I just went to pick Anna up from school and before I knew what was happening, I was surrounded by a pack of girls asking "Can we come to your house to play? Pleeeeaaase?!" I call the mother of 2 of the little girls to tell her that her kids will be at my house. Then I turn to the other mother who is standing next to me on the playground, to make sure it's ok with her. She asks what time she should come get her daughter. What I mean to ask is "What time do you have dinner?"
Instead, I ask "What time do you start drinking?"
Oh yes, I did.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Actual conversation I had with my daughter this morning after having to ask her approximately 304 times to get dressed:
"WWWWWAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!"
"NOW what is the matter?? Jesus!"
"I just pulled my hair really really hard!" (??!!)
"Well Anna, SHIT HAPPENS."
Now those are some words of wisdom right there. And empathy. I'm not proud of it, but damn. I don't know if she's been more whiney than usual this week or if it's because mommy has stopped drinking.
Sweet baby jesus, I don't know HOW our mothers did it without happy pills and/or alcohol. And I only have ONE child.
"NOW what is the matter?? Jesus!"
"I just pulled my hair really really hard!" (??!!)
"Well Anna, SHIT HAPPENS."
Now those are some words of wisdom right there. And empathy. I'm not proud of it, but damn. I don't know if she's been more whiney than usual this week or if it's because mommy has stopped drinking.
Sweet baby jesus, I don't know HOW our mothers did it without happy pills and/or alcohol. And I only have ONE child.
happy friday
One of my darling sisters has implied (ok, she came right out and said it) that I may be too easily amused. To that I say: tell me this isn't funny.
Is there something WRONG with being easily amused?
Is there something WRONG with being easily amused?
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
would have been better with ketchup
BRISBANE, Australia (AP) -- A 16-foot python stalked a family dog for days before swallowing the pet whole in front of horrified children in the Australian tropics, animal experts said Wednesday. Luckily it was only a terrier-Chihuahua crossbreed and not a REAL dog. (ok, I added that part.)
"The family that owned the dog had actually seen it in the dog's bed, which was a sign it was out to get it," said Stuart Douglas, owner of the Australian Venom Zoo in Kuranda.
Ok, you know you've lived in the Australian tropics way too long when the sight of a 16 foot python in your dog's bed isn't cause for alarm. I'd run straight through a plate-glass window if I saw a 3 foot snake in my house.
It's called "survival instinct" people.
"The family that owned the dog had actually seen it in the dog's bed, which was a sign it was out to get it," said Stuart Douglas, owner of the Australian Venom Zoo in Kuranda.
Ok, you know you've lived in the Australian tropics way too long when the sight of a 16 foot python in your dog's bed isn't cause for alarm. I'd run straight through a plate-glass window if I saw a 3 foot snake in my house.
It's called "survival instinct" people.
Matt Damon does Matthew McConaughy
Well, he's not DOING him...although maybe he is and that's fine. But oh man, this video is cracking me UP this morning. Robyn over at Pocket Aces turned me on to it. I love me some Matthew McConaughy but Matt Damon's spot-on impersonation is almost better. Brilliant!
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
mom-isms
My sisters and I LOVE to give our mother shit about her "mom-isms". Definition of a mom-ism: some phrase or word that your mother says that you have no idea what they mean or they are just so...so...un-hip that it makes you wince. Because they were sayings popular at the time she was a teenager approximately 189 years ago. (ouch! I think she just tried to hit me with a hair-brush from 300 miles away.) Anyway, our mom has amused us for years with her mom-isms and any time any one of us accidentally "slips" and uses one in conversation, it is fodder for MUCH pointing and laughing and cackling: "Hahahahaha! You're turning into mom! You're turning into mom!!" Not that that's a bad thing, because our mom is actually pretty wonderful (see "snitzy" below). But still. No one wants to turn into their mom, do they?
Anyway, here are some of my favorites mom-isms:
*Choc-o'-block: means "full", as in "My tree out back is choc-o'-block with robins." As if that's SO MUCH EASIER to say than "full".
*Upside-down Rudy: I have NO IDEA what the hell this means but I imagine it to be some sort of cartoon duck from the 40s.
*putter: Used to explain her plans for the morning, as in "Oh, I'm just going to putter around the house." There will be picking up a little bit, watering plants, maybe filling bird-feeders, but no serious work is being done.
*putzy: similar to putter, but maybe less goal-oriented.
*ishkabible: this one isn’t familiar to me, but my sister says it is similar to “wonky” as in “Oh hells bells, I cut your bangs crooked and now they’re all ishkabible.”
*snitzy: This means “fancy”, “posh”, “classy”. As in “Well don’t you look snitzy!” Although usually said about herself, tongue in cheek.
Anyway, I bring this up now because I never thought I'd pass any mom-isms onto my daughter. After-all, I'm pretty hip. Cool. With-it. Groovy. Aside from teaching her every swear word I know, I really do try to speak the English language in such a way as to never embarrass her or, more importantly, myself.
Well, last night as we were out walking Moby, Anna was talking about something, I don't remember what, and she said "Now, isn't that a CO-INKIE-DINK?" oh. shit. This is STRAIGHT out of my mouth. Oh god. It's starting.
What have you heard your kids say that made you wince, knowing that it came straight from you?
**Edited to add: tonight I was talking to my dearest friend Christina, with whom I raised MUCH hell in college...and, who am I kidding, we still raise hell together. Anyway, she's the mother of the two most adorable little girls, Piper who is 2 and Skylar who is almost 4. Christina said that the other day, Skylar said "Mommy, when I grow up I want to be just. like. you!" And I said "Oh man, that simultaneously warms your heart, and makes you nauseous, doesn't it?!" "Exactly, Katie" she said. "Exactly." We are going to be in SO. MUCH. TROUBLE.
Anyway, here are some of my favorites mom-isms:
*Choc-o'-block: means "full", as in "My tree out back is choc-o'-block with robins." As if that's SO MUCH EASIER to say than "full".
*Upside-down Rudy: I have NO IDEA what the hell this means but I imagine it to be some sort of cartoon duck from the 40s.
*putter: Used to explain her plans for the morning, as in "Oh, I'm just going to putter around the house." There will be picking up a little bit, watering plants, maybe filling bird-feeders, but no serious work is being done.
*putzy: similar to putter, but maybe less goal-oriented.
*ishkabible: this one isn’t familiar to me, but my sister says it is similar to “wonky” as in “Oh hells bells, I cut your bangs crooked and now they’re all ishkabible.”
*snitzy: This means “fancy”, “posh”, “classy”. As in “Well don’t you look snitzy!” Although usually said about herself, tongue in cheek.
Anyway, I bring this up now because I never thought I'd pass any mom-isms onto my daughter. After-all, I'm pretty hip. Cool. With-it. Groovy. Aside from teaching her every swear word I know, I really do try to speak the English language in such a way as to never embarrass her or, more importantly, myself.
Well, last night as we were out walking Moby, Anna was talking about something, I don't remember what, and she said "Now, isn't that a CO-INKIE-DINK?" oh. shit. This is STRAIGHT out of my mouth. Oh god. It's starting.
What have you heard your kids say that made you wince, knowing that it came straight from you?
**Edited to add: tonight I was talking to my dearest friend Christina, with whom I raised MUCH hell in college...and, who am I kidding, we still raise hell together. Anyway, she's the mother of the two most adorable little girls, Piper who is 2 and Skylar who is almost 4. Christina said that the other day, Skylar said "Mommy, when I grow up I want to be just. like. you!" And I said "Oh man, that simultaneously warms your heart, and makes you nauseous, doesn't it?!" "Exactly, Katie" she said. "Exactly." We are going to be in SO. MUCH. TROUBLE.
Monday, February 25, 2008
lazy sunday
Yesterday was lazy in the most lovely way. Just David and I, him stringing tennis racquets and me embroidering by the fire. Nice. This little hedgehog is based on some of my favorite Japanese fabric; this piece will be a wallhanging for the bedroom of two special little girls, Skylar and Piper.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
worst. mother. ever.
This weekend Anna is at her dad's. Eric picks her up from school on Thursdays and on the weekends she's at his house, she stays with him until Monday. Now, the routine is for David to pick her up from school on Fridays, and every Friday it's my job to remind him that it's his day to pick her up. This parenting thing is new to him, and his work is so in-the-moment that he gets wrapped up and I know how easy it would be for him to forget. Plus the last several weeks have been wonky because one Friday her Nana wanted to pick her up, another couple Fridays David was travelling for work so I picked her up. Well yesterday, with the knowledge that she was at her dad's this weekend, I was just not thinking....until my phone rang at 3:15 and I saw it was the school. Immediately I knew: OH FUCK FUCK FUCK SHIT OH MY GOD SHIT WE FORGOT TO PICK UP ANNA FROM SCHOOL!!!! As always, her teacher stands on the steps of their classroom and watches to make sure the appropriate parent/gaurdian is picking up each child. This day she waited with Anna...and waited and waited, as EVERY. LAST. CHILD. at school walked off, hand in hand, with their loving and responsible care-takers. Finally, her teacher sent her to the school office, with instructions for them to call me.
The gal in the office calmed me down by saying that Anna was fine, totally calm and I shouldn't worry. I had them put her on the phone, and she sounded fine (just FINE). I frantically dialed David reapeatedly but couldn't reach him; he'd been travelling the night before and hadn't turned his phone on after being on the plane. Then I called her aunt Karen, who, thank jeebus, has children at the same school, lives a few blocks away and is a stay at home mom. She immediately went and picked Anna up and kept her until one of us could get over there. Soon thereafter, Eric called to chat, and I told him what happened. At that point I was laughing about it, because HA HA HA What a dumb-ass I am!! We forgot to pick up our daughter from school! HA HA HA Can you believe that?!
He was NOT amused; he was pissed. The dynamic in our relationship always was (and, I'm afraid, always will be) that he is the dark, moody WORRYER, and I am the "Oh, everything is going to be fine!" person. Typical glass half empty married to glass half full. So I knew he was going to make a bigger deal of it than it needed to be; I know that kids take their cues from their parents, and I feared he was going to make a big deal out of it. Furthermore, as he reminded me, once HIS dad forgot to pick him up from school, and it remains one of the most awful memories of his childhood. sigh.
Once Eric had picked her up from Karen's, I called and asked to talk to her. I told her (again) how sorry I was. She was laughing and talking about her milk-shake and how she and Eric had just gone and started her first ever savings account and that she was goiong to save up to buy a horse. She didn't seem upst at all. I breathed a sigh of relief and thought "Whew. Maybe she DOES have enough of me in her genes to get through this without it traumatizing her for life."
And then, last night as she and Eric lay on his couch watching a movie, she had an anxiety attack. Her first-ever anxiety attack.
Sweet, sweet Anna, who has a heart of gold...she internalizes everything. And then her anxiety manifests itself in the form of too much handwashing, checking to make sure the doors are all locked before bed. That's right, I've also passed on my OCD gene. And now, anxiety attacks.
Shit. I knew I shouldn't reproduce.
**UPDATE: Part of what made me feel terrible is was Eric telling me that the very reason Anna keeps her feelings in is because I laugh everything off. So she feels she has to keep up the facade of being happy. He assured me that even though she didn't seem upset by being left at school. She MUST be. And the incident, paired with the fact that I "don't take anything seriously" is absolutely what caused her panic attack.
Well, while Eric went to a class this morning, I took Anna to run some errands with me. At one point I again apologized about yesterday and she said "What are you talking about??" So said, "You know, you being left at school" and she said "That's ok. I got to play a game in the office while I waited!" Then later I opened up a dialog about her breathing trouble and chest pain last night. She said "Yeah, it's happened a few times before. Usually when I'm super super super happy or when I'm upset." Aaah, an opening! So asked her if she was was upset last night and she said yes. I asked what about and she said "Well, Georgia yelled at me TWICE yesterday for no good reason!" Georgia is a classmate and new-ish friend. I laughed and said "Welcome to hanging around 7 year olds." And she just laughed and laughed. So overall, I don't think it was nearly as traumatizing as it could have been, or as some people (oh yes, Witchie Poo got in on it too...) would believe. As David, who knows a thing or two about childhood trauma, said: "She's 7 and this is the most-loved kid I know. This was so minor compared to all the love she gets and all the things you guys do right."
So. I guess I'm not the worst. mother. ever. Just the worst mother of the day.
The gal in the office calmed me down by saying that Anna was fine, totally calm and I shouldn't worry. I had them put her on the phone, and she sounded fine (just FINE). I frantically dialed David reapeatedly but couldn't reach him; he'd been travelling the night before and hadn't turned his phone on after being on the plane. Then I called her aunt Karen, who, thank jeebus, has children at the same school, lives a few blocks away and is a stay at home mom. She immediately went and picked Anna up and kept her until one of us could get over there. Soon thereafter, Eric called to chat, and I told him what happened. At that point I was laughing about it, because HA HA HA What a dumb-ass I am!! We forgot to pick up our daughter from school! HA HA HA Can you believe that?!
He was NOT amused; he was pissed. The dynamic in our relationship always was (and, I'm afraid, always will be) that he is the dark, moody WORRYER, and I am the "Oh, everything is going to be fine!" person. Typical glass half empty married to glass half full. So I knew he was going to make a bigger deal of it than it needed to be; I know that kids take their cues from their parents, and I feared he was going to make a big deal out of it. Furthermore, as he reminded me, once HIS dad forgot to pick him up from school, and it remains one of the most awful memories of his childhood. sigh.
Once Eric had picked her up from Karen's, I called and asked to talk to her. I told her (again) how sorry I was. She was laughing and talking about her milk-shake and how she and Eric had just gone and started her first ever savings account and that she was goiong to save up to buy a horse. She didn't seem upst at all. I breathed a sigh of relief and thought "Whew. Maybe she DOES have enough of me in her genes to get through this without it traumatizing her for life."
And then, last night as she and Eric lay on his couch watching a movie, she had an anxiety attack. Her first-ever anxiety attack.
Sweet, sweet Anna, who has a heart of gold...she internalizes everything. And then her anxiety manifests itself in the form of too much handwashing, checking to make sure the doors are all locked before bed. That's right, I've also passed on my OCD gene. And now, anxiety attacks.
Shit. I knew I shouldn't reproduce.
**UPDATE: Part of what made me feel terrible is was Eric telling me that the very reason Anna keeps her feelings in is because I laugh everything off. So she feels she has to keep up the facade of being happy. He assured me that even though she didn't seem upset by being left at school. She MUST be. And the incident, paired with the fact that I "don't take anything seriously" is absolutely what caused her panic attack.
Well, while Eric went to a class this morning, I took Anna to run some errands with me. At one point I again apologized about yesterday and she said "What are you talking about??" So said, "You know, you being left at school" and she said "That's ok. I got to play a game in the office while I waited!" Then later I opened up a dialog about her breathing trouble and chest pain last night. She said "Yeah, it's happened a few times before. Usually when I'm super super super happy or when I'm upset." Aaah, an opening! So asked her if she was was upset last night and she said yes. I asked what about and she said "Well, Georgia yelled at me TWICE yesterday for no good reason!" Georgia is a classmate and new-ish friend. I laughed and said "Welcome to hanging around 7 year olds." And she just laughed and laughed. So overall, I don't think it was nearly as traumatizing as it could have been, or as some people (oh yes, Witchie Poo got in on it too...) would believe. As David, who knows a thing or two about childhood trauma, said: "She's 7 and this is the most-loved kid I know. This was so minor compared to all the love she gets and all the things you guys do right."
So. I guess I'm not the worst. mother. ever. Just the worst mother of the day.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
The Tao of Boo
Last night at dinner:
"You know what I love about you? That when you're telling me about your classmates, you always find something positive to say about each one of them. Something you like about each person or something they're good at."
"You mean like I walk in circles around them until I find their bright side?"
Exactly Boo Boo. Exactly.
"You know what I love about you? That when you're telling me about your classmates, you always find something positive to say about each one of them. Something you like about each person or something they're good at."
"You mean like I walk in circles around them until I find their bright side?"
Exactly Boo Boo. Exactly.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
deep question of the day:
what would make a person (say, my ex-husband's girlfriend...but that's just an example OF COURSE) think it was a good idea to give give 7 year old child a gift certificate to the SNOOTY NEW GOURMET CHEESE MARKET??? For Christmas, people.
It is true that this particular 7 yr. old likes cheese. The bright orange powdered cheese found in Annie's Mac n Cheese. And also string cheese is quite tasty.
But seriously...
WHAT. THE. FUCK.
It is true that this particular 7 yr. old likes cheese. The bright orange powdered cheese found in Annie's Mac n Cheese. And also string cheese is quite tasty.
But seriously...
WHAT. THE. FUCK.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
yodelayheehoo!
So anyone who knows me knows that I sort of have this thing for Switzerland. When I was younger (until I was about 34, actually) I wanted to move to Switzerland a raise goats. I adore chocolate and cheese, The Sound of Music is one of my favorite movies, I named my cruiser Liesl and if I could have any talent I'd want to be a world-champion yodeller. Because, you know, you never know when that's going to come in handy. Anything Bavarian is my cup of tea. So now that we live in E. Washington, I knew that a trip to Leavenworth was ineveitable. I'd never been! This weekend we went, and Anna and I both totally fell in love with all its' kitchy goodness.
I want to live here. 
Look where we stayed! 
We took a sleigh-ride through the woods, where we saw a bunch of wild turkeys and a coyote stalking them.
We visited a hat shop. Nevermind psycotherapy; I need to start saving for braces. sweet jeebus. 
And I bought some elves! Ack!! Can you stand it?? It took every ounce of restraint I had not to drop $200 on a cuckoo clock. I still sort of regret it. But something tells me we'll be back.
Friday, February 15, 2008
enough about dog farts. behold our nest:
Awhile back I discovered this company called Wonderful Graffiti; they create/sell vinyl letters and artwork to stick on your wall. There are some extremely cool ideas: "Cocktails, anyone?" over your bar (if you, um, have a bar in your house), "Family" on a wall that has photos on it, "Eat, drink, and be merry" on a kitchen wall, "D, I love you, K" that looks like it's written in lipstick...the options are endless. I wanted to do something special for David because, well, I kinda like him. So I created this design (they list some great quotes, or you can use your own idea) and last night while he was gone, I put this up above our bed as a surprise. Sweet, huh?
Note: Do not attempt to "install" this artwork while under the influence of intoxicants. I'm just sayin'.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
random bits and my deep question for the week
Today on my way to work I saw a moose! Look how close I got to her! (don't worry, there was a barbed-wire fence between us.) 
Awhile back Anna drew a picture of "home". A still-life, of sorts. On the far left is Anna's arm holding a root beer. Then we have both a Christmas tree and a menorah on the mantle (which we didn't have, but I thought it was very cute she took David's traditions into account). Then a lovely vase of flowers, Moby with his toy, David in the kitchen and, very prominently, mommy's wine glass, front and center. I can't decide if this is extremely funny or extremely disturbing or both. I thought Eric was going to pee his pants when he saw that. Is it time for AA??? That wasn't my deep question, by the way. No, today's deep question involves gaseous dogs.
Why is it that a dog can release the most heinous, noxious, potentially lethal silent fart ever and he'll continue sleeping peacefully in the resulting foul-smelling green cloud of toxicity, but if he AUDIBLY farts, it will wake him from a sound sleep, he'll stare at his own butt with a DEEPLY CONCERNED look on his face and then he'll have to get up and move away from the sound??
Just wondering.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Interview with Robyn
I think I mentioned awhile back that I'm participating in The Great Interview Experiment hosted by Niel over at Citizen of the Month. I got to interview Robyn from Pocket Aces and it was fun to find a new blog to read (like, um, I NEED more blogs to read) and to learn about someone I would otherwise never have met. The idea is to go back through the interviewee's archcives to learn enough about them to formulate questions that they'll have fun answering. So, without further ado, meet Robyn:
1. You mentioned that you read cookbooks as if they were novels. If you had to chose, which 3 cookbooks could you not live without?
This was really hard. I have many books, and I love most of them for different reasons. "Joy of Cooking", because it's an icon and the epitome of usefulness and classic styling. I have my new version, and also my grandmother's crumbling, yellowed copy. Guess which one I love more? "Commander's Kitchen", because I get to read about New Orleans and awesome food at the same time. And loath as I am to admit it, "Rachael Ray's 365: No Repeats". I do NOT like to read that one like a novel, because her "voice" grates, but it's an extensive and quite diverse idea book for me, and possibly the most "workhorse" cookbook I have. I never follow a recipe exactly - just find ideas she threw together and substitute what's in my fridge that night.
2. What is the worst thing you've ever cooked? The best?
I can't think of any one recipe or particular meal that turned out godawful. I can say that I have overcooked chicken, turning it dry, which is one of the worst things on the planet. Also one time I was making some garlicky shrimp pasta with cream cheese as a component of the sauce, and it turned out a big, glue-thick pasta-cream cheese ball. Tasted ok enough, but the texture was just too much to overlook. I had made the same thing successfully once before, so to this day I cannot figure what went wrong with that one. Obviously it still bothers me.
I'm having a VERY hard time coming up with the best all time thing I've cooked. I make excellent: pot roast, Caesar salad, guacamole, enchiladas, and hamburgers (yes, basic hamburgers!). And a grilled cheese, bacon and tomato sandwich that is to die for, but only in the summer, of course.
3. You have, um, very diverse taste in music...everything from Wilco and Hole to Hall and Oats and J Geils Band. Tell me which band/performer, from any era of your life, you would most love to see live?
Paul McCartney.
4. Fiction or non-fiction?
I have always been a fiction girl, until recently. The current pile on the floor by my bed consists of: Nigella Lawson's "Nigella Bites", Jamie Oliver's "Jamie's Dinners", Photoshop Elements 6: The Missing Manual, Anthony Bourdain's "The Nasty Bits". Also a big pile of magazines - Simple Scrapbooks, Cooking Light, Popular Photography. Not one page of fiction in the bunch. Hemingways "A Movable Feast"is sitting on my bedside table, but I haven't read it in 15 years and have no current plans to reread it, so I really can't explain that one. Perhaps it has been sitting there waiting for me to mention it in this interview so I can seem cool.
5. What clique were you part of in high school? If you were in high school now, knowing what you know, would you be part of the same one, or a different one?
Luckily, the clique situation in my school wasn't too bad, at least the way I saw it. That said, I was what you might consider a popular girl. I did cheerleading my first 2 years, until I realized it interfered with my party schedule. So that might explain a lot, right there. And I know everyone says this, but I really was friends with a wide range of people in school, from different "groups". But I know there are people I ignored who it probably would have been nice to get to know. If I had to go back now, I don't necessarily think I'd change my clique, but not because I think we were the coolest - because we weren't. It's just that I don't think it made any difference in how things turned out for me.
6. How did you meet your husband? How soon did you know you'd spend your life with him?
We met on America Online in 1995 in a Parrothead chat room - before hooking up on the internet was the cool thing to do. Everyone thought we were crazy. I knew I'd spend my life with him pretty quickly - I moved from Colorado to Pennsylvania (for grad school) by 1996 and found myself engaged by the start of 1997, at the age of 22.
7. Tell me (ok and the world) a secret talent that you have. What talent would you most LIKE to have?
I wish I only needed 3 hours of sleep a night. It seems so... utilitarian to think of not needing sleep as a talent, but I guess that just clearly illustrates what's most important to me right now.
As far as a secret talent that I have, I have to say that I spent way too long trying to think of what to say for this, and that usually means I am making something way harder than it has to be. But the truth is I don't have some quirky, useful or unique little thing to share with you. So since I knew I needed to find a way to answer the question, I did what I usually do when I am stumped - I asked my husband what he thought my secret talent was. After a few moments of thought and after I explained that I didn't consider my ability to not only touch my toes but place my entire palms flat on the floor a secret talent, he completely surprised me by saying, "I think your secret talent is writing.". He then very sweetly stumbled about trying not to make me feel bad because what he meant was not that I am the best writer he's ever known, but that I am a decent writer who has done my best to keep it a secret. And he's right. I used to think I wanted to be a writer in high school, but changed my mind and became a speech therapist instead. I've never kept a diary, wrote a journal, slipped love sonnets in his lunchbag or tried to write a novel. I don't even write much in birthday cards. So here I am with a blog, and some of the things I write don't completely suck. Who knew?
After I get my t-shirt printed that says "Best Writer Ever (Marc Said So!)", I'm pretty sure he will never pay me another compliment ever again.
8. If there were a movie made of your life, who would play you?
Oh, this is tricky, tricky, tricky. How about Kate Winslet? She'd have to go brunette, but it would be such a juicy part that I'm sure she wouldn't mind.
9. I see that you have two kids under the age of 3. If you could have an entire week to yourself (no kids, no husband) what would you spend your time doing?
Oh my God, the thought makes my head spin. I would like to do some projects that I always put on the back burner - some scrapbooking and photography stuff that I can never really devote a lot of time to. I'd watch all my favorite dance movies, and probably read a lot too. I wouldn't leave the house much - I'd get take-out food until I got tired of it and wanted to cook again. Then I'd cook whatever I wanted at whatever time I wanted without worrying about what everyone else is going to eat. I'd stay up late every night and sleep in every day. I'd play my music loud, and probably spend more time than even I would like reading blogs and such. And about halfway through, I'd probably miss my husband and kids too much and beg them to come home, thus ending the freedom.
10. Have you ever blogged about something you've regretted?
Not yet. I feel like I should eventually, just to get the full experience of blogging. But we'll see if I'm ever brave enough.
11. Tell me some of your favorites: food, beverage, book, movie, smell, city, article of clothing.
Food: This is just not fair. I cannot decide between bacon or Little Debbie's Nutty Bars.
beverage: Coke (Alcoholic beverage - Mojito)
book: You are a cruel, cruel woman, Kate. I will give you 3 - "The Mists of Avalon" by Marion Zimmer Bradley, "The Witching Hour" by Anne Rice, and "Beach Music" by Pat Conroy.
movie: I don't have a favorite of all time. I can tell you that the best movie I have seen in the past 6 months is "Deja Vu" with Denzel Washington. I LOVED this movie.
smell: Lilacs (Alternate answer: bacon. I am a bit embarrassed about all the bacon love, really.)
city: New Orleans
clothing: I love skirts, and don't wear them enough.
12. I see that you've recently acquired a passport. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go and with whom?
I'd really like to go to Europe. First Italy, then France, England, Ireland, Spain. Then Egypt (I realize that's not Europe. I really do.). I'd go with my husband so we could cause trouble in as many bars as possible.
13. Tell the truth: when you go to other people's houses, do you look in their medicine cabinet?
No, but not because I'm not nosy. I just don't find medicine cabinets interesting. I'd rather check out the music collection, book collection, and pantry (in that order).
14. Is there anything you wish I'd asked you?
"Robyn, how do you write such funny things and take such excellent pictures? Also, how do you get your hair so bouncy and shiny?" If that seems over the top, I would settle for, "Robyn, what is the air-speed velocity of an unladen
swallow?"
1. You mentioned that you read cookbooks as if they were novels. If you had to chose, which 3 cookbooks could you not live without?
This was really hard. I have many books, and I love most of them for different reasons. "Joy of Cooking", because it's an icon and the epitome of usefulness and classic styling. I have my new version, and also my grandmother's crumbling, yellowed copy. Guess which one I love more? "Commander's Kitchen", because I get to read about New Orleans and awesome food at the same time. And loath as I am to admit it, "Rachael Ray's 365: No Repeats". I do NOT like to read that one like a novel, because her "voice" grates, but it's an extensive and quite diverse idea book for me, and possibly the most "workhorse" cookbook I have. I never follow a recipe exactly - just find ideas she threw together and substitute what's in my fridge that night.
2. What is the worst thing you've ever cooked? The best?
I can't think of any one recipe or particular meal that turned out godawful. I can say that I have overcooked chicken, turning it dry, which is one of the worst things on the planet. Also one time I was making some garlicky shrimp pasta with cream cheese as a component of the sauce, and it turned out a big, glue-thick pasta-cream cheese ball. Tasted ok enough, but the texture was just too much to overlook. I had made the same thing successfully once before, so to this day I cannot figure what went wrong with that one. Obviously it still bothers me.
I'm having a VERY hard time coming up with the best all time thing I've cooked. I make excellent: pot roast, Caesar salad, guacamole, enchiladas, and hamburgers (yes, basic hamburgers!). And a grilled cheese, bacon and tomato sandwich that is to die for, but only in the summer, of course.
3. You have, um, very diverse taste in music...everything from Wilco and Hole to Hall and Oats and J Geils Band. Tell me which band/performer, from any era of your life, you would most love to see live?
Paul McCartney.
4. Fiction or non-fiction?
I have always been a fiction girl, until recently. The current pile on the floor by my bed consists of: Nigella Lawson's "Nigella Bites", Jamie Oliver's "Jamie's Dinners", Photoshop Elements 6: The Missing Manual, Anthony Bourdain's "The Nasty Bits". Also a big pile of magazines - Simple Scrapbooks, Cooking Light, Popular Photography. Not one page of fiction in the bunch. Hemingways "A Movable Feast"is sitting on my bedside table, but I haven't read it in 15 years and have no current plans to reread it, so I really can't explain that one. Perhaps it has been sitting there waiting for me to mention it in this interview so I can seem cool.
5. What clique were you part of in high school? If you were in high school now, knowing what you know, would you be part of the same one, or a different one?
Luckily, the clique situation in my school wasn't too bad, at least the way I saw it. That said, I was what you might consider a popular girl. I did cheerleading my first 2 years, until I realized it interfered with my party schedule. So that might explain a lot, right there. And I know everyone says this, but I really was friends with a wide range of people in school, from different "groups". But I know there are people I ignored who it probably would have been nice to get to know. If I had to go back now, I don't necessarily think I'd change my clique, but not because I think we were the coolest - because we weren't. It's just that I don't think it made any difference in how things turned out for me.
6. How did you meet your husband? How soon did you know you'd spend your life with him?
We met on America Online in 1995 in a Parrothead chat room - before hooking up on the internet was the cool thing to do. Everyone thought we were crazy. I knew I'd spend my life with him pretty quickly - I moved from Colorado to Pennsylvania (for grad school) by 1996 and found myself engaged by the start of 1997, at the age of 22.
7. Tell me (ok and the world) a secret talent that you have. What talent would you most LIKE to have?
I wish I only needed 3 hours of sleep a night. It seems so... utilitarian to think of not needing sleep as a talent, but I guess that just clearly illustrates what's most important to me right now.
As far as a secret talent that I have, I have to say that I spent way too long trying to think of what to say for this, and that usually means I am making something way harder than it has to be. But the truth is I don't have some quirky, useful or unique little thing to share with you. So since I knew I needed to find a way to answer the question, I did what I usually do when I am stumped - I asked my husband what he thought my secret talent was. After a few moments of thought and after I explained that I didn't consider my ability to not only touch my toes but place my entire palms flat on the floor a secret talent, he completely surprised me by saying, "I think your secret talent is writing.". He then very sweetly stumbled about trying not to make me feel bad because what he meant was not that I am the best writer he's ever known, but that I am a decent writer who has done my best to keep it a secret. And he's right. I used to think I wanted to be a writer in high school, but changed my mind and became a speech therapist instead. I've never kept a diary, wrote a journal, slipped love sonnets in his lunchbag or tried to write a novel. I don't even write much in birthday cards. So here I am with a blog, and some of the things I write don't completely suck. Who knew?
After I get my t-shirt printed that says "Best Writer Ever (Marc Said So!)", I'm pretty sure he will never pay me another compliment ever again.
8. If there were a movie made of your life, who would play you?
Oh, this is tricky, tricky, tricky. How about Kate Winslet? She'd have to go brunette, but it would be such a juicy part that I'm sure she wouldn't mind.
9. I see that you have two kids under the age of 3. If you could have an entire week to yourself (no kids, no husband) what would you spend your time doing?
Oh my God, the thought makes my head spin. I would like to do some projects that I always put on the back burner - some scrapbooking and photography stuff that I can never really devote a lot of time to. I'd watch all my favorite dance movies, and probably read a lot too. I wouldn't leave the house much - I'd get take-out food until I got tired of it and wanted to cook again. Then I'd cook whatever I wanted at whatever time I wanted without worrying about what everyone else is going to eat. I'd stay up late every night and sleep in every day. I'd play my music loud, and probably spend more time than even I would like reading blogs and such. And about halfway through, I'd probably miss my husband and kids too much and beg them to come home, thus ending the freedom.
10. Have you ever blogged about something you've regretted?
Not yet. I feel like I should eventually, just to get the full experience of blogging. But we'll see if I'm ever brave enough.
11. Tell me some of your favorites: food, beverage, book, movie, smell, city, article of clothing.
Food: This is just not fair. I cannot decide between bacon or Little Debbie's Nutty Bars.
beverage: Coke (Alcoholic beverage - Mojito)
book: You are a cruel, cruel woman, Kate. I will give you 3 - "The Mists of Avalon" by Marion Zimmer Bradley, "The Witching Hour" by Anne Rice, and "Beach Music" by Pat Conroy.
movie: I don't have a favorite of all time. I can tell you that the best movie I have seen in the past 6 months is "Deja Vu" with Denzel Washington. I LOVED this movie.
smell: Lilacs (Alternate answer: bacon. I am a bit embarrassed about all the bacon love, really.)
city: New Orleans
clothing: I love skirts, and don't wear them enough.
12. I see that you've recently acquired a passport. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go and with whom?
I'd really like to go to Europe. First Italy, then France, England, Ireland, Spain. Then Egypt (I realize that's not Europe. I really do.). I'd go with my husband so we could cause trouble in as many bars as possible.
13. Tell the truth: when you go to other people's houses, do you look in their medicine cabinet?
No, but not because I'm not nosy. I just don't find medicine cabinets interesting. I'd rather check out the music collection, book collection, and pantry (in that order).
14. Is there anything you wish I'd asked you?
"Robyn, how do you write such funny things and take such excellent pictures? Also, how do you get your hair so bouncy and shiny?" If that seems over the top, I would settle for, "Robyn, what is the air-speed velocity of an unladen
swallow?"
letter of grievance
Now if only he could read.
Thank you, Bureau of Communication.
Who do you want to reprimand/thank/inform of a crush/offer unsolicited feedback to?
Thank you, Bureau of Communication.
Who do you want to reprimand/thank/inform of a crush/offer unsolicited feedback to?
Sunday, February 10, 2008
but i'm not bitter
So yesterday David and I participated in our first-ever caucus. We really didn't know what to expect, but we did know for sure that I was 100% behind Obama, and David was going in completely uncommitted to either of our options. Now, we're both pretty passionate about politics, so we spend a good amount of time discussing the situation. And try as I might (and trust me, I did everything short of telling him he'd never get laid again unless he voted for Obama in the caucus), he was not to be swayed. If anything, he was leaning more toward Hillary WHICH MADE ME CRAZY. How could he not see it?? Hillary is just more of the same: privileged, white and willing to be bought. But one of the things I love most about David is that he's not one to decide anything lightly; he'll question and research and read everything he can get his eyeballs on and consider every. single. angle. He is still unhappy that Kucinich dropped out; he wants to talk about how TWO parties aren't enough, how we should have more options. My point (which I may have mentioned a few times) was that regardless of what we NEED, we currently DO have a two party system and he needed to shut the fuck up and vote for Obama. ahem.
So we get to the caucus station and we're milling around....it's quite unorganized and people are gathered into groups according to their precincts and some people are standing on chairs addressing their groups and our group leader doesn't seem to be doing much of anything. So as we're just waiting, we spot Witchie Poo (aka Eric's girlfriend) who is, it turns out a rabid Hillary supporter. That did it; when it was time for us to sign in and list our preference, AFTER ALL MY PERSUASIVE ARGUMENTS AND ULTIMATUMS, David wrote down "Obama". All to spite Jennifer. (Which is a sweet gesture in and of itself, but still.)
Finally things begin to happen, and our precinct organizer gives us the chance to speak up and make a case for his or her candidate. After several people had stood up and told us why they intended to vote for one or the other, David, much to my surprise, raised his hand and said he'd like to say something. “Hmmpph.” I thought. “Mr. Undecided has something to say, does he??” Well, he began speaking, about how we as Americans can and should demand more than a two-party system, that we can and should demand health-care for all, that we can and that we MUST question our government. That we must not be afraid to speak out and that if necessary, we should be willing to strike as they do in other countries. That we, the people of America, must remember that government is supposed to work FOR US, not the other way around. And that if we ARE going to have only a two-party system, we MUST hold our politicians to a higher standard and demand that they hear us and act accordingly. I'm paraphrasing, but it was a remarkable, articulate and passionate speech. People cheered. One guy yelled "YOU run for office!" and people made their way over to us to pat him on the back and thank him for saying what they, too, believed. And then, when our precinct split up between the Hillary supporters and the Obama supporters, it was time for each group to vote to choose our delegates to participate in the state caucus.
AND WHO DO YOU THINK GETS TO GO TO THE STATE CAUCUS TO VOTE FOR OBAMA???
I told my mom about this, and said that at least I'm an alternate. And that I was seriously considering, you know, poisoning David's dinner the night before the caucus so that I (the RIGHTFUL OWNER OF THE GOLDEN TICKET GODDAMNIT) could attend in his place. She mentioned that I might not want to kill him, since he is my fiancé. And I said "Oh, I don't plan to kill him. I'm just going to make him very, VERY uncomfortable."
So we get to the caucus station and we're milling around....it's quite unorganized and people are gathered into groups according to their precincts and some people are standing on chairs addressing their groups and our group leader doesn't seem to be doing much of anything. So as we're just waiting, we spot Witchie Poo (aka Eric's girlfriend) who is, it turns out a rabid Hillary supporter. That did it; when it was time for us to sign in and list our preference, AFTER ALL MY PERSUASIVE ARGUMENTS AND ULTIMATUMS, David wrote down "Obama". All to spite Jennifer. (Which is a sweet gesture in and of itself, but still.)
Finally things begin to happen, and our precinct organizer gives us the chance to speak up and make a case for his or her candidate. After several people had stood up and told us why they intended to vote for one or the other, David, much to my surprise, raised his hand and said he'd like to say something. “Hmmpph.” I thought. “Mr. Undecided has something to say, does he??” Well, he began speaking, about how we as Americans can and should demand more than a two-party system, that we can and should demand health-care for all, that we can and that we MUST question our government. That we must not be afraid to speak out and that if necessary, we should be willing to strike as they do in other countries. That we, the people of America, must remember that government is supposed to work FOR US, not the other way around. And that if we ARE going to have only a two-party system, we MUST hold our politicians to a higher standard and demand that they hear us and act accordingly. I'm paraphrasing, but it was a remarkable, articulate and passionate speech. People cheered. One guy yelled "YOU run for office!" and people made their way over to us to pat him on the back and thank him for saying what they, too, believed. And then, when our precinct split up between the Hillary supporters and the Obama supporters, it was time for each group to vote to choose our delegates to participate in the state caucus.
AND WHO DO YOU THINK GETS TO GO TO THE STATE CAUCUS TO VOTE FOR OBAMA???
I told my mom about this, and said that at least I'm an alternate. And that I was seriously considering, you know, poisoning David's dinner the night before the caucus so that I (the RIGHTFUL OWNER OF THE GOLDEN TICKET GODDAMNIT) could attend in his place. She mentioned that I might not want to kill him, since he is my fiancé. And I said "Oh, I don't plan to kill him. I'm just going to make him very, VERY uncomfortable."
Friday, February 8, 2008
Can we change America? YES WE CAN!!!
Wow. I just got back from seeing Michelle Obama speak and I'm going to write about it while I'm still high and her words are still fresh. It was only announced late Wednesday that she was coming, but one of the best things about my job is that I can just say "Hey, I'm taking Friday off to go see Michelle Obama." And I'm so glad I did. I even took Anna out of school a little early and took her with me. After all, it's not every day that you get to see the potential next First Lady speak. As I told her, "This probably won't mean much to you today, but one day, you'll think this was pretty cool." Anyway, it was a great turnout, close to 2,000 people. Nothing compared to Barack's 14,000 in Boise, but it was on a work day AND Hillary decided to come to town and speak at the exact same time as Michelle. So all 7 (ha!) of Spokane's Democrat's had to decide between the two. I chose to go to see Michelle because, while I'll obviously vote for Hillary if she's our candidate, I am 100% behind Obama. Going into Michelle's speech, I'd say I was 85% for him and 15% for Hillary. But his lovely, intelligent and articulate wife just sealed the deal for me, and here's why: I've always felt that Hillary is just too much of a politician. She has spent her entire adult life, her whole career, working toward being President. She, I think, wanted it more than Bill did. But America wasn't ready for a woman president then, and they knew that. I question her values and motives; frankly I don't consider her to be that much different than Bush, Cheney and all those rich white guys we currently have in office who are controlled entirely by special interests. She may have more experience in Washington DC, but is that really a good thing?? I don't think so.
Barack, on the other hand is different. First of all, he was raised by a single mother, a white woman raising a small black boy in the 60s. She worked hard to support him, but at times they were on food-stamps. Nonetheless, she knew that she had something to give, so she packed up her son and moved them to Indonesia, so that she could work to educate and empower young Indonesian women who would otherwise live a lifetime of poverty. Barack Obama's father is African, and his grandmother lives, literally, in a mud hut in Kenya. He spent most of his childhood in the poorest parts of Chicago. And yet his mother instilled in him the belief that he could do and be anything he set his mind to. He went to Princeton (where he met Michelle) and then to Harvard Law School. Not because his daddy and grandfather did, but because he worked his ass off to get there. Then after graduating from Harvard law, he easily could have gone into corporate law or to Wall Street; he had offers. But he wanted to go back to Chicago and make a difference for the people he'd grown up with there. And he did. He and his family have sacrificed living a fat, comfortable life so that he could DO THE RIGHT THING. Did you know that he and Michelle just finally paid off their student loans THREE YEARS AGO?? He knows what it's like for people who work minimum wage jobs to support their family, because he grew up that way. Now, I don't know much about Hillary's upbringing, but I know it wasn't as a poor black child with a single mother in Chicago's roughest neighborhoods. To me that speaks VOLUMES about who he is and what matters to him. I truly believe that he is the best chance we have at REAL CHANGE in this country. I, for one, am tired of our country being run by people who are part of that .01 percent of the nation's wealthiest people. They have never had to struggle, to do without, to work 3 jobs to put food on the table. It is absolutely not right that most mothers are unable to stay home with their children because she must also work to support the family. For all these wealthy, white candidates who grew up privileged (or even just middle-class), where is their motivation to change our health-care system so that every child in this country has health-care? Where is their motivation to keep social security available when they have billions in the bank themselves? It makes no difference in their lives or in the lives of the people they grew up with, so why would it even be on their radar? It's NOT. Hillary just isn't that much different from the fat cats who have been running our country forever. Barack IS different. He is change. And tomorrow, I'm going to caucus and he is getting my vote. Then I'm going to call his campaign office here in town and I am going to volunteer. He's my man. Yes, we CAN!!!
Barack, on the other hand is different. First of all, he was raised by a single mother, a white woman raising a small black boy in the 60s. She worked hard to support him, but at times they were on food-stamps. Nonetheless, she knew that she had something to give, so she packed up her son and moved them to Indonesia, so that she could work to educate and empower young Indonesian women who would otherwise live a lifetime of poverty. Barack Obama's father is African, and his grandmother lives, literally, in a mud hut in Kenya. He spent most of his childhood in the poorest parts of Chicago. And yet his mother instilled in him the belief that he could do and be anything he set his mind to. He went to Princeton (where he met Michelle) and then to Harvard Law School. Not because his daddy and grandfather did, but because he worked his ass off to get there. Then after graduating from Harvard law, he easily could have gone into corporate law or to Wall Street; he had offers. But he wanted to go back to Chicago and make a difference for the people he'd grown up with there. And he did. He and his family have sacrificed living a fat, comfortable life so that he could DO THE RIGHT THING. Did you know that he and Michelle just finally paid off their student loans THREE YEARS AGO?? He knows what it's like for people who work minimum wage jobs to support their family, because he grew up that way. Now, I don't know much about Hillary's upbringing, but I know it wasn't as a poor black child with a single mother in Chicago's roughest neighborhoods. To me that speaks VOLUMES about who he is and what matters to him. I truly believe that he is the best chance we have at REAL CHANGE in this country. I, for one, am tired of our country being run by people who are part of that .01 percent of the nation's wealthiest people. They have never had to struggle, to do without, to work 3 jobs to put food on the table. It is absolutely not right that most mothers are unable to stay home with their children because she must also work to support the family. For all these wealthy, white candidates who grew up privileged (or even just middle-class), where is their motivation to change our health-care system so that every child in this country has health-care? Where is their motivation to keep social security available when they have billions in the bank themselves? It makes no difference in their lives or in the lives of the people they grew up with, so why would it even be on their radar? It's NOT. Hillary just isn't that much different from the fat cats who have been running our country forever. Barack IS different. He is change. And tomorrow, I'm going to caucus and he is getting my vote. Then I'm going to call his campaign office here in town and I am going to volunteer. He's my man. Yes, we CAN!!!
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Wahooo!!!
Mitt Romney dropped out!!!! Having grown up in S. Idaho, the thought of possibly having a Mormon President scared the bejeesus out of me.
Also heard on the news: Seattle's mayor has submitted a proposal to create a "sliding scale" of sorts for people registering new cars. If you purchase, say, a Hummer you're going to pay extra for the extra carbon emmissions. He said "If you're going to buy a car with complete disregard to the environment and global warming, you should have to pay for that the damage that car is going to cause." I LOVE IT!!! Although if the fact that they are directly contributing to global warming and our gas/oil crisis doesn't phase them, neither will having to pay $180 dollars to license their shiny new obnoxious Hummer. Is it wrong to want to flip-off every Hummer-driving cave-man I see?
Also heard on the news: Seattle's mayor has submitted a proposal to create a "sliding scale" of sorts for people registering new cars. If you purchase, say, a Hummer you're going to pay extra for the extra carbon emmissions. He said "If you're going to buy a car with complete disregard to the environment and global warming, you should have to pay for that the damage that car is going to cause." I LOVE IT!!! Although if the fact that they are directly contributing to global warming and our gas/oil crisis doesn't phase them, neither will having to pay $180 dollars to license their shiny new obnoxious Hummer. Is it wrong to want to flip-off every Hummer-driving cave-man I see?
What I'd like to know is...
I'm going to start a new tradition, if you will. Once a week I'm going to ask the universe (and my 3 readers) a deep question that plagues me.
This week's question is: why are teenage boys such buttheads? Last night, after I'd gone to bed, David heard a commotion outside and went to investigate. A few teenage boys who had been wandering aimlessly around the neighborhood decided it would be a good idea to steal our beloved GIANT ICICLE. It had grown and grown and was now all the way down to the ground. It was VERY impressive. So impressive that these n'er do wells decided they must destroy it. And so they did. But in the midst of their evil deed, one of them dropped their cell-phone in the 3 foot deep snow. HAHAHAHAHAHA serves you right you little shit!! Ahem. David, being waaaaaaaay nicer than I am, HELPED THEM LOOK FOR IT and even went inside and dialed the little turd's phone number in attempt to locate it. No luck. Again, HAHAHAHAHAHA. Now said boy must go confess to his parents that he lost his cell phone while stealing someone's prized icicle.
It's called karma, baby.
This week's question is: why are teenage boys such buttheads? Last night, after I'd gone to bed, David heard a commotion outside and went to investigate. A few teenage boys who had been wandering aimlessly around the neighborhood decided it would be a good idea to steal our beloved GIANT ICICLE. It had grown and grown and was now all the way down to the ground. It was VERY impressive. So impressive that these n'er do wells decided they must destroy it. And so they did. But in the midst of their evil deed, one of them dropped their cell-phone in the 3 foot deep snow. HAHAHAHAHAHA serves you right you little shit!! Ahem. David, being waaaaaaaay nicer than I am, HELPED THEM LOOK FOR IT and even went inside and dialed the little turd's phone number in attempt to locate it. No luck. Again, HAHAHAHAHAHA. Now said boy must go confess to his parents that he lost his cell phone while stealing someone's prized icicle.
It's called karma, baby.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
oh what a tangled web we weave...
(click to see larger)although she did say to me this morning "This looks a lot like you're handwriting!" then: "I'm going to write another note but this time I'm going to hide it so that ONLY the tooth-fairy can find it. That will be the test!" The little bugger's on to me, I'm afraid. I'm gonna miss these days....
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
ok, now lala's questions
My other sister (and oh man, you can read HER most embarrassing moments here) has come up with two more questions. So here we go:
Other than losing a family member, what scares you most? Definately the thought of someone abusing/or abucting my child. Or, um, some crazy crack-head holding me up at gunpoint over $200. Oh, wait, I already did that one. Ok, wow, this isn't very light-hearted, is it? So aside from that...um, I'm really freaked out by weasles and ferrets. Creepy, hairy, stinky little rodents. Just...ewwwwwwww.
Strangest place I've ever had sex? Mom, please, for the love of god, go watch Jeapardy or something. Well, um, once on a boat in the middle of Payette Lake in broad daylight on an August weekend. There might have been alcohol and some herbage involved. And that's all I'm sayin' about THAT...as if there's anything LEFT to say.
Ok, NEXT!
Other than losing a family member, what scares you most? Definately the thought of someone abusing/or abucting my child. Or, um, some crazy crack-head holding me up at gunpoint over $200. Oh, wait, I already did that one. Ok, wow, this isn't very light-hearted, is it? So aside from that...um, I'm really freaked out by weasles and ferrets. Creepy, hairy, stinky little rodents. Just...ewwwwwwww.
Strangest place I've ever had sex? Mom, please, for the love of god, go watch Jeapardy or something. Well, um, once on a boat in the middle of Payette Lake in broad daylight on an August weekend. There might have been alcohol and some herbage involved. And that's all I'm sayin' about THAT...as if there's anything LEFT to say.
Ok, NEXT!
more answers to more questions you never asked
Ok, so my sister Jodi answered my questions, and if you want to laugh until you pee your pants, go read her answer to my question number two. We are a family without pride or ego.
Now, the questions she added:
If you could talk to 2 people who are dead, who would it be and what would you ask him/her or what would you talk about? Well, number one would be my dad. And honestly, I'm not going to tell you what I'd ask him. I don't mean to be vague (or non-compliant) but I have a complicated history with my father and I'd like some explanations, but I'm going to leave it at that. Then...oh god, I don't mean to be morose or morbid, but I'd ask David's real dad what the the HELL he was thinking. Jeez. Aren't you glad you asked? Oh, and love to have a long conversation with George Burns about what made his marriage with Gracie work for so long.
Other than your children, what have you accomplished that you're most proud of? Ok, time to lighten up. I'm proud of my long-term friendships that have endured everything from puberty, boys, college, deaths of fathers, marriage, divorces, re-marriage, babies and distance. Oh, I'm also proud of our home and how everyone who comes in comments on how warm and happy and comfortable it is. And that comes from it being filled with love.
Now, sister, you have to answer your own questions!
Now, the questions she added:
If you could talk to 2 people who are dead, who would it be and what would you ask him/her or what would you talk about? Well, number one would be my dad. And honestly, I'm not going to tell you what I'd ask him. I don't mean to be vague (or non-compliant) but I have a complicated history with my father and I'd like some explanations, but I'm going to leave it at that. Then...oh god, I don't mean to be morose or morbid, but I'd ask David's real dad what the the HELL he was thinking. Jeez. Aren't you glad you asked? Oh, and love to have a long conversation with George Burns about what made his marriage with Gracie work for so long.
Other than your children, what have you accomplished that you're most proud of? Ok, time to lighten up. I'm proud of my long-term friendships that have endured everything from puberty, boys, college, deaths of fathers, marriage, divorces, re-marriage, babies and distance. Oh, I'm also proud of our home and how everyone who comes in comments on how warm and happy and comfortable it is. And that comes from it being filled with love.
Now, sister, you have to answer your own questions!
deep questions
Ok, so out of sheer lack of anything interesting to say, I've decided to interview my sisters. Or to start a "meme", whatever you want to call it. David and I were talking the other day about our blogs, and I said that I felt I know both my sisters (we all live in different towns) much better because of our blogs; you learn things about people that they might not bring up in a phone call. So...in the spirit of keeping the learning going, here are the questions I posed to them. They will answer them on their blogs here and here, and I'll answer the questions below. Then each of them will add a question for the other sisters. Anyone who would like to play along, consider yourselves invited!
1. If you could have any magic power, what would it be and what would you do with it? Ok, this is purely selfish, but I'd love to be able to fly. I'd soar over the Grand Canyon, the Swiss Alps and the Inland Passage. Oh, and the magic power to send all child-molesters to a remote island surrounded by blood-thirsty sharks, where they'd all live the rest of their lives experiencing KARMA.
2. What's the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to you? OH MY GOD, why did I ask this? Ok....here goes: once, I tooted/puffed/farted in a business meeting. I did. I don't know if anyone heard it, but I turned BRIGHT RED and couldn't speak for about 3 minutes. NICE. It was a loooong time ago, at an evil corporate empire, so really, they had it coming.
3. Name two things that scares you that you would like to try this year (or at some point in your life). Ok, I would like to try paragliding...but not this year. Also, and this does terrify me, I would like to try selling some of my hand-crafted items. I love making things for friends and family, but to assume that anyone would pay money for something I make seems so....presumptuous. eeek.
I look forward to your answers, sisters, and anyone else who wants to play.
1. If you could have any magic power, what would it be and what would you do with it? Ok, this is purely selfish, but I'd love to be able to fly. I'd soar over the Grand Canyon, the Swiss Alps and the Inland Passage. Oh, and the magic power to send all child-molesters to a remote island surrounded by blood-thirsty sharks, where they'd all live the rest of their lives experiencing KARMA.
2. What's the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to you? OH MY GOD, why did I ask this? Ok....here goes: once, I tooted/puffed/farted in a business meeting. I did. I don't know if anyone heard it, but I turned BRIGHT RED and couldn't speak for about 3 minutes. NICE. It was a loooong time ago, at an evil corporate empire, so really, they had it coming.
3. Name two things that scares you that you would like to try this year (or at some point in your life). Ok, I would like to try paragliding...but not this year. Also, and this does terrify me, I would like to try selling some of my hand-crafted items. I love making things for friends and family, but to assume that anyone would pay money for something I make seems so....presumptuous. eeek.
I look forward to your answers, sisters, and anyone else who wants to play.
Monday, February 4, 2008
red, blue and rainbow all over
I'm bursting with pride for my two "home states", Idaho and Oregon. First, Barack Obama came to Boise on Saturday and shocked everyone in this "reddest of red states" by drawing a crowd of over 14,000! That's almost double what was expected.
And then Oregon, my dear, sweet bi-polar, schizophrenic Oregon (divided literally and figuratively down the middle by the Cascade Mountains, with "lefties" on the left and conservatives on the right) today began legally recognizing "domestic partners", giving gay and lesbian couples the same rights as married couples. They will now be legally recognized as co-parents to their children, will be treated as a legal partner when it comes to hospitalization and insurance benefits. Just in time for "Freedom to Marry" week, which starts February 10th. In this day and age, I can't imagine why anyone could deny another person the right to marry whomever he or she loves. How can wanting to commit be wrong?
So good job, people of Idaho and Oregon. I'm proud to have called you neighbors, friends and family.
And then Oregon, my dear, sweet bi-polar, schizophrenic Oregon (divided literally and figuratively down the middle by the Cascade Mountains, with "lefties" on the left and conservatives on the right) today began legally recognizing "domestic partners", giving gay and lesbian couples the same rights as married couples. They will now be legally recognized as co-parents to their children, will be treated as a legal partner when it comes to hospitalization and insurance benefits. Just in time for "Freedom to Marry" week, which starts February 10th. In this day and age, I can't imagine why anyone could deny another person the right to marry whomever he or she loves. How can wanting to commit be wrong?
So good job, people of Idaho and Oregon. I'm proud to have called you neighbors, friends and family.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
