Face Time

I have a Facebook page, a Myspace page and a now seeming archaic Friendster page. I have been addicted to Facebook for a while now, I have a mob, cyberpet, greenpatch, I am a fan of Tom Waits, This American Life, and Barack Obama. It is a very full virtual life that keeps me online into the wee-hours of the morning. I have found friends that I haven't had any contact with for years and years. I get updates on events, birthdays, and special occasions. Along with all of this access comes a convergence of worlds, there is no way to compartmentalize people, who as to this point in my life were neatly separated - like a elementary school lunch tray. It is like the 6 degrees of separation in computer form, and people come out of the woodwork.
This morning I was perusing the homepage and a highschool friend had posted that she was "fasting so Prop 8 would pass". Now, I have posted things about my political views too, and other friends have posted things that I haven't thought twice about it. What really struck me is that these views on religion and politics are subjects that I have always avoided with the highschool compartment of my friend tray. I was largely outnumbered in highschool by people who felt the opposite of me, at a time when non-conformity felt like social suicide. If anyone asked my opinion then I would tell them exactly what I thought, but I was never the one to bring up the subject. I figured I would meet more open minded people in college, which I did. Now when I don't agree with someone, I am less likely to keep my mouth shut, I'm not combative- but definitely not silent.
I clicked on the "Fast for Prop 8" event to see what exactly it was. This was the description:
"We are asking the nation to fast for Prop 8 at 10am for 24 hours. Fast for parental rights and religious freedom!"
In my view, prop 8 restricts rights and religious freedom. As I read the comments a sense of panic began to set in - the only cure was to go directly to the No Prop 8 website and make a donation. There seems to be a lot at stake in this upcoming election, and my former stance of 'don't ask don't tell' feels inadequate. Before this political season, I have never made a donation to anything political. Now I have donated to Obama's campaign, Planned Parenthood, and No on Prop 8 (mainly because of things I have read on Facebook.) I guess Facebook not only has allowed me to get in touch with old friends, but also get in touch with my political voice.

Autumn Schmatumn

With the coming of Fall, I find a restlessness settling over me. (Can restlessness settle? hmmm...) Seattle has officially accepted its Autumn standing and we are starting the rainy season. Yay! Sweaters are back! I have to say have been missing my sweaters- but still I will begrudgingly trade their spots in the closet with the summer dresses. With the move to indoor activities I want to stretch out and read, quilt, finished all of the little projects that were set aside mid-thought last Spring. Perhaps, this surging urge to up my cozy activities will pass, and my evenings will carry on as the computer surfing-facebook dwelling- avoidance of all things work related- Status quo. That and buckle myself in for months of chilly feet... but then again YAY! Fuzzy socks!

Checks and Balances

I received an award today. I didn't even know I was in contention for an award, but Lo and Behold! it was on my doorstep when I got home!
I am assisting a designer who has a huge project that needs to be Fed-Exed to L.A. by 3:00 tomorrow. Today was a busy day, that has followed a busy 8 day week without a weekend. We are on schedule, so we are not in panic mode but the pace has definitely has increased in tempo. By 4:30 my efficiency and productivity levels dropped considerably. I was working on a very elaborate 3/8th inch scale chandelier, when I super-glued my ring finger to my pinky. In my defense, this is not an event that denotes dull-wittedness, just something that is unavoidable from time to time when you work on small scale models. However, it does make one feel pretty stupid. Gluing your fingers together isn't painful (initially), and it is fairly easy to undo. The key is not to panic, and calmly get out your nail polish remover (acetone is the important ingredient) and in moments you will once again be free to play the piano, open doors, pick your nose, and get a high score on your nintendo gameboy with 100% dexterity... that is if you have nail polish remover handy... which I did not. With the push to get the project out tomorrow I wasn't able to seek out the necessary solvent. I figured I only had two more hours of work before quittin' time, and since it wasn't my index finger to my thumb (which yes I have done on a separate occasion) I could still continue model building. Here is a hint, if ever in this situation: tape the glue fingers together as well. " What!?" you might say, "You're crazy, that will make me look sillier and bring attention to an already sticky situation!" Here's why: your fingers want to be free, and will continue to try to pull themselves apart, causing the painful development of ripping skin (gross I know). By taping the offending fingers they will not pull and hence buying time until you can get to the all important acetone.
I finished the day, got in my car and drove home where I found a package on my doorstep. Inside, was a plaque that reads "in recognition of your talent and dedication as a Design Assistant". This was for a project I worked on in February. "Ha! Cool!" I thought and before the accolades went to my head, proceded to the bathroom to de-super-glue my fingers.

The Quilt

In my family when someone gets engaged, traditionally the girls in the family make a quilt block. The blocks are then sent to the mother of the bride/groom and then are put together to make a wedding quilt.
After my Mom met my Sweetie she wanted to start the quilt for our wedding ( jumping the shotgun a little.) In an effort not to scare my Sweetie off too much I asked if the theme of the quilt could be 'Art History', instead of say 'Couples in Love'. Now my Honey and I are officially betrothed, date set and everything! So, the quilt efforts are in full steam, and I thought I would share the progress because it is (to put it in my native Utahn) Freakin' Awesome! My mom, who is an amazingly talented artist, did many of them, and there are blocks from sisters, aunts, cousins, and friends. Here are all the blocks that are completed so far:
It will be Queen sized when it's all finished, the due date for quilt block submissions has been set for the end of September.

Happy 4th of July!

I have just snuggled into my pj's and am calling it a lovely day. I enjoy Independence Day, people become neighborly and really seem to take delight in each other's company. Unfortunately, my sweetie is away on business, this is the 1rst 4th we've spent apart since we started dating. So I was flying solo for today's festivities. I've decided to share my day via Cell Phone Pics!


I started the day at a low-tide party on the Sound this morning. There were sandcastles and bagpipes, and gorgeous table of great food. This is the castle as the tide was just coming in............
And here it is 20 minutes later. Gurgle, Shloosh!..........and gone....







The best display of fireworks in town are set over Lake Union, and the best place to see them is from Gasworks Park. Many, many, many people show up, and I decided I would be one of the masses. There are inflatable slides, contraptions that toss people around with bungee cords, carnival food, and a mini city of port-a-potties.



When I arrived I surveyed the status of firework viewing real estate, being a small party I could fit in anywhere I wanted so on to the food!
CORN!!!! I love this roasted corn. It Seattle's own festival fare, and is mmmmm Yummy. It is roasted in a huge roasting contraption and given to you piping hot. The line is hella long I stood for 20 minutes to get my golden ear of goodness. They will dunk it in a vat of butter if you like, but I prefer squeezing a lime over it with a dash of salt. I know it sounds shee-shee healthy but it is fantastic! Besides it is not that healthy if you follow it with this:


An Elephant Ear!!! Mmmm Fried dough with sugar. It is basically a large Utah scone sprinkled with sugar! The line for these hot mama's took about 30 min! It stretched past the gyros, past the sno-cones, past the corn line, and almost to where the port-a-potties began. They are definitely worth the wait. Besides, the best people watching happens when standing in lines. Here are a few examples:


Seattle children are known for their advanced intelligence and are wise beyond their years.







Here is one of the many "Liberty Belle's" I saw this evening. There was more crack then you could heat on a spoon.




Finally, the sun set, and the fireworks came out. I love fireworks, I find them truly inspiring. What an art of mixing just the right explosives to make an incredible noise and shape that lasts at most 30 seconds! I LOVE IT! Everyone in the crowd turn into kids again and you can't help but smile, and cheer. My seat was so close to the action I actually got soot in my eye!





It is nice to be snuggled in bed now, the fun continues tomorrow with a Classic Car show! Very Cool!

Time to Catch-Up

It's been a while since I posted last. I was just reviewing my past posts and thought I should give a few updates.

1rst- Resolutions.
I am back to my old ways of flossing, I am thinking maybe the investment in a Sonicare would be beneficial. The dishes are currently piled in the sink, I ate my cereal out of tupperware this morning.. Granted, I have had a busy schedule this last week, so the order of the apartment has slipped a bit, hence the dishes. Overall however, the dish situation has gotten better.
And finally, I am still struggling with being more social.
2nd- The Dress
The wedding was over a month ago. The dress I got went well, I bought 6 dresses in total and returned 4. There was a last minute switch in wardrobe that turned out to be great. FYI The first dress that I bought and returned was identical to one that a bridesmaid was wearing! The wedding itself was a blast, I drank to much, and danced until I couldn't wear high heels. May is the perfect weather in Savannah. We enjoyed the sunshine and even took a swim in the ocean.
3rd- Work
I have been fortunate with design work and assistant work lately. I had two shows open this last week! I just started a summer job as a carpenter for a steady paycheck. It is kicking my ass right now. I have become a bit of a pansy and haven't done much manual labor for awhile.
4th- Announcements!
I'm an aunt! My sister gave birth to twins last Sunday! A boy and a girl. They were 8 weeks early and very tiny, both kids and mom are healthy!

A Sigh of Relief....

I have a dress! I was beginning to doubt the existence of a dress that I not only liked but also fits! This gives me much JOY!
I have purchased and returned a total of 4 dresses, and tried on a plethora of others. Lo and Behold then I gave the internet a second try. The last one fit beautifully but was so 'Sparkle Barbie' I felt ridiculous and looked like not-quite-30-trying-to-be-17-clutching-to-my-youth-kind-a-sad-Dress. The new dress arrived this morning, and is simple and fun! The 5th dress is the charm! I am going to have to stuff the bust a smidge so it stays up, but other then that it's kick ass!

It is a lighter blue then the photograph portrays. Easy-Breezy-Have a Glass of Wine and enjoy the party-Dress.
New issue, I need a not-as-fancy dress for the rehearsal dinner!

Update: A-Dressing the Issue

So the beautiful dress didn't work. In consultation with an friend/expert it would have been a LOT of work to overhaul, plus the quote I got for altering was well out of my price range. I didn't have the heart to try to fix it myself taking the high risk of butchering it altogether. Begrudgingly, I returned it, somewhere out there is a size eight person with a fantastic dress.
So on with my QUEST! I have since tried on so many dresses I have permanent price tag imprints in my armpits! I turned to the internet for more options and at last a shimmer of hope. I found another dress which I am hoping is perfect, it is a similar shape to the prior but shorter in length (like me!). I consulted four different size guides to help select the right fit before pushing the order button. I have never bought clothes online before- so this is unexplored territory.
I always imagine myself as a laid back no-big-deal kind of girl. Then these events show my true colors as the over-thinking-worry-wart I am. Inevitably, I will arrive at the wedding and think "why did I make that such a big deal?" I think I am just excited at the idea of a truly formal occasion. Not fake formal like the prom where, sure you're in a nice dress, but you are still drinking out of red plastic cups, and jump dancing to overly loud music that makes your ears ring all the way home. I guess I want to see if I really clean-up-good, or if should just stick to the paint overalls.

Happy Birthday to ME!!!

It's my Birthday today! Today is the first day of my last year in my twenties. So I'm gonna live it up! Also note my Honey's birthday was two days ago, he is currently out of town but gets back tomorrow so we'll party then. In essence, this weekend will be Valentines/ Presidents day/ His&Hers birthday catch up! I dig the Birthweek/Birthmonth Idea of celebration!

Dress Quest

The last few weeks I have been on a quest for a kick-ass dress. The occasion is a Black Tie Wedding, in May, in Savannah. The last formal event I went to was prom, and where I come from weddings are Sunday dress... not really a society event. It has been an education trying to figure out the nuances in what constitutes evening wear vrs cocktail dresses vrs party dresses. Also, there are a few features I feel are important for the dress to possess:

1rst - it wants to travel well without serious repercussions
2nd - it can be hot in Savannah in May. Temperature predictions are around 85 degrees. The dress needs to breath.
3rd - I want to be comfortable. I have suffered for fashion in the past and will probably suffer again if the garment is fabulous enough. But if it is possible I want to breath comfortably and have reasonable blood circulation.
4th a reasonable price tag

I've tried on at least 30 dresses. The styles seem either "I'm 17 and have new boobs", "I'm 70 and have saggy boobs" or "I'm just hoochie, look at my boobs!... where's the bar."

Yesterday I found a beautiful dress! It is black gauzy silk, strapless, full length. This is the photo of the dress from a website. ISN'T IT PRETTY!!! It feels so light weight and elegant. The fly in the ointment... it is a size 8 and I am a 2 or 4. Also it is for a lady who towers at probably 5'8", I am 5'0" so there is an eight inch pool of fabric on the floor. But it's PRETTY!!!! I bought it and am going to see if I can alter it to make it work. I have a month to return it if needed. Knock on wood. If it doesn't work out I have just over 2 months to find the perfect dress... not to mention the SHOES!!!!

Here I Go!

I've done it! I've joined a gym- I am so excited to dig out my leg warmers and sweatband. No I didn't join an 80's theme gym- but when I think of me exercizing I automatically go into 80's montage-mode... There I am on the tread mill... there I am in a yoga class... there I am spinning... then I break into dance with my welding machine and a whole chorus of dancers are synchronized to cheer me on... and then at the end of this 45 second scene I am victorius and my personal trainer gives my a high five. Did I mention I have never joined a gym before? This my not be an accurate assesment of what will really happen.

Resolutions

Tis the seasons for resolutions. Of course I have a list of things I would like to commit to for making my body and environment a healthier whole. I know I will not stick to them all, but here's to trying.
1rst- Floss. I hate flossing, but I have flossed every tooth everyday so far this year. A big improvement. My enthusiasm will probibly wane, but I want to keep it up as long as possible. (it is cheaper then a root canal, and dental insurance)
2nd- Dishes. I hate doing the dishes. This displeasure results in a sink of dishes that sit and become more displeasurable until critical mass ie. eating cereal out of measuring cups. Now I am trying to wash dishes as I use them. I am also trying to figure out the most water efficient system but have not landed on anything conclusively.
3rd- Be more socially out going. I am not a hermit by any means, but more often then not I sit at home on my computer and end up spending way to much time taking crap quizs and playing on-line games. So I intend to make new friends and get out of the house more.
There are other resolutions like losing weight, exercising more, eating healthier... blah blah blah. These are things I remind myself/beat up myself about everyday. They are not new this year, they are tired old dogs that I kick every once in a while. For now these three things will make me very happy to maintain!

I'm Sorry... How Much did you Say that Was?

My cost of living has grown considerably with the coming of 2008. With loans coming due and the addition of car insurance my bank account has tumbleweeds blowing through it. Thank the Plastic Gods for credit cards. Without this glorious option of over-spending my means I don't know how I would have made it through the holidays!
BIG ANNOUNCEMENT- My boyfriend and I are engaged! WHOOT! The price tags of weddings as they are, we're looking into cost saving options.... Do you think a BYOB wedding would be tacky?.....hmmmm