What I did on my Summer vacation.

Oh boy, is Summer really over? I can't believe it flew by so fast!
This last year has been a big blur.

First, the big news:

I'm very pleased to announce that I went out a few weeks ago and found myself a brand spanking new job at a cool office where everyone I've met so far are all super awesome people. I'm so happy about this new career direction!
I will be getting off work in the early part of the day and never again will I see the inside of an office on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. I could not be more thrilled!

Here's a quick summary of the things we did in the Summer of 2009:

We slipped away to Chelan for my birthday weekend with our dear friends Licia and Todd. We went back on the same weekend that they were married last year.
We were able to get into a great condo. It was huge and had a glorious view of the water. The weather was around 100-103 the whole time we were there, but between the pool, the lake and the much loved and appreciated A/C we didn't even notice.
We spent four wonderful and relaxing days hanging out in the sun and surf and watching a variety of bad television and grilling lots of amazing super fresh seafood. It really was a dream.



We took two days to visit our dear friend, and Posies drummer, Darius in Vancouver, BC. We spent a few days there shopping, eating and relaxing, and got a chance to go see and catch up with the Death Cab folks while they were in town. They really are the nicest guys in rock!




Darian participated in a Whole Foods sponsored watermelon eating contest and placed 2nd! After eating a ridiculous amount of watermelon in under five minutes, I asked her how she felt, she answered, "I'm actually kind of hungry!"

Last week we went to Orcas Island and stayed with my Mom and WSF. Jon played a show while we were in town at a really cool little dinner theater called the Ecotopian. The show was well attended and the audience quite appreciative. We had a great night.
My mom rented us a cozy cottage that came complete with a huge bathtub fit for a goddess and a jacuzzi tub on the front deck. I could have stayed there for a month. I loved waking up in the morning and stepping out on the deck to see the sun coming up and the mist rolling across the beautiful lake. It really was right out of a book or a poem.

We came home and helped one of my closest friend's, Amie to celebrate her birthday. I love that girl. She is the frosting on my cupcake.

Then this last few days, our dear friend Mark and Suzy Mills have been in town visiting from London.
Jon has been showing them around town and I have been enjoying being domestic and cooking for them. They are vegetarians, so I've been able to show off all of my favorite veggie dishes. I told them I was running out of veggie dishes, so they were going home at the right time or else I would have gone into repeat mode. Must expand the vegetarian repertoire for their next visit!
I hope it is sooner than later!
We went to Bumpershoot for a little while yesterday. It was pouring down rain, so most of it was spent with very cold and wet feet. Not a good thing. We saw a few minutes of a few different bands, but nothing that I can really think to mention right now.

Jon played a hilariously funny Radio8Ball show. Where all of the answers were kind of dark and super funny. Someone asked about her relationship and the answer was 6 Feet Under. If you know the song, you know why I was in tears trying to control cracking up through the entire song.

Darian starts High School tomorrow! It seems like only yesterday I was feeling the same anxiety about the first day of Kindergarten. It all went by so fast. I'm sure she will do great, she has this whole school thing in the bag. I could not be more proud of her.

So, there you have it. New school year, new school, new job, amazing improved life. It was a Summer of endings and it is a Fall of exciting new beginnings!

She did it first...

I borrowed this from Snotty.

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If you’ve ever seen Inside the Actor’s Studio with James Lipton, you know he asks a series of personality questions toward the end of the show. This list of questions, based on the Proust questionnaire.

Proust Questionnaire

Your favorite virtue: kindness

Your favorite qualities in a man: Equal parts of sensitivity and passion

Your favorite qualities in a woman: loyalty and empathy

What you appreciate most about your friends: My true friends are the most loyal bunch you will ever meet, through thick and thin, no matter what. I'm closer to them that I am to most relatives.

Your main fault: I believe in people too soon.

Your favorite occupation: Homemaker or Rock Star

Your idea of happiness: Being surrounded by children and animals.

Your idea of misery: Being stuck in a room with a negative person for a long period of time.

If not yourself, who would you be: Holly GoLightly or Wonder Woman

Where would you like to live: New York and Paris

Your favorite color and flower: Any color. I think flowers are like perfect little works of art.

Your favorite prose authors: Huxley when I was a kid, but now, I don't really have one particular favorite.

Your favorite poets: I'm pretty fond of Dorothy Parker

Your favorite heroes in fiction: Wolverine and Dracula

Your favorite heroines in fiction: Cat Woman

Your favorite painters and composers: Dali, Picasso, etc... No one favorite.

Your heroes in real life: My dad has swept in and been my hero on many an occasion.

What characters in history do you most dislike: King Henry VIII. The more I read about him the less I like him. He was a greedy little pinch faced jerk. He was beheading women for nothing and blaming them when he didn't get a son. Up until the election little Georgie Bush ranked way up at the top of this list, but now I just try to pretend he never happened.

Your favorite heroines in World History: Audrey Hepburn, Queen Elizabeth (Daughter of Ann Boleyn), Queen Katherine (Henry's first wife who refused to back down and stuck to her principles until the day she died.)

Your favorite food and drink: Any form of cake and coffee with cream

Your favorite names: Darian, Devon and Dylan

What I hate the most: Stupid people who think they are smart enough to get away with stuff.

World history characters I hate the most: Hitler. Obvious.

The natural talent I’d like to be gifted with: I'd like to be a better singer. I can sing, just not as good as I'd like to.

How I wish to die: Very old and with my wits, surrounded by my children and my grandchildren.

What is your present state of mind: I'm in transition right now and am pretty focused on making things that need to happen, happen.

For what fault have you the most toleration: Funny, this comes up and all I can think about are the things that drive me crazy.

It would probably be a certain degree of laziness. I can't say I go to the gym or eat exactly how I should 100% of the time, so how can I judge others?

Your favorite motto: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

One more kitty...

Moo was NOT fond of the 102 weather last week!

Cats 貓 gatos 猫 mačke

Buddy

My camera has been full of pretty kitties recently, so I thought I'd share a few of my favorites on here.

Moo

Tortuga

Yoshimi
Roo

Alvin

Bread

Last night I had the strangest dream....

Jul. 8th, 2004 | 08:34 am

mood: oogy

I had the strangest dream last night. I had to sit in the living room after getting ready for work and take a moment to shake the dream.

In my dream I was going to my car in a parking garage where someone had parked far too close to me and sort of wedged my car in. As I went around the car to suss out the situation and try to figure out how I was going to get out I noticed an envelope with my name tucked under the wiper blade of the other car.
There was nothing in the envelope, but there was a letter to me scrawled on the other side. It had a letter written by someone I know telling me congratulations on the upcoming wedding and that they were very happy for me.
Then it said something like:
"I left this note for you because there is something I need you to know before you get married. I... and then they scribbled out whatever it was that was written. I was trying to make it out, but could only get bits and pieces like "more than you know" and the like.

Then at the bottom it read:
Thank you for reading this far, it means a lot.
Love- a man who just found out he was going to be a father and is scared to bits.

The whole thing really gave me the heebie jeebies. I know as I write it, on paper it doesn't sound freaky, but it really seemed that way to me when I first woke up.

In other news, I made 80 wedding favors last eve, went at got my brows waxed and cleaned the apartment. Only 3 more days, only 2 more days of this job!

Times they are a changin'

Memories of my friend, Gib

Jul. 6th, 2004 | 10:03 am

mood: contemplative

His wife asked us to write something about him today. This is what I wrote:


It is hard to sum up a person in a few words. You can only say who they were to you and your own perception of who they were as a whole. It is interesting seeing so many perspectives on one man.
When someone leaves this world and everyone starts sharing their stories, more pieces of this ever-evolving puzzle that is human spirit begins to emerge. The only things we have left of someone after they leave us are our memories. These memories have a limitless value. The stories and memories are the fingerprints we leave behind.
When I think of Gib, I think of a very kind man whom I not only had the pleasure to work with but someone who I also considered a friend.
He had a very fatherly quality about him. He would check in on me and he always remembered everything I told him about the goings on in my life. He was quick with good advice but never intrusive. He had so much love for his own kids that I think it spilled over onto any other young people who came into his life. The kindest thing he ever said to me was that he would have been very proud to have a daughter like me. That may have been one of the nicest compliments I have ever received.
He spoke so much and so highly about his wife Rebeca I felt as though I knew her even though we never met. It was obvious how much he was in love with her. His care and concern was not only touching, it was inspiring!
The last time we spoke, he told me to never forget just how important family is. To not let my child grow up without spending loads of time with her and to always let the people that I love, know just how much I love them. In retrospect, I think he may have known that that conversation might be the last I ever had with him, so his words carry even more weight. It was the push I needed to leave my job and follow my dream of writing and working from home and being with my family. I only wish he were here to call up and share the exciting news with. I know he would be proud and supportive, as is his way.
If I had to choose a single memory of him, I think I would choose when we went to dinner while at a trade show in Utah a couple of years back. We had just finished a huge meal and he kept saying he could not eat another bite he was far too full. Then the waiter brought us the dessert menu.
Gib ordered a piece of caramel covered cheesecake. When it arrived at the table it must have been the size of his head.
He said, “Oh no, that is so big, I could never eat it.” And then took to the task of consuming the entire thing!
Afterward, he leaned back in his chair with a huge grin and patted his now certainly full stomach and laughed, “You know, sometimes you just have to treat yourself, it is the only way to enjoy your life!”
To me that story sums up Gib O’Neill. To me he was a person that learned along the way just how important it is to allow yourself to completely enjoy the simple pleasures in life and not to take the unimportant things too seriously.
To always leave room for dessert.

As Seen On TV

In honor of Darian's favorite TV infomercial personality, the late Mr Billy Mays, I'm doing a quick rundown of my As Seen On TV experiences.

Things I've purchased that I saw on TV first:

Caruso Molecular Hairsetter: The first time I saw this infomercial I was about 18 years old. It had an actress from Days of Our lives doing the selling. It looked so easy and uncomplicated that I had to buy one, thus making it my very first purchase from TV.
I'm happy to say it worked better than I ever would have imagined and now, almost 20 years from my first purchase, I've owned 3 and use it at least 5 times per week.
They are getting harder and harder to find, and they are very different looking than the hot pink odd shaped version that I bought off the TV, but it is basically the same. If there ever comes a time where I can't replace it when the motor dies, I will be screwed in the hair department. I've seriously considered buying 10 just to have a lifetime back stock.
Rating: Does it do what it claims? Yes, Yes, a thousand times YES!

Smooth Away: On the infomercial for this product you see happy women exclaiming how they never have to shave again while using some sort of pink sanding device to painlessly remove their hair. Since shaving is not my favorite pastime, but I hate leg hair on me more, I thought I'd give this a try. It does work, the hair is eventually removed, EVENTUALLY being the operative word here.
I found it taking about 6xs as long to "Shave my legs" with this as it does with my lady Bic, and it is painless at first. About 5 minutes after I was done non-shaving with this device my skin started to burn. In trying to removed the hair, I basically gave myself a form of rug burn. Imagine how it feels after the first night of heavy making out with a guy with stubble. (Ladies, I KNOW you know what I'm talking about) that is how it feels. I only tried it on my legs, poor D started with her pits and could not put her arms down for the rest of the night.
Rating: Does it do what it claims? Yes, it removes hair
Painlessly or easily? Epic FAIL!

The Ultimate Chopper: A friend gave this to me as a gag gift after I told her about my obsession with infomercial products. They should re-name this product: The ultimate food masher. I would love to get a lengthy description, but mine broke the second time I tried to use it. The first time I managed to smash a tomato and to partially obliterate an onion the rest had to be knife cut.
Rating: The box was more interesting and useful than what was inside it.

Loud N Clear: It is a personal sound amplifier. On the commercial it shows a woman trying to watch TV while her husband is snoring away, I was sold. Does it amplify sound? Oh yes, it does. Could you hear someone from across the room quietly whispering about you? No. Not at all. In fact, if you turn it up loud enough to where you might be able to hear, and you are standing still enough to where nothing is rustling around the amp, you might be able to, but you are risking hearing loss the first time someone coughs nearby. Oh, it also has the charming habit of feeding back in your ear.
Rating: Sure, it amplifies sound, EVERY sound, if you don't mind risking hearing loss this is for you!

The Ped Egg: This "egg" claims to remove all of the dead nasty skin on your broke ass feet. It looks a lot like a Parmesan cheese grater, I'm not entirely convinced it is not. It works though, almost too well, and it comes in black "For Men". I bought one for Jon and he loves it too. Just don't rub until you hit blood, because you will!
Rating: Fun for the whole family!

Bare Minerals: Since the first time I used this stuff I've been in love. I've thrown out all of my other makeup and cringe at the thought of using liquid foundation ever again. Five years ago I would not leave the house without caking some sort of liquid foundation on. My skin was a mess and I was spending way too much on prescriptions and expensive bases to keep it clear. Since the first time I used Bare Minerals, I have not been to a doctor about my skin, and I have not even thought about using liquid foundation. It is just as amazing as they make it sound on TV. I've even converted several of my friends. My skin breaths and it doesn't break out anymore now that I'm not clogging it up with foundations. I can't say enough good stuff about it. It is certainly a desert island item. (That is if I cared what I looked like on said island)
Rating: Why would anyone ever use anything else?

check list

Jul. 4th, 2004 | 10:08 am
mood: awake

Things I need to buy before next weekend:

1. Plates
2. Forks
3. Champagne Glasses
4. Mother's Orchids
5. Ivory Table Covering
6. Pie server
7. Napkins
8. Fortune cookies
9. 2 Guest Books (1 for ceremony site and one for reception site)
10. 10 rolls of Joy Cam Film for Guest book
11. Address book to keep on guest book table
12. Gift for my friend Margot who is being the officiant
13. Flower Girl gift
14. Ring Bearer gift
15. New Dress socks for Jon
16. Gift for fathers
17. Cases of soda

That is all we need and then we are ready.

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Harry Potter was great last eve. The best part: Darian and I were sitting through the previews and a someone started down our row. When he got closer I realized it was Jon. He knew we were going but he has been too busy at the studio so I thought we would not see him at all yesterday. He took a cab down at the last minute and got there just in time to see the movie with us. It was a totally sweet surprise!

In honor of 5 years...

Next weekend is our 5th wedding anniversary and 14 years from the day we met. I've decided to post my journal entries from 5 years ago for the next week, in real time, in honor of the big day! I hope you enjoy my little trip down memory lane!

Time after time...

My boss is getting ready to head to Alaska for his 20 year reunion and it has started me thinking a lot about my own, which is only two short years away.
Thanks to the invention of things like Facebook and Myspace and their apparent popularity, I've already found myself in the middle of a reunion of sorts. Every day the "People you may know" function pops up another vaguely familiar face on my screen.
It is interesting what time has done to so many of my classmates. They seem to all fit into a few categories.

• The ones who have not changed at all. Seriously! Either, the last time they got a photo taken was 15 years ago, or they found the secret to eternal youth! Good for them!

• Those that have changed so much that they could come up to me and say hello and I would not have a clue as to who they are, but they have the same name as a former classmate.

• There are those who somehow time warped far into the future and have the face of their parents. If you were to look at them, you would imagine we were approaching our 40th reunion! (That is what hard living and being unhealthy will do to you!)

• And then there are those who really blossomed after high school and will probably not bother to go to a reunion because they are having too much fun in their life now.
  

I didn't spend much time doing things with High School kids when I was in high school, so I don't have a lot of "Good old days" memories from that time. All of my friends and high school boyfriend lived in the city and had their own lives and apartments.
I have a few old friends that I stay in touch with and a few friendly faces that I'm really happy to see again, but for the most part, that whole time is so far in the past and such a distant memory for me, I sometimes wonder if going to something like a reunion would even be interesting.
I think I've come to a decision that if I do go, it will be for the purpose of a documentary. I would love to use that opportunity to get loads of footage. I think a school called Chugiak High School in the middle of nowhere Alaska will probably have at least a few entertaining soundbites to offer.

*The photo is what came up when I did a search for reunion. I thought it was kind of perfect.

Rainbows and Barbies

I took my second Wilton's cake decorating class at Michael's. I'm taking a class every Friday.
This week's project was a rainbow cake. The goal of this class was to practice icing a cake, using the star tips, and cutting it in half and tarting the cake (filling it). I put a yummy marionberry jelly in mine. I was really proud of how it turned out, but on the very long and hot car ride home it wilted a little and got a little smooshed in the box.

I forgot to bring my camera to class, so I took the photos post car ride.

At least it tasted good!

Speaking of cake, here is the Barbie cake I made for my friend, Marissa's birthday on Monday:

2001: Serendipity

I was taking the bus home on an exceptionally gray day. It had been a long month and I had a million things whirring through my mind. I sighed to myself and whispered, "What am I missing?"
Right then, the bus stops and the doors to my right opened. There, framed perfectly by the open doors, almost within reach, he stood reading the paper, unaware of just how close I was. It had been months since I'd seen him, so the shock almost knocked the wind out of me.
The door closed as quickly as they had opened and the bus was moving again. I just started laughing. Sometimes the universe is a little too obvious.

1995: He touched my hand & stole my heart

After hundreds of hours on the phone, we finally got to meet face to face again for a few precious, stolen hours. He reached across the table and put his hand over mine. It was such a simple action, but it's impact on me was nothing short of magical. Every part of me knew we would be married someday, I just had no idea then, that it would take another seven years before we could finally be together.

1996: Maybe, you're gonna be the one that saves me...

The first nights we spent here there was no furniture, a small makeshift bed in the bedroom, some candles I gave him as a housewarming gift, and a CD player with one CD that we played over and over. It could have been anywhere as long as we were together. It was one of the happiest weeks of my life.

1997: The greatest distance

We had not talked in over a year since our tearful goodbye. He had gone back to her and I was trying to move on. I stood at the bottom of these steps for what seemed like a lifetime, but could not bring myself to walk up them and knock on his door.
It was time to walk away, but I didn't know how to let go.

1998: Sanctuary

Two lost souls with broken hearts, bruised egos and daughters to raise found friendship, love, music and sanctuary here. This was the place where we put the pieces back together and prepared ourselves for the lives we were meant to have when we were whole again. The thing we didn't realize at the time was that that life would be wonderful, just not together. This was a time for healing, personal growth and sanctuary.

1993: After searching all day we found a home.

We got off the plane at 6AM and started out on foot with exactly $1100 in our pocket and a need to find a home.
The sun was going down and we were starting to worry we would be out of luck. This was the last place we looked. The landlord let us move in that night. We slept on the floor using our jackets for pillows and a sheet borrowed from the landlord. We were home.

1994: I sat here with my one suitcase & a baby in my belly waiting for my life to start.

The taxi came and we escaped into our future, my unborn baby and I, leaving this stoop and that life behind.

1993: We would sit on this wall & dream about the future

When it was too hot to think and we were too poor to go out, we would sit on this wall enjoying the night breeze, sharing a cold drink and dreams of the future. These were happier times for us, before he let his addictions get the best of him. We were young and at the start of a new life and a new adventure.

Ben Folds & The Auers

Tonight was a good night.We brought the girl to see Ben Folds. I've been putting his songs on her iPod since she can remember, so it was really cool for her to see him live. She seemed really impressed with the show. Afterward we stopped backstage to say hello.

A very good night indeed.

Spiced Pumpkin Cookies

I made THESE cookies tonight. Yum!

Many Misfits Imaginary

My book is done and for sale on Lulu as of about an hour ago!!
If you look to the right of the screen you will see the link where you can preview and purchase it.
Or just click HERE

Sebille, The Spring Fairy

Sebille has been very busy. There's so much to do for a little Fairy during the Spring. So many new flower buds needing to be opened, so many trees that need to wake up again...

Lil' Mizjah

With a face only a troll mother could love, this little guy will find his way into your heart like he found his way into my clay. I was planning on making a human baby, but as the clay came to shape, I sort of started to fall for this little troll baby. Most everyone's reaction has been "Ewww... actually that is pretty cute in an ugly sort of way!"
Don't worry, Mizjah has thick skin, but whoever adopts him better not have any pets, I noticed he has a tooth coming in!

Dear Jane Letter...

Here is my latest recycled wine cork doll.
Her name is Jane. She just got a letter from her boyfriend that reads, "I'm sorry, it's not you, it's me..."


Her body is a recycled wine cork. The rest is Polymer clay, some yarn, and old wrapping paper. Her headband is from a clothing tag and an old crystal from the junk jewelry drawer.

A weekend of firsts...

My dad just went home after spending the weekend with us. It was kind of a last minute, we have air-miles that need to be used before they expire and you have time off, kind of trip. But I was really excited to see him, and we made good use of our time.

I thought it would be fun to make it a weekend of "Firsts" for him.

Here is a short lists of the firsts.
He had his first massage at my office by the very talented Toni. I think we got him hooked.

I got him his first pedicure at my favorite salon. That was kind of fun to watch because he kept squirming. Who knew he was so ticklish!

I made him eat Calamari for the first time. He said it was, "Different" but seemed to like it. He didn't have seconds though.

He was one of the first people to see the inside of the new Crocodile!

He saw Jon play solo for the first time in said Crocodile.

He watched them making a video of the performance.

I took him to Dick's drive-in for the first time.

We went to the butterfly house for the first time. He had a butterfly hitch a ride on him for most of the visit.

We discovered a great new art store in the U-District, so that one was a first for me as well.

None of it was bungee jumping from the Space Needle, but it was a lot of fun. Also, the sun was shining all weekend! It didn't even sprinkle for the first time until he was about to leave. That is kind of a first! Usually when he visits, it rains the whole time!

My only complaint was that the weekend didn't last longer.

Part two...

The kitten is no longer a kitten. I think he might be bigger than Buddy now. He certainly weighs more!

Whose bed is it??

Our boys reminding us who actually runs the place.

Doodle blog: A conversation...

If you ever get back to Hackensack...

Meet The Mills

Here is my first custom cake topper. This is more of a gift to celebrate 22 years of marriage between my lovely friends, Mark and Suzy Mills. It was also great practice! http://www.dreamingviola.etsy.com

Here is the original (I stole it from Suzy's flickr)

And their clay characters

Now for sale!

I'm selling my wedding cake toppers online now. I can either sell the ones I have already made or I can take custom orders and create a topper that looks like the happy couple. These would also be great for anniversary parties or birthday cakes.
Here is my store: http://www.dreamingviola.etsy.com

Happy Birthday Mr President...

OK, two things happened. First, I realized that I put Marilyn's mole on the wrong side, so I fixed that. Then, I thought she looked lonesome, so I made her a John Kennedy of her very own! Here he is with a tiny champagne glass being serenaded by Miss Monroe.

Diamonds are a girl's best friend...

Here are today's installments of "Things I made on my days off from work"

Mini Marilyn Monroe

The Happy Couple - cake topper

SMOOCH!

Trio

Lil' Red