Happiness

Happiness

A man and a woman lie on a white bed.
It is morning. I think
Soon they will waken.
On the bedside table is a vase
of lilies; sunlight
pools in their throats.
I watch him turn to her
as though to speak her name
but silently, deep in her mouth--
At the window ledge,
once, twice,
a bird calls.
And then she stirs; her body
fills with his breath.

I open my eyes; you are watching me.
Almost over this room
the sun is gliding.
Look at your face, you say,
holding your own close to me
to make a mirror.
How calm you are. And the burning wheel
passes gently over us.


Louise Gluck

I don't know what to blog about anymore. My anxiety about the internet is returning. I just got this awesome scrapbook that I'm going to use as some sort of no pressure creativity outlet.

I'm having a birthday party. It's going to look like this:

2010-2011. Interesting

Your Birthday Year Forecast: A trine between the Sun and the Moon in your Solar Return chart this year is a fortunate aspect. It suggests that your domestic and career needs are not in competition with one another in the year ahead. Your inner needs tend to be mirrored by external events, and vice versa. This aspect is very powerful and rewarding. It suggests that you will be on top of your game this year, for the most part, and positive connections with others can be made fairly easily. A comfortable level of personal popularity helps to keep conflict to a minimum. With the ability to handle your emotions successfully, there is less stress on both your mind and body. Your self-confidence and positive attitude will reward you!

You might find that you continue to be more goal-oriented this year, as superficial goals no longer satisfy you. You want your life path and your objectives to reflect what you're really about. You benefit from being more decisive than usual, and your ability to concentrate and focus help you to achieve what you set out to do. A new project or goal begun this year has a good chance of being successful and long-lasting. (Oh, yay)

With Mercury trine the Moon's North Node, making contact through learning, communicating, and mental pursuits figures strongly in your year. Mercury square Mars in your Solar Return chart suggests good energy for debate or energetic mental work. It's possible that you may be argumentative and irritable under this influence, and particularly impatient with vagueness. However, if this energy is applied well, you may simply enjoy a more active and clear mind.

Venus is very busy with aspects in your Solar Return chart, suggesting much activity with social and romantic relationships, and finances. Venus sextiles Uranus, trines Saturn, quintiles Mars, and squares Neptune/Chiron. Your creative energy this year is especially potent. You are likely to find yourself more accepting and understanding of your friends and lovers. Contentedness in love is likely to figure and to attract positive circumstances (and people) into your life. However, problems can arise when you are too accepting or when you are not realistically assessing relationships. Favorable outcomes when it comes to legal affairs, education, and travel may figure this year. You are likely to enjoy increased social opportunities as well as a boost in your personal popularity and magnetism. You are open to new concepts and ways of relating, as well as intrigued with people who bring new ideas into your life. As long as you stay grounded and realistic in your expectations from others, you can enjoy a very strong year for love and social relationships.

Saturn in opposition to Uranus around the time of your birthday suggests some restlessness. Attempts to assert your individuality, freedom, and originality undermine your feelings of groundedness and security. Yet, you are not satisfied when you conform. There may be sudden and unexpected twists that force you to do something different or that help free yourself from old habits. Adjusting your plans is in order, and striking a balance between convention and innovation is the challenge. Setbacks tend to be temporary and often lead to new, more creative paths or solutions. Ambivalence is likely and could color many of your interactions.

You are likely to have an especially stimulating year socially and intellectually, in which the exchange of ideas with others figures prominently. You are goal-oriented and decisive. Loving and mind-expanding relationships are more easily attracted in the year ahead.

2010 is a Number Three year for you. Ruled by Jupiter. This is a year of sociability. It is a friendly time, when it is easy to enjoy life and other people. Focus is on personal freedom, reaching out to others, making new friends, and exploration. You are more enthusiastic and ready for adventure. It is likely to be a rather lighthearted year, when opportunities for "play" time are greater than usual. It's also a good year for expressing your creativity. Advice - reach out, but avoid scattering your energies.

2011 will be a Number Four year for you. Ruled by Uranus. This is a year of work and development. It's "nose to the grindstone" time. It's a time to deal with practical matters, and it's not a time to be lazy or especially gregarious. Sometimes, it can be a year that feels hard, monotonous and routine, and/or lonely. Positive new relationships are generally not formed in a Four personal year. Advice - get yourself organized, work to build your resources, keep busy.

The Maltese

The series of events that brought me from two days ago to where I am now has been a trip.

Yesterday: home in Seattle

Today: Portland airport

2pm Hawaii time: HOPEFULLY IN HAWAII!

Seems easy, right? I sat at the Seattle airport all day Tuesday trying to hop on a flight. Unfortunately, it was completely impossible. So I came home, snuggled with Riley, and felt so comfortable in my own bed that I didn't really want to leave. I haven't had that feeling yet, and it was nice. I woke up at 5am and went back to the airport, and failed to get on a flight two more times. After the second time, I gave up all hope, and plan B was set into action.

Plan B: Take a train to Portland and try to leave from there, where flights were generally more open.

Problem #1: The train for Portland left in 45 minutes, it took 10 minutes to walk to the light rail, and 30 minutes to get from the airport to the train station via light rail.

Needless to say, I totally didn't make it.

Plan C: hop on the next train, get a hotel in Portland for the night, fly out of Portland in the morning.

So, I got on the next train. We made it about 2/3 of the way. We were stopped next to a few beautiful farms in Southern Washington. We were informed that a van had been hit down the tracks from we were, and were pulled up to the next station in Kelso, WA.

http://www.katu.com/news/118545764.html

Since no one knew the details of the accident and they couldn't give us any kind of time frame about how long we would be stopped, a few of us decided to go to The Maltese, a bar right next to the tracks.

4pm at The Maltese: $1.75 for a Mack and Jacks, $1.00 for mixed drinks, me and four strangers. The crowd was eerie--like something from a movie. Big place, no music, happy hour. Most people were missing teeth and reminded me of the inbred creature from Harold and Kumar. Everyone was commenting on how pretty we all were and how we "must be related".

Four hours and three beers and two shots later, I was drunk and we were still in Kelso. One of the guys I met, Justin, had a mom who was the victim of a surgical mistake and sued the hospital for a half a million dollars. She threw a bunch of money his way and told him to enjoy the next few years, take a break from college. He paid for drinks, and the girls I was with made me feel guilty for letting him.

Amtrak finally sent buses to pick us up. I made it to Portland.

When we got to Portland I didn't know where I was going and was still pretty drunk. A man offered to help us find the train we were looking for. He told us he had been mugged, showed us his wounds, and just happened to be from the same small town in Wisconsin as my new friend/traveling buddy. He brought us to where we needed to go, and we gave him $15 to get back to Seattle.

We made it to the hotel, and I let Justin crash in the extra bed. He is kind of a nomad, and I could have totally taken him if he tried to kill me. Also, he is super rich so I didn't think he'd jack my stuff. He didn't.

Kona, here I come!

i like my body when it is with your
body. It is so quite new a thing.
Muscles better and nerves more.
i like your body. i like what it does,
i like its hows. i like to feel the spine
of your body and its bones, and the trembling
-firm-smooth ness and which i will
again and again and again
kiss, i like kissing this and that of you,
i like, slowly stroking the, shocking fuzz
of your electric fur, and what-is-it comes
over parting flesh . . . . And eyes big love-crumbs,

and possibly i like the thrill

of under me you quite so new

ee cummings

runners

Spider Plant

When I opened my eyes this morning,
the fact of its shooting out
long thin green runners on which miniatures
of the mother will sprout,
and that each of these offshoots
could in its own time repeat this,
terrified me. And something seemed awful
in the syllables of the word "Brenda,"
sounding inside me before they made a name,
then making a name of no one I've known.
i had been dreaming I was married to Patty
again. She kept coming on my tongue
and I knew if I put myself in
we'd have to stay together this time.
But I wanted to, and did, and as I did
the sadness and pleasure of our nine years together
washed through me as a river, yet
I knew this wasn't right, it couldn't
work, and though we were now enmeshed
forever, I began to rise from my body
making love with her on the bed and to hover
at a little distance over both of us.
That's when I awoke and saw the spider plant.

-Michael Ryan

thinking of winter in the summer

In Winter

At four o'clock it's dark.
Today, looking out through dusk at three gray women in stretch slacks
chatting in front of the post office,
their steps left and right and back
like some quick folk dance of kindness,
I remembered the winter we spent
crying in each other's laps.
What could you be thinking at this moment?
How lovely and strange the gangly spines
of trees against a thickening sky
as you drive from the library
humming off-key? Or are you smiling
at an idea met in a book
the way you smiled with your whole body
the first night we talked?
i was so sure my love of you was perfect,
and the light today
reminded me of the winter you drove home
each day in the dark at four o'clock
and would come into my study to kiss me
despite mistake after mistake after mistake.

-Michael Ryan

ba da ba ba ba ba baaaaa, I'm Alive!

I woke up feeling grateful.

I had a dream last night that I was graduating from high school and was actually sad about it, sad about leaving Mr Schwing and Calculus (nerd alert) and about leaving my friends. I felt so scared about going out into the world for the first time, and I had no idea what was going to happen to me next. I looked to close friends and mentor for answers and for comfort. I woke up with that terrible "I've just been crying in my dream" feeling, but soon absorbed the presence of my room and Riley, snuggled up by my side. I realized that the rest of my life has a basic plan that's beginning in 10 days. I'm settled, independent, and living in a city I absolutely love. I'm so happy with myself and where I am.

<3

AAW5100

I've decided to jump back on the blog wagon, even though everyone else has jumped off (ahem, Maddie, Amy, and Milf). A lot has happened in the past month. Some highlights:

Benny Benassi. I danced my butt off all night and had SO MUCH FUN!

Tatianni moving in. New roomie/partner in crime/fellow enjoyer of life that I have been spending most of my time with! We've been having so much fun.

Golden Gardens Park. Spent a sunny & lazy afternoon at a great beach in Seattle. Yes, a beach in Seattle. With snow capped mountains over the water and lush green trees behind us. Adam played guitar and I found a crab shell to look at for a long time. I've been thinking about No Impact Man and been working more on my footprint. I bring my reusable bag everywhere and try to always bring a water bottle. I bought a used item of clothing. I went to the Farmer's Market for fruits and veggies (all local organic). I cleaned up the beach for 10 minutes to bring some positive into my wholly negative impact on this planet. I felt like it was a huge accomplishment for me to actually act on what I think about. Next goals: buy some potting soil and plant a few plants, build my worm compost bin, look into trail cleanup/restoration, and go check out another market! mmm strawberries and tomatoes...

Hiking! I've been hiking every weekend as usual. I've decided that the weekly hike is equivalent to church--it's my religion--it grounds me, re-centers me, and puts my life back into focus.

Denny Creek--twice in 3 weeks!

Snow Lake: an adventure in bushwhacking up and down a snow covered mountain while trying to get as little snow as possible into my shoes and underwear (I had worn jean shorts like a smart person) and punching holes in half melted snow piles with um, your entire leg in a hole. It seems terrible and difficult, but I laughed all day and was proud of myself afterwards.

Annette Lake: a journey into the clouds with a hyperactive dog who was unsure of snow (and hypoallergenic) and an owner who could not detach from her twitter long enough to appreciate the following:

I start grad school in 12 days. That's less than two weeks! I've been preparing myself for the transition back into a student. I spent the day today cleaning the house top to bottom, and yesterday I straightened out all car related Washington registration, insurance, and WA license getting. I ordered my books for summer classes (used) on Amazon, and mailed in my acceptance/agreement for financial aid. I'm committed and excited!

<3

Hello, I love you

Hello I have something to say.
Remember me? We met the other day.
Anyway, I think that you're really great.

You are better than butter on bread.
If you were a sweater I'd wear you on my head. Why is butter so good on bread? It's you. Hahah, I'm sorry.

Just tried to let you know that I love you so.
And now I'll let you go.
Ohh oh
Just called to say hello, and that I love you so.
And now I'll let you go.
Ohh oh
Just wanted to let you know that I love you so.
And now I'll let you go.
Ohh oh
Just called to say hello, you know I love you so.
And now I'll let you go.
Yeah.

So I guess you're probably busy and things. Doin' your hair, or whatever you're doing that's so cool. You're the best, just wanted to say you knock me out.
So get back to whatever it is your doin' that's so cool. I'll get back to kicking rocks down by the highschool.
Anyway...uhh. My numbers 22762.
Call me back if you want to.

Just tried to let you know that I love you so.
And now I'll let you go.
Ohh oh
Just called to say hello, and that I love you so.
And now I'll let you go.
Ohh oh
Just wanted to let you know that I love you so.
And now I'll let you go.
Ohh oh
Just called to say hello, you know I love you so.
And now I'll let you go.
Yeah.

-Ima Robot

uterine lining/udders

This is what my body does to remind me every month what I would look like pregnant. The day before my period on my new 28 day normal woman cycle. I'm not even sticking my stomach out. Haha.

Today I went to Maggie Moon's here in Wallingford with the lovely Mad. I pigged out on salted caramel ice cream and lavender ice cream with a homemade waffle cone. I feel guilty about it. I came back to Seattle a few days ago and got right back on the hardcore vegan train and totally killed it with what I ate today. And I know I'm not perfect and I just started my period so I'm allowed to treat myself (excuses), but I really want to treat myself with vegan foods. I feel guilty about the harm inflicted on the poor cows. For me to enjoy that ice cream a baby girl cow was raised and forced to be pregnant over and over and over in its crazy short life, and milked by machines and had its many babies taken away from it and turned into veal and more baby girl milk cows. And it was a really really sad life. I really need to stop being ashamed of my compassion--so what, I have a big heart (sometimes). And, on top of that, it was bad for my digestive system, probably full of antibiootics, it was bad for my heart, and it's going to make some fat. WHY DO I DO THESE THINGS TO MYSELF!

I feel like Violet from Willie Wonka. I've been eating a lot of dairy and sugar. I might explode like that guy from that Monty Python skit. "It's wafer thin..."

While we're talking about movies...I gave Pineapple Express a second shot. I didn't really like it either time. It's a stoner movie that isn't for stoners...I mean the graphic violence and half blown off ear pieces, the 20 minute car chase, the lame characters, the fact that it's 2 hours long...not a good stoned movie.

"They say california is a recipe for a black hole

I say, I've got my best shoes on

I'm ready to go"

Home is relaxing. The house is so big and I have it all to myself. I don't have to shut the door when I pee. I want to live alone for a while--don't get me wrong, having roommates is super fun and they keep me in check. The ever present reminder that my sloth-ness is being noticed helps me do one productive thing a day, at least. I can't afford to live alone for now. I guess really I want a place where I live with one other person that I can boss around (boyfriend, fiance, whatever). That way I don't get lonely, and I can keep things how I like them :) Pieces of me are so stupidly stereotypically womanly, for instance my need to coddle heads against my breasts.

I saw Sex and the City 2 and it made me crave New York City--the lights, the speed, the noise. The people. I don't know how or when I'll end up there, but I sure do miss it while I'm gone. I'm almost willing to drive cross country with Jordan and the two cats just to get a free trip there. But those cats are smelly.

<3

more granola, less lycra

This blog was started in a kind of response to the movie "Julie and Julia", which is about this girl who starts a blog. Maddie's always brilliant phrasing is inspiring me to challenge myself on my blog too.

This month's challenge:

More yoga, less drinking.

I was thinking today about what I need to do to take care of myself and work towards being the happiest I can be. I know that yoga really helps my health, my happiness, and my general productiveness, so I decided I needed to find a way to make sure I'm practicing. I kept thinking about how I don't have the money, and also about how much I've been drinking lately, and I realized that if I just put all the money I've been throwing down on booze into buying a yoga membership, I'd probably have cash left to spare! So, for my own well being, on June 7th, for a month, I will put all booze money into yoga. I'm not saying I'm not going to drink--if someone buys me a drink I'll drink it :) Best plan ever, if I do say so myself.

Hiking and meeting people. And sunshine. (And food. And beer.)

That last post had great points, but it didn't pull together cohesively because of the booze. I edited a lot out, too, but to no avail. :)

I've been slacking on the blogging, but so has Maddie so it's ok :) We'll be better, I swear, because I'm sure you can't wait to hear all about our awesome lives and we can't wait to talk about them!

Subjects for blog: hiking, dating, and meeting people. Ok, now to play catch up--

HIKING IN WASHINGTON IS THE BEST! Some of my new friends are avid hikers that plan a hike every weekend, and I'm now a part of the group! It's quickly becoming my favorite part of the week, and my favorite part about Washington! The first week we went to Wallace Falls. The weather was overcast, I didn't have proper footwear, but it was overall a successful first hike, meeting people and realizing the wilderness potential for my new life here. My new friend Alex organizes the hikes and rides, and takes un. believable photos. I think because he writes his name on them it's ok that I repost them. Well, I'll have to remember to double check with him next time.

Wallace Falls

Last weekend we went to Otter Falls (10 mi). It took us forever to get to the trailhead on pot hole filled roads in the middle of nowhere. There were no signs so we just started walking on the trail and figured we'd get to the falls sooner or later! We ended up at some other beautiful falls and talked to some people and found we had totally missed the split off earlier for Otter Falls. But that's ok, we got to see both falls! It was an absolutely perfect day with tons of great puffy white clouds and the most clean and fresh air you can imagine. I couldn't stop myself from breathing it in consciously taking in the most air I possibly could and then sighing in happiness as I let it out. I tried to take some time for myself when we stopped for breaks and just "find some peace" (as Alex put it) in the beautiful, quiet surroundings.

-me "finding peace" on a rock at the bottom of a waterfall-

-great photo of Jessie crossing one of the many streams on the trip-

-Otter Falls! Really slow moving, huge, rock waterfall. There was a huge frozen ice chunk in the lake at the bottom. Awesome-

-the group at "Wrong Falls"...haha-

-so we decided to walk on these frozen trees, and I was super stoked to practice my rusty balance beams skills, but instead I slipped on the ice on the trunk and ate it HARD. I got this mad awesome bruise from it, and it made me feel really really alive. Hence the happy face-

This week's hike was to Rattlesnake Ledge/Peak (11 mi). It was a one way hike over a mountain. The first hour or so was a brutal incline and I was drenched in sweat. The work was seriously worth it, though: the view from Rattlesnake Peak was one of the most amazing panoramic views I've ever seen my whole life. I could have sat there an entire day on the edge of the peak, soaking it all in. A spiritual experience. Seriously. Possibly one of my favorite places in the world. I'm already planning a return visit.

I guess I'll come back to the dating topic another time. On to meeting people. Which is all I've been doing! I can't believe all the new friends I'm making. I'm practically becoming a social butterfly! (I know, right?) I have a few people here that I'd consider new friends, and I have a list a mile long of cool people I've met and talked to. I love it. I'm definitely doing the amount of drinking beer and meeting people that a lot of people do in college, but I never did. Maddie and I went to this really fun birthday party for a new friend from UW, and we danced and looked great, obviously. :)

The last few days in the city have been a beautiful 70-75 degrees with blue skies and plenty of sun (insert shocked faces here). I've been outside, soaking in the sun, forming this season's tan lines, and exploring nearby neighborhoods in varying degrees of sobriety. My lawn has become my office, complete with laptop, sunglasses, red lips, CSA fruit, and a big glass of water. I realize now what a California girl I became in my 12 years there--getting some (cancer) rays really is one of the most pleasant ways to spend an afternoon. (photos by Maddie)

-roomies outside on a beautiful day-

-just me. obviously the wine isn't mine and I'm a poser, because a) I don't drink white wine and b) Maddie is holding it in previous photo-

I've been eating delicious healthy (mostly) vegan food and becoming more in touch with my body and what it wants/needs and doesn't want/need. I had caffeine this morning and almost puked it messed me up so badly! Since I've been exercising more I've been learning which foods give me the best long lasting energy (whole grains and veggies, go figure) and it's interesting to really truly understand that Jack-In-The-Box at 11pm "just because we're hungry and nothing else is open" really kills my body the next morning.

I guess that's all.

public living

The private/public line we draw is something I've been pondering. I don't want to put myself on the net completely because I feel like my life is for me and not for public consumption (facebook, pictures, twitter, etc). So many people make me sick, putting on this show that they expect everyone to buy into. Maybe a huge part of my privacy has to do with a fear of measuring up. I especially hate this because at no other time in my life do I really give a shit about it. In "real life", if you will. Measuring up doesn't matter and I'm happy with where I am, where I've been, and where I'm going, personally. Sure, I don't have the experiences others do. I haven't traveled the world or lived the greek life in college. I don't have loads of acquaintances. I won't have that many tagged pictures, that many facebook friends, that many comments on my birthday, that many adorable status updates about how happy I am and how much I LOVE MY LIFE, so why even try?

So, this is me. I'm not just saying I don't give a fuck, I really don't. My friends are my real friends--I value them, and I don't collect them. I take some pictures, some I share and some I don't, and I save some pictures other people take so I can look at them later. I don't always look good. I'm not always happy and excited. I sometimes am, more often than not, lately, but I revel in that privately or with people I'm close to, without proclaiming it online. I'm happy I don't do those things, yet I still feel a need to measure up. I just have to try to not let it bother me.

Which brings me to the subject of blogging. Blogging is an extension of Facebook, really, because it is a piece of yourself that you put out there to be read, but really judged, by others. So how much of myself do I want to put on this blog? The first few posts are generic, easy, and shallow. I feel like I should write about more interesting things. But the truth is, I'm really awesome, and the things I do aren't especially interesting lately, which I'm also not really worried about.

Wow, I was just about to write a few really self conscious sentences there. I stopped myself, not for public appearances, but because I'm feeling really great about my life and myself lately. It's an interesting transition. I feel like I'm been pretty self conscious for most of my life. New attention from men, overall confidence in my life in Seattle, and my quest towards personal health (which makes me care a lot less about how I look) is making me a person I don't quite understand yet.

So I guess, for now, this blog is what it is. And I'm ok with that. And I won't put on a show, no matter how much I feel like I should. Story of my life. Once in third grade I raised my hand to answer a question everyone single other person in the class thought had the opposite answer. I should have conformed, but I didn't--I stood my ground. And guess what, I was right all along.

xoxo

PS I did that again when I could have gotten a pendant signed by Joe Montana when I won a raffle in elementary school, and the whole school told me to pick the Joe Montana prize, but I chose the other pendant, which was signed by two football players no one cared about at all. Non-conformity was a FAIL that particular time :)

footprints

Today I want to talk about feet, but mostly footprints.

I'm realizing lately the importance of quality footwear. I'm not usually a person who talks about ((shoes.)) But, good shoes can really change your outlook about being outside. They can give you comfort, confidence, and energy or they can make you sad and hurty and want to go back home. I paid a little extra last fall when I replaced my running shoes, and it still feels like walking on air every time I use them. I got great boots for my trip to Europe and New York, and I could trek around the cities the entire day without feeling too casual or uncomfortable. Today I bought hiking boots (well, a birthday gift from my mom), and I think they predict a successful summer as an avid hiker in this beautiful city. The sun shone all day, and everything was as green and bright as Emerald City and every hard surfaced reflected light. It felt clean. I still hold by my theory that living somewhere with bad weather part of the year inspires you appreciate the good even more.

And now to footprints. I've been thinking a lot about my carbon footprint. I have been making great strides into being, in my opinion, a better human being. Not that I judge people that eat big hamburgers or gorge on cheese (well, that's not true), but I do think the things I do to eliminate the unnecessary suffering of other living creatures make me better. Which is why I do them. Plus, it makes me feel better health wise and doesn't hurt the wallet and is great for my bod. :) Win win! I'm still not perfect, of course, but I'm trying.

My next steps: WALK EVERYWHERE! I can get to so many things by foot. I don't have much need for my car, so saving the environment AND gas money are huge pluses. The bus system is decent here so that, combined with using my feet = lowering my carbon footprint even more! It disgusts me that the lowest I've ever been footprint wise is still insanely higher than the rest of the WORLD'S average!

Another challenge I have for myself is to go one whole day a week without the use of ANY electronics. No computer, no phone, no ipod, no stereo. Maybe no lights, either. I love using candles at night anyway. Why does that sound so scary and impossible! That sickens me. I feel a little bit like a hypocrite and an addict at the same time. I'm going to make myself do it, though, and see if it makes me realize anything about myself or society.

Today's blog was pretty inspirational--this guy is a little eXtreme, but I think he has some really great ideas on how to make your life the exact life you want.

http://crazysexylife.com/2010/how-i-transformed-my-life/

Farmhouse Ale Imposter

The highlight of today:

It may look like just an ear with an adorable little freckle, but there's more to the story!

Last summer I bartended at a brewery in beautiful Camino, California. One of my favorite regulars was Mike. He had a cat named Post-it that he brought everywhere with him like a dog (leash and all). On hot summer evenings when everyone would be on the lawn drinking and playing cornhole, Post-it and I would chill inside killing flies with the electric fly swatter, sneaking beer shots and generally rocking out. Mike and I were good pals, probably because I'm the same age as his daughter, and also because he's a bit of an old perv. He only drank Whitewater Pale Ale, to which he added ground cloves that he made me keep behind the bar to make it taste more like Farmhouse Ale, a beer that hadn't been made since the owner swindled all of the profits on erectile dysfunction pills, prostitutes, and online porn sites, and thus had no money for the production of the more expensive beers.

Mike worked at Snowline Hospice Thrift Store during the day and would always give people little gifts of things he found there, like an ugly fake flower bouquet which ended up as a joke bar decoration for months, a "RESERVED" sign he put on whatever table he sat at, and the above pictured turquoise earrings. Not only are they totally cute, but they are the only pair of earrings I own that don't give my ears an allergic reaction. I thought I had lost them forever and had mourned their passing, but turns out they were just in my secret purse compartment waiting to be found and worn again :) I did a little dance.

I need to get out of the house more often...

I love my new home, Seattle. Now I'll write about it. I'll probably also talk about cooking, eating, and good beers. I'm going to take some pictures and re-develop my seriously disintegrating writing skills. I'm going to try to spend a little more time each day being creative instead of rotting my brain with (all) seven seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

I've been trying to force myself back into a morning routine where I get up, bathe, brush my teeth, turn on some music, clean my room, light some incense, and start my day like normal working people do. Sitting around in my pjs is getting old.

Today Maddie got me out of the house and off the couch to work at Zoka, a coffee shop down the street. It's nice to work out in public, except for the fact I'm forced to take fewer breaks and can't sidetrack myself with watching youtube videos of broadway performances. Well I guess it's a good thing :)

We ate dinner at one of my favorite local joints, (hot) Diggity Dog. They have sage potato apple veggie dogs and a decent beer choice, with a kids zone in the back, cheesy 90s pop playing, and pictures of dogs on the walls. It's owned by a nice local family and we loooove it here at the Mystery Spot!

Maddie made an I N S A N E strawberry rhubarb cobbler with our CSA fruits/roots (?). I love our CSA. Everyone should get one.

It was obviously super good.