Time for Something New

Time for Something New...

2011-09-28T12:33:00.000-07:00

So, yes. As my sister likes to point out to me, it's been almost three years since I've updated my blog. Well, thought I'd take s different spin on it. I like to try new things out. Which you probably know. So I'm going to share those newbie moments with you.

Tried a new first last night. Look for the update in the next day or so!

Never seen anything like it

2008-11-05T08:59:00.000-08:00

"This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can."

When was the last time people took to the streets in celebration of an election? Not in my lifetime. The largest voter turnout since women won the right to vote. At the polls I saw parents sharing their voting experience with their children. People who took to Seattle's streets last night danced in the streets, set off fireworks and after hours of celebrating, they helped sweep up the trash from the street before going home...instead of crowd control, the police thanked the crowd. At the election night party I went to, people of all ages, sizes, genders and cultures shared tears of joy, cheers and our amazement at the history we all are a part of.

I know that not everyone is excited about the outcome of the election. I hope that everyone can come together and work to bring about positive changes in our country. It's going to take all of us.

VOTE!!!

2008-11-01T10:58:00.000-07:00

Nothing is more important this week...or this year, really.
If you don't believe me, listen to them:

And here's a li'l song to keep you company while waiting in line to VOTE

3 Days, 60 Miles and $86 Million

2008-09-18T00:48:00.000-07:00

I walked the walk this past weekend and have the blistered feet to prove it. It's hard to believe that all those months of training and fundraising are over. It was an amazing event. I have never experienced anything else like it.

Imagine more than 3,200 women and men dressed in pink (including a lifetime of wonderfully bizarre pink and breast-related accessories) pounding the pavement of the neighborhoods and city streets. Along with the walkers was the unstoppable crew. They were out there every day with us, helping us cross busy streets, cheering us on, feeding us,

giving us water, helping us fix our blisters and aching bodies and basically keeping us all going. Their outfits were even more outrageous than ours.

One of my favorites: The Texas Cowbelles. These two women dressed themselves and their convertible VW bug like cows. They drove up and down the route honking their horn and cheering. They'd stop along the route and do the same. They also lined the entire route with cow jokes. My personal favorite: Why do cows use bells?.......Because their horns don't work! My other favorite was the crewman who was part of the motorcycle gang. Not only was he decked out, but his motorcycle sported a pair of tatas over its headlight. Hilarious.

We started out before the crack of dawn on Friday. We walked a little more than 20 miles until we got to Marymoor Park, our camp for the event. Thousands of pink tents scattered the park along with a circus-like tent, shower trucks and little shops for us to use and peruse (one of the sponsors set up a spot for us to sit and use cool foot massaging machines). The second day we walked a big loop around Redmond and Kirkland. I actually cut the second day a little short. My feet developed some pretty monstrous blisters (I have pictures but I'll save you from that nastiness. I'll just show you the pic of my taped feet) - they were so awesome that my team members and I even named them. The biggest one was Henry VIII. Sadly for him, he was beheaded (lanced)....twice. The last day we were bussed over to Seattle and walked from the UW campus to Green Lake, down to the water/Gasworks Park and then around the city until we made it to Seattle Center. Coming into the end of the course was unreal. People lined the sidewalks and cheered us all across the finish line. When we finally walked into the stadium for closing ceremonies, the place was packed! Thousands of people were in the stands applauding. Felt like a rock star or something.

Even more memorable than the rock star vibes were the people I met over the weekend. I walked a couple miles with a woman who's fighting her second battle with breast cancer - she had a mastectomy 21 days ago and was still there walking with us. One woman completed the entire first day on crutches. A family whose mother had walked the 3-Day for years decided to take up her mantle after she passed away from breast cancer in May. One group we lovingly dubbed the "Whoop Whoops" (because of a contagious cheer they shouted with pride - it included hand movements too)....I ended up walking at about the same pace and they did. It was a group of friends who rallied around an inspiring woman (a breast cancer survivor). Many of them flew into Seattle specifically to walk with (and for) her. They kept me going for miles. And my new friend Makida who happens to live down here near me. She and I met up as we walked and really found a great kinship. So many great, kind, motivated people all focused on one goal....to find a cure and an end to breast cancer.

Thanks to everyone who supported me in this event....whether through funds, letters, e-mails, text messages or in person (thanks dad!). I literally could not have done it without you.

Now, as my feet heal up and my muscles relax I'm trying to decide if I'm going to join the crew next year (there's a crew that dresses up like pirates -- yarrrrr) or if I'll hit the pavement for a full 60 miles. Good times.

Bald Eagles at Nisqually

2008-06-16T13:40:00.001-07:00

Who says training has to be spent on a treadmill staring at other sweaty gym-goers? My teammate Blanche and I walked a 5.3 mile loop around the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge yesterday. Not only was the sun out (hopefully ushering in the Summer), but we spotted numerous bald eagles, a mega-flock of sparrows (like something out of Hitchcock's brain) and views only the Puget Sound can give. I got a little sun and feel motivated to keep up the walking this week!Tonight it's cross-training on the water (rowing on the Sound) but I'll take to the trails tomorrow for more walking.

Don't forget to donate! ;)

Thank you

2008-05-28T19:51:00.000-07:00

It's been a tough couple of days trying to juggle packing, moving things to storage, moving things to the house, the job with the Festival, the online job..... I'm exhausted and was feeling rather mopey this morning as the movers shuffled our life together out the door in boxes. BUT I had some amazing phone calls today from people who helped cheer me up. For that and more, THANK YOU.

OK, back to work. No rest...yet.

Anyone else trapped in a movie today?

2008-05-26T10:30:00.000-07:00

There's something strange in the air today. If I were living in a horror film, it'd be like the calm before the monsters attacked.... It's grey today and somehow the sounds of the city seem muffled by the grey, as if it's closing in on the city. People are acting strange on the streets....very strange. (there was a woman screaming in the streets today, which by itself wouldn't be too strange, but with the odd feeling in the air, her ranting about the visions and people in her head made it feel like David Lynch was running the show) Wonder what the deal is.

I'm going with a friend to see Indiana Jones tonight. I was shocked and not a little dismayed when I learned that two of my other friends have not seen ANY of the older Indiana Jones movies. Seriously. Did they live under a rock? And more importantly, can I help them see the error of their ways? Really, how have they made it all these years without the memories of cringing when the Ark melted the Nazis, or when the priest of that crazy cult pulled out the other guy's heart, or when Indy chooses "wisely" with the Holy Grail...? *sigh*

That's all for now. I'll let you know if I meet any purple people eaters on my way home.

Found the light at the end of the tunnel

2008-05-09T13:59:00.000-07:00

So, basically, I've been enveloped in my job for the last 2 months. It's been quite an experience. Some fun, some confounding, some interesting....mostly time consuming. It's always interesting to come into a job and be an outside voice asking for efficiency and change. I think the comment i got most in answer to my questions was "Well, that's just the way we do it. It's the way we've always done it." It's amazing how afraid of change some people are. Grow a backbone people. Thank God for my assistant Vincent. We have worked really well as a team and it's been great to have at least one other person on the same page, who is able to laugh and who despises office drama as much as I do.

Anyway. The sun is shining in Seattle and I'm signing up for sculling classes. Miss rowing (did some in Boston on the Charles River - rumor was if you fell in the water you'd either grow a third arm or lose a limb) so I'm going to get back into it starting in July (the job will be over by then).

I'm also getting ready to move. My Soldier is going away and I'm going to housesit for one of the guys he works with. I'm really, really going to miss our water view and going to miss being in walking distance from grocery store, coffee shop, video store.... sigh. It all balances out with the money we'll be saving from not paying rent. Think we're going to start packing up this weekend.

Oh, and a little bus drama for all you who read my last blog entry. I was waiting at my Seattle stop and these 2 guys started beating on each other. It didn't last too long, but it was kinda bizarre.

Anyway. Need to get one more thing done so i can go home. :)

Satan in his pocket

2008-03-28T09:29:00.000-07:00

I ride the bus to work every day. A short ride to the center of town, then a long ride up I-5 to Seattle where I catch my 3rd bus, a short jaunt to work. It really isn't as bad as it may sound. I kinda like it actually. One of the best parts? People watching.

Today I was waiting for my local bus in Seattle and saw this older guy walk by, just minding his own business. I looked at his shirtfront and noticed the strangest thing peeking out of his pocket. Where some might stash pens, their ID card or gum, this guy had a small paperback book with a plain cover except for the word "Satan" written in huge letters across the front. Who knows, maybe it was his ID card.

On the flip side, yesterday I was waiting at the same stop and saw a cool random act of kindness. A woman got off one bus and started walking down the sidewalk, when she put her bag over her shoulder, her bus transfer fell on the ground. A man (who looked like any other homeless guy) looked from the transfer to her and picked up the ticket. Instead of pocketing the transfer, he walked after the woman and tapped her on the shoulder (almost scared her to death). He handed her the transfer - she looked shocked - turned and walked back the other way. I later saw that same women catch her next bus.

The bus rocks.

Saltines make me happy

2008-03-25T12:18:00.000-07:00

Such a small thing, but they make me and my tummy happy. The Easter Bunny brought me a box on Sunday. Yum.

Getting used to the new job. Trying to head off panic modes and a deadline crisis before it happens, but am finding it tough to get info from other people. Makes me want to do it myself, but I must learn to play nicely with others I suppose.

So happy to have friends to hang out with again - it's been a while since that happened. Next stop, dinner and a movie.

Wish John were home *sigh*.

Dream a little dream

2008-03-13T08:40:00.000-07:00

I had the strangest dream last night.

I dreamed that I died (or actually I think I was already dead at the beginning of the dream) and then hundreds of years later I came back to life. I wasn't reincarnated, wasn't a zombie....I was me. And I was joined by 3 other friends who had also come back to life.

We were in some small town with old, wooden buildings. We found an old meeting hall (that was being used by the Red Cross for storage) to stay in.

And we were on a quest....but we weren't sure what it was. It was coming to us as we were making our way through the town and interacting with people. Seems like we were there to save them or something.

It was a bit like a live action Dungeons and Dragons game, but without the cool elves, rogues or sorcerers. And without magic. Or cool costumes. Or dragons. Or dungeons, come to think of it.

Leap Day

2008-02-28T12:07:00.000-08:00

So i feel like I should do something special on Leap Day. Like somehow I should embrace that 24-hour period since we only get to enjoy it in its entirety every four years.

But what to do..... Eat frogs legs? Not likely. Maybe try something new. Not sure.

I love where I live

2008-02-20T21:45:00.001-08:00

I decided to take a walk today instead of go to the gym. Here's one reason I love where I live:

The second reason I love where I live today: The Tacoma Film Club. I met with about 25 other men and women tonight at a local bookstore. We talked about three films, laughed and even argued. Everyone was so welcoming. Can't believe I haven't joined them before and can't wait to meet up with them again.

I also had an amazing view of the lunar eclipse tonight. Thank you cloudless night. Even though I've seen an eclipse before, I'm always amazed by it.

What're your thoughts?

2008-02-17T20:27:00.000-08:00

So.
I may soon have the opportunity to find a job/adventure that could be anywhere and really could be anything....and could last for about a year. Honestly, I would like it to pay me some cash and it'd be nice if I felt like I was helping people while I'm doing it. I have a few ideas..... but I'm wondering what you would suggest that I do?

(for those in UT - we already know that's one idea. let's think outside the bubble....er box)

Talk to me people.

A caucus virgin no more

2008-02-09T18:44:00.000-08:00

For the first time in years, the WA primary vote counts. It's amazing how excited people get when they realize their voice can be heard. Thanks to it, thousands of people showed up to caucus today. We overwhelmed the caucus locations. Many, including myself, had never been to a caucus before and didn't know what to expect.

It really was amazing. Neighbors came together, sat down and actually discussed issues that face our country and that are important to them. We talked about health care, the war in Iraq, poverty, electability of the candidates.... People are so excited for change. So passionate about being a part of that change. An older gentleman who I met today said he hadn't seen anything like it since JFK.

We were given 2 chances to voice who we wanted to choose for our precint's candidate. After the debating and the tallying, our overwhelming support went to Barack Obama. After the vote, we elected delegates to represent our precint at the county level and perhaps all the way up to the national convention. Somehow, I was elected as one of those people. I'm actually really excited about being an active part of the election process. It's an amazing feeling.

I wish that all the states had something like this. Something where people can feel like they've had a chance to voice their opinion at the very least. It also brings a certain sense of community. Something I haven't felt for a very long time.

Here's what it looked like today:

Emotional Intelligence

2008-01-30T12:29:00.000-08:00

Do I have any?
Not so sure.

I've always known that I had a weak understanding of my own emotions - to the point that I sometimes couldn't name what I was feeling. Sometimes it was as if I was a 2 year old trying to put words to things. Now that I'm beginning to understand why I've been a slow learner, I wonder if an ol' dog can learn new tricks. Can I really get in touch with my emotions to the point where I can not only recognize my own emotions, but realize the impact they have on others AND choose to interact certain ways so I impact people emotionally in ways that I consciously choose? Seems like a lot. And seems like something I should have learned a while ago. BUT I suppose we all learn certain things in our own time and better to learn late than never.

Let's hope my brain doesn't implode.

Can it be?

2008-01-14T11:31:00.000-08:00

I realized last night that my birthday is this week. The big 31. Funny how when I was a kid I'd count the days to my birthday and have week-long celebrations. ok, so I did that in college too. Still, now I barely even remembered it was coming up! What's up with that?

Think if the weather's good I want to go up to my favorite beach/park in Seattle and have a bonfire. Roast marshmallows. Have s'mores. Maybe go out for sushi. Go dancing. Finish off the night with a movie and popcorn at home. Although, there is a monster truck rally in town that day. Never been to one of those. Might make for a memorable birthday. Seriously.

Gave my resume a serious overhaul last week. Now I'm on the job hunt again. Think I'll go for something I actually care about this time instead of a job I take because I can do it or because it's there. Might mean I don't go for a straight writing job, but I think I'm ready for a change.

Was talking with my mom last night. She's had 3 or 4 big things break in her life over the past month and is convinced it's the Universe trying to tell her something. She might be right. Do you think the Universe talks to us in ways like that?

Am I Really Old Enough to Have "Old Friends"?

2007-12-08T10:30:00.000-08:00

I have issues with using the term "old friend" because I think both my friend and I would agree that we're not OLD. *sigh*

Anyhow, as I was making our Christmas card list this week I realized there were some friends I wanted to add to my list that I couldn't because time and distance and inconsistency had lost their addresses. No working e-mail address, no working phone numbers....Nada. I've been thinking a lot about mending relationships as I've been reading Viktor Frankl's "Man's Search for Meaning." So I decided to do my own investigative work and try and reconnect with some of my favorite people who I miss.

I'm constantly amazing (and frightened) by how easy it is to find information online. But in this case, I was so excited to find at least one of the people I've been missing. A couple are still eluding me, but I haven't given up hope yet. There's always that Christmas miracle.

It might sound a bit morbid, but death has been on my mind a lot lately. Not my own. But the idea that life is short and that people are always gone too soon. We realized this all too viscerally last year when we lost 7 of our family and friends. Now I feel this deep need to let others know what they mean to me - to not allow life's complications & frustrations get in the way of loving people and letting people know what they mean to me. There's not always time for a second chance or to tell someone later or to wait for an argument to clear. And not being able to tell that person when it's too late is almost worse than the death itself.

Anyway, I'm so excited to find my friends and share life with them again.

money makes the world go around

2007-11-17T20:36:00.000-08:00

So. I finally finished and turned in my paper for my economics class. Who knew that you had to write a paper in economics. Go figure. It was about the South Korean economy and ended up being much longer than I'd expected. Still, after learning so much about it I must say I'm impressed with the little country. Can you believe that in the mid-50s the country was poverty-stricken, had basically no infrastructure and was almost completely dependant on foreign aid? Now their cell phones are in millions of American hands and they have one of the largest ship-building industries in the world. Crazy.

Anyway. I've moved on to the next chapter in the book and have just learned that I didn't know what money was. There's actually a definition of money in my book. Check it out: Money is a highly liquid financial asset that's generally accepted in exchange for other goods, is used as a reference in valuing other goods and can be stored as wealth. Whatever happened to just calling them bucks, clams or smackaroos?

Camo couch

2007-11-15T16:44:00.000-08:00

What to wear when you're trying to avoid
doing chores around the house.

It was Swell

2007-11-08T13:45:00.000-08:00

I went and saw an amazing concert this week.
If you haven't seen the movie Once than you need to. It's about an Irish musician and the connections he makes through his music. It's a simple film, but the music is really powerful. The musicians, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, are now touring with their small acoustic band and performing music from the movie as well as new music they've produced on a new CD.

There were no sets, no crazy light shows and no costume changes. It was a pianist, guitarist/lead singer, bass player, cello and violin. I have never been to a show where I felt so connected to the music and the musicians. They took requests from the thousand+ audience, let a guy who e-mailed their MySpace page propose to his girlfriend on stage, told stories, told jokes....it was awesome. Their band is called The Swell Season. Listen to their music at The Swell Season's MySpace page.
Enjoy!

Seeing red

2007-10-31T19:10:00.000-07:00

I dyed my hair back to red today. Have really missed it. Not sure the color I picked is red enough actually. You can barely see the red. Not that I want fire engine red hair or anything, but still. I also painted my nails red today. Been a while since I did that. Both are in an effort to reclaim girlie-ness. Have sort of ignored my female side as of late. Time to bring it back. Truly, red heads have more fun.

Dots not feathers

2007-10-28T20:51:00.000-07:00

Feeling a bit Indian tonight. Went and saw the Darjeling Limited after walking down by the shore. Liked the movie. Even though it's about 3 brothers who try and find an emotional connection after their father dies, I found a lot of funny similarities between them and me and my 2 sisters. I suppose we all have our roles to play. Finished the night out with some Indian food (my all time favorite: samosas. although the coconut ice cream we had for dessert was pretty tasty).

Overall it's been a good weekend. Good conversations. Emotional connections. Good times.

Now onto this week.....

South Korea Way

2007-10-27T23:28:00.000-07:00

Ever since John started learning Korean, it seems like I've been inundated with all things Korean. Not that I mind - it's a culture I never knew much about growing up (in our house everything Asian was Chinese). Now that John walks around the house mumbling things in Korean (still don't know what he's saying), we've started bringing more of Korea into our lives. The most recent addition is this great Korean grocery store on a part of a main street that's lovingly called "South Korea Way" - it's really called South Tacoma Way. The market it awesome. Not only are the prices great but there are SO many fruits, veggies, fish, sweets....so many things I've never heard of, let alone seen. Usually we're the only non-Asians in the place and sometimes John has to translate the signs for me. But I love it! I've grown to love the sesame balls and red bean donut things in the bakery. It's great. Although they can keep the kimchi. No thanks.

So now my South Korean addition to the house is my economics paper. Ya. It's on the history of South Korean economics. Like I ever thought I'd be writing something like that. Ah well. I'm learning a lot. For such a small country, it has been ravaged with war and economic craziness for the last 100 years. And why they don't teach more about the Korean War in school, I'll never know.

For now I'll just enjoy my sesame balls and fresh coconut. Yum.

Cup a tea

2007-10-26T12:28:00.000-07:00

Nothing like a warm cup of tea to soothe a sore throat. It finally turned chilly on the Northwest. Trees are changing color - I'm still amazed at the number of trees here. The water is a deeper blue today. The chill is seeping through my old, rickety windows and making my nose cold. Time to break out the wool socks.

Death and taxes

2006-03-20T10:40:00.000-08:00

Ben Franklin's saying "nothing is certain but death and taxes" rang more true than I would like this weekend.
Worked on my taxes and still am not sure what all these tax cuts are that the government keeps talking about. Whoever they're supposed to help, I'm not one of them. I've never payed so much in taxes. Lame.

The death part came in three. First, my mom had to put our family pet, Madison, to sleep Saturday. She was 12 years old and a special member of our family. Then my husband and I found out that two of our friends were killed on Friday by a suicide bomber in Iraq. One other was critically injured in the same incident and might not make it. We've been in the military for just over five years and have lost four friends to the War on Terror. It never gets easier to lose a friend. It's hard to be such a part of the military and be so against so many things they are made to do. Our friends' deaths only make me more angry at the situation they were in. They were some of the best trained special operations soldiers the Army had - both had been to Iraq and Afghanistan a number of times. In a firefight they would have stood a great chance of coming out alive. But when a suicide bomber blows himself up six inches from you .... nothing is left. They didn't even have a chance to defend themselves. What good does it do? What good are we doing? Will it ever end?

To stroll or not to stroll

2005-10-28T07:16:00.000-07:00

I heard a woman give advice about life to her grand-daughter this morning on NPR. She said "It's not a marathon, it's a stroll."
It's so easy to get caught up in the "race." In reality, I hate running (both on the track and metaphorically). I love the idea of enjoying life as we go through it and although marathoners may say they enjoy the result (crossing the finish line) they never really seem to enjoy the run itself. But then...the end result (where you end up) can be pretty important I suppose. So the question is, can a person be in the race, not kill themselves in the marathon and still end up where they want to? Why not. In fact, I think it'd be fun to be one of those people that dresses up in the Boston Marathon. They still cross the finish line and are incredibly happy even though they may not have come in first. And really - the people who come in first are usually covered in diarrhea from not stopping to take care of business. Ew.

Close call

2005-10-17T08:57:00.000-07:00

The sun was out in full force this morning. Love the sun - hate it when it blinds me in the middle of rush hour traffic. It was so bad this morning, that I couldn't even see the car in front of me (if there even was a car - I couldn't tell). I saw one woman pull into the center lane to drive for safety, I suppose. But what she didn't know is that the lane became the turning lane of ongoing traffic. Luckily she moved over before anything scary happened. Just a few blocks away, there was a fender bender on an overpass. Just as I passed the accident and came to a stop light where I found that there were indeed cars in front of me - saw them just as I came to a stop - thankfully I was going slow enough to stop. The car behind me was going slow enough and stopped also, but the car behind her was not as slow and hit the car behind me. So now there were two accidents on the overpass - in morning traffic. That was the THIRD accident that has happened one car in front or behind of me since I moved down here. This town is SO accident prone. i think that perhaps I'll start teleporting to work. Beam me up Scotty!

DA

2005-10-06T10:51:00.000-07:00

Hello, my name is Zoe and I am a Dish-aholic.
It's true. For years I blamed my distaste for washing dishes on my lack of a dishwasher. I seemed to instead have no problem with seeing the dishes sit out for a while - usually until I needed one. BUT now that I have a dishwasher and the same thing is happening....I think I'm addicted to seeing the dishes out and so I just can't bear to put them into the dark depths of the dishwasher. Some may call it laziness, but that's too boring and not always true - I am a freak about keeping the rest of the kitchen clean - just not so much with the dishes. Are there places who can help people like me?

super ego man

2005-09-29T10:49:00.000-07:00

There is a guy that works in my office that I have now had enough of. He's one of those "i'm so great that everything I say should be inscribed in granite" kinds of people. He also likes to crack inappropriate jokes or wise cracks about any and everyone (as long as they're not in the room). yesterday in our weekly staff meeting, he went too far. It was like I was in one of those human resource movies they show you when you're a new employee - the one about sexual harassment in the office. At first when he cracked the joke (which involved a women far above his rank and her needing knee pads) I wasn't sure what he meant. I couldn't believe that anyone would say that about someone else - especially in the middle of a staff meeting with four women sitting at the other end of the table. By the time I figured out that he was serious it was too late to jump in and call him on his lameness. SO it bothered me most of the night and today I spoke up. Told his supervisor and was told that "I will talk with him about it" - now, this is the second time I have had to talk with his supervisor about inappropriate behavior in the office. I feel so wierd having to talk to anyone's supervisor about this sort of thing. But the truth is that they guy is a jerk. He should be told he's a jerk over and over again until he realizes that the pedastal he thinks he's standing on is really just his ego.

Where is it all supposed to come from?

2005-09-19T09:01:00.000-07:00

Was listening to NPR this morning and heard that NASA is planning a $100 billion trip to the moon. My first reactions was "cool - more moonrocks" but then I wondered...where is all of that cash coming from? We're paying hundreds of billions of dollars to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan and we just promised at least $200 billion to help those hurt by Hurricane Katrina. Maybe it's just me, but I'm pretty sure that we don't have THAT much money to spread around. I'm not saying the $ shouldn't go to help those hurt by the hurricane. I am saying that something's got to give. With a federal deficit more than $410 billion dollars we can't really afford everything. It's simple budgeting. It's no wonder why so many Americans are having credit problems. Just look at the example the federal government sets for us. Ridiculous.

Sizzle

2005-07-27T12:12:00.000-07:00

Pardon me while I go outside and fry an egg on the sidewalk.....
Whoever said that the climate isn't changing needs to come and live down here for a while. They would change their mind.

An update - I sent my resume and news clips into the Fayetteville Observer's executive editor - they have a couple of positions open. We shall see. I'm not sure if I have the experience they're looking for, but it doesn't hurt to try!

Also, did I mention that it's hot down here? Thank goodness for whoever it was that invented air conditioning.

Keeping options open

2005-07-12T13:24:00.000-07:00

I've never been much of a climber when it came to moving up in job positions. If opportunities presented themselves, I would take them. Today I put myself out there. I heard that there's going to be a little re-structuring in the newsroom at the local paper in town that I want to work at. So....I sent the editor an e-mail and let him know that I'm interested. We'll see. It may come to nothing, but then again, it could get me outta here and onto bigger and better things. (and a larger paycheck - which would ROCK)

marathon man

2005-07-11T07:34:00.000-07:00

I must bragg a bit about my husband. He ran the Grandfather Mountain Marathon in Boone, NC Saturday. They say it's the hardest marathon in the country and after driving the course (yeah, not a chance that I ran it - I was support crew running from water stop to water stop), I must agree. Over half of the course was uphill, winding through the mountains. It was beautiful and some of it was even on the Blue Ridge Parkway, but pretty views aside - I am amazed anyone finished the race. John finished well and has the number and medal to prove it. it was fun to be the support crew and cheer everyone on in the race. It was a pretty lonely one - not a lot of people along the route cheering them on - just them and the pavement most of the way. Although I'm told that Wonder Woman was handing out water at mile 24. I thought that perhaps one day I would run a marathon and maybe I will - but after watching those people cross the finish line I'll be thinking long and hard about if my body really wants to go through all of that.

What a letdown

2005-06-29T05:55:00.000-07:00

Well, aside from the fact that it was way cool to hang out with National media and talk with the Secret Service - that speech last night was BLAH. Nothing new. THey kept saying it was going to be new information or a new strategy. Everything he said was something that is already happening and that he's said before it previous speeches. It's like he saw his ratings slipping and needed to bolster some support. I will say that he seemed....concerned about something last night. Nervous. Something. I don't know if he'd just gotten some bad news before he went on stage or what, but there was NO charisma coming from him. NONE. Very disappointed with that. I figure he's the President, if nothing else, he has charisma. Nada. *sigh* Well, it was awesome to be there and to have that experience. I had one of my friends (a fellow photographer who was standing for hours in the back with me) take my picture with Bush talking behind me. I'll post it with some others later today. (If I can get it to work this time)

Georgey: a little apprehensive

2005-06-28T10:33:00.000-07:00

I have the opportunity today to be a part of the press conference/appearance that George "Let 'er Roll" Bush is holding on base. I'm actually really excited about it b/c I get to be with the National Press Corps and all that goes along with being in the room with the president. My brother-in-law was joking that they wouldn't let me in b/c they'd check my voter registration card. It was strange getting calls from the White House at the office.

He's supposed to be here pretty soon and the storm clouds have just rolled in - it's so dark you'd think it was 7 at night. A storm's a brewin'. The national media has been saying that he's going to announce "specific" ideas on his strategy in Iraq. This is something that you'd think we'd already have since we're HOW FAR INTO IT? Anyway, we've been told he's going to announce something - we don't know what, but something big. I'm a little freaked out by that. We've brainstormed everything from an exit strategy to nothing new to a (gasp) draft. I can say that it's not meant to be a troop rally - the number of troops expected is too small for that.

I suppose I also fear my own reaction to whatever he announces. I promised my office I wouldn't do anything crazy - besides, I don't want to be carried off the crazy town by the secret service.

Well, the clouds just opened up and the rain is pouring down. I'll keep you posted.

hollah

2005-06-20T06:28:00.000-07:00

This weekend I decided to embrace the NC country that I now live in. The National Hollerin' Contest was held Saturday in a li'l place called Spivey's Corner about 30 minutes from where I live. The town has a year-round population of just over 65 people and if you blink, you would literally miss the "town." So, I went. Not quite sure how to describe "hollerin" - it's kinda like yodelling without the yodel...like bird calls for people. They had little kids, teens, men and women up on stage. Inbetween competitions, Elvis sang as well as a christian music group. I have to say - I'm realizing that although I love the mountains and camping and being one with nature.....I'm not so much a "country girl." I took a few pictures and will post them later today. Ah...the South. Yeeeeeeehaw!

the ninja turtle

2005-06-09T12:31:00.000-07:00

I was driving out of our apartment complex yesterday (never thought I'd live in one *sigh*) and nearly ran over a mama turtle that lives in the pond/lake near our place. Freaked me out. The poor thing pulled way, way into her shell and at first I wondered if she was ok. I was worried that maybe someone else had run over her - but of course then I realized that, duh, if that was the case, her shell would have been squished. Anyway, so I stopped my car, got out, picked up the scared turtle and put her back near the water. Crisis averted.

Who woulda thunk it

2005-06-02T09:21:00.000-07:00

When my parents separated in Oct. '01 and then got divorced a while later, it wasn't a big surprise. In fact, my sisters and I had often wondered when it would happen. I suppose that since it wasn't such a suprise, I never thought that it would effect me very much - emotionally. Granted, there's the whole getting used to my mom asking for dating advise and my dad starting a new family with a wife that's practically my age...those things I knew I'd have to adjust to. But I have recently discovered that there's a whole other realm of emotional issues that I hadn't realized I was needing to deal with.
After they split, my drive to accomplish some of the career goals that I had kinda faded into the background. Not that I'm blaming my parents for it - it's all on me. I do think, however, that their splitting up triggered something within me that said "well, if they've given up trying, what's the point of my trying anymore?" I know, it's the drama of every divorced kid. I guess that I just figured that since I'm over 25 and living my own life, that I'd be immune somehow. Not so it turns out.
Do you ever wish that you could just push a button and release all of the complexes and emotional mazes that seem to stem from your parents?

too long gone

2005-06-01T11:45:00.000-07:00

Ah...the blogoshpere. I have returned.
I've been lost in a wash of crazy maniacal work fiends who seem to think that I have super powers. Either that or I've somehow made them think that I have a clone that comes in and does more work at night. Either way - I'm back. Super powers and all.

What kind of car does Jesus drive?

2005-05-10T10:37:00.000-07:00

According to the ever-accurate and informative CNN, Jesus Christ is trying to get a driver's license. Seriously. Check this out: http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/05/10/jesus.lawsuit.ap/index.html.

Some guy also claimed to have had coffee in his kitchen with Jesus after which the Lord left behind the blue jeans He had been wearing because He was cold. There was no comment about a shirt or possible undergarments. The guy with the holy jeans is now trying to sell them on e-bay. The holder of the jeans said he "wanted to share the pants He wore with the world." Last known bid for the now-sacred pants was: $14.59 and the bidding closes in just under a week. But beware all ye who are in need of repentence - he doesn't want the pants "to fall into the hands of Satan."

Revenge of the legos

2005-05-09T09:19:00.000-07:00

About 2 weeks ago, I discovered the only playstation game I've really been able to get into. Lego's StarWars. Last night, by chance, I saw an awesome sight - Comedy Central had a 10 minute animated clip of Legos StarWars. Of course I had to go searching for more info (ok, so my husband did the searching). BUT we found this: http://treehouseanimation.com/ Watch the Storm Trooper orchestra. It will make your Monday much easier to handle.

A Wednesday thought

2005-05-04T11:56:00.000-07:00

Yes.... I got this via a friend's mass e-mail. Hate mass e-mails. Sadly, every blue moon, I like their content.

If you consider that there has been an average of 160,000 troops in in theater in Iraq during the last 22 months, that gives a firearms death rate of 60 per 100,000.

The rate in the District of Colubia is 80.6 per 100,000.

That means that you are more likely to be shot and killed in our Nation's Capitol, which has some of the strictest gun control laws in the nation, than you are in Iraq.

Conclusion: We should immediately pull out of Washington, D.C.

One step closer to apathtic cynicism

2005-04-27T12:57:00.000-07:00

I try and try not to be a cynical person (although it doesn't always work so well) but today I think I've crossed over and there may not be any turning back. I was listening to NPR on my way to work this morning and heard two back to back stories about Congress. One about Tom Delay's un-ethical ways and how the republicans tried to pass a bill that made it easy to get out of investigations should something like Delay's case come to light. And another about a new federal abortion law they're trying to pass through that makes it OK for one state's laws to follow you into another state. Then, while at work I read about Georgie Bush's new brilliant energy initiatives. Instead of trying to find cleaner, more energy-efficient fuels, he's decided it'd be brilliant to make MORE oil refineries on unused government property. Brilliant. What little faith or trust I had in our government (and it wasn't much) is now gone. They try to find ways around being held responsible for their own actions. They try to mix up state laws with federal laws. They do their best to continue our generation into a deeper pit of environmental sludge.... I've had enough. I don't know. Is the answer to pick up and move to another country? Should I just suck it up and ignore it and join the rest of the apathetic masses? Maybe I'll run for mayor so that one day I can be president. Sometimes I wish that life were more like a choose-your-own-adventure when it came to some bigger issues. I hate feeling so helpless. I'm not good at helpless. Anyone else out there feeling it too?

Hear ye hear ye

2005-04-20T20:00:00.000-07:00

Hear ye hear ye
Originally uploaded by zoesworld.

Medieval Times -- Aside from having Cable Guy flashbacks and getting a frightening taste of how Romans at the coliseum could cheer on someone else's demise...It's quite the costume show, but it was nice to be a princess who got to eat with no utensils.

Sandy footprints

2005-04-20T19:54:00.000-07:00

Sandy footprints
Originally uploaded by zoesworld.

One of the best things about the beach - feeling the sand underfoot and inbetween all ten toes.

Citizens for free stuff

2005-04-20T19:53:00.000-07:00

Citizens for free stuff
Originally uploaded by zoesworld.

Something that rarely, if ever, happens in Fayetteville is a free concert by a good (or even decent) band. Thank you Sister Hazel for being in Myrtle Beach last weekend and being free and great as always.

Rangar

2005-04-20T19:52:00.000-07:00

Rangar
Originally uploaded by zoesworld.

Meet Rangar. He's my new Viking mini-golf buddy. It's all about no-rules mini-golf.

Can you find the gator?

2005-04-20T19:49:00.000-07:00

Can you find the gator?
Originally uploaded by zoesworld.

Being from mountain country, the only alligators I ever saw were either at the zoo begind plexiglass or on Animal Planet. At Huntington State Park near Myrtle Beach I got an upclose glance at the real thing. This picture is the long shot - can you see the gator in the water? The other one was only a few feet away - lying in the sun near the sidewalk. A little too close for comfort if you ask me.

Where's the golden ticket

2005-04-13T08:03:00.000-07:00

Went to the video store last night (yes, I still go to the actual store instead of ordering online) and had a wonderful surprise. The Wonka bar has returned. Oh yes, go grab Grandpa Joe and have him buy you a box of Wonka Bars because somewhere out there is a golden ticket! Of course I had to buy one, but alas no gold. Ah well - knowing my luck, if I were to find the golden ticket and go to the factory, I'd get turned into a blueberry or something. I'm excited to see the new Wonka movie when it comes out. Hoping it will be completely different from the Gene Wilder film. That way I won't be disappointed or tempted to compare the two. Bring it on Tim Burton.

Michael Israel

2005-04-12T19:39:00.000-07:00

Michael Israel
Originally uploaded by zoesworld.

Got a chance to meet and watch Michael Israel perform not long ago. He does amazing work on huge canvases in a way that I'd never seen before. The canvases spin, he paints to the music, the crowd is on their feet... It was something not to be missed if you ever get the chance.

flip a coin, will ya?

2005-03-29T10:49:00.000-08:00

Indecisive people give me a rash and today I'm in need of some cream. One of the girls I work with - our editor - is great and fun and blah blah blah. However, she is seriously lacking thre ability to take charge of any situation or make any decisions that she fears others will dislike her for. So instead of doing something, she does nothing. Even when faced with the question "What exactly would you like me to?" she turns to wish-wash and sighs and says "Oh, whatever, I don't care." Argh! Perhaps I will bring in a coin for her to flip, so that something will get done without the fear of the indecisive rash.

Nature's alarm clock

2005-03-28T07:21:00.000-08:00

There's one thing I missed when living in Seattle - REAL rain storms. Very rarely did we have the tumultuous downpours, thunder and lightning that made the ground shake. I've found them again here in North Carolina. I was woken up this morning by a huge CRASH of thunder followed by what sounded like buckets of water falling from the sky. It was most excellent. Granted, I was indoors....I'm hoping that John, who is in the field right now, was inside barracks rather than out under the stars this morning. If not, he was most likely not as happy about the rain as I was. I say come on inside and bring on the rain!

Self-made holidays

2005-03-24T07:50:00.000-08:00

When I was young and holidays came around, I just assumed, things would happen. There'd be some sort of Christmas tree, the Easter bunny would come, there'd be fireworks on the 4th of July... I never really stopped to think that do-it-yourself kits weren't mailed out to all the families so that holidays would be celebrated. When I moved away, I found that holidays obviously take effort to celebrate. Things to plan, to cook, people to invite, things to make or buy.... Although these days you can walk into Wal-Mart and pretty much buy a self-made holiday kit equipped with everything one may need to celebrate a stereotypical holiday - is that really what these days are about? Do we celebrate out of tradition, self-importance or just to break up the monotony? A lot of the meaning and history behind the celebrations get lost in the shuffle - that's nothing new. People have been saying that ever since Santa Clause became part of corporate marketing schemes. Still....when or IF we celebrate, do you make it our own or do we just go through the motions? Is it really celebrating if you're just going through the motions? I'm not so sure.

Satan's mutant ninja turtle

2005-03-21T05:20:00.000-08:00

In an attempt to avoid all news media regarding Teri Schiavo, which has proved most difficult, I found this "Pet store owner: Satan's image on turtle's shell." HA! It seems the turtle was the only thing to survive an intense store fire and when he came out of the flames, he had the image of what this guy thinks is Satan on his shell. I say, add him to the mutant ninja turtle league. And so what if your turtle has Satan's face on it (as if anyone knows what that really is). Now, perhaps the store owner could market the turtle as fire-proof. Check it out: http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/03/21/evil.turtle.ap/index.html.

Fo shizzle

2005-03-14T11:41:00.000-08:00

Check this out: www.gizoogle.com. Type whatever you want into the search engine and it'll come up translated. It was a good laugh for a gloomy Monday.

the sounds of Fayetteville

2005-03-10T09:11:00.000-08:00

Last night I was able to hear a tried and true professional symphony for the first time in far too long. The National Symphony was in town (a miracle in this place) and played to a packed house. The music was amazing both in sound and theme. Everything from a world premiere of a contemporary piece to good ol' Hayden filled the rather sad-looking theatre. (sad, but it's the best this town has to offer, so it's better than nothing at all!) Aside from the lady across the aisle whose cell phone went off THREE times and the baby who started crying in the middle of Hayden's piece. (she and her mom were escorted out by one of the ushers).... it was a welcome respite.

The Twilight Zone part was coming home from the concert to be greeted by sounds of heavy artillery. One of the unsung "perks" of living next to one of the largest military bases in the country is that the surrounding community is treated to a weekly barrage of artillery sounds, building-shaking vibrations and overall happy times. My apartment shakes as the "booms" thud through the clear evening sky. Sometimes it feels like an earthquake, but other times it just sounds like the aliens are invading. Ah well.... had the symphony known, perhaps they could have incorporated the sounds into the show.

she's baaaack

2005-03-04T07:29:00.000-08:00

The media has been inudating us with Martha, Martha, Martha. She's out of jail and apparently richer than ever. With a new TV show (Martha's Apprentice) and all sorts of goodies heading her way it seems tha jail was the best thing for her. Hey, it worked for Snoop Dogg, why not Martha Stewart?

march magic

2005-03-03T13:11:00.000-08:00

March is my favorite month. Nature starts to come out of the deep freeze (well, at least certain parts of it), leprechans dance, people wear green....good times. This March, for me - already happy times. In a matter of 2 days I've gotten free ice cream thanks to yahoo.com, gotten a credit at my favorite craft store, and found out I can get into our local botanical gardens for free on Saturday. let the good (and hopefully free) times roll.

witch hunt?

2005-03-02T09:06:00.000-08:00

I was listening to NPR this morning on my way to work and heard a story about a program they're using to keep track of aliens in the US. I was hoping it was referring to little green men, but sadly no. It talked about how many non-citizens in the country are wearing electronic anklets and have to check in with some security company "or else". I guess they have a choice between being detained or wearing the anklet and being able to go home. I guess it's a trial run program, but they were saying that if it's "successful" that all non-citizens might be required to wear one. WHAT? I'm all for keeping the country safe, but since when was America about treating people who come here like prisoners? Not cool. There has to be a better way.

you can do that?

2005-02-28T13:47:00.000-08:00

I checked on CNN's Website today and was stricken with laughter and then wonder when I read "Lebanon's government quits." They can do that? Can we petition for that? I guess they just couldn't take it anymore and so they all packed up and left. What happens to them now? Hm.....mass chaos? Pinky and the Brain taking over their government? Perhaps they'll change their minds and want their jobs back. Too funny. What will this world think of next?

Not so hot

2005-02-24T07:00:00.000-08:00

OK, so last night I was purusing the channels on the huge tv and for some insane reason stopped to watch "The Simple Life" for a moment. I figured, hey, I've never seen it before. Maybe I should watch for a couple mintues so that I can try and see what all the hype is about. Let's just say that I now feel like I wasted ten minutes of my life. Can someone PLEASE explain to me the obsession with Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie, because I don't get it. Aside from being completely annoyed every time Paris opened her mouth and said "that's hot" or "that's sexy" I wanted to crawl through the tv and force her to use a thesaurus...anything other than what she was saying. I guess I don't understand why the average American cares about 2 women who never really had to work for anything. It seems like all they do in the show is make fun of the average joe's job and life. Lame. That's what I say to counter Paris' "hot". LAME. Get a life girls - we know you don't have one, and that's why you come out and ride the bus and try to take ours, but let's face it...you are lame.

In Living Color

2005-02-23T11:11:00.000-08:00

I'm one of those who REALLY likes surprises, but according to my huband, it's really hard to surprise me. I ask too many questions apparently. BUT last night I got home as I do every night. Went into the kitchen with my husband and started to eat dinner. He got this grin on his face - the one that means he knows something and wants to tell me, but it's a surprise - so I went searching through the apartment. I was thinking maybe he wrote me a note and hid it somewhere, or maybe he got me some nummy dessert....I walk into the bedroom and there it was - larger than life. A HUGE new television. OK, so it's not as big as the behemoth tv my mom has, but it's pretty freakin' huge. We settled in and watched a movie on it - felt like I was at the movie theatre. Man, I LOVE surprises. (well, good ones at least)

Interesting perspective

2005-02-15T14:10:00.000-08:00

Saw movie last night called "Gunner's Palace." It's a documentary on how some army members live, breath and work in Iraq. The film itself, although slow in places, was a pretty good depiction of what your average soldier deals with everyday in Baghdad (or so says my husaband, and since he's been there, I believe him). The director lived with the soldiers when they first arrived in Baghdad and then lived with them again just before they came back a year later. The perspective changes in the men and their opinions alone are worth seeing the film. The director also shows different missions the soldiers carry out - everything from clearing a room by force to training Iraqi police. in a question and answer session after the film, the director talked about the lack of blood and gore in the film (there really isn't any - kind of refreshing actually). He mentioned that he wanted the film to stand apart from what people see on the news. He feels that most of America doesn't really care much or really remember that men and women are trying to stay alive in a warzone right now and that he wanted to show the human side of the soldiers.

I watched the film in a movie theatre full of war veterans (Iraqi war, Vietnam War, Bosnia, Afghanistan...) and their families. Some said the film wasn't an acurrate depiction of what all soldiers go through. And it's not. The Special Forces troops or Navy members have a very different experience. But it's a slice of the pie.

My question was how did he get access to the military personnel in the way he did. Apparently it wasn't hard for him to do. My second thought was - how much of what you shot was pre-censored by the military red-tapers. From what he said - the only things that he left out of the 400 hours of footage he had, were things he chose to leave out. Thinking back on it, it makes sense. The film doesn't really have a political agenda and it really is more about shooting an accurrate depiction of the men and women serving in this unit in Iraq. An intriguing film with some important perspectives. Doubt it'll change the world, but perhaps it will remind some people that there's a war on - even if only for a minute.

Shocking but great

2005-02-08T10:38:00.000-08:00

I wasn't sure what to expect when walking in to see "Hotel Rwanda." I expected some gore, some guilt.....but I had no idea. The film was very powerful. I suppose with a subject matter such as the Rwandan genocide, you'd have to to try NOT to have it be powerful. I was happy that the film touched on issues such as the West abandoning the people in the country, the seemingly nominal difference between the opposing Rwandan classes and the extent to which the killing was carried. After the movie, I wondered if perhaps writer/director Terry George had gone over the top - tried to hit Western audiences over the head with a crisis that most chose to ignore. I don't think he did. From what I have read, he actually spared the audience from even more disturbing stories that he could have included.

Terry George's writing skills really shone through in this one. He would take the characters from horrific moments of terror to laughter within moments - those moments when perhaps all you can do to survive is find a way to laugh - to feel alive. Nick Nolte played a good ol' Notle role as the UN's Col. Oliver, and he did it better than any role I've seen him in a while. Don Cheadle became his character in more ways than one and truly brought a human face to what had merely been a news story.

useless facts for the day

2005-02-08T10:04:00.000-08:00

-8 billion pastel, heart-shaped candies with the sayings on them (conversation hearts) will be made this Valentine's Day this year.

-The average Americans eats about 24 pounds of candy a year.

Upside-down

2005-02-03T05:43:00.000-08:00

The film "Sideways" that everyone has been raving about finally came to my li'l town and so I figured I would go and see what all the hype was about. I was expecting something funny, something different....something. What I got was a whole lot of nada. There was nothing unique, interesting or even compelling about the film. I left the theater wondering if perhaps I missed a subplot, maybe a scene had been cut out or maybe I was suffering from some strange amnesia. But no. The film reminded me of an episode of 30-Something. Aside from the fact that the story was flat - I had no sympathy for the characters - if anything, I found them to be annoying. I've read reviews about the film and they say that the characters are "real" and "endearing." What? Just because a movie character reminds you of yourself or someone you know does not make them endearing. Familiar perhaps, but not endearing. Just because I may know a depressed, negative, underachiever, I am not going to exalt a film that exposes that person for all he or she may be. The film was nothing special. it was predictiable, full of over-emphasized metaphors and rarely as funny as I had hoped. And whoever it was that was lamenting the fact Paul Giamatti didn't get an Oscar nomination should have their head examined. His performance, though believable, was nothing unique or extraordinary.

Investing 101

2005-01-27T07:50:00.000-08:00

So we've decided to join the grown-up realm of banking...or so they tell me. Stocks, bonds, mutual funds, IRAs, blah blah blah.... There is so much to know I now remember why I haven't invested in the past - I am still on the third grade level of investing knowledge. I suppose this is where getting a broker comes in. But then, how do you know which one to pick? I suppose we could go broker shopping. It's mad mad mad mad world. Even though I know we need to invest if we're ever going to be able to retire and not live in our car - I'm not so sure I want to join the rat race.

Partae

2005-01-24T06:01:00.000-08:00

John and I had our combined birthday soiree this weekend and we were pleasantly surprised at how much people really seemed to enjoy themselves. We playes games like 'Let's Make a Deal' and Scene-It and we had a pinata and played pin the tail on the donkey. There was nummy food, pizza and chocolate fondue and we all gathered 'round and watched Napolean Dynamite afterwards. Our place was all decked out with pirate decorations - I'll have to post a picture later tonight. There was no alcohol and I think that was why people were surprised. Don't think they're used to going to a party and having fun minus the alcoholic beverage. Either that or they were excited about hitting the candy out of a pinata. Either way - felt great to let the good times roll.

bedtime stories and chocolate cheesecake

2005-01-20T07:50:00.000-08:00

It's been a long long time since I had the chance to help put a 3 year old to sleep at night. Was able to help out last night at a friend's house. I'd forgotten how soothing it can be to read a bedtime story to a little one before tucking them in for the night. Then to top off my birth day with some home made chocolate cheesecake...doesn't get much better than that. thank goodness for small miracles and the friends they bring into our lives.

cruel and barbarous treatment

2005-01-18T17:49:00.000-08:00

Found this today and I must say that although I don't necessarily think that divorce should be taken as lightly as changing one's haircut, I also can't say that I agree with this idea. No divorce unless there's cruel and barbarous treatment? What the hell does that mean? I feel like there's a lof of grey area that's being missed. Check it out - tell me what you think. http://channels.netscape.com/ns/love/package.jsp?name=fte/covenantmarriage/covenantmarriage

Progress!!!

2005-01-13T22:37:00.000-08:00

The doors are inlaid with the bamboo - now to make them into the uber-desk.
woohoo!

Up up and away

2005-01-12T11:48:00.000-08:00

Thanks to my job I was able to spend a good chunk of my day yesterday roaming about among hundreds of army paratroopers and almost 2 dozen HUGE planes. Felt like a kid in a candy store and the Major that was walking around with me couldn't help but laugh as I stopped every 10 feet to take a different shot of something. It's a miracle to me that aircraft SO huge and laden with SO much equipment and so many troops can even get off the ground.

martha has returned

2005-01-10T07:36:00.000-08:00

Although Martha Stewart is safely tucked away in her posh clink, my own Martha inclinations have come back to light. No, I'm not doing any sneaky financial dealings, but I have broken out the home projects once again. This time it's a desk/table made out of old doors and inlaid with bamboo, with a plexi-glass top. It has become quite the undertaking but I'm hoping to have it finished by week's end. I'll try and upload a picture of it when I'm finished.

belonging

2005-01-07T07:33:00.000-08:00

What does it mean to belong?

seeing the not so obvious

2005-01-06T18:14:00.000-08:00

chance happenings, once-known faces passing by, seeming coincidences... seems like life is always talking to us on a deeper level. don't think i've been paying much attention. started listening more to the world around me - looking out - watching more.... what a difference a day can make.

the name of a childhood beau came to mind last night and so out of curiousity i googled his name. found that the one who inspired me to write for many years is now a writer himself. writing plays...still painting...taking pictures... nice to know that people continue to follow their dreams.

a sinking feeling

2005-01-06T08:36:00.000-08:00

I went and saw 'The Life Aquatic" last night and walked away rather sad. Being a fan of many of people in the cast and a diver myself I thought it'd be fun. Instead I found the pacing dragged, the chemistry between the characters was weak and the laughs were at a minimum. Granted, I am not a lifetime member of the Wes Anderson fan club, but still... i enjoyed the art design and the animated fish (those were fun, although distracting at times). The journey that Steve Zissou takes from depressed has-been to rediscovering his greatness became rather tedious. The moments of discovery and of devastation were laden with slow motion shots and the adventurous raids reminded me of a wanna-be keystone cops skit. Although I didn't buy their interactions, I really did enjoy the characters individually. Their quirks and the unpaid interns made the film worthwhile.

out of bounds

2005-01-05T18:38:00.000-08:00

Well, i finally feel like a sports photographer. I was out shooting the "super bowl" of intramural football on the base and while shooting a play, the quarterback literally ran me over. I've seen it a plethora of times on tv - the athlete lands on the group of photographers at the end of the court. Although my run in did indeed end with me face down on the grass, it wasn't so bad. i'm just glad it was an intramural game where the players weigh MUCH less than any pro player. Otherwise I fear both myself and my camera would now be lawn fertilizer.

Friends are a terrible thing to waste

2005-01-05T11:11:00.000-08:00

I have a friend who is concerned that I don't "tell her more" about myself...my day to day activites...my inner most innerds. When I think about it I wonder...what does she really want to know? I mean, I find life outside of myself much more exciting most of the time. Is it really that I don't talk enough (whatever that means) or is it her own insecurity that she feels she's talking too much. I suppose I could psychoanalyze the whole thing, but that would only lead me down a road best left alone.

the triple goddess

2004-12-28T06:22:00.000-08:00

"The hour of departure has arrived, and we go our ways--I to die and you to live. Which is the better, only God knows."
---Socrates (469 BC - 399 BC), Quoted in: Plato's Apology, sct. 42a. Last words of his speech to the court following the sentence of death imposed on him by the Athenians.

My friend's mother died this past weekend. It seems just as my new little sister was being brought into the world. The interwoven cycle of birth, life and death - the triple goddess in ancient Celtic belief- never ceases, never pauses to think..... In a world filled with so much death, I suppose it's up to the living to keep the balance. To actually live our lives...and ensure that others are able to live theirs too.

what a weekend

2004-12-27T06:25:00.000-08:00

tsunamis in southeast asia, political upheaval in the ukraine, chaos with the airlines in the US and a partridge in a pear tree. not exactly the most calm of holiday seasons, but then....when is it ever calm? even if things do seem calm-ish in the world, you know that in households across the world there are a plethora of family dramas keeping up holiday tradition. personally, i'm pretty content down here in north carolina. we got our first ice - then snow storm of the season and aside from the slippery roads, it's really quite beautiful. the sun came out this morning and turned the icy treetops into illusions of glowing silver branches. i'm even feeling pretty content and rather excited about the fact that i have a new sister. born yesterday afternoon under the guise of a full moon, Leah Marie Terry came into this world at just over 8 pounds. I have to admit that I'm a little befuddled at the fact of it and not quite sure how to be a big sister to someone who's nearly 28 years younger than I am. But all the same, she's family and considering the condition of the world right now, she's going to need all the help she can get.

p.s. Happy Kwanzaa!

disappearing beauty

2004-12-22T11:14:00.000-08:00

About a year and a half ago my mom and I both got scuba certified and took a trip to the Bay Islands off the coast of Hondurus. Beautiful small island something like 30 miles long and 3 miles wide. When we were there the presence of scuba fanatics wasn't hard to spot along some of the beaches, but for the most part, the island was all locals. Only problem was that it seemed like every possible piece of land was for sale. The locals were so excited that some cruise ships were about to add their island to their route and they were SO excited for the money to start pouring in. Me being who I am automatically said "what? but why? this means that your amazing refuge from the world is going to become another tourist trap!" it's a hard call because there are good arguments on both sides of this coin.

Today I was browsing CNN and found this: http://www.cnn.com/2004/TRAVEL/DESTINATIONS/12/22/roatan.ap/index.html it's a story about the island - which means that it will soon be inundated and the place will lose it's amazing natural beauty and simple life (it was the only time i just sat in a hammock on the beach and read for an entire day b/c there was no cell phone service, no tvs and only great local music on the radio). *sigh* i guess you can't stop progress. my fear is that one day, progress will stop us.

hola mi amiga

2004-12-22T06:02:00.000-08:00

"I have lost friends, some by death... others through sheer inability to cross the street." - Virginia Wolfe
Thank goodness for the internet or I'd lose a lot more.

happy holidays

2004-12-21T10:52:00.000-08:00

whoever came up with the term "happy holidays" has not been shopping after Thanksgiving.
being the avid procrastinator that i am, i didn't start my shopping until this past weekend. i have now found that living in a small-ish town where the number of stores is limited magnifies the rage that somehow lives within way too many last-minute shoppers. from the nascar cart scene at a jam-packed super walmart (i know, i know, i had sworn off the monolith as evil and trying to take over the world, but no one else in town had what i needed! argh!!!!) to the woman who didn't even notice that she came within inches of running me down as i crossed the street.... i kept on humming christmas music in an effort to drown out the masses of hysteria swarming around me and somehow emerged without a scratch. whew. i could say that next year i'll start my shopping earlier, but honestly, it probably won't happen.

'scuse me ma'm

2004-07-02T17:25:00.000-07:00

Since when did I become "m'am"?
I always thought that "m'am" was reserved for grandmothers and women who are trying to be calmed down by some customer service employee. You know, "Now m'am, I'm sure we can find a solution to this." But since I've moved down to the south-eastern part of the country, it seems I've entered the Land of M'am. Out of all the places I've lived in the U.S., people have generally avoided calling anyone "m'am". But all of a sudden....it's everywhere. And it's ME. I am now the grandma or the red-faced screaming customer. Not good. Not good at all.

And so it begins

2004-05-18T12:33:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I wonder how I got to Seattle. How it is that my grandma was right - "Never say never." Never. Remember when I was small, I promised myself that I would NEVER be with anyone involved in the military. After all, as far as I could tell, the military was the cause of my father's family's "issues." The reason for the cold chill between my family and my grandparents. Never. Little did I know.