Sunday, December 20, 2009

i've reached that point...

where all the christmas cards I get are photo cards of my married friends and their children, whether the child be human or dog.

that's ok. i love seeing these photos. i love the idea of photo cards.

i just didn't realize i was to that point in life yet.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

I <3 My Ducks

civil war game tonight. I'm gonna get my game watching on at Rennie's, where my roommate works. He's sharing his 35% discount with me tonight, so $2 beers are now $1.30. Plus he's driving me to and fro. Holla. Here's a video that I *just* can't get enough of.

I smell rooossseeesss....

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

smartz

I have (for tonight anyway) come to the conclusion that the internet, or rather my obsessive use of the internet, has made me dumber. I have vast amounts of information quite literally at my fingertips, and it's so easy to find that perfect sentence of information that answers any random question I might have. As opposed to finding a summation, paragraph, or essay that prods and pokes my brain to think about what the answer could be.

The internet also provides me with enormous opportunity to procrastinate doing things like reading books, talking with folks about ideas and thoughts, and sitting around thinking, which I used to do quite often. And now I still do, but my thoughts are monopolized with inane daydream scenarios or....what to tweet.

While I may KNOW more things, I honestly feel like my capability to think abstractly has diminished. Though -- I also feel this might be largely in part due to working an 8-5 job. I do think working 8-5 has also crippled my attention span. It was bound to happen.

But I love the internet for its endless bounty of musical exploration. Lately I've been into the New Moon soundtrack, The XX, Neon Indian, Hockey, and ...well as usual...Girl Talk.

And now back to reading Another Roadside Attraction by Tom Robbins, which has proven to be really thought provoking, even though I'm only 44 pages in.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Busy!

I have been TERRIBLE about updating my blog. Admittedly I attribute this in part to the feeling that the wonderful things about Oregon I have loved are no longer a novelty to me, though I continue to enjoy them. Perhaps I should change the name/focus of the blog.

But truth be told, I have been busy. Work has been lively and productive, and I have had the opportunity to tackle new projects. We are gearing up for a huge trip in February to the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. I will be accompanying 50 high school-aged youth and 8 adults, who will be serving as mentors/chaperones, for a week in Vancouver. It is definitely an exciting and adventurous prospect. The three Oregon-based mentors (myself and two of my friends) will be taking a quick trip to San Francisco in a couple of weeks to meet the youth and other mentors. Since we're all friends, we decided to make a weekend out of it and see a bit of San Fran and stay with one of the mentor's sister in Carmel-by-the-Sea.

I've also been busy outside of work with my book clubs, a Pilates class I recently started, volunteering at the KLCC radiothon, going to Duck games, and planning upcoming events! This weekend I'm hosting a few friends at my house for a Julia Child's cooking night, going to a Pumpkin Food Social at the UU Eugene church (all food will have pumpkin in it), and heading to Portland for a matinee of either Where the Wild Things Are or Paranormal Activity and going to a preseason Blazers game against the Nuggets. Tonight I hope to start an applique project for my friend's soon to be born baby. I also hope to make a pumpkin dish for the pot luck tomorrow. I'm debating between pumpkin ravioli and pumpkin muffins.

The fun doesn't end there! But you can see I've been pretty busy, and as a result I feel like I've neglected some of the simpler things I enjoy, like finding and purchasing/downloading music, writing, etc.

Ok, now that I've enjoyed a quick break from working, it's time to get BACK to work.

Friday, October 2, 2009

Moved!

Well, I've moved again! Let's have a rundown of the places I have lived in the past year and a half, shall we?

I lived at my parents' house in Arlington, TX for a year and a half before moving to Oregon in May of 2008.

Once in Oregon, I subleased a room for two months, sharing the house with two law school students. This was definitely a time of adjustment, as I learned about Eugene and tried to make some friends.

For the month of August, I lived in a boring house on the boring side of town. The exciting part was that my roommate was kind of crazy! I GTFO as soon as I could.

From September 08 through Sept 11, 2009, I lived back in my old Eugene neighborhood (the Friendly Street Neighborhood) with Susan and her two dogs. A cute house (albeit in shambles), a roommate very similar to me, and VERY dog friendly. It was a good place to live, and I have lots of fond memories here.

My landlord decided to put the house up for sale, so I began looking for new places to live. It was unlikely that Susan and I would find a place that would accept our combined three dogs, so I looked for other options. I found a house in Springfield that was in my budget, would take Luna (without a deposit!), would provide me my OWN bathroom, and was a nice, clean house with a normal, responsible, easygoing and friendly roommate. I jumped on that opportunity!

So here Luna and I are, living in a new house...again. The biggest adjustment this time was the two cats that my current roommate has. But Luna and the cats seem to have chilled out a bit and are getting along wonderfully. I'm still able to get out and about in Eugene, though I really miss being able to walk to the organic food market by my old house. I also miss my old neighborhood, but this new one has an excellent walking/biking path right by my house. Luna loves it.

Hopefully I will get to stay here for awhile, though I know it's not permanent. Who knows where life will take me next?

Saturday, September 5, 2009

math sux

I just realized in the last post about three-year cycles, I went from 1995 to 1991. Did I mention that in 2000 (presumably an "off" year) I failed algebra? yawp.

I move next week. A lot of people are moving. Mostly....moving away. My favorite gas attendant is one of those people.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

3

Today I was thinking about which years in recent life have been my "best" or favorite years. Then I nodded and realized they occur every three years. (3 is inexplicably my favorite number)

2007 - My hair was doing amazing things this year. I also made some new and amazing friends whilst having a blast with my current friends.
2004 - I went to Costa Rica, made new and amazing friends, loved my job, did well in school, learned a LOT, and went to Bonnarooooo.
2001 - a LOT of new experiences and realizations came to me this year.
1998 - again with the great hair. Just happy times all around.
1995 - I learned the difference between respecting authority and respecting those who deserve respect.
1991 - completed 1st grade, where I had the most amazing teacher, Ms. Bobbie Gournay.

I can't get much earlier than that. So basically it seems like 2010 is going to rock. What could possibly happen?

I could (will!) pay off my credit card debt.
Dallas Mavericks will win the championship.
I could make even more awesome new friends.
Will my hair finally come through and do great things once again?

Having thought about this, I'm looking forward to 26. I think 24 and 25 have been important and valuable transition years. Bring on the awesomeness!

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

line in the sand

I remember when I was a Senior in high school, I started becoming interested in politics. On one of the first days of my Government class, my teacher said for us all to stand in the middle of the classroom. Then she said "If you believe abortion should be illegal, go stand on the right side of the classroom. If you believe abortion should be legal, go stand on the left side." I watched, dumbfounded, as my friends scurried to their respective sides of the classroom. My mouth hung open, slightly confused at what was going on. Was I really going to have to think about this and make a decision? Right then? Right there? Not only was I going to have to decide, but I was going to have to let everyone know what my decision was.

Ms. Howard rescued me and said "If you don't care or haven't quite made up your mind, stand in the middle." So I went to the middle. I hadn't quite decided how I felt about the very delicate subject of abortion. At this point in my life, I didn't see it as a black or white subject. But then she said, "If you believe gays and lesbians should have equal rights as heterosexuals, stand on the left side of the room. If you don't think that, if you think they should not be able to be married or adopt children, stand on the right side of the room."

There was no ambivalence or wavering for me on this topic. My best friend, a gay guy, was in that room with me. My former best friends, extremely conservative people, were also in that room. These were people who told me my gay guy friends were going to hell. At that moment there was only one place I belonged -- standing next to my friend as he stood for his basic human rights. I wasn't embarrassed. I wasn't anything but proud to be his friend. I could see their eyes uncomfortably shift, as they realized what just happened. They were facing a man whose basic rights they thought should be denied. They were facing a friend with whom bonds had been broken because of ideological beliefs.

The line had been drawn.

How do we cross that line? How do we meet in the middle, and, rather than compromising, come to an understanding of each other?

Sunday, August 9, 2009

sunday funday

I woke up this morning after having slept 9.5 hours! I was completely exhausted after spending Saturday happily helping Jasmine and Jeremy celebrate their wedding. The benadryl pills I took for allergies really knocked me out.

I woke up undecided on how to spend the day. One part of me wanted to lounge around the house and watch shows on my laptop. Another part of me wanted to really take advantage of the day. So I got up and decided to visit the Unitarian Universalist Church of Eugene for the second time. I was considering going hiking at Elijah Bristow State Park after. I am SO glad I went to church. The pastor's sermon was about finding our "one square inch of silence." His message was inspired by this project. The project basically involves going out into nature and hearing ONLY sounds of nature. The man working on the project considers silent spots in nature an endangered species. The pastor went on to discuss how our own mind is often one of those "endangered" spots, in that it is rarely silent. This motivated me to DEFINITELY go out to the state park with Luna.

What a great walk we had. It was about 2.5 hours, crisscrossing creeks and walking alongside the great Willamette River. We got in for a little bit to cool off. Luna was extra curious about a snake that crossed our path, and she stared down a couple of ducks in a secluded pond area. She's doing so wonderfully off leash now. I can say "Luna, stop and sit," and she sure will stop and sit. Here are some pictures below! (my camera is broken, so all i have is my phone. sorry for the low quality.)




Then I came home to continue reading Eat, Pray, Love, where I am incidentally at the part where the author discusses quieting her mind. How perfect!

Now here I am, watching Antiques Roadshow in Houston, sipping on Raspberry Cider after eating a refreshing salad (and a couple of sugar-free popsicles, of course). What a lovely Sunday. :-)

like!

to counterbalance my last, mostly negative, blog i would like to list a few things i'm currently loving.

1. Popsicles. specifically the sugar-free kind.
2. Avatar: The Last Airbender. it's a nickelodeon cartoon that my buddy set me on. i love it, because it talks about the yin and yang of good and evil, as well as how to overcome habit for what you really need to be doing.
3. blackberries growing EVERYwhere. get ready for some pies, cobblers, and jam! i'm totally gonna make some jam this year. and listen to jam band music while i do it.
4. the incense and its holder that jasmine got me as a thank-you gift for doing music at her wedding and reception (which i will blog about once pictures are available!).
5. wyder's raspberry cider.
6. PBS. 'nuff said.
7. sweet, sweet summertime!
8. Eat, Pray, Love - an amazing book for women (or men!)
9. benadryl, to counteract the sweet, sweet summertime allergies

Monday, August 3, 2009

tired.

i am copying my friend's post "some things i am tired of." while i generally try to stay on the positive side of the street, there are things my i am tired of dealing with lately.

1. critters. each night there is a spider in my bed. each day there are ants in the house.
2. daily rememberances that in just a few short months, it will be dark at 5 and raining all the time.
3. hearing about how cash for clunkers sucks.
4. people who make comments on facebook with their own, seemingly special, anecdotes. like if i were to post, "today i tripped and fell." then someone responded with "oh that happened to me five years ago, and it was obviously a memorable event." sometimes i even do this. but really, why do people have to be SO narcissistic?
5. my computer not playing flash properly. no matter what updates i install.
6. not having a bff with whom i can go camping at the drop of a hat.
7. not being able to meditate. see video A below.
8. people talking on cellphones (or even worse, blueteeth) in public places. see video B below.

the next post will be "things i especially like right now"

VIDEO A:

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VIDEO B:

Sunday, July 26, 2009

brewfest

I am back from Portland and beer-soaked weekend of fun. I signed up to volunteer at the festival, so I was able to go the day before to actually drink some brews for free. For volunteering I got a mug, 8 tokens, and a volunteer shirt! Super cool. It was extremely hot, and we walked the 2+ miles to the actual fest. So by the time I got there, I was super thirsty for some beer. It was great; I loved it. I can't wait to go back next year! Then today I worked in the tokens tent, selling tokens to thirsty folks. I was a little worried about that, what with my dyscalculia and counting the tokens, but it was fine. We ran out of mugs on Saturday, so there were no "packages" (1 mug and 4 tokens for $10). Instead it was just a free cup and each token cost $1. People had a really hard time comprehending that.

There was live music, tasty-smelling food (I didn't eat any), and of course...awesome beer! I wish I could remember everything I tried!! I did try the ginger hibiscus beer, and I have finally come to the decision that I don't like gingery things. Which is sad, because I love the word.

I am super tired! Something is really frakking with my allergies today. So far I'm two benadryl and one cetirizine in, and it looks like there will be no hope to stop sneezing.

I am going to watch some Avatar: The Last Airbender now!

some really pretty stargazer lilies in someone's garden on the way back from brewfest


A view of Portland and one of its water source reservoirs on Mt. Tabor
Hibiscus Ginger beer

A view of the brewfest from the burnside bridge

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

grr.

I had a highly productive day. Work was busy, and I felt focused. After work I cleaned the house up and did dishes, walked the dog for awhile, stopped by the neighborhood picnic at a local park, and played frisbee with the dogs. Then I read Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince for awhile outside. I was tired and ready to watch the most recent episode of Weeds (I was counting on falling asleep in the middle of it) and dream away.

However I checked Facebook. A debate was brewing on a friend's page regarding universal healthcare. The person who held the opposite view made several wide generalizations, which I refuted in a not-so-coherent series of sentences. No, they didn't have flow. That wasn't my intention. He then unleashed an essay of further ridiculousness, to which I had no choice but to respond. Basically it turned into a pissing contest. This is why I don't truly argue politics or religion anymore. You're NOT going to change my mind, and chances are I'm not going to change your mind. That's why we vote for our representation.

I'm so beyond frustrated right now, I can't even think straight. I'm frustrated because in the past few days/weeks, I have seen more systematic racism and sexism than I'd like to ever see in my lifetime. I'm tired of the WASPs in the senate constantly referring to Judge Sotomayor's "latina passion." What the hell does that have to do with anything? If for no other reason, given her skills and qualifications, she should be appointed solely to represent an important and vast portion of American society. Also, people still refuse to admit that systematic racism exists in America. It's almost like the logic is "well we let them drink out of the same fountains and attend the same schools, so they should have caught up by now." Well that logic is so faulted. And frankly it covers up what I think most real sentiments are.

This isn't about being "liberal" or "conservative." This is about recognizing equals rights, abilities, and basic liberties among ALL people. And until that happens, our society cannot properly function.

Friday, July 10, 2009

Getting married soon?

I'm at the age where it seems like everyone and their grandma is getting married. I'm okay with that! I LOVE weddings (especially the ones with open bars and plenty of single guys). A good friend of mine is getting married this summer, and she had a creative idea for the wedding favors. She has made drink coasters with the Chinese symbol for love on them. It's very "her," and goes well with the Chinese theme of the wedding.

However, today, as I was making a memorial gift online at http://www.aspca.org/, I noticed the option for "Wedding Favors" on the donation page. Curious, I clicked on it not sure what to expect. Apparently, you can make a blanket donation to the ASPCA, and they will send you notecards for you to place on your guests' chairs, chapel pews, or in the wedding program. What a GREAT IDEA! I think this is the best idea I've heard all year. Wedding favors are expensive, and if you have a couple hundred guests, the cost can add up! Why not just save yourself the trouble, and SAVE animals while you're at it?

So I guess I can add this to my list of reasons why I want to get married and have a wedding (the list currently contains: honeymoon, party, a chance to force people to listen to a music playlist I've created without interruption, and of course the promise of eternal damnation love).


Wednesday, July 1, 2009

excitement

I'm having a really hard time focusing at work right now. Why?

A) UPS guy just came. I actually managed to sputter out a conversation. But, probably from the rush of excitement, my asthma is acting up. I love him...like a lot. He is mellow and actually takes time to talk (or pet Luna all up on him when she was here). Plus he's incredibly hot.

B) 4th of July weekend. Need I say more? It's my favorite holiday for sure. My friend Candice is in town, and a group of us are camping at Crater Lake. It should be a BLAST! The weekend is kicking off tomorrow at Jasmine's for some good times and fireworks.

Ok, between UPS guy and 4th of July I think I have substantial cause for not being able to focus.

My power cord on my laptop died this weekend. After visiting Best Buy then calling Best Buy, it appears as though I have two free power cords (thanks warranty!) coming my way. UPS guy delivered one today :-).

I can already taste the tequila, ninkasi, forest air, and campfire. aaaahhhhhhh.

Monday, June 22, 2009

new post necessary

My recent post (just prior to this) is getting on my nerves, so I feel compelled to create a new one! It includes several short recipes for food and products and a short rundown of recent happenings.

1. Sugar scrub - Lately I have become over concerned with the state of my face/skin. My entire life I have been remiss in maintaining a proper facial care regimen, never rinsing makeup off. I justify this because I don't use foundation, but apparently blush is bad for your pores too. And so is the dirt I gather when I walk Luna. So I have taken to properly taking care of my face. For the exfoliating part I made a sugar scrub. It has worked really well so far, and my skin feels awesome both immediately after and much later after I use it.
1/2 c olive oil
1 1/3 c pure cane sugar (although now, after I've used it for a week or so, I would suggest upping that to 1 3/4 cups)
essential oils (I used 10 drops of eucalyptus oil)
Vitamin E if you have it ( I didn't)

Mix this together and store it in an airtight container. I am using a sandwich tupperware container, because it's flat (easy to access the scrub and clean later on), and I keep it in the shower. But be careful not to let any water get in, because it can grow bacteria that way. I've used it every other day or so. The site I read said to throw it out after 2 months. But I have a feeling I'll be making a new batch by then anyway. Be careful not to exfoliate too hard like I did the first time! I found this great site about skin care: http://www.smartskincare.com/

I went to my boss's 60th birthday bash on Saturday evening. Amongst the food spread were slices of wraps, which I've never had. I liked them so much, I decided to make one.
large wrap tortilla (I used spinach)
1 grilled thinly sliced chicken breast, seasoned with garlic and lemon pepper
grilled slices of bell pepper
1 large romaine lettuce leaf
a slice of provolone cheese
a stalk of green onion
chipotle ranch dressing
I really enjoyed this combination of ingredients. Have y'all tried any other set of ingredients that you liked? Please share if you have!

A new friend has rejuvenated my desire to write fiction (or semi autobiographical "fiction"), and I'm happy about that. Along that same vein, I submitted a writing piece for evaluation to a new site in Eugene that is accepting applications for writers. Basically it's directed toward finding new things to do in the city. I hope that works out, but if not, I can still write, right? :-)

Father's day has come and gone. Dad's birthday is coming up. It has actually been easier than last year was. So that's good, right?

Tomorrow is my one-year anniversary at work. I have started watching Mad Men, and I really enjoy it. It's not Battlestar Galactica though.

Monday, June 15, 2009

manifest destiny

While I abhor the idea of the American "manifest destiny," wherein the US was divinely ordained to annex all North American lands, I like the idea of manifesting your own destiny.

Right now I am jamming to the song "I Gotta Feeling" by the Black Eyed Peas, and I like the general idea of the lyrics "I gotta feeling that tonight's gonna be a good night."

Yes, sometimes things happen that can bring things in your life down, and certainly we don't anticipate all the curve balls that come our way. But we can choose how to swing at those curve balls, and good form and strength can equal a homerun (laaammme baseball reference!).

One of my favorite television characters, George Costanza, decides one day to do the EXACT OPPOSITE of his normal actions. It works for him. I encourage you to approach a situation differently than you might on a normal day. You might be surprised how it works out for you.

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Found


I spent this past New Year's Eve with some of my favorite people that I rarely get to see. Sarah, Rachel, and I were all roommates in a tiny apartment our junior year of college. The one unchanging aspect us that we have in common is that we all LOVE to read. Rachel works at Half Price Books, and I am so jealous of that fact. Her apartment was literally overflowing with new and gently-used books, and in her usual generosity, she offered us some. I selected Found II.

Found II (and it's predecessor, Found) is a compilation of notes, drawings, etc. that people across the world have found in random places, found interesting for some reason or another, and submitted to the two brothers who compile the books. It's GREAT book to have around when you have company, when you are bored and want to see insight into humanity, or...well anytime.

The brothers are currently rounding off a US tour, and last night they stopped by Sam Bond's Garage in Eugene! I went with a friend and ended up running into some other friends. They had people with them who like and are watching Battlestar Galactica, so that was very exciting for me. The show was GREAT, and I laughed a lot. They read some of their favorite "found" items, and one of the brothers played some songs he wrote about the notes. The songs were really, really good, and one of them almost made me cry. I am sad for my Texas friends if they missed these dudes when they came through, but hopefully they'll do another tour at some point. All in all, it was a great evening.

And now I am going to sit outside, eat watermelon, and read. Perhaps I'll watch Game 5 later, but I am feeling undecidedly hopeful about the outcome.

Friday, June 5, 2009

honking

You know those really annoying car alarms that honk? I've got one.

And yet, everytime I hear one all I can think is "dude. someone needs to tend to their frakking car."

I never pause to think someone could be burglaring my car of precious cds, red bull cans, and other refuse in there.

I'm listening to Regina Spektor and feeling oddly blue despite the fact that it's Friday and summertime. Maybe somber is a better word.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

mid-week update

As you can tell, blogging has kind of gone to the wayside for me. But here's a quick update on my life:


The Trailblazers event was a fun, albeit alcohol-soaked evening. While no current players were there, some Blazer alumni were there. I ordered my vodka tonic while my shoulder rubbed against Jerome Kersey's elbow. I took $40 for gambling, but I immediately became bored upon entering the casino, so I opted to spend the majority of that on....vodka! Some things never change.



I finally set up my hammock, and I am SO GLAD I did. We've had thunderstorms the past two nights, so after I walk Luna, I have just laid in the hammock listening to the thunder and waiting on the storm.


I had an awesomely delightful beer last night. Buffalo Bill's Brewery (loved by me for their Pumpkin Ale) has released their seasonal Orange Blossom Cream Ale.





Sarah leaves Peru today! I'm very excited to have her back in the US where we can talk on the phone a lot more :-) I can't wait to hear about more details from her trip.


Last night I made the most awesome hamburger I've ever had. I used meat from Knee-Deep Cattle Company, which specializes in free-range and certified humane meat products. I piled on the lettuce, tomatoes, and a few onions. SO good. I will probably make another tonight while I watch the....

NBA FINALS!
I am going for the Orlando Magic for two reasons. I LOVE Dwight Howard, and someone needs to stick it to the Lakers.

Friday, May 29, 2009

Missing

It's not even 9 a.m., and I've already spent 30 minutes today looking for various items.

a) my black, open-toed, bowtie heels
b) my copy of Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavilion CD
c) my bottle of Cetirizine

So I've settled on my green heels, Counting Crows Recovering the Satellites, and I am sneezing.

Tonight I'm going to Rip City Live, an appreciation event for Portland Trailblazers courtside and suite season ticket holders. No, I'm not a season ticket holder. My boss is, and he let me have his invitation. I bought a cocktail dress last night. I even bought earrings and a bracelet. It should be a good time; it's at Spirit Mountain Casino.

Ok, time to get to work!

Monday, May 11, 2009

visit

I am awesome at complaining and feeling sorry for myself when I'm sick! That last post was a bit ridiculous.

I just got back from dropping Kim off at PDX. We had a fantabulous time!! Her trip here included:
A day in the Goondocks
Tillamook Cheese Factory
80s dance party in the car
lots of coughing (on my part. lots of cringing on her part. I hope she doesn't get sick.)
Eugene Saturday Market
My FIRST venture on the public transportation system of Eugene
Chicken Saute for the Sick Soul
Perugino
Friendly St. Market
Twilight (of course)
Max's
a hangover (on her part)
Off the Waffle
Sunday night TV
Powell's bookstore (I bought an autographed first edition of Pygmy, Palahniuk's new release!)
Blue Moose Cafe (my new favorite restaurant in Portland)



All in all, it was a great visit! I am so pleased she came! Next summer I will head to Minneapolis.

Now after being down sick and out for fun from work, I am definitely ready to get back.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

it had to be this weekend

just complaining.

My good friend Kim comes to visit tomorrow. She is my first visitor in Oregon. I have a super-fun itinerary planned.

I am sick with a fever.
On the plus side, the only thing I don't mind eating is soup -- my favorite food.

I hope DayQuil and Red Bull will help make the fun weekend successful. I'm mostly just concerned about getting her sick. She's a go getter.

But, as a friend would probably point out, I still have a roof over my head and a spoon with which to sip my soup. And the sickness can never take alliteration away from me. I shouldn't complain.

Oh, and I have commenced watching Season 1 of Battlestar Galactica.

30 seconds to Mars...

Sunday, May 3, 2009

aw, shucks

This past Friday Thao and the Get Down Stay Down played at a really great venue (Mississippi Studios). The show opener was Sister Suvi, which was a surprising trio of different vocals. I gotta say...I really liked them. I have loved Thao's music for awhile now, and I was really looking forward to the show. The performance was GREAT. There is something almost magical about hearing music you have long loved being played live. However, her ability to banter comfortably and genuinely with the crowd is not so great. That didn't really interfere with my ability to rock out and enjoy the music, but if I have to give my honest opinion of the live concert, that has to play a role. I got the "too cool for school" vibe from her.

The next day I finally went to VooDoo donut and had the maple bacon bar. It was an odd combination of sweet and salty, and one is certainly enough. Then I went to IKEA, where I spent a little bit too much money and got some domestically exciting things. After that I met up with some friends, and we ate a positively delicious lunch at a really cute vegetarian place called "Blue Moose Cafe" in the Cully neighborhood. BEST vegetable soup I've ever had.

Today I watched a devastating loss by the Mavs against the Nuggets while I assembled my new chest of drawers. I don't care to elaborate on that.

This week: KIM COMES TO VISIT!!

Saturday, April 25, 2009

shameful admission

Remember that time I went on a blogrant about how ridiculous Twitter is?

http://twitter.com/brookish3

Thursday, April 23, 2009

strawberries in the summertime

I wish polygamy were legal. Because then I could marry both Eric Earley AND Robin Pecknold, lead singers of Blitzen Trapper and Fleet Foxes, respectively. I had the pleasure of attending their concert last week at The McDonald Theater here in Eugene, and it was amazing. I wasn't sure what to expect, as I've always envisioned their music to be best performed on a wildflower-frocked meadow in the foothills of the Cascades or Blue Ridge Mountains, while I sit on a porchswing of a log cabin sipping a hearty beer. But my perch on the theater's balcony was perfect as I watched these bands perform some of my favorite songs through a shroud of fog.


Blitzen Trapper quickly opened the dynamic show with a high-energy rendition of "Sleepytime in the Western World," and most of the songs which followed were from their most recent album Furr. The group was filled with energy, and during the title track Furr, they were joined by the members of Fleet Foxes, which was a treat for sure. All the same, I would've liked to just hear their version of it. Despite my beer spilling into my lap early on in the show, I was very content. My favorite part of their set was when Eric Earley found himself alone on stage for "Not Your Lover," which moved me to tears. All in all their set was rocking. I wanted to get up and dance. I especially liked when, during "Black River Killer," Eric did a special hand movement when he said "oregon."


Fleet Foxes put on an equally delightful, albeit different, showcase. Comfortably bantering with the crowd, they ended up discussing tea, which of course eventually led to a humorous joke about Fleet Foxes being strict constitutionalists who like to teabag. Two of my favorite songs, "White Winter Hymnal" and "Ragged Wood" were paired so perfectly that it took my breath away for a second. While I was less inclined to dance to their music, I did find myself lost in the abyss of whimsical melodies and beats. The highlight of their set was the solo performances by Robin Pecknold, particularly "Oliver James" and "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song." I have embedded a video of second one below.

All in all, the concert lived up to every hope and dream I had. Maybe someday I'll get to see both bands outside of a log cabin in foothills. But I'll settle for seeing Blitzen Trapper at the Pickathon Music Festival this summer at the Pendarvis Farm outside of Portland. Who's in?











Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Acupuncture


For awhile now I've had a stinging pain to the right of my coccyx. Everytime I walked uphill or hiked around, it would start hurting really bad. Well, I finally decided to give acupuncture a try, and I am SO GLAD I did. I've been twice now. The first time was about an hour and a half, because I had to talk with the acupuncturist and let her know what all was going on. The acupuncture didn't really hurt at all. I still had pain for a few days, then on the day of my next appointment, the pain was gone. I went to my next appt, and the pain is still gone! This is very exciting, because previously the pain was a permanent (alliteration!) fixture.
Ok..time to get ready for the Fleet Foxes and Blitzen Trapper concert. I'm SO excited!!


Wednesday, April 15, 2009

club meeting

I had my biannual meeting of Procrastinators Anonymous tonight. We clustered around the mail slot at the post office at 5:30 pm (when they stopped accepting tax mail for today's postmark) excitedly sliding the product of several tedious months of thinking and not doing. We exchanged knowing glances. No introductions were necessary. "Hi, my name is Brooke, and I'm a procrastinator." I did my federal taxes this morning, and then I did my state taxes during my lunch break. I did them both wrong the first time. But they're done.

This "tea party" business is ridiculous. Besides the obvious reasons, I don't like it because it lacks creativity. I think it'd be better if everyone just took their adjustable-rate mortgage contracts and set them aflame. If we're going to regress, then let's tar and feather Madoff.

I bought some super cool plants yesterday at Living Art Botanicals. When I find my camera, I shall post some pictures. I'm training Luna to touch my finger with her nose. She's obsessed with the clicker. She nudges the tip of my finger then frantically searches for the source of the click. It's adorable. When I find my camera, I shall post a video. Speaking of videos, I'm continuing my "my so-called life" marathon when I finish this blogpost.

I have two new experiences coming up: serving someone lawsuit papers and getting acupuncture.

and now i leave you with one of the five commercials i actually like:

I have goosebumps.

Monday, April 13, 2009

concerts

2 upcoming concerts im thoroughly pleased about:

fleet foxes and blitzentrapper at the mcdonald theater here in eugene


thao nguyen and the get down stay down in portland





i hope to catch molasses a couple more times at sam bonds garage.
I know what you're thinking. The beard is irrelevant. Their music is awesome.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Fabulous Spring Weekend!

Kicking off on Friday with craft/girl's night at Jasmine's, the weekend turned out to be great. Then on Saturday she and I took Luna and one of her dogs on a walk in philber tree orchard. Then we ate at Outback and saw Hotel for Dogs, which turned out to be a GREAT movie, inducing both tears and laughter.

Today was great as well. I started the day with a nice walk with Luna to the dog park, where we discovered some really cute trails. The morning air smelled very springy and the temperature was perfect. Then I went to the Latitude 10 Cafe in the Friendly St. Market, where I enjoyed a tasty cappucino, a pair of pear pancakes, and more reading of the current book, The Losers. The rest of the afternoon was devoted to more clearing out of the garden plot, and I'd say I'm about 75% done clearing that out. That's about on schedule, since I can't plant anything before April 26th anyway. Our front yard is looking really nice. I came inside just before the rain started, so that was perfect timing. I think tonight I'll make a yummy asparagus salad.

My friend Kim is coming to visit in a few weeks, and I am SO excited. I've already got the itinerary fairly planned out, and I can't wait to share all of the great things I love about Oregon with one my good friends. Hopefully next summer I can head to Minneapolis to visit Kim and Liz and see their new house!

I hope all of you had a good Passover, Easter and/or Zombie day. Also, I really, really hope we get high speed rails across the US!!

Friday, April 10, 2009

"Dissent is the highest form of patriotism."


....and so is good beer.


I just learned of this beer. Dissident from Deschutes Brewery has become my holy grail. It's probably not THAT hard to find, but I'm definitely going to be stopping by the Bier Stein this weekend to see if they have it.
Check out a brewview and some links to other reviews here.
Oh Deschutes, when will I make it up to Bend for a tour?

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

as the fog clears

I have just emerged from a dense haze of pain and emotion. Had it not been for luna, quantum leap, marionberrry cobbler, and copious amounts of midol and ibuprofen, I'm not sure I or those around me would have made it out alive. I've got to be proactive and resolve this issue. But maybe there's something about being in a constant state of agonizing pain and doped up on chemicals that appeals to me.

I lost my phone yesterday. Tonight when I was taking out the trash I noticed it on the handrail of my porch. I don't know if I accidentally left it there overnight, if someone returned it, or what. Alls I know is it's acting up. Quien sabe? But... I do know that I felt great not having it. I felt free from the tethers of social convenience. I felt free from the compulsions of a connected world. I felt free. And already, as I am unable to type a coherent text due to its electrical malfunctions, I am plotting to buy a new phone. Maybe I won't. Perhaps I shall revert back to morse code...or even better smoke signals.

I am taking the Knowledge Exam tomorrow to hopefully obtain my Oregon driver's license. I am actually a bit nervous, as I know many, many people who have failed multiple times. I should be studying. Did you know there is such a thing as "unmarked crosswalks?" Basically, it's a place where a crosswalk line could potentially be drawn, but just hasn't been. I thought it was bullshit, too. Also, in the event of a four-way intersection with no stop sign, the "through street" has the right of way. Isn't that fairly relative? I mean...which street is more important - Monroe or 23rd? It's hard to say. At any rate, I hope to be legal tomorrow. I've been driving without a license since I inadvertently threw mine in the trash in August, which is when I last cleaned out my car.

My ladies book club met tonight. I love my ladies book club. Several people couldn't make it, but the smaller group worked out just fine.

Go Rangers.

Monday, April 6, 2009

le sigh

i really miss my dad.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

green(ish) thumb

I have a vivid imagination, which has a tendency to make me envision pretty ridiculous scenarios. So when the stock market started going down and jobs were hacked all over the country, I thought long and hard about how I could sustain without working -- just in case. The first and most obvious step was to have a garden for food (and Ted Nugent as a friend for some bow-hunted venison). I've always wanted to have a garden, having grown up with two green-thumbed parents. My dad was a pro at gardening, often taking pictures of the peppers and tomatoes compared to my softball, and he always shared the fruits of his labors with members of our church.

But I know next to nothing about gardening. If it weren't for Google, I'd be outside right now tossing seeds about my yard chanting some magic spell. But apparently, that's not how it works. So I headed to Territorial Seed Company last week and bought:
"Ring of Fire" Sunflowers - chosen for their name and appearance,
Bush Baby Hybrid Squash,- chosen because they squash grows small (won't have a bunch leftover to waste), but has a very high yield,
Copra Onions - chosen for their long storage capabilities and hardiness,
and Golden Star Hybrid Peppers - recommended.

I started by putting the pepper and onion seeds in a 6" pots with Territorial's seedling soil, and then I set them on my windowsill, where I have been periodically spraying them with water.

Today I went to Home Depot and bought a shovel, trowel, Morning Glory seeds, a trellis for those, and potting soil. I had a complete Amelia Bedelia moment when I asked the attendant if I could use potting soil in the ground. Her look of incredulosity answered my question. I'm a dumbass.

Since it was raining when I got home, I did a bunch of research on germinating seeds, etc. Good thing! Turns out the germinating soil for peppers needs to be warm, so I've put my heating pad under that. And I read that nicking and soaking Morning Glory seeds in Hydrogen Peroxide/Water solution helps them germinate. As I was messing with the seeds I've planted, I noticed the onions have already started to germinate! Victory so far on that front!! Yay! I'll wait until they're a little bit longer before I move them to the ground. I've got my sunflower seeds in a wet paper towel in a ziploc bag as well. I'm hoping for the best!






<-- The soaking morning glory seeds, onion seedlings and pepper seeds on the heating mat on my windowsill.













Well, I've got to get the house tidy for some friends coming over tonight. I've got a headache, and I'm sneezing a lot; I hope it's just allergies. And for those who are wondering, I won't be participating in the Lights Out tonight, unless my friends don't mind hanging out and gabbing in candlelight.

Luna is unamused by my attempts at gardening.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

unsweet tweet

slap bracelets.

Fad #1 of my life. In first grade I was elated when my sixth-grader "study buddy" mentor gave me one as part of my Christmas package. I was so cool, obsessively slapping my wrist with a band of metal. I liked the way it crinkled out. I was fascinated. But more than that, I was cool.

pogs.

Fad #2 of my life. My brother John had recently returned from his trip to Hawaii, and with him he brought back milk carton tops, which later became popularly known as pogs. My brother and I ruthlessly fought over slammers (he always got the cooler, thicker ones) and whose pog was whose. I swear Zack, the "blooming idiot" pog was MINE. This fad reminds me of the time our Beloved Beagle Spike wandered away from my dad's watch and came up to my elementary school, just while I happened to be on recess break. Spike impulsively ran up to one kid's pogs and messed them up with his snout. The kid kicked my dog, and I viciously returned the favor to him. Don't F*** with my beagle.

sanrio surprise

Fad #3 - I had this amazingly awesome, tricked out pencil case in elementary school from Sanrio Surprise. I could press little buttons, and the pencil compartment would pop out. It was super cool. I loved sanrio surprise so much, I bought my brother and sister their christmas presents from there that year. I have yet to live that down. Y'all are evil.

ribbons.

I'm probably skipping a few fads here, namely doc martens, but in 8th grade hair ribbons resurfaced as a cool thing for some inexplicable reason. My mom came home with a paper sack full of an array of ribbons. I felt like I had won the lottery.

I'm sure there are other fads I comfortably fell in line to follow. I like to think that I usually I actually enjoyed whatever item was being marketed. A couple of recent ones that come to mind are Twilight and ....well...blogging. However, having said this, I do not understand the purpose, or even desire, of Twitter.

I am infamous as an "oversharer." Over the years hundreds of unwitting victims have fallen prey to my outbursts of indiscretion. Facebook has made this all the easier. I can announce that I prefer my cereal without milk ( a new fad?) or that I have had four red bulls in one day. But even I am annoyed with my misuse of this function.

So why in the hell would I want to read some person's carefully scripted activity, which they are obviously doing to portray themselves in a certain light? I mean who puts what is really on their mind or what they're really doing? My friend did point out that you can follow famous people. My prompt reply was to ask if I can search for people. Sadly, I don't think any guys I would cyberstalk would actually use Twitter. Actually, I'm glad they don't.

I checked out the site. There's a convenient button for people like me: "Why?" Here are their reasons:

"Why? Because even basic updates are meaningful to family members, friends, or colleagues—especially when they’re timely." Ok, I will concede that my mom is probably the only individual in the universe who would care to know what I'm doing most times of the day. She's a mom. That's what moms DO. At work I often wonder what Luna is doing. I usually suspect she is dreaming of chasing bunnies.

"Eating soup? Research shows that moms want to know." wtf? Again, my mom is the only person who cares what I eat for lunch. Besides my dogs, who want to know if they can have some too.

"Running late to a meeting? Your co–workers might find that useful." "Hey guys! I'm so busy checking out Larry David's tweets, I realized I'm about 10 minutes late to the meeting. Go ahead and start without me. Muah!" I'm sure that would go over really well. In the world where email and text communication makes bad news so much easier to break, Twitter is now the way to let your coworkers know you don't care enough about their time to try and not waste it. Hey, I'm the first to tell you I prefer text/email over phone call/face to face interactions, but this is a new low.

"Partying? Your friends may want to join you." Chances are if I want you at my party, you have been invited. If you have not been invited, you either live in a different town or I don't want you drinking my Ninkasi.

Are these reasons really the best they can do? I was looking for reasons like "Now you can notify all of your past sexual partners of your newly discovered STD. Convenient AND easy -- like you!" or even "Getting a divorce? Use this site to avoid awkward stop and chats with acquaintances and distant friends who might ask where your jerk of a spouse is." Heck, even "Tell all your recently laid-off friends about your great new promotion you got...at the expense of their jobs!" would be permissable. But the reasons they've listed are less than intriguing.

I hope to maintain my stronghold against Twitter. I'm considering just keeping a daily word document of the random crap that spews about in my brain and then emailing it to one lucky recipient each day.

Friday, March 20, 2009

Spring Bliss


10 Reasons why this weekend will be good:

10. Green Lakes Organic Ale
9. Wine
8. Playing with a bunny tonight whilst chatting with friends and listening to good music.
7. HAIRCUT tomorrow
6. Gardening
5. sour cream chicken enchiladas and some new texmex side dish, and sharing it with friends
4. Che at the Bijou for 5 hours on Sunday
3. Twilight is out on DVD
2. Only a 40% chance of rain tomorrow




Life has been good lately.

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Weekend Update

The past couple of weeks have been pretty busy and fun filled. Lots of music downloading (that's full of fun for me), music shows, Blazers games, movie going, and good times hanging out.

Some of the new favorite music that I just love and can't put down is (check out the playlist below):
Thao Nguyen and the Get Down Stay Down - We Brave Beestings and All
Empire of the Sun - Walking on a Dream
Franz Ferdinand - Tonight
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!
M. Ward - Hold Time




Get a playlist! Standalone player Get Ringtones



Let's not forget the massive win of the Blazers over the Spurs last Sunday night. It was an awesome game, and I had a great time with a random Austin College guy living in Portland. He's going with me to the Mavs game this Wednesday. I cannot express my excitement about this game.


I also went to a pretty cool concert on Thursday night. The group was Sound Tribe Sector 9, and they put on an amazing show.

I also saw a couple of movies. I saw the Watchmen on Saturday after a great breakfast at Keystone Cafe with Christy. Today I saw Waltz with Bashir. This is a very sobering film about the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982. An Israeli soldier has effectively forgotten (or blocked) his memories of the war, particularly the massacre of Palestinian civilians by the Phalangist group. This film depicts him rebuilding his memory through meeting up with former soldiers with whom he fought.

all in animation. brilliantly done.


Today before the film, I was relaxing the in Perugino coffee shop enjoying a very weak raspberry italian soda and reading a book for my club (Snowflower and the Secret Fan --great so far) when it started snowing. It had snowed briefly earlier today while at the house, but now it was coming down hard and fast in huge flakes. Will Winter ever end?

And now that I've stuffed this blogpost as full as possible, I will depart to read more of my book.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Entrepreneurship at its MOST Fashionable

My sister definitely got the visual/creative gene in the family. If I have a question about how something will look, she's definitely the go-to person. If you pair that trait with the inability to sit around with your teeth in your mouth and the want to create things.... you get..



My sister Ruth has started a dotcom! CRC Designs is her creative outlet and attempt to beautify everyone's world. Whether you want a frame to match your decor or celebrate your alma mater, she's got it. If you have a cute kid whose hair needs a special touch, she can make the perfect "clippie." After putting a lot of hard work into her website and an equal amount of time into creating special, custom frames and hair clips, Ruth has created an extensive collection of items sure to please just about anyone.

Her special knack for what people will like is uncanny, she sent me a very cool "Brookish" frame. I have it at work (seems to be where I spend most of my time) on my windowsill. It's my Spring on the many cold, gray days we have up here. I keep forgetting to take my camera and snap a photo of it, so I've used a picture of it from her site. I've ordered three frames from her, and I can't wait to see how they will turn out. I'm confident she'll create something much cooler than I envision (I know for a fact she will...I told her my idea for one, she told me her's and all of a sudden my idea looked like a landmine at the dogpark).

So check her out at www.CRCdesigns.net!



my spring frame.

Monday, March 2, 2009

march 2nd

you are missed. every day and in every way.


going 180: happy texas independence day



Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Grab Winter by the Balls

** fore note: a little beagle is laying her little head on my laptop, and it's adorable.

I have, up to this point, remained fairly optimistic about this rainy Winter. Everyone warned me. Everyone skeptically smirked as I gabbed about moving to Oregon. My response was always "I lived in Houston for six months. I can deal with near-hurricane rainstorms, so I'm *sure* I can handle some drizzle."

ha.

My good friend Candice told me (this summer, when it was beyond gorgeous everyday) just to stay positive. I'm finding that more and more difficult to do. I have been wired to expect a few sunny, warm days come February. Yes, it might snow a week after being 80 degrees, but by damn, there will be heat and sun. I have patiently waited, and I am now impatiently despairing. Oftentimes this despair strikes me in the form of Restless Leg Syndrome (a farce of a medical condition as far as I'm concerned -- go outside and play) as I gaze out my gray window and envision myself frolicking through allergen-free fields. I stopped putting mousse in my hair 4 months ago. And I'm beyond tired of wiping the dogs' muddy paws. and then mopping anyway.

Terrifyingly, this year we've gotten 70% less rain than other years. Seriously? But I have never liked Winter. It has nothing to offer me. Well that has to change. I'm not gonna go have a talk with God and ask God to change the course of seasons, so I can go lake swimming in January. I'm going to take up Winter hobbies -- other than reading the Twilight series in less than two weeks.

So far snowboarding is all I can think of. And that's gonna have to require some serious mind bending to get over my fear of sliding down a mountain.

** Having typed all of this out, I feel much better and have regained some optimism.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Small Town Woes

In Texas I often saw people I knew. Whether it was at a huge event, such as Austin City Limits Music Festival, or a smaller venue like the Granada Theatre, it seemed as if there was someone I knew personally, or at the very least recognized from the circus of characters in my life.

Sometimes this was good, other times this was bad. When I'd be out on the town feeling social and bubbly with perfect hair and charm, it was a good thing. When I was forced to the grocery store to pick up something really quick, and my hair was disheveled, and I was cranky, this was a bad thing. But it was something I learned to expect.

I don't know why I thought Eugene would be different. I don't know why I thought I could maintain a level anonymity here for longer than a year. The town is half the size of Arlington, and it hasn't fallen victim to the urban crawl yet, so really all of the places to go are IN Eugene.

It has started to happen. At concerts, at Trader Joe's, at bars, at events at the Fairgrounds. I'm constantly seeing people I know, have met, or have dealt with in some capacity, whether they helped me at the post office or sold me a 6 pack of black butte. In one night I saw a guy at the Bier Stein and then again at McMenamins. He naturally asked if I was following him. I said yes.

Despite all of my complaints, I do like this familiarity. This sense of community created when constantly seeing people you know. It makes me feel safe, as though I've become part of their daily pattern of people as well.

In other news, my plans for a walk to the dog park are foibled by the rain. I guess I'll do some pilates and read my upcoming book club selections, which are Island by Aldous Huxley and Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See.

Monday, February 9, 2009

Money "Cents"

Even with my dyscalculia, I got it.

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Don't Divorce Us

http://www.couragecampaign.org/page/s/divorce

We, the undersigned, share President Barack Obama's view that "for too long, issues of LGBT rights have been exploited by those seeking to divide us. It's time to move beyond polarization and live up to our founding promise of equality by treating all our citizens with dignity and respect."
Yet, on December 19, 2008, Ken Starr and the Prop 8 Legal Defense Fund filed legal briefs defending the constitutionality of Prop 8 and seeking to nullify the 18,000 same-sex marriages conducted between May and November of 2008.
The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in this case on March 5, 2009, with a decision expected within the next 90 days. We, the undersigned, ask that the Court invalidate Prop 8 and recognize the marriage rights of these 18,000 couples -- and all loving, committed couples in California -- under our state's constitution.
As Americans who believe in the rule of law and fundamental civil rights, we know that Ken Starr and the Prop 8 Legal Defense Fund's shameful attempt to nullify these unions will not be vindicated in the eyes of history. We know that, ultimately, love will prevail, no matter how hard they try to fight it.


"Fidelity": Don't Divorce... from Courage Campaign on Vimeo.

Busy.

I hope you enjoy the new music on my blog. Last night I got the weirdest and strongest urge to play piano again. Maybe I'll get a used keyboard off of Craigslist.

I slept in today. I have far too much to do. Here's a breakdown:

1. Go to Old Navy and get a pair of pants.
2. Purchase a few Valentine's gifts.
3. Go to the post office to send out Valentine's Day stuff.
4. Go to the Springfield library to read as much of A Year of Living Biblically as I can in a couple of hours for my ladies book club. I also need to swing by Smith Family Bookstore to buy The Plague for my OTHER book club, also meeting this week.
5. Make vegetable/beef soup.
6. exercise at some point....then shower again.
7. Head to Kendra's for girl/craft night. I'm not especially crafty (except in the Beastie Boys sense, of course), so I'm getting a head start on making the music playlists for Jasmine's wedding. She's getting married in August and asked me to do the music!

Perhaps that's not a lot. But either way I need to get off the computer and start my day!

Friday, February 6, 2009

regret.

I have very few regrets in life. None of them are sins of commission. Rather, they are experiences and chances I avoided.

One of them in particular is hanging over my head like a movie reel, flashing to scenes of what "could have been" had I waited it out... Visions of a more perfect life flash before my eyes, teasing me in the idealistic way all daydreams do. And now, with deep sorrow, I feel like it's too late.

But then, I suppose that in that very moment when I resigned myself to inaction, I chose the other path.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Dear Mrs. SUV,

You and I have a lot more in common than I'd like to admit. We both drive SUVs, although mine gets considerably better gas mileage. We both like to park in the "compact cars only" spots in parking garages, but my SUV actually is more compact than most cars. Your Escalade sticks out. We both probably enjoy peering down through the windows of smaller cars beside us at stoplights. It is evident that both of our BMIs are a bit higher than either of us would probably like. You apply makeup while driving, I've seen you. That's ok. I do it too. Although I try to leave the eyeliner job at home. That can get a little messy.

But, Mrs. SUV, there is one glaring difference between us. I know how to cut corners. No, I'm not talking about using a cup less flour when making pie crust, or adding water to my gasoline. I'm talking about staying within my turning lane at an intersection. In the past two days, I have witnessed you and four of your clones cutting people off as you absentmindedly veer into their turning lane. That not-so-faint white line isn't there for you to straddle like you're back in college. You're supposed to stay on your side of it. I have seen the looks of despair, anger and exasperation sweep across your victims' faces as you veer your Monstrosity of Metal all over the damn road. Do your fake nails make it hard for you to accurately turn your steering wheel? Do you think you're in some suburban version of Grand Theft Auto? Well cut your nails and snap back to reality.

I thought I had escaped the likes of you when I left the Metroplex. I was wrong. I guess I can find comfort knowing that, like teenyboppers, SUV Matrons are the same everywhere.

Sincerely,

A Self-Aware SUV Driver

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Weekend Update

Mid-week update really.

I owe the library sixty bucks. Luna munched on the bottom edge of a book cover, tearing the front cover about 2.5 inches, and evidently my sly taping job did not make it past Library Security. But really...$40 bucks? I wish I hadn't even returned the book.

I'm reading a book called "Cabin Fever: Notes From a Part-Time Pioneer," which is written by William Sullivan. He has written dozens of hiking books about Oregon (he's hiked every trail in OR), a couple of fiction novels, and some non-fiction. I saw him speak at the Eugene Home Show about Oregon's natural disasters, or lack thereof. I like the book; it's about the adventures he and his wife endured/enjoyed while building a cabin by hand out in by the Sahalie river.

I'm going to the Ducks basketball game tomorrow. I'm still looking forward to the match up of the Blazers and Mavs. If I think about it too much, I may keel over from anticipation.

My trip to California has been finalized. I'm heading down on the 15th, staying in LA with my buddy Parker on the 16th to help him celebrate his 25th and attend the AC GOLD he's hosting. Then I'll spend a couple of days in sunny San Diego with another good friend before I meander back to Oregon. It should be epic.

It's been sunny lately, and for that I am eternally grateful.

I've already planned the itinerary for when Sarah comes to visit.....in August.

I had a marvelous weekend. I attended the Last Friday Art Walk, which is an alternative to the First Friday Art Walk held downtown in galleries. This art show was spread throughout the Whiteaker neighborhood in artists' homes, bookstores, galleries, coffee shops, a lingerie store and a "flower shop," although to call it such is certainly an injustice. I look forward to making this monthly event a regular thing. I have added this to the itinerary for Sarah's visit. Apparently in the summer it's a giant, wondrous block party with Pabst, music and...art.

I'm very tired tonight after cleaning out my car (I found tons of tupperware!), vacuuming, mopping, doing dishes, 3 loads of laundry, watching the Nightly Business Report and eating Ramen. I should've just gone to hecklers night at the Wandering Goat to enjoy the showing of Top Gun....

Here's a little eye candy for all you ladies and fabulous guys.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

entropy

I took a nap too late today. My energy is probably still zapped from staying up all night Friday, so I could read Eclipse.

I really love the Twilight series. I'm glad I'm not the only intelligent woman who loves it.

It's been a good couple of weeks. Some good game nights, good movies, some nice weather and hiking, and enjoying the company of good people.

I've been reading a lot lately. I bought The Diplomat's Wife at Borders. That book really sucks. I wonder what the return policy is at Borders. I very rarely return items, but then I very rarely buy full-priced books.

I saw Revolutionary Road today. It was of one the scariest movies I've ever seen. No, it's not a horror film. The scary part is that it's real.

I went to the Eugene Home Show this weekend. I heard an interesting speech about Oregon's natural disasters. Apparently a major earthquake will happen relatively soon, causing us to shift 30 ft west. Relatively soon being within the next 200 years, but it could happen today. I also got a Lemon Ginger Yogi Tea sample at the home show. I bought another book. But I'm pretty sure I'll like this one; it's called Cabin Fever.

I'm really looking forward to summer. Now that I know all the opportunities available to me, I will seize it fully. 4th of July at Crater Lake, Sarah visiting, potential trips to Minnesota and DFW, the purchase of a propane grill and gardening are just a few of the things I'm excited about.

But first, I need to clean out my car. I'm missing a lot of things. I have a feeling they're in there somewhere.

This year is Oregon's 150th year of statehood. Apparently for the centennial celebration, all the men grew beards. This is something I wholeheartedly support. I love beards.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Club o' Graphic

Last night my friend and I were discussing writing, reading and music. As I was fumbling to describe how I'd eventually like to write, I found myself comparing that end result to graphic novels. While I'm not 100% sure on how that comparison popped into my head, she and I continued to discuss how graphic novels take the hard route to convey a theme. It's not necessarily as obvious as a lot of other types of literature.

There is often a lot to discuss about graphic novels, such as characters and their development, plot turns, and what the hell does that picture of that bunny with red eyes sitting on a four-leaf clover on pg. 32 mean. Then I got the great idea to start a graphic novel book club in Eugene.

I have read maybe 2-3 graphic novels all the way through in my lifetime, but I thoroughly enjoyed each one. So I'm definitely an eager novice to the graphic novel scene, and I would hope that such a club would help me find other ones to read and enjoy.

I'm already in two book clubs, and with my tendency to procrastinate, avoid obligation and randomly start other books, that poses enough of a problem in my literary life. But I don't think a graphic novel club would worsen that. They're easy to read, and they can often be finished in a night.

So...this is something for me to think about. I might do some research first, like check out the library's stock of such books.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Infamous Joke

How is it that this is just now clicking with me?

My dad was fairly notorious for his outlandish jokes and comments. A long time ago some family friends lost their dad. My dad's response? "Too bad, so sad. No dad."

I just wrote an email to a friend saying "too bad, so sad." In my head I finished the statement with "no dad." When the irony of it all hit me, I laughed. I like to think that Dad is laughing with me, wherever he is.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Is 25 Really Alive?

In short, yes.

With this new age and entry into the mid 20's, I acknowledge that I'm slowly slipping out of my formative years and into my "hardened with age" years. If there are still qualities, traits and habits I want to change, NOW is the time. I've been pondering upon this quite a bit tonight. The list is long, but not long enough to hate my current self.

At any rate, the whole weekend was great. Yesterday was filled with two hours of dog-parking/dog walking, two more hours of laser tag followed by dinner and games at a friend's house, then staying up and talking with my roommate. So I decided to sleep in to an inappropriate time today. Upon waking up I saw I had missed several well-wishing phone calls from my favorite individuals. After talking to all of them, I got some barbecue, which even turned out to be really good. Then my friend and I headed to see a Bijou matinee of Slumdog Millionaire, but it was sold out. So we went to the mall to see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I have been wanting to see this movie, I read a couple of glowing blog reviews, and I was pleased.

The movie somewhat stunned me, because I found myself thinking about my dad during the whole thing. I can't place my finger on why, but I suspect the movie's reflections on aging and an aspect of fatherhood played a large role, as did the placement of Louisiana life and a few WWII scenes. Aside from that, it was the perfect movie to see on a 25th birthday where I find myself evaluating where I've been, who I've become, and where I'd like to go. I have a lot more I'd like to say about the movie, but I actually think I'd need to see it again and hopefully not be distracted by mournful thoughts of my dad. This movie made me miss him more desperately than anything I've encountered since his death, a feeling that occured in the first two minutes of the movie and lasted throughout.

The night ended with my roommate presenting me with a cake topped with 25 lit candles! She also gave me a pedicure set, which I promptly used while watching my ridiculous Sunday night shows.

And now that I'm getting old...I'm up way too late.

Friday, January 9, 2009

Bum Fights

Did any of you ever watch those "movies?" Bum Fights? I watched it a couple of times with my brother, juggling horror and amusement. Bums always make me feel guilty. Guilty for having money, a car, a warm house, food, a bed, a family that cares... Guilty for pretty much existing. I think that's why I avoid them so.

Bums also make me angry at the government and subsequently, angry at the people. I am starting to realize that politicians care about two things: A) getting re-elected and B) making deals with their buddies to get their own agendas passed. To get re-elected, you mostly have to listen to your constituents. I honestly feel like and hope that if people harassed their senators and representatives enough, the change they want could come about. Instead, most of us wait until election day to pick the person whose beliefs are most aligned with our own. My point is that if we really wanted better resources for the homeless, mentally ill and drug addicted folks in our communities...there would be better resources. I'm being horrifically naive today.

I'll stop digressing. Eugene is rife with bums and hobos (there is a difference between the two; I'm stuck in the 30's). My uncle was a hobo during the depression. I'd like to talk to him. The stories that died alongside my father sadden me. I wish I'd written them down.

These Oregon hobobums range in age, many are addicted to meth, some are actually attractive (the beard gets me everytime), and lots have dogs. I tend to care more about dogs than I do people, so when I consider the HoboDog's life, I become sad/glad. I wonder if there are dogs who, like people, desire a life of wandering about. I know a few beagles who wouldn't mind that. But I also know dogs who love the comfort of a blanket, the hum of a television and the warmth of the radiator exuding heat onto their wet bum (Luna, after a good rain). These dogs must be hungry, and a lot of bums hold up signs requesting money to buy their dog food.

Yesterday, for some reason, I believed the bum. While he stood on the curb, his dog lay at his feet, dozing away. After having recently seen Marley & Me, my heart swelled for love of this dog. I fished around for the $5 bill I was going to use to get gas, rolled down my window and waved to the guy. He was in his late 20's, actually kind of cute, and I honestly thought he was just traveling through, taking a break from the Pacific Crest Trail (yeah, in midwinter? get real, brooke). He yanked the leash, startling his dog, who excitedly followed him as he ran up to my car. He saw the $5, and his eyes lit up, and he said....

"Sweet! Enough for a full gram...and a half!"

**on a side note. I advise against using a container that recently housed salsa as a way to transport milk. Spicy milk can really kill an appetite.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Resolutions and a Horrifying Moment

I have three resolutions for this year:

1. Be on time. Pretty much ANYONE who has done ANYTHING with me knows that I'm late all the time and everywhere I go. I have always attributed this to my dyscalculia, but there's a time when the crutch becomes the disabilty. I also try to say that I'm "living in the now" and enjoying my moments, like five minutes of belly scratching with Luna when I SHOULD be getting ready for something. But, it's time to kiss that delusion goodbye. Sorry Luna.

2. Go to church. Pick your jaw up off the ground. The last time I went to church was with Dad, and I'm sure going again will remind me of him. But I won't be going to a Presbyterian church. I'm going to the Unitarian church, which is far better suited to my system of beliefs. Though, I will miss the hymns.

3. I actually just went blank on what the 3rd one was going to be. But I like the idea of eating a piece of fruit a day. By "piece" I don't mean a cube of pineapple. I mean like..a decent amount. Everyday. The market by my house will help fulfill this mission.
**EDIT: 4. My original third resolution was to keep my desk at work organized.

Now for the horrifying moment. With Christmas passing and my birthday coming up, I decided to make an Amazon Wish List. Partially for me to keep track of things I want (despite my whole...zen attempt to be free of material things), and also so my friends and family can purchase something they know I will like. Even if it's not EXACTLY what's on the list, they'll have a good idea of what I need/want. I have everything from biodegradable dogpoop sacks to a morrocan lantern for my room on that list.

For a long time I have been wanting a magazine subscription, and you can purchase those on Amazon. Well, I hate most magazines. They're SO mainstream and SO full of advertisements, I just don't enjoy them. But lately I am finding myself to be more mainstream and like most people. I greet this realization with shock, dismay, ease and general "okay with that" feelings. It probably has a lot to do with the fact that I'm surrounded by Oregon people rather than Dallas people. I would probably not feel this way if I was in Dallas.

But today, to my utmost horror I slowly, unconsciously moved my cursor and clicked on "Add to Wish List." What did I add? A subscription to O, Oprah's magazine. Probably the MOST mainstream magazine out there. Don't ask, I don't know.

oh. Click here for the wish list. :-)