Friday fill-in

1. The last meal I had at a restaurant was tonight's Subway club with a double-shot of black olives.

If you mean a "real" restaurant, I think it was spaghetti at Romio's. Yum! Or maybe the sushi dinner was more recently that. I don't remember. (Like I said, we've been eating out a fair bit.)

2. Blind patriotism is something I intensely dislike and fear.

3. The full moon is gigantic and stunning after a hot day in Seattle.

4. "The mountains are out" is one of my favorite local expressions.

5. Sometimes it's best to skip watching the news.

6. Juno is still the best movie I've seen so far this year!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to Psych and maybe a little reading time, tomorrow my plans include picking up Frank at the airport!!!!!!!!, and Sunday, I want to be with Frank and help the girls get ready for camp!

Is it just me?

I get a little creeped out whenever I see a photo of Michael Phelps. Doesn't he look a lot like the evil mutant Sylar from
"Heroes"?

Is he on the list?

Please sign here

It seems unbelievable, but the Bush Administration is quietly trying to redefine "abortion" to include birth control. The Houston Chronicle says this could wipe out dozens of state laws that protect women's reproductive freedom and protect rape victims. This "rule change" doesn't need congressional approval.

Will you sign an emergency message to Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt, whose department is considering this rule change right now? MoveOn will pass your signature and information to the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, which will deliver the signatures to Leavitt.

http://pol.moveon.org/contraception/

Quirky meme

Randi tagged me.

Mention six quirky yet boring, unspectacular details about yourself. Tag six other bloggers by linking to them. Go to each person's blog and leave a comment that lets them know they've been tagged. If you participate, let the person who tagged you know you've posted your quirks!

1. Not lately, but sometimes my compulsion to nibble my fingernails is so strong that I can't resist it, no matter whose office I'm in or how stupid I look.

2. I have a few "systems" around the house (scissors in drawer A, razor blade for removing can labels on shelf B, etc.). It drives me BATTY if Frank or one of the girls messes with them. I turn into Mom-zilla.

3. When my bangs get too long, my allergies flare up.

4. At the health club, I split my 30-minute cardio routine between three machines because I get too bored staying on just one.

5. I don't like scrubbing pots and pans (especially cast iron!), but sticking my hand down the garbage disposal (when it's off!) to fish things out doesn't bother me much at all.

6. Lately, I'm lazy about working the clutch in the MR2. I don't press my foot down enough, so it doesn't engage (disengage?) fully, and then I have trouble shifting. Either that or the clutch is going out.

I tag Denise, Mom, Steph, and three volunteers MJ, Chloe, and Frank.

Check these guys out!

The Toucans just played Microsoft. They were great! Steel drum fun.

I especially enjoyed this, although the clip doesn't capture the coolest part of the song.

Insomnia Doings Report

I think my brain is too full. I specifically went to bed early last night so I would get a full eight hours, but no. I woke up at 5, in time to see one of those sunrises I was taking on faith a couple days ago. It's very pretty, but I'd rather I'd missed it. Oh, well, I'll sit here admiring the peach-toned sky and blog some doings.

Frank hasn't had time to tell us all his stories, but he did say one thing last night that was nice to hear: they had a very good time. That wasn't clear from our two-minute sat-phone chats, so I'm glad he finally had the chance to communicate it.

My talks are coming along. Drafts are due this week so that Kelly can prepare transcripts for some hearing-impaired attendees. I think the drafts won't be as long as the final versions, but they'll definitely be able to get the drift.

There, don't I sound calm? In reality, I'm all in a dither because I won't be completely done by this "deadline." Breathe, Ronnie. All is well.

MJ received her replacement lens yesterday. Did I tell this story? Probably not. On the 4th of July, I knocked MJ's camera off the couch. It was fine that day, or seemed to be, but a few days later, the lens sort of froze up, and then it broke. Or we broke it trying to get it unfrozen. Anyway, there was something rattling around inside it, which couldn't be a good sign. We *really* wanted to be able to take her camera to RU Fun, so we hustled off to Circuit City to get a replacement. Of course, they only had telephoto lenses in stock, so, damn, MJ had to have an early birthday present, and we got some very cool candid photos of people at RU Fun who didn't know they were being photographed, and MJ loved her new toy. But over the past couple of weeks, she has started really missing the old lens, since it was better for self-portraits and other close-range work. We priced them online and she was able to afford one, so she ordered it. It arrived yesterday.

This explains the flurry of STUNNING photos on her photo blog.

Chloe has been working on her story. I am not privy to many details of said story, so that's about all I can tell you, except that she's very dedicated.

The three of us went for a walk at sunset last night. Our neighborhood really is a pleasant place to stroll. We love looking at the 20s architecture, and a few of the neighbor cats will come out to greet us. Several people had their sprinklers going (not realizing that brown is the new green), and Chloe took big, looping detours to avoid stepping on wet sidewalks. I'm not sure why, but her mystery is part of her charm. My fairy child. Anyway, it was fun, and I took some photos finally, although I haven't posted them yet. (MJ is able to get her camera card to work in my computer, so maybe she can teach me and I'll get back into my pre-sailing routine.)

Steph said she's looking forward to my blogging from Europe. I had to confess that I'm not sure I'll be blogging then, because I want to live it more than write about it. You all might have to wait until October for pictures and stories from our trip.

I think I've discovered the cure to my monthly Pouty Mouthy Shrew phase: exercise. I was completely cheerful all through the usual Days of the Grouch. I'm less chipper this week, but (a) nobody can maintain that good a mood indefinitely without pharmaceutical assistance, and (b) I'm really missing Frank this week, and (c) I'm stressed about my talks.

About (b): It occurred to me yesterday that this is the longest Frank and I have been apart since 1986. We've done two weeks before but never three.

The girls and I are reading the new Artemis Fowl book together. We're enjoying it, but the subject matter is a little on the grim side: Artemis' mother is dying. I'm sure Artemis and Holly will find the cure and triumph in the end, but it's still a less than pleasant theme. What is pleasant is reading with my daughters again. We do less of this now that they're teenagers, so it's been nice to get back to it.

The sun just popped over the trees, so I guess I'll go ahead and start my day. My (very few) early-bird coworkers will be quite surprised to see me so early.

Arrival

Frank is at Judy's. Bob and Gort are at a municipal pier because there isn't as much depth as advertised for getting into the marina where Bob had made arrangements for a slip. They'll move the boat tomorrow.

All is well.

The Rigolets!

Gort has reached the Rigolets (the not-straight straight into the lake, pronounced rig-uh-lees by the locals). They have huge wind from exactly the wrong direction today, so they're still motoring. Kind of disappointing for a couple of sailors.

They decided not to stop for fuel in Gulfport. Their supply seems good, and if they've miscalculated, well, Bob has tow insurance.

They are going to keep motoring through the thunderstorms and cross Lake Pontchartrain to Bob's slip. Frank will be at Judy's tonight!

I assume Judy knows this. Hmm. Maybe I should call her. :-)

A haiku from Chloe

Oh, sweet graham cracker!
How I love to munch on you!
You are delicious!

Mississippi

All is well. I'm having trouble finding them a working gas dock in Gulfport (continuing Katrina woes, three years later—so much for the land of opportunity), so they might end up taking a taxi to get some gas cans filled. But Gulfport is where they're headed. They'll anchor off Ship Island tonight, then head into port in the daylight tomorrow. I'm hoping they'll have cell service tonight so I'll get to talk to Frank again.

Update about 7:00 p.m. -- Frank just called via cell phone (they're near towers again!). They are anchored off of Ship Island and doing well. They are very much looking forward to being able to sleep all night tonight. They're going to check their fuel supply in the morning and then decide whether to go into Gulfport or just head for New Orleans.

A much calmer day

Frank and Bob had a much better day today, calm and uneventful. But it doesn't look like they made much headway (or maybe I had their position wrong yesterday). Frank says the wind is coming over their nose, so they're motoring. They plan to pull into Gulfport or Pass Christian sometime Monday for some diesel, and then continue on into New Orleans. After yesterday's progress, I thought they'd arrive a day earlier than that, so I'm feeling discouraged on their behalf. They seem upbeat, though, and mostly just relieved to be having an easy time of it again.

I haven't done a meme in a long time

These are from Sandra, who got them from Anet, who got them from Molly. (Keep the chain going!)

What is outside my front door: The little hill in our yard that all the neighbor kids love so much, our cars, neighbors' houses, a big (huge!) tree, the roof of the grocery store, the sky where sunsets happen.

What is on my mind: My talks, wondering how Frank and Bob are doing, the health club, my continued lack of phone at work (can you say "snafu"? I knew you could), my talks, wondering if the girls are awake, Bernie Mac, the election, my talks, amorphous happiness.

Things I am thankful for right now: Have you got an hour?

What I am reading: Nothing! Can you believe it? This is very unusual for me. But soon I will be researching my talks and reading lots and lots and lots.

Goings on inside the house: It's quiet. It's too quiet.

What I am listening to: The sounds of silence (lowercase). Yesterday, I listened to the Seahawks game during my drive home, between watching the first quarter with my favorite coworkers and watching the rest at home. Later today, I'll be listening to MJ's selections. (I'll bet you a million dollars that I will! That girl is as dependable as sunrise. Not that I ever see sunrise, but I assume it's happening.)

What I want: A fun last couple cruising days for Frank, and quickly passing time until he gets home. Happy girls. Fun and easy talk writing and actual talks that are even better. A reply from Chiara. A joyous trip to NC and Europe. Fingernails that continue to grow ('cause I haven't bitten them in weeks). A win for Obama in '08.

Things I'm creating: A healthier body. Stellar product documentation. Order out of chaos in my bedroom (or at least less chaos). Enthusiasm.

Things from the kitchen: (snort) Leftover takeout. I have cooked exactly once in the two weeks Frank has been away, and that was canned chili over pasta. But the teens that were here that night seemed to really enjoy it!

What I have planned for today: Going to the club with Chloe while MJ goes crabbing with Papa and Allesio. Writing my talks (dammit!). Emptying the remnants of Chloe's room out of my bedroom closet. (She used to sleep in there. "I sleep in the closet," she would tell people. But don't worry, it's a big closet. She had a double mattress in there! And lots of STUFF that she obviously doesn't miss much because it's been in there without her for years.)

What I have planned for this week: A week as fun and productive as last week.

Some current favorites: Lori and Brian (my favorite coworkers mentioned above). Psych (favorite TV show, but only because my other favorites haven't yet resumed). Those are the only favorites I can think of. I'm easily distracted.

But see this post for some things I'm really enjoying currently, and add "watching the Seahawks" to it.

*** If you do this meme on your blog, leave me a comment, k? I want to see! ***

Hawk Yeah!

Seahawks 34 Vikings 17

The Seahawks are looking good! A couple of the rookies seem pretty exciting! I can't wait for next week's game!

Not a good day

Here is where they are now.

Unfortunately, they had a lousy time getting there. A big squall rolled right over the top of them and kept them "busy" all day. It sounds like it slammed them. The mainsail tore, but Frank says the rip is below the first reef, so they reefed it in and it's still usable. Also, the compressor on the refrigerator went out (probably unrelated to the weather). I assume they'll still be able to use the engine to cool their food. If not, they might have a pretty boring diet for a couple of days.

Things have calmed down now (they're back on the engine and only doing 4 knots), so they're going to take turns getting some much needed rest.

A change of perspective

I felt really tired this morning as I dragged out of bed, but I let routine carry me to the club anyway. In the locker room there, I met a lady of 70+ who was pushing a walker around. I wished her a good morning and she responded in kind, and then she said, "I was feeling kind of tired this morning, so I came here for a change of perspective."

Indeed.

Where my Friday Fill-in led me today

To Australia, of course!

First to Julie's blog, and from there to

St. K.F.C., and from there to

footy in general.

Now I wish I could watch Robert Harvey's final season!

Did you ever have one of those moments?

Maybe you're doing the dishes, or sorting the mail, or getting the family ready to leave the house, and you look over at one of your kids, and it just hits you:

This is an amazing human being, and I am

immeasurably lucky to know her.

I love those moments. Heart wide open.

Friday fill-in

1. You know you're old when you're listening to the surprisingly conservative young woman who waxes your legs expound on her disdain for tattoos, and she refers to "older women," and you realize she's talking about women in their 40s like YOU.

2. My heart is divided between love and joy.

3. Sleep is what I need RIGHT NOW! (But I'll probably read for a while anyway.)

4. I have felt the cold, thin air up on the mountain, I have known the warm depths of the boundless sea.

5. Gah, won't these people ever stop punishing their children?

6. Start unschooling as soon as you can! (This means you! It's not just for kids!)

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to hearing the latest position report from Frank, eating our leftover bulgogi, and watching Psych, tomorrow my plans include writing my talks for Live and Learn, and Sunday, I want to go to the gym with my girls!

Progress

And here, this shows the difference in their position between yesterday at about 2:40 p.m. PDT and today at 6:06 p.m. PDT.

Becalmed and bumped

Here is where they are right now:

They don't have much wind and have been motoring more than they like. They're about to cut back on that, so they'll slow down a bunch. Up til now, though, they've been making excellent time, as you can see. Here's hoping the wind picks up (but not too much!) soon. Frank says the Gulf is like a lake, and it's really hot out there.

Their only bit of excitement was a sudden bump in the night. They ran around in a panic for a while, looking for the hole in the hull, before they figured out that a clumsy dolphin (part of a visiting pod) had run right into them.

Thursday 13

Thirteen Things I'm Really Happy About Right Now

1. Frank and Bob are enjoying themselves, they're safe, and their worst mishap thus far has been an encounter with a lobster pot. And the weather map is clear of tropical storms!!

2. I have my own office!

3. I have a new work computer and it's FAST.

4. I've been going to the health club, loving every minute I'm there, and enjoying an exercise high for hours afterward.

5. My asthma is nonexistent.

6. We are deep in trip planning and have decided to splurge on three nights in a Dublin B&B, less than a block from O'Connell Street. Virtually everything we want to see in Dublin is within walking distance. We've also reserved B&Bs in Counties Clare and Mayo, one night each, so we can swing past the Cliffs of Moher and the old McManaman sod (Achill Island) on the tail end of our trip. The rest of our time, we'll be based out of this cottage in County Wexford.

7. I get to see Chiara in less than a month!!!!!!!!!!!

(We are doing less Italian planning than Irish, because we're leaving ourselves in the capable hands of the Baldi. They are borrowing an RV from friends and plan to take us around. Chiara is beach crazy, so I'm sure a few southern beaches are on our itinerary. Other than that, we'll be doing the Trentino region, staying at Lake Garda. And we have definite plans to visit Venice.)

8. I read some good public-speaking advice and am feeling much more relaxed about my talks at Live and Learn next month.

9. I got my first paycheck (just in the nick of time).

10. Chloe and MJ are thriving despite their current lack of parenting. (Hmm...)

11. It's sunny and warm!

12. I have seventeen senses! (just a little inside joke)

13. I actually had an idea for a Thursday 13 this week!

(knock on wood)

Photos

Gail's blog has some photos of Frank, Bob, and Gort, not to mention some other people I'm rather fond of.

MJ's Flickr account has some photos from Chloe's play, not to mention some generally stunning photography.

No frog boilin' goin' on 'round here

Here's an excerpt from today's Daily Groove by Scott Noelle.

It's like that famous experiment where they tossed a healthy frog in boiling water and it leaped right out. But if they put the frog in cool water and raised the temperature gradually over several days, the frog would be able to *adjust* and stay in the water.

The slow boil seems more humane, but that "well-adjusted" frog eventually *died* from the heat! Whereas the non-adjusted frog's intact sensitivity protected it from being boiled.

Copyright (c) 2008 Scott Noelle. Used by permission.

(Hint: Your kid is the frog if you try to toughen him or her up! Beware of what works.)

Read the whole post here.

Ready, set, JUMP!

Frank and Bob have left Key West and are headed out into the Gulf! Winds are light and it's really hot, but they're on their way. They figure 5 days to reach the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, and then another day plus to reach New Orleans and, more specifically, Bob's slip across Lake Pontchartrain.

They'll be calling in every day via satellite phone with their position and to hear the latest weather report, so I'll keep you all apprised of their progress.

Safe harbor

Frank and Bob are safe in Key West. They are drinking wine coolers and making plans for a day of chores and shopping tomorrow.

Tales from the Keys (2008 edition)

Other than Tropical Storm Edouard (currently hovering off Louisiana and headed for Texas), the Gulf has gone quiet (too quiet?), so Frank and Bob have reverted to their original plan. They will pull into Key West tonight, spend tomorrow resting and prepping for the Gulf.

They had a little help making this decision: a lobster pot fouled the prop last night and prompted them to anchor off Long Key with plans to dive down this morning and defoul it. In the meantime, a rainless squall blew over them, rocking and rolling the boat and putting on a lightshow. This morning, when Frank went down to see to the entanglement, it was gone, and the prop was undamaged, and the shark wasn't terribly interested in German-Irish breakfast. Hurray!

So, they are in better spirits this morning than last night, especially knowing that they don't have to rush through their preparations.

Connections

I was doing my weather-girl thing this evening, checking out the weather systems in Florida and points south and east. From there, I started clicking other Wunderground links and ended up on this page about the Northwest Passage opening up. That article links to David Thoreson's blog post about sailing the passage on Cloud Nine, a privately owned sailboat that does regular circumnavigations and which has been crewed a couple of times by my first stepmother and dear friend, Cherie.

Attentive readers will recall that I previously mentioned David in this post. And I have pictures from my visit to Cherie's place in May of 2007 here.

All of this brings to mind this news article I read just today. A recent study of instant messaging patterns across the world indicates that the "six degrees of separation" thing is dead on.

It really is a small world.

Lemme have it

Okay, I went a whole month without approval, and it's best to start slow with these things, so I've opened up the photo blog to comments. Right now, only today's photos have comment links, but I'll gradually add them to the older ones, too.

Rounding the cape

The "Cape of Florida" that is.

After a restful night in the last available guest slip in Fort Pierce, Frank and Bob are back on the water today. They're doing another overnight passage and might pull into one of the Keys tomorrow.

The original plan was for them to head to Key West on Monday, to sleep and reprovision before they jump off into the Gulf. Unfortunately, I had to inform them this morning that a new invest (area of disturbed weather) has appeared on the tropical weather map. Invest 90L is not terribly impressive at the moment, with winds at only about 30 mph, but the computer models show it heading over Cuba and, presumably, right on into the Gulf. It has measurable potential for reaching hurricane status.

If Frank and Bob are efficient (and efficiency is fairly easy to achieve with a system pushing winds your way), they are a solid two days ahead of the storm. I couldn't say at this point whether they'll think that is enough advantage or not.

Friday fill-in

1. If I could travel back in time, assuming I could come back to the future again, I'd go to all of these places:
A. The Pacific Northwest before the loggers came.
B. Anywhere with a stock broker the day Microsoft stock went public (with funds in pocket), and then anywhere with a stock broker the day before it flopped.
C. Group Health Hospital in Redmond, Washington, on September 15, 1992, with my best powers of persuasion, to tell my younger self about unschooling.

2. Give me advance notice or give me Valium.

3. I am listening to "Alien" on On Demand, 'cause the girls are watching it downstairs. "You are my lucky star... lucky, lucky, lucky star."

4. Somewhere, someone is thinking something stupid. And they don't even know it!

5. I'll always be in love with Frank.

6. My idea of a good time includes my kids, OPKs, Frank, unschoolers, or any of the above in combination. And chocolate. And sometimes margaritas.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to Psych (yes, it's an addiction), tomorrow my plans include leg waxing and a trip to the health club with MJ and maybe Chloe, and Sunday, I want to play with Colin!

Wahoo!

Frank called via satellite phone as I was driving home. (But I was only on the phone for a minute, Officer, I swear!) After spending the day motoring as expected, he and Bob were thrilled by a wind shift with accompanying increase in wind speeds. They cut the motor and were still doing 9 knots. And judging from Frank's tone of voice, they were loving every minute of it.

A quote for the ages

Papa Tom to almost-13yo Megan: "Is that a jacket? It looks like a bra!"

Grammar from the Interwebs

The horror!

i no some of you dont like uesing the SDD wind shear maps but in tell the wind shear maps gets fixs this will have to do

My favorite part is "in tell" for "until."

Here's an edited version (just in case you couldn't decipher that):

I know some of you don't like using the SDD wind-shear maps, but, until they are fixed, this will have to do.

On the home front

I'm working a lot, trying to make up for the week I missed while we were in Canada (no regrets!) and prep for the month I will miss while we are in Europe. The girls have been entertaining themselves with a long, video-centric visit from Chelsea, some reading and writing of fanfiction (MJ), some helping Mom out (both), and some creating of a video-game walk-through (Chloe).

We're a little lonely for Frank, but life is good.

From a less lonely day:

Departure

Frank and Bob expect to head out into the Atlantic tomorrow morning. What winds there are, are out of the south, so they also expect to be doing a fair amount of motoring. They hope to reach Fort Pierce sometime Friday afternoon/evening, where they'll put in for more fuel and some uninterrupted sleep.

xkcd storm watch

Live images

I'm a Google user despite my employment, but I LOVE the image search on http://www.live.com. Check it out!

My favorite search: yawn

Notice how it will keep adding photos to the results page for as long as you're willing to keep scrolling. On the yawn results, I was willing for quite a while. :-)

Cap'n Blacktoes sails again

Frank just called. Bob is officially a boat owner! He is very excited, especially after their first little test sail.

Tonight, they have dinner with Gail and Broc (he of the long armspan for raffle tickets). Tomorrow, they stock and equip. Thursday, they sail. I'm their designated weather girl, so I'll be hearing from them and will post updates regularly.

Saturdays!

Don't you just love them?

MJ is mowing for dollars.

Frank is reading "Life Learning" magazine.

Chloe just got up.

I am doing a series of 5-minute tasks that I hope will total up to a measurable improvement in the length of my "ohmigod, there's so much to do" list.

And we get to see Harper and his family this afternoon.

What could be better?

Sleep is good

Okay, you all have to see these pictures if you haven't already. I'm going to "leverage" them since I didn't take a photo for my photo blog today.

http://gail-hummingbirdhaven.blogspot.com/2008/06/sleep-is-good-at-life-is-good.html

Thanks, Gail and Broc!

Fial

So, how'd you do on Learn Nothing Day? We failed. But we weren't surprised.

Another exercise that might be interesting is figuring out which day of the year one learns the most. I'm thinking Christmas, 'cause of all the new stuff to try out. Or maybe a day spent sightseeing in a new place. Or maybe a day spent watching videos or surfing the Internet.

What do you think?

Why "fial"?

Friday fill-in

1. I believe whatever doesn't kill you shapes your life.

2. If you're good at something, SHARE!

3. Why so grouchy, Charrrr-lieee?

4. Something is out there, it's life.

5. If my life were a sitcom, it would be titled "On the Road Again."

6. Sitting on my back porch, I see chores that need doing. (And thank you so much for reminding me, Janet and Sherry!)

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to Psych, tomorrow my plans include touring my new health club and seeing Harper and his family, and Sunday, I want to be with Frank!

Thursday 13

13 Things I Find Difficult

1. Intentionally violating a grammatical or typographical Convention. For example, I have a bumper sticker in my office that says this:

Chaos, Panic & Disorder..

My work here is done

Do you see that faulty ellipsis? It drives me crazy. And that capital C I put in "Convention" above? It's just WRONG.

But I'm leaving both in place. I think it's good for me.

2. Being indoors on a sunny day in the Seattle area, especially after a week on Salt Spring Island spent almost entirely outdoors.

3. Listening to GW Bush speak. At all. Even Jon Stewart's goofy Bush impersonations cause me to grit my teeth and/or shudder with revulsion.

4. Living with my (mild) asthma.

5. Waiting.


6. Being at work when my family needs me.

7. Being at home when my work needs me.

8. Resisting the temptations of the moment.

(OMG! Chocolate Shoes!)

9. Saying good-bye.



10. Asking people about themselves. I want to know, and I know intellectually that most people are happy to tell their own stories, but curiosity feels rude.

11. Keeping quiet when people around me are promoting traditional parenting or schooling.



12. Going to bed at least eight hours before I want to get up.



13. Coming up with ideas for Thursday Thirteens.

Getting Things Done

For some time now, I've been applying some of the organizational principles found in "Getting Things Done" by David Allen. I moved the system into Excel using ideas from Dave Pollard, and then I moved the system into Outlook using ideas from both Allen's own GTD and Outlook whitepaper and The Zen of Zero Mail.

Anyway, my personal system has all its own quirks and, well, personalizations, so I decided to reread "GTD" to see how far I've strayed from the path. Pretty far, as it turns out, so I'm refining my system yet again.

But in the meantime, I found this quote. You know how you feel like you have way too much to do for the time you have to do it in? Maybe this is why.

[Your current action items make up] the accumulated list of all the actions you need to take—all the phone calls you have make, the e-mails you have to respond to, the errands you've got to run, and the agendas you want to communicate to your boss and your spouse. You'd probably have three hundred to five hundred hours' worth of these things to do if you stopped the world right now and got no more input from yourself or anyone else.

And most of us keep all those things in our head! No wonder we feel stressed out!

Anti-journalism

McCain misspoke. CBS edited their interview with him, thereby concealing that McCain misspoke.



I can accept (or try to) that McCain got the timeline wrong. After all, I barely remembered the phrase "Anbar Awakening," let alone when it was first used. But that CBS showed McCain's response to one question as if it were the response to another... Call me naive, but that I find outrageous.

MoveOn has a petition going where you can object to this shoddy journalism. If you'd like to sign, click here.

It's Learn Nothing Day!

I dare you to try it!

http://sandradodd.com/learnnothingday/

Friends R Fun

We made it across the border! Twice!
We saw orcas from the ferry!
We enjoyed perfect weather! All week!
We ate pancakes!
We ate salmon!
We ate more salmon!
We ate salmon salad, salmon mousse, and salmon cakes!
We painted, glued, wrapped, tattooed, and dyed!
And we did some crafts, too!
We built dams and dug canals!
We paddled! We swam! We floated!
We rolled tubes!
We sang! We danced! We strummed and drummed!
We said "eh" and "oot" and "zed" and "dick" (I mean "deck")!
We spent loonies and toonies!
We might have slept a little!

But mostly we played with Meah, Fergus, Effie, Lily, Max, Otto, Sabine, Vivian, Fenna, Hamish, Dan, Benjaman, Cooper, Frankie, Noah and his brothers, Forest, Amy, Emma, Jayne, Erich, Autumn, Qacei, Madelyn, Conor, Shelby, Sasden, Sam, and probably a few more whom I am forgetting! Oh, yeah, and their parents!

It was a lovely, busy, noisy week. We're pooped!

Thanks, everybody!

P.S. MJ's camera got passed around some and we ended up with over 600 amazing photos. I imagine we'll post a few eventually.You can see some of the ones I took on my photo blog!!

Blogoversary

I've been blogging three years today.

A year or two prior to starting this blog, I took a survey at work that included questions about blogs. One of these was along the lines of, "Do you find blogs useful or entertaining?" Since at the time I barely knew what a blog was, my answer was a rather confident "No," with my interior monologue running along the lines of, "Newfangled contraptions, who needs 'em?!"

By now, my answer to the latter question is ME!! I need them! My own blog provides me with an outlet, a hobby, a forum, and sometimes a little therapy. The blogs of my friends and family members provide me with community, information, and entertainment, in quantities and of quality that I couldn't have imagined way back when.

Thanks for reading! I'd probably still blog if you weren't here, but it's ever so much more fun that you are.

Here's to the next three years!

This is cursed, that is cursed

Frank jinxed us. That's all there is to it.

Let's just review our last two weeks without him, shall we?

• The day he left, Chloe decided it would be a good idea to smash her face up. One trip to the ER.
• Two days after that, I tried to cook a frozen pizza for Conor and the girls (this being just about the limit of culinary abilities), and the oven. never. got. hot.
• Two days after that, when I had a houseful of guests and was preparing for a long holiday party, the water heater died the heat death. There was flooding. There were no showers. There were no clean dishes. There was a $500 charge at Lowe'st Point.
• And now today, the dryer won't work. It's a fairly new dryer. I can't find any obvious cause.

I am not sure what's going on here, but I don't like it one bit.

Get your fanny home, Frank!

Friday fill-in

1. Oh, I can't wait until I have a banana split.

2. Abundance is the first thing I see when I open my refrigerator.

3. I never leave home without my glasses and my inhaler.

4. If I were a condiment, I would be Thai sweet chili sauce because it's colorful, unique, sweet, and spicy.

5. Smoking is really high up on my list of pet peeves.

6. The last thing I thought of before I went to bed was things I have to do today.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to getting ready for our trip to Canada, tomorrow my plans include PICKING UP FRANK!!!!!, and Sunday, I want to have a hassle-free expedition!

Fuel for thought

Isn't it true that every time you step on the brake, you waste gasoline?

I'm all orientated

Two days into my new job and all is well. Orientation was surprisingly fun: even the two-hour legal briefing was entertaining and interesting. And I got a free mug and a pen, and the perks that go along with the benefits package are pretty nifty, and today I got my very own gen-u-ine blue badge.

But returning to my team with said blue badge felt very odd indeed, probably stemming from all those years when I told anyone who asked that I LOVED being a temp and had no interest in going blue.

"I used to care but... things have changed." — Bob Dylan

I am still Dua Khalil

Crud: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25571617/?GT1=43001



I am Dua Khalil, and I refuse to accept honor killings and the inequality of women as an acceptable status quo.

Reminder

Psst! Check out my photo blog! I'm being really good so far about posting at least one photo a day. Plus, my visitor stats are pretty pathetic. Help! :-)

Have you noticed...

...the Bush Out of Office Countdown is down to less than 200 days? Joy!

It rhymes (yes! it's a poem!)

A lovely Gold-en weekend was to close out my vacation,
But what we had instead was a minor tribulation.
The morning of the 4th started with a flood:
Turned out our water heater was a Big Fat Dud.

"It's flooding," cautioned Conor, with customary cool,
As I fixed my potluck salad, mindless of the pool.
Some brief investigation identified the source,
And stand-in manly men helped me stop it in due course.

With Our Hero and Our MJ mounting an attack,
Wading to their ankles and running the Shop-Vac,
And Chloe and her pals gathering things piratical,
I finished up the salad and avoided thoughts fanatical.

"I'm sorry," I kept saying, much to the Golds' dismay
('Though it gave them an idea for a new drinking game to play);
Then the pirates loaded up their ships and headed to The Club,
Trading water-heater battles for fireworks and grub.

But... but... but...

I found this on http://www.xkcd.com/ today:



Unfortunately, "Jaynestown" is actually the sixth episode (since the pilot is considered episode 0), and Jayne actually receives the rain stick in the fifth episode, "Our Mrs. Reynolds."

Shoddy research, xkcd.

The Fourth

There were unschoolers...


And pyromaniacs...


There were connections...


And the greatest toys...


And, of course, there were pirates...

Friday fill-in

1. Holidays in the summer are hot. Or rainy. Sometimes both.

2. Shrimp are my favorite things to grill.

3. My thoughts are fuzzy due to lack of sleep.

4. Watching and experiencing unschooler bonding is what I'm most looking forward to this weekend!

5. My favorite book so far this summer is The Lion's Daughter by Loretta Chase.

6. Sleeping in is the best way to begin a day, or, barring that, a caramel macchiato.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to the moment when my head hits the pillow, tomorrow my plans include recovery from Jon's assistance with my 4th of July stress, and Sunday, I want to hang, talk, play, and get ready for my big first day at work!

Thursday 13

Thirteen Questions I Bet Ingrid Betancourt Did *Not* Ask Her Children When They Were Reunited After Six Years Apart

1. Did you do your homework?

2. Is your room clean?

3. What's 8 times 7?

4. Did you brush your teeth?

5. Did you remember your thank-you's?

6. Are you wearing clean underwear?

7. What's the capitol of Iowa?

8. Will you please write an essay about your life without me?

9 through 13. (Never mind. You get the idea.)

Bonne nuit, Lestat

We said our good-byes to Lestat the Pirat today. Although his prognosis looked good immediately after his surgery, the tumor that had caused his eye problem grew back at an alarming rate and spread around his throat. He was a pretty sad little critter by the end.

To compound our grief, this concludes the Rat Era at the Maier house. While we enjoyed our little friends very much, my increasing allergic reaction and the too quick good-byes have led us to decide against getting another pair.

A sad morning.

Cast party

Back row from left (primary role): Josephine (Widow), Nora (one of the Lords Dumain), Tessa (Lafeu), Angela (interrogator), Mike (Parolles), Chloe (Diana), Mai (Countess of Roussillon), Hannah (Helena).

Front row from left: Morgan (King), Isabella (Bertram), Sam (Clown)

Not pictured: Forrest (Reynaldo)

A picture of me I actually kind of like...

...which probably means it doesn't look anything like me. :-)

Rules are not allowed

A follow-up to my language post...

My kids aren't "allowed" to do anything. Or rather, they're allowed to do anything. Or rather, they're not prohibited from doing anything.

We don't have rules in our house. Okay, maybe we have a few, and they apply to all who enter here:

• No smoking in the house
• Use a coaster
• Don't burn Lego men under the eaves

I think that's about it. Except maybe "Don't threaten Ronnie's supremacy." Yeah, that's a good one.

Over the years, we have had a lot of conversations about what constitutes polite, sensible, and/or legal behavior. If one of the girls is in danger of violating social mores or another person's peace or comfort, I might offer a warning (not a threat or a "don't", but a piece of information, such as "some people are really grossed out by chewing with your mouth open") or a request ("please watch your language in front of GG"). If one of them looks like she's about to walk off a figurative or literal cliff, I might say, "Look out!" And if one of them commits or contemplates committing an act that isn't legal, I might ask, "What, are you stupid?" (Okay, not really. Okay, maybe really.) But the decisions are theirs to make.

The point is, the behavior you see from my kids, good and bad, is their own. I might occasionally feel gratified by same, and I might very occasionally feel embarrassed by same, but it isn't my behavior, and I don't take credit for it when it's good. That's all theirs.

But I'll happily bear the blame for the bad if it makes you feel better about my girls. :-)

Colorful metaphors

Your use of language has altered since our arrival. It is currently laced with, shall we say, more colorful metaphors, "double dumb-ass on you" and so forth. — Spock, Star Trek IV

A slip of the tongue was probably the trigger for a conversation I overheard the other night on our way to the baseball game. I tuned in when MJ was explaining to 9yo Emma that she is allowed to use "bad" words. Someone asked by whom she was allowed, and she replied, "My mom." My grandma asked her not to use them in front of her. My mom asked for clarification about when she is allowed to use them. MJ admitted (with that word describing her tone of voice) that she isn't supposed to use them in front of grandparents.

The truth is, she is "allowed" to use whatever language she wants, whenever she wants. I have asked her to moderate her language around small kids and people who are sensitive to language (including grandparents), but she is free to disregard this request. In most cases, probably for her own reasons rather than mine, she watches what she says at family gatherings. But sometimes she slips and sometimes she lets fly.

I swear with some regularity, but I tend to use profanity to create impact in my speech. And indiscriminately while driving. Frank swears freely.

It's about personal expression. We (including our kids) are free to speak as we will. People who are offended are free—no, welcome—to ask us to stop, just as I asked a drunk guy at the game to stop dropping F bombs around Emma (he did).

And in the case of our daughters, it's about learning. We all experiment with language. Our speech rhythms and habits change over the course of our lifetimes. The societal rule that says kids don't get to experiment with profanity until they turn 18 or 21 or whatever is just silly. And unrealistic.

Did you wait until you were 18?

Finally, it's about comfort. I want my kids to be themselves around me. If a "colorful metaphor" will help them do that, I have no problem with that.

Visions

I've started a photo blog as a companion for this blog. Enjoy!

Visions of the Zombie Princess

Lips To Shame The Red Red Rose...Because They Are Covered In Blood

OR, I Feel Like House, MD


Congratulations! You are one of the lucky few to witness this rare and amazing event! It is...A blog post by Chloe (me)!


Yes, yes, stand amazed. But since it's mostly about her, she requested that she be allowed to write it.


Basically, this is a rundown of my day (which was fairly interesting, so far as days go) on Saturday the 28th of June. Woke up at NINE IN THE MORNING!!! Took a ridiculously long shower, got ready in a hurry, and left for Seattle shortly after ten. I got there like ten forty-five, I suppose, and stood behind a sign with my castmates for a few minutes before heading into the building. Rehearsed my play all the way through, took a break for a while to eat (didn't eat much. Mostly chased Mike around the theater because he stole my shoes). Then the performance, the last one, at two, for an hour and a half. We did pretty good, and there were many hugs when it was over.


Then, cast party/Sam's birthday party at Sam and Mike's house at seven.


Played, danced, talked to people, helped Isabella and Sam escort Mike to their apartment (the party was in a ground floor room) to get his iPod. As we came back down, Mike broke out of our arm-linking-chain-thingymajigger and took off across the parking lot. We, of course, chased after him.


And heeeeere's where it gets painful. He knew the bar was there, and he ducked under it. I didn't, and I ran into it. Cut on the gums where my upper gums connect to my upper lip (that thing that doesn't actually have a name). Cut on my top lip. Blood blister in between my two upper front teeth. One or two chipped teeth. And finally, last and worst, a huge, evil, cut on my lower lip. Ow.


Left the cast party then, drove to see the doctor, waited for like TWO HOURS to be told it didn't need stitches and I was free to go. He did prescribe me some Vicodin, though. Thus, I feel like House.


Picture of my gnarly lower lip

O Canada

I love Canadians. I occasionally want to be a Canadian. But it has not been a good week for U.S./Canada relations around here.

Conor is here early because they wouldn't let him in.

And last night, at the first in a 3-game series between the Mariners and the Blue Jays, we were distressed to have what should have been a friendly baseball game turn into an unfortunate display of nationalistic excess. Hundreds of Canadians and ex-pat Canadians turned up, which was fine. The singer sang "O Canada" along with "The Star-spangled Banner," which was more than fine. But the Canadian fans got a little carried away. It is, after all, the Seattle stadium, perhaps not the most polite location for celebrating either Blue Jays or Canadian-ness. Frankly, their behavior smacked strongly of the obnoxious display Americans typically put on at the Olympic Games.

I can't think of a more condemning description than that.

But Tom had the last word. After the game (which the Jays pitcher won for them, 2-0), Tom went into the restroom and encountered a group of guys continuing the "Let's go, Blue Jays" chant we had been listening to all evening. Tom said, "Congratulations! You beat the worst team in baseball!" It put things nicely in perspective. :-)

Black spots and domestic thoughts

After Chloe's little mishap on Saturday (details coming soon from Chloe herself), I have been calming myself by puttering around the house and yards.

I am not big on yard work, as anyone who has ever visited my house can attest. But it's not looking too horrible right now (except for The Jungle, our most prominent flowerweedbed). Before Frank left, we had a family day of weeding and weed-whacking (the latter known here as "killing aliens," since wielding the weed-whacker reminds us of Ripley's pose when she mowed down aliens with her futuristic machine gun). I have supplemented this effort with some additional weeding, and today I mowed the back with our newly repaired lawn mower. Phew! Hard work! I have a lovely little blister to show for it.

The rose bush is covered with black spots but flourishing nonetheless. If my puttering mood continues, I'll research what's causing the problem.

The original bout of weeding was inspired by our wish to pull the tent trailer into the yard and set it up. This is done, and we've barely seen Chloe since. She calls it her apartment and comes in now and then to "rent" a movie or grab some food. With the Golden Ones coming up for the 4th, she might have some company out there soon.

I've also been contemplating a few changes to the kitchen, since Frank isn't here to defend his territory. It doesn't seem quite fair, so I'll probably resist. Probably.

We're starting to think about starting to plan for starting to get ready for the 4th of July festivities and parade out at the beach. My mom and Tom and Chris do most of the work, of course, but our efforts gathering pirate gear and tables and chairs and coolers and potluck contributions and sunscreen and fireworks are measurable. It's a drop in the bucket of preparation, but I dread and procrastinate over it just the same.

And then it's my big start day. My boss (or maybe he's just my coworker now...?) sent me a little map that shows where my very own office will be in the new building. Pretty exciting! Except that I won't get to move in there until the 21st.

Fry expression

Evolving plans

I have been doing a lot of reading. Too much probably, but what the hell. In and around my forays into Regency England, Albania, Italy, and Egypt, I have been Scheduling Our Life. This is a remarkably time-consuming activity recently.

Take today for example.

• Chloe is due at the theater at 11.
• MJ and Chelsea need to be picked up from the beach to accompany us to the performance.
• Aaron is arriving at our house at 1 to accompany us to the performance.
• The performance is at 2 and will last about 2 hours.
• Frank needs to be at the airport by 4:30-ish.
• MJ and Chelsea need to be back to the beach by 5 or so to give the dog his evening medications.
• Aaron needs to be gotten home at a reasonable hour.
• Chloe has a cast party at 7.

The solution to this involves two trips to Seattle, one express bus, and assistance from two other sets of parents. It also involves one last session for me, passing some time in Seattle while I wait for Chloe to finish having fun.

Quite a day. And our calendar for the next few weeks resembles it.

Recent news:

• Frank is still going to New Orleans but the sailing had to be postponed due to government paperwork delays. He'll go down again later in the summer (deeper in hurricane season).
• My start date had to be postponed due to company paperwork delays and is now July 7th.
• Harper is coming for the 4th of July!
• So are the Golds!
• So is Kitty!

It should be quite a party.

Friday fill-in

1. Birthdays are certainly better than the alternative. Birthdays at LIFE is Good are WONDERFUL!

2. Summer is my favorite season because there are more sunny days, more chances to play outside without shivering, and more smiles.

3. I feel my best when my family is near and uncertainty is at a minimum.

4. Whatever I have while out with Frank and/or one or both of my daughters is my favorite food!

5. First impressions are accurate often enough to make them worth heeding.

6. The best piece of advice I ever received was to start unschooling our kids. It's made all the difference.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to watching "Noises Off" with Chloe and Frank, tomorrow my plans include seeing MJ (who is away dogsitting), videotaping Chloe's final performance, and taking Frank to the airport, and Sunday, I want to laugh with Chloe and find all my Mariners paraphernalia for the game we're going to on Monday!

Thursday 13

Thirteen Reasons I'm Going Blue

1. I'll get my own office in the super snazzy new building we're moving into. Do I feel somewhat foolish that this is my #1 reason? Nah.

2. I recently had to pay $72 to renew my asthma medication prescriptions. As a blue badge, they'll be free.

3. Expanding on #2, the health insurance perks are amazing. Everything is covered.

4. The team I'm joining is the best I've ever worked for, a really likable and balanced group of people.

5. My direct managers are friendly, reasonable, and responsive.

6. The main perk of being a temp is the 100-day break. Since the girls are immersed in community and more reluctant to take off with Mom and Dad for long trips, and since the 100-day break has the downside of No Paychecks for Three Months, trading these in for paid vacations and year-round pay was mostly painless.

7. Likewise, I am trading overtime pay for comp time. I don't have to put in a 40-hour week each and every week in order to get full pay.

8. Every year after my 100-day break, I have to spend a chunk of time getting reacquainted with my job and reclaiming my projects from the people who filled in for me while I was away. Now I'll be able to be as possessive as I want to be.

9. The company claims to have a "work and life balance" path for employees these days. (We'll see.)

10. Access to reduced price software at the company store.

11. I'll be part of the In Crowd. ;-)

12. I interviewed for the job and got all invested in the idea.

13. They made me a flatteringly good offer.

The show goes on

Okay, you HAVE to come to Chloe's play. Their first performance last night was SO fun, and Chloe just sparkled!

More details:

• You don't have to be there early. The doors opened at 6:25 and everybody there got good seats.
• There is a parking lot right next to EMP that provides easy access. I think it's $8. There's also a big lot on the other side of 5th that is $6.
• From 5th, walk up the ramp north of EMP, turn left into the Fun Forest (before the Center House), and then watch for the "All's Well..." posters on the right that mark the entrance to the Center House Theatre.

Pictures coming soon!

By George

We've lost a great voice. Here's hoping he's taking a f***ing harp lesson.

The play's the thing

Please come to Chloe's play!

What: All's Well That Ends Well

Where: Seattle Center House Theatre (one level down from the food court)

How much: $8 suggested donation

When:

• Monday, June 23 -- 6:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, June 24 -- 6:30 p.m.*
• Saturday, June 28 -- 2:00 p.m.

Seats are first come, first served. I have no idea what demand will be like. The theater seats less than 200.

If you're interested in carpooling, let me know!

------------------
* For the second performance, note the date change from what was previously reported here.

Oops

I totally flaked out on my Komen Walk group. Sorry, guys! With the job change and all, I spaced and then procrastinated and then spaced some more. It was about midnight last night when the girls and I went, "Oh, crud, the walk is tomorrow!" We weren't sure until 7:30 this morning if we were even going.

So, it ended up being just MJ and me. It was a pretty nice morning, except that we were both really sleepy. zzzzzzzzzzzzz

The Doings Report

Some previously unreleased details:

2. Chloe accepts the role of Diana...
Diana is the role that Chloe originally auditioned for. The girl who got it had to drop out of the program, so Chloe has taken over. She has all her lines memorized and (if you'll pardon a mom moment) was the first one in the cast to go "off book."

Performances of "All's Well That Ends Well" will be Monday the 23rd at 6:30, Wednesday the 25th at 6:30, and Saturday the 28th at 2:00, with admission by to-be-determined suggested donation. I think the Seattle Center House Theatre seats about 180 people. Hope to see some of you there!

3. Stephanie visits...
We had a lovely week with Steph. Over the course of the week, we watched all of Firefly and Serenity; so nice to enjoy it with another loyal Browncoat. We also visited some friends, got our hair cut, shopped in both downtown Edmonds and downtown Seattle, and talked and talked and talked. Oh, yeah, and we ate. Steph made Sean's favorite pesto for us one night, and she introduced us to Trader Joe's orange chicken. Tasty!

She's back in Georgia now, where she says summer has definitely arrived. Funny how her definition of "summer" has changed over the last couple of years...

4. It momentarily stops raining...
It's been gray, gray, gray, gray, and gray, supposedly our crummiest spring since 1917 or some such. Until today, when we all got sunburned thanks to an icy breeze that deluded us into thinking the sun wasn't hot.

6. The spaghetti dinner is a stunning success
Due to some extra publicity, they had record numbers at the feast. MJ worked her tail off and was asleep by 7 p.m.

8. Frank makes plans to fly to Florida and sail across the Gulf again...
Frank will fly to New Orleans on the 28th, visit with Marty and the gang for a day or two, and then fly with Bob and Bob's son, Tim, to Ft. Lauderdale. They'll stock up, then sail around the Keys and beyond.

Everybody visualize good weather and nice wind so Frank can get home for our planned trip to British Columbia the second week of July!

10. MJ plans to dye cousin Megan's hair pink...
Mission accomplished. They combined red and pink, so the tips of Megan's hair are this vibrant magenta. Color me intrigued...

13. Ronnie accepts job offer...
I interviewed on Wednesday (actually a typically intense all-day interview loop). I thought I had tanked one of the interviews. I wanted to wind down, so when I got home, I dragged Steph off to Tampico, where Frank joined us after the rehearsal run. That was fun, then we returned home to a message from my recruiter, asking me to call him back that night. I snapped back to attention, let me tell ya. :-)

They made me a very good offer, and the job is with the wonderful team I've been working for these past few years. Losing my 100-day breaks pinches a bit, but there are compensations. For example, their medical/dental/vision insurance package is phenomenal. Plus, I'll get my own office in the snazzy new building we're moving to in July.

I should find out later today whether I'll go back to work on the 23rd or the 30th. It has to be on a Monday so I can attend New Employee Orientation. Not sure I need it after 17 years with the company, but it'll be interesting...

Drum circle north

My mom and my nieces stopped by yesterday. Chelsea spotted my drum and started cranking out rhythms with a natural flair that reminded us of her daddy in his younger days. After one particularly inspired riff, she cracked up laughing and gasped, "That made me so happy!"

Within minutes, we were all sitting there with drum, empty Kapla boxes, maracas, and triangle, making a joyful noise.

I might have found my local drum circle.

Friday fill-in

1. More traveling is high up on my bucket list.
2. My favorite humorous quote is "His brains are in terrible danger." It's from Firefly, of course.
3. Our fateful trip inspired me to start blogging.
4. Strawberries are best. Period.
5. I returned to work at (now defunct) Book Publishing Company in the last dream I remember having.
6. The most enjoyable time to go for a walk is dusk of a warm, sunny day.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to taking Lestat to get his stitches out, followed by a last evening visiting with Steph, tomorrow my plans include Kaylee's graduation party and maybe some work on my handbook pages for Live and Learn, and Sunday, I want to pamper Frank for Father's Day!

Take the Challenge

Thursday 13

Thirteen Bits of News 1. Dennis Kucinich files 35 articles of impeachment 2. Chloe accepts the role of Diana in "All's Well That Ends Well" 3. Stephanie visits the Maiers; revels ensue 4. It momentarily stops raining in Everett, WA 5. Zenmomma sees James (in person!) 6. The spaghetti dinner is a stunning success 7. Bob receives a good survey and prepares to buy a boat 8. Frank makes plans to fly to Florida and sail across the Gulf again (the crazy fool) 9. Outrageous U.S. C-section rates lead to a troubling rise in premature births 10. MJ plans to dye cousin Megan's hair pink (with Megan's consent, I assume) 11. Extreme (and tragic) weather patterns continue 12. Sean will be visiting the Maiers (and his mom) later today 13. Ronnie accepts job offer from Microsoft; strawberry margaritas aid salary negotiations

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Climate Changed

An interesting thing has happened over the last few months: our ecological charities have stopped arguing in their periodicals that climate change is happening and instead are beginning to explore what humans will need to do in order to live with it.

I received a link from Cherie to a blog that offers some explanation for this shift.

Cherie says:
This is my friend David Thoreson's blog. I first met David in 1992 when we sailed across the Antarctic Circle together aboard Cloud Nine. One night as we shared our night watch in freezing winds with icy waves crashing over us, he referred to me as "the date from hell", which I still don't let him forget. He has taken both his sailing and his photography to new heights, and used them not as an end in themselves, but as a means to a much greater purpose, which you'll see in his blog. Let's hope the world listens.

David's blog

Nebraska tornadoes

One of my three moms lives in Nebraska. Their town is one over from Kearney, which experienced some excitement last week. This stormchaser captured some awesome photos of the storm.

Are you ready for some spaghetti?

I can't believe it's time already, but the Sons of Italy Spaghetti Dinner is TOMORROW in Marysville. My mom has all the details and some great photos here.

MJ will be there all day. The rest of us (and Steph!) will go for dinner. If you are thinking of joining us, let us know what time works for you.

The problem with sidebars

To be really interesting, sidebars have to be maintained, shuffled around, updated, and so on. I've been neglecting mine lately. However, after LIFE is Good, I did update the Unschooler Blogs section with some new links. I also removed one link and it's been bugging me that (due to the nature of sidebar link lists) I offered no explanation for that.

One of my favorite unschooling voices belongs to Anne Ohman. She has mentored me through my unschooling journey, offering some key pieces of advice at critical moments. I love her and admire her tremendously. So, of course, I had a link to her blog, which I left even when she decided to stop blogging, because, hey, old Anne posts are better than no Anne posts.

Recently, though, Anne made her blog private, which means that some people clicking the link would face disappointment. Can't have that.

But my admiration for Anne continues unabated.

Friday fill-in

1. Idle hands are unlikely.
2. I love using my favorite Body Shop products in the shower. (Passion Fruit Body Scrub and Vitamin C Micro Refiner)
3. My favorite time of the day is whenever there's family conversation and laughter. And my reading time before sleep.
4. The last tea I drank was probably lemon flavored.
5. I like to visit the woods in the Summer. Warm trees. Yum!
6. My mother always said says potentially scandalous things in a whisper.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to a clean house, tomorrow my plans include spaghetti dinner and spending some time with Stephanie, and Sunday, I want to do whatever Steph wants to do!

Gads, is it Thursday AGAIN?!

No TT this week. I don't wanna.

But here's a list anyway.

Some Reasons I'm in a Bad Mood

1. We said good-bye to Rodney the Rat today. It was pretty hard, but it was time. He had given up, even to the point of not bothering to glare at us when we attempted to care for him.

2. I'm transitioning. I'm almost embarrassed to admit it, but my job defined my days. Without it, I spend a lot of time waiting for my priorities to make themselves clear. Doesn't quite work that way in an unschooling flow. Well, it does, but I'm out of practice keeping busy between cues.

3. What with sick rats, conference colds, and life's pesky details (money, time, logistics), my days off thus far have not been idyllic. Set my expectations too high? Me? Never.

4. Uncertainty over the future. One of my job lines is more like a noodle. It's taken weeks to firm it up. It'll be at least another week before I'll know if it will pan (ha) out.

5. The aforementioned PMS. Grrrr.

---

Okay, here's a more cheerful list:

Some Reasons I'll Feel Better Soon

1. Mi familia fantastica.

2. Stephanie is coming.

3. The house will be cleaner by the end of tomorrow.

4. I have new books to hide in read.

5. One of these days, there will be sunshine. (I have to believe this.)

Pouty Mouthy Shrew

Hey, men - Could you excuse us for a minute? Come back tomorrow.

Hey, women - Got any ideas for improving my mood once a month? I don't know what's going on, but my usual day or two of crankiness is now lasting more like 10 days. I really hate it, and I'm sure it's not a barrel of monkeys for Frank and the girls.

Doing The Work

The thought:
Anger must be appeased.

Note: Now that I've done it a few times, I think putting the issue that is causing me stress into a concise sentence is the most important part. It took me a number of tries to get the above right.

The questions:
- Is it true? Indeed.
- Can you absolutely know that it's true? Mostly absolutely.
- How do you react, what happens, when you believe that thought? In the face of anger? I get frantic.
- Who would you be without the thought? Calmer. More accepting of others' emotions.

The turnaround:
Anger does not have to be appeased. Hmm.
Anger must be allowed. Double hmm.
My thoughts must be appeased. No comment.

Food for thought.

The Work of Byron Katie

The Doings Report

Greetings from an unemployed woman! Yesterday was the last day of my contract. What's next for me? Mostly my plans extend to really enjoying having a week off. After that, we'll see. I have lines on a couple of different jobs. More on that as things develop.

The rats' ailments both worsened, Lestat with an infected eye and Rodney with a couple of mysterious cysts down low on his belly. Lestat's eye got so bad that we were on the brink of putting him to sleep. Then the vet did some research and thought she could remove the eye and save him for a couple hundred dollars. We gave it a whirl. So, we now have a one-eyed rat, but it's a very bright, happy eye. He has bounced back from Friday's surgery to an amazing degree. Frank calls him pirat and plans to fashion a dashing eye-patch for him.

Unfortunately, Rodney is not doing very well. We took him back in today because he's gone so listless. He's lost 4 ounces and barely struggled while Dr. Renee poked and prodded him. However, he still has signs of infection, so we're doing another round of (expensive) antibiotics and hoping for the best.

Both rats are not quite 2 years old.

Besides doing post-operative care, we spent the early part of our weekend with the wonderful, not-warty-at-all Waynforths, Schuyler, David, Simon, and Linnaea, who came to America for LIFE is Good. It wasn't a particularly eventful visit, but it was really fun. We spent Friday evening visiting and eating and playing with Kapla blocks, watching YouTube, and tending rats, and we spent Saturday morning visiting and eating and tending rats. Hmm. Hope we didn't bore you, guys! :-)

Chloe and I have been taking evening (nighttime) constitutionals. It's really lovely—we're having such great talks! And I'm finally on an exercise program of sorts.

MJ spent several post-conference days in the Golden Vortex, hanging with Conor and Qacei and Kitty and Cameron. I'm glad she had so much fun, but we're happy to have her home. She and I were hanging out on my bed a night or two ago, getting all caught up on our conference recollections. It was blissfully fun. My girls are here and all's right with my world.

Frank is the last of us to catch the conference cold. He's pwetty mizwable. Here's hoping the bug will be short-lived.

Frank is also full of plans. Our best man, Bob, is in the process of purchasing a sailboat. If he purchases the cat he's looking at presently, Frank will be joining him later this month to help him sail her from Naples to New Orleans. This has a certain irony, since Bob was supposed to help Frank sail the ZP from New Orleans to Naples back in 2005. Then Katrina hit. Bob stayed home to rebuild his life, and the girls and I helped (?) Frank sail to Naples.

Anyway, if Frank goes sailing, he will miss the Fourth of July festivities up here. It's too bad, both because I like his company and because we might just have a pirat with us in the pirate parade.

I'm off to enjoy unemployment for a while. I'm thinking about watching Firefly in its entirety. Such luxury!