we interrupt this interruption to say
Gung Hay Fat Choy!
1/31/2003 02:35:13 PM  



it must just be that kind of month
Time for a short hiatus - the well's run dry. Of course, judging from my stats, it ran dry a long time ago :-)

Back in short order.
1/28/2003 09:20:14 PM  



you take the good, you take the bad
My sister is coming in March! Whee! She hasn't been here in over two years. We might go to Disneyland. Definitely Jelly Belly (during the week, so we can see it in operation this time).

And! We're giving her one of the old laptops, so we can finally afford to communicate. Maybe she'll even play me a game of virtual Scrabble once in awhile. I'm starting to kick butt against the Advanced setting.

[admittedly still a very pale substitute for having a best girlfriend readily available, woe...]

I wish everyone weren't so crabby today. My giant thermos is full of strong coffee, but it doesn't seem to be enough to keep the grumpies at bay. A rainy Monday and the threat of job losses should have everyone in a chipper mood, right?

I'm such a lump. I've had this idea for an easy little sewing project that would take about twenty minutes to finish once I start, but I'm lazy and still feeling a little burned my my last wrangle with the machine. You'd think the guilt would be enough to push me over the edge.

At least there are two delicious pasties left.
1/27/2003 12:24:17 PM  



we're watching you
We planted a new microbox across the street yesterday.
1/26/2003 08:41:34 PM  



would we really expect anything less?
"As California legislators fight over raising taxes or slashing programs, here's one thing they're not proposing to do: Cut their own pay.

"Only four of California's 120 legislators, most of whom make $99,000 a year, have asked that their own pay be cut by 5 percent.

"Republican Sen. Dick Ackerman of Fullerton takes a different view.

"'The fact that the governor has spent too much money the past few years doesn't mean I should cut my salary,' he said."
1/26/2003 09:02:05 AM  



humdeedum, I'm not thinking about work today, nope
Two new-ish finds you may not be familiar with:

Carol likes libraries and Alias
Amy is excellent, and sells beautiful origami papers at Paper Jade, too

It's pretty and warm, and we're going to the library. After I wash enough clothes to facilitate that.
1/25/2003 09:01:49 AM  



for the record
Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans are really, truly disgusting. Ask D., who thought he was getting a Toasted Marshmallow, but ended up with Vomit.

Grass isn't half bad, though.
1/23/2003 09:39:11 PM  



random
Somebody might just love you when they see Nigella at the bookstore, and buy it for you.

Ominous emergency library meeting called this morning, for this afternoon. I'm nervous. We would never be called off-campus on such short notice for something trivial.

I slept from four to nine last night, and then from twelve to five-thirty. And I'm still tired. The stress is palpable around here, everyone always wondering. Who or what will get the guillotine next? Stupid, I'm more worried about the book budget than my job. Though of course I'd miss not getting to use that beautiful new office.

I could use a big juicy burger right now. With tomatoes and cheese.
1/23/2003 12:19:09 PM  



hey, I can see you making the crazy sign behind me!
Last night D. stumbled upon my cache of "emergency water" beneath the bathroom sink. He laughed when I told him what it was.

No one'll be laughing when it all comes down and we're the ones with the potable drinking water. Heh.

Seriously, though. It's not that I obsess about things like emergency survival. But lately, I find myself thinking about it more. This past year. Not feeling quite so safe, or that the steady stream of resources is so inviolable. Maybe you know what I mean.

I think about things like survival guides, generators, and ration bars. Batteries and candles. Water just seems the most basic and sensible stashable to me (especially after our main froze in 1994 and we were without it for three days).

It certainly doesn't hurt to stow a few bottles of water and a week or two worth of meal bars in a safe place. Before the expiration date, use the bars for hiking or something. Because - at the risk of sounding all doomsday - you never really know what's going to happen.

Don't make me worry about you, too.
1/22/2003 03:55:24 PM  



slow day
If my Woolite has a drip-proof cap, then what are all those sticky blue streaks drying down the side of the bottle? Hmmm?
1/22/2003 05:41:36 AM  



trade yer stuff
I love trading stuff online, and Swappingtons is great swapping fun. I just listed four items this morning, and will already be sending one off. Only drawback is that, so far, there's no item search available (yet). Sign up now and begin a new, less-cluttered year.
1/20/2003 12:20:47 PM  



pomogite!
Ever since the early days of the Blogdom, I've wanted - nay, pined for - a daily Russian personal blog written in English. I've searched high and low, to no avail.

Send me a link, and I'll send you a postcard. It would, ideally, be a Russian postcard. But I can't find any of those, either.
1/20/2003 10:36:24 AM  



pasties!
1/18/2003 11:55:23 AM  



the happiest cat in the universe tells me she'd rather be alive
West Hollywood wants to become the first American city to ban declawing of cats.

I've been called cruel - to my face - for having Elli front declawed when she was spayed. Never mind that she was a rescue (as will be any future pets), and that my keeping her in the apartment was contingent upon her declawing.

75% of all cats entering shelters are put to sleep. So that would, realistically, make her euthanization preferable. Her death, over a surgical operation performed by one the best feline specialists in metro Detroit.

If declawing is the only thing that stands between a senseless death and a rescue - even if it's only making "some accommodations to protect [a] couch," then Jesus jumproping Christ. Which is more humane?

Why don't these people worry about a truly cruel and barbaric practice perpetrated against the helpless - without the benefit of any anesthetic, even local? (you really, really *need* to watch the videos at the middle of the page if you doubt the agony)
1/17/2003 05:52:31 PM  



progress
The new contractors are really going to town. The other side of the building probably looks more impressive, but I can't [am sort of frightened to] get past the steady stream of construction vehicles and burly sweaty men at the gate to show you. I hear that the wiring is done, interior walls are finished, and the shelving has been delivered. Maybe today I'll try to finagle a hardhat tour through the site.
1/17/2003 06:46:14 AM  



elmo's fire
A bit of winter coziness, courtesy D.
1/15/2003 08:43:53 PM  



comfort food extravaganza
My mom sent us a George Foreman grill for Christmas, but, as you may recall, we'd already purchased one with a gift card from our wedding. In it's stead, she's sending me a Crock Pot. I'm oddly excited about this. Lacking a place for it in our kitchen notwithstanding.

Only two things were ever born of our olive green pot when I was a kid: chili, and chicken and dumplings. I've been hunting down recipes since I got the news.

Oh, and I almost forgot, it's Pasty Day! My pasties ship from the U.P. today. We'll be eating hearty meaty miner pies by the weekend.
1/15/2003 06:35:17 AM  



um, you wanted to have a what, now?
The baby boom at work seems to be wrapping up for the time being. The latest new mother brought her three-week old son in for the obligatory view-and-coo today. Adorable fuzzy-headed little squirmer.

"I had a really hard time adjusting... I wasn't expecting to have to literally carry him around with me twenty-four hours a day. It's harder than I thought it would be." I've never seen someone that young and in good health look that exhausted, that... dim. So changed, practically overnight.

Frankly, it scared the you-can-guess-what out of me.
1/14/2003 04:51:27 PM  



moving right along
I got to enjoy the sunshine long enough to click this exterior shot of the new library with the Argus. Word on the street is I'll be in by March, if nothing untoward happens.

I still wish that we were all together in a good, solid, old-fashioned brick building, with hallways and lockers. These far-flung western schools perplex me.
1/13/2003 08:07:05 PM  



not much to say today
Except that I am infinitely grateful for the sun making a brief appearance (so that the lunchtime crowd in the library isn't so mind-bendingly heavy), Calistoga mineral water in (portable) small plastic bottles, and jeans in colors other than blue (so I can get away with wearing them to work).
1/13/2003 12:50:51 PM  



"many men are more monstrous, but they disguise it well"
Cocteau's Beauty and the Beast is coming to the Crest. C'est bon!
1/10/2003 03:56:38 PM  



send me to time out
Nothing makes me feel like a bigger heel than losing my temper with a kid.

Yes, even if there are fifteen students yelling my name at once, someone is throwing spitballs in the corner, someone else is throwing pencils into the dropped ceiling, and the hormone fairy visited and whacked me upside the head with her wand.

[slinks off and sits in the corner with the mice]
1/10/2003 10:35:57 AM  



fashionable fowl of Fair Oaks
Lori knitted chicken hats! Hats - for chickens! Hee!
1/9/2003 04:58:09 PM  



bye, bunny
Oolong, the well-loved rabbit from Japan, died today (via MeFi; warning, heartbreaking photos).
1/8/2003 11:12:51 PM  



planning ahead (for once)
I'm celebrating Chinese New Year in the library at the end of January. I've been collecting links for inexpensive decorations and giveaways:

Character tattoos at U.S. Toy
Dragon pinata and New Year's music at Chinasprout
Party lanterns at Zen Gifts
Chinese chopstick packs at KK Discount, and instructions on their use
Making Chinese Papercuts (at the library!)
1/8/2003 01:05:35 PM  



how much is inside...
...a giant pumpkin?
1/8/2003 06:10:28 AM  



be sure to wear some flowers in your hair
We have a love-hate relationship with San Francisco. I love it and D. hates it.

Well, that's not entirely accurate. I enjoy visiting periodically, and D. would like to visit... less periodically.

The people are great (yes, you!). Can't get enough of the sights. But it's the streets. They're out for us. The no left turn, one way, park where???, there's a train! AAAGH! streets. Add to that the fact that, even though I pore over maps before we head out like a crazy cartographer, I'm still the worst navigator in the history of spatially-challenged passenger seat drivers. Oh, it's not a pretty thing inside our car at all.

People think I'm joking when I say this. I'm not.

The future success of any endeavors will depend entirely upon Amtrak and Muni.

But the drive over was beautiful. 37 from Vallejo is the only way to travel.

The B&B was an interesting experience. Lots of ancient mahogany downstairs, neat rooftop view from the empty third floor room we "borrowed" for just that at dusk, a little round sitting nook in our room that overlooked the streets below, and no central heat (but we had one super-charged space heater that did the job instead).

After taking in some of the Inner Sunset sights, we enjoyed dinner at Park Chow with Kristin, Dinah, Jish, Edmond, Shannon, and Jane. Mmm to hot spiced cider, golden noodles with tofu, and vanilla bean ice cream.

After the B for breakfast, it was off to find the California Academy of Sciences. Our original plan had been to visit the Exploratorium, but that was nixed in favor of proximity. I'll bet it was a pretty even trade. The eastern end of the park was gorgeous. It kept us happily occupied until late afternoon.

We'd planned on planting a new letterbox in Fairfield on our way home, but it was getting late and we didn't feel like fussing by then. So we'll have to scout out a spot another weekend.
1/7/2003 06:54:55 AM  



addendum
Sixth resolution: read more books for grown-ups (see?), to avoid massive vocabulary and frontal lobe shrinkage. And don't buy them all from Amazon - visit the library every now and again. Sheesh.
1/6/2003 06:34:20 AM  



green and gold
San Francisco pics from today are up. Commentary tomorrow evening; I'm pooped.

After some research, I must say (re: bizarre dinner topic last night), yes, these two do look alike in profile (the best comparison shots I could come up with).
1/5/2003 08:50:06 PM  



three of my favorite things...
...crafts, kids, and recycling. An excellent, charitable use for those greeting cards (via Kristin)
1/3/2003 02:18:56 PM  



off
Off to The Real City tomorrow. It seems we were just there for Fray - but counting on my half-awake fingers, that was over three months ago.

I've never stayed in a bed and breakfast before, so exciting. Had to make reservations on the phone; how old school is that? The woman was super-nice, and we're even getting the use of the garage for free (good, because our last parking experience left a bit to be desired, and it's expensive). Room A, whee! Kind of like an early five-year fakeiversary.

New letterbox by Monday, if all goes well. And since we'll be next door, maybe we can find this one. Nope, wait, I jumped the gun... Owner says it's missing. Crud.
1/3/2003 06:38:36 AM  



mad pancakes
Today was not quite how I'd pictured the first day of 2003.

It was sunny, so we decided to do some letterboxing. First out to Folsom to revisit the Powerhouse box and exchange stamps (we'd only located it the first time round), and then over to Fair Oaks to see who'd visited our first plant (our baby).

We spotted two Hummers in the span of ten minutes of road time. Egads.

[You know how you do punchbugs when you see a VW Beetle? What painful display would best honor the Humvee? Hmmm...]

The Powerhouse was gorgeous. New green moss and ferns and clover-like carpet everywhere. Or what springtime is like in the woods of Wisconsin or Michigan. I must say I was a bit surprised - it's a nice enough spot in summer, but now it feels as if you may sight a fairy dance around the next granite boulder. We were happy that the box was still there (if a bit damp), and had been visited a few times since our last trip.

Off to Fair Oaks, then. There was some excitement when, as we got out of the car, D. noticed a group of women carrying a sheet of paper along the trail, box-wards. But, no, they stayed on the main trail where we branched off. We had plenty of other company at the site, though. Enough so that we had to stand there, gazing at a flock of turkeys (yes, the appropriate South Park references were made), waiting for the trail to clear enough to visit our tree.

The rocks at the foot of the tree were still in place, and the leaves around them seemed as if they hadn't been touched for some time. We pulled up the rocks - nothing beneath. Okay, so someone had just buried the box a bit deeper in the loam. We dug.

Nothing.

Our box is gone. Our first box, missing after only two months. Needless to say, I was a bit upset.

So we return to the car, me grumblingly resolving to re-carve my beloved chicken stamp and hide the cursed thing in an entirely different part of the park. We were lucky enough to see our third hummer of the day in the parking lot. Not the vehicular kind.

Ew. Um. Anyhoo.

D. had heard about a compelling something called Pancake Circus down on Broadway. Pancakes make everything better, right?

Before bitching resumes, I just have to say that Pancake Circus rules. You get that movie-set 50's greasy spoon truck stop restaurant feel - with clowns! And the food isn't too shabby, either. Excellent pancakes. Lotto cards at every table. Seriously tacky fun.

There were a three small kids hanging around. Two at the counter, and one helping out the hostess with small tasks. Quiet, nice, helpful kids. Kids that can hold a polite conversation without swearing at each other every five seconds. The kind I'd like to see more of every day.

An older couple arrives and sits at the booth behind me. And as soon as their butts hit the tired vinyl, the man starts a tirade about how "this place has turned into a damned day care center" and "what does it take to get some fucking service around here, they should be waiting on their customers instead of dealing with their fucking kids" and "send them back to school where they belong - children should be seen and not heard." And it just went on and on and on. He just didn't shut up. For variety, he did yell at his wife once or twice. Punctuated by the most blatantly hypocritical banter with the waitstaff. Unbelievable.

At least there were pancakes.
1/1/2003 08:22:21 PM  

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