How about my fave one from the session?
Fave cause you can't really totally make me out (I like that. Trust me.) and he's in the background doing his usual thing--looking on, with this look on his face like he is up to no good. Which is appropriate cause the whole time he was gaming on being behind the camera instead of in front of it. Right.
Photo by Gerald Pope Photography. Mix fun by your's truly in Picasa 2.
Off to traffic. I mean work.
So I should do a list instead. I know I know.
Was at work today. And the commute is fun. Let. Me. Tell. You. I might have to get road rage awareness classes. or a bus pass. And the links to all the Flex Cars on the East Side.
So at work, here's what I was loving today:
That and the fact that I found a memory card. From the Tibet trip. With so many great photos on it, I can hardly stand myself.
Three minutes are up. Time for fish and chips and So you think you can dance. I love Wednesdays. Two more days until weekend fun in Ocean Shores!
Poppies In the ParkNo. I don't refer to my future husband as it. Though he is also going to Southern California. And Vegas. But we don't talk about that.
I'm referring to that little gadget that this weekend, after driving about aimlessly on one-way streets of hellish downtown Seattle for 45 minutes looking for a place that really was right under my nose, I actually called it (well, the future husband and asked him to put IT on the phone) to find out where in the heck Yahoo Maps was trying to take me.
Now. I've traveled this country over. And over. And over again. Probably about times 3. And each time I printed pages of maps from Yahoo maps on how to get there. And they have NEVER let me down. Not even that one time I took the wrong turn and ended up on the other end of the Peninsula driving to a retreat for EDAN (I could NOT for the life of me remember the name of that student group the other day when reading the Stranger...which also reminds me that I have not had Veggie Pho in...oh...a week now. And. I. Am. Dying. SLOWLY.). I was saying. Driving. Yahoo maps. EDAN--4 hour backtrack. It was gorgeous once I got there. Let me tell you.
All this to say that I plopped down in front of my computer that really isn't backed up with all the stuff I evidently could live with out after all to Google (and by "Google" I mean type in www.yahoo.com and go to yahoo maps) how in the heck I get to Best Buds in Madison Park. Because yes, they may be my wedding flower savior. And I just want flowers anyhow and I saw some gorgeous hydrangeas in their photo in the paper and...I digress.
I sat down to Google/Yahoo it and low and behold, I remembered that I had Robert's car. The one with the gadget in it. That I called this weekend. To tell me how in the heck I get from point a to point b. So I'm going to go to Mike's and get the river rocks I originally wanted instead of the ugly mini seashells I settled for. Then I'm going to Jo's to get the friggin' burlap or something already. Then I'm going to convince myself that yes, yet is is worth it to time it just right to head over to Madison Park on the way to picking up Robert who so graciously let me use his car after I dropped off my car at the body shop for work. Yeah. He does love me. But not enough to leave me the GPS when he goes to So. Cali. Because well, Spokane ain't big enough for me to get lost in. 10 minutes. I'll take under on that one at that. Watch me.
Robert asked me what in the world I was going to do with myself with three weeks of freedom. After Day 1, I was a bit worried. I've managed to build a better to-do list in the meantime and so all is well in "Pretend Stay at Home Mommy to No kiddies World." The biggest problem? I don't like to clean. So much for playing that one off.
In the meantime.
Tons of life going on. Next month, I get married. This month I've had the great fortune of meeting wonderful, regular people moving on to Denver for the National Convention (and yes, that would be the Democrat National Convention for those that had any doubts). This week did bring a lot of come to Jesus talks about finalizing the invite list for said event next month (and the budget, ahem). And I even had half a moment to scrap a bit. And more to come.
So as time goes on, I've had the time to get caught up is the short of it all. And to re-evaluate what it is I love about life and could do without. I love that nothing fell on the "do without" list. Love. That. But also love feeling a lot more balanced.
In my last job with the Law School, I loved that I had so many opportunities to do great things personally per the perks--I traveled a lot and could tack on campaigning asides for Obama and meet ups with scrap folks and it was just so darn fun! It wasn't AS fun having to be apolitical though. Sure. There were lots of folks at the school who could proudly wear their affiliation where ever they went. And trust me, anyone who knew anything about me knew who I was for and why they should be for him too (smile). But I couldn't wear an Obama button while standing behind the table. I couldn't email my extensive prospect e-lists and invite them to my events because I would come off as pushing the "ultra liberal/ultra-Seattle" image that we were not so much trying to get away from, but that we very much didn't try to promote 24/7. I respected the need for that, but it was a an interesting balancing act that has been the biggest change I've noticed since joining the ranks of those without health insurance. Albeit, by "choice".
Choice being that since you can't start and stop Cobra at will, I can't sign up to pay for insurance for this month because then I would be double covered when I start the new job. And Robert can't add me to his for a month because we don't have a qualifying event until next month. At which point we get to decide all that married people stuff like how much life insurance to take out on each other. Uh huh.
So I saw a fun (long) post at Heather's blog and at the invite to copy and jump in, figured why the heck not. In your entire life, have you ever...
gone on a blind date? Nope
skipped school? I slept until 2:11 pm one day in high school and freaked out that I had missed class. In college, well, there was a lot of snow and sometimes, well, it was difficult to get motivated to go to a class that I was going to get an automatic A in for my awesomeness anyhow. And then...I woke up.
watched someone die? Miss her everyday.
been to Canada? Eh? Many times.
been to Mexico? Technically...a time or two. I like living in border states evidently.
been to Florida? Yes. Few times when I was on the board for The Box Project. Really great organization.
been on a plane? For a living pretty much. And no, I was never a pilot or a flight attendant.
been lost? Perpetually.
been on the opposite side of the country? Both horizontally and vertically and not just been there, but lived there too (born in TX, lived some in Michigan. Undergrad in NY, Grad school in WA).
gone to Washington, DC? Once. Cannot WAIT to go back.
swam in the ocean? Just the Atlantic and the Pacific. Not a big salty body of water fan.
had your booze taken away by the cops? What is booze?
lettered in a high school sport? I'm so great I lettered without even playing (lettered in Men's Basketball 4 years, Men's Track 1 year, as manager of the team). I did letter for 4 years in Marching Band (smile) and I lettered for 4 years each in Drill Team (as in Dance...I'm from TX people) and for 4 years in Dance itself. Never had a letter jacket or got to wear that dreamy guy's jacket either. Sigh.
cried yourself to sleep? Two times come vividly to mind. Once when for the first time ever, my grandmother left home for a week to visit her daughter/my aunt in NY. I couldn't believe she'd ever go anywhere without me. Then, again, when I returned to NY that late November night in 1999 after being home in El Paso to say goodbye to her as she was moving on. I remember being really stoic most of the time but then falling into bed, looking at the clock and just uncontrollably crying. Come to find out, that was the moment recorded on her death certificate as her time of death. Didn't cry myself to sleep the next day, but did cry all day that I couldn't be there holding her had in the exact moment that she really moved on. Did a whole lot of crying at the end of 1999.
played cops and robbers? I can't remember the exact take, but there was this really neat version of cops and something or another (knowing the nerdy group I hung with, probably like cops and CSI agents) that we played growing up. It was so friggin' FUN!
played dolls? I finally got a Barbie dream house when I was like 10. I would hang out in the garage for hours decorating her house with all sorts of stuff I found around the house...like my mom's mini vases. Shhhh...don't tell anyone.
recently colored with crayons? Nope.
sang Karaoke? I plead the fifth.
paid for a meal with coins only? God I miss Chicos tacos.
done something you told yourself you wouldn't? I'm online am I not?
cheated on an exam? Taken someone else's answers? Please. Do you know where I went to high school? In college, one of my study partners cheated off of me. I was smitten with the fact that anyone would even think I was smart enough to study with (it was a math class, I have SERIOUS math anxiety issues...and yes...yes I DID want to be a geneticist...what. of. it.), let alone copy off of. Anyhow, got JA'd for that and cleared of all wrong doing. The Princeton Mascot incident is an entirely different story. And not an exam. So I'll plead the fifth there too.
made prank phone calls? Nope. But did do the "you call him, no you call him, okay I'll call him, OH GOD HE ANSWERED HANG UP THE PHONE!!" bit. Sorry Eddie and Jeremy (smile). It was all Beverly's fault.
laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose? Nope. Laughed till I about choked myself, but no liquid nostril fun.
caught a snowflake on your tongue? Yes. And I know you snowbound folks think this is so not a big deal but honestly. Honestly. This is one of the most absolutely amazing firsts of my life. Remember, I'm from the desert where we don't get snow. Okay. That and I've always been a late bloomer. I know this.
danced in the rain? Yep--floods more like it. Out on Atlas. In El Paso. It is a warm rain day here in Seattle and it reminds me of being home in El Paso.
written a letter to Santa Claus? Yes
been kissed under the mistletoe? Yes!
watched the sunrise with someone you care about? Yes. Virtually at that (smile). Was never a "stay on the phone all hours" type, but one night in high school I recall staying up all night on the phone with a certain "Chef" in Austin (who was in El Paso at the time) and having my mom be all "Are you serious? You stayed up all night? You're going to see him in like 3 minutes for band practice." Tsk, tsk, tsk...like you get to talk at band practice.
been arrested? Not that I recall. Which is kind of scary that I had to give half a thought to that.
blown bubbles? Gum and soapy ones.
gone ice-skating. Almost. But then pitched a fit or had to work or something and so missed out. Can't believe I lived in NY for 5-6 years and never once made it to the rink. Uhg.
been skinny dipping outdoors? No.
had a nickname? Yes. And to be quite frank, I can't recall how the hell Divine came about. Some not so flattering and downright derogatory, others just innocent and obvious.
been to Africa? Almost. Times 2. Before I die. I promise.
eaten cookies for dinner? lol...I know a certain someone who has cupcakes for dinner. me, I tend to either need something full out or nothing at all.
been on TV? Yep. Local TV in high school for being one of those "good high school kids doing amazing things" (all because I was leaving town for college...okay okay...I was a nerd so I was like a National Coca-Cola Scholar--which actually got me on CNN as well...for my first time), in college, I hit CNN again for a pageant (I know I know...remember, I'm Texan).
stolen any traffic signs? Never. Do you know how big those things are?
been in a car accident? A few. I know. But when we were really young, we had this red car (Vero remembers that one) and we were on our way home on a rainy day. We spun out. I freaked out. No one was hurt. Once I was finally driving, I came around a corner in Ithaca one snowy night and spun out. My bumper rested right up against the bumper of another car. So lightly that it didn't even tap off the snow. Which was a good thing because I did this right in front of a cop. Then my ex backed his car out of the garage into my car and most recently, a Seattle Waste Management truck sideswiped me coming into my lane. No weather on that last one. Go figure.
What is your....
mother's name? Gerri (smile).
favorite drink? Water with lots of lemon. Or if I'm in one of my infamous food cycles, Jones Creme Soda.
favorite alcohol? like rubbing? I'm kidding. I love great, thick, heady red wine. Syrahs and Cab Sauvs mostly...just depends on the mood.
birthplace? Texan
favorite vacation spot? Anywhere I've not been before that has something to take a picture of.
favorite salad dressing? Balsamic vinegar
favorite pie? Apple of course
favorite number? 3
favorite movie? This one is hard. I LOVE movies. Couldn't even begin to pick just one. Off the top of my head, the first ones that come to mind: Shawshank Redemption, Babel, Kite Runner, Imitation of Life, Schindler's List, Color Purple, Minority Report, Closer, Cast Away, I am Legend, Office Space, Fargo, A Perfect Murder, A Civil Action, Gone in 60 Seconds, Apollo 13
favorite holiday? Uhhhg...hate not getting to be with family so holidays are a chore now. Trying to make everyone happy and pleasing no one in the process. Can't wait to have kids and start another family unit and get to do all sorts of traditions and stuff. At that point, I think Thanksgiving will be my fave holiday again.
favorite food? Chicos Tacos
favorite day of the week? Probably Wednesday...psychological halfway point.
favorite brand of body wash? Olay Body Creme Ribbons with Almond Oil. Dear sweet Lord.
favorite toothpaste? Anything non-whitening. Yeah...good luck on that in the toothpaste aisle.
favorite smell? Vanilla or rain in the desert.
Do you have any...tattoos? Nope
body piercings? Ears
Do you drive a 2-door or 4-door vehicle? 4 door.
What do you do to relax? Read hang out watching trash tv with R.
How do you see yourself in 10 years? With babies, living in the burbs, active in my community, balanced, peaceful.
Happy 50th Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater! These are the times I wish I lived in NYC. As it is, I'll just have to crash on in to visit Rachel or something (smile).
Day 2...or almost Day 1. All depends on how you look at it.
Lots of life going on around these parts lately. Lots of photos, lots of life and nametags and roles and thoughts and links to think about and...just lots.
So some interactive lists are in order here:
Selectively Unemployed.
I am BLESSED to be in a position to willingly be selectively unemployed.
Friday, May 30 was my last official day with Seattle University. I will go back for a few follow up items, and I have some work at my new position to do this week. But I am so absolutely amazed how everything always works out. Absolutely amazed. So what will I do?
Well there are lots of tiny things like taking the time to slow down and document life. All the tiny details like the Spring that may never come to SEA and JDRF's Beat the Bridge.
I will probably take a lot of time to work on all things political. Those who know me know that I'm pretty passionate about politics. Sure, by nature that means I support a particular candidate (smile), but beyond even that, I just LOVE getting people involved in the process again. Love that people have found their voices.
Speaking of Politics.
Yes. I am running for National Delegate for Obama. You can read more about that and why at my Profile Blog. 
But beyond that, you know that I've been glued to CNN--yesterday the DNC Rules Committee met to figure out a compromise on Michigan. Pretty much Florida is as it is. Michigan well. We just get to a point where I have my own struggles absolutely knowing, from a bigger picture stance, that it isn't always worth winning the battle at the expense of the war. Those are my thoughts on that.
Reading
I love to read. The latest batch to arrive--something inspirational/how to. Something step by step (wedding makeup and all). And something thought provoking. Which, of course, makes me now want more. Lots more. Great place to go for lots more? Hamilton Books of course. Why? Because there are tons of bargain books on stuff you'd never think to buy. I became hip to this discount offering in my last job (well, my last LAST job) when I was at SPSCC and had to be able to stock a whole Diversity Center on like $200 worth of funding. Craziness. I know. But I did it. Through Hamilton of course. And so now some of the other titles I think I might pick up this week from them? Hmmm...
 | Cuttin' Up: Wit and Wisdom From Black Barber Shops by Craig Marberry Read more about this book... |
 | Rising from the Rails: Pullman Porters and the Making of the Black Middle Class by Larry Tye Read more about this book... |
 | Andrew Carnegie by David Nasaw Read more about this book... |
 | Oskar Schindler: The Untold Account of His Life, Wartime Activites, and the True Story Behind the List by David Crowe Read more about this book... |
 | When the Astors Owned New York: Blue Bloods and Grand Hotels in a Gilded Age by Justin Kaplan Read more about this book... |
 | Good in a Room: How to Sell Yourself (and Your Ideas) and Win Over Any Audience by Stephanie Palmer Read more about this book... |
And so you have it for now. Have a friend coming over for a movie shortly. Should probably order some groceries tonight for delivery tomorrow (LOVE that I'll be home to be able to pick a cheaper/free/bigger window of delivery time). Play more with blog updates (I have a hundred and two of them so...)
Till next time.
 | How to Wow: Proven Strategies for Presenting Your Ideas, Persuading Your Audience, and Perfecting Your Image by Frances Cole Jones Read more about this book... |
 | The Beauty of Color: The Ultimate Beauty Guide for Skin of Color by Iman Read more about this book... |
 | Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson, David Oliver Relin Read more about this book... |
Because it is Friday and was gorgeous out earlier but is only getting cloudy because it is about time to get up and do something, I ordered the three books above. Partly because I had Iman's book on my list for quite a while. Partly because I read a great quick review of How to Wow on the Never Eat Alone Blog and partly because I needed a third book to get my free shipping at Amazon.com. Never mind also the need to do everything in three's lately. Or perfectly format blog posts.
So tomorrow are the Congressional District Caucuses. Lots of AMAZING folks running. So this will likely be the end of the road for me BUT I love how the Because | Democracy in Action project has taken off so I'll have a bit of time to work on that even more thoroughly as I gave notice at my position at Seattle University this past Thursday. Such a pleasure working with those folks but on to a really exciting opportunity that I'll chat more about soon. Just need to finalize a few things first.
Like how I love that I'm in love with a dude who is absolutely sure in what he wants. Even when the emails get a bit rough (smile). I've got some shopping to do tonight. I was thinking for a while that I really like Marc Jacobs Daisy. He's thinking more SJP Lovely. So of course you know I know where to go to figure all that out. Gotta make sure I'm smellin' the part of the sweet nice fiance right? I thought you would agree with me there.
Wedding planning is coming along fantastically. We did the best tasting ever at Kaspar's. I can't even begin to tell you how amazingly delicious that food was. Now I get to pick appetizers and contemplate if I really want to do a desert trio after all. Gotta figure out what is included on that. And then I gotta get to gettin' on finalizing guest lists and getting invites out. I tell ya.
Engagement shoot this Sunday. Totally, totally fun. And then some! Get to have fun in the park with Robert and neither of us will be behind the camera. You'll get to see just how non-photogenic we really are (smile). But because we have super photographers in Arika and Gerald, I've no doubt life will at least look perfect for generations to come.
I need to go get some lunch and probably should try to stop by the bank(s) today and close out my individual account. That whole joint life stuff is getting crazy.
Some things I'm loving lately:
* That little kid who went running full speed ahead to that big dog with the happy wagging tail
* "You know, they don't shed a lot but they do have drooling issues"
* Alki patrons who run full speed after you to return the wallet you dropped on the ground getting out the car
* Veggie pho (smile)
* Third Annual Statewide Diversity Conference
* 80 degrees in Seattle
* White shoes and white purses
* Because | Democracy in Action
* gmail
* Scrappy nights
* Baby pictures
* slow afternoons
With more visual list happiness. Gray day out, but I've gotta go and do the following before all hell freezes over:
Get to the post office
Find those envelopes
Did I mention I need to go to the post office?
Head out and REALLY find a dress
Maybe drive to Redmond. Or is it really Bellevue?
Figure out this thing called life.
I had a horrible, HORRIBLE dream last night that it was like two weeks until the wedding and I still had like a mile long todo list. And rather than just saying "You know, that's just not going to happen" I broke it down, figured out timing and committed to pulling allnighters for two weeks to get it all done. I looked a hot mess on my wedding day because of it. Uhg.
There's basketball on tonight? I used to be such a proball freak. Then they did my city wrong. Okay...it was before that. Maybe then I got a life? I don't know. All I know is that there will be boys here watching basketball which means that I get to scrap on national scrapbooking day! Maybe.
But I promised photos so photos it shall be.
I won't even tell that "he baked it" lie. No. I cannot cook. Or bake either for that matter. Unless of course I really set my mind to something. So we made this "molten lava cake" about like a month ago. I had to photograph it because cake don't NEVER last in this house. Okay. I had to photograph it because it was a hot mess. Literally. From no hand mixer (oh yeah, I need to put one of those on our registry) to impatience to me having a finger in the batter, this was just a given. But never fear. That boy was TASTY. And a precursor of things to come for the wedding. And yes. Yes I do know that I have a wedding blog and that it would be perfectly appropriate for me to post all this junk there. I'm consolidating life. In that whole "move in" mode and all. Life changes can be traumatic like that (smile).
And this would be why I'm not allowed to go price anything out at Costco. I was supposed to be pricing tulips for the Staff Appreciation | Easter lunch. Yes. I work at a Catholic school so we get to have things like Easter lunches and Christmas parties at work. And we don't call them Holiday parties and we don't send out Season's Greetings, we send out Christmas Cards. Just so that you're sure you know what you are getting into when you hang with us I guess. And yes...at Christmas, there are Christmas lights strung all over campus and it is the prettiest thing you've ever seen.
I digress. The yellow pad. With like two lines of scibble? Because I remember almost everything without writing it down so long as I repeat it like 3 times? Anyhow...the Wedding Receptions magazine. Totally didn't need it but it passed the "flip to three pages, do you see anything you like?" test (score--all three pages were hits so I HAD to buy it). You can barely see it, but there is a big Costco sized stack of handmade specialty papers there too. I almost got a Cropadile too. Hush it. And the budding branches. I love that Costco has garden bunches for like $9. Which reminds me, I also want to go to the market today cause I saw some gorgeous GORGEOUS orange flowers at work today and I'm really hoping orange is in bloom now. BUT...the Market is the last place I hardly never go because of parking. I know. Everytime guests come to town they're all "I'd shop here all the time for my fruits and veggies and flowers and fish" and I'm all yeah right. Until you had to fend for parking instead of having me drive you around and drop you at the door.
They were so cute and pretty stacked all together. The brown envelopes, the white and blue addresses, the cute little pink stamps. Pink? Yeah...I thought I had enough orange blooms to make it work. Sue me.And yeah, I actually DID have to add an additional stamp to each of those envelopes so that was the drama of timing. Like I was going to let them stick an ugly forever bell stamp on it.
By now the world knows (well, most of the delegates in the state of Washington know) that I am running for national delegate. It went from the district level caucuses where we were BEGGING people to please sign up as alternates just in case to the legislative district caucuses where there were a good crop of folks trying but not all that hard to the congressional district level where I have a close to non-existent chance. BUT. In the process I have had the opportunity to meet some really amazing folks to profile for the Because | Democracy in Action essay and the photos are coming out really amazingly. I'm finishing up the Tibet photo book here in a hot minute and getting that one entered and then I'll start compiling this one. This one has really stretched me in that I'm generally (hard to believe, I know) a shy girl who is a bit timid to reach out and talk to someone for fear of rejection. But when you believe in something so right and are passionate and talking to a friendly crowd, it makes it all the much easier to get up and say "hey, would you mind helping me out?" You all rock!
Did I mention I was recently in the OC? And what I love about the OC is that there really are oranges there? And that oranges are my most favorite fruit in the world? They are actually close to my number one food in the world if it were not for things like Louisiana Hot Sauce and chesse sandwiches. Or green chicken enchiladas. Or veggie pho (2 pcs of shrimp...pass on that next time)
Only in the OC do friggin' expensive BOP show up on every median and street corner. I'm just saying. You try to publicly plant them here in Burien and you'll see a lot of cut stems. Which is odd because everytime we go to see tulips, R is adamant that open fields like that would never fly in Cali because folks would be taking a snip or two and making a living off of them. See: oranges above.
Close to never. Make that never. That's how often I get this one to actually focus for a hot second so that I can take a picture. And he's smiling and a willing participant at that! Okay, really, I had to break out the huge lens and take this picture of him at the course from his sister's house and he was probably grinning about a great shot someone just took. Or maybe he was thinking about the trip to the beach later that day. Or about the doggie he might one day get if he acts right. Not...I'm in the reflection. Up close and personal. Score!
I think you should know that Ricotta cheese is actually one of my most fave foods in the world. That is what is in the bowl about to be tossed into some shells for stuffed pasta. I want to go make some right now just thinking about it. Yes. Carbs at 9 am is probably the equivalent of drinking before noon in this house. I can't help it. The flowers...I want to say that was Safeway. Bleh. They look so pretty in mass but for the price, Costco all the way. But the important image in this shot is the Zappos box. Can you say wedding shoes? Okay. How about free shipping?
Honestly now. Yep. That is my dress. Holy COW it is so friggin' amazingly GORGEOUS. You don't even know. You don't even know. Heck. I didn't even know! I went with Liisa to get all up in her dress business and we pulled mine out the back to show her the color (hard to explain, but GORGEOUS--especially on me if I do say so myself which is okay because on Wed at work, someone came into my office and told me that my orange blouse looked great on me..."especially with my skin color". I said please and thank you ma'am so I get one to throw out there like "the color of my dress looks damn good on me" it is only fair right?). Anyhow, the tiny little thing with the cute earring and necklace set flipped it around so we could see the back and the train and I about fell out. I was like "OH MY REALLY??!" Course I was wearing the thing and they were piling on the veils trying to get me to buy $500 worth of tulle so I didn't get to see the detailing but oh my I'm about to cry thinking about it. And I'm so not the girly, crybaby type. Deep breath. Anyhow, had to order it because I'm a 7 foot amazon girl (6'2 in my heels...I'm marring a 6'6 guy and I'm 5"11 on a short day) and needed the 4 inches extra length and we're going to have to probably still rig something up with my shawl that won't be a shawl. We got this.
I've already mentioned how I love costco flowers. But really. They have such gorgeous colors going on there that I never knew about in my quest for the lifetime supply (clearly, we're living longer than expected nowadays) of toilet paper and the case of artichoke dip that no self-respecting human being should ever be seen carrying out of that store. I don't know why, but I just remembered that I saw my old landlord at Safeway the other day. He's a cool guy. So is his wife. A cool girl. Woman. They just had a girl--about the same time as my boss actually. Lot of baby going around here lately.
If the sky here looked like this, I'd be out playing. But since it does not, I'm still going to go out and play because well, it is Seattle and we'd all die in our cozy little homes moping about if we waited for good weather to go do anything. Good on him--he's out doing another crazy long bike ride. And me? Right.
Stay sane! Get your RSVPs back. And yes already. Myregistry.com for the quirky stuff (you'll need to email us for the password because our address is all up on that joint) and Bed Bath and Beyond. Thanks Anne and Miranda for the last. Ya'll should get your referral bonuses soon right?
...and my life has become so all consuming with the photo taking lately (which, I LOVE by the by!) I figured that rather than getting on here and posting a pitiful list of things we all know good and well by now that I will NEVER in half of forever and then some come back to update...how about a visual list for my visual learning self. Deal? Deal.
In no particular order of course:
These are the times when I am so appreciative of the facts that:
1. I am about to marry an ex-wedding photographer.
2. I am half a minute handy on the whole post-processing bit.
See...this here photo...not all that great. Not because of the photographer so much as the girl who bought her $7 dress thinking it would be perfectly cute for an engagement photo shoot. The top is a bit, uhhmm, revealing and the rest of the dress leaves way too much to be desired. But I like the jewelry and get tons of compliments on the earrings you can't really make out. Which is the point because I'm still not 100% convinced this won't be the get up. As such, I played with the photo and I've decided I like the animated me a lot better than the photographed me. I'm just saying is all.
That there. Those would be about 2/5ths of the preview of the wedding centerpieces. The other three fifths is a surprise (smile). Think OC light of my life and well, Seattle of course. Ish.
That is called "The damndest thing happened on the way to see the man whose name I shall not speak. I'm just saying. He was funny. The dent and the tale the person was telling who put it there was not. But I'm a sucker for old school brothers who remind me of my people's just trying to make it so I pretty much just sucked up the fact that I'll be paying like $50 a month more in insurance premiums but he'll get to keep his job for the city. Yeah yeah...how nice of me. Not so nice that I'm having second thoughts about that because, of course, now dude is being totally unresponsive. Remember when I first started blogging and asked if I had a sticker on my forehead that said "I'm a sucker?" Right. It wasn't a sticker after all.
Is that not the absolute coolest thing you ain't never seen? Aside from the fact that I've killed every gold and beta fish I have EVER owned (to the point that some have committed suicide by jumping out of their bowls to get away from me) I don't think I'll get a salt water or coral tank anytime soon since I can't afford to buy the stuff that goes into one let alone the person I'd need to hire to actually take care of it. But I tell ya. The highlight of any trip to the OC is going to his sister's house and checking out her gigantor tank. I could jump right in and get lost up in it. And you think I joke. I mean. It really isn't THAT big, but I do find myself just sitting there for a good hour watching the one clown fish go all crazy on anyone that tries to come up near his corner of the tank. And just watching all the puffy, stringy, floaty things. I mean I'm a sister who doesn't do the ocean thing cause things would touch me. But I was watching survivor and they were swimmin' with the jellyfish and even I had to admit that that was the coolest thing I'd ever seen.
Until later. The future husband to be rings. Congrats T on your engagement! Brit it is SO great to "find ya" via your reconnect from T's blog. And trash the dress...T...you know my heart on that one. Totally!
More later today Happy National Scrapbook Day!
So PA has got us all up in arms to get out and DO SOMETHING to move this little groundhog along. I mean really already. Stop it. No, not "stop the voting" and "disenfranchise" people. But stop the stupid spin. How stupid do I have to be to really believe half of what is out there?
By the very definition, spin certainly is supposed to tell your story in the best light. I get it.
But don't take the word "story" to be the operative condition there.
Take for instance the AP story about who has more of the popular vote. In particular, I like this passage:
"Including Michigan and Florida, Clinton has 15.1 million to Obama's 15 million — a lead of about one-half of a percentage point for Clinton. Without Michigan and Florida, Obama has 14.4 million to Clinton's 13.9 million — a lead of about 1.7 percent for Obama. Neither total includes the primary vote total from Washington state, since it doesn't count toward the nomination and the party awards delegates based on its caucus."
Uhm. Whoa now. Understand, I'm a Texan educated in NY about to marry a Californian. So I've always been about "states that matter" (and for the record, I lived in the Liberal Step-child tip of Texas known as El Paso). And yes (gulp) way back in the day when I was graduating from College in the election of 2000, I did that. You know what I'm talking about.
But fast forward. I understand. Washington is beyond jacked up in that we have both a caucus and a primary and really, only the caucus really REALLY counts although I want to say they give like some meaningless pithy percentage (think, 1/8th of 1 percentage point or some other democrazy nonsense) to the primary results. Granted, when a particular candidate knocked the HECKFIRE ball out the park on the other candidate, there was rampant rumorgate fantasizing going on about flooding the primaries to produce a "contradictory result" that would send a different message. So I sent in my friggin' mail-in only please cause you live in King Co. ballot and called it a day.
Not only do I think that Washington is a "big state" (gotta love the size and breadth of everything in the West), but hey darn it already. I not only voted and PAID TO DO SO (stamps are NOT cheap anymore...let me tell ya...forever stamps or otherwise). But I also caucused.
Now on that "undemocratic caucus" front. I didn't want to call anyone out on this. Mostly because I am but one girl and who knows if my experience was remotely similar to anyone else's experience but given what I've been watching on the CNN and the MSNBC and the Fox people's news channels about "negative" campaigning (I could do a whole new post on that), let me just say that I suspect my experience was not "unique".
As startled as I am to see the...well...how shall I put it? Well, the double standards that have abounded in this fascinating campaign is what I'm speaking of. But. Come on. To say that caucuses--where you have to make a pretty hard core commitment to:
1. understand the process of making of the most important decisions of your life
2. REALLY understand the process to the point of understanding just how long you REALLY have to stay so that if say you have to work and can't stay for 9 hours of people trying to figure out what that vote means and why we can't just automatically select the non-delegates as alternates and why we have to have a whole new ballot...etc. then at least you know that you can sign in, state your preference and then get on off to work if you don't want to be a delegate. Yeah. really.
3. know your candidate and be willing to talk about the positives of said candidate
are undemocratic is kinda sketch. Mostly when your premise for their "non-democrazy" status (purposefully left it like that because face it...caucuses are crazy and a day) is that "people can be intimidated" and "working folks are excluded" and "only passionate people take part." Well, I could take those one by one but really.
Sure. I'll cede that working folks find it infinitely harder to be elected delegate to the next round of caucuses/conventions (although, fantastically in the party of fairness as George Will has taken to calling the Democratic Party on This Week with the Other George who's name we no longer speak in my house...I LOVE that dude--George Will, not the other George...there are set ups so that even those types of folks can move on if they really REALLY want to).
I will also cede that it tends to be my experience that a particular candidate's people--in my experience, it hasn't been the candidate you're expecting--are absolutely passionate, vocal proponents for their candidate of choice.
And I will definitely attest to the fact that people can be intimidated. I'm a big, hood sister and the bless her heart, but Stephanie from Sylvan--you scared the bejesus out of me when I was all about the organizing and you were pontificating on what rule excluded what 17 year old born before the summer solstice in an odd month in the state of Oregon but made exceptions for those 16 year olds who happened to have a Hillar...I mean...well. Yeah. You scared me. You were older, you were wiser, you told me you were an old party hat and had been holding caucuses since before I was ever thought of (which is, just FYI, a really REALLY long time) and you intimidated me into believing that even though I'm one of those snooty over educated (Ivy league and a masters to boot), latte sipping (well, Chai Tea latte), over-paid (hardly, but I don't punch a clock anymore so aside from not really being a "worker" I'm also overpaid) Kool-Aid drinking cultified "followers" who thinks she has all the answers and can fix any situation (and read any manual) by merely chanting "yes we can" over and over again under my breath...well, still, I figured you probably knew best. So yeah. There is intimidation that goes on at caucuses but in my experience, I can say that it typically went more along the lines of "let me confuse you away from the process" rather than "you better vote for so and so or else".
Those intimidated by the fact that they are in the "unpopular crowd" (ie, there are hundreds of folks for the other side, and only 10 folks in your camp and you don't feel comfortable enough in your own choice to stand proud for it, I can't help you there.
So all that said. Big state, paid to vote, stayed to vote not once at my district caucus, not just twice as I had to do again at my legislative district caucus and not even just three times as I will do at my congressional district caucus as well. But 4 friggin' times to make sure that in all the "negative campaigning" I have not learned something about a candidate that would sway my vote to the other. Quite the contrary. Though I came in not knowing why we had to keep voting up the chain for our candidate if we were delegates pretty set in who you were going to select; I've already seen a few defectors who couldn't stand that heat and came on back to our kitchen (smile).
But hey. All that is to say that darn it. I MATTER. I DO Count. I DID Vote. OVER. and over. and over again.
So three years ago. I wrote a column for the Olympian and it went a little something like this:
If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it fall, does it make a sound? If a student does not tell her tale of racial harassment, does her lack of storytelling negate the reality of her story? If all you have to back up a claim is your faith in the validity of the claim, does the phenomenon you proclaim truly exist?
Many times in life, we are asked to believe in intrinsic situations that seem to lack logical evidentiary trails. Sometimes, we are called to believe in circumstances that contradict the evidence at hand. In both of these situations, we are entrusted with the voice of the storyteller and asked to believe in the unbelievable. Against all better judgment, why is it important that we take the time to believe? It is important that we believe because validation is central to any person’s ability to feel valued as a part of their community.
Heather Woodard’s March 28 article “When Races Collide” illustrates the perfect storm David Fennel—father of a child victim of racial harassment—hints at in suggesting that racial incidents are under-reported in our school districts. On the one hand, Ms. Woodard’s reporting indicated that there are members of our educational community who believe the lack of a more significant outcry indicates the absence of a bigger problem. However, there are also members of our community—students at Olympia High School —who feel that the environment is not conducive to speaking out because they do not feel comfortable telling their stories to those available to listen.
In one instance, we might wonder if silence indicates progress so great as to signify a newfound equality for previously marginalized groups. If we agree, for a moment, that this is not always the case, the logical follow up inquiry might ask whether the lack of an outcry always indicates a more significant problem? In my opinion, and quite likely my opinion only, the lack of an outcry always signifies a larger problem because the lack of an outcry, at the very least, indicates the presence of lock-step agreement with the status quo.
Any time you have members of a community that are uneasy about discussing their disconnect from the community, there is a problem. In the context of progress towards a more unified society, the absence of an outcry—the absence of dissent—suggests a homogenous gathering where everyone agrees with each other but innovation is at a standstill because difference—different ideas, different approaches to problems, different experiences—are non-existent. In both instances, the airwaves are silent, but progress is absent.
Frustrating our community into silence will always result in the appearance of progress that masks the deeper issues we have yet to address in our efforts to create a unified community. Giving voice to those in our community whose stories have been muted is a step we can all take towards validating all members of our community.
Frustrating our community into silence. Back then, there were some serious issues in the schools and students were being ignored--being told it was a figment of their imagination and that they were the abnormal ones because really, we'd come so far "from there" that really, it couldn't be possible that there were issues. Today, as I watch the election unfold, as I watched Wyatt--a high school kid get elected as a State Delegate at our LD caucuses and as I watched a not too much older young lady become chair of our caucus over the genteel old party hat because she knew how to work a bullhorn, I get chills. This year is different. It is absolutely different. But then again, three years ago, maybe this was one of the sparks that ignited the bonfire of passion that burns so deeply within us "young folk" this year.
