I was talking to Lauren yesterday and mentioned that I'm meeting Karen for coffee tomorrow afternoon.
Lauren said, "Who?"
"Karen," I said. "You know, Chris's mom."
There was silence on the other end of the phone.
Eventually, "You know that's really weird, right?"
I got a little defensive, demanded to know what she meant. She said, "Well, you know, most people don't meet their ex-boyfriend's mother for coffee after they break up."
I explained that I have mail to pass on to Chris, that his parents are still, after all, my landlords, that I want to stay on good terms with them, and so on and so forth. Probably still somewhat defensively.
Finally Lauren said, "I didn't necessarily mean it was bad weird. And I forgot about the apartment thing. It's just weird that you two like each other enough to still want to get together sometimes. I guess it's kind of cool. I mean, I don't want to see Justin's mother, and he's my husband!"
It's funny, these connections that linger. I lucked out immensely, for all intents and purposes getting Karen and Jerry as in-laws for five years, but that's something I didn't necessarily recognize or appreciate all that time being essentially their daughter-in-law. And clearly the relationship has changed, has become something odd and tenuous, short notes over email every few months, rent checks written and cashed, Christmas and birthday cards exchanged, a coffee now and again. But I'm glad to still have this connection, even as fragile as it is, and will probably continue with the birthday and Christmas cards, at least for awhile longer.
On another note, and very much a non sequitur, I was disappointed earlier this week, if not particularly surprised, to learn of the clash between the state of California and the EPA concerning automobile emissions. California wants to enforce stronger restrictions on pollution, the EPA (you know, the Environmental Protection Agency) is refusing to let them, and now California is suing the EPA. Here's a good take on the situation.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
scarves
I spent New Year's Eve last week at a small shindig at Nate's apartment, and was tickled pink to see three of my nearest and dearest sporting neckwear made by yours truly. Thanks Jill, Lenny, & Chris for loving these scarves, because they we
re sure made with lots and lots of love for you!
re sure made with lots and lots of love for you!
Saturday, January 05, 2008
weekend round up
First, I thought in honor of the beginning of the year that will see the end of the Bush presidency, I would include here one of my favorite Bush quotes ever. And, as you probably know, that's saying a lot:
"I understand not everybody agrees with the decisions I've made, but that's not unique to Central or South America. Truth of the matter is, there's people who disagree with the decisions I've made all over the world. But that's what happens when you make decisions."
(2005 interview)
Which brings me, in its convoluted, twisted way, to my second point. I finally got around to watching Obama's Iowa victory speech last night, at Andrew's insistence, and it's hard not to feel that this really is a momentous occasion in American history. Especially compared to Huckabee's speech. It's been awhile since anything political gave me goosebumps, at least in a good way instead of a cringe-inducing way. Take a look.
Third, I was whining and moaning to Erik the other day, dear Erik who's been patiently putting up with my moaning and whining since we were, oh, fourteen years old, and he sent me this link. I think it's pretty self-explanatory.
Also, I'm up to my eyeballs in yarn these days, with not one but two Knitty City gift certificates, the first from my dear mama and the second from bookstore Patti, burning a hole in my pocket. This after spending way too much money at Ana-Cross Stitch's post-Christmas store-wide sale last week. Thank you, Mumsie & Patti! You know this girl too well. I'm hoping that Knitty City is carrying yarn from Wool Peddler. I saw some of their stuff in Anacortes and was completely intrigued, both with the fiber itself and the vibrant, saturated colours, but already had a basket overflowing and managed to demonstrate a trace amount of self restraint. I'm just constantly amazed at the possibilities for fibers these days. Banana leaves. Soybean protein (this Rowan stuff, 70% wool, 30% soy, is lovely to work with). Possum (I have a pair of wool/possum socks, very warm and soft, but have yet to work with possum yarn). Chitin (yes, Paul, there is yarn made partly of shrimp & crab shells!). Bamboo. Pets (okay, that's a little bit disturbing even for me). Tencel (gorgeous stuff, haven't worked with it yet). But enough yarn.
Lastly, I ordered for myself three CDs recently. They arrived yesterday and I am ever so pleased. As some might recall, it was a certain former boyfriend who somehow bought the vast majority of our music over the years. And I realized, while I was home visiting Mom over Christmas, that I haven't bought a single CD for myself since well before Chris left, which is just about a year ago now. So, Brandi Carlile's The Story, Springsteen's Magic, and the Shins' Wincing the Night Away are now in heavy rotation in this apartment. This is actually the second time I've purchased Wincing the Night Away, believe it or not. The first was for Chris for Valentine's Day last year, ordered before we broke up. And he took it with him when he came back to pick up some stuff at the end of January! I figured it's about time I got to hear it myself. It's not so great, at least compared to their earlier stuff. But even as I type this, Bruce is crooning sexily away about a long walk home. I know I'm biased, but he's still got it.
"I understand not everybody agrees with the decisions I've made, but that's not unique to Central or South America. Truth of the matter is, there's people who disagree with the decisions I've made all over the world. But that's what happens when you make decisions."
(2005 interview)
Which brings me, in its convoluted, twisted way, to my second point. I finally got around to watching Obama's Iowa victory speech last night, at Andrew's insistence, and it's hard not to feel that this really is a momentous occasion in American history. Especially compared to Huckabee's speech. It's been awhile since anything political gave me goosebumps, at least in a good way instead of a cringe-inducing way. Take a look.
Third, I was whining and moaning to Erik the other day, dear Erik who's been patiently putting up with my moaning and whining since we were, oh, fourteen years old, and he sent me this link. I think it's pretty self-explanatory.
Also, I'm up to my eyeballs in yarn these days, with not one but two Knitty City gift certificates, the first from my dear mama and the second from bookstore Patti, burning a hole in my pocket. This after spending way too much money at Ana-Cross Stitch's post-Christmas store-wide sale last week. Thank you, Mumsie & Patti! You know this girl too well. I'm hoping that Knitty City is carrying yarn from Wool Peddler. I saw some of their stuff in Anacortes and was completely intrigued, both with the fiber itself and the vibrant, saturated colours, but already had a basket overflowing and managed to demonstrate a trace amount of self restraint. I'm just constantly amazed at the possibilities for fibers these days. Banana leaves. Soybean protein (this Rowan stuff, 70% wool, 30% soy, is lovely to work with). Possum (I have a pair of wool/possum socks, very warm and soft, but have yet to work with possum yarn). Chitin (yes, Paul, there is yarn made partly of shrimp & crab shells!). Bamboo. Pets (okay, that's a little bit disturbing even for me). Tencel (gorgeous stuff, haven't worked with it yet). But enough yarn.
Lastly, I ordered for myself three CDs recently. They arrived yesterday and I am ever so pleased. As some might recall, it was a certain former boyfriend who somehow bought the vast majority of our music over the years. And I realized, while I was home visiting Mom over Christmas, that I haven't bought a single CD for myself since well before Chris left, which is just about a year ago now. So, Brandi Carlile's The Story, Springsteen's Magic, and the Shins' Wincing the Night Away are now in heavy rotation in this apartment. This is actually the second time I've purchased Wincing the Night Away, believe it or not. The first was for Chris for Valentine's Day last year, ordered before we broke up. And he took it with him when he came back to pick up some stuff at the end of January! I figured it's about time I got to hear it myself. It's not so great, at least compared to their earlier stuff. But even as I type this, Bruce is crooning sexily away about a long walk home. I know I'm biased, but he's still got it.
Friday, January 04, 2008
iowa on my mind
I'm finding it very difficult to imagine Mike Huckabee as the front runner for the Republican presidential nomination. Obama, yes, I get that, and though I'm somewhat disappointed that Edwards didn't take Iowa, and that Clinton seems to be in difficulty, I can certainly still be excited by the notion of Obama for President. But Huckabee? The man who thinks it's funny to joke about his ignorance on foreign affairs just because the current occupant of the White House has the intellectual curiosity of a door knob? The man who stands by his statements concerning quarantining AIDS victims? The man who claims that his entire life revolves around his faith and his belief in Jesus? (But then condemns his opponents for failing to execute people and defends his support for executing people by arguing that if Jesus were against capital punishment, he would have begged for clemency from the cross) Good Lord, please save us from ourselves.
I've also been confused about the logistics of an actual caucus, given that here in good old New York, we just go into an old-fashioned voting booth, draw the curtain shut, and pull a bunch of levers.
I've also been confused about the logistics of an actual caucus, given that here in good old New York, we just go into an old-fashioned voting booth, draw the curtain shut, and pull a bunch of levers.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
quirky pacific northwest videos
First, Spoonshine performing Pocketful of Ashes at Folklife.
And then there's this, which is one of the weirder things I've ever seen, and sort of defies discussion. But I had a soft spot for this song once upon a time, and still love the ferry.
And last, local babe Brandi Carlile makes good and brings a fan along for the ride.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
new year ranting
I flew back to NY on the red eye Saturday night, got home early Sunday morning and saw this piece on airport security in the Times. Nate flew back to NY last week and was telling me yesterday of his security (mis)adventures at SeaTac Airport. He got to the front of the security line and suddenly remembered that he still had his half-empty water bottle in his back pack. He pulled it out, showed it to the security personnel, asked if he could just quickly drink it or throw it away. They said no. He had to leave the security checkpoint, find a trash can back in the main terminal, and wait on line again. This is insane. And this doesn't do anything to thwart terrorism, it just pisses people off so much that they're likely to punch someone in the face. I at least had no such hassles, and in fact was offered a free drink on my flight as thanks for switching seats with someone who wanted to be next to his family. Fell asleep almost immediately, though, and missed out on said drink. More than made up for it last night, though.
On the political front, Bloomberg Moves Closer to Running for President. Not sure how I feel about this one yet.
Yesterday, the last day of yet another year, saw yet another scathing, and heartbreaking, take on the Bush administration and the shaming of America.
Then there's Dahlia Lithwick's smackdown of the Bush legal team in yesterday's Slate.
And lastly, a little geeking out. Okay, a lot of geeking out.
Late Library Books Can Take Toll on Credit Scores, about the Queens Public Library System cracking down on recalcitrant library users, and a follow-up op-ed piece condemning this practice. Yes, this kind of stuff interests me. I had a woman come into my library a few years back to take out a book, but it turns out her borrowing privileges had been suspended because she'd exceeded the maximum fine limit of $299 (recently reduced to $99). In fact, she had exceeded the limit by about, oh, $32,000, give or take. And she was furious with me and my coworker for refusing to let her take the book, demanding to know who we thought we were, when her husband could buy our entire measly library! Given that we have about 400,000 volumes in our collections, and one of the most extensive Tibetan manuscript collections in the world, I doubt that he in fact could buy the whole thing. But if he could, then he clearly could pay off her library fines, too. So I'm not overly sympathetic to those complaining about the Queens system's harsh tactics. When you take out library books and do not return them, you have essentially stolen them, and are depriving other people of having access to them. The library should be able to take measures to get its property back. Of course, on the other hand, having your credit history destroyed by an $80 library fine might be a little excessive.
On a more pleasing library note, it turns out that adolescents aren't as stupid as I thought they were! Or at least, they seem to read more than I gave them credit for.
And really lastly, my new crush, librarian extraordinaire David Smith.
On the political front, Bloomberg Moves Closer to Running for President. Not sure how I feel about this one yet.
Yesterday, the last day of yet another year, saw yet another scathing, and heartbreaking, take on the Bush administration and the shaming of America.
Then there's Dahlia Lithwick's smackdown of the Bush legal team in yesterday's Slate.
And lastly, a little geeking out. Okay, a lot of geeking out.
Late Library Books Can Take Toll on Credit Scores, about the Queens Public Library System cracking down on recalcitrant library users, and a follow-up op-ed piece condemning this practice. Yes, this kind of stuff interests me. I had a woman come into my library a few years back to take out a book, but it turns out her borrowing privileges had been suspended because she'd exceeded the maximum fine limit of $299 (recently reduced to $99). In fact, she had exceeded the limit by about, oh, $32,000, give or take. And she was furious with me and my coworker for refusing to let her take the book, demanding to know who we thought we were, when her husband could buy our entire measly library! Given that we have about 400,000 volumes in our collections, and one of the most extensive Tibetan manuscript collections in the world, I doubt that he in fact could buy the whole thing. But if he could, then he clearly could pay off her library fines, too. So I'm not overly sympathetic to those complaining about the Queens system's harsh tactics. When you take out library books and do not return them, you have essentially stolen them, and are depriving other people of having access to them. The library should be able to take measures to get its property back. Of course, on the other hand, having your credit history destroyed by an $80 library fine might be a little excessive.
On a more pleasing library note, it turns out that adolescents aren't as stupid as I thought they were! Or at least, they seem to read more than I gave them credit for.
And really lastly, my new crush, librarian extraordinaire David Smith.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Friday, December 28, 2007
Thursday, December 27, 2007
mitt romney, or, when your speech writers are idiots and you don't know any better
I had thought that candidate Romney was merely a flip flopper to shame all flip floppers, but have discovered recently that he's got some pretty strange, and pretty scary, views on the role of government, the power of the executive branch, religion, and life in general.
In a Q&A sent to all the major presidential contenders and then published here in the Boston Globe last week, Romney had the following to say in response to a question concerning presidential powers and warrant-less surveillance: "Our most basic civil liberty is the right to be kept alive and the President should not hesitate to use every legal tool at his disposal to keep America safe."
Let me say that again, just slightly abridged. Our most basic civil liberty is to be kept alive. Liberty is to be kept alive. Not liberty includes the right to live, not liberty is life. We apparently, in Romney's world view, have the right to be kept alive. Something here just does not compute. Kept. Kept behind bars. Kept down. Kept in one's place. A kept woman. Kept alive. Possibly with a feeding tube.
This within a week or two of his so-called faith speech in which he claimed, apparently without irony, that "Americans do not respect believers of convenience." His speech writers might want to look into his track record on reproductive and gay rights, and the unmistakable shift in his so-called beliefs as governor of a blue state to his so-called beliefs as a presidential hopeful for the Republican nomination. Because he's right, and that makes it hard to respect him.
This also within a week or so of claiming, in that same speech, that "freedom requires religion just as religion requires freedom." Huh? The teenage girl in Canada who was recently beaten to death by her father for not wearing a hijab might not agree with this. And some of our great country's original founders would have cringed at this.
Romney, clearly a man with a vision.
In a Q&A sent to all the major presidential contenders and then published here in the Boston Globe last week, Romney had the following to say in response to a question concerning presidential powers and warrant-less surveillance: "Our most basic civil liberty is the right to be kept alive and the President should not hesitate to use every legal tool at his disposal to keep America safe."
Let me say that again, just slightly abridged. Our most basic civil liberty is to be kept alive. Liberty is to be kept alive. Not liberty includes the right to live, not liberty is life. We apparently, in Romney's world view, have the right to be kept alive. Something here just does not compute. Kept. Kept behind bars. Kept down. Kept in one's place. A kept woman. Kept alive. Possibly with a feeding tube.
This within a week or two of his so-called faith speech in which he claimed, apparently without irony, that "Americans do not respect believers of convenience." His speech writers might want to look into his track record on reproductive and gay rights, and the unmistakable shift in his so-called beliefs as governor of a blue state to his so-called beliefs as a presidential hopeful for the Republican nomination. Because he's right, and that makes it hard to respect him.
This also within a week or so of claiming, in that same speech, that "freedom requires religion just as religion requires freedom." Huh? The teenage girl in Canada who was recently beaten to death by her father for not wearing a hijab might not agree with this. And some of our great country's original founders would have cringed at this.
Romney, clearly a man with a vision.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Monday, December 24, 2007
snippets of a heathen pre-christmas
Here I am in Anacortes again, beloved rainy city (town) by the sea. We had sunshine today, for awhile, and walked around Washington Park. It was beautiful, and I failed to bring my camera.
I arrived here around 3:30pm on Thursday, after taking a cab to Rong Li's apartment at 5:30 that morning (New York time, that would be 2:30 west coast time), a car service with Rong Li, her husband, and a friend of theirs to JFK, a plane from JFK to Seattle, a big Airporter bus to Mount Vernon, and a mini Airporter bus first to the ferry terminal and then back to the Shell station downtown, where Mom & Paul picked me up.
Pretty much I've been drinking ever since. Today, my first 'dirty martini' ever. I'm not quite sure I can honestly say I like it, but I like the second half a whole lot more than the first.
Friday was a night out on the town, first at the Brown Lantern Tavern with Mom & Paul for an early dinner and a couple beers (I got carded. The guy couldn't believe I was 31. Later, step-brother Erik called and thought I was his 9-year-old niece. I guess this is good?), then at the Rock Fish Grill with Evan, Brent, Dave, and various other people I don't actually know, for a few more beers as well as some coconut shrimp, and later yet at Brent's newly acquired, completely empty (except for a bottle of wine and a pair of wine glasses) house.
I actually slept in until 9 Saturday morning. Nate arrived that night, with Uncle Jim & Aunt Sharon, who brought wine and other Trader Joe goodies. Nate and I gave them some Samuel Smith beers and a Crazy Cat Lady Action Figure. The drinking continued. Have I mentioned how much I love Christmas? Not to mention my crazy, wonderful extended family.
Last night it was white wine and fresh, local crab for dinner, and then on to the Edision pub in the middle of nowhere, as far as I can tell, for a few more beers and the phenomenal Spoonshine. Jake, one of the Spoonshine trio, came over to chat with Evan during the break and I, being so overwhelmed with their greatness, gushed, "You guys are awesome!" I was slightly mortified by this. Nathan claims it was cute. And I stand by my statement.
This afternoon the dirty martinis, and then it's on to Step Grandmother Paula's house for dinner, and then on to Brent's still-empty house (except for a growler of some local brew, apparently).
And here, in closing, I quote Nate the Great: "Piggle Wiggle is a cat." Indeed, she is. A cat. And quite a lovely one.
I arrived here around 3:30pm on Thursday, after taking a cab to Rong Li's apartment at 5:30 that morning (New York time, that would be 2:30 west coast time), a car service with Rong Li, her husband, and a friend of theirs to JFK, a plane from JFK to Seattle, a big Airporter bus to Mount Vernon, and a mini Airporter bus first to the ferry terminal and then back to the Shell station downtown, where Mom & Paul picked me up.
Pretty much I've been drinking ever since. Today, my first 'dirty martini' ever. I'm not quite sure I can honestly say I like it, but I like the second half a whole lot more than the first.
Friday was a night out on the town, first at the Brown Lantern Tavern with Mom & Paul for an early dinner and a couple beers (I got carded. The guy couldn't believe I was 31. Later, step-brother Erik called and thought I was his 9-year-old niece. I guess this is good?), then at the Rock Fish Grill with Evan, Brent, Dave, and various other people I don't actually know, for a few more beers as well as some coconut shrimp, and later yet at Brent's newly acquired, completely empty (except for a bottle of wine and a pair of wine glasses) house.
I actually slept in until 9 Saturday morning. Nate arrived that night, with Uncle Jim & Aunt Sharon, who brought wine and other Trader Joe goodies. Nate and I gave them some Samuel Smith beers and a Crazy Cat Lady Action Figure. The drinking continued. Have I mentioned how much I love Christmas? Not to mention my crazy, wonderful extended family.
Last night it was white wine and fresh, local crab for dinner, and then on to the Edision pub in the middle of nowhere, as far as I can tell, for a few more beers and the phenomenal Spoonshine. Jake, one of the Spoonshine trio, came over to chat with Evan during the break and I, being so overwhelmed with their greatness, gushed, "You guys are awesome!" I was slightly mortified by this. Nathan claims it was cute. And I stand by my statement.
This afternoon the dirty martinis, and then it's on to Step Grandmother Paula's house for dinner, and then on to Brent's still-empty house (except for a growler of some local brew, apparently).
And here, in closing, I quote Nate the Great: "Piggle Wiggle is a cat." Indeed, she is. A cat. And quite a lovely one.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
texas gets even weirder
As if it wasn't frightening enough that Christine Castillo Comer, the director of science for the Texas Education Agency, was forced to resign earlier this month for allegedly "bashing" people's faith (she forwarded an email announcement about an upcoming lecture advocating evolution - oh the horror!). Now, a Texas panel on higher education is recommending that the state allow the Institute for Creation Research to offer online master's degrees in science education.
In other news, Hilary's been feeling the heat from Matt Drudge, Rush Limbaugh, and Co., the men out in force, cackling over a woman of a certain age's crows' feet and laugh lines. And of course our dear Maureen Dowd had to get in on it this morning too, snidely arguing that it's "pretty pathetic" that at this point in her career, Clinton continues to have to try to prove she's "warm-blooded." The thing about this is, I think it's pathetic too, but not exactly in the way Dowd means. It's pathetic that we judge a presidential candidate on being "warm-blooded" at all, and I think it's ridiculous that Clinton has to try to soften her image. I want a strategist in the White House, a tough-as-nails fighter who's endured as much as Clinton has and come out on the other side. Even if Hilary doesn't win the nomination or the presidency, this remains a ground-breaking moment in American history, a woman playing the political game, and playing it well, at this level. Yet it seems that, embarrassingly for the rest of us, her wrinkles and lack of an all-consuming desire to bake cookies continue to be a detriment to her campaign.
In other news, Hilary's been feeling the heat from Matt Drudge, Rush Limbaugh, and Co., the men out in force, cackling over a woman of a certain age's crows' feet and laugh lines. And of course our dear Maureen Dowd had to get in on it this morning too, snidely arguing that it's "pretty pathetic" that at this point in her career, Clinton continues to have to try to prove she's "warm-blooded." The thing about this is, I think it's pathetic too, but not exactly in the way Dowd means. It's pathetic that we judge a presidential candidate on being "warm-blooded" at all, and I think it's ridiculous that Clinton has to try to soften her image. I want a strategist in the White House, a tough-as-nails fighter who's endured as much as Clinton has and come out on the other side. Even if Hilary doesn't win the nomination or the presidency, this remains a ground-breaking moment in American history, a woman playing the political game, and playing it well, at this level. Yet it seems that, embarrassingly for the rest of us, her wrinkles and lack of an all-consuming desire to bake cookies continue to be a detriment to her campaign.
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