All I have to say

is that allegations of violence from the pro-prop 8 folks is NOT a good thing for the anti side.

In the Castro.
On Saturday.
There's video.
BUT, not of any violence.

I'm suspicious, but allegations travel far. Very far in media land.

Oy.

Activate

I think now is the time for action. People action. Mass protests. I haven't had any brilliant blogging thoughts of late because I keep coming back to the defeat of Prop 8 and the REMOVAL of civil rights.

So I give you more info on how to get involved. And please do get involved. My parents were part of the anti-war movement in the 60's. I think this is the movement of the 2000's. The next generation.

Click. Visit. Protest.

This is the time to act. More than ever before.

This is true dignity

As the fallout swirls from the passage of Prop. 8 in CA, I think the note that has brought me the most peace and calm was this message sent today by the no on 8 folks -- a coalition of groups who worked together to defeat the measure.

It shows true dignity. And, I believe, courage. I am honored to be a part of a struggle that can take such a high road amidst the pain of defeat.

Have a look:



Dear M,

This has been an incredibly difficult week for Californians who are disappointed in the passage of Proposition 8, which takes away the right to marry for same-sex couples in our state. We feel a profound sense of disappointment in this defeat, but know that in order to move forward we must continue to stand together as one community in order to secure full equality in California.

In working to defeat Prop 8, a profound coalition banded together to fight for equality. Faith leaders, labor, teachers, civil rights leaders and communities of color, Republicans, Democrats, and Independents, public officials, local school boards and city councils, parents, corporate law firms and bar associations, businesses, and people from all walks of life joined together to stand up against discrimination. We must build on this coalition in order to achieve equal rights for all Californians.

We achieve nothing if we isolate the people who did not stand with us in this fight. We only further divide our state if we attempt to blame people of faith, African American voters, rural communities and others for this loss. We know people of all faiths, races and backgrounds stand with us in our fight to end discrimination, and will continue to do so. Now more than ever it is critical that we work together and respect our differences that make us a diverse and unique society. Only with that understanding will we achieve justice and equality for all.


Dr. Delores A. Jacobs
CEO
Center Advocacy Project

Lorri L. Jean
CEO
L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center

Kate Kendell
Executive Director
National Center for Lesbian Rights

Geoff Kors
Executive Director
Equality California

rain

Today there was not much else than rain. It had the feel of a grey day down into my soul.

I'm really searching for that Obama joy and could even use some help pointing me in the direction of the uplifting. The history-being-made. The amazing future into which my son gets to live. So, a little nudge, if you have it, would be MUCH appreciated.

In greyness.....

Must there always be such lows with the highs?

The election results have me really caught between supreme joy and great sorrow. The former because of Obama's win. The latter because of the apparent defeat of Proposition 8 in California.

Much more on my thoughts over at the other blog....

Suffice it to say, one of the many reasons the monumentality of Obama's win has yet to set in is because of the status of Proposition 8.

Sometimes cowardice feels good

Today NPR had a show about election parties that included folks on both sides. There was also talk of both winning and losing gracefully. But, most importantly, there was talk of how powerful and empowering it is to talk to folks on "the other side," no matter what side you're on. It pushes you to understand your similarities. It pushes you to articulate your beliefs.

Yes. I agree with this.

But today (and, well, I may admit, most days) it feels great to be around tons of folks who are on MY side. Standing in line to vote with tons of folks sporting Obama buttons and talking about what a historical moment this was. Reflecting, in light of the fight for marriage equality in CA, how lucky I am to be in a state that has it. How safe that feels. Dropping my son off at a school where tons of folks, teachers and admin included, sported Obama buttons, shirts, etc. Where we worked only a bit to hold in the moments of glee that we all are touching with our fingertips.

There's a feeling of embrace to it. And it feels good. I don't know how much it pushes my thinking, brings me to see areas of commonality with the other side, but I think enough of life is about that. For now, I'm basking in the feeling of community. Feeling a part of something big. Hopefully really big.

And just for a bit of humor. My blog reading of the day unearthed this. Love it!

My new favorite site....

Brilliant. Too brilliant for me, for sure.

Please say it is right.

And vote tomorrow. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opx-v_OhFnQ

That's it. Really.

Back for the month/NaBloPoMo

I'm back for the blogging festival that is November! I will say that I was nudged. Perhaps not gently.

But it's all fine and well.

I'll be splitting my time between this too-long-forgotten blog and the close-to-my-heart blog. Or perhaps I'll create another name-must-be-hyphenated blog. Just kidding.

Today's post....on the CTMH blog.

freecycle MADNESS

We're moving in three days, so we've been freecycling lots of things. Some good stuff, some very random stuff.

Fitting in the category of random: A 4DVD set of New Scandinavian Cooking. Complete with a braided, Scandinavian-looking woman on the front.

Well, apparently her cooking series is a widespread hit, as five people responded wanting the set within 20 minutes!!!!!!!!! Now that is crazy. We haven't even cracked the shrink wrap in the two years since this was randomly given to us (K has a Swedish background).

Who knew? I guess freecycle serves not only as a great resource for sharing and humor, but also for learning about the popularity of Scandinavian cuisine. Wow.

UPDATE: We're up to 10 requests after 3 hours. madNESS!

A few observations from my day....

First, a question: What do you do when you're heading into the gym and, directly behind you, is your favorite author of the moment? If you're me, you perseverate, hope she doesn't see you glancing at her, and then think that perhaps you'll blog about it. Shameful, I know. But, do go out and read that book. It is absolutely fabulous, insightful, and important for our society's future.

Second, an observation: As I sat in a spinning class today, I watched hordes of folks head into the subway (T, as we call it). At least 25% of them carried Timbuk2 bags. Seriously. Now, I'm a known Timbuk2 bag whore, and I've always known they were popular, but this popular? Really? Truly amazing.

A recent fave bag:


Finally, I'm still hopin' that many of you will come visit me over on my more substantive blog (not that bag-love isn't of substance, just "different substance"....). Hope to see you there!

Come on over and see the new blog

I started a new blog about raising a boy without labels/in ways that try to transcend labels. He has really taken the lead with this, but it's something that I try to support him with as best I can. And that takes a lot of thought, consideration, heartache, etc. So I decided to share that journey.

Come see!

Updating the update

1. Dissertation proposal in!!!!!!!!!
2. Second tulip about to bloom, pending update 3
3. Spring is NOT here to stay. Rainy, wet, in the 40's today. Ugh.
4. Glad it's the weekend and no big deadline hangs over me.....

Hoping for warmth, here, and preparing to start a new blog.

Quick update

1. Dissertation proposal due tomorrow. Crazy busy right now.
2. Our first tulip is about to bloom. Q could not be more ecstatic
3. We're moving in 18 days
4. I feel like spring has set in to stay -- keep your fingers crossed on that.

Please send any and all mojo my way for these last two days of madness.

me and the lovely dissertation

This is me. Well, not really ME, but an image of my past few days. Me, the keyboard, a messy study, a strong desire to procrastinate (is Top Chef calling me on the Tivo? I sure think so....), and usually a nice cup of tea.

The dissertation proposal is chugging along. Well, I think. But I'm in that twisted up brain space where I've thought about it too much, perseverated WAY too much, and now just need to once again hand it off (of course after a bit more obsessing, hopefully not at 3am). Mostly, I just want to get through this hurdle. It seems ridiculous to even stress about it since I'm already far into data collection for the beloved dissertation, but so it goes.

Not sure what my purpose is here, except to put a little image of my small life out there (to share my misery? Not really, as I haven't really been miserable).

So here's me now:


And hopefully tomorrow, after having turned in my latest and greatest, this will be my state of mind:

Zen.





Until, of course, the next upswing in the work. But I'll take it while it lasts.




Coda: Today is the 15th anniversary of my grandmother's death. She was an amazing woman. Powerful, outspoken, passionate. She was never without gaudy jewelry, wouldn't leave the house without spending 45 minutes "putting on her face" and yelled at Reagan on the TV. I love her with all of my heart and aspire to live with her kind of passion and commitment. Although I could spend time thinking of all that she's missed during these 15 years, I prefer to think, instead, about how her life has influenced mine. So I thank her for the passion she gave me for education, making a difference in the world, trusting my heart. And for showing me what it really means to have fire in your belly. Rest well, Grandma Geri.

Great time!

This weekend with Q made me really feel the strength and love of our community here, as folks reached out their arms to embrace the two of us.

Last night we had a raucous and fabulous time with great friends.

A sneak peak, thanks to a new fantabulous blogger!

Where's my love?

How very cool is this? (excuse the screenshot "noviceness")

I was wondering how very late my beloved wife's plane would be tonight, as I am awaiting her return quite eagerly, of course.

It's been an amazing weekend with just me and the Q, but after tears at bedtime, I know that it is time for our family of three to be back together.

So, I wander onto the Delta website for flight info. Once finding it, I happen on a little button that shows me the route. Not only the plane's route, but it's CURRENT location. I can track her virtually!

Nice to learn that she is merely 50 minutes away from landing and presently over my dear home state.

Waiting with baited breath here...

Home Alone

Katie is on a tropical adventure this weekend.

Q is asleep.

Me: Not quite tired enough to sleep, finding my few favorite websites uninteresting, nothing good on the telly...what to do?

I know, I know, I should and could knit, but I usually like to accompany that with some good viewing.

So, how do you cure those low moments? Any great new web finds that I must investigate?





I suppose I could just enjoy some peace and quiet a la this early morning lakeside mist....

Yarn Swap Goodies

Mostly, I'd say this is a placeholder right now. I have yet to take pics, but I was able to destash a TON of yarn. This was a local swap organized by some great ravelry folk. Here are the things about it that made me happy:

1. The sense of community when folks come together to share and create and avoid further consumption.
2. Seeing how wildly excited a group of folks can be about yarn!
3. That I came away with about 1/4 as much yarn as I came in with -- that was a major goal.
4. That most of what I came away with was in the purple, blue, pink family -- it makes me happy, and better yet it makes Q happy. He squealed upon seeing some of my riches.

More to come, in the form of pics.

Oh, and the lifesize dog request was back up on freecycle. Go figure.

First in a Series: Freecyclers say the darndest things....

I admit to being a freecycle fan. I think it's a great way to share amidst community without encouraging the overconsumption that is rampant these days.

I think I also love it because of the oft-hilarious gems hidden among the posts.

I present you with the first gem in what I hope will become a regular addition to this blog:
WANTED: PLUSH large/life sized realistic looking stuffed Dogs

(wait for it).....



for animal massage workshops and workshop demos.



This, my friends, cracks me up.
1. Animal massage?
2. You need a stuffed dog to demo animal massage?
3. If this is an industry, aren't there industry-standard "demo dogs?"

Oy!

What it takes to get the boy to eat

Oh, dear Q. Eating has always been hard for this boy. First there's the allergies. Then the sensory issues. It leaves him with a repertoire that is small, by all accounts. There is a bit of variety in terms of starch and protein, but it's mostly starch. So we're always trying for new foods. His OT worked with him on trying new things and gave him some "homework" -- try two new foods, three bites each.

Although chagrined that he couldn't do this homework at his desk, Q was excited. We made a plan that one of the foods would be hot dogs (turkey dogs). He'd previously eaten them, so we thought a reintroduction might be good, as opposed to something completely new. But when it came time to actually eat it, it took a lot of persuasion. Finally, the camera did the trick.

I present you with, "The drama of Q: Hotdog eating."




'




















Coda: The next time he was served a hot dog, he wouldn't touch it. Not a bite. Even with the camera.

I give up.

PS: Who can help me make these pics bigger?????

What better way to end a weekend?

I've been craving crepes for a while. God knows why. Perhaps the delicious fillings? Or the challenge of making them just right? Or the fact that I had vaguely wanted them and then Leah mentioned making them recently. It's always something that ignites a desire like that.

So tonight I finally did it. And I think a year in the basement served our crepe pans well. I made perhaps the best/most perfect crepes of my life. Now I'm not claiming that they ARE perfect, just close. And there was no stickage. No breakage except when I sliced one mistakenly with my spatula. But that aside, no breakage.

The joy of eating one oozing with chocolate and whipped cream? Well, I probably should have snapped a pic of that too. But I was too busy enjoying.

One day, three blizzards

I can't say that I've ever truly been in a blizzard. Huge snowstorms, yes. A blizzard, no. As a young 'un I used to dream of being in a blizzard as I read Little House on the Prairie books. Somehow it seemed exciting and dreamy. I'm sure it was hellish in reality, but I'm a sucker for snow, what can I say. Always have been, always will be.

Yesterday, however, was perhaps my first time. And I got to experience it three times over.

It started as a normal day with some sun. As the day progressed, the clouds rolled in. As I sat working in my tree house of an office, I watched it become darker outside as the cloud cover rolled in. Then, all of a sudden I heard the wind whip up, and upon looking out I saw what I can only call snow madness. Snow was coming down hard. I couldn't see very far beyond our yard. It was snowing up. It was snowing down. Really, in all directions. I watched it cover the neighbor's roof in a matter of seconds. And then, as fast as it started, it stopped. Within 10 minutes, the sun came out again, and I heard the telltale dripping sound of melting snow. Within 30 minutes, you'd never have known it had just snowed. Or blizzarded.

I was a bit stunned.

Then, to top it off, it happened again. And again. I kid you not. Truly some bizarre weather. By the end of the day, I think the outside temperature had dropped 20 degrees, the wind was blowing like crazy, and the snow from the final blizzard was blowing all over the place.

That's what I like on a Sunday. A good bit of drama.

Voting

I just returned from voting and had to note some of things I love about doing it here in my current hometown:

1. When they check my name off the list, I see that about 98% of folks are registered Democrats. Yeah, I know that heterogeneity is good, but heck, it's nice to be surrounded by pretty-much-likeminded folk.

2. There are tons of voting stations near me, so my voting site feels homey. The same warm, older folks greet me and thank me for voting each time I do it. We bubble in our votes in black marker. I usually know the name of one person or another on the ballot running for something local. I love knowing that I inserted ballot 304 into the voting machine today.

3. Somehow it's always raining when I vote. I feel extra gratitude and respect for those hearty supporters who stand outside the polling place in the rain, signs covered in clear plastic in order to drum up last-minute support for their candidates of choice.

Intrigued to see the results on this most super of Tuesdays....

a bit of knitting, and some things i can't get behind

A bit of knitting:

I've recently started fetching, in a lovely, soft sage cashmerino. It's my first experience with cables, and I'm liking them. There are few enough that I am now past them on the first mitt, so I can feel accomplished having tried a new technique and that I'm now beyond that part of the pattern. A double winner. Can't wait to be finished with these so that I can keep my hands and wrists toasty within them. (pics to come)

Ugh:

Romney, saying right now that we need to teach kids to get married before having babies. In order to "strengthen our families." That we need to thank Bush for keeping us safe for the last six years. That we need to grow our military even further. This man, and those who stand with him in the party, make me cringe. They bring a narrow perspective to the game. They cater to a narrower swath of the population. Yet somehow get so many on their bandwagons. Gringe, I tell you. Oh, and apparently by voting for him you'll make every dream of "the children of America" possible. Yeah right.

Love? I think so.....

After dying a FAST and painful (to me) death, I said goodbye to my PC and returned to the land of the mac. It is a beautiful land, I believe, but hard to get a hang of, especially when said death put me behind in grading, writing, etc. So I'm playing catch up, both on my work, and on my moments of exploration on the new beauty. I think she needs a name.

I worry it will take me years to plumb the depths of cool gizmos on this machine, but I'm determined to master them. So, I'm reaching out: Any wisdom about the greatest features and programs on these babies?

And while we're at it, any good name ideas for the beauty?

NO! Not on NPR, of all places....

Heard within minutes, during a story on how "added fees" are fleecing America.

PIN number
ATM machine

On NPR. Really.

Oy.

That sparkly bag

OK, OK, so my camera battery needs charging. Must do that, then I'll get up a bunch of pics from our holiday travels. I think there were some great moments there.

Plus, then I can post my gorgeous new yarn. Wahoo! I can't wait to wind it up and start/restart a clapotis with it. The fact that it's 9 degrees here today makes me want to start even more.

Mostly, wanted to share a quick New Year's Eve anecdote:

We continued our yearly tradition by going to listen to Ellis at Passim. Every year the event feels more intimate, familiar....like a family. This year was no exception. There was great music, great exploits, much laughter. We sang, ate chocolate, and had a grand old time.

On the way home we passed a store with hilarious sparkly duffle bags. I pointed them out to Katie. As well as their position next to the makes-me-laugh-all-the-time legwarmers. Q, in the stroller almost falling asleep, asked what I was talking about. I told him I had seen a big, sparkly, purple bag.


Then:
A moment of silence followed by: "That is just my style!"

Love that boy! He sure has style.

Happy New Year all!