Monthly Archives: April 2007

Blog Day Of Silence

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Tomorrow is a Blog Day of Silence, I’ve seen on a couple sites and decided to join them tomorrow, April 30th, 2007, and this blog will be silent. It may seem silly and insignificant, but these people are creating awareness.

I enjoy this perspective: Silence is a Memoriam, Not a Reason to Stop Blogging.

From Lorelle:

My blog is silent tomorrow as a tribute and memorial, not because I have nothing to say. Trust me, I have plenty to say on the issue. I will use my mouth, not my fingers, tomorrow to speak out on the issue. I will spend time with my family and friends and listen to their feelings on the issue, many who have also been victims of violence. I give my time to them in honor of this day, when thousands on the web will also be honoring the death and victimization of so many for no good reason.

Thank you. Thank you for listening. Thank you for participating. And even if you don’t, thank you for speaking out. The issue of this Blog Day of Silence has generated more talk about violence and human rights than most news reports. We need to keep talking. We must keep talking. If we are talking about it, hopefully we’ll be too busy to be hurting each other.

 

 

 

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Gotta Get Goals

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This meme comes from my friend blindeh, and the rules can be found at AlexShalman.com

They aren’t exactly over the top or unique, and I’m good with 5 for now, rather than 10. I’m a simple kind of gal.

  1. Publish my book. I have walked away from this beast twice now. It was one thing to write, and completely another to try to edit. I don’t want to give up, I think it has a chance, and I know I can make y’all buy copies, if only out of sheer curiosity. I want to compete in Nano again this November, so I want to set the goal here and now to have it edited by then. I’m in a new city with very little to distract me, so I feel like now is the time to make more time and less excuses.
  2. External ReConstruction. I have been working out and working on this little body seriously since January. I’ve seen results and want that to continue. It may not increase my life span, or improve my attitude, but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this change in my life and know it’s a positive one. I want every morning to be waking up in my best shape yet. It takes determination and perseverance to not make excuses, and has challenged me mentally as well and physically.
  3. Internal ReConstruction. Along with my body needing work, I realized my mind and heart do too. Everyone always gets hokey on this one, but I’m very simply just trying to be a better person. I always thought I knew who I was and what I was going to be since I was old enough to walk. I’m realizing a little introspection and effort is worth it. Enough said.
  4. Travel all the continents and states. I’m doing pretty good on this one. I have been so blessed to see so much, and know without a doubt you extend your horizons through new cultures and new places. I want that to continue, to share that with my husband, and eventually our family.
  5. Find a home. Ideally, I would be closest the people that mean the most to me: my parents, (only!) cousin, my brother-in-law, and even T and BB. Where we will end up is so up in the air, and I’d like to have a stronger sense of my future and where it will be.

I’m supposed to tell people to do this, too: how about snippy, misadventures, and simply missional. I would tag TB, but she still doesn’t have her own blog…


www.pacific.edu

All Caught Up

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Thursday we did more shopping, found the Best Buy and the Target, things MK can’t live without, and then last night we went to our first Mariners game, which was fantastic fun. I really hope my parents come down in August and watch the Red Sox with me. It’s a great stadium, and there’s a bus right outside that took us there.

Today is actually the 100th Anniversary celebration for Pike’s Market, so we’re headed out to see what that is all about. We’ll venture out to a bar for the first time tonight, and tomorrow try out brunch. Can’t wait!

auq.jpg The Denver aquarium had a bar…

odd2.jpg MK learned even more tricks with the camera…

Settling In

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As I mentioned here, Wednesday was the best! day! ever! It didn’t start out so well, as I had a little (a lot) of trouble finding the gym, it wasn’t where I remembered it…but after I worked that out, I got in a 2 hour fantastic workout. I came back to make us lunch and we got ready for our day out exploring.

We put on our sensible shoes are headed down. We’re on 8th, and Pike’s is down by the waterfront, but it’s not that bad of a walk. We toured up and down a few streets before making our way into the market.

pike place market

I remember it from when we visited, but saw it in a whole new way this time. The fruits and veggies, the fish, the flowers, this is stuff I can actually buy, instead of just looking around at it! It was kind of full, and that’s a little tricky. But it is just such a happy place to be with all that going on, so I don’t mind. We headed from our street to the opposite end, and took that way back, heading in a big loop back toward the mall area. We saw a place that had a Happy Hour, which it was, and went in. It was a appetizer fare and drink special deal, and I immediately ordered a plate full of oysters. I had been waiting for those since I got here. They were exceptional. That was what made the day. That’s all it took. Yum.

We made it back to our place and had a big dinner. Happy Day.

More Shopping And Driving

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Background: I got my driver’s license the day before I moved to Austin. I then learned about crappy highways and things that don’t make sense, roads that end then begin again farther down, and the like. It’s crazy there. Or so I thought.

First thing in the morning Tuesday (I know, I’m so far behind) I go to the little gym here and run. And I suck. Shockingly, I know. It’s been like two weeks. I get showered up and put on the most expensive outfit, jewelry, and makeup, and perfume, I can find. I’m a sell out to the pressure, I know. MK and I go hunting around a little to see if we can find a place to get a cord he needs for his computer. We got soooooo lost. The roads here are bizarre!!! They are currently digging up the underground bus system and putting in an underground rail system, so they’ve created special bus lanes, shut down lanes, closed ramps, put stop lights on ramps, extended HOVs, and generally made the biggest mess ever. Makes Austin look deserving of roadway of the year awards.

We fall into a Costco, I guess they started here, and go shop-happy. We get his cord at the Office Max that appears to be in STARBUCKS CENTRAL HEADQUARTERS. That was a crazy place. Then it’s time for our meeting with you-know-who. We only had to u-turn twice (instead of three times) to get home. We put the groceries away and head down to the lobby. You-know-who tells us stuff that we already figured out for ourselves and is only slightly pleasant, probably due to the rude glaring look I have, the yawns I keep faking, and the eye rolling and watch glancing I throw in for good measure. I address MK instead of you-know-who when I ask who handles the recyclables. Take that. I thought about psyching on the handshake, but he wouldn’t have understood.

I make us some lunch, and we lounge a little. The time difference shouldn’t affect us too much, but it is a little strange to call the east coast, and figure out the TV schedule. I tried so hard to get on the internet and say hi, but my computer wasn’t picking up any free wifi. Grr. We went for a nice walk three blocks down, where the mall and Nordstrom’s is. That is going to be good times.

pacific place
www.rawseattle.com

I already know. There’s so much there! We browse the restaurants and look at the menus in the windows. We stopped at Seattle’s Best, which I learned is OWNED by Starbucks (I bet y’all already knew that) but wasn’t very clean. Or good. They took so long to make MK’s drink that we have a free coupon to use, if we ever go back. We found the equivalents to the Austin Chronicle and read those for a bit. Then it was home for dinner. Kind of a low key day, but the exploring was fun. MK does a great job figuring out where things are. I do not exactly have an excellent sense of direction.


www.istockphoto.com

Then We Were There

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Reflections on the road trip: We had a great time seeing the sights and driving up through the northwest. MK is the worst side seat driver of all time, so I was happiest when he was sleeping. He also kept me committed to my diet by not allowing any junk food to be consumed in the car. Isn’t that terrible? We had Oatmeal breakfast bars, grocery store sandwiches, and plain almonds for snacks. Dinner would be more sandwiches and bars. To me, road trips aren’t real unless they include McDonalds (esp. for breakfast) and chex mix and cokes and slurpees and honey roasted sugar coated peanuts. But Noooooo. MK was convinced that the eating out we did the week before while saying our goodbyes more than negated this past 6 months that I’ve spent committing to working out and losing ten pounds. He is still waiting for me to thank him.

We roll up into Seattle on a cool bridge that goes through a cliff or something. And there is a traffic jam. Good start, huh? We are about 3 hours early for the realtor that is letting us in our place, so we drive around the city to see what we can see. It comes up on lunch time and we start to look for a place. There is nothing within 30 miles of our new place, as we drive by and around over and over, where we can eat and park the car. Hmm. We pull into “Taco Time” just because they have a lot. MK thinks it will be fine. I think it is not taco time. I was right, and it will never, ever again be taco time as long as I live. Suffice to say, without elaborating: yuck, yuck, yuck.

We still have time, and in my SUPER SWEET AUSTIN PERSONALITY THAT THINKS THAT EVERYONE IS FRIENDLY, I decide to run in to the lobby and ask where we can leave our car until it is time to meet our realtor. I have been driving. 10 hours. I have jeans and a striped shirt on. I even have makeup on. But WHAT does mr. works at the front desk tell me in his terrible accent? Basically that I couldn’t possibly be moving in to this luxurious downtown upscale residence. He looks me up and down and hands me his ‘card’ in case he can help me ‘clear up my confusion’. So help me, it was all I could do to get in the drivers seat and turn that bus around. MK is lucky he was there. I was irate.

Rant: Clearly, who do these people think they are that just LOOK at someone and make assumptions? You don’t know me! I could own the building! You just work in it. Can YOU afford to live there on your salary!?! Don’t get an attitude with me. I have never been so upset. The being in the car all day and being tired and cranky didn’t help. It took MK a long time to calm me down. We parked down by the south side bridges and walked along the north end of the international district. Me, of course, looking at my reflection everywhere trying to see just how bad and poor I looked, lest another Seattle-ite break my heart talking down to me.

Finally, it comes up on 4 and we head back. I’m not smiling. Our realtor lets us in and re-introduces us to the HELP. I get over that when I see our place. It’s just like the pictures.

Realtor leaves and we start taking things up. He let us know we were going to have to have a meeting with the HELP that they call ‘orientation’. As though all these rich snooty snootertons don’t know how to work an elevator…MK goes to the front desk to arrange it. Of course, he’s in an FC UK pressed polo, he gets no slack from jean-paul-conciergey. WHO THEN TURNS TO ME, AND ASKS MK “WHO IS SHE TO YOU?” I swear, friends, he is fixing to get a beat down.

We unpack most of the car and get hungry again. There is a Whole Foods a block away, so we load up on dinner and breakfast and head back. MK unpacks and organizes, I work on the closet and learning the new cable channels, and cook dinner. By the way, it was plenty sunny out, and we headed up to the roof. We had the wine dude at WF get us a WA red and white. We brought the red up there, and toasted to the view, the sunset, and me not murdering any helpless old gentlemen. I’m not sure if day one was a success or a devastation. I’m going to need more time.

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Yes, that’s our view from the roof. Click on it, it’s lovely.

On The Road Again

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Sunday morning started at 5 again, much to my wanting to beat my husband unhappiness. The part I was awake for watched and saw everything of was Wyoming. It was beautiful.

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MK drove most of the way. I took over in Utah and got us to Boise, Idaho. I will never be able to tell you how he heard that Boise was cool…but it wasn’t. There was a cute little downtown and whatever but it was a college town. In Utah, I learned that when your car dies, that’s where it goes. We saw tons and tons of abandoned motor vehicles. Not on the road, just around. In huge piles. It was just the little corner, but it wasn’t very pretty. I wonder who owns that land…since it was Sunday, the stores in Utah were closed, even the Subway we tried to eat at. WTF? I wouldn’t want to be moving there…hahaha just kidding, Mrs. Standin.

Anyway, so we’re in Boise, at the hotel, and they were nice enough, and told us to go eat at some brew pub. At least the Red Sox were on. The service was brain dead. It was late. So, we went back to the room for sleepy time. We were really exhilarated though, knowing that we were about to embark on the last leg of our journey. BUT, we put on the alarm on my phone and turned it up. That was dumb, since with the time change, people might accidentally call and wake you up!

We got back to bed okay, and up a little later that usual (6am) to get ourselves to our new home. We drove through Oregon, where there were great big trees – which I missed in Texas, and it was beautiful. Crossing the Washington border got me really excited. This is our new home state! Since the last time we where in Seattle, we flew, we had no idea what the rest of the state looked like. I felt like I was exploring my new territory. MK drove but I was awake and excited. Even though we were still 5 hours away. We drove by the place that the music festival we’ll be attending next month is at, that was fun, to know we’d be back. There was water and snow and great views everywhere. There are tons and tons of vineyards in the Yakima Valley, where we drove up through, and that got me excited. I’ve never had any WA wine, but I will!

Post Poker Championship

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Friday night went out with a bang, us heading back the B’s pad and makin’ some fancy drinks. Not sure if I mentioned these two important facts, but SB makes better martinis than any bartender out there, and Enviga is really good with vodka. She had some pomegranate and Izze and Enviga concoction that I think she should trademark. Seriously, we had it out. MK retired for a bit and SB and I had a classic girls reminiscing over drinks time that will have a special little place in my heart forever. Background: We worked together for a very short time before we got a place together, that was forever ago and we’re still each other’s favorites. That rocks.

Saturday was a slow to get going day, MK and I went out for water, Gatorade and Quiznos, aka hangover cure lunch. RB has a sweet giant plane and we tried to go fly it but it was too windy. We found a place called Croc’s that had the infamous Bloody Mary Bar, a couple times. Delicious. A1, my favorite product in the universe, makes those drinks, let me tell you. We went home and snoozed a little while RB worked on his music, he’s a world famous musician. He’s got new tunes coming out soon. So cool.

SB took MK and I to the Rockies game that night. For dinner. Reminder: As a BoSox girl, I didn’t know there were places you could go to and get $4-$15 tickets. That day. For that game. The place was so empty. I guess they aren’t that good…didn’t matter to me. We got brats with all the fixin’s, peanuts and beer. Coors. It is the Coors stadium. You get Coors beer. That’s it. Fine. You can’t see the mountains, but I could. Very pretty.

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SB took us to the coolest bar in the world, Double Daughters.

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We hung out there, checked out the Meadowlark, which was packed, then headed home. Early morning, y’all.

Denver was interesting. It is polluted, and messy, highly under construction downtown. The B’s talked to us a lot about living there, especially coming from NYC, they were disappointed in the lack of vibes and culture Denver had going for it. To be sure, I felt what they were talking about. I also understood what they meant when they said if they mentioned their feelings at all, other Denver-dwellers became irate, indignant, and offended. Hmpf. Not a place I’ll ever be living in, but I’m glad we got to pass through and see it for ourselves.

Next Time, It’s For Cash Money

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So there we are, in Denver, two drinks into a great Friday. SB and RB are some poker playing fools. They convince us to go and play a hand with them. I have no idea what to expect. I play poker with people I know, and that doesn’t usually end well. MK thinks it’s funny to let everyone know that he always ends up having to try to make up for my losses. Whatever. We get there right at the last minute before they start. There are three tables set up, about 36 people. RB’s already seated, someone goes all in first hand, SB sits. MK and I have a drink, while I get more and more nervous. Someone else goes out, MK’s at SB’s table. I’m feeling ill. And confused. They seat me at RB’s table. That’s cool. I don’t play my first 6000 hands, they all suck. I finally see a face card and get excited. The rest is history.

First I knocked out Mr. Johnny Pokers-a-lot, with sunglasses and a cowboy hat and the whole deal. He didn’t believe me. Silly man. I progressively smoked the table as my hands got hotter and hotter. It was like being in a movie. They split up one of the smaller tables and I get stuck next to this tool that’s all trying to intimidate me out of my blinds. Grr. Then my hands cool off so I chill out. I make it to the last table – at this point RB is long gone, SB can’t believe I’m still alive, and she and MK went and played some Omaha. Last table is nuts. Everyone is boys, minus me and a blond lady. She and I all in, knock a guy out, and split the pot!!

You know where this is going: I now am the proud owner of a certificate stating that I made it to the last hand, against mullet head that took down MK and SB, and smote her greatly with my trip Jacks. YEEHAH!!!!

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I really can’t decide to quit while my record is 1-0, or to move to Vegas. I’ve never beat 30+ people at anything. Ever.

I also can’t decide if I’m going to ever talk to my father again – avid watcher of poker on TV, also avid ignorer of happy daughter when she calls to announce her success. The reason? The Red Sox beat the Yankees, of course. Baseball trumps daughter.

I’m Back

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Well, somegosoftly fans, we first have to give thestandin a big round of applause for keeping you (and me) entertained. I was so happy to be blog free for a while, even though I had a little internet-withdrawal-syndrome. I have to do this in date/time order, or I will get all confused, even though today was the best! day! yet! and I can’t wait to tell you about it. My little fingers are flying to get us all caught up and on the same page. Of course the pictures will be late, I have no idea where the cord is.

We left Austin at about 6am on Thursday. We went to bed around midnight. I had cleaned the whole place so well we had no where to sleep. I thought I could throw the air mattress on the wood floor of our living room, but somewhere between MK’s toss and turn 3 and 7 I realized I’d be up all night from the squeaking unless that went back in the bedroom, despite the marks it’d make on my carpet, after vacuuming in these little perfect sweeps so they could see how clean it was. We actually woke up at about 5, and had this adventure time of not being awake and not being able to get everything in the car. It’s too embarrassing, so there are no pictures, but we seriously put that car full like a secret Mensa puzzle. You couldn’t do it. It was crazy. We have so. much. crap.

MK drove to Wichita Falls, Texas. I didn’t know there was one of those. In fact, I didn’t know that every town has similar street names, and every state has similar county names. Let me preface this segment with a little background: I’ve lived in CT most of my natural life. This included numerous trips through MA, RI, VT, NH and ME. But it’s not like I paid any attention. I was little. Then I lived in TX, Austin to be specific. All you travel from there is Houston and Dallas. So this drive…this going through parts of Texas I’ve never been awake for… well it made me realize things. Like why people look at me LIKE THAT when I tell them that I’m from Texas. Ugh. I drove nine hours straight. Amarillo, everything before it and after it – well I’m fairly sure that’s the armpit of civilization as we know it. It was frightening. To stop for gas. To eat. To LOOK AROUND. Freaking gross, nothing to look at, forsaken place. And I almost forgot to mention that after the TX/OK border, I hit the NM border in style…thinking it would be beautiful…and it was under construction. The speed limit was 35. For an hour. Then 45. For an hour. Ugh.

As you will recall, the first part of our trip included a very special stop in Denver, CO, home to some very special people. MK finished the drive to Denver, and we got in at about midnight. Since we were staying at the SB all inclusive resort, I immediately requested a back rub and a beer. I got the beer. Then we passed out – sleepy time. Then it was FRIDAY…That morning – busted, around noon – we went to the VIP eatery those of you that were in ‘yoga’ with me may know that the Real World Denver went to called Snooze. It was dee-lish-ious. Wow.

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SB took us to her work, right down the street. Ladies and gentlemen, my favorite roommate ever- probably including MK- works at a THINK TANK. You’ve seen them. She has a bball court and a ping pong table and limitless other recreational activities located throughout the office to ‘inspire creative thought’. My creative thought is jealousy. I want to work there. But not live in Denver. More on that later. We went to the Denver Aquarium.

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As an ode to my father, Semi-Professional African Cichlid Breeder, I was reflecting on the fact I think I’ve been to every aquarium in every city that I’ve ever visited that had one. Paris (France, not Texas) is the only place I couldn’t recall trying to find the local aquarium in. Anyway…it was a nice little aquarium and it also surprised me, since I’ve been to so many aquariums, as it had

TIGERS.

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I know. That’s crazy, right? They were chillin’ around the rainforest exhibit. That’s all I can say about that. I’m thinking “Are you sure these guys are supposed to be here?”

This is us and a 250lb. grouper:

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Ooooh, and I almost forgot to tell you that we fed stingrays:

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All that exploring made us thirsty, so we hit up some bars. We went to a place called Sputnik for nothing other than the promise of an old time photo booth, which turned out to be out of order. 😦 Luckily, we found so much more. MK had a fascinating Vanilla infused homemade vodka shot, SB went with a pomegranate martini the likes of which I’d never seen. (I had a beer.) Yum.

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We rolled over to The Hornet next, to see what we could see about the rumor they had a all day weekend Bloody Mary Bar the like of which I’ve mentioned here. We had yummy drinks here too, and some lobster asparagus and something else I forget what pizza. (SB?)

The events that transpire next are rewarded with their own post.