I am currently doing laundry and basking in the glow of the leftovers.

Now I'll just pop some virtual bubble wrap and then go to bed.

The worst part was that it was supposed to be a birthday cake for my friend Kerri. I was going to bring it to work tomorrow, but that's not gonna happen.

Is that a good excuse? Probaby not. However, having 8 hours a day (plus prep and travel time) spent at work leaves little time for "everything else", so "everything else" has to be budgeted. So many passions, what to choose? Physical excercise? Learning computer skills? Practicing my music? Socializing? Reading? Art? What kind of art? Painting? Photography? Drawing? Ceramics? Computer graphics?.......I know that there are people who cam cram all of this stuff into their lives. I wanna know how they do it. Becoming independently wealthy is probably not an option for me, so the answer lies in prioritizing and scheduling.

This is why I miss being in school. There were a variety of things going on, and each had its own compartment of time. (Now is music time. Now is photography time. Now is work for the money time. Etc.) Everything had to be completed, executed well, and by a deadline. I could plunge myself into every activity with total abandon and then stop when the time was up. The only time I had to prioritize was outside of classtime, but it seemed easier somehow.

Yes, this is twenty-something, post-graduate whining. Boo-hoo. Poor girl doesn't have time to do everything she wants. *sob* Yeah, I know.

I think the frustration for me is that there are these thing that I am good at and enjoy. Some of them are definately destined to be "mere" hobbies. (I have no illusions of becoming a professional cyclist, percussionist, or reader.) However, some of them have potential to become an actual career, or at the very least, a self-sustaining hobby. In order to move it up to that level, I need to focus and hone my skills. In order to focus and hone, I need to choose somethings and let others slide. I can't bring myself to let anything slide right now. Thus I am jack-of-all-trades, master of none.

And very tired.

<whew>

How does one end such a lovely three day weekend? With sushi, of course. We visited Edo Japanese Restaurant on Park Street. It is my new favorite restaurant. For one thing, the atmosphere was supreme. Cloth napkins and wooden chopsticks that did not need to be pulled from a paper wrapper, broken apart and sanded. I've never had restaurant chopsticks that weren't the disposable kind before. The sushi was mouth-watering. (Try the Black Dragon Roll!) Our waitress was friendly and helpful, though at one time I caught her watching us from the kitchen door. She waited and waited until both of us had full mouths to come over and ask how we were doing. Seriously, the second I popped a large piece of roll into my mouth, she headed in our direction. I know that is what *always* happens at restaurants, but I've never seen it done so blatantly.

All I can add it that they are open till 11PM, and midnight on weekends; just right for my late-night sushi cravings.

After the SUV was at the shop, we decided to spend the rest of the day at Noah's Ark in the Wisconsin Dells. It was a perfect day for it: sunny and warm. Late in the season and on a Monday, so it wasn't too crowded and we never had to wait long for any of the water slides. The verticle drop of the Stingray freaked me out, but we rode Black Thunder over and over till the park closed. It was my first real water park experience, and it was wonderful to run around all dat, dripping wet and giggling like a couple of kids.

The original plan involved staying the weekend and driving back on Monday, but we decided to cut out early so as to allow the SUV to be taken to the shop while still off work. Got on the road at about 3PM on Sunday, and had beautiful weather and only moderate traffic.

Enter the village of Black Creek. As I was slowing down from highway to town speed, I noticed a police SUV at the entrance to town. I was with the flow of traffic, and keeping to the limit, yet somehow I wasn't surprised when the car pulled out behind me. I get a little paranoid about cop cars, especially when they are behind me, so I was very careful to watch my speed. Once or twice I was going 27mph in a 25 mph zone, as the traffic picked up, but never for more than a secong or two at a time. All the while, I was conscious of the vehicle in my rear view mirror. Halfway through town, I was unsurprised when the lights came on, and I was pulled over. Why? I had no idea, but I was about to find out.

Brake lights. The only functioning brake light my car has seems to be the right light. The left and center are burnt out. As I wasn't aware of this (I'm never behind my own car when it is braking) this was useful information. I have thirty days to get them fixed, so no big deal. What I do find funny is that my passenger has been the passenger in a car that has been pulled over 3 times in the past year. One of those times was for driving in CA with WI plates. Who knew out-of-state plates were a stoppable offense. FIBs anyone?

Got a late start on Friday, due to car trouble (had to take the tired old clunker, rather than the 4WD SUV), and continued to be made later and later by traffic and thick fog. Finally reached the cottage, exhausted, between midnight and 1AM. Woke up Saturday morning with a need to run up the hill to the outhouse. Still too tired to be up (long day at work followed by a long night in the car....) and around, but unable to get to sleep I read the paper till my traveling companion woke.

There was a trip to the Fire Lookout Tower, where I got to climb 100 feet of shaky metal structure and not hyperventilate. The view, as always, was dizzying but incredible. Back down the steep stairway to discover that the car wouldn't start. Fortunately it was a problem to which I knew the answer: jiggle, then tighten the battery connection.

An attempt at visiting with my relatives was twarted by lack of them being home (turns out they'd gone to the cottage to find us) so we filled up the car's saggy front tire, and went in search of more adventure.

First we visited fairyland....amazingly cute gingerbread cottages. I will have to post photos of them sometime. We spotted blackberries on the roadside and stuffed ourselves silly, till the bugs got the best of us. Where to next? The Cathedral Pines, of course.

Cathedral Pines is a stand of virgin timber that was spared the clear cut becaue Lucy Holt, the lumber baron's wife, had a fondness for it. Truly an amazing place to hike. The tress are so tall, and the sounds are so muted. Voices sound like whispers, as all the layers of pine needles underfoot absorb the sound. From above come the sounds of bugs and birds, including the heron that nest among the pines.

After an hour or so of hiking, we stopped in to a tavern for a spot of lunch and made a second try to visit my dad and my grandma. Fortunately, both were home this time. Pleasantly exhausted, we wrapped up the evening with some toe dabbling and a boat tour around Wheeler Lake.

Now I am off to bed.

Sometimes I love the way the world works.

I will be there for three days. Up north in the summer it can be quite warm during the day and bloody cold at night. So, in addition to three days of shorts and t-shirts, I have to pack a pair of jeans and something warm and long-sleeved. The warm clothes alone fill most of my little duffle. Being in the woods, I may want to hike, so I pack boots. Being on a lake, I may want to canoe, so I pack my waterproof hiking sandals. Being summer, I pack a pair of canvas tennis shoes for normal wear. Given that I will be sleeping at the bottom of a long, steep hill, with the outhouse at the top of said hill, I pack a pair of slip on tennies for late-night bathroom runs. That's a lot of shoes! I also need sunblock for the sun, bug spray for the bugs, my life jacket for the possible canoeing, and a flashlight (again for latenight bathroom trips). I'm a photographer, so I'd damn well better pack camera stuff and film. Swimsuit and towel....It really adds up fast. This, I believe, is part of the reason I don't travel much. Too much stuff.

Admittedly, I think cats are cute from a distance, but I'm not a big fan. I can't get past their cattiness. I see them as maybe a step above gerbils in the pet personality index. I certainly can't see spending that much money on one. So, in fairness, let me look at an animal which I do see as being "person-like": a dog.

I love dogs. I have lived with dogs on many occasions, and l long for the day when I might have one of my own. That being said, how far would I be willing to go to keep my pet alive?At what point do I say "that's too much money". I think it would definately be a hard call. Pain and suffering would also have to figure in there. Treating a cat for cancer to marginally extend its life seem cruel and selfish. Who benefits from it? The grieving owner, but not the suffering cat.

Slippery slopes. Judgement calls. So many shades of grey....

I think I have too many knick knacks.

How many members of your sign does it take to change a light bulb?

ARIES: Just one. You want to make something of it?

TAURUS: One, but just try to convince them that the burned-out bulb is useless and should be thrown away.

GEMINI: Two, but the job never gets done - they just keep discussing who is supposed to do it and how it's supposed to be done!

CANCER: Just one. But it takes a therapist three years to help them through the grieving process.

LEO: Leos don't change light bulbs, although sometimes their agent will get a Virgo in to do the job for them while they're out.

VIRGO: Approximately 1.000000 with an error of +/- 1 millionth.

LIBRA: Er, two. Or maybe one. No, on second thought, make that two. Is that OK with you?

SCORPIO: That information is strictly secret and shared only with the Enlightened Ones in the Star Chamber of the Ancient Hierarchical Order.

SAGITTARIUS: The sun is shining, the day is young, we've got our whole lives ahead of us, and you're inside worrying about a stupid burned-out light bulb?

CAPRICORN: I don't waste my time with these childish jokes.

AQUARIUS: Well, you have to remember that everything is energy, so....

PISCES: Light bulb? What light bulb?

I'm heading back up that way this weekend, and really looking forward to it.

The only business in the country.

*Seen last week: a pick up truck driving down Lake Street with a Hawaii licence plate. Hawaii? Isn't that and island? What the heck is that car doing in Madison?

*Finally, a stranger has correctly identified the subject of my tattoo, without prompting.

*Today I took my bike out and determined the best route with which to bike to work. It felt good to be riding. I will bike tomorrow if the weather is good.

The two downsides to the night were being stood up at the last possible moment by the friend who was supposed to go with me, and the extreme air conditioning of the club. (Why do people want it colder in the summer, when people wear less clothing, than in the winter? Bloody freezing!)

A note to any who would care. A sure fire way to piss me off to the extreme is to stand me up or ditch me. Calling to cancel minutes before the show, long after we were supposed to meet, is not cool.

Mint 'n Creme Oreos: Come to mama!

Kabul's: Well, shortly after ordering, I developed a headache. (Not related to being in the restaurant...I think it had been brewing for a while.) The headache led to a bit of nausea, so I wasn't at my eating out best.

However, the atmosphere was lovely. The tables were candle-lit (though the dim light made menu reading a challange) and the wait staff was prompt and friendly. I had a great view of State Street, which is always a carnival in summer.

I had beef korma chalow, which came with fluffy white rice, mashawa, and Afghani flat bread. I couldn't do justice to the korma that night, though the presentation was delightful. The portion was large, and I have been working on the leftovers at home. Very tasty, very spicy. For people like me, I recommend a glass of milk to go with it, to cut the spice just a tad. (Yes, I'm a spice wuss.) The soup was satisfying and oddly familiar. I still haven't quite placed the memories it evoked, but I had a great time dipping my bread into the bowl.

I will have to go back sometime for lunch.

(Don't open this at work....or turn off the speakers....nah, don't bother.....wait till you get home.)

I am not the only one who likes chopsticks. (Well, no sh*t Sherlock.) this guy has a fascinating gallery of chopsticks. The BWG (big white guy ling in Hong Kong) has Project Chopsticks, wherein people send him photos of their favorite chopsticks. Some people even collect the wrappers.

Where do chopsticks come from? Well, some disposable chopsticks come from clear-cutting aspen forests. However, you can getreally nice chopsticks many places.

There are other chopsticks besides the variety for eating. I frequently do up my hair with a pair of chopsticks. There are also martial arts that use chopsticks as weapons.

And of course, how can I forget "Chopsticks"?

1. There is the "don't talk about the good things too much, or else you will jinx them" mentality.

2. I like to treasure up the good things, and think about them, but the bad things I ned to vent.

Of course, it can also be said that bad news is often more "interesting" than good. A peaceful, sunny afternoon may be more enjoyable, but and errupting volcano and a flash flood make for an exciting film.

However negativity can be tiresome. Starting tonight, I am going to work on a continuing series of posts on things I like, and what makes me happy. Sure, some of the crap and crabbiness will still show up, but maybe I will have some better balance.

Baby Photo Retouching Service

Bereaved Parent Site

Recover a Little Bit of What Was Lost

Someone forwarded me this link, and it really disturbed me. Then I thought about it a little more, and I realized that it is nothing new.

Morbid? Perhaps a little bit.

Understandable? Perhaps a little bit.

Why am I writing about this? I'm not sure. After haing seen the link, I needed to write about it, in order for me to sort out how I felt about it. Lucky you, you get to read my little catharsis.

(Memo: please, don't anybody send me any more dead baby links. Please.)

Seriously, what the hell is going on with Florida? Sure, it has one or two things going for it, but otherwise it is scaring the hell out of me.

Ok, so there is DisneyWorld. I loved Disney as a kid, but have become waaaaay disenchanted. These guys are bad news.

There was the "election".

There have been all of the child welfare problems.

Now?

The man named Thursday by Gov. Jeb Bush to head Florida's notoriously inept child welfare agency is an evangelical Christian who views spanking that causes ''bruises or welts'' as acceptable punishment.

There is little, if anything that could induce me to visit that state. Nope, sorry. Argh.

The Suburban Limbo has an amusing look at college, the week before classes start. I've never seen it from a faculty perspective before, but it does bring back memories.

So, do I need to have a blog-warming party?

Feel free to take a look around.

Figures.

"We did what we do every year," Erstad said. "We split the boys and girls up, and showed them the version of the film appropriate to their gender, so as not to overwhelm them with information about what's happening to the other sex. The Your Body And You tapes tell kids what's happening to their bodies at this time of life, with a special emphasis on disease and pregnancy. Then, we give the kids a pamphlet, usually on the last day of school, and there's a question-and-answer session, and that's it for another year."

Wasn't I just saying?......

Disturbingauctions.com has amused me greatly. I found this item particularly silly.

Did You Hear About the Girl Who...?: Contemporary Legends, Folklore, and Human Sexuality by Mariamne H. Whatley and Elissa R. Menken. It is a great look at the stories that get told regarding sexuality and contraception. The authors examine how these urban legends start and what they mean.They also look at some jokes:

Did you hear that six cases of Viagra were stolen from a dock in San Francisco? They're looking for a gang of hardened criminals.

I got it from the Planned Parenthood library. When I finish, I am trading with another volunteer for Slut! Growing Up With a Bad Reputation by Leora Tanenbaum.

I'm also reading two novels, one by Terry Pratchett.

I belong to an online forum that is mainly about women's issues. Mostly, the discussions tend towards birth control, equal pay, voting, etc. Sometimes, however, a great discussion/debate will be totally derailed when someone or another annouces that they've become engaged, and everyone stops to get gooey over the diamond.

Why? What gives? Yes they are rare and sparkley and super hard....so what? Has DeBeers got everybody brainwashed? All right, I suppose they've been the rival of gold on the greed-o-meter since always. Both relationships and empires has risen and fallen over the sparkley rocks.

I will admit, they are pretty to look at, but I certainly couldn't tell a diamond from a cubic zirconia from a nice rhinestone in a realistic setting. When I see the rings over which people are oohing and aahing, I think, "My goodness, I bet that would snag my sweaters." (Not to mention that whole a-damn-lot-of-money-sitting-on-a-tiny-little-finger-just-waiting-to-be-lost-or-stolen factor.)

Am I weird to think that something like a garnet is prettier and nicer than a diamond? Maybe. Am I being pissy because yet another debate on female political candidates devolved into a series of rhapsodies on the merits of the small blue box? Damn right I am.

Ok, time to stop before the people with April birthdays get offended.

(On that vein, I'm not the biggest fan of purple, and yet I get it for my stone and flower. I envy my sister her May birthday, which gets both emerald *and* Lily-of-the-valley. January has a nice combo, too. However, given that I could have wound up with opal and pot marigolds or turquoise and paperwhites, I'll stay happy with what I've got.)

Past my bedtime and I'm rambling................

First, visualize the Terrace. Then, pack it to capacity: I'm talking door-to-shore, standing room only, from the Union Theater to the docks. Make sure the crowd ranges in age from babes-in-arms to college students to elderly alumni in their dotage. Add a wedding reception to the balcony of Tripp Commons. Supply most of those thousands with beer and/or ice cream and/or popcorn and/or grilled food. Make sure that those with good attitudes out number the assholes (though there are *always a few assholes). Get all of those people to sing, en masse, a four part verse with choreography. (Group 1: The line at the Burger King drive-through, is one Mercedes long. Group 2: can I have some cheese, please? Group 3: Hey! *clap clap* Look at that bug! Group 4: I've got a monkey in my pants. Ohhhh!)

Mix well.Enjoy.

This put us in a very peaceful mood, and also rather hungry. We saw the Thai Pavilion, how about some Thai food? No luck. Every Thai place we tried was closed, and none of them would be open for another hour and a half. We ended up going to Himal Chuli for Nepalese cuisine. Check one more off my ethnic food adventure list. Twas excellent.

I had a combination platter of samosa, roti, momo, and dal with a mango lassi to drink. The food was all vegetarian, lightly spicy, and very filling. The lassi was the perfect beverage to balance the spice of the food, and the ice water brought to the table had lemon slices and mint adding a subtle flavor that was especially refreshing. The price was reasonable, service was friendly, and the photo of the dalai lama smiling down ate us helped sustain a mood of mellow enjoyment. (Is it just me, or doesn't it look like he knows a lot of good jokes?)

" I got a guy that's always late Every time we have a date But I love him Yes I love him "

I've been hearing Rae & Christian's remix of "Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby" by Dinah Washington from Verve Remixed on the radio lately, and it is really making me want the album.

Went down to the farmer's market, to work at the Planned Parenthood booth, but t wasn't there. I don't know if the morning shift left early, or if they never showed up at all. Made the best of it, met up with a friend and had a fabulous time hanging out downtown.

Later in the day, I found myself at the Terrace for the Pat show. A few hours on gorgeous sunshine and great company. Reconnected with some friends I have been out of touch with for a long time. As night fell, the crowd grew. When the show started, a little after 9:30, the place was packed. I'm not good with big estimates, but there had to have been around 1,000 people gathered. I know that last year the crowd beat the crowd for Rhythm and Booms from the Terrace.

It is really hard to describe a Pat show to anyone who hasn't ever been to one. The CD's can't capture it. If you find yourself in the Wisconsin area, I recommend checking him out.

*Yawn* I have much more to say, but it will have to wait till morning. I cam barely keep my eyes open, and this is no Blogathon.

G'night.

In a recent speech, Terry McAuliffe, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, said the White House seemed to worry less about the privacy of medical records than about the secrecy of Vice President Dick Cheney's energy task force.

Under this administration, Mr. McAuliffe said, "it's O.K. to reveal personal medical information about the American people, but when the oil companies meet with policy makers to ask for special favors, that's guarded like a state secret."

Getting more pissed off at these people everyday.

I really need a tissue. All of my Kleenex is in my camera bag. My camera bag is at someone else's house. *sniffle*

Yep. Just like that.

Thank goodness it will be Saturday in about an hour. I can't take much more of this Friday night thrill-ride.

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are grey. You'll never know dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away."

Who is *your* sunshine?

Flagellate is hauntingly beautiful.

1. Ton-Ton
2. Wasabi
3. Sushi Box
4. Chinmi
5. Ginza of Tokyo
6. Takara
7. Tokyo Express
8. Edo

I've eaten at the first three. I've had Chinmi and Edo recommended to me highly. I will have to try them next. My weekly sushi craving is coming on.

I also need to check out another restaurant on my ethnic adventure list.

Honey.

Flowers, flowers, flowers.

Wisconsin State Cow Chip Throw.

Canoe!

Bask in nostalgia.

Go to a drive in movie.

Aaron Pavao wrote:

I have always been here.

Anandi Gandolfi wrote:

wandering around with my head firmly planted up my own
nether regions.. now I emerge ...my is it bright out
here.

Little Bird wrote:

In the immortal words of Jim Croce: "I've been in and out and up and down and back again. Been so many places I can't remember where or when when my only boss was a clock on the wall and my only friend wasn't even much of a friend at all." I've been to China and Egypt, India, Siberia, and Green Gables. I've seen the moon on the other side of the world. I've been in states of desperation, depression, annoyance, inebriation, and panic and find that I like Mississippi best. I've been at the movies. I've been in the dark. I've been waiting.

Gretchen Olson wrote:

I would tell you some story....

I was working at a radio station, but it didn't live up to my expectations of what WKRP IN cincinnati reruns had instilled in me as a child of the 1980s.

If you are one of my girlfriends, I would tell you about the devilishly handsome man in my life. He is 99.44% pure angel. Ow.

I might tell you that I was living in St. Louis for quite a few years. That was quite an interesting experience.......seems like a long time ago now.

I was getting married, and then I woke up.

"But let me get to the point, let's roll another joint..."

I am supposed to write two books to be published in the next five years, and I want to be the goth version of Martha Stewart. Also, I wanted to invent a two-headed showerhead so that neither person has to stand in the cold but then I found out that it existed, and you can buy it online. In fact, you can buy anything online, except passports.

I ate some really good food last night. And the night before that. My house is a beautiful castle filled with wonderful things to eat and beautiful people to dance with. You can visit me there anytime you like. First one is on the house.

"....you don't know how if feels to be me."

David Meldman wrote:

Oi, I'll be fucked if I know. I'm not even sure where I am now.

Jan Olson wrote:

I have been in the kitchen and the workshop all this time. A few times, I was at the table; and a few times, I was able to sit in the comfy chair, but most of the time, it has been at one or another work station. A problem came in the chair when I offended other guests; their soporific self-absorption made me somnolent, a social sin, turns out. I now find refuge and solace in poesy .

Katherine Olson wrote:

On my way from There to Here.

Jacki Olson wrote:

LOST...and just now thinking that I might find my way home!

Carl Klinger wrote:

I don't know. All that matters is, "Will I remember what I did while I was there"? Yeah, I've written better, but it's late and I'm sleepy.

Hiccups are no fun. As a child, my family's traditional cure was to drink and entire glass of water without breathing, while someone else plugged your ears. Eventually, I discovered that it would work just as well without the ear plugging, which was a huge relief. There were times when getting someone else to plug my ears was awkward (being at school) or downright impossible (home alone).

What's your favorite remedy?

On the downside, Florida continues to appall me by requiring that women who wish to put their babies up for adoption publicly reveal their sexual histories.

The law is a part of revised Florida adoption requirements enacted last year that require a birth mother to make an exhaustive effort to locate the birth father to notify him about adoption proceedings.

When background searches don’t work, a birth mother must place legal notices about the adoption in a local newspaper where the baby was conceived.

In the newspaper notice, the mother must list her name, describe herself, name or describe the possible father(s) and list the date and the city or county of conception.

While your at it, here's this letter "A" we would like you to wear. Thanks.

Now, I understand that a father might want to have the option of raising his child, rather than having it adopted by someone else. However, this doesn't seem to be the proper way to go about that. In fact, it might push more women nto seeking abortions, as those don't require any sort of notification. Also, for minors, who are required by Florida law to obtain parental consent to get an abortion, it may prompt them to try aborting by themselves.

Is it just a bit ironic that the medication I am given to take while my mouth is still numb to stop my teeth from hurting is supposed to be taken with food and drink? I thought so. As a compromised, I mixed up a mug of chocolate milk (the only kindI can drink straight) and drooled it down. Kept a napkin handy, just in case.

2. Have you ever worn bell-bottoms?: Flared pants, yes. Real bell-, no.

3. Have you ever written a song?: Yes, but none I'd like to hear. (I *was* a music major for awhile, after all.)

4. Can you make change for a dollar right now?: Yup. Coin laundry.

5. Have you ever been in the opposite sex's bathroom?: Yes.

6. Have you ever smelled your own feet?: Yes.

7. Do you like ketchup on or beside your french fries?: Beside.

8. Can you touch your tongue to your nose?: No. However, I can touch my tongue and my nose, too.

9. Have you ever been a boy/girl scout?: Nope. Due to my stupid parochial grade school, I had to be a "Lutheran Girl Pioneer".

10. Have you ever broken a mirror?: No.

11. Have you ever put your tongue on a frozen pole?: No.

12. What is your biggest pet peeve?: Just one? It would have to be the toilet seat not being closed after someone else has used it.

13. Do you slurp your drink after its gone?: Not usually.

14. Have you ever blown bubbles in your milk?: Of course!

15. Would you rather eat a Big Mac or a Whopper?: Do I have to? They both make me rather illish.

16. Have you ever gone skinny-dipping?: Yup.

17. When you are at the grocery store, do you ask for paper or plastic?: Usually paper, but sometimes plastic. I re-use both, so it depends on which I need more, and which if convenient at the time.

18. True or False: You would rather eat steak than pizza: True. I'm not a big meat eater anymore, but a good steak is a good steak. However, I would rather eat a Glass Nickel black olive and artichoke heart pizza than any steak from, say, Ponderosa. (gag)

19. Did you have a baby blanket? If so, what did you call it?: Still do. It's my ABC quilt.

20. Have you ever tried to cut your own hair?: Bangs, yes.

21. Have you ever sleepwalked?: Sometimes when I was young (usually if I were sick) I would fall asleep somewhere, like the couch, and wake up in my own bed. My parents would tell me that I walked there, but I didn't remember it, being mostly asleep at the time. Probably not what you meant, though.

22. Have you ever had a birthday party at McDonalds?: Hell No.

23. can you flip your eye-lids up?: No.

24. Are you double jointed?: No.

25. If you could be any age, what would you be?: Well, 6 was a good age. But I guess I will stay with whatever age I happen to be at any given time.

26. Have you ever gotten gum stuck in your hair?: Probabky.

27. Have you ever thrown-up after a roller coaster ride?: No.

28. What is your dream car?: A hybrid electric or fuel cel car that looks like an old VW Bug.

30. Would you go swimming in shallow waters where, one year earlier, a shark had attacked a child?: Yes.

31. How many cavities do you have?: My teeth have more fillings than I care to ponder.

32. Have you ever eaten a dog biscuit?: Yup. Milkbones are kinda like crackers. Lara, the dog that was prctically my nanny, was very generous in sharing her food with baby Katherine.

33. If you were in a car sinking in a lake, which would you do first: unbuckle your seat belt or open your window?: Both, I have two hands after all. Definately gotta unroll the window, though.

34. Have you ever ridden in an ambulance?: Yes.

35. can you pick something up with your toes?: Yes.

36. How many remote controls do you have in your house?: I have one remote for my little stereo. I don't own a TV.

37. Have you ever fallen asleep in school?: Have I ever not?

38. How many times have you flown in an airplane in the last year?: None.

39. How many foreign countries have you visited?: None.

40. If you were out of shape, would you compete in a triathlon if you were somehow guaranteed to win a big, gaudy medal?: Huh?

41. Would you rather be rich and unhappy, or poor and happy? Happy. The sucky thing about poverty is the unhappiness it can cause. IfI can be poor but happy, I'll go for that.

42. If you fell into quicksand, would you try to swim or try to float? Float.

44. Do you ask for directions when you are lost?: If I get lost, sure. But I rarely get lost, just temporarily misplaced.

45. Have you ever had a Mexican jumping bean?: Yes.

46. Are you more like Cinderella or Alice in Wonderland?: Alice Through the Looking Glass, actually.

47. Would you rather have an ant farm with no ants or a box of crayons with broken points? Nothing wrong with broken crayons.

48. Do you prefer light or dark bread?: I like white bread if it is crusty, chewy bakery bread, but I'm terribly fond of dark, and will only buy sliced "air-bread" if it is wheat or rye.

49. Do you prefer scrambled or fried eggs?: Fried.

50. Have you ever been in a car that ran out of gas?: I don't remember. Probably.

51. Do you talk in your sleep?: So I've been told.

52. Would you rather shovel snow or mow the lawn?: Snow is cold, grass is itchy. However, after I mow,I can have a lemonade and go for a swim.

53. Would you rather be bitten by a poisonous snake or constricted by a python?: Neither, really. Bitten, I guess.

54. Have you ever played in the rain?:Of course.

55. Which do you think is more dangerous: an angry bear or a hungry white shark?: Sharks have more of an advantage: muscle, teeth *and* water.

56. Would you climb a very high tree to save a kitten?: No. Not for a cat.

57. can you tell the difference between a crocodile and an alligator?: Yes.

58. Do you drink pepsi or coke?: Bleechy. Dr. Pepper, please.

59. Whats your favorite number?: 13.

60. If you were a car, would you be an SUV or a sports car?: I'd be a Prius, a Saturn, or Bug.

61. Have you ever accidentally taken something from a hotel?: Accidentally? No.

62. Would you blow your nose at the dinner table?: At, yes. On, no.

63. Have you ever slipped in the bathtub?: Sure.

64. Do you use regular or deodorant soap?: Whatever. I tend to just use the shampoo if I'm in the shower.

65. Have you ever locked yourself out of the house?: *Sigh* Yes.

66. Would you rather make your living as a singing cowboy or as one of the Simpsons voices?: Simpsons voice.

67. If you could invite any movie star to your home for dinner, who would it be?: Kate Winslet might be interesting.

68. Have you ever made a semi truck honk?:Dunno.

69. Which would you rather live with: a huge nose or crossed eyes?: Huge nose.

70. Would you hang out with someone your best friend didnt like?: Yes.

71. Would you hang out with someone your best friend liked, but you didnt like?: Sure.

72. Have you ever returned a gift?: Yes.

73. Would you give someone else a gift that had been given to you?: Yes. (White Elephant, baby.)

74. If you could attend an Olympic Event, what would it be?: Something track or swimming.

75. How many pairs of shoes do you own?: More than I feel like counting.

76. If your grandmother gave you a gift that you already have, would you tell her?: Probably.

77. Do you sing in the car?: Yes.

78. Would you rather jump into a dumpster or into a vat of honey?: Vat, so long as the vat wasn't deeper than 4' and I could go feet first.

79. What is your favorite breed of dog?: Not into purebreds, but I love Labs and Samoyeds.

80. Would you donate money to feed starving animals in the winter?: Maybe.

81. If you were a bicycle, would you be a stingray or a mountain bike?: A mountain bike.

82. What is your least favorite fruit?: Lime.

83. What kind of fruit have you never had?: Uglyfruit.

84. If you won a $5,000 shopping spree to any store, which store would you pick?: I'm too broke right now to ponder this....luxuries or nescessities?

85. What brand sports apparel do you wear the most?: Brand/

86. How many letters will/did I earn in my high school career?: Numerals, minor and major athletic letters for track and cross country (3 total) and minor, major and a cheveron (2nd major) academic for forensics (3 total). So six in all.

87. Among your friends, who could you arm wrestle and beat?: Hard to tell. Kerri maybe? She's wiry, though.

88. If you had to choose, what branch of the military would you be in?: Salvation Army?

89. Would you ever parachute out of a plane?: *Gulp* Maybe.

90. What do you think is your best feature?: I like my eyes, though my legs have gotten good reviews.

91. If I were to win a grammy, what kind of music would it be for?: Spoken word.

92. What is your favorite season?: Summer.

93. How many members do you have in your immediate family?: Two parents, one brother, one sister.

94. Which of the five senses is most important to you?: Vision.

95. Would you be a more successful painter or singer?: Painter.

96. Have you ever ridden a tortoise?: No.

97. How many years will/did you end up going to college?: Five.

98. Have you ever had surgery?: Twice: wisdom teeth and sinuses.

99. Would you rather be a professional figure skater or professional football player?: Skater if I had to. I'd probably be on welfare, though.

100. What do you like to collect?: Whatever catches my interest.

Thank goodness no one is out to sue me for the use of my own name. (Unless decides to have it in for me someday.)

Plenty to smile about.

As far as work goes, I am still working on resolving what I want to do/should be doing. I got a little excited the other week when someone mentioned that there was a possibility of being trained to shoot copystand photos. (Something I've done a bit of, but not with a medium format camera.) Was I interested? (Hell yes!) The upper-ups where still deciding about it, though. Well, time passes and no more word on it, but someone else is doing the copy work, so I am guess that it is a no-go. Disappointing, yes, but I carry on.

What I need to do are evaluate my strengths and weaknesses, my passions and my tediums. My big weaknesses are:

*Talk waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much at times. Other times, not a damn word. I need to practice knowing when to speak up and when to shut up.

*Tendancy to be blunt. Diplomacy, my girl, diplomacy.

*Can get irritable or flustered with people under stress. Relax. Breathe. Calm down.

My strengths:

*Keen eye for patterns, organization and detail.I can see how things do or should flow together,I can pick out connections, and I notice things that are out of place.

*Big creativity, just waiting to be channeled. At the moment, it is going into things like decorating my apartment, and photoshopping stuff for my own pleasure.

*Intense work ethic. I like getting things done. I need to be doing something. Boredom is my nemesis.

What I find tedius:

*Deskwork/busywork/paperwork. I don't want to be a desk jockey and a paper pusher. I've never felt the appeal of the "office job".

*Repetitive manual labor. I hate loading up big rolls of paper. I do it, because it is part of my job description, but I'd rather not.

*Ass kissing. Still working on those diplomacy skills. I think I'd have a hard time, at the moment, sweet talking clients and dealing with their shit. Especially if the client is in the wrong...I'd have a hard time sucking it up and letting them be right.

My passions:

*Creating something new. Whether it is an object or an idea, I love the creative flow. I like projects, even little ones. I like completing something and being able to say "I did that."

*Working loosely with other people. Too independent to be joined at the hip, but I need the interaction on a peer to peer basis.

*Learning new information and skills. I am the perpetual student. I want to know things. Always.

Also, I don't do well in situations where I have so much supervision that I need permission to sneeze. I have a working brain, and I like being allowed to use it. On the flip side, I don't like telling others what to do. I like being in charge of projects and things, but not people. (One thing that was so hadr about teaching.)

Based on the above, it almost seems that I'd need to carve out my own niche. Maybe at my current company, or maybe somewhere new? I'll keep searching till I find what it is I need to be doing.

Also, you would think it would be very trying to have an immediate supervisor with half the brains and finesse of Dubya himself. One could imagine that having to work around your supervisor to get anything done would be a challenge. One might even assume that having to carefully explain simple concepts to your own manager would be a strain. But I wouldn't know that either. Lucky me.

Head to the circus.

Vistit the Apostles.

Go Wilder...Ingalls Wilder, that is.

(Must...stop...punning....)

Well in that case, wouldn't it have been a good idea for the police and the media to not release the information that the teenage girls had been raped? Just what every rape victim wants: national attention, before they have even had a chance to sort things out themselves or see their families. I'm sure that will really help the healing process.

Mildly amusing. Maybe something to send to people you are mad at...er...at whom you are mad.

(Note: I haven't clicked it myself. I just watched my mom go there....)

(I probably should be this excited, but it's the little things in life, right?)

One thing that was interesting was watching how everyone dealt with the free condoms at our table. Many people took some, but everyone who did claimed that they were for someone else, or for a joke.Sometimes little kids wanted one, or wanted to know what they were. Generally, since their parents were right there, we let the parents field that question, so as not to step on any toes. The responce tended to be something along the lines of "those are for grown-ups, you don't need to know now."

I did leave the event with a full stomach, a new highway map of Wisconsin, a re-print of a cool 1959 Red Cross swimming safety poster that I remember from my cildhood, and a volunteer educator t-shirt. Not bad.

Since I was nearby, I headed over to my gym to spend a few hours in and around the pool, before returning my nose to the grindstone of unpacking.

Visit the Mount Horeb Mustard Museum.

Don't forget the wine.

Have some cheese with that.

Play in the woods.

The very first night in the new place, I walked solidly into a doorway in the dark on my way from the bathroom to the bedroom. Smacked my forehead quite soundly on the corner of the wood. Got a bit of a welt from that one. I keep a nightlight on, now.

Whoops #2:

Today I went down to my usual spot on the river for my 15 minute break. Sat down on one of the rocks that juts farther out into the water, and enjoyed the sun and the wind. As I stood to leave, I had a sudden head rush and began blacking out. I had just enough presence of mind to note that falling over right there would be a very bad thing, so I reached out for one of the rocks and managed to sit back down. As my blood pressure, vision, and balance returned to normal, I realized how close a call I'd just had. I need to remember to stand up s-l-o-w-l-y.

I really do love my apartment. I hopeI can continue to afford it. I certainly don't want to have to move again. (Considering starting a fund in a jar to hire movers the next time I have to do this.)

The first time I ever moved from residence to residence was 1991. Since then, I have moved at least once a year, except for a two year stretch during college. I am pretty adept at packing a lot of things efficiently. Doesn't mean I like it.