currently, briefly

reading: Moby Dick, which is a lot funnier than I would have ever suspected.

recently watched DVD: Be Kind, Rewind -- v. charming! I thought it celebrated human joy in telling stories in a very appealing (to me, anyway) way. Now I want one of those flip cameras more than ever... (I am an excellent tinfoil costumer.)

TV: LOST -- OMG! does anyone watch this anymore? I loved it! the story had spun pretty far out by the end of last season (which I also enjoyed), but they're beginning to reel it all in.


that is the report for tonight! I have lots of thoughts on this and that, but they will have to wait.

alien virus abates

WOOOOO! I have been returned from the undisclosed location testing facility where my guts had been poked and twisted and purged by what I can only assume was a team of sadistic Last Administration government scientists* working at the behest of Our Alien Overlords. Or, you know, today was the first day that I could EAT AGAIN for real since contracting that stupid stomach virus or whatever it was. Of course I had to eat a little bit on Tuesday and Wednesday, but I got carried away Tuesday night which led to a whole uneasy Wednesday where I could only eat things I couldn't smell. ANYWAY. All of this is by way of saying I feel much more like myself again. In fact, I feel more like myself than I did for two weeks before I got the virus, which maybe lends credence to the aliens thing. (I said maybe!)


*it all makes sense! I was violently sick (will spare the slumped and sweaty on the cold bathroom tile details) on Monday -- the day BEFORE our peaceful governmental transfer of power. Coincidence? Perhaps, but I am looking at it with squinty eyes.

** the columbine picture is entirely unrelated. Mostly unrelated. They aren't blooming right now, I didn't have visions or hallucinations of columbines, but I DO think that they sort of look like alien helmets from certain angles at certain times. As things do.

I like it: inauguration edition.

A PARTIAL LIST
1) I don't care what the haters say, I loved Aretha's hat. Why aren't more people wearing hats? That was A HAT, and she wore the hell out of it.

2) DELETED (because I was bitching about something instead of appreciating, which is antithetical to the spirit of this list.)

3) I loved Michelle's daytime dress! (nighttime dress was okay, but I LOVED her daytime ensemble.) More specifically, I loved that she wore olive gloves with her lemongrass-colored wool lace (!!) dress. Read this great post at A Dress A Day to find out more about what makes it all so great. (hint: it's in part because she's an independent minded woman who dresses to please herself and not some antiquated notion of what's appropriate. RIGHT ON!) (I also loved that she had a ribbon sash, and so did both of the Obama girls. A nice family touch without being matchy matchy.)

4) Go read Bright Lights After Dark for the Fred Astaire connection: "Obama’s Inaugural Address was memorable. Obama’s speeches generally are. But the line I hear quoted from it most often comes not from the Bible, Abraham Lincoln, or our Founding Fathers, but from ... Fred Astaire."

5. You know what? I liked the poem! I liked it a lot!! I thought it was very visual and evocative of not just this Anything is Possible moment, not just of the toiling and dreaming that led to it, but of the fact that the work has just begun. I think Elizabeth Alexander was (understandably!) nervous, so it sounded a little stiffer than it is. I have no idea if the line breaks below are accurate -- this is what the NYT had as a transcript.

Praise song for the day.

Each day we go about our business, walking past each other, catching each others' eyes or not, about to speak or speaking. All about us is noise. All about us is noise and bramble, thorn and din, each one of our ancestors on our tongues. Someone is stitching up a hem, darning a hole in a uniform, patching a tire, repairing the things in need of repair.

Someone is trying to make music somewhere with a pair of wooden spoons on an oil drum with cello, boom box, harmonica, voice.

A woman and her son wait for the bus.

A farmer considers the changing sky; A teacher says, "Take out your pencils. Begin."

We encounter each other in words, words spiny or smooth, whispered or declaimed; words to consider, reconsider.

We cross dirt roads and highways that mark the will of someone and then others who said, "I need to see what's on the other side; I know there's something better down the road."

We need to find a place where we are safe; We walk into that which we cannot yet see.

Say it plain, that many have died for this day. Sing the names of the dead who brought us here, who laid the train tracks, raised the bridges, picked the cotton and the lettuce, built brick by brick the glittering edifices they would then keep clean and work inside of.

Praise song for struggle; praise song for the day. Praise song for every hand-lettered sign; The figuring it out at kitchen tables.

Some live by "Love thy neighbor as thy self."

Others by first do no harm, or take no more than you need.

What if the mightiest word is love, love beyond marital, filial, national. Love that casts a widening pool of light. Love with no need to preempt grievance.

In today's sharp sparkle, this winter air, anything can be made, any sentence begun.

On the brink, on the brim, on the cusp -- praise song for walking forward in that light.

-- Elizabeth Alexander

in with the new

This really feels like the start of something new. I'm so happy it's starting now.

modest goals

I'm sick, which is totally bumming me out. It's not even the "oh, nyquil, god bless you" sick or headache sick, but can't keep anything down sick. My least favorite kind! I blame GWB.

It's stressing me out because who likes to be sick, but also because I am scheduled to work all day tomorrow. Since libraries were closed today for MLK day, I couldn't call and tell anyone I won't be there. Argh! It's almost certainly no big deal, I'm sure it will work out, but it's on my mind nonetheless. I just don't think I'm going to be able to work until 8pm tomorrow fueled by the one piece of toast I have managed to eat successfully today.

On the upside, this means I can watch Inauguration stuff to my heart's content! Woo! And maybe stand up long enough to get into the shower. That would be good.

roadtrip continued

Time for road trip details! First up -- travelers: this was another me, mom and bec (my sister) joint production. What can I tell you? They are top quality road trip companions who let me pick the music.


Out the window (actually through the window, I think) photo of the SECRET SHORTCUT to Lincoln City. I can say no more unless you agree to perform the ritual.


There is a lot of logging that goes on in and around the coast range. Almost everyone whose ever done any exploring in these parts has gotten stuck on a timber road at some point. (But I thought it went through!) (this wasn't on a timber road, though -- it was right on 18.)


There was some kind of lane closure on the regular road. Since the weather was exceedingly fine, half of the portland metro area was on its way to the beach -- there was a lot of backed up traffic. A state map indicated that we could take a shortcut (not actually shorter!) that went another way we'd never gone before. Due to this rerouting, we went through the town of Willamina (Timbertown USA, 2003!). We had a discussion about whether or not it was pronounced Will-a-meena or Will-uh-minah. I preferred the second because it put me in mind of crazy fake southern (southerun) accents, big floppy hats, spanish moss, men named Beauregard, and drinking gin from a jelly jar when no one is looking. Somehow it became an old south Timbertown in my head. (These things happen.) Eventually, the gazetteer was consulted, which revealed that the "shortcut" was actually 53 miles long and twisted like a mofo, so we decided to take our chances with the lane closure. We bid Willimina a fond farewell (I would like to go back someday), and I thought kindly thoughts toward it in a Scarlet O'Hara accent.

We returned to the main road and it was actually moving right along.


By the time we made it to Lincoln City, we had to eat Or Else. We decided to go to the 60s Cafe -- it was after 2pm, yet it was as full as I've ever seen it. We waited a long time. A desperately thinking about eating ketchup long time. The food eventually came, and yea verily, it was good. I took pictures while we waited, including this one of the fully stocked condiment caddy.


The Elvis Bathroom!! His eyes are everywhere. It is freaky and hilarious all at once. They did some remodeling, but I was very pleased to see they had sense enough to leave Elvis where he belongs: pervertedly watching people pee in his fluorescent temple.


Lots of jellyfish and other gelatinous mysteries washed up on shore. One guy had a big jellyfish on the end of a stick and was waving at his son, saying it was a monster and he was going to sell it on ebay for a lot of money. (What won't people try in this economy??)

There were a lot of people at the beach, but it was such a wonderful day it was a pleasure to share it with them. I know that sounds corny, but it was totally true! People were having a really great time (it was sunny, not too windy, JANUARY) flying kites, hanging out, building fires -- which made me have a great time, which maybe made someone else have a great time. Some things are contagious. (thankfully, not the urge to pick up jellyfish on sticks.)


I saw these girls from far away and thought they all had pink rain boots on. Nope! their legs were all so cold they turned pink! You can't really tell from this picture, but they had this whole complicated Ode To Ocean dance that ended up with one or three of them being completely soaked. They just kind of went with it, though, like any good interpretive dancer will do.


I love this picture! It was kind of a mistake -- when I have my camera on "intelligent auto" it does some weird stuff, including go to macro mode if I have the zoom all the way extended. Between that and shooting directly into the sun, I got this blown out photo. But I really like it -- it's like a dream of a dog at the beach, or an old photo from an album. It was a happy accident for sure. It's no longer of that particular dog (who was having a spectacularly wonderful time running in and out of the surf), but sort of an everydog picture.


The light was so pretty!


sandcastle with moat. It was somewhere around this time that the guys on horseback came charging along. It was just like an old timey commercial for ladies deodorant. HILARIOUS, but also awesome.


This was my favorite sunset silhouette picture. The girl was only about 14 and was clearly having a nice bout of Alone Time. (note the hood pulled up.)


The sun goes down like it does every day. It will be back tomorrow.

roadtrip

I am SO TIRED. (I feel like I've been saying that a lot lately.) However, I have a really good reason for being tired today -- I went to the beach for probably the most perfectly wonderful weather/view/dogs having fun/yes, that was a horse ratio in ages. More tomorrow. Picture above looking north just before sunset, picture below... MYSTERIOUS PANCAKE SMELL to be explained later!

project placeholder

Or should I say project POTHOLDER, since this is not nearly as big as I thought it should be? Today I laid out all the squares I've made for the babette blanket (in no particular order). I must say, I thought there were A LOT more. Acres more! ...okay, maybe not acres more. I won't even be able to use all of these, since my crocheting has gotten a lot more, uh, even, than it was when I started.

I'm okay with this, though -- it's a process! Since I'm only this far along there's plenty of opportunity to add and adjust various colors. It's not like I have to have the whole thing sitting in my lap when I work on it, so I could conceivably crochet even when it's warmer.

I've found a new project, so of course I want this to be DONE. It's probably good for building patience, character, and whatnot that it's not done, or even almost done. (although I feel like I'm already sufficiently stocked in the whatnot department.)

POTATO HEAD!

did I mention that my sister gave me a lovely orange nano for christmas? I cannot say its true name for fear that it will become ensorceled Rumpelstiltskin-style. (I had a whole thing here about ipods and straw and gold and cranky dwarfs and clever girls and evil kings, but quite honestly I got confused about the who and what of it all, so I will just leave it at "I wish to avoid any Rumpelstiltskin-style name entanglements.")

did I mention that I saw a fence full of potato head cards today? SO AWESOME! I was walking down the sidewalk minding my business and saw a potato head card stuck in the fence. I laughed, took a picture (as one does), then I saw that they ran almost the whole length of the fence, which made me laugh some more. I got to the corner and turned and looked back, saw that one had fallen, replaced it, then went on my way. POTATO HEADS! That's not something I see every day.

did I mention that sometimes I think I am going crazy, but then I feel bad because I know there are people who are really crazy and maybe don't have the luxury of feeling crazy because the aliens are chasing them? I am bourgeois crazy (only I have no insurance and therefore am medicated only by MY CRAZY THOUGHTS).

did I mention that Dash the orange cat was rolling a marble around on the hard floor for about 100000 hours during the middle of the night? Until he chased it into something heavy that fell over and gave me 10 heart attacks, but thanks to the cat annoying me for hours they were not heart attacks from a deep sleep and therefore non-fatal. For me or the cat.

did I mention that the nights are really long here right now? But they're getting shorter, so that's okay.


did I mention how freaky today was, weather-wise? There was frozen fog in the morning, and by the time I got my act together to go outside it had started MELTING, which had the effect of making it rain, but only under the trees. It was sunny, unless I was under a tree where it was actively raining with a little hail.



It looked really cool, though. And I'm not going to complain about the sun.

renew online or by phone

Today was pretty good, which makes me happy. I knew it was good for real and not just that fake fleeting good when I had a great idea in the shower. Of course I couldn't even take the time to write down this great idea because I was running LATE (why couldn't I have had this great idea right when I woke up?) and the location I was working at today is way the hell across town and I always think it will only take me 15 minutes to get anywhere, which is only true of like, 3 places. BUT I still had this great idea and even though I was 5 minutes late nobody cared or even really seemed to notice. (and I remember enough of my Great Idea, which may soon be downgraded to Interesting Notion, that I'm going to write it down when I finish this post.)

I issued a bunch of new library cards today, which was another mark in the good column. I still love doing new card registrations! A lot of people get a card so they can use the internet. I totally understand this; I think it's a vital service to provide to the community (email, job searching, etc.), but I still get an extra happy thrill when someone who has just signed up for a card actually uses it to check out books! Card registrations are up -- I think it's just the tip of the iceberg in this economy. It makes me really happy in a Healthy Society way (not just a job security way) that people are making use of existing resources like the library. You've already paid for it with your tax dollars! It's a great system -- one of the best! Use it! Use it a lot!

my what is as what?

I was recently bemoaning the lack of fortune cookie in some takeout (it wasn't actual moaning bemoaning, more of a sigh, really) -- the next day I was walking home and found this fortune on the sidewalk! True story!! (I propped it up on a telephone pole to take the picture.) I was debating on whether or not I should just leave it up on the phone pole for someone else to find, but in the end I decided to keep it. Except it must have fallen out of my pocket, because I found the exact same fortune with the exact same letters rubbed off the next day. Weird, right? Well, any kind of good news I always have to hear about 15 times before I believe it, anyway. So assuming that the second word is FUTURE.... what do you think the ndless word is? endless? mindless? what goes with lofty h*aven?

I kind of enjoy the mystery. Maybe good, maybe bad, but I think good.



Yesterday was pretty much a bummer all the way around, but sometime this morning I realized that I would feel a lot better if I'd just power through some of the stuff I've been meaning to do. Included in this was: make a new bag! I'm about 1/2 done with it, and I think it'll turn out pretty cute. (hooray!) I'll post some pictures when it's done.



Winter flowers getting ready to bloom: Camellia. I think there'll be some out by next week.

Today was at least 50% less crazy than yesterday, for which I am grateful.

fate intervenes

I had some weak, WEAK post about how I'm a) tired and b) lame for not being more on top of this Post a Day in January project, but blogger knows better than I do and ATE IT. (Unless it shows up later, which would probably serve me right.)

Since I really am tired, I will stop backspacing long-winded meanderings about what this must say about my WORK ETHIC and general PROPENSITY FOR LAZINESS AND CAPITAL LETTERS and go to bed.

tomorrow (or later today, depending on your internal chronology), is another day!

ice hotel

I am totally in love with the idea of an ice hotel. It looks like it landed on earth from another planet. (an ice planet!) I love that such care and planning goes into something so ephemeral. A HOTEL MADE OF ICE!!!! Whoever thought of such a thing? I wonder what it sounds like in there. Is it quiet, like on the snow, or does it echo?

Every year I look forward to when Etolane posts her amazing photos of the ice hotel in Québec. Every year she has some pictures more incredible than the last.



The ice is such a receptive conduit for light and color, which Etolane captures and documents. She's got a marvelous eye and has been taking pictures of various incarnations of the ice hotel for several years. (check them out here.)



Look at the rest of her photostream, too! So many beautiful images.

(all images in this post belong to Etolane.)

cloud cover

Once again I failed to do the thing I thought I was going to do, but I'm doing something else instead, so I guess that's okay. This isn't exactly what I had in mind with my enthusiastic failures theory, but you know, the year is still young! I plan to fail much more spectacularly before it's all said and done.



The moon is allegedly HUGELY FULL tonight, looking bigger than ever due to being closer than ever. Rather than observe this phenomenon myself, I had to hear it from some cheesy weekend weatherman because it's too cloudy for a moon tonight here in Portland. Hence the cloud pictures, although these are from all over the year and all over the place, not just what's blocking my view of the moon tonight.


Hmmm. I could use this space between the pictures to update posts that have gone before. 1) I had a garden variety good day today, which was so nice! 2) got all the glue thrown away that needed to be thrown away, but unfortunately it now looks like a volcano erupted on the shelf where I keep old notebooks. 3) the quilt binding remains stitched on! huzzah! 4) I got back to work on the babette blanket and made a lot of the two round squares which should be fun but I find them tedious for some reason. The four round ones are my favorite, probably because there's more room to play with the color. 5) I have yet to start on my bag, but tomorrow is another day.



Here be dragons!

bedtime story

Today was weird. Not full on "some guy who thinks he's Tony Danza is singing Phantom of the Opera on the lawn" weird, but everything is a half turn wrong all day weird. Itchy ants in the pants followed by clammy hands on the heart followed by space madness. (oh, fine! no space madness.) If I started listing all the instances of weirdness, I would type all night and into tomorrow. At that point delirium would set in and it would turn into that first kind of weird (Tony Danza weird), which is not what I'm hoping for on a Saturday. I'm hoping for a good night's sleep followed by either a garden variety good day, or maybe a spectacular day. I'm not picky about which, I swear.

ANYWAY. I just got a Charles Simic collection from the library (1963-1983) and was thinking that I should maybe put a poem in for today's post since I had intended to do something else, but the day went weird so I didn't, and I don't really want to leave it with some imaginary deranged person singing show tunes on the lawn, so here is a poem that is a) short and b) appropriately titled. (also c: awesome.)

BEDTIME STORY

When a tree falls in a forest
And there's no one around
To hear the sound, the poor owls
Have to do all the thinking.

They think so hard they fall off
Their perch and are eaten by ants,
Who, as you already know, all look like
Little Black Riding Hoods.

-- Charles Simic