Saturday, November 29, 2008

so true, so true


Since becoming a parent, every Calvin and Hobbes strip rings with a new truth I couldn't possibly have seen twenty years ago.

Winston and I read this in one of the many C&H omnibus collections we own. I found it online here. I knew Calvin's transmogrifier would make good one day!
Posted by at No comments:

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Happy Turkey Day—in advance

I can tell nothing much is going to be accomplished today—I'm feeling like I'm already on vacation from the job search and the housekeeping projects. And, I am ready to celebrate!!

In addition to the crappy global economy and an overall profound need for social change, as well as the stress from an election year, 2008 has not been a good year. In fact, it may go down in my personal history as an Annus Horribilis. Sweating through the sale of the company I worked for, losing my job, having a huge fallout with my parents, John losing his job, not being able to find work in the industry where, for over fifteen years, I have demonstrated passion and competency—all qualify the year as a veritable disaster.

But I'm here to tell you that I'm glad the year is drawing to a close. In all sincerity, I hope that I've kept my sense of humor, as well as a little faith so that I may be secure in the knowledge that things will turn around. Change is coming, and already I feel a palpable sense of relief. Also, I know that life hands us challenges, but, in the cosmic scheme of things, please could there be many years between myself and the Next Big Thing. Please, oh please, oh please.

Thanksgiving kicks off a time of year when, despite the occasional greed, gluttony, and general excess, I feel very alive. This year is no exception. I am so very, very thankful for the kindness and support my friends have shown me through difficult times. I am so very, very thankful to have a wonderfully understanding and loving husband. And I am so very, very blessed with beautiful, smart, caring children. The things that I have to be thankful for so outweigh the terrible.

All my best—to you and yours—for a joyful, restful Thanksgiving!



Posted by at 2 comments:

wiki wednesday


It's time for Wiki Wednesday!

1. Go to wikipedia.
2. Click on "random article" on the left-hand sidebar.
3. Post it.

Today's random pick is a really cool music entry. Has anyone heard of this? I'm guessing not, since it's Nu Folk, but I like the idea behind the collaboration. Can you imagine The Police and Duran Duran, or The Killers and Kings of Leon, or Sharon Jones and Amy Winehouse (okay, I can kind of see this one) recording swapped songs?
This is a split EP, featuring a side each from Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly and Dave House. Each artist contributes one of their own songs, as well as a cover of one of their counterpart's songs. It was released in a limited quantity - only 500 were ever pressed - of 10" white vinyl, and was a joint release by each artist's respective record label. This record became the first part in the Gravity DIP split 10" series.

[edit] Side A: Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly

  1. The Chronicles of a Bohemian Teenager: Part 1
  2. Weeknights and Weekends (originally by Dave House)

[edit] Side B: Dave House

  1. Shiver
  2. A Song For (originally by Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly)
This 2000s folk album-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
Posted by at No comments:

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

lucky day

On Tuesday mornings, I volunteer in Winston’s classroom. Typically, I work individually on reading skills with a handful of learners. Sometimes Ms B has a project that needs extra help, so I lend a hand with tasks such as checking in math homework or tracing geometric patterns that resemble Moroccan tiles onto paper plates, which is what I did last week.

For the past few weeks, when I entered the blue atrium—the large common area around which the five first-grade classrooms are arranged—a group of sixth grade girls have been receiving Indonesian dance lessons. Now, I’m all for cultural exchange, but the music was haunting (to my untrained Western ears), and I had to negotiate my way through a swarm of twelve-year-old girls. Today, I was relieved that the soundtrack for a Wes Craven movie was noticeably absent and confidently entered the atrium to see, instead, three of the first grade classes sitting on the floor—okay, most were flopping on the floor, like bacon frying in a pan. Also, chairs had been arranged for parents. Wading through the layers of confusion, I realized I’d missed a note from the teacher, saying there was an event for parents to attend.

I really hate when that happens.

I took a seat and settled in to watch a “talent show.” Basically, twenty or so kids performed. Some played musical instruments—violin, piano, cello. Others danced or did tumbling. Two kids did magic tricks. A few boys told jokes, the likes of which you’d expect—“Why did Tigger lift the toilet seat? He was looking for Pooh”—but were expertly executed and pretty funny.

Most of the performances were agonizingly awful, which is as it should be. These kids are just starting to learn their forte. Still, I get verklempt whenever I go to school programs. It’s not difficult for me to start feeling nostalgic about singing in elementary school chorus concerts, dancing in ballet recitals, or playing violin in concerts or for the school musical’s pit orchestra. All the emotions are present—the butterflies fluttering in my stomach, the exhilaration of successfully hitting that part of the piece that we never managed to in practice, the relief when the last note was played. The bravery of those six- and seven-year-olds, standing before their peers, who can be pretty judgmental even at this young age, was not lost on me, as I discreetly caught tears escaping the corners of my eye. Ultimately, I found the whole performance, well, uplifting.

Winston did not perform, and when I asked him about the program, he said he didn’t have any talent. My goal before the next performance date is to help him find his talent—teach him a song on the recorder or how to do a sun salutation, anything that he can share.

Before I left the school building, I had a date with the Lost and Found. A few weeks ago, we bought Winston a new pair of trail runners, which he lost on the very first day he took them to school. Digging through the extra-large Rubbermaid bins, grossed out by the piles of limp sweatshirts, dirty socks, and stiff mittens and hats from last winter, I pulled out the first hard item my hand struck. Lo and behold, a size 11, greenish-brown Merrill shoe, and then another. What was lost is found!

Then, because we can’t have too many strokes of luck in the day, I got sick from eating a marginal leftovers. No, I am, lucky—John made sure I was allowed to recuperate, while fixing dinner and taking care of the boys.

A lucky day, even in unexpected ways!
Posted by at 2 comments:

Monday, November 24, 2008

get caught reading


Our family reads a lot. Our home is set to bursting with books. In addition to the full bookcases and overflowing bookshelves that are the centerpiece of every room in the house, piles of books have insinuated themselves onto almost every surface. Truthfully, books are my leading home accessory.

John and I each read to a boy every day; and each of the boys reads to us every day. Still, I have yet to see either boys pick up a chapter book and read independently. Granted, Winston is young (6.5), and for that matter, Simon is still technically an emerging reader. But, the boys attend a snooty [public] school [please read that with a modicum of sarcasm] where average or at-age-level is considered an underachievement. And, they're boys, who, well-funded studies show, come to reading slower than girls do. We've looked at physical factors—there's no dyslexia (we're watching since there is a strong family history) and vision is good. What next?

With the goal of strengthening my third grader's reading skills, I did a little online research. Interestingly, almost all of the first page of Google hits referred to this list of ten ways to improve reading. Without even clicking on the link, you'll know what I'm talking about. I'm sure you've seen this list on a pamphlet at ECFE or comparable parent education classes. It's on bookmarks at the library and on posters at the pediatrician's office.


John and I are already doing all the things we apparently should be doing, per the list, that is. All but one—have family reading time. So over the weekend, we introduced a new family activity—fifteen minutes of independent reading. We each selected a book and took up a spot on the sofa or in cozy chairs in our living room. (Top, Simon chose an anthology, True Sea Stories. Above, John is reading Redemption Song: The Ballad of Joe Strummer, a biography by music journalist Chris Salewicz, while Winston tucks into Slinky Scaly Snakes.)

For my money, fifteen minutes isn't enough reading time, for me, mostly because my fantasy revolves around a twenty-four or more hours of uninterrupted reading. The time and place was perfect for the boys, though, and both enjoyed sharing what they had read when our time was done. I don't think it will be long before this habit stretches into a longer chunk of time. Until such time, I vow to be patient and encouraging.
Posted by at 2 comments:

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

wiki wednesday

It's time for Wiki Wednesday!

1. Go to wikipedia.
2. Click on "random article" on the left-hand sidebar.
3. Post it.

I got a geographical entry today. There are 43 summits in the U.S. called Wildcat Mountain—and six states have more than two summits by that name. Fascinating!

Wildcat Mountain is the name of 43 summits in the United States, including:

Posted by at No comments:

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

still here

When I last made an appearance here, our router was getting ready to die. John upgraded our high-speed internet service so finally, as of today, it should be zippier. However, I have yet to see evidence of high speed anything. My “connection” to the web is tenuous, which is maddening. My favorite sites don’t load fast enough so I’m wasting fabulous amounts of time on daily “housekeeping.” Forget about using the internet to job search—what a joke.

We bought a new router, but John is having problems getting it to do what it’s supposed to do, despite the simplicity of running it—plug it in, load some software, and go. SLOW food, SLOW cycling, SLOW lifestyle all good, yes. SLOW computer, not so much. Itsa making me CRAZY.

I suppose I should also lament my dependence upon the internet. But I truly do think it was the most genius thing invented. It has become my lifeblood for staying connected to friends (and not vis a vis Facebook either, but through forums—my communities, larger than tribe), for looking for a job (can’t tell you the last time I found a job in the newspaper), and for entertainment when TV fails to hold my attention (which is often, despite having more than 200 cable channels).

Also, new topic. I’m in excruciating pain. Don’t know what I did to my neck and shoulder, but I’m experiencing a sharp, searing pain that runs down the right side of my neck, radiates over my shoulder, and extends back through my scapula. My amateur diagnosis is—drum roll—inactivity. Since the weather changed from warm fall to cold fall, I’ve not been on my bike, and I certainly haven’t expanded my yoga practice as intended. And it kills me that daily exercise is necessary to keep from completely falling apart. For a few years, between pregnancies, I worked with a personal trainer, Mia, who saved my sanity many times over. She used to say about exercise, "You don't have to love it. You just have to do it." So true. So tru.

I felt somewhat better—just a dull ache—after yoga on Sunday. Then, I went and raked and bagged leaves, and dumped forty bags at the compost site. There is no comfortable way to sleep, and I can’t turn my head. Before you tell me to shut up already and haul myself to the doctor, I am going to see a massage therapist later this week. Until then, I just want to complain here and wallow in it a smidge—sometimes it’s like that, you know? Thanks for bearing with me.

Oh, gotta go. Planning to indulge in some retail therapy. I just know that I’m going to feel so good spending money (I don’t really have right now) (okay, I do have this kind of money to spend) (I’m just trying to get used to spending less) on someone else’s behalf. My sister’s birthday is in ten days and this year, for once, I’d like her to be able to open a present on her special day—it’s a big one for her!! Besides, it really does make me feel better to expend good energy and deeds toward someone else.

UPDATE: The new router is working AND I'm getting a signal in the farthest reaches of the house, where just hours ago we had no signal. This means that I can surf the web and blog while I'm watching TV. Suddenly my life has improved. I'm kind of excited by the possibility of conducting my job search from the coach tomorrow while I'm watching Sex in the City episodes.
Posted by at No comments:

Thursday, November 13, 2008

good deal

Posted by at No comments:

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

wiki wednesday

It's time for Wiki Wednesday!

1. Go to wikipedia.
2. Click on "random article" on the left-hand sidebar.
3. Post it.

Today's random article is a double-header. I got a planet named after a singer, with whom I was unfamiliar so I've included her entry as well. Pretty slim info, but fun, nonetheless.

First, the planet:

677 Aaltje is a minor planet orbiting the Sun.

It is named after the Dutch singer Aaltje Noordewier-Reddingius.

Now, the singer:
Aaltje Noordewier-Reddingius (1 September 1868, Deurne - 6 April 1949, Hilversum) was a noted Dutch soprano and teacher.[1]

She was a mentor to singers such as Aafje Heynis and Laurens Bogtman.

Posted by at No comments:

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

doing

reading
Sara Roahen’s delicious stories of New Orleans foodways in Gumbo Tales have me constantly craving crawfish boil (with super juicy kielbasa and incendiary fresh corn cob chunks). Raphaella Barker's Summertime, a follow up to Hens Dancing, provides much-needed light reading. And, I'm hankering to start a new book. Here are some options from the pile that towers over my reading area: Alexander McCall Smith's Friends, Lovers, Chocolate (borrowed), Rivka Galchen's critically acclaimed Atmospheric Disturbances (something new), or Rebecca Stott's Ghostwalk (my book group's December selection).

watching
On Sunday night, John and I had a marathon movie session late into the night. It's been a long time since I've been awake past 1 a.m.—by choice. We finally saw Knocked Up, in which Katherine Heigl's character is celebrating her promotion from "E" producer to on-camera presenter and has a one-night stand with Seth Rogan's slacker character and gets pregnant. She decides to keep the baby, though it's hard to say why except to justify the plot. I thought it was charming and funny, and though the ending was utterly predictable, there was something extra winsome about the Rogan's character. We also saw War, Inc., with John Cusack, which is basically Point Grosse Blank, but in a fictitious Central Asian country (full synopsis). Cusack reprises his role as a spy whose cover is chair of a bogus trade mission to Turaqistan. Wars are waged between corporations rather than governments, and the trade fair is meant to improve the PR of the corporation, Tamerlane, leading this war. I love John Cusack and will see every movie he's in or behind. Hilary Duff is hysterically funny as an over-the-top oversexed teenage pop star, and Marisa Tomei is beyond cute and intelligent as a journalist for an Atlantic Monthly–type magazine.

knitting
Both the front and back of John’s roll neck sweater are done. I love working with Lopi. It’s such a forgiving yarn, and since I’m knitting on size 10 needles, it’s going pretty quickly. The next step is to (neatly) sew the shoulders together so that I may put the stitches lining the armhole back onto a needle. Then, the sleeves will be knitted directly onto the sweater, from the top down, a technique that has intrigued me for some time, but that I've never tried. Also, I am attempting to knit mittens for the boys. Honestly, I'm struggling with the mittens and really haven't progressed more than a row or two. The mittens are knit on three double-pointed needles, and, because the needles are short and tiny (size 5), the whole endeavor is really awkward. I'll give it one more try before surrendering to a class (which would be fun, don't get me wrong). Anyone have any tips for this kind of knitting?

eating
We’re gorging on sweet and tasty and local Honeycrisp apples while supplies last. On Sunday night I braised beef shanks, which resemble veal shanks but for a fraction of the price. Plus, beef shanks have less connective tissue than other bone-in cuts—I’m looking at you short ribs—which the boyfolk prefer. Eaten over potato puree with disturbing amounts of half-and-half and topped with a horseradish-spiked dollop of crème fraiche, not diet food but utterly soul warming.

drinking
Bell's Brewery Best Brown Ale, a winter seasonal beer that is vibrant and nutty and sweet. Newcastle Smewcastle. Trust me when I say that this brew will convert you if you aren't already a beer lover. We'll be drinking as much as we can, again, while supplies last. And tea—I'm drinking loads of decaf English Breakfast (yes, I know this is an oxymoron), taken white, with the least amount of sugar I can get away with.

planning
Earlier today I booked our flight to the East Coast for Christmas. Because neither John nor I are beholden to an employer (at the moment), and because the boys have two weeks of vacation around the holidays, we’ll be in Princeton for a solid week. I can’t wait—I need out of Dodge. At least one day will be spent in The City. We’ll take the train in, eat bagels boiled in NYC tap water and visit the Natural History Museum.


what are you doing?
Posted by at No comments:

Thursday, November 06, 2008

everywhere a sign

I saw these instructions recently in a public restroom. The implications are endless—and pretty funny.
Posted by at No comments:

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

wiki wednesday

It's time for Wiki Wednesday!

1. Go to wikipedia.
2. Click on "random article" on the left-hand sidebar.
3. Post it.

I got a newspaper, The Politico. How appropos for a publishing wonk—and for the day!

The Politico is an American political journalism organization based in Washington, D.C. that distributes its content via television, the Internet, newspaper, and radio. Its coverage includes Congress, Washington lobbying, and the 2008 presidential election.[1] It was a sponsor of the 2008 Republican Presidential Candidates debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on May 3, 2007 and the 2008 Democratic Presidential Candidates debate at the Kodak Theater on January 31, 2008.

John F. Harris and Jim VandeHei left The Washington Post to become The Politico's editor-in-chief and executive editor, respectively. The Politico is financed by Robert Allbritton, chairman and chief executive of Allbritton Communications, which owns television stations in Washington and elsewhere, and is an affiliate of Disney-owned ABC. Frederick J. Ryan Jr., former Assistant to U.S. President Ronald Reagan[2], and currently chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Foundation, is president and CEO of The Politico.[3]

On September 22, 2008, the Drudge Report teased the following statement: "POLITICO TO ANNOUNCE EXPANSION [AFTER ELECTION]... DEVELOPING...". The September 23, 2008 edition of the New York Times carried a detailed piece on the possible expansion. [4]

Contents

[hide]

[edit] Distribution and content

The newspaper has a circulation of approximately 25,000, distributed for free on Capitol Hill and elsewhere in Washington, D.C.[1] The newspaper prints three issues a week while Congress is in session, and sometimes publishes one issue a week when Congress is in recess. [5]

The Politico is a partner with several news outlets who co-report and distribute its video, print, and audio content. Partners include CBS News,[6] Allbritton Communications's ABC stations WJLA and KTUL,[7] radio station WTOP,[8], and Yahoo! News election coverage.

Politico journalists covering political campaigns plan to carry a video camera with them to every assignment,[7] and journalists are encouraged to promote their work elsewhere.[8] Though The Politico seeks to break the traditional journalism mold, it expects to initially make much of its money from Washington D.C.-focused newspaper advertising.[9]

[edit] Mistakes

On March 22, 2007, Politico writer Ben Smith erroneously reported via blog[10]John Edwards would suspend his presidential campaign in the wake of his wife's cancer recurrence, a claim that was headlined by the Drudge Report and cable news channels including MSNBC.[11] Smith later apologized for relying on a single anonymous source for the story.[12] that

Posted by at No comments:

happy happy day

Before I went to bed last night, I updated my Facebook page with my status:

ecstatic, relieved, and—dare I say it—hopeful

I am overwhelmed by the significance of this historic event—the United States elected its first black President. Heck, the whole election has been epic. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to see if I'm dreaming because, this year, I voted for a woman and for a black man for president. But, what blows me away even more—and, of this, there can be no doubt—we elected the best candidate to lead our nation. Obama is competent, steady, diplomatic, charismatic.

Not going to say much more because I'm still processing, but it's a happy, happy day!
Posted by at No comments:

Monday, November 03, 2008

weekend report


Sometimes pictures are more effective (and more expedient!) than words.

The Great Wall of China, as expressed in leaves (the boys did all the raking)

Pumpkin carving (I wish I could give the six-year-old credit for the inexpert carve job, but that's all my doing)

Roasted pumpkin seeds (my favorites: olive oil, kosher salt, Golden Fig's maple pepper)

Farmers market haul (clockwise from front): Jerusalem artichokes, red onions, carrots, purple Brussels sprouts (tucked into the carrots, middle), rainbow chard, gigantic Brussels sprouts (no, that's not a baby cabbage), Yukon Golds (not pictured).

Simon's first time curling, St. Paul Curling Club
Posted by at No comments:

Sunday, November 02, 2008

aw mom you're just jealous

it's the Beastie Boys!

Adam Horovitz, Sydney, and Simon at the Augsburg Obama Rally, 11/1/08
Posted by at 2 comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)