel a rush to see all the amazing California sites while I'm here. It's been too easy to put off seeing places like Yosemite and the Redwoods, but now we've got a great excuse for another road trip!

...

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day! If you're looking for a way to give back in honor of Dr. King's amazing legacy of service, here are some good ways to donate to the Haiti earthquake relief effort. (Aaron says not to donate through text because your bank will charge you a fee, like an ATM. To avoid letting anyone profit from your charity, make a credit card donation instead.)

Speaking of Muffins

2010-01-13T21:18:00.000-05:00

I recently made a lovely batch of Pear & Ginger muffins from the Nigella Lawson Express cookbook I got for Christmas (thanks, mom!) They were some of the most tasty muffins I've ever made. Check out the recipe here (with American conversions.) [EDIT: Disregard the poor review on that blog - they are totally tasty and scrumptious!]

I'd never heard of Ms. Lawson before, but apparently she's quite a media sensation. I just watched the video below, and hence have been writing this post with a British accent in my head.

Nothin' Sexy about "Casserole"

2010-01-12T00:59:00.000-05:00

It's hard to imagine anything less gourmet than Jiffy corn muffin mix, or the word "casserole." Okay, maybe canned cream corn. But hear me out on these two recipes. Each incorporates the corn muffin mix, and each are surprisingly delicious.

First up, Chicken Enchilada Casserole
This dish was an instant hit with my test audience (read: me and Aaron), and has continued to please about once a month. To pretend it's healthier, I like to add chopped lettuce and tomato to the top (over a generous heap of sour cream.) I'm very proud to have discovered this, and I'm sure I'll be making it until I'm a grandma.

Next, Two-Bean Tamale Pie
I found this recipe in my standard Better Homes and Gardens cookbook last year and took it for a spin. Like the first, it makes a great comfort food on a cold night, and is also great reheated for lunch the next day or two. It's pretty cheap to throw together, and most of the ingredients are probably already camping in your pantry.

Do you have any favorite casserole recipes? Please share - clearly I'm a big fan.

Family, 3 Ways

2010-01-10T20:22:00.000-05:00

Here are the family photos I took over Christmas, in all my different family clusters.

(Me, brother Dave, sister Krysta, Mom and Gramma, who took a special liking to that ribbon on her head.)

(Me, Krysta, Dad, and Dave around the Christmas tree.)

Me with Aaron and his brother Nate, dad Dave, mom Gretchen, and sister Clare.

Book 1: Unaccustomed Earth

2010-01-06T23:08:00.000-05:00

One of my New Years resolutions was to read at least 20 books this year. As I finish each, I intend to post about it. This way I get to celebrate and share each time I reach the back cover.

Book 1 of 2010 was "Unaccustomed Earth" by Jhumpa Lahiri.
It is a collection of short stories, all with very similar set-ups: Americanized children of Bengali Immigrants, mostly in Boston, mostly academics. A TIME feature on Lahiri expounds upon what else each of her characters share: "Everyone in Lahiri's fiction is pulled in at least six directions at once. Parents pull characters backward in time; children pull them forward. America pulls them west; India pulls them east. The need to marry pulls them outward; the need for solitude pulls them inward. Lahiri's stories are static, but what looks like stasis is really the stillness of enormous forces pushing in opposite directions, barely keeping one another in check."

I read Lahiri's novel "The Namesake" 2 years ago and was taken by her heartbreaking but subtle prose,. While I liked the novel, I think short stories are a much better showcase for her style. Her first collection, "Interpreter of Maladies" won her the Pulitzer Prize.

Here is a snippet from the New York Times review for "Unaccustomed Earth":
"Lahiri handles her characters without leaving any fingerprints. She allows them to grow as if unguided, as if she were accompanying them rather than training them through the espalier of her narration. Reading her stories is like watching time-lapse nature videos of different plants, each with its own inherent growth cycle, breaking through the soil, spreading into bloom or collapsing back to earth."

I think this is a perfect way to capture it.

I highly recommend this book. But, in the immortal words of Reading Rainbow, don't take my word for it...

Christmas Past

2010-01-06T22:18:00.000-05:00

Lest the holiday season should pass totally without a mention of my time at home; I had a wonderful two weeks off (Oh, the joys of working in a school.) I got to spend time with family and old friends, eat at my favorite hometown places, enjoy a pint of Rogue brew or two, and sleep many hours in! I made some Christmas cookies and fudge, but that was about as labor-intensive as it got!

I also was a part of another holiday tradition - the family portrait - not once, not twice, but three times! Being split-family kid and someone's "plus one" can be a little hectic during the holidays, but who can complain about triple the holiday spirit? I will hope to post all the family photos as soon as I get them - hint, hint!

And now back to the grind...

Sleeping Beauties

2010-01-04T23:06:00.000-05:00

Ready for a well-rested new year? Read about Glamour/Huffington Post's Sleep Challenge 2010. Did you ever think of the benefits in your own life if you got your full night of Zs? What about the benefits for the world entire?

Well, Hello There 2010

2010-01-03T17:04:00.000-05:00

It's a new year! Last year I proclaimed around this time that 2009 would be my "Year of Doing, Year of Joy." Looking back, I feel this was accomplished. As for the 13 resolutions I made for myself? Well, let's just say that 2009 was also my year of learning to be flexible.

This year I'm doing away with the long list of resolutions and whittling it down.
1) Read 20 books this year.
2) Check Facebook only twice a week (allowing myself permission to click through to see pictures I was tagged in, etc.)
3) Save enough to manage the summer trip to Brazil and two out-of-state weddings.

This year I won't make a health-related resolution, as self-care, weight management, fitness, etc are always an ongoing process. Other goals for the year, like finding out where Aaron and I will be moving and working next year, will happen whether or not I state I will do so in the new year.

This year, I will continue to pursue joy, strengthen my relationships, learn new skills, be good at what I do, and be kind to myself when things don't work out as planned.

My Christmas Miracle.

2009-12-25T22:28:00.001-05:00

Snow Days (figuratively)

2009-12-21T14:31:00.000-05:00

This gave me a chuckle, and is dedicated to all those who have snow today (Which is at least you DCers.)

While it is not snowing here in Newport, I welcome the rain as a little "Welcome back" gesture. Aaron and I had 16 hour train ride from Berkeley, which I actually enjoyed, but my back is still complaining about.

Now I'm ready to enjoy two weeks of holidays, family and old friends, sleeping in, reading, cooking, and trying to avoid the temptation of cable!

Magnificent Trees

2009-12-13T20:02:00.001-05:00

With all the attention on pines and firs this time of year, let's take a moment to recognize some other very special trees. Check out this compilation of The 10 Most Magnificent Trees in the World.

Here is one of my favorite photos from the article; it's a "circus tree."
I personally love trees. Maybe that's an odd statement. I love the poetic shapes they take, the personality they can display, the way they morph throughout the year. In my high school art classes, the thing I painted and drew most frequently were dead trees - they just have a certain je ne sais quoi.

Christmas Time is Here!

2009-12-06T12:26:00.000-05:00

It's my favorite time of year! Luckily, my roommates are as holiday-happy as I am, and we've got our tree up and Christmas music playing all the time! We've also logged hours writing cards and crafting in preparation of the holiday. Even with all this yule tide peer support, I'm not sure how I'll get everything glued and sewed together before I get on the train to Oregon for Christmas! Maybe a miracle on Ellsworth Street...

Horrifying

2009-12-01T00:28:00.000-05:00

The slaying of four Lakewood Police officers in Parkland, Washington in a Forza cafe yesterday is chilling. Read the latest story here. By all accounts it was a premeditated, cold-blooded execution. The officers were parents of nine children combined. The suspect is still at large.and based on the suspect's criminal and psychiatric record, it is horrifying that he was not in jail or an institution.

The story hits especially close to home, as I went to college in Parkland and worked at Forza in Lakewood. The cops came in every day, and I recognize at least two of those killed from among our regulars.

It's more than tragic, and my heart goes out to the officers' families, the community, and the Forza family as they deal with the shock, trauma, and press.

Forza has set up a fund for the families of the fallen officers, which you can access on their homepage.Lakewood Police officers Greg Richards (top left), Mark Renninger (top right), Tina Griswold (bottom right) and Ronald Owens (bottom left.)

Gobble, Gobble

2009-11-24T16:54:00.000-05:00

I've been planning my Thanksgiving menu for a few weeks - I'm just so excited about the intimate little gathering of me, Aaron and Laura, who's in flight as I type!

Here is what's on the menu:
Turkey a la Aaron, using this brine
Generic stuffing and gravy
Rolls
Spring mix salad
Acorn Squash Charmoula
Flaky Feta Tart
Roasted Green Bean with Herb Butter
My all-time favorite Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Classic Pumpkin Pie
Red wine from Sunset Cellars we tasted and bought in Wine Country

If you haven't planned your menu, or if you need a little food porn, check out these sites:
New York Times' Thanksgiving Section
"Your Best Thanksgiving Ever" courtesy of Sunset Magazine
Real Simple Magazine's Complete Thanksgiving Guide
A Thanksgiving food and drink compendium by the San Francisco Chronicle

And when it's all over, try this idea for your leftovers from The Minimalist: Turkey Curry.

Fun with Auto-Tune

2009-11-22T03:31:00.001-05:00

What is auto-tuning? If you've listened to the radio recently, you've heard it. From Wikipedia: "Auto-Tune uses a phase vocoder to correct pitch in vocal and instrumental performances. It is used to disguise off-key inaccuracies and mistakes, and has allowed singers to perform perfectly tuned vocal tracks without the need of singing in tune. In addition to being used to subtly change pitch, with some settings it can be used as an effect to distort the human voice.^"

Here's a clip from the Ellen show that demonstrates the distortion technique with T-Pain:

What fun things could you do with this tool? Spice up the news! Add a funny, super-imposed cast and a fun track and you've got a surprising recipe for entertainment:

And there is much more where that came from at their You Tube channel.

Quotable Palin

2009-11-18T23:43:00.000-05:00

Sarah Palin's book is out (not that you haven't heard), and I must say I am intrigued. Intrigued in the way you would be if your friend said "wanna see something really gross?" No, you really don't, but you're a little curious.

Esquire has compiled some Palin quotes, side-by-side with those of an actual writer. Can you guess which are the former VP candidate's? Take the quiz here.

For a more serious analysis of Palin's appeal and political maneuvering, read Newsweek's cover story, Gone Rogue. The cover featured a photo for which she posed for Runner's World (right.) But now she's upset about it and calling it sexist. Read about that here. For someone who seeks the spotlight so avidly, she sure is sensitive about it!

Wishpot

2009-11-17T01:06:00.000-05:00

It feels like the holidays are just around the corner - maybe because I spent the evening around a crackling fire, snuggled in my Slanket, drinking hot chocolate, and listening to Christmas music with my housemates.

In the spirit of preparing for the holidays, allow me to share an amazing find! Wishpot is a genius website that allows you to build a personal wish list, registry, or a gift-giving check list from any retailer on the net! I went a little crazy with the window shopping, but was able to save items from J. Crew, Hunger site, Amazon, Busted Tees and an independent Etsy vendor. I also saved secret gift ideas for some of you on my shopping list, but you can't see those!

'Tis the season to start building your wishpot and sharing with loved ones!

View my wish list on Wishpot &raquo

The Decade That Was

2009-11-11T14:27:00.000-05:00

How fast did the last ten years fly by? In this Newsweek retrospective, it only takes 7 minutes.

Remember all that?

A Belated Halloween

2009-11-10T01:02:00.000-05:00

So this Halloween business is a little late, but you get it when you can. Welcome to my life.

Here are (some of) my girls doing their Michael Jackson Thriller dance! If they seem a little less than enthusiastic, it's because this is take 2. Their first performance had more girls in it and more energy, but a kid parked his head right in front of my camera. So, we tried again. (Fast forward to 00:40 for the actual start of the dance.)

And here is my brood of flapper jazz kittens (My housemates Jill, me, Julie and Michelle) on Halloween, before our night on the town. We cooked up our costumes with a dash of goodwill, a sprinkle of fabric store remnants and a heaping spoonful of home-sewing.

Bustin'

2009-11-09T23:52:00.000-05:00

Another fun pop culture gimmick courtesy of Huffington Post.