Two things I noticed....

I forgot about being profiled for this website for my minuscule contribution to the fight against AIDS for HIV Vaccine Trails Network (HVTN): http://www.hvtn.org/community/volunteers.html

And water. I have a lot of stories about water. I'm a tiny bit of a control freak when it comes to water... I'll explain those in a later posting. I ran across an interesting story about bottled water today in the Seattle Times: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008024882_water30.html

NASCAR, Wonderwoman and culture...

About 10 friends and family showed up last night to watch the Burning River Rollergirls. It was very exciting to have so many people there to support the sport and try to understand this game that consumes so much of my time and energy. Gabriel, only 7, sat on the floor next to me and understood the game right away - caught trips that the refs didn't catch and had rollergirls slide into him 3 times (each time I glanced back at his mother who was giving me "that look".) James and Heather go into it, my parents, Mike and Seka caught on to it eventually (Mike commenting at one point "this is just like NASCAR"). There was some great derby action - plenty of falls, steeling the inside, holding the jammer in the pack. It was fun to see a couple of the gals I had met at RollerCon there playing their hearts out. I asked my parents if they understood it and my mother was hesitant and my father replied, "Yep, it's just like NASCAR." Funny. Johnsons.

Carol and Rob's wedding on Friday was lovely - and very much just like them. The ceremony was at a church in Bainbridge and I raced downtown to grab a drink with T for a hour before heading down the Majestic Yaucht that boarded right next to Christies (strip joint.) There was dinner and dancing on the boat as we tooled around Lake Erie under a fantastic thunderstorm. It was fun to catch up with people I had seen in years -even years before I left Cleveland. There were a couple of funny moments, one of them, when Christina was like "you sure know how to dodge questions" - kind like Wonderwoman's protective wrist bands that can shield you from bullets. Are you staying is Seattle - bam - reflected. Are you getting married - double wrist bands - bhew bhew. What do you plan on doing next - bam. He he he.

This was the first time in the few years I've been away that I actually had problems with directions. I couldn't quit remember how to get to Karen's - I automatically drove to Rebecca's without remembering the names of the streets. I could quite explain how to get somewhere. Homes are up for sales. Businesses have come and gone. Some areas have been redeveloped. It was a good trip... it's also the first time when people asked me if I was going to stay in Seattle forever... I said well, the weather isn't keeping me there... but the culture.

We, tree frogs and rain...

So apparently I am not allowed to have a bright sunny summer. I left the west coast having sat thru one of the coldest Junes on record heading to what is usually a hot and humid Ohio. I'll give you the humid. The sun pokes through clouds with the days being broken up by rain storms. But it hasn't been 90s and sunshine like it was a few weeks ago. I like rain storms but I would appreciate them a little more if there were thunder too - just to make it a bit more interesting.

There great little tree frogs at my parents house, where I am staying, that remind me so much of growing up. There is a pond in the woods where the bullfrogs reign and between the two it is quite an orchestra. There are also mosquitoes to boot.

Last night, we played wii blowing. I have been able to beat most of my family at this game - usually because I show up from the airport at midnight and they're rather intoxicated. Warbie (mom) beat me the first few games before Pere (dad) joined us. He knew all of these tricks to get the wii people (who have no arms but bowl) to jump up when you dropped the ball or dance around. Warbie had made Wii characters that looked much like us. Pere bowled a ridiculous 200, with me falling into the middle at 170 and Warbie trailing somewhere behind. It was a lot of fun and was much like playing board games as a kids. I am not nearly as good of a bowler in real life. My fingers are long so to find a ball that fits them I have to pick up like a 14 lb ball with I can't really control. If I get a 10 lb ball which I can handle, I can't get my fingers in comfortably and thus, I can't control the ball. It's probably better to stick to Wii.

The most beautiful girls in the world...

...happen to be the Johnson twins and their new sister McKenna. Of course, this is a completely biased opinion and I really could have spent a month with them, not just a few days. They're at that most wonderful age of asking "why?" about every single thing. And I'm just the type of aunt that will come up with an answer for every single question. We went to the Cincinnati Zoo, painted a bird house and a horse (that could be washed and colored again). We did chalk drawings on the driveway, learned how to play hopscotch (which Alexandra plays by jumping up and down yelling "Scotch, Scotch, Scotch, Scotch"), had many discussions about tattoos (why it didn't wash off, if it hurt and why my octopus dropped the bubble wand), went to swimming lessons, and read many, many books. We fed the baby, ate lots of food and went thru Aunt Michelle's orange purse many times.

I was sad to leave them on Tuesday morning when I took "the dog" (Greyhound) up to Cleveland. It was only $32 one way which was the cheapest option - far cheaper than renting a car or flying. Of course, I think everyone should ride "the dog" at least once every 5 years (about my average). Riding the bus makes you realize just how unique and special Americans are and their crazy Canadian neighbors. I was ready to clobber the college students behind me (one who said everything as if it was an action film trailer) but instead popped on my ipod with the first song being Queen's "Save Me." Ha!

I spent Tuesday night having BBQ with Mike and parents and drinking beers on the sidewalk with the neighbors, listening to the tree fogs with a roaring fire pit. I spent the whole day with Rebecca (as opposed to the usual 2.5 hours she's allotted when I come on whirlwind trips) walking all of Cleveland Heights and catching up on stories about people we know, ironies (mostly in her life), funny things that children do, families, relationships, the usual. At the end of the afternoon, we picked up her son whom I've known well since birth and her twin daughters (see a theme here?) who are also SO VERY cute. In the year since I last saw them, they have become little Houdinis, with wild blond curls. They had me read them every book on the coffee table before I headed home for dinner with the parents.

I schlepped my skates all the way across the country but I am not going to be able to make it to any of the Burning River Rollergirls practices - which they said I could attend. My schedule has gone up in smoke and it turns out that friends I really want to see (or that I only saw for 2 hours last time) are only available during practice times. I'll get to skate with the Burning River Rollergirls someday... and honestly, sometimes you just need a break from all-things-derby.

It's only Tuesday....


But in a week I'll be in Cleveland! Woot!

Rhymes with Orange

Nothing rhymes with orange and it's generally a funny comic strip. Today I received a lovely package of surprise orange in the mail today - and it a delightful surprise - orange! The pendant already has an outfit begging to be worn with it. My summer purse from Laura Bee is orange with a green ribbon. My car is red (only because it didn't come in "sunburnt orange" and "manual".) I love apricots, cantaloupe, and carrots (blueberries and bananas too). I have an orange button-up, winter jacket, many summer skirts and favorite sandals. My favorite earrings were orange (lost one) and I enjoy it so much that my new tattoo had to have some orange in it. I lobbied for our samba group to have orange as one of its core colors (and I won which made it difficult to find orange fabric in the early 2000 before it became the "new black".) I kept one of my samba costumes from when I moved from Ohio - the orange one. I'm not obsessed with orange but I do rather enjoy it.

I was introduced to it in excess in Cote d'Ivoire, West Africa when I was in the Peace Corps. Everything had orange in it. Fabric with green and orange plaid. Red and orange flowers. Orange fish on pale yellow. Blue, yellow, green and orange swirls. All beautiful and all in abundance. And at first you can't image wearing such combinations but by the end of the two years you can't imagine life without it. And if you can avoid it, you'll find a way to put plenty of it back into your life.

Even if you need a little help from your friends.

I like your t-shirt


A very popular 5 year old (who has been to a few parties I've been to in the past) came up to me last night (at my first of three parties) and said, "I really like your t-shirt." I said thank you and then when inside to tell her mother how much her daughter loved my black and white corset and if she wanted to get one, she could get it at Broadway Boutique. We laughed and chatted about how her daughter always wanted to wear such grown up things... as her mother, she kept telling her she had plenty of time to wear such things. I, myself, didn't start wearing corset until this year - she has plenty of time.

One of the parties was for my friend Kyla who is moving to Argentina. She's heading down to stay with a cousin and teach ESL - her boyfriend is joining her later. I have to admit that I am envious when I hear of my friends running off to do such things. There's nothing stopping me from applying for a job abroad, joining an organization where I would have such opportunities. I had my stint in the Peace Coprs. I could leave again... but I'm really just having such a good time here.

The evening ended at a 30th birthday party - themed for the 1930's Depression - for a friend whose a derby girl for Rat City. There were 4 burlesque performers who did a variety of fantastic acts (some of them were rollergirls too) before the party became a dance-dance party. (I love dancing!) The music was great though it was pretty funny to have all of these people dressed in 1930's costumes (or rags) dancing to M.I.A. and the Cure. It was odd and would throw you for a second. I rolled home late and crashed out with the two kitty friends.

Today might have been the perfect day. It was sunny and not too hot. I went to the Ballard Farmer's Market, out to lunch, worked in my p-patch, went to crossing training with another skater, grocery shopped and cleaned out the fridge - all of the fabulous things you can do on a Sunday. And it was father's day - I called mine a couple of times but didn't get him.

And though the sun is setting an a very nice weekend, the University of Iowa was flooded again. All of the buildings in the art campus and my resident hall that were flooded in the 1993 Floods (when I was there) are flooded again. Its tragic to see all the devastation caused by this never ending rain - from the sopping wet corn fields to the homes that have been destroyed.

Amazing what a little sun will do...

Just when you don't think you can bitch about the weather anymore, you've drank an entire pot of coffee because you can't get over that morning hump, your friend can barely complete that aerobics class, you're sick of your 10 month winter wardrobe, you're sitting in your office feeling so uninspired when the sun peeks and you realize that you and 650,000 other people feel just a tiny bit of hope.

The people in Cedar Rapids don't feel much hope.

Damn winter..

I know I've been bitching about the weather - a lot - but its been absolutely freezing! I haven't been able to take in my leather jacket to get a button repaired because I'm fearful not to have it. I wear a wool wrap in my office! I had to pull out a hat on Monday and am about to start looking for my gloves. In the paper yesterday, it was declared the coldest June since 1911! Today it snowed in Pullman and the DOT had to pull out the big trucks to plow Snoqualmie Pass! And they're getting more snow. Come on! It's the second week in June! Grrr.

Don’t Minimize Our Accomplishments, my new tattoo and a short bus

As another skater went on to explain when I was talking about our win this weekend, “You DID NOT play the 11th ranked team in the Nation Michelle”. OF COURSE NOT! But we did play the B team from the league that produced that team. (And that does mean something - even if just a little.) As my friend as work said “don’t minimize your accomplishments.” It was an awesome game and I’m thrilled to have played in it. Here’s a recap of it if you’re really interested.

Last week I got a new tattoo... It's a rare thing to have both money and inspiration. I had the inspiration - got a friend to design it and saved up the money. It's an octopus on roller skates - a derby octopus - wearing knee pads and a helmet that a starfish clung on to (we look similar - the octopus and I - just see the photo below.) The bubbles connect the fish on my shoulder (which all somehow work with the fossil on my ankle.) I went out with some friends right after I got it and she was like "I could never get a tattoo - I mean what I am going to do about with when I'm 65?" My only response was "I haven't even begun to think of 65." I mean that's forever away - right.

My express bus this morning was a short bus - literally. It was about half the size of the regular morning express bus. This stop is usually the last stop with seats (so I can sit and read the paper on my way to work.) We blew past a couple of stops because we were packed full. It was kind of ridiculous - with gas as expensive as it is - and for it to be an express morning bus - to be a short bus. I just hope it's not a sign of anything else. Just a short bus.

For the Love of Derby...

This weekend three leagues came together to play two Jet City Roller Girl teams. The Jet City B52s who had played the Bellingham Betties three weeks ago when we were in Spokane, hosted them for a grunge match. And the Jet City Bombers (travel team) played Portland's Axel of Annihilation - their "b team". (The Rose City Rollers are ranked 11th in the nation!) It was a nail biting game for both teams. The leads weren't easily established - and went back and forth between the teams. Everyone was playing so well but both Jet City Teams managed to pull away with wins! And it was so fantastic to be playing - three teams - not in a tournament - just for fun - for the love of DERBY! A game thrown together in three weeks. It was a great represention of the sisterhood.

We, as the Bombers, played really well together. It was an exciting game. I was a consistant jammer (not a superstar but getting points each time) and had some great assists from my teammates. The after party was a fun fest at a local dive bar where we took over the dancing/karaoke and ate fried bar food. It was all of the reasons I play derby.

Obstacle in my salad and winter weather

I was eating my salad (organic, homegrown, from my P-Patch) during lunch at one point this week and I found a twig. Actually two. And a little dirt (I cleaned it rather late at night). And a slug. I looked at the slug and it grossed everyone else out. I stopped eating the lettuce but finished the carrots and the tomatoes. For some reason it didn't bother me. I mean it was a small slug. It came from an organic garden. It was just another obstacle in my salad.

And there's something about 50 degrees and freezing cold rain that just makes it hard to believe it's summer... that it's June. Really already.

www.nataliedee.com

The new niece...

Beautiful picture of the new the niece and her sisters is to the side. I can't wait to visit!

Of course I had a million (or at least three) things to write about today but I'm pretty whooped - having gone to the gym, my P-Patch to pick more delicious lettuce and then to practice - I'm ready to call it a weekend and head into the work week...