One of those days...
where the stars seemed to collide, the planets weren't aligned and I'm sure my horoscope said Good Luck! Read me tomorrow! And you know, nothing serious happened, nothing worth writing about but still one of those days... and here's one of the things that made me particular exasperated:
http://www.slate.com/id/2168758/
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
More photos from my starring role as gonorrhea!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/67749380@N00/sets/72157600480505137
http://www.flickr.com/photos/67749380@N00/sets/72157600480505137
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Woo hoo Gonorrhea! 
Today was my first appearance in the Pride Parade, starring as Gonorrhea for the Planned Parenthood entry. We were a melody of STDs and a giant condom. The condom would go erect, then the diseases would try to attack and would be repelled back. I had the special place of being gonorrhea on roller skates to boot!
Today was my first appearance in the Pride Parade, starring as Gonorrhea for the Planned Parenthood entry. We were a melody of STDs and a giant condom. The condom would go erect, then the diseases would try to attack and would be repelled back. I had the special place of being gonorrhea on roller skates to boot!
It was packed - hundreds? Thousands of people lined 4th Avenue in downtown Seattle. We threw bracelets to the crowds that read "Love Carefully", which followed our message of Safe Sex is Sexy printed on our bright pink shirts. I crashed into another gonorrhea at one point and about half way through we ran out of bracelets and condoms.
I ran into some of my roller derby pals at the Seattle Center where the Parade ended, ate a gyro, corn-on-the-cob and listed to club music before taking the bus back downtown to get my car. I love parades and I was quite proud to be in this one...
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
UFOs and such...
When I saw this comic the other day in the Seattle Times, I laughed out loud - on the bus. I remembered an incident, that makes my father laugh to this day, that occurred when I was walking home my friend Jeni Taylor. Her house was about a mile away off of of ol' state route 422. My street, the last street before her house, was a new neighborhood, essentially a street carved into old farm land. (And I mean old, it had everything you would expect in the woods like rusted nails, random barbed wire fences, old mattresses on the edge of the field, which was where our house was.)
In the summer time, she would come over to my house to hang out. In the 6th grade, we had a 9 p.m. curfew which meant it was dark in NE Ohio and undoubtedly hot and muggy. One night I was walking Jeni home, or atleast to the end of my street where she had to walk about 500 ft on the busy state road - often her Dad was often waiting for her at the end of their driveway. (Um, which is why I never "snuck out" -where the hell was I going to go? Into the woods with rusty nails? To the neighbors house with little kids? Until you drove, you were ISOLATED). We were heading to her place and it got progressively darker as we reached 422 as there were few houses at that end of the street - and no streetlights. Off in one of the old barns, there was a blinking orange light. In the barn. A blinking orange light. We looked at it for a minute and walked a little further trying to figure out what it was? A blinking orange light. Then our 6th grade minds races off - there could only be one thing in that barn - an alien. Holy crap.
We went back to my house, doing our best not to break off into a dead run, and searched for my dad. We didn't know what to tell him, so we told him the true. "There's an alien in the barn by the road." Of course the meant that he wouldn't drive Jeni home - he had to go check it out. (Damn!) He walked down the street and I think at one point we both might have grabbed his hands (long after it was cool to hold hands with your parents) and as we approached the barn, my dad looked for the blinking light..pause... Girls, it's just a construction barrel with a light on it...
Whatever. It totally was an alien. He just left before we were able to get back to the barn.
When I saw this comic the other day in the Seattle Times, I laughed out loud - on the bus. I remembered an incident, that makes my father laugh to this day, that occurred when I was walking home my friend Jeni Taylor. Her house was about a mile away off of of ol' state route 422. My street, the last street before her house, was a new neighborhood, essentially a street carved into old farm land. (And I mean old, it had everything you would expect in the woods like rusted nails, random barbed wire fences, old mattresses on the edge of the field, which was where our house was.)In the summer time, she would come over to my house to hang out. In the 6th grade, we had a 9 p.m. curfew which meant it was dark in NE Ohio and undoubtedly hot and muggy. One night I was walking Jeni home, or atleast to the end of my street where she had to walk about 500 ft on the busy state road - often her Dad was often waiting for her at the end of their driveway. (Um, which is why I never "snuck out" -where the hell was I going to go? Into the woods with rusty nails? To the neighbors house with little kids? Until you drove, you were ISOLATED). We were heading to her place and it got progressively darker as we reached 422 as there were few houses at that end of the street - and no streetlights. Off in one of the old barns, there was a blinking orange light. In the barn. A blinking orange light. We looked at it for a minute and walked a little further trying to figure out what it was? A blinking orange light. Then our 6th grade minds races off - there could only be one thing in that barn - an alien. Holy crap.
We went back to my house, doing our best not to break off into a dead run, and searched for my dad. We didn't know what to tell him, so we told him the true. "There's an alien in the barn by the road." Of course the meant that he wouldn't drive Jeni home - he had to go check it out. (Damn!) He walked down the street and I think at one point we both might have grabbed his hands (long after it was cool to hold hands with your parents) and as we approached the barn, my dad looked for the blinking light..pause... Girls, it's just a construction barrel with a light on it...
Whatever. It totally was an alien. He just left before we were able to get back to the barn.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
SNIFF, sniff
Tonight was my last SIFF volunteer shift. As my friend Katie stated and I concurred, it's a lot like summer camp. Last year, my first year, was fantastic! I saw 27 films, volunteered a gazillion hours, made tons of friends, went to parties and still managed to skate and have a great time! This year, volunteering was fun but I moved, had a wedding (in Mexico) right in the middle of the festival, saw only three films and just couldn't get my schedule to work out as well as I would have liked - though I did come out of it with one new friend - who is going to put together a circus workshop for my team.
I have the SIFF guide and some ideas of some films to watch... and next year to go back to summer camp again.
Tonight was my last SIFF volunteer shift. As my friend Katie stated and I concurred, it's a lot like summer camp. Last year, my first year, was fantastic! I saw 27 films, volunteered a gazillion hours, made tons of friends, went to parties and still managed to skate and have a great time! This year, volunteering was fun but I moved, had a wedding (in Mexico) right in the middle of the festival, saw only three films and just couldn't get my schedule to work out as well as I would have liked - though I did come out of it with one new friend - who is going to put together a circus workshop for my team.
I have the SIFF guide and some ideas of some films to watch... and next year to go back to summer camp again.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
The Most Romantic and Beautiful Wedding Ever...
Claudia's and Justin's wedding was the most wonderful wedding - it was like being in a movie where Pacabel's Canon played over their vows, the sun broke through the clouds just in time for a sunset, the bride flirted endlessly during the Jewish ceremony and every single person danced. I'm sure I've seen this film and it was just as magical in real life.
Friday night's reception with the out-of-town guests (which was honestly everyone - 131 of us) started off this film. There was incredible food, mole pollo, beans, rice, the most delicious guac, coke and rums (or shots of tequila), a 12 piece mariachi band who played the most incredible music, more dancing, eating, meeting new people and leaving the rehearsal dinner at midnight to go have more drinks at a tequila bar before crashing out at 3:30 a.m. The bright sunshine on Saturday morning only begged for a bottle of water and aspirin (but it could have been much worse.)
I walked around town with my "roommate" Brandi whose starting residency for anaesthesia next week. We ate lunch at an organic, environmental restaurant (yep, even in Queretaro) where I learned all about her med school experience, the challenges that Claudia and other's trying to enter difficult fields such a dermatology faced. (They did not get residencies this summer as they wanted to be placed together. Justin's choice as an OB/GYN (who does abortion) has him in high demand where Claudia's choice in dermatology has her in severe competition.) We bought a couple of souvenirs (these fun little dolls) for our nieces and goddaughters made by the some of the more poor rural women who would come into town to sell their tourist tchotchkes. She reminded me of the dress that I was interested in buying and one look, she said, You have to get it- you'd regret it otherwise. And I did. Bright yellow. It was lively and more exciting than the other two I had brought along for the occasion.
We made it to the church just before 5 p.m. Storm clouds were brewing and wind whipped up leaves and dust - which it had done the night before but had amount to nothing. As soon as Claudia and her parents started down the isle, the rain came pouring down - loud. We listened to the ceremony in Spanish while glancing nervously at the down pour. Just as the bride and groom where on their second or third kiss, they shooed us out into the clearing sky. A few sprinkles and a few bubbles later, Claudia and Justin came bursting out and into their dressed up ancient car while we loaded up in to buses to head out to a "hacienda" (ranch) on the out skirts of town for the Jewish ceremony and reception.
The bus ride was longer than we expected but the results were gorgeous! This former hacienda spread out over acres of beautiful land. There was an incredible marble veranda with stone column fountains. Stepping out of the bus, we were greeted with cocktails and appetizers and a sunset. When the sun was finally down, the sabbath over, we started with the Jewish wedding. The hoopa was made by both of the mothers and beautiful. At one point in the ceremony, the bride makes circles around the husband (to seal the relationship, build a protective wall, etc.) and Claudia turned it into a flirty, seductive dance around him which had all of us laughing. The rabbi (whom everyone thought Justin flew in from St. Louis but was really just from one town over) told stories about them as a couple, they broke the glass and we headed into the actual "house" for the dinner.
The evening could haven't been more magical and we hadn't even started dancing! Another 10 piece band (complete with two dancers) played modern Latina musica, covered the Bee Gees, Gloria Gaynor, and other wedding favorites. After the initial dances of the bride and groom, parents, the party started. Nearly everyone was on the dance floor and something I had never seen before - the band brought props - every half hour or so. First there were balloons, then masks, paper glasses, straw cowboy hats, hands (on a stick) - it was hilarious. We drank all of the wine, liqueur, ate the cake and when the buses came to get us at 1:30 a.m. (the staff was tearing down the tables) no one wanted to leave. They finally stopped the music and we finally left...
Sunday morning, an exhausted but still very festive crowd showed up for "brunch" which of course was as much food as we had had at ever single other meal - we wished the bride and groom off (for three weeks in Italy.) The weekend wasn't over - a community orchestra who covering Sinatra tunes invited people to dance in the town square, a bit of shopping for super fun party shirt, dinner with some of the friends and a late night beer (finally - a beer) with some of the bridal party to capped off the weekend and the most fabulous wedding ever.
Claudia's and Justin's wedding was the most wonderful wedding - it was like being in a movie where Pacabel's Canon played over their vows, the sun broke through the clouds just in time for a sunset, the bride flirted endlessly during the Jewish ceremony and every single person danced. I'm sure I've seen this film and it was just as magical in real life.
Friday night's reception with the out-of-town guests (which was honestly everyone - 131 of us) started off this film. There was incredible food, mole pollo, beans, rice, the most delicious guac, coke and rums (or shots of tequila), a 12 piece mariachi band who played the most incredible music, more dancing, eating, meeting new people and leaving the rehearsal dinner at midnight to go have more drinks at a tequila bar before crashing out at 3:30 a.m. The bright sunshine on Saturday morning only begged for a bottle of water and aspirin (but it could have been much worse.)
I walked around town with my "roommate" Brandi whose starting residency for anaesthesia next week. We ate lunch at an organic, environmental restaurant (yep, even in Queretaro) where I learned all about her med school experience, the challenges that Claudia and other's trying to enter difficult fields such a dermatology faced. (They did not get residencies this summer as they wanted to be placed together. Justin's choice as an OB/GYN (who does abortion) has him in high demand where Claudia's choice in dermatology has her in severe competition.) We bought a couple of souvenirs (these fun little dolls) for our nieces and goddaughters made by the some of the more poor rural women who would come into town to sell their tourist tchotchkes. She reminded me of the dress that I was interested in buying and one look, she said, You have to get it- you'd regret it otherwise. And I did. Bright yellow. It was lively and more exciting than the other two I had brought along for the occasion.
We made it to the church just before 5 p.m. Storm clouds were brewing and wind whipped up leaves and dust - which it had done the night before but had amount to nothing. As soon as Claudia and her parents started down the isle, the rain came pouring down - loud. We listened to the ceremony in Spanish while glancing nervously at the down pour. Just as the bride and groom where on their second or third kiss, they shooed us out into the clearing sky. A few sprinkles and a few bubbles later, Claudia and Justin came bursting out and into their dressed up ancient car while we loaded up in to buses to head out to a "hacienda" (ranch) on the out skirts of town for the Jewish ceremony and reception.
The bus ride was longer than we expected but the results were gorgeous! This former hacienda spread out over acres of beautiful land. There was an incredible marble veranda with stone column fountains. Stepping out of the bus, we were greeted with cocktails and appetizers and a sunset. When the sun was finally down, the sabbath over, we started with the Jewish wedding. The hoopa was made by both of the mothers and beautiful. At one point in the ceremony, the bride makes circles around the husband (to seal the relationship, build a protective wall, etc.) and Claudia turned it into a flirty, seductive dance around him which had all of us laughing. The rabbi (whom everyone thought Justin flew in from St. Louis but was really just from one town over) told stories about them as a couple, they broke the glass and we headed into the actual "house" for the dinner.
The evening could haven't been more magical and we hadn't even started dancing! Another 10 piece band (complete with two dancers) played modern Latina musica, covered the Bee Gees, Gloria Gaynor, and other wedding favorites. After the initial dances of the bride and groom, parents, the party started. Nearly everyone was on the dance floor and something I had never seen before - the band brought props - every half hour or so. First there were balloons, then masks, paper glasses, straw cowboy hats, hands (on a stick) - it was hilarious. We drank all of the wine, liqueur, ate the cake and when the buses came to get us at 1:30 a.m. (the staff was tearing down the tables) no one wanted to leave. They finally stopped the music and we finally left...
Sunday morning, an exhausted but still very festive crowd showed up for "brunch" which of course was as much food as we had had at ever single other meal - we wished the bride and groom off (for three weeks in Italy.) The weekend wasn't over - a community orchestra who covering Sinatra tunes invited people to dance in the town square, a bit of shopping for super fun party shirt, dinner with some of the friends and a late night beer (finally - a beer) with some of the bridal party to capped off the weekend and the most fabulous wedding ever.
Friday, June 08, 2007
The perfect conversation...
I slept hard and woke up remembering that I was on a completely different spot on the globe. I was slow to rise and snagged a bit of the ¨contintential breakfast¨of toast and instant coffee. I love instant coffee when I´m traveling - it reminds me of traveling... I dropped my bag off at my next hotel where I´m staying for the wedding festivities and hit the streets. I´m considering getting a bright orange dress for the wedding tomorrow as I brought a brown dress and the classic black cocktail but not thrilled with either of them. I visited parks, read my lonely planet, bought another pluma (pen) and found a little hole in the wall where I tried to order pollo mole enchaladas. It was completely comical as we couldn´t understand each other and she was asking me how many orders did I want and I kept telling her lemonade. Finally we decided she could revert to Ingles and I would answer in espanol and it worked. She loved my fish tattoo and when I finished my lunch the cook came out to talk to me.
He spoke English having spent the first 12 years of his life in New York City - his father moved the family back here to Queretaro when he was 12 and has hated him since then. He doesn´t like it here but has a plan to get back to the US. Because he was born there, he´s a citizen and he´s going to finish high school, work for a year, get his passport and go to college in the US. We talked about Queretaro, school, the funny things his parents use to do. (One time, they told me to get in the car, we were going somewhere. I told my friends I would be right back... 5 days later. My parents took us to Disney World. That was fun.) I told him about the wedding I was going to and how Mexico was sooooo clean compared to Africa, for example. (That was the only way I was able to excuse myself for not knowing Spanish - most of my travels were in Africa and the Middle East, not Mexico.) I told him I definitely wanted to come back. I paid my bill and left him a $10 bill (american dollar) and told him to save it towards his passport. I honestly thought he was going to cry. Good luck! We shook hands and I went across the street to the art museum of Queretaro.
It was the perfect conversation, not because he wanted to go back to the States but because we could actually converse, make jokes, talk about things. He was local who spoke English. I was remembering my trip to Cuba last night and it was fun to have a travel companion. However, my travel partner did not want to go out and meet ¨the local people¨- he was content to hang out with touristas. I am not. I need to talk to people, anyone, just about life, how things are here (where ever I may be), the issues, problems, joys, etc. It made me happy.
The art musuem was great - lots of pictures of Jesus and a modern section, that they were painting (had taken the art and put it on the floor). There were nets to keept the birds out of the square. The city is designed a lot like old Jerusalem or what I imagine Italy would be like. The streets are tight and one-way but open into patios, restaurts, shops, etc. It´s a whole other world behinds the doors.
I slept hard and woke up remembering that I was on a completely different spot on the globe. I was slow to rise and snagged a bit of the ¨contintential breakfast¨of toast and instant coffee. I love instant coffee when I´m traveling - it reminds me of traveling... I dropped my bag off at my next hotel where I´m staying for the wedding festivities and hit the streets. I´m considering getting a bright orange dress for the wedding tomorrow as I brought a brown dress and the classic black cocktail but not thrilled with either of them. I visited parks, read my lonely planet, bought another pluma (pen) and found a little hole in the wall where I tried to order pollo mole enchaladas. It was completely comical as we couldn´t understand each other and she was asking me how many orders did I want and I kept telling her lemonade. Finally we decided she could revert to Ingles and I would answer in espanol and it worked. She loved my fish tattoo and when I finished my lunch the cook came out to talk to me.
He spoke English having spent the first 12 years of his life in New York City - his father moved the family back here to Queretaro when he was 12 and has hated him since then. He doesn´t like it here but has a plan to get back to the US. Because he was born there, he´s a citizen and he´s going to finish high school, work for a year, get his passport and go to college in the US. We talked about Queretaro, school, the funny things his parents use to do. (One time, they told me to get in the car, we were going somewhere. I told my friends I would be right back... 5 days later. My parents took us to Disney World. That was fun.) I told him about the wedding I was going to and how Mexico was sooooo clean compared to Africa, for example. (That was the only way I was able to excuse myself for not knowing Spanish - most of my travels were in Africa and the Middle East, not Mexico.) I told him I definitely wanted to come back. I paid my bill and left him a $10 bill (american dollar) and told him to save it towards his passport. I honestly thought he was going to cry. Good luck! We shook hands and I went across the street to the art museum of Queretaro.
It was the perfect conversation, not because he wanted to go back to the States but because we could actually converse, make jokes, talk about things. He was local who spoke English. I was remembering my trip to Cuba last night and it was fun to have a travel companion. However, my travel partner did not want to go out and meet ¨the local people¨- he was content to hang out with touristas. I am not. I need to talk to people, anyone, just about life, how things are here (where ever I may be), the issues, problems, joys, etc. It made me happy.
The art musuem was great - lots of pictures of Jesus and a modern section, that they were painting (had taken the art and put it on the floor). There were nets to keept the birds out of the square. The city is designed a lot like old Jerusalem or what I imagine Italy would be like. The streets are tight and one-way but open into patios, restaurts, shops, etc. It´s a whole other world behinds the doors.
Thursday, June 07, 2007
A frog in my mouth... I arrived in Queretaro after two flights, a 2 hour bus ride and taxi to my hostel. The last time I was in a Spanish speaking country I had practice for three weeks before hand, had a traveling companion and felt more confident in my ability to speak. This time around, a variety of things kept me from hitting the language CDs (out first bout, the film festival, work, moving, etc.) and I find that I have a frog in my mouth - when all esle fails, I revert to French. Which isn´t Spanish. Close - but not really. And it´s kind of funny. And it´s completely frustrating - like having a frog in your mouth, chewing on words, trying to find what you want to say and lacking the knowledge... in Spanish. However, I found my hostel (whose ´return´key on the computer doesn´t work) and made my way down to the centro historico where there was a parade! Something was going on with the church. There was also a live band a huge sign about campaign to preventi cervical and breast cancer. I got ripped off, my one time that I allow per country, from a street vendor (who charged me the correct amount but then wanted a tip and when I offered the small coins I had, he took 3 times the cost of the meal, forturnately, I´m allowed to get ripped off - once.) But I didn´t care about the street vendor, as I was more interested in the parade, the people dancing in the historic square, and how much I didn´t quit stand out. Quite a modern city. I´ll be glad to explore the city more tomorrow and meet up with Claudia and her friends too.
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Wonderlustful...
I leave for my first foray into Mexico on Thursday for Claudia and Justin's wedding. I've never been to Mexico and not for any good reason besides that I just wasn't interested - my heart lies in Africa and the Middle East...(though I salsa danced - a mix of son - Mexican music and Jazz - for almost 10 years and in my music collection the number of cds in Spanish is second to those in Portuguese. After pouring over my Mexico Lonely Planet guidebook this weekend, I can't wait to go!
Last night I booked a first night in a hostel in Queretaro (I have a couple of nights in a hotel for the wedding). I am looking forward to having to be "awake" because you don't know the language, culture, where you're going, etc. I'm looking forward to eating "street food" and going out in the evening. It's going to be a great time!
It's going to be 85 degrees the whole time... and raining.
I leave for my first foray into Mexico on Thursday for Claudia and Justin's wedding. I've never been to Mexico and not for any good reason besides that I just wasn't interested - my heart lies in Africa and the Middle East...(though I salsa danced - a mix of son - Mexican music and Jazz - for almost 10 years and in my music collection the number of cds in Spanish is second to those in Portuguese. After pouring over my Mexico Lonely Planet guidebook this weekend, I can't wait to go!
Last night I booked a first night in a hostel in Queretaro (I have a couple of nights in a hotel for the wedding). I am looking forward to having to be "awake" because you don't know the language, culture, where you're going, etc. I'm looking forward to eating "street food" and going out in the evening. It's going to be a great time!
It's going to be 85 degrees the whole time... and raining.
Sunday, June 03, 2007
The Things We Carry...
The things they carried were largely determined by necessity. Among the necessities or near-necessities were P-38 can openers, pocket knives, heat tabs, wristwatches, dog tags, mosquito repellent, chewing gum, candy, cigarettes, salt tablets, packets of Kool-Aid, lighters, matches, sewing kits, Military Payment certificates, C rations, and two or tree canteens of water. Together, these items weighted between 15 and 20 pounds, depending upon a man's habits or rate of metabolism... (from Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried.)
Franz Kafka's, The Castle, which I have never read, made it thru a fire and a trip across the county before I picked it up last week in my move and asked "why is this book coming with me? I have never read it, I probably won't and I can get the exact same translation from the library." I thought, as I looked at the small amount of stuff I had to move 10 blocks to my new apartment, why did I bring these things, why did I carry these things across 7 states when they were not "the necessities" or even the "near-necessities". Tim O'Brien's book, The Things They Carried, did make it across the county. Some books made it to and from West Africa. A few bit of jewelry made it from my childhood to now. Clothes I've kept through a few seasons (if they're not worn more than two in a row then they go to Goodwill), some letters, plays and my art. But when I look at it all, what are the important things we carry in our lives? Some of it was packed in boxes and moved to my beautiful, spacious, bright new apartment. Most of the things I value are not able to packed into a box - ever.
The things they carried were largely determined by necessity. Among the necessities or near-necessities were P-38 can openers, pocket knives, heat tabs, wristwatches, dog tags, mosquito repellent, chewing gum, candy, cigarettes, salt tablets, packets of Kool-Aid, lighters, matches, sewing kits, Military Payment certificates, C rations, and two or tree canteens of water. Together, these items weighted between 15 and 20 pounds, depending upon a man's habits or rate of metabolism... (from Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried.)
Franz Kafka's, The Castle, which I have never read, made it thru a fire and a trip across the county before I picked it up last week in my move and asked "why is this book coming with me? I have never read it, I probably won't and I can get the exact same translation from the library." I thought, as I looked at the small amount of stuff I had to move 10 blocks to my new apartment, why did I bring these things, why did I carry these things across 7 states when they were not "the necessities" or even the "near-necessities". Tim O'Brien's book, The Things They Carried, did make it across the county. Some books made it to and from West Africa. A few bit of jewelry made it from my childhood to now. Clothes I've kept through a few seasons (if they're not worn more than two in a row then they go to Goodwill), some letters, plays and my art. But when I look at it all, what are the important things we carry in our lives? Some of it was packed in boxes and moved to my beautiful, spacious, bright new apartment. Most of the things I value are not able to packed into a box - ever.
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