I know you have been waiting on the edge of your seat to find out if the squirrel was waiting for me when I got home…she was not. Not yet anyway. I’m sure she is plotting away in some nearby tree, watching and keeping track of my schedule. Yikes.
- We had movie night last week and watched one of my favs…Adventures in Babysitting. I couldn’t believe how many of the people at movie night hadn’t ever seen it…I mean, it’s a classic…that was one that I watched over and over again as a kid. It has been my only Thor reference until the movie came out this year. We served babysitting classics…mac and cheese and chocolate milk.
- This past weekend was the Seattle Public Library book sale…which I always put on my calendar as soon as the dates are announced…I get so excited for it. The sale is held at Magnussen Park in one of the giant warehouses…and contains boxes and boxes and tables and tables, and rooms and rooms of books. Thousands…maybe a million (I have no idea…they seem to go on forever)…and hardbacks are all $2, regular books $1. One dollar for books! Most of my literary collection (other than the Bobbsey Twins, Trixie Belden, Nancy Drew series that my mom saved for me) has come from the library book sale. I was a little pickier this year, and only spent about $40. I did almost complete my collection of A Series of Unfortunate Events. I think I still need one or two more.
- My mom and I bought a 90-minute bartending class on Groupon together and used it this weekend. the class was held at Wine World, just off the 45th St exit. I’ve driven past Wine World many times and don’t know how I haven’t stopped in…it’s huge…an entire WORLD of wine. And to be fair, wine accessories. Anyway…the class was taught by a guy with a heavy French accent that gave most of his attention to my mom. Granted, she was quite the participator…answering his questions and coming up with her own…it was pretty funny to watch. Also funny to watch (I’m sure) was me knocking my glass and shaker over multiple times, making a huge mess all over our work space. Luckily it was just water that we practiced with. We made one real drink…which I think came out pretty well…the key is good produce. Looking forward to doing some more experimenting over the holidays.
- I’ve seen a few movies lately…saw the PJ20 movie at the Cinerama last week. It’s a Pearl Jam documentary, written and directed by Cameron Crowe. It was great…I would definitely recommend seeing it. I think the greatest part was the audience though…we did go to the 10:30pm showing the night it was released, so the theater was full of people that LIVE for Pearl Jam. There was a lot of clapping, yelling, etc…very fun. I have seen Pearl Jam live twice, I think, and definitely didn’t know a whole lot about them, so the movie was pretty interesting. Also saw a documentary about a Formula One racecar driver- Senna. Considering I have next to no interest in race car driving, and all of the footage was from the 80’s and 90’s, I was surprised that I stayed interested throughout the whole thing. It was playing at The Crest…for $3…so you really can’t beat that. Also saw Moneyball…the new Brad Pitt movie. Brian was pretty pumped for it-it is one of his favorite books…we had a nice little double date with his parents. It’s a true story about the Oakland A’s using baseball statistics to manage the team…good stuff.
Last M's game of the season (for us) tonight...
I think that’s all for now…have a great week!
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Squirrel Attack!
I was very nearly attacked by a squirrel this morning, and I don’t feel safe returning home tonight. More on that later….
- I went to the downtown Sumner Wine Walk on Saturday with my mom and one of her wine bar friends. It is $20…you get a little souvenir wine glass and six tasting tickets (we bought extras, because there were about 12 tastings). A bunch of the cute little shops along Main St have tastings, ‘appetizers’, along with City of Sumner trivia questions (rhubarb pie capital of the world…who knew). I know there are lots of sweet little ‘main streets’ around, but if you do happen to be in Sumner for some reason, it really is a cute area with lots of darling little shops (if you are in the market for holiday decorations…woo-eee…shop to your hearts content).
- Monday night I planned to drop Brian off at his kickball game and then go for a much needed run (I am SO out of running shape…ish)…but the team was short on people at the start of the game, so I was recruited to fill in until other members showed up. I like playing kickball, but this team makes me a little nervous- for two reasons. First, they are good. They win games by high scores. They throw the ball really hard at the basemen (basepeople). Second, the last time I filled in for them, I had about the worst game ever and I am pretty sure they never wanted me to play again. Anyway…all was fine…I played a few innings- no big mistakes, but boy was I sore the next two days from sprinting to first base. Yikes, yet another reason I need to get back to running.
- Went to the Mariners game on Tuesday against the Yankees. It was a nice night for a game, not because it was warm and sunny, but because it was cooler, and the sky was dark, and it just felt crisp and Fall-y….but still without rain. Also cool thing about the game- Mariano Rivera got his 600th career save (aka, the M’s lost), putting him one save away from the record set by Trevor Hoffman. It was disappointing that there wasn’t any acknowledgment of the accomplishment at the game, but his teammates all went out to the mound and congratulated him, which was cool.
- Last night was Potluck…which really is something I look forward to every other week (not that I only look forward to it biweekly- it only happens biweekly). A few things I look forward to- I like having an excuse to make something…it usually ends up being a dessert, and it is fun to search for something new to try, that will actually get eaten and not leave me to eat an entire pie by myself.
There is usually some kind of game involved (last night we played A-Z which was SO fun, and I have already done a search for it to buy it myself). And, I really, truly enjoy the people involved. Anyway…the point of this point, was to display our Potluck contribution from last night. The theme was cheeseburgers. We brought dessert. How cute are these?! Nilla wafers, grasshopper cookies, green food coloring on coconut, frosting, etc…
And finally…back to the squirrel.
As I was walking down the pathway from my house to the street, I noticed a squirrel a little ways ahead in the middle of the path. I slowed down a bit, to give it time to scamper away. It didn’t scamper. Then a little baby squirrel came hopping over to where I was standing. I backed up a little, and it moved forward…right onto my feet. I backed up, it hopped back on…apparently really wanting to sit on my feet. Sooo, I ran. To the backyard, and the baby ran behind the fence. I peeked around the corner of the house, waiting for the big squirrel (clearly mom), still standing in the middle of the path- in an attack pounce position at this point (she may have snarled with fierce teeth displayed)- to go away (all the while I am getting later and later for work). Finally, after a few moments, she ran in the same direction as her baby, behind the fence. I decided to make a run for it…as I passed the end of the fence, I looked back…and there was the mom squirrel- WAITING FOR ME AT THE EDGE OF THE FENCE. I was paralyzed with fear for a brief moment, and then continued the sprint to the safety of the street…it was terrifying. I’m a little bit nervous about what traps that mom squirrel might be plotting for my return home after work. I am pretty sure the baby squirrel had me mistaken for a Disney Princess, and was hoping I would sing it a song if it sat on my feet.
That's all.
- I went to the downtown Sumner Wine Walk on Saturday with my mom and one of her wine bar friends. It is $20…you get a little souvenir wine glass and six tasting tickets (we bought extras, because there were about 12 tastings). A bunch of the cute little shops along Main St have tastings, ‘appetizers’, along with City of Sumner trivia questions (rhubarb pie capital of the world…who knew). I know there are lots of sweet little ‘main streets’ around, but if you do happen to be in Sumner for some reason, it really is a cute area with lots of darling little shops (if you are in the market for holiday decorations…woo-eee…shop to your hearts content).
- Monday night I planned to drop Brian off at his kickball game and then go for a much needed run (I am SO out of running shape…ish)…but the team was short on people at the start of the game, so I was recruited to fill in until other members showed up. I like playing kickball, but this team makes me a little nervous- for two reasons. First, they are good. They win games by high scores. They throw the ball really hard at the basemen (basepeople). Second, the last time I filled in for them, I had about the worst game ever and I am pretty sure they never wanted me to play again. Anyway…all was fine…I played a few innings- no big mistakes, but boy was I sore the next two days from sprinting to first base. Yikes, yet another reason I need to get back to running.
- Went to the Mariners game on Tuesday against the Yankees. It was a nice night for a game, not because it was warm and sunny, but because it was cooler, and the sky was dark, and it just felt crisp and Fall-y….but still without rain. Also cool thing about the game- Mariano Rivera got his 600th career save (aka, the M’s lost), putting him one save away from the record set by Trevor Hoffman. It was disappointing that there wasn’t any acknowledgment of the accomplishment at the game, but his teammates all went out to the mound and congratulated him, which was cool.
- Last night was Potluck…which really is something I look forward to every other week (not that I only look forward to it biweekly- it only happens biweekly). A few things I look forward to- I like having an excuse to make something…it usually ends up being a dessert, and it is fun to search for something new to try, that will actually get eaten and not leave me to eat an entire pie by myself.
There is usually some kind of game involved (last night we played A-Z which was SO fun, and I have already done a search for it to buy it myself). And, I really, truly enjoy the people involved. Anyway…the point of this point, was to display our Potluck contribution from last night. The theme was cheeseburgers. We brought dessert. How cute are these?! Nilla wafers, grasshopper cookies, green food coloring on coconut, frosting, etc…
And finally…back to the squirrel.
As I was walking down the pathway from my house to the street, I noticed a squirrel a little ways ahead in the middle of the path. I slowed down a bit, to give it time to scamper away. It didn’t scamper. Then a little baby squirrel came hopping over to where I was standing. I backed up a little, and it moved forward…right onto my feet. I backed up, it hopped back on…apparently really wanting to sit on my feet. Sooo, I ran. To the backyard, and the baby ran behind the fence. I peeked around the corner of the house, waiting for the big squirrel (clearly mom), still standing in the middle of the path- in an attack pounce position at this point (she may have snarled with fierce teeth displayed)- to go away (all the while I am getting later and later for work). Finally, after a few moments, she ran in the same direction as her baby, behind the fence. I decided to make a run for it…as I passed the end of the fence, I looked back…and there was the mom squirrel- WAITING FOR ME AT THE EDGE OF THE FENCE. I was paralyzed with fear for a brief moment, and then continued the sprint to the safety of the street…it was terrifying. I’m a little bit nervous about what traps that mom squirrel might be plotting for my return home after work. I am pretty sure the baby squirrel had me mistaken for a Disney Princess, and was hoping I would sing it a song if it sat on my feet.
That's all.
Friday, September 9, 2011
It looks like summer is planning to stick around a bit longer. It definitely took some time to get here, but I think we have actually had a pretty decent summer…which I hope means we will have a decent winter. I’d really like to get some snow this year. But that’s getting a little ahead of things…
Had such a fun time at rodeo this year. It had been several years since I attended, and as always, it reminded me of what amazing friends my mom has. This group of people (who we have been hanging out with since I was 5 or 6), despite all the random life happenings and changes, still manage to make each other a priority and keep traditions going. I know everyone wishes they saw each other more often, but every time we are able to get together, it’s as if no time has passed and friendships are still strong. Those are special kinds of friendships. One of my favorite Dinner Club memories…I was 12, I think…we were going into our first Christmas after my mom’s divorce…and the group surprised us with fun little gifts on our front porch for the 12 Days of Christmas. Each morning when we woke up there was a new little package outside…I don’t remember what the presents were (I do remember the 8th day…the ‘maids a-milking’ day, there were eight different flavors of school lunch sized milks…yum!), but I do remember being overwhelmed with the thoughtfulness of the group. I always hoped and prayed that when I grew up I would have friends like them. The cool thing is that as I’ve grown up (though I still insist on staying in the kids gift exchange!), they have become my friends too.
In other news…
- I have started volunteering! It shouldn’t be as big of a deal as it is…I should have already been volunteering. But I wasn’t, and now I am, and I am so excited about it. I am volunteering with 826 Seattle, which is a non-profit writing center for students 6-18, that helps develop their creative writing skills. It is also a tutoring center- all subjects, not just writing. They do tutoring, in-school projects, field trips, weekend workshops, etc. And just really FUN activities to get kids excited about writing. Starting in October, I will be volunteering with a field trip…I’ll be doing the Geoduck field trip, which is for grades 1-3…they are tasked, by a ‘grouchy publisher’, to write an original, interesting story as a group…or there will be trouble! The group develops characters and the story line together, and then each kid is able to independently write their own ending. Each kid gets to take home a bound and ‘published’ copy of their very own story. So cool. Also so cool, is the storefront of 826…it is a Space Travel Supply Company with lots of fun merchandise. Check it out: http://www.826seattle.org/
- I finally started using Spotify…a little bit. Have heard lots of great things, decided I needed some tunes at work while I was alphabetizing…but then once I had it up, I had the hardest time thinking of anything I wanted to listen to! I also haven’t had any time to play around with it and create playlists or anything, since I have only used it at work, and am, of course, working hard! So this is still a discovery in process.
-Saw the movie Crazy Stupid Love this week. I almost completely really liked it. Cast is Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore, and Emma Stone. The movie felt very genuine. There were some pretty sad parts, that were lightened up a bit with comedy…but not in a silly or stupid way, or a way that took away from the seriousness of the material…which I think is pretty realistic. There was one story line in the movie that I didn’t like at all…it was completely unnecessary to the story and took away from the rest of it. But other than that, I really enjoyed this movie!
-Also recently finished the book One Day (there is a movie out right now with Anne Hathaway)…I haven’t seen the movie, but I HATED the book. That’s a strong word. There really wasn’t anything I enjoyed about the book. The characters weren't likeable (Emma- the Anne Hatheway character- is likeable for parts of the story). The ending was awful. I wish I could give it away so I could talk about how awful the ending was. I should have stopped reading it early on, but I just kept thinking that something redeeming HAD to happen. But no.
That’s all for now…have a super weekend!
Had such a fun time at rodeo this year. It had been several years since I attended, and as always, it reminded me of what amazing friends my mom has. This group of people (who we have been hanging out with since I was 5 or 6), despite all the random life happenings and changes, still manage to make each other a priority and keep traditions going. I know everyone wishes they saw each other more often, but every time we are able to get together, it’s as if no time has passed and friendships are still strong. Those are special kinds of friendships. One of my favorite Dinner Club memories…I was 12, I think…we were going into our first Christmas after my mom’s divorce…and the group surprised us with fun little gifts on our front porch for the 12 Days of Christmas. Each morning when we woke up there was a new little package outside…I don’t remember what the presents were (I do remember the 8th day…the ‘maids a-milking’ day, there were eight different flavors of school lunch sized milks…yum!), but I do remember being overwhelmed with the thoughtfulness of the group. I always hoped and prayed that when I grew up I would have friends like them. The cool thing is that as I’ve grown up (though I still insist on staying in the kids gift exchange!), they have become my friends too.
In other news…
- I have started volunteering! It shouldn’t be as big of a deal as it is…I should have already been volunteering. But I wasn’t, and now I am, and I am so excited about it. I am volunteering with 826 Seattle, which is a non-profit writing center for students 6-18, that helps develop their creative writing skills. It is also a tutoring center- all subjects, not just writing. They do tutoring, in-school projects, field trips, weekend workshops, etc. And just really FUN activities to get kids excited about writing. Starting in October, I will be volunteering with a field trip…I’ll be doing the Geoduck field trip, which is for grades 1-3…they are tasked, by a ‘grouchy publisher’, to write an original, interesting story as a group…or there will be trouble! The group develops characters and the story line together, and then each kid is able to independently write their own ending. Each kid gets to take home a bound and ‘published’ copy of their very own story. So cool. Also so cool, is the storefront of 826…it is a Space Travel Supply Company with lots of fun merchandise. Check it out: http://www.826seattle.org/
- I finally started using Spotify…a little bit. Have heard lots of great things, decided I needed some tunes at work while I was alphabetizing…but then once I had it up, I had the hardest time thinking of anything I wanted to listen to! I also haven’t had any time to play around with it and create playlists or anything, since I have only used it at work, and am, of course, working hard! So this is still a discovery in process.
-Saw the movie Crazy Stupid Love this week. I almost completely really liked it. Cast is Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore, and Emma Stone. The movie felt very genuine. There were some pretty sad parts, that were lightened up a bit with comedy…but not in a silly or stupid way, or a way that took away from the seriousness of the material…which I think is pretty realistic. There was one story line in the movie that I didn’t like at all…it was completely unnecessary to the story and took away from the rest of it. But other than that, I really enjoyed this movie!
-Also recently finished the book One Day (there is a movie out right now with Anne Hathaway)…I haven’t seen the movie, but I HATED the book. That’s a strong word. There really wasn’t anything I enjoyed about the book. The characters weren't likeable (Emma- the Anne Hatheway character- is likeable for parts of the story). The ending was awful. I wish I could give it away so I could talk about how awful the ending was. I should have stopped reading it early on, but I just kept thinking that something redeeming HAD to happen. But no.
That’s all for now…have a super weekend!
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
mid week catch up
Could it really be the weather that has me feeling a little bummed out? I can’t imagine that it is, but after the gorgeous week we had last week, my contemplative mood seems to have accompanied the grey skies that rolled in early this week. Though I do have to say, every time I step outside and breathe in the cool air, I get images of apple cider, carving pumpkins, cozy sweaters, and feel a little bit excited for all that!
Lots going on since my last post…
- I stubbed my toe on a raised sidewalk last Sunday. I was wearing flip flops and just stubbed it. It was really gross- bloody and bruised and oozy. Yuck. It hurt, but mostly it was just gross…and I was mad at myself for being so clumsy and ruining our perfectly planned day. Brian was patient with my over reacting and made me clean it even though I refused. I had it bandaged up all week- made it look much more dramatic than it actually was- but it seems to be healing up now.
- I started reading the Chronicles of Narnia. I’m not sure how I missed reading those when I was younger! Currently I’m reading Voyage of the Dawn Treader. I’m so excited to have a great series to spend some time with…I love series…getting attached to characters…my fav. Also really excited that Brian is reading the Hunger Games series…he finished the first book and has started the second. Fun to relive those as he goes.
- Last Wednesday we spent movie night out at Marymoor park for ET. I hadn’t seen that movie is SUCH a long time…definitely caught stuff that I hadn’t noticed before. Marymoor has had a pretty great ‘movies in the park’ lineup this summer…tonight they are showing Up!. Costs $5 to get in, parking is $1 (don’t be fooled by the website that says parking is an additional fee, and think maybe you should find somewhere else to park…it is only $1!) Kettle corn was popping (and smelling delicious), there was a random pirate walking around talking with people and taking pics. It was a nice movie night field trip!
- I went to the Sounders game on Saturday! I have never been super into soccer, but following the Sounders is so much fun! Brian has season tickets and a couple of people he sits with couldn’t go, so his mom and I were the lucky recipients of the tickets. The weather was awesome (almost a bit too warm, since we were sitting- excuse me- standing (!) right in the sun the whole time), Sounders won 6-2…Lamar, from Fed Way, got a hat trick. (Even though I don’t know Lamar at all, my little sis is good pals with him, so I feel connected and proud of him and so happy when he plays well.)
- Speaking of my sister, we went down to her house last weekend for dinner and to hang out with Landin and meet little Bella. We were meant to go swimming at the pool near their place- Landin was PUMPED, and could barely wait for us to get our swimsuits on…and then the pool was closed for maintenance. Ohhh, the poor kid was so disappointed. His head hung, and his little shoulders drooped. It was very cute. But, we made it up to him with hours of hide and seek and sardines play. I think there were some puzzles in there as well.
- Sunday night we finally celebrated my birthday (my birthday present anyway), and went to see Jeff Bridges at Chateau Ste Michelle. Oh my, we were not prepared for a show out there! Show was scheduled to start at 7…we figured doors would be at 6, got there about 6:15. The place was PACKED…full of people with their little lawn chairs, and actual tables- complete with tablecloths, silverware, and gourmet picnic spreads. It was impressive. They brought their own little wine glass holders- to keep them from spilling on the ground…we showed up with a blanket, and some Taco Time. I made Brian hold the Taco Time bag. Show was great- Jeff Bridges is an entertainer, for sure! Certainly not an old pro musician (his lead guitar player had to remind him to re-tune after he took the capo off), but quite the entertainer.
Okay…I suppose that is it for now. Super excited for this weekend…headed back to Ellensburg for the ol rodeo!
Lots going on since my last post…
- I stubbed my toe on a raised sidewalk last Sunday. I was wearing flip flops and just stubbed it. It was really gross- bloody and bruised and oozy. Yuck. It hurt, but mostly it was just gross…and I was mad at myself for being so clumsy and ruining our perfectly planned day. Brian was patient with my over reacting and made me clean it even though I refused. I had it bandaged up all week- made it look much more dramatic than it actually was- but it seems to be healing up now.
- I started reading the Chronicles of Narnia. I’m not sure how I missed reading those when I was younger! Currently I’m reading Voyage of the Dawn Treader. I’m so excited to have a great series to spend some time with…I love series…getting attached to characters…my fav. Also really excited that Brian is reading the Hunger Games series…he finished the first book and has started the second. Fun to relive those as he goes.
- Last Wednesday we spent movie night out at Marymoor park for ET. I hadn’t seen that movie is SUCH a long time…definitely caught stuff that I hadn’t noticed before. Marymoor has had a pretty great ‘movies in the park’ lineup this summer…tonight they are showing Up!. Costs $5 to get in, parking is $1 (don’t be fooled by the website that says parking is an additional fee, and think maybe you should find somewhere else to park…it is only $1!) Kettle corn was popping (and smelling delicious), there was a random pirate walking around talking with people and taking pics. It was a nice movie night field trip!
- I went to the Sounders game on Saturday! I have never been super into soccer, but following the Sounders is so much fun! Brian has season tickets and a couple of people he sits with couldn’t go, so his mom and I were the lucky recipients of the tickets. The weather was awesome (almost a bit too warm, since we were sitting- excuse me- standing (!) right in the sun the whole time), Sounders won 6-2…Lamar, from Fed Way, got a hat trick. (Even though I don’t know Lamar at all, my little sis is good pals with him, so I feel connected and proud of him and so happy when he plays well.)
- Speaking of my sister, we went down to her house last weekend for dinner and to hang out with Landin and meet little Bella. We were meant to go swimming at the pool near their place- Landin was PUMPED, and could barely wait for us to get our swimsuits on…and then the pool was closed for maintenance. Ohhh, the poor kid was so disappointed. His head hung, and his little shoulders drooped. It was very cute. But, we made it up to him with hours of hide and seek and sardines play. I think there were some puzzles in there as well.
- Sunday night we finally celebrated my birthday (my birthday present anyway), and went to see Jeff Bridges at Chateau Ste Michelle. Oh my, we were not prepared for a show out there! Show was scheduled to start at 7…we figured doors would be at 6, got there about 6:15. The place was PACKED…full of people with their little lawn chairs, and actual tables- complete with tablecloths, silverware, and gourmet picnic spreads. It was impressive. They brought their own little wine glass holders- to keep them from spilling on the ground…we showed up with a blanket, and some Taco Time. I made Brian hold the Taco Time bag. Show was great- Jeff Bridges is an entertainer, for sure! Certainly not an old pro musician (his lead guitar player had to remind him to re-tune after he took the capo off), but quite the entertainer.
Okay…I suppose that is it for now. Super excited for this weekend…headed back to Ellensburg for the ol rodeo!
Saturday, August 20, 2011
A random Saturday
Sitting in a coffee shop, munching on a spinach feta croissant and sipping a latte. The windows are wide open because it's beautiful outside. I'm really excited to waste my morning away sitting here and doing nothing in particular.
I've been doing an abundance of blog reading lately...work has been a little bit slow this week and I have just had this pull to read about other people's lives. I don't know. You can keep up with friends lives without actually seeing or talking to them through facebook, with their random status updates and pictures, but blogs- it's almost like you are actually talking to people because they are writing about thoughts and upcoming plans and decisions...not just those short bits of info in a status update. I used to hate blogs....but now I love them. Maybe because it is a piece of technology that doesn't require brevity. I wish more of my friends wrote blogs. I wish my mom wrote a blog. Maybe I just wish more of my friends and my mom lived closer...then I wouldn't wish for a blog, but wish that they were sitting with me at this coffee shop.
A few things weighing on my mind recently...
Yesterday the West Memphis Three were freed. I knew a little bit about the case previously just because Eddie Vedder was a supporter of the three guys and had helped with fundraising for their defense, etc. I never read anything about it...in general, I feel like Eddie Vedder is a pretty socially conscious person and if he supports something, he has looked into the information, and it is probably something important. Then I saw the headline yesterday and read the first article that popped up on my yahoo email page....it was a horribly written article that took bits of facts and wrote about them out of context (as happens in the news, I know)...it left me really confused. I read a few other articles and then felt better about the freeing of the guys. If you aren't familiar, in 1993 three 8-yr old boys were killed, in an awful way (don't read those details...I did and it hasn't left my mind since) and three 17 yr old boys were convicted- one put on death row, the others with life sentences. Many people believed the boys were wrongly convicted and that there wasn't any evidence to support it...they spent almost 20 years in prison fighting it. There was a documentary made about it called Paradise Lost:The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills. I don't think I will watch it, but it is supposed to be really good.
So while I think it is probably a good thing that these three men were let go, I just can't stop thinking about the three little boys (who would now be almost my age) that were killed. The details...that someone could do that to kids. It makes me think of my nieces and nephew, the kids I babysat...and I really just can't get past it. How can people abuse kids? They are so innocent and trusting and dependent on those older than them. It makes you never want to let kids out of your sight....I don't know how parents do it...how they aren't just constantly consumed with worry. I am a worrier in general, I always have been, and it is something I am constantly working on. I think I am pretty good about recognizing a silly worry, praying about it, and letting it go. With my own stuff, I can give it over to God knowing that I have no control and will be able to find the strength to deal with whatever does come along....but I just can't imagine being able to do that with kids...because bad things happen to kids. Bad things happen to grown ups, but grown ups can understand that bad things shouldn't happen, but do. Kids are just so trusting. Sigh...I really need to let this one go...
On a MUCH lighter note, but still....my apartment is still such a mess. I have unpacked the boxes, but the place has never been fully put together. It is possible to walk through (unlike the obstacle course it used to be), but it isn't possible to walk through without stepping on stuff. I hate it. I hate being at home. I know I just need to suck it up and clean it. Just spend a good, solid day getting it together...but my schedule is so busy...those rare moments where I'm not scheduled for something- I want to spend it sitting in a coffee shop, playing catch, or reading a book....not cleaning. Not to mention that summer has finally arrived and I sure don't want to spend a sunny day inside.
And finally, on my mind....I have been thinking and looking more and more into going back to school. Getting my masters and becoming a teacher. Or a school counselor. A few things holding me back...obviously the money for school...though I have always told myself I would never not do something because of money. I can ALWAYS figure out a way to make that work. But still...money. But more importantly, I think it would be such a frustrating occupation. My mom is a teacher and my mom is PASSIONATE about public education. She is SO involved in efforts to make necessary positive changes. She is on countless committees and travels all over the US for conferences...she is an incredible speaker and has such a gift for motivating people. And I have watched her do this for years and years and years...and I don't know how she continues to stay positive. With every small step forward, there are 3 huge steps back. She keeps saying it HAS to get better. I am afraid to get into a career that I go home frustrated with every day. I want to be a teacher so I can get kids excited about learning...let them see all of the unbelievably cool things they are capable of...not tell them that they failed a stupid test that in no way measured their intelligence. Sometimes I think maybe I should just stick with babysitting...parents appreciate creative projects. Though I suppose the kids that I babysit for aren't the ones that are in need...they have parents that encourage and provide opportunities. And I guess rather than seeing the frustrations my mom faces, I should notice the fact that she HAS managed to stay positive and does continue to care, and has been a teacher for twenty some years...it must be worth it.
That is all for now...I hope you are having a super great weekend...also, if you have a blog, send it along to me, I want to read it!
I've been doing an abundance of blog reading lately...work has been a little bit slow this week and I have just had this pull to read about other people's lives. I don't know. You can keep up with friends lives without actually seeing or talking to them through facebook, with their random status updates and pictures, but blogs- it's almost like you are actually talking to people because they are writing about thoughts and upcoming plans and decisions...not just those short bits of info in a status update. I used to hate blogs....but now I love them. Maybe because it is a piece of technology that doesn't require brevity. I wish more of my friends wrote blogs. I wish my mom wrote a blog. Maybe I just wish more of my friends and my mom lived closer...then I wouldn't wish for a blog, but wish that they were sitting with me at this coffee shop.
A few things weighing on my mind recently...
Yesterday the West Memphis Three were freed. I knew a little bit about the case previously just because Eddie Vedder was a supporter of the three guys and had helped with fundraising for their defense, etc. I never read anything about it...in general, I feel like Eddie Vedder is a pretty socially conscious person and if he supports something, he has looked into the information, and it is probably something important. Then I saw the headline yesterday and read the first article that popped up on my yahoo email page....it was a horribly written article that took bits of facts and wrote about them out of context (as happens in the news, I know)...it left me really confused. I read a few other articles and then felt better about the freeing of the guys. If you aren't familiar, in 1993 three 8-yr old boys were killed, in an awful way (don't read those details...I did and it hasn't left my mind since) and three 17 yr old boys were convicted- one put on death row, the others with life sentences. Many people believed the boys were wrongly convicted and that there wasn't any evidence to support it...they spent almost 20 years in prison fighting it. There was a documentary made about it called Paradise Lost:The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills. I don't think I will watch it, but it is supposed to be really good.
So while I think it is probably a good thing that these three men were let go, I just can't stop thinking about the three little boys (who would now be almost my age) that were killed. The details...that someone could do that to kids. It makes me think of my nieces and nephew, the kids I babysat...and I really just can't get past it. How can people abuse kids? They are so innocent and trusting and dependent on those older than them. It makes you never want to let kids out of your sight....I don't know how parents do it...how they aren't just constantly consumed with worry. I am a worrier in general, I always have been, and it is something I am constantly working on. I think I am pretty good about recognizing a silly worry, praying about it, and letting it go. With my own stuff, I can give it over to God knowing that I have no control and will be able to find the strength to deal with whatever does come along....but I just can't imagine being able to do that with kids...because bad things happen to kids. Bad things happen to grown ups, but grown ups can understand that bad things shouldn't happen, but do. Kids are just so trusting. Sigh...I really need to let this one go...
On a MUCH lighter note, but still....my apartment is still such a mess. I have unpacked the boxes, but the place has never been fully put together. It is possible to walk through (unlike the obstacle course it used to be), but it isn't possible to walk through without stepping on stuff. I hate it. I hate being at home. I know I just need to suck it up and clean it. Just spend a good, solid day getting it together...but my schedule is so busy...those rare moments where I'm not scheduled for something- I want to spend it sitting in a coffee shop, playing catch, or reading a book....not cleaning. Not to mention that summer has finally arrived and I sure don't want to spend a sunny day inside.
And finally, on my mind....I have been thinking and looking more and more into going back to school. Getting my masters and becoming a teacher. Or a school counselor. A few things holding me back...obviously the money for school...though I have always told myself I would never not do something because of money. I can ALWAYS figure out a way to make that work. But still...money. But more importantly, I think it would be such a frustrating occupation. My mom is a teacher and my mom is PASSIONATE about public education. She is SO involved in efforts to make necessary positive changes. She is on countless committees and travels all over the US for conferences...she is an incredible speaker and has such a gift for motivating people. And I have watched her do this for years and years and years...and I don't know how she continues to stay positive. With every small step forward, there are 3 huge steps back. She keeps saying it HAS to get better. I am afraid to get into a career that I go home frustrated with every day. I want to be a teacher so I can get kids excited about learning...let them see all of the unbelievably cool things they are capable of...not tell them that they failed a stupid test that in no way measured their intelligence. Sometimes I think maybe I should just stick with babysitting...parents appreciate creative projects. Though I suppose the kids that I babysit for aren't the ones that are in need...they have parents that encourage and provide opportunities. And I guess rather than seeing the frustrations my mom faces, I should notice the fact that she HAS managed to stay positive and does continue to care, and has been a teacher for twenty some years...it must be worth it.
That is all for now...I hope you are having a super great weekend...also, if you have a blog, send it along to me, I want to read it!
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
San Fran!
Returned late last night from six full days in San Fran (you have to drop the ‘cisco part, or you have tourist written all over you…duh). What a fantastic, full week…here is a recap via highs and lows…
HIGH: Seeing Jessica and Luke…I have missed them o-so much…so much fun to visit and have adventures with friends in a new city…thanks for the invite and organizing!!
High: A gorgeous day for a baseball game at one of the nicest parks in baseball…immediately upon arrival to the city (I guess not immediately- we did drop our stuff off), we went to a Giants game- it was a 12:30 afternoon game, hence our 6am flight out of Seattle…the things we do for a baseball game, right. The stadium overlooks the water, and the view actually makes it tough to watch the game. It was windy, and certainly not warm, but the sun was out and the water was sparkling.
Low: That feeling you get once the travel adrenaline has run out and your body remembers it woke up at 3:45am. Oh, and the walk back from the game to the apartment under an overpass…a long walk without any pretty sights. A nap was very much needed.
High: Finding a Banksy in Chinatown. There is street art ALL over the city, and we figured there must be a Banksy somewhere…looked it up and discovered there was record of a few sprinkled around…on our first day of city adventuring (we walked from our place through downtown, Chinatown, North Beach, to Fisherman’s Wharf in the first part of the day), we found one in Chinatown. Of all the locations we went to, this was the only one that still existed (as far as we could tell anyway…maybe others were hidden from our sight). The discovery was exciting, as both Brian and I separately discovered the street art thing (my first intro to it was in Paris on an Urban Art tour through a meetup group I was in…was so interesting to me). As a side note- check out Exit Through the Gift Shop to get an idea of street art and Banksy in particular.
Low: Finding that the others on our list had been painted over…bummer.
High: Tartine in the Mission. A super yummy bakery recommended by a pal. I enjoyed some kind of blueberry almond tart thing and Brian had a piece of lemon meringue pie…both were amazing…I really would have liked to try everything in the case, as well as sat and had a sandwich with a coffee and people watch…had every intention of returning for more, but never was able. Boo…probably need to make a special trip out to West Seattle for a Bakery Nouveau delight very soon.
Low/High: Sea Lions at Fisherman’s Wharf…both hilarious and disgusting. The smell was not delightful, but the playing and barking were.
Moving on to the festival:
Lows:
- Waaaay overcrowded…it definitely felt like they oversold the festival. There were 3 main stages and it always felt like every stage was beyond its max.
- Weather on the first day was fuuuh-reezing. I knew it wasn’t going to be warm, and was prepared with a few layers, but that first day was borderline miserable with the cold dampness.
- The stages were set up too low. I don’t know what height a normal stage is set up at- how high above the crowd it is, how much the landscape makes a difference, or how much variance there is in a festival setting versus a regular show, etc…but this isn’t the first year of the festival- they aren’t rookies figuring stuff out. Only one of the three main stages was set at a height where the crowd could see anything, viewing from beyond the first small section. The actual main stage, where the headliners played, was not the one good stage. It was tough to see anything.
- The food…this was also a food festival, and the food booths were comprised of local restaurants and cafes…I had read some descriptions ahead of time and was suuuper excited for some good eats…and it was just eh. On the second day we actually stopped at Safeway on our way to the festival to grab sandwiches there. There were a couple of exceptions (to be found in the ‘highs’ area).
- Muni (the bus) rides home after the shows with a bajillion other people…hot and cramped.
- Thinking I was going to die from being squished near the front, for Arcade Fire- people just seem to forget there are other people.
Highs:
- Well, obviously being AT a music festival…definite high (speaking of festival highs, insert joke about the illegal substances being smoked everywhere…I would say especially the day that Phish played, but really, it was all three days).
- The weather on day 2 and 3 was amazing…chilly in the morning and colder at night, but the daytime was warm without ever getting uncomfortably hot.
- The park was SUCH a beautiful setting for the shows. It was at Golden Gate Park, which is GIGANTIC, and each stage area was surrounded by trees…it was really pretty.
- Catching Rhett Miller performing solo in a little tent that I didn’t even know existed…he is so dreamy.
- Music highlights included: Macklemore and Ryan Lewis (way to represent Seattle- such a fun show and pretty full considering it was the first show of the day), OK GO (lots of fun), Black Keys, Mavis Staples (couldn’t make it to church on Sunday, but who needs it when Mavis is singing…and a guest appearance by Win from Arcade Fire on a song), Josh Ritter, John Fogerty (just no end to the hits!), Decemberists (oh the dramatics…and little Sara Watkins from Nickel Creek!), Muse (pretty epic as the headliner the second night…), and Arcade Fire (minus the near death part at the beginning, they put on quite a show…it’s so great to see a band that genuinely seems like they are having fun up there and bring so much energy to this job they do night after night)….
- The Barbary tent…I think this space was missed by most…included random variety act-type entertainment…we made it for several different comedians.
- Sports tent…you don’t find that at most arts festivals…there were tvs with all the different games on, then air hockey, pop a shot, and other games. They also brought in the World Series trophy for pictures a few different times. We definitely found ourselves there a few times, to catch up on scores, warm up, and play some games in the downtime.
- On the third day, we realized the Food Truck Forest was probably the best place to get GOOD food…since the food truck is their THING (whereas the restaurants were cooking out of a booth…not their usual thing)…had a fried chicken sandwich with jalepeno slaw that was bomb. Also the Epic Cookies were pretty delicious. And the mini cupcakes- probably the best deal…$1 per cupcake…probably 9 different flavors. My fav was the blueberries and cream.
And our last day in Ess Eff- our flight took off at 8pm last night, so we had most of the day.
High: Renting bikes to ride across the Golden Gate Bridge- sooo exciting!
Low: Riding bikes in HILLY S.F…ohhh, there was definitely some walking the bike up the hills, and some soreness to follow.
High: Coming home. I loved the trip- really, the highs soooo, soooo outweighed any kind of low…but I love that I was excited to get home. That I have adventures and people here to look forward to pretty much every day (some might say overscheduled…), and a job that I don’t dread returning from vacation to…I’m a pretty lucky gal!
HIGH: Seeing Jessica and Luke…I have missed them o-so much…so much fun to visit and have adventures with friends in a new city…thanks for the invite and organizing!!
High: A gorgeous day for a baseball game at one of the nicest parks in baseball…immediately upon arrival to the city (I guess not immediately- we did drop our stuff off), we went to a Giants game- it was a 12:30 afternoon game, hence our 6am flight out of Seattle…the things we do for a baseball game, right. The stadium overlooks the water, and the view actually makes it tough to watch the game. It was windy, and certainly not warm, but the sun was out and the water was sparkling.
Low: That feeling you get once the travel adrenaline has run out and your body remembers it woke up at 3:45am. Oh, and the walk back from the game to the apartment under an overpass…a long walk without any pretty sights. A nap was very much needed.
High: Finding a Banksy in Chinatown. There is street art ALL over the city, and we figured there must be a Banksy somewhere…looked it up and discovered there was record of a few sprinkled around…on our first day of city adventuring (we walked from our place through downtown, Chinatown, North Beach, to Fisherman’s Wharf in the first part of the day), we found one in Chinatown. Of all the locations we went to, this was the only one that still existed (as far as we could tell anyway…maybe others were hidden from our sight). The discovery was exciting, as both Brian and I separately discovered the street art thing (my first intro to it was in Paris on an Urban Art tour through a meetup group I was in…was so interesting to me). As a side note- check out Exit Through the Gift Shop to get an idea of street art and Banksy in particular.
Low: Finding that the others on our list had been painted over…bummer.
High: Tartine in the Mission. A super yummy bakery recommended by a pal. I enjoyed some kind of blueberry almond tart thing and Brian had a piece of lemon meringue pie…both were amazing…I really would have liked to try everything in the case, as well as sat and had a sandwich with a coffee and people watch…had every intention of returning for more, but never was able. Boo…probably need to make a special trip out to West Seattle for a Bakery Nouveau delight very soon.
Low/High: Sea Lions at Fisherman’s Wharf…both hilarious and disgusting. The smell was not delightful, but the playing and barking were.
Moving on to the festival:
Lows:
- Waaaay overcrowded…it definitely felt like they oversold the festival. There were 3 main stages and it always felt like every stage was beyond its max.
- Weather on the first day was fuuuh-reezing. I knew it wasn’t going to be warm, and was prepared with a few layers, but that first day was borderline miserable with the cold dampness.
- The stages were set up too low. I don’t know what height a normal stage is set up at- how high above the crowd it is, how much the landscape makes a difference, or how much variance there is in a festival setting versus a regular show, etc…but this isn’t the first year of the festival- they aren’t rookies figuring stuff out. Only one of the three main stages was set at a height where the crowd could see anything, viewing from beyond the first small section. The actual main stage, where the headliners played, was not the one good stage. It was tough to see anything.
- The food…this was also a food festival, and the food booths were comprised of local restaurants and cafes…I had read some descriptions ahead of time and was suuuper excited for some good eats…and it was just eh. On the second day we actually stopped at Safeway on our way to the festival to grab sandwiches there. There were a couple of exceptions (to be found in the ‘highs’ area).
- Muni (the bus) rides home after the shows with a bajillion other people…hot and cramped.
- Thinking I was going to die from being squished near the front, for Arcade Fire- people just seem to forget there are other people.
Highs:
- Well, obviously being AT a music festival…definite high (speaking of festival highs, insert joke about the illegal substances being smoked everywhere…I would say especially the day that Phish played, but really, it was all three days).
- The weather on day 2 and 3 was amazing…chilly in the morning and colder at night, but the daytime was warm without ever getting uncomfortably hot.
- The park was SUCH a beautiful setting for the shows. It was at Golden Gate Park, which is GIGANTIC, and each stage area was surrounded by trees…it was really pretty.
- Catching Rhett Miller performing solo in a little tent that I didn’t even know existed…he is so dreamy.
- Music highlights included: Macklemore and Ryan Lewis (way to represent Seattle- such a fun show and pretty full considering it was the first show of the day), OK GO (lots of fun), Black Keys, Mavis Staples (couldn’t make it to church on Sunday, but who needs it when Mavis is singing…and a guest appearance by Win from Arcade Fire on a song), Josh Ritter, John Fogerty (just no end to the hits!), Decemberists (oh the dramatics…and little Sara Watkins from Nickel Creek!), Muse (pretty epic as the headliner the second night…), and Arcade Fire (minus the near death part at the beginning, they put on quite a show…it’s so great to see a band that genuinely seems like they are having fun up there and bring so much energy to this job they do night after night)….
- The Barbary tent…I think this space was missed by most…included random variety act-type entertainment…we made it for several different comedians.
- Sports tent…you don’t find that at most arts festivals…there were tvs with all the different games on, then air hockey, pop a shot, and other games. They also brought in the World Series trophy for pictures a few different times. We definitely found ourselves there a few times, to catch up on scores, warm up, and play some games in the downtime.
- On the third day, we realized the Food Truck Forest was probably the best place to get GOOD food…since the food truck is their THING (whereas the restaurants were cooking out of a booth…not their usual thing)…had a fried chicken sandwich with jalepeno slaw that was bomb. Also the Epic Cookies were pretty delicious. And the mini cupcakes- probably the best deal…$1 per cupcake…probably 9 different flavors. My fav was the blueberries and cream.
And our last day in Ess Eff- our flight took off at 8pm last night, so we had most of the day.
High: Renting bikes to ride across the Golden Gate Bridge- sooo exciting!
Low: Riding bikes in HILLY S.F…ohhh, there was definitely some walking the bike up the hills, and some soreness to follow.
High: Coming home. I loved the trip- really, the highs soooo, soooo outweighed any kind of low…but I love that I was excited to get home. That I have adventures and people here to look forward to pretty much every day (some might say overscheduled…), and a job that I don’t dread returning from vacation to…I’m a pretty lucky gal!
Friday, August 5, 2011
Happy Friday- 8/5
Another busy week- I actually can’t believe it is already Friday. Just a quick follow up- Sonics night at the Mariner game was awesome. The actual game was not so awesome…but Sonics night WAS.
1. Seafair is upon us…which is a busy time around Seattle…lots of different events- parades, fun runs, the hydroplane races, pirates, etc….but nothing says Seafair to me more than the Blue Angels. As a kid, I remember hearing those thundering engines in the sky and SPRINTING out to the deck at my dad’s house, completely overjoyed to watch the Blue Angels practice. Every year it was a shock to me when it was happening-being that I was a kid and didn’t realize this happened the same time every year, or really what time of year it was. I also didn’t realize that the Blue Angels weren’t just our own special Seattle gift. Literally, it was college when I found out they fly in cities all over. Anyway…I bring this up because the Blue Angels came into our office this week! True, it was mostly the maintenance crew, which doesn’t sound quite as exciting…BUT, there were a couple pilots, AND even if it was only the maintenance crew, it was still thrilling! They were like celebrities…we were all gathered around them in awe in the lobby. They were o-so nice and humored us with answers to all of our silly questions.
2. Well, the Bahama Bombers kickball season came to an end Tuesday night. We had a playoff game against a team we had already beat in the regular season- we were feeling good, confident…we had magic marker and glitter signs made and hung on our dugout, we had a cheering section (my mom came out to the game!), a full team of players…all was looking promising. We scored 5 runs in our first inning…how could we lose? But we did. Final score was 12-10…and I’m not one to place blame on the ump usually…but as Brian said in a ‘pep talk’ in the 5th inning…’clearly we are playing the Seahawks Super Bowl game here’…there were some bad calls made that changed not just the momentum of the game, but were game changers. It took away some of the fun of playing. We made some mistakes, for sure…but we were a better team and should have won the game. Boo. Oh well, it’s just kickball, right.
3. Yesterday half of my work day was spent in a First Aid/CPR class…which I was PUMPED to be able to take. I’m a bit of a worrier, in general…I’m not a pessimist by any means, but I do expect that accidents will happen at some point- I definitely prefer to feel like I am prepared for unexpected situations. The last time I took CPR was 8th grade health, and it seems that there have been some changes since then…such as using an AED (automated external defibrillator), which we got to practice with on dummies! It is also just reassuring to get re-trained in the proper ways to handle certain situations…like choking. That was always one of those babysitting anxiety things for me…with as much babysitting as I did, I was sure that at some point I would have to do the Heimlich (haven’t yet…) Also learning the differences between adult, child, and infant CPR and choking procedures. I babysat a little girl for a while that had an extreme dairy allergy…I knew where the epi pens were, and I had read the directions several times…but it still always made me nervous that I would have to use one and not know if I was doing it right. Our trainer had actual training epi pens…the real thing without a needle…so we could see what it feels like and do the actual steps. Cool.
4. Another treat from yesterday (CPR being the first treat), was heading down to the Snoqualmie Casino for an outdoor show with the Beach Boys! Awesome! It was for Brian’s dad’s birthday…so the four of us spent the evening out in the sunshine, listening, singing and dancing to those loveable Beach Boys. Brian’s dad has seen them play several different times, so he gave us the 411 about the current band before we got there. Apparently there is only one original member of the Boys still in the band- Mike Love (plus the ‘6th Beach Boy’- Bruce Johnston). Mike Love is the one that I think of when I think of the Beach Boys because of his/their appearances on Full House. We were really hoping Jesse and the Rippers would be opening the show…no such luck, though there was a John Stamos reference- which was good enough for me. The combination of great people watching, familiar songs, beautiful evening, and of course, lovely company made for such a fun night!
5. Forgot to mention earlier in the post about last weekend’s show…we went to the CD release party for Bryan John Appleby out at the Columbia City Theatre. Really like the new album…definitely recommend checking it out, and recommend going to a show…he is great. He is playing at the Tractor on August 19th- if you can, go see him. Also, tonight after work is a free show at the Mural in the Seattle Center with the Maldives, Hey Marseilles (haven’t seen them play in so, so long- very excited!) and the Black Whales. Should be a fun evening- hoping the sun manages to break through the morning clouds!
All for now…have a great weekend!
1. Seafair is upon us…which is a busy time around Seattle…lots of different events- parades, fun runs, the hydroplane races, pirates, etc….but nothing says Seafair to me more than the Blue Angels. As a kid, I remember hearing those thundering engines in the sky and SPRINTING out to the deck at my dad’s house, completely overjoyed to watch the Blue Angels practice. Every year it was a shock to me when it was happening-being that I was a kid and didn’t realize this happened the same time every year, or really what time of year it was. I also didn’t realize that the Blue Angels weren’t just our own special Seattle gift. Literally, it was college when I found out they fly in cities all over. Anyway…I bring this up because the Blue Angels came into our office this week! True, it was mostly the maintenance crew, which doesn’t sound quite as exciting…BUT, there were a couple pilots, AND even if it was only the maintenance crew, it was still thrilling! They were like celebrities…we were all gathered around them in awe in the lobby. They were o-so nice and humored us with answers to all of our silly questions.
2. Well, the Bahama Bombers kickball season came to an end Tuesday night. We had a playoff game against a team we had already beat in the regular season- we were feeling good, confident…we had magic marker and glitter signs made and hung on our dugout, we had a cheering section (my mom came out to the game!), a full team of players…all was looking promising. We scored 5 runs in our first inning…how could we lose? But we did. Final score was 12-10…and I’m not one to place blame on the ump usually…but as Brian said in a ‘pep talk’ in the 5th inning…’clearly we are playing the Seahawks Super Bowl game here’…there were some bad calls made that changed not just the momentum of the game, but were game changers. It took away some of the fun of playing. We made some mistakes, for sure…but we were a better team and should have won the game. Boo. Oh well, it’s just kickball, right.
3. Yesterday half of my work day was spent in a First Aid/CPR class…which I was PUMPED to be able to take. I’m a bit of a worrier, in general…I’m not a pessimist by any means, but I do expect that accidents will happen at some point- I definitely prefer to feel like I am prepared for unexpected situations. The last time I took CPR was 8th grade health, and it seems that there have been some changes since then…such as using an AED (automated external defibrillator), which we got to practice with on dummies! It is also just reassuring to get re-trained in the proper ways to handle certain situations…like choking. That was always one of those babysitting anxiety things for me…with as much babysitting as I did, I was sure that at some point I would have to do the Heimlich (haven’t yet…) Also learning the differences between adult, child, and infant CPR and choking procedures. I babysat a little girl for a while that had an extreme dairy allergy…I knew where the epi pens were, and I had read the directions several times…but it still always made me nervous that I would have to use one and not know if I was doing it right. Our trainer had actual training epi pens…the real thing without a needle…so we could see what it feels like and do the actual steps. Cool.
4. Another treat from yesterday (CPR being the first treat), was heading down to the Snoqualmie Casino for an outdoor show with the Beach Boys! Awesome! It was for Brian’s dad’s birthday…so the four of us spent the evening out in the sunshine, listening, singing and dancing to those loveable Beach Boys. Brian’s dad has seen them play several different times, so he gave us the 411 about the current band before we got there. Apparently there is only one original member of the Boys still in the band- Mike Love (plus the ‘6th Beach Boy’- Bruce Johnston). Mike Love is the one that I think of when I think of the Beach Boys because of his/their appearances on Full House. We were really hoping Jesse and the Rippers would be opening the show…no such luck, though there was a John Stamos reference- which was good enough for me. The combination of great people watching, familiar songs, beautiful evening, and of course, lovely company made for such a fun night!
5. Forgot to mention earlier in the post about last weekend’s show…we went to the CD release party for Bryan John Appleby out at the Columbia City Theatre. Really like the new album…definitely recommend checking it out, and recommend going to a show…he is great. He is playing at the Tractor on August 19th- if you can, go see him. Also, tonight after work is a free show at the Mural in the Seattle Center with the Maldives, Hey Marseilles (haven’t seen them play in so, so long- very excited!) and the Black Whales. Should be a fun evening- hoping the sun manages to break through the morning clouds!
All for now…have a great weekend!
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