tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63890401698287654942024-03-04T19:49:35.884-09:00Little Read HenAn everyday work of creative non-fiction.SOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16405441832105307524noreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6389040169828765494.post-58477851767372552902009-06-16T17:47:00.001-08:002009-06-16T17:49:11.273-08:00NEWSSo, it is wildly unlikely that anyone on earth is still checking in over hear, but in case you are there is news.<div><br /></div><div>I have retooled a bit, made it through some stuff, and have commenced blogging again here:</div><div><br /></div><div>www.redomesticationproject.blogspot.com</div><div><br /></div><div>Come, Read, Enjoy. </div><div><br /></div><div>Little Read Hen</div>SOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16405441832105307524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6389040169828765494.post-47489206757633499972009-05-06T20:45:00.002-08:002009-05-06T21:28:26.394-08:00Once again it has been awhile.<br /><br />The real estate deal is still an ongoing ordeal. Maybe culminating in a closing next week, maybe who knows. Oh my hell.<br /><br />Daughter is getting to be extremely hilarious and I really need to take better notes.<br /><br />We are all excited about getting our dog in a couple of weeks.<br /><br />I would rather have the house before the dog.<br /><br />We had a friend in town last night and today. We went to the best resturant in town for dinner last night. It was good all around. Although, I was just plain HUNGRY all day today and just kept snacking and snacking until I wound up eating (gf) ziti for dinner at 5:30 pm.<br /><br />Daughter and I made black and white cookies (sugar cookies dipped in chocolate) and then pizza from scratch. We maybe over ate chocolate throughout the day. Damn it was good though.<br /><br />---<br /><br />I biked to and from work Monday and Tuesday this week. I was sorrowfully sore, but felt generally awesome for having done it. I have been wanting to start biking since I took this job and the weather has finally relented. Now I think I am really going to bite the bullet and buy some fancy bike pedals and shoes this summer.<br /><br />We had some nice weather (nice be REAL WORLD standards, seventies and cloudless) last week and weekend. It was my first weekend in months and months and months with no school, no kiddo, literally no responsibilities.<br /><br />We bought a lawnmower with my dad and mowed his lawn. And cleaned out all the flower pots and turned the dirt. It rained today. Hopefully everything will blow up green this weekend.<br /><br />---<br /><br />I have a radio interview in the morning and a second one at the same time Friday. That is cool. We have a big event for work this weekend. Hence, the interviews.<br /><br />--<br /><br />Ok. Time for bed. That is all.SOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16405441832105307524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6389040169828765494.post-61391587097870222422009-04-20T21:29:00.002-08:002009-04-20T23:33:10.690-08:00Done. Just. Let. It. Be. Done.So, back two months and five days ago I wrote a post about looking at a house. Two months and three days ago we made an offer on a different house. Yada yada you SERIOUSLY do not want the details, but we are still in the process of buying said house, two weeks past the closing date, no end in sight, and I, well I am still LIVING WITH MY MOTHER.<br /><br />IN ALL CAPS!<br /><br />My mother is also the REALTOR!<br /><br />And the whole thing is a mess! AND I LIVE WITH MY MOTHER, THE REALTOR.<br /><br />I seem to spend a lot of time SPEAKING IN ALL CAPS TOO.<br /><br />My coworkers notice. Which is undeniably embarassing.<br /><br />I have given my coworker very specific instructions about which mental hospital hospital to send me to if I have a visible nervous breakdown while at work. And which one to make sure I DO NOT WIND UP IN NO MATTER WHAT.<br /><br />I think she thought I was joking.<br /><br />I hope she was paying attention.<br /><br />Today really iced the damn cake. Today Boyfriend was im-ing with me while talking to the loan processor, loan officer, back to the loan processor who was setting the closing date for later this week when BING we get an email from the realtor announcing the sellers have YET ANOTHER DAMN PROBLEM and we are delayed. AT LEAST TWENTY DAYS. The fuckers.<br /><br />Anyway. Boo. Boohoo. Blah blah blah.<br />---<br />I haven't listened to Leonard Cohen in a long time. I didn't even know who Leonard Cohen was when Boyfriend and I got together.<br /><br />We dubbed the 'apartment' where he lived then the Chelsea Hotel. Because it would drive someone to do heroin if they lived there long enough I think. <div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">I remember you well in the Chelsea Hotel,<br />you were talking so brave and so sweet,</span><br /><br />Because it was old and small and we had a lot of sex there.<br /><br />And drank tequila. And other stuff. And cooked dinner on hot plates.<br /><br />A friend called me in the middle of the night there once. She is better now.<br /><br />I smoked cigarettes inside for the only time in my life there.</div><div><br />I quit being a vegetarian there. By roasting a chicken for Thanksgiving dinner. In a toaster oven.<br /><br />For a few weeks, when we were just getting together, I slept there. Like a normal person. Who sleeps. For multiple hours on end and then wakes up with enough energy to have sex, go running, and then go to work. </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">And that was called love for the workers in song<br />probably still is for those of them left.</span><br /><br />That was a LONG time ago.<br /><br />We talked a lot then. We didn't make our relationship public for a long time and we didn't go out and there was no space or furniture or television, so we talked. And we like each other. And we like talking to one another. We would fall asleep and wake up at four just to start talking again.<br /><br />It was different then.</div><div><br />Although we still eat sushi more than is fiscally practicable.<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">I remember you well in the Chelsea Hotel<br />you were famous, your heart was a legend.*</span><br />---<br />Tomorrow I have to write a statement of professional objectives.<br /><br />That is intimidating.<br /><br />My objective is mostly to have a profession. Because I need one. I am pretty convinced that I will have one of those professions that wind up being sucessful and yield a reasonably sizeable 401k. I am ambitious. I am competitive. I like being able to buy stuff and I am tired of stressing out about money. I'll just do it. Whatever "it" is. </div><div><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Breaking rocks out here on the chain gang</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Breaking rocks and serving my time</span></div><div> <br />I will undoubtably spend a large part of that time wishing I could be living a whole different life. I wouldn't much mind a trust fund. Or a rich husband. Or my own winery in the fall with a small cafe that serves gorgeous food out indoors but with big open window walls where you can feel warm fresh air all the time. </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">I heard the judge say five years</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">On chain-gang you gonna go</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">I heard the judge say five years labor</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div><div>Yeah, but I don't live in Southern California. And I don't go outside that much where I do live. And you can't make wine here or have resturants where window open. </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">been</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">working and working</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">but I still got so terribly far to go**</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">---</span></div><div>I resent faith. I resent people who have faith. Not just in Jesus. Just Faith. Blind belief of good in the universe, that it comes out in the wash, that the right thing happens in the end. </div><div><br /></div><div>I wish I had that I guess. </div><div><br /></div><div>Maybe not.</div><div><br /></div><div>Maybe I used to know how to do that. To let go. </div><div><br /></div><div>Now I fret and spend my nights memorizing the ceiling, or the insides of my eyelids, or listening to my baby sleep when I am so privalidged to be able to hear her snores. Or some combination of the three. Or I read. Or I crack out on the internet or Jon and Kate Plus 8 or bad television in general. Or I just lay in bed because I'm so tired that my whole body aches all the time and laying down is better than sitting up. </div><div><br /></div><div>Maybe its because I still don't understand the how or the why.</div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">You had and lost the one thing</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">you kept in a safe place</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div></div><div>Maybe its the guilt.</div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">remember the face, the girl who had made you her own</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">and how you left her alone</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div></div><div>Maybe its the fear.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">and if you burn the road that'll lead you back to her in time<br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">I'll watch you turn to stone</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div><div>I really hate three a.m.</div><div><br /></div><div>*Leonard Cohen, Chelsea Hotel #2</div><div>**Nina Simone, Work Song</div><div>***Joshua Radin, Star Mile</div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>SOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16405441832105307524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6389040169828765494.post-30405572564352582912009-02-15T18:49:00.003-09:002009-02-15T19:11:37.533-09:00A place to hang the dishes.I have been looking at a house. <br /><br />We went twice this weekend. <br /><br />Daughter loves said house. Has declared it the "NEW MOMMY HOUSE" despite the fact that it is not "lellow" like the last Mommy House. <br /><br />There is enough room for all four of us (Daughter, Boyfriend, and Boyfriend's Son should he choose to spend any amount of time with us which we are all hoping that he will choose to do.) <br /><br />Its pretty 80's which isn't a major complement in this town. It needs some work, but some of the big upgrades have been done...the kitchen is very stainless and steely. <br /><br />Dear, sweet, compassionate Boyfriend who has never in his life bought so much as a decent car, has pretty much signed on to buying this place having only seen a steady stream of photos in an effort to keep me moderately sane. Things have not been going very well in the Current Living Situation/Sanity Department. Not very well at all. <br /><br />In September, Daughter and I relocated back here. Since that time I have been staying at my parents' house and she has been splitting her time between her Dad's House and here. I think (hope?) that it is challenging for people who have a positive, well-boundaried relationship with their children's grandparents to reside in the same place. We do not have such a relationship and it is more or less hell. Mostly for me. Daughter likes it here, but even she has been asking more and more and more and more about When! there will be! a New. Mommy. House?<br /><br />There was an incident this past week that really put the last nail in the coffin (pulled the last nail out of the coffin?) of my ability to stay here. It involved my sister and her husband and a bunch of people hiding from me the fact that they were coming for a ten day long visit. Which was difficult. My relationship with those two people was more or less sacrificed on the alter of my divorce and I'm ok with that. We don't like each other. We don't see the world even REMOTELY similarly and we can not find a common, civil ground, but so long as I am staying in this house with my child I feel that I have a right to know who else will be here so that I can judge whether or not I need to make alternative plans for my child and I to maximize our time together and to minimize emotion! and stress! that she may be subjected to if there are people in the house who refuse to look at/speak to/acknowledge the presence of her mother in a room (just for example). <br /><br />I feel like I was intentionally deceived and that I have no reason to trust my parents. Period. For the last time. So, despite the fact that Boyfriend isn't here yet (will be at the end of April) and that shopping for a house would be a new, interesting thing for him, we have decided that we need to get out of this environment and into something else as quickly as possible. <br /><br />Hence the house hunting. Please send good karma our way. We really need a break in the weather and a light at the end of the tunnel. At least I do. I need something in my life to tell me that I can hold my shit together. That my long, three year adventure of living in boxes while attempting to raise a well adjusted child will soon be coming to an end. That at long last we can look at each other and say that we are moved into a life with a set course and a real path to follow. (And also a place to hang all my beautiful pots and pans that have been wasting away in storage for months and months and months and months and months and months and months...SOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16405441832105307524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6389040169828765494.post-78374155499253372032009-02-12T14:38:00.003-09:002009-02-12T15:06:30.077-09:00Well, hellllooo...Hello Internet. <br /><br />It has been awhile. <br /><br />I'm not sure I anything interesting to say and I didn't want to use this exclusively as my own personal bitchandmoan space. <br /><br />Things are not going so well. I suppose they are more or less fine or that this is what it means to make your bed and lay in it or something. <br /><br />Daughter turned three last month. She remains perfectly delightful and wonderful and is very much looking forward to our trip to Disneyland next month. <br /><br />Boyfriend moved here (sort of) and then took a new job in the Legislature, so he technically "lives" here but spends the Legislative Session in the Capital City...so he is gone three months of the year. It has been a tough transition. Espicially for me. Patience isn't really a virtue I claim to have perfected and I just keep waiting and waiting and waiting in a fairly toxic environment. <br /><br />When he gets back in May we are going to go about the process of buying a house. Until then I remain at my parents' house. Which is killing me and not at all particularly slowly. <br /><br />Also, I got a job. <br /><br />Its a good job. <br /><br />It works well for my life. <br /><br />It is half-time. I work on the days when Daughter is at her Dad's House and am home on the days when she is with me. <br /><br />I started up my Master's Degree again and am taking two classes. One of which is Microeconomics. Algebra and I do not have a good working relationship. We broke up in the 10th grade and we are not happy to be thrown together again. <br /><br />I also have a perma-cold. Of the chest and sinus variety. Before she was in pre-school I had one of those more or less magical children who really only rarely had so much as a cough. She and her step-brother started at separate pre-schools the same week in September. We have all been pretty much sick ever since. Between the two of them I feel like I must spend most of my life licking every other child in town. Its disgusting. <br /><br />Anyway, I am really worn down. I'm having a hard time focusing and getting excited and being in the moment. Or making the most of it. Or just being happy. I get teary reading stories to Daughter. Children's books are not supposed to make you cry in the middle of the day in a coffee shop. <br /><br />Last weekend was a "Dad Weekend" and I had to be in the Capital for work on Monday and Tuesday, so after I dropped Daughter off at her Dad's House I got on a plane and went to spend the weekend with Boyfriend. I upgraded to first class because I really Could Not Deal with coach and the ticket had been paid for by work. I had a couple of little airplane bloody mary's and proceeded to make it to the hotel room only minutes before competely LOOSING. MY. SHIT. for no fewer than two and a half hours. Just painful, racking, sobbing. Nonstop. For hours. And then I feel asleep for awhile. And then we went out with some friends until later than I had done anything in well over a year. <br /><br />I am really too old for going out. <br /><br />It was actually a nice break from all this. The time with Boyfriend was good. We got along and really enjoyed being together and the work stuff was more or less productive and it was good to see what few friends I have. And I love it there. <br /><br />And here I am. <br /><br />Tomorrow I am going to write about Daughter watching the DVD that Disneyland sent us. She is supremely excited about the upcoming trip. I got excited for awhile too, watching her light up with anticipation. Now I am just sort of dreading the whole thing though. My parents are taking us all on the trip and I am pretty raw with my parents right now. Yes, yes, that deserves something of an explination as well. <br /><br />I am going to try an pick this back up again. I think that writing is good for me and having a creative outlet is good for me too. After a facebook/exhusband related incident I am going to try somewhat harder to remain anon here and will not be posting photos. Which really is a shame because I got a helluva great camera for Christmas and I am taking some seriously MommyBlog worthy photos lately. <br /><br />Also, I have been reading. A Lot. And I want to start writing more about what I am reading. And what Daughter and I are reading...we do A LOT of that too. <br /><br />Cheers for now. <br />LRHSOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16405441832105307524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6389040169828765494.post-19624361503971844982008-11-23T14:17:00.001-09:002008-11-23T14:22:53.610-09:00oh weekendIt is gorgeous here. Boyfriend stayed over an extra day. We are going to dinner somewhere at some point. We went running today. <br /><br />I wish I lived at Green Lake. <br /><br />I think I might take a nap now. <br /><br />Happy Sunday.SOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16405441832105307524noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6389040169828765494.post-34998683060293895702008-11-21T13:28:00.003-09:002008-11-21T13:54:00.748-09:00it is a steel magnolias sort of a dayI am having a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steel_Magnolias">Steel Magnolias</a> sort of a day. I am certain that plenty of people know what that means. All I want to do is curl up under a blanket, put in Steel Magnolias and loose my shit for awhile. <br /><br />Didn't see that one coming. <br /><br />I am in Seattle. Staying downtown. I have a car and no plans for hours and zero modivation to do ANYTHING. <br /><br />I called Daughter, which was, perhaps an err in judgement. She is not happy and so...GUILT! <br /><br />Christ, you know what it is. Daughter and I would be having so much fun if we were here together. So I feel like an asshole for leaving her at home and I feel like an asshole for not doing anything while I'm here since I'm here and I have no schedule. <br /><br />Oh! But I've had about six arguments with Boyfriend in the 18 hours that I've been here. Sweeeeeeeeet. <br /><br />I did go to the <a href="http://www.elliottbaybook.com/">Elliot Bay Bookstore</a>. Which is one of my favorite places. I bought <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_(novel)">this</a>. <br /><br />And I went to <a href="http://sephora.com/">Sephora</a>, because it is delicious. <br /><br />And I went to Whole Foods because it is also delicious, although the hand roll that I bought for lunch was a little more complicated than I was anticipating. <br /><br />Ok. We have dinner reservations <a href="http://flyingfishrestaurant.com/">here</a> and are going running at one of my all time <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Lake_(Seattle)">favorite places on earth tomorrow. <br /></a><br />I'm enjoying <a href="http://www.momversation.com/">this</a> and looking forward to shopping for <a href="http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_mac/family/imac?cid=OAS-US-KWG-CPUiMac-US">this</a>. <br /><br />That is all.SOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16405441832105307524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6389040169828765494.post-89842687932052096322008-11-20T22:32:00.003-09:002008-11-20T22:35:25.627-09:00Boyfriend is better than aveda.Um. Boyfriend sort of hates me right now. It has to do with potato chips. Whoops. <br /><br />Boyfriend is awesome. <br /><br />As are the Aveda products that are springing from every available surface in this hotel room. Yum. <br /><br />Boyfriend is better than Aveda. Swear to god. Aveda is, presumably, calorie free and totally unwilling to seek out food for me at 11:30pm when all I've eaten for the day is thai noodles at noon. <br /><br />Thank you.<br /><br />That is all.SOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16405441832105307524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6389040169828765494.post-76528392006427300702008-11-19T19:31:00.003-09:002008-11-19T19:53:30.691-09:00live blogging from MOVIE NIGHT!We are watching Wall-e on dvd, Daughter and I.<br /><br />Wall-e was the first movie she saw in the theater. I think that was a good choice.<br /><br />(Yes, I realize we watch a lot of movies...or I talk about the movies we watch a lot...or something.)<br /><br />I have a haircut tomorrow. I am highly excited about that and tomorrow evening I am flying to Seattle (again) for the weekend plus a couple of days).<br /><br />I am sore from running three days in a row (on a treadmill nonetheless) and also doing crunches. I think I am mostly sore from the cruches. Oh, sad, sad state of my abdominal muscles. So, so pathetic am I.<br /><br />This also "happened" in the world of the mommyblogs today <a href="http://dooce.com/">http://dooce.com/</a>. Call me a cynic, but I do not think that if I announced that I was pregnant on the internet that the news would render 2,313 comments.<br /><br />That would be cool though.<br /><br />Also, Congratulations to the Armstrongs.<br /><br />Damn, Wall-e really is a good movie.<br /><br />Live Blogging from MOVIENIGHT! Wow, I am so supremely exciting.<br /><br />In other (only mildly related) news, I am reading <a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Mayor-of-Castro-Street/Randy-Shilts/e/9780312560850/?itm=1">this</a> and very much looking forward to the upcoming movie about the same subject matter. I can't tell you how insensed I am about the Prop8 business in California and by insensed I mean really profoundly disappointed. I think the book is spurring me on a bit. I really genuinely do not understand why gay rights are so slow in coming in this country. I do not understand why homophobia is so condoned. I blame the churches and all the small minds contained within their walls.<br /><br />I think that this is one of the better discussions of the issue. Please watch with an open mind. <br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9feJEAH3drQ&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9feJEAH3drQ&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>SOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16405441832105307524noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6389040169828765494.post-32968158947686887022008-11-18T09:45:00.002-09:002008-11-18T18:53:12.208-09:00this post is in no way a defense of sarah palinA few years ago, just a few weeks <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">pre</span>-pregnancy as it would turn out, I found myself in the baggage claim area at Dulles International Airport in D.C. It was late-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">ish</span> maybe 9pm. My friend Alex and I had been traveling ALL. DAY. across four time zones and through three airports. We were going to attend a weekend long conference. The conference was amazing, I met Gloria Steinem and Steve from Sex in the City... That is not the point of this post.<br /><br /><br /><br />At the airport I saw this woman. She was all decked out in posh professional wear and four inch high heels. Full make up. Perfect hair. Big <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">jewelry</span>. She was also about 11 months pregnant. Picking up her husband from the airport. I thought she looked ridiculous. SO. Overdone for so late at night. Alex and I commented that given the same circumstances we would totally be in pajamas and flip flops in the car. I gave the woman enough benefit of the doubt to acknowledge that perhaps <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">pjs</span> and 2 dollar <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">sandals</span> were not really socially appropriate in D.C.<br /><br /><br /><br />Things are just different in Alaska. More casual. More parkas. More dressing for survival, less dressing for success (or fashion or fun).<br /><br />Sarah <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Palin</span> got lambasted for her campaign attire. For her spending habits when confronted with real stores and nice stuff. Now, I was RIGHT up there with the lambasting and spending donated money on her (or her husbands or her kids or her damn dog's who knows!) wardrobe. It was inappropriate. She needed new stuff and she should have purchased it on her own dime. Campaigns are costly affairs and the candidate has to be willing to put up some dough. Period. That is my <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">opinion</span>. She should have known that that would be part of the deal. Now, she is a candidate who charged her Gubernatorial campaign for the gas she spent transporting herself to and from her house two years ago...so, you know, she's FRUGAL. End Rant.<br /><br />Yesterday evening, I went to Target. It was about 5pm. It was already getting dark outside. you never know how low a thing you will find when you go out in the winter in Alaska. No matter where you are. There can be some freaky <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">socially</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">unconscious</span> fashion <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">faux</span> pas. Here case in point is what I saw when I was walking in the door.<br /><br /><br />A woman, mid to late forties, somewhat heavyset, sort of half running half shuffling her way into the new mecca. I noticed right off that she was wearing <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">over sized</span> ratty grey with a black stipe up the side basketball shorts. Yes, shorts. No, it was not unseasonably warm. It was all of 15 degrees out. Max. She paired the shorts with a black leather jacket and tee-shirt. Perhaps she had just come from the gym. Her hair was clearly unwashed as she <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">hustled</span> around with a cart in front of me. Clearly she was in a hurry. Maybe just running in for a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">prescription</span> or something. And then I noticed her shoes. Or, I should say lack there of. This woman was wearing fuzzy bedroom slippers. SLIPPERS!. Fuzzy, no heel, house slippers. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">OMG</span>.<br /><br />AND THEN... I kept seeing her all around the store. For like an hour! It was so unsightly. So <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Wasilla</span>.SOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16405441832105307524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6389040169828765494.post-49938658828272251172008-11-17T13:42:00.003-09:002008-11-17T14:07:29.600-09:00so, i finally broke down and went to the gymSo, I finally broke down and went to the gym. I have been waiting (in vein) for my running <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">motivation</span> to return as the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">temperature</span> steadily drops. I blamed the stress of the election, which will not conclude here until this week. I blamed the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">goddamned</span> cold and the snow and the ice and the dark and the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">goddamned</span> cold. I blamed well my own laziness and not wanting to be apart from Daughter for a whole hour and readjusting to living in the same house as my Boyfriend and well then I decided that <a href="http://littlereadhen.blogspot.com/2008/11/oh-what-hell.html">this</a> was happening a few days ago (Update: It is SO. NOT. Whew! Curious concern: What's up with the plethora of symptoms? Huh? Huh, body, don't start screwing with me now...)<br /><br />I have had a gym membership for just about exactly two years now. Daughter and I use it to go to the pool. I mostly use it for tanning. On Election Day I went straight to the steam room after two hours of subzero sign waving. I Love The Steam Room.<br /><br />I have been a very lousy gym member since I discovered that I actually enjoy running out of doors. Treadmills are kind of a bore after that. Also, the gym nearest my parents' house, the one with the pool that Daughter and I use, is my least favorite for anything but swimming. The room with the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">cardio</span> stuff is not as well ventilated as it could be and is hot and has three rows of televisions which means that I always wind up running underneath a television which make me uneasy. Also, its full of housewives. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Southside</span> housewives. Who are kind of, in my opinion, the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Stripmallville</span> variety of The Housewives of Orange County. Really obnoxious oil company exec spouses who can kind of bite me. They also sort of stink eye me. I think they think I'm a trophy wife. Since I am about 15 years younger than they are and there with a young kid and really no one my age who has a kid lives in this part of town because it is damned expensive, etc. etc. etc. Anyway, according to my <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">theory</span>, the fact that CLEARLY I have stolen <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">someones</span> husband makes me their natural enemy so they get all clique-e and don't talk to me or my kid and they can bite my divorced and living with my parents single mother ass...(which, thanks to all the running is way hotter than theirs. So there.)<br /><br />The gym I like is on the other side of town. It is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">conveniently</span> located close to Daughter's school. So today, I got off my ass and after I dropped Boyfriend at the airport went to the good gym with the friendly, educated, less obnoxious and way more athletic people. Where, at 10:45 is filled primarily with retirees and a couple of housewives who are only five-ten years older than me. It only has one row of televisions all located at the front of the well ventilated treadmill room and the treadmills are much better as all the good runners in town work out there.<br /><br />I did 45 minutes on the treadmill. I really don't like treadmill running. I used to. I'm better at pacing myself now and according to the treadmill I run a lot slower than I think that I do on trails. Which sort of bums me out, but I'm trying to work through it. I even did some crunches on a ball and some <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">pilates</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">push ups</span> on a mat after I ran. And I took a glorious, glorious steam. So, I am resigning myself to get back into the gym routine. I am flirting with the idea of adding a twice weekly <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Pilates</span> class and a couple of spin classes into my routine for the winter because, seriously, I can only do so much treadmill running before I ache more than I should. We are adding Boyfriend onto my membership after the new year and I think that spin would be good for him too. Although he hates group exercise and is reluctant to even run in public. Which I think is weird.<br /><br />I also am going to force FORCE myself to run outside once a week through the winter. But only when it is above 20 degrees. Below twenty is freaking crazy stupid and painful.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Ok</span>. So there it is. I went to the gym. I ran for the first time in two weeks. (Oh? Did I forget to mention I have been LAME?). I did not freeze my lungs. I did not fall on ice and break my bones. These are nice things. I DID fantasize about being in Seattle for four days and getting to run at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Greenlake</span> in 50 degree weather. I really can't wait for that.SOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16405441832105307524noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6389040169828765494.post-86913802347718289502008-11-16T10:40:00.002-09:002008-11-16T10:55:04.601-09:00Monsters and Pandas and KungFu...Oh My!Daughter goes back to her Dad's House tonight, back to the normal schedule. It has been a fun week.<br /><br />Last night, for Movie Night, we watched <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0441773/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Kung</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Fu</span> Panda </a>at my friend <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">SF's</span> suggestion. It is an instant favorite. We watched it again this morning. Daughter is pretty determined to become a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Kung</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Fu</span> Master by the age of three. She stands in front of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">gigundus</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">television</span> and acts out all the action sequences. Which was pretty awesome looking last night when it was pitch black in the house.<br /><br />This morning she added all the running like a cat sequences and created <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">obstacles</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">courses</span> for herself.<br /><br />Here are the things I liked about the movie:<br /><br />It was <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">artistic</span>. The action sequences and the intro and stuff were pretty kick ass.<br /><br />There were no <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">damsels</span>/princess/fair maidens/barbie dolls/care bears/or my little ponies.<br /><br />The food looked really good and there were some fun special features including one about how to use chopsticks.<br /><br />Daughter was so tired out from all the late night (we didn't start the movie until 7:30) <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Kung</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Fu</span> that she fell asleep in about two minutes flat (after we finished the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">fourth</span> daily reading of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_the_Grinch_Stole_Christmas">The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Grunch</span></a>!).<br /><br />--<br />We also took Daughter sledding for the first time on a 'real' <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">sledding</span> hill. She had a blast. It was the perfect time of day (around noon) so it was as warm and sunny as it was going to get, but with the exception of four high school girls, there were only little kids around and not that many of them.<br /><br />She got pretty tired out after about ten runs (and hikes back up the hill), but had a blast and looked extra adorable in her hot pink snow pants.<br />--<br />The rest of this month is going to be pretty hectic. Hell, the rest of the YEAR is going to be pretty hectic, but I'm determined to carve out some more sledding time.<br /><br />Right now I am basking in the squeals of laughter erupting from downstairs and Boyfriend and Daughter are deeply involved in a game of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">CATERPILLAR</span> MONSTER with the cat. I don't quite understand all of the rules, but there is laughter and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">tickling</span> involved and some effort, it seems, to get the 18 pound cat into a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">cocoon</span> so they can tickle her into a butterfly.<br /><br />Good luck with that. The cat is the real MONSTER. And, unlike Boyfriend or Daughter, she isn't afraid to bite. . .SOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16405441832105307524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6389040169828765494.post-90488568848593888412008-11-15T09:38:00.003-09:002008-11-15T09:47:59.254-09:0014 November 2008See, I didn't miss a day. Really, it says 14 November right there in the header. You can not possibly argue with the HEADER for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">christsakes</span>.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Ok</span>. So, I did not forget to post yesterday. I planned to post just as soon as I could sit down to a computer. Which worked out to be about 9:30pm. By 9:30pm I was sound asleep. So there. There is my excuse.<br /><br />I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">apologize</span>.<br /><br />Not sure to whom I am <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">apologizing</span>, since <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">NaBloPoMo</span> is really a self imposed challenge.<br /><br />At <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">any rate</span>, we have a busy day ahead. Errands and maybe some sledding and DAMN I really want to go for a run since it has. been. awhile.<br /><br />Daughter goes back to her Dad's tomorrow night and the next three weeks are going to be pretty discombobulated. I'll be in Seattle again next weekend for a few days. Boyfriend is going to be gone from Monday-Sunday. I'm going to be gone from Thursday night-Tuesday night. Daughter will be with her Dad for the next three weekends, which I think sort of sucks, but ah well.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Ok</span>. Real Saturday Post later today. Happy Weekend.SOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16405441832105307524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6389040169828765494.post-79928738334806233292008-11-13T17:11:00.003-09:002008-11-13T19:56:51.688-09:00Oh What the Hell?I feel was tired today. So tired by 11:30 that I fell asleep around one and was either out or just barely hanging on until 3.<br /><br />Huh. That is strange.<br /><br />And, it must be said, that my boobs have been oddly sore for the past couple of days.<br /><br />Double huh. With a side of head scratching.<br /><br />And I have some <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">weird</span> feeling of just off-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">ness</span>, but I have been traveling and I live with a toddler and all the germs from her school and from her Dad's House and her brother's school and everything else that both of them get into on a regular basis. So. That is not so strange. There are a lot of bugs flying around out there. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Especially</span> in the frigid arctic.<br /><br />Then, today for lunch, at the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">beginning</span> of my fit of overwhelming tiredness, I wanted nothing for lunch except tuna with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">nasoya</span>, salt, pepper, and tortilla chips. Well, fuck all. Perhaps THAT should have been a sign.<br /><br />There are about 43,000 reasons why it is totally impossible that I'm well, you know.<br /><br />Like, I have an IUD.<br /><br />And, until a week ago I hadn't been having any sex.<br /><br />And, the post election <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">twelve</span> hours of hotel sex not withstanding, I haven't really had much more sex in the past week.<br /><br />And, I have an IUD.<br /><br />And it was only a damn week ago.<br /><br />And. The fact that all the little stupid things that I was thinking about earlier in this post WERE <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">technically</span> things that were all <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">simultaneously</span> pregnant <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">throughout</span> my pregnancy three years ago, there is NO. DAMN. REASON. to believe that they were anything more than merely <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">coincidental</span> today. What with the IUD, etc.<br /><br />I am calming my clearly <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">hypocrondrical</span> nerves with a glass of wine. Because, well, what the hell else am I supposed to do? Play in the yard? No thank you. Daughter is doing that with Boyfriend who is hanging Christmas lights on a tree.<br /><br />Fuck all. There is NO. DAMN. WAY.<br /><br />I will further my rebellion against the obvious impossibility by eating sushi for dinner. TAKE THAT IMPOSSIBILITY.SOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16405441832105307524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6389040169828765494.post-29874037522633665562008-11-12T20:46:00.003-09:002008-11-12T20:54:01.550-09:00814, god, when will it end?<a href="http://www.adn.com/elections/story/586989.html">Mark <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Begich</span> pulled ahead by 814 votes</a> by the close of Division of Elections business today.<br /><br />My election day had been going on for 8 days now.<br /><br />And I hate election day.<br /><br />We have felon as a senator and I hate felons.<br /><br />Of the two big races in Alaska I would be thrilled to win one of them, but I wanted the other!<br /><br />GOD. Go Mark, Go.<br /><br />The first yard sign Daughter ever waved (wove?) was for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Begich</span>. She was about three months old and in a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Bjiorn</span>.<br /><br />Don't exhale quite yet. . . Like for at LEAST another week.<br /><br />GAWD.SOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16405441832105307524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6389040169828765494.post-32082564577240000782008-11-11T15:52:00.004-09:002008-11-11T21:43:52.674-09:00BALTO! *UPDATE! EDITIONWe are all sorts of a twitter around here. No good reason. Boyfriend is hanging Christmas lights on a tree in the front yard. I think this has something to do with it. . . also, it is snowing and Boyfriend got the day off on account of it being Veteran's Day and he works for the government at all. I'm halfway surprised he doesn't get the whole week off since we all know how much Sarah <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">LURVES</span> herself some military.<br /><br />Right now I am thinking about how absurd it would be for me to call this a 'job'. No matter how much I would like to transform this little blog (god, I have always REALLY hated that word) into a paying gig, I currently find myself on a borrowed computer, sitting on a stool at my parents' kitchen table while my child and my father watch <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112453/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">BALTO</span></a> and I get ready to figure out once again what the hell to make everyone for dinner. (I'm feeling like the leftover lasagna and a Cesar salad...did I mention the SNOW?) At any rate, to say that I'm 'working' right at this moment seems a fairly ridiculous thing to claim.<br /><br />Here is what I did today and got paid equally poorly for:<br /><br />2:30am Wake up.<br /><br />4:00am Wake up, finish argument with Boyfriend. More or less resolve argument. More or less.<br /><br />5:00am Still awake. Make up with Boyfriend.<br /><br />6:30am Daughter awake...everyone awake.<br /><br />7:30am Get Daughter dressed for school, get Father ready to leave for work, get as much damn coffee down my throat as is humanly possibly while every fiber of my being begs to go back to bed.<br /><br />8:00am Explain one last time to Boyfriend how to get to Father's office (via the espresso bar). Boyfriend does not understand exactly. Also does not loose my car so everyone arrives at coffee and office in tact.<br /><br />8:15am Explain to Boyfriend how to get from Father's office to Daughter's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Pre</span>-School. Boyfriend does not understand exactly and raises his voice. I drive off. He does not get lost.<br /><br />8:30am Drop Daughter at school. Am again amazed that The Glorious <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Pre</span>-School Teacher is so together and calm and awake at 8:30am.<br /><br />8:50am Arrive at Service Center. Deposit Father's truck for service (leaking wiper fluid, no functional horn, needs oil change).<br /><br />9:something-10something am Eat breakfast downtown with Boyfriend. Realize that Father's credit card is missing. Fret and argue a bit about this. Run into my favorite congressional candidate of all time. Am so sad that he he is loosing and that it will take another month before anyone knows anything that I donate another fifty bucks to his campaign when I arrive home later in the day.<br /><br />10:45am Talk to Father who has missing credit card (which is his in the first place). Drive back to Father's Office. Get card. Boyfriend is introduced all over office as "Our Daughter's Friend". Awesome.<br /><br />11:00am get car washed. Go to Sears to find the little emergency key for the treadmill which has magically disappeared. Awesome, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">redux</span>.<br /><br />11:something Go to Barnes and Nobel with Boyfriend to track down some Joesph Campbell books that his son has requested for his birthday. Find <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112453/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">BALTO</span></a> on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">dvd</span> for Daughter who has been begging for movie. Should probably be a better parent and save it for Christmas.<br /><br />12:20pm Pick up Daughter from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Pre</span>-School. Immediately tell her that we purchased <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112453/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">BALTO</span></a>.*<br /><br />12:45-1:30pm Shop at Costco with Daughter and Boyfriend. Try very hard to not kill Boyfriend for his entirely adorable if they were all alone in the store cart derby antics.<br /><br />2:15pm Unloading groceries. Snow falling heavily.<br /><br />2:45pm Pack everyone back into car to pick up Father from Doctor Appointment.<br /><br />3:30-Present Watch/very slightly assist or attempt to assist Boyfriend as he hangs aforementioned Christmas lights. Am snapped at for being critical. Awesome to the fifth <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">goodandgoddamned</span> degree.<br /><br />Snow continues to fall.<br /><br />Tempers continue to flair.<br /><br />Fuck yeah.<br /><br />Leftovers it is!<br /><br />On top of all of this I have to watch <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112453/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">BALTO</span></a>. So Awesome I can no longer contain myself and am going to pour a glass of wine. Its a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">holiday</span>!<br />___<br />UPDATE!*<br />Because, I am sure you wanted this day to continue just as much as I did.<br /><br />UPDATE!**<br />In which I caught the house on fire!<br /><br />UPDATE!***<br />Just Ugh. Seriously. Ugh.<br /><br />*<br />I did reheat the lasagna (which I spent three hours preparing last night. It is one of those <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">primo</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">lasagnas</span>. Okay? We aren't talking <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Stouffer's</span>, OKAY?)<br /><br />Boyfriend hung all the Christmas lights on the big tree outside, in the snow. And they look lovely and he got cold. And the damn tree has GROWN and we need more lights.<br /><br />That is all I have to say about that at the moment.<br /><br />**<br />In addition to the lasagna, I made a salad. It was really good. Green leaf lettuce, leeks, yellow bell pepper, three <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">roma</span> tomatoes, goat cheese, and Newman's Own Light Italian Dressing.<br /><br />Well, there was this leftover sourdough bread from <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">original</span> lasagna dinner last night. And I can't eat it, but I didn't want it t<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">o</span> go to waste, so I did what I have done literally 200 damn times and made croutons. cubed it, tossed it with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">EVOO</span>, a couple of spices, some <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">parm</span>, some salt and pepper. When I pulled the reheated <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">lasagna</span> out of the oven, I tossed the croutons in. I set it to Broil and went to toss the salad. Now, in the 200 damn times I have done this previously, in the time it takes the oven to heat from 425 to 500 the salad gets tossed, the lasagna gets cooled, and the croutons get toasted perfectly.<br /><br />Today, when the buzzer went off and I turned around, well, the oven was ON FIRE. FIRE! FLAMES! And then I opened the door and it was like fucking <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101393/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">BACKDRAFT</span> </a>or something. and then we all did that like three times or something before I hit the whole thing with the fire <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">extinguisher</span>. Which, I'm pretty sure, more or less ruined the oven. Sweet Christ! Also, the entire house filled with smoke and not a single smoke alarm in the house went off. Not one. Like a cloud of smoke in the house and NO ALARM. That is comforting.<br /><br />So, I blasted the flames while Daughter was dancing around singing I Love Fire! I Love Fire! Boyfriend was going on about how it would die out. Father was just <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">progressively</span> more agitated. <br /><br />Which leads directly to ...<br /><br />***<br />Ugh. Just. Ugh. Is this damn day over yet?<br /><br />You don't even want to know about Dinner. Or Post Dinner. I promise you. You don't want to know.SOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16405441832105307524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6389040169828765494.post-80606836847263599012008-11-10T19:13:00.003-09:002008-11-10T20:09:00.950-09:00h&m baby...also, the glory that is white house/black marketMy weekend was great. <br /><br />Long, lots of flying, meeting overload, tons of walking in not the best possible shoes, but when all was said and done it was really energizing. I even went to see a movie that I wouldn't have chosen and found it pretty hilarious. <br /><br />I sit on a board of directors. I have since 2005. We've just expanded and all is very exciting. Lots of work and travel to come. Lots of opportunity to further our mission. Also tons of work. Tons of meetings and travel and conferences. <br /><br />Also, I just love going to Seattle. I was born there. Its the big city in which I am the most comfortable. I love the funk and the neighborhoods and the walk-ability. I love that there is a TARGET, an Anthropology, and NOW! Featuring! An H&M! I love, love, LOVE the restaurants. I love the skyline and the grit of a city, and oh god, but how I love the coffee (and now of course Washington is wine country and they are very INTO their wines which, well, is only MORE fun to be had!<br /><br />--<br /><br />I bought a cute hat and some tee shirts and one of those 'neck pillows' for myself. I got Daughter a 'simba' neck pillow for our Christmas Trip, a kid safe (albeit likely entirely cancerous) SEATTLE mug, her 2008 Christmas Ornament which is, oh my hell, so adorable and a very nifty lego silverware set that will be totally handy and entirely entertaining in restaurants. I got this for Boyfriend<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://ndn.newsweek.com/media/92/081105_COVER_small-thumb4.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 90px; height: 119px;" src="http://ndn.newsweek.com/media/92/081105_COVER_small-thumb4.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Ooooh, I also bought a totally fabulous sweater dress from the newly christened H&M on Pike. It was 25 bucks. I haven't owned a sweater dress since I was in the second grade. I lurve it. <br /><br />I also had my inaugural experience (see where this is going?) at White House/Black Market. All I can say about this is that I am thoroughly infatuated (SWOON!) and that I am so, so pleased to the core of my want to be fashionable being that someone like Michelle Obama who is tall like me and not a twig like me and cool and glamorous but in a not really working that far out of the box sort of way is going to be my reasonably affordable fashion ICON forever? Well, as I said, SWOON.<br /><br />---<br />And now, back to your regularly scheduled holiday meltdown. <br /><br />I finished reading this book. And read most of the current issue of Food and Wine magazine on the plane. I think I found two dishes to introduce into the mix this year. I still don't have a set line up. Granted, it is only my tenth year at this and I punted a couple of them. <br /><br />I think I may have come up with something resembling a solution for the Holiday Cards. . . At least so far as my list is concerned. <br /><br />I think I may also have come up with a solution for the Boyfriend's Son's Birthday Gift from yours truly. I think it is good enough for this year at any rate. <br />---<br />Ok, this is dissolving into nothingness. I will bid the Internet adieu and go find some mindless television to watch for the twenty minutes until I fall fast asleep. Daughter conked out at 740pm. TIRED. <br /><br />Goodnight.SOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16405441832105307524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6389040169828765494.post-62851727308211806512008-11-09T15:17:00.000-09:002008-11-09T15:18:09.941-09:00oh seattleHeading to airport early. May get a voucher seat. Sweet.SOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16405441832105307524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6389040169828765494.post-75675714269841814832008-11-08T20:26:00.002-09:002008-11-08T20:34:23.530-09:00ha! i totally didn't miss the deadline!I sort of thought I was going to flake tonight. My friend and fellow board member and current "roommate" who have spent the past several hours shopping and eating at a place called the Pink Door (Or Pink Room?) were talking about going to a movie, but got out of the Gap with and hour to kill and decided to walk home at 9:30 instead of 1am. <br /><br />So, I'm chillin' in the Business Room at the hotel with a strange computer and my blog. And I wasn't wearing great walking shoes. I will never understand why the ergo shoe totally gives me a nasty set of blisters if I walk around in them all day. Damn. <br /><br />Meetings went great. Lots of work to do in the next year. Lots of travel too. I'll be going to Seattle three times, Boise, and Houston in addition to family trips for Christmas (Seattle, Oregon, Chicago, South Bend...what the hell is wrong with me?) and Spring Break in SoCal (Disneyland, SeaWorld, SanDiego Zoo, Temecula with my parents, my three year old, my boyfriend and probably his kid). <br /><br />I heart a travel budget. Espicially one that comes with cool people, good work, food, and sweet hotel rooms. <br /><br /><em>Seriously.</em> I mean, <em>S E R I O U S L Y.</em> <br /><br />Ok. The computer room is an in demand area and there is a whole. lot. of. cable. tv upstairs. <br /><br />Cheerio.SOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16405441832105307524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6389040169828765494.post-82780350028457568582008-11-07T21:42:00.002-09:002008-11-07T21:45:42.902-09:00yum flying fishAte at awesome Seattle resturant. <br /><br />Then came back to hotel and "snuck" out with mom friend and 'roomate' to the bar where my cousins took me me on Captiol Hill. <br /><br />I have much to post. <br /><br />Swear.<br /><br />Wrote a whole three pages (longhand) on the plane. <br /><br />I have been awake since 4am.<br /><br />I have to be somewhere at 8am.<br /><br />The rest will have to wait until tomorrow. <br /><br />I heart C.C. <br /><br />Seriously. Major girlcrush.SOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16405441832105307524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6389040169828765494.post-39676683009900875462008-11-06T17:21:00.003-09:002008-11-06T17:27:56.638-09:00flying out at 434 in the morning tomorrowEn Route to Seattle painfully early in the morning tomorrow and haven't stopped moving all day (or, for that matter, STARTED packing). <br /><br />I promise to write a nice, thoughtful, long post on the plane. <br /><br />For now, however, there is this:<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Bh9BmNuqeiQ&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Bh9BmNuqeiQ&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />(Stolen shamelessly from <a href="www.fridayplaydate.com">Friday Playdate</a> )<br /><br />I still can't believe it. <br /><br />It is a pretty mixed back in these parts. We lost two big races for Congress and Senate. Well, maybe not LOST, but are waiting on 50,000 uncounted votes. I am looking forward to going to America for a few days just to get really pumped up about things. <br /><br />Also, as I said before, I live in one of the only places on the planet that is going to have to continue to deal with The Reign of The Palins. Barf. <br /><br />TTFN, <br />LRHSOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16405441832105307524noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6389040169828765494.post-44789284149763048612008-11-05T18:20:00.003-09:002008-11-05T18:29:18.154-09:0044.Whoot! <br /><br />That is just about all I can say. Whoot!<br /><br />We have a couple of contested big races up here and my in person early absentee ballot has not yet been counted, but Yes. We. DID! Holy hell. <br /><br />Boyfriend and I were lounging around in bed this morning (Ha! I woke up, in a bed, with a man!) and talking about how he never thought he would see this in his life time and what a hell of a thing it is and I am far more struck by the fact that my child will never live in a country where it is a break from the norm for a person who's skin doesn't look like yours to hold the highest office in the land. <br /><br />Proudest moment of my day? Daughter listening to the news on the radio in the car and without any prompting whatsoever saying very emphatically..."That is Barack Obama. He is our President now." And then disolving into a fit of giggles. <br /><br />Hope won. Change has begun anew in America. I'm a proud American today. I don't say that all that often. <br /><br />Whoot!<br /><br />(Also, that woman I can't stand got kicked to the curb and by 'curb' I mean back to my backyard and that sucks, but I'll gladly take one for Team America today. And yes, those Alaskan Grown sweatshirts are a real thing and yes everyone including my kid has one. They are, to be fair, a fundraising effort for a local farmer's asssociation, but ewwwwwwwwwww. I can definatly never wear one now and they are mostly all green and damn that blue is ugly.)SOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16405441832105307524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6389040169828765494.post-67693100626925873922008-11-03T10:26:00.002-09:002008-11-03T11:05:57.596-09:00on feeling jinxySo, tomorrow, there is something happening tomorrow...I can't quite put my finger on it, but I know there is like an event or a thing or OH! WAIT! The ELECTION! <br /><br />As I have already noted (<a href="http://littlereadhen.com/">here</a>) I voted a couple of weeks ago, so tomorrow is more about doing some volunteer stuff, hanging out with Daughter, and getting my hair done than actual work for the first time in a looooooooong time. Also, Boyfriend arrives late tomorrow night and we are staying in a hotel for the night downtown on the off chance that we decide to stay up ridiculously late and socialize with other hyped up political types until far to late in the evening/morning. <br /><br />I've got to tell you, I don't really feel like it. I don't really want to go wave signs tomorrow morning (at 7am). I don't really want to go to the party and watch the first returns come in with my <a href="http://www.ethanberkowitz.com">favorite congressional candidate of all time</a> and his loyal supporters. I really don't want to go to Election Central and see everyone. I really, really, really don't feel up to heading over to the bar after Election Central to watch the rundown on the televisions there. I really don't feel up to it. <br /><br />I do feel like getting my haircut. <br /><br />I do feel like dropping off my kid, picking up some sushi, and curling up in that hotel room with a remote control and eventually a man I haven't seen in a month. <br /><br />I don't feel like I have a place out and about tomorrow night. I don't feel like I've earned a spot at the party or a seat at the bar. I haven't actually DONE anything this time around. I put up some yard signs and staffed some tables and a couple of events last summer. I've consulted on a race for the past year in Sitka. I gave a lot of money I didn't really have available to a bunch of candidates, but I haven't been busting my ass to try and get anyone elected. I haven't been putting in the unbelievable amount of time that all these others have and I'm embarrassed. I don't want to have to talk to anyone. <br /><br />I don't want to stumble over what it is I am DOING with myself these days. <br /><br />The truth is, I'm not doing much and it is really hard to come up with an answer that doesn't make me sound like a total drop out from society. <br /><br />I encounter this problem fairly routinely. At the grocery store, at the gym, at the coffee bar, at wherever it is I find myself where I run into someone I know/have known/went to school with/is friends or acquaintances or colleges of one of my parents... I'm really not doing anything. I'm living at my parents' house. I'm taking care of my kid. I'm serving as my parents' personal shopper, chauffeur, and caterer. I'm waiting around to see when and if my Boyfriend will arrive. I'm totally out of money. Totally. I'm freaking out about money. And about having to get a job. And about the time sacrifice that is going to mean to my Daughter. And about how much she really truly needs me around right now and more than that WANTS me around right now. And how even though she sleeps at her Dad's house three nights a week I'm with her everyday for at least a part of the day except every other Sunday. I sacrificed a lot of time with her for the first two years of her life. It wasn't exactly voluntary, but I made choices and those choices did not often allow for us to see each other everyday of the week. I don't think I could survive that again and I know it would be hard on her. I know that, at this point, any "Mom Time" that falls by the wayside because of a job is going to affect her and not for the better. <br /><br />The guilt of knowing that something is going to have to change soon is overwhelming and paralytic. <br /><br />There are some bright spots. <br /><br />Boyfriend's job has been transferred up here for the rest of the year, so he will be here, living here after tomorrow. That was a major obstacle that I've been waiting out since last summer and I'm relieved that its over now. Of course, the next step is just as hard; now we all have to reintegrate back into the relationship and its been a couple of months and it is never easy. But, he came through. He stepped up and is relocating his life to be here with us (IN. MY. PARENTS. HOUSE. nonetheless...at least for the time being) and he even made it five days prior to my emotionally distraught deadline, so, there is hope. <br /><br />We have tickets to travel at Christmas. Boyfriend, his Son, Daughter, and I. <br /><br />The damn election is almost over and Sarah damn Palin might just loose and that would be such a sweet, sweet victory. <br /><br />I get to go to Seattle at least once and maybe twice this month. That pleases me to no end. <br /><br />Daughter will be here, with us, for all of next week as Her Dad is going to be away on a business trip. <br /><br />These are all good things. These are all hope filled things. <br /><br />Goddamn, I don't want to jinx anything, (Internet, you have no IDEA how TERRIFIED I am of jinxing this thing) but there is a really good chance we could elect Barack Obama President of the United States tomorrow. Tomorrow! I think that would be enough to carry me through for awhile. I need something to believe in, something to have a little faith in, something to point to and say Hot Damn! Everyone does not in fact suck. And so, I sit here typing with fingers crossed and vote cast. Trying to squelch my inner cynic. Trying to give myself until Wednesday to figure out what to do with my life. <br /><br />It is snowing outside. Just a little. Maybe it will keep coming down and everything will look pretty again. Maybe come Wednesday the world will actually be a little bit prettier of a place.SOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16405441832105307524noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6389040169828765494.post-62543548613172144422008-11-02T17:30:00.002-09:002008-11-02T17:36:31.418-09:00i am a little in love with keith olbermanI really am. I know that's wierd. <br /><br />I think perhaps his is the person in the world more cynical than me. <br /><br />I guess that should frighten me as he's got twenty years on me, but, well, I've had to deal with Sarah Palin longer and that ages you. Seriously. It does. I transcribed her professionally. Oh. The horror...the <span style="font-style:italic;">HORROR!</span><br /><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.nbc.com/o/4727a250e66f9723/490e62434469dfd7/490da10d11cdaf4f/621f80cd/widget.js"></script><br /><br />P.S. Also, I admit to having had a pretty good high school girl crush on one Ben Affleck back in the day. Pre-J.Lo. The J.Lo Bently business really wrecked it for me. Sigh.SOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16405441832105307524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6389040169828765494.post-16649038169342468892008-11-02T11:45:00.004-09:002008-11-02T12:45:56.332-09:00enough with the winter alreadyGood morning Day 2! The sun is shining! We got an extra hour of sleep! The Election will be OVER in one less day!<br /><br />Its 11 degrees outside! Seriously. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Come on</span> weather. You suck. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Soooooooooo</span> cold.<br /><br />Today Daughter goes home a few hours early because her little brother turned two yesterday and today is his party. For whatever reason, I decided that we should take a treat as well as a gift, so we made rice <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">crispies</span> with leftover <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Halloween</span> M&Ms in them. I'm questioning (a little) whether this is a good idea or a slightly passive <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">aggressive</span> sugar overdrive tactic. I can't tell. I am guessing the fact that I question my own motives is possible not the best of signs. Ah well, Daughter is very proud of her treats (we cut them in circles and put them in cupcake papers and packaged them in a cute box with tissue paper...I may not 'craft' but this I can do.)<br /><br />I'm going to hit the gym after I drop her at the party and then I have to get actually <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">motivated</span> to get my room cleaned and laundry done before boyfriend arrives Tuesday Night. I think we are going to spring for a hotel room downtown. I have several reasons <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">for</span> this. . . above and beyond the obvious.<br />1) He doesn't arrive until nearly 11pm at which point I will not be driving to the airport to retrieve him.<br />2) The logistics of parking the car somewhere downtown that he can easily find in a cab AND leaving the car unlocked so that he can drop his bags AND find his way to whatever bar I am residing in seems like a lot of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">hassle</span> (<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">especially</span> since he does not know the town very well and I'm not really interested in shouting directions on my cellphone either in the street or from a loud place full of people.<br />3) Well, um, we haven't seen each other in over a month and will be living WITH. MY. PARENTS. until at least the end of the year, so, um, well, a hotel seems "logical".<br />4) I'm just naturally assuming that I'm going to be somewhat to severely hungover come Wednesday morning and I'd really rather not share said hangover with my mother who drinks about half a glass of white wine every other decade.<br /><br />So, there you are. I've just talked myself into the 100 dollar hotel room. Done. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">TaDa</span>! Fun. Fun. Fun.<br /><br />Well, that concludes this edition of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">NaBloPoMo</span> for Sunday, November 2<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">nd</span>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.nycmarathon.org/home/index.php">Paula <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Radcliff</span> won the New York City Marathon. Boyfriend's sister is also running. </a><br /><br />Senator John McCain tried really, really hard not to make too much fun of his running mate on <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/02/john-mccains-saturday-nig_n_140081.html"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">SNL</span></a> last night.<br /><br />And I don't have to share Election night with my mother. Good Times!<br /><br />Thanks for tuning in. . . See you tomorrow.SOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16405441832105307524noreply@blogger.com0