Until We Meet Again...

It's not GOOD BYE. It's just good bye...until the inspiration returns...and if it doesn't, well, we'll always have Twitter!

"Don't be dismayed at good-byes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends."

- Richard Bach

Yes We Did!

"If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen, by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different, that their voices could be that difference.

It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled. Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue states.

We are, and always will be, the United States of America.

It's the answer that led those who've been told for so long by so many to be cynical and fearful and doubtful about what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this date in this election at this defining moment change has come to America."

.....

"America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves -- if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment.

This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope.

And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:

Yes, we can."

Friday Kick-Ass Clip of the Week

But seriously, who DOESN'T love Lionel Richie?

Little Voice

Sarah Bareilles at the Moore Theater last night = two very enthusiastic thumbs up.

Show starts at 8 pm. Kyrsa and I do some quick math, figure with opening acts, we'll still be home and done by 10:30 or 11:00. Hit the Palace Kitchen at 7 for some fabulous dirty martinis, olive poppers and smattering of tasty delish. Get to the venue by 8:15 and learn she doesn't hit the stage until 9:45.

Ok, I know I am old and tired, but TWO HOURS of opening acts? Seriously?

We make a pact. 10:30 - we're leaving. Too much work to do tomorrow, too much work was done today. We're too old to stay out until midnight on a school night...

Then Sarah hit the stage and totally enraptured us. With only one full album under her belt, she builds out the set with a Feist cover and weaves in Coldplay and Katie Perry lyrics to her songs when least expected. The KISS 106.1 kids totally miss the nod to Feist but those that care - well, we love it. That Little Voice - it fills the space and we sit and happily listen to every song and the encore.

With all of that, we were still out the door by 11 pm and it was even worth the drama of discovering our parking garage closed at that time too...but that's a post for another time (DAMN YOU SEATTLE PARKING!)

Cherry, I've got your casserole, but you have to come to Seattle to get it.

Conversations with Mom

ReckenRoll: See, there's the airport exit. I TOLD you we didn't need to leave 45 minutes early to get to the airport.

Mom: Now, you leave your cell phone on in case there are any problems with my flight. I am going to call you.

ReckenRoll: Mom, I never turn my cell phone off. Only old people do that.

Mom: Never?

ReckenRoll: No, never. I may miss a call cause I am not near it but it's never off.

Mom: Really?

ReckenRoll: Yes. Really. You don't need to turn it off.

Mom: But how do you charge it?

ReckenRoll: Um, I plug it in?

Mom: It will charge if you leave it on?

-End Scene-

Exhausted

Work has hit that fevered pitch that it does every so often. I swear this job has peaks and valleys and the peak is coming but I'm only 3/4 up the mountain. Come Nov 1, it will be sweet sailing into the holiday season but right up until Halloween I may just stop speaking to everyone except Cheech and that's only because she's working on the same project.

Last night I went to bed at 9 pm. No joke.

The trick to surviving times like these is to find the humor where you can...like today I started an email trail with clients entitled "BRAAAAAIIIIINNNNNNS" (it really was about brains). Everytime an email with that subject line popped into my inbox I got a little giggle.

Oh, and if you want a squishy brain talk to me after 1 November. I'm sure I'll have extra.

Friday Kick Ass Clip of the Week

Because dogs are dumb...and that's funny.

What Book Are You Reading? Do you enjoy it?

Nerdiest of all nerds, I was checking my Twitter feed and saw that Wil Wheaton has an interesting meme on his blog today.

(I used to have a little bit of a crush on Mr Wheaton in his Stand By Me days...I can't seem to let it go, regardless of that fact that he's like a nerd's super hero these days.)

So anyway, Mr Wheaton is wondering what book are you reading and do you enjoy it? Reading through his answers and some of the answers by his loyal nerd followers, I was reassured to realize that I don't have very much in common with anyone in that audience. In fact, I had only actually ever even heard of one of the books that one of them was reading "A Brief History of Time" by Stephen Hawkins. The first comment to his post is reading "Javascript: The Missing Manual."

Yeah, it's hard core over in that corner of the web.

But what was also interesting was that he noted he reads more than one book at a time. I've tried this in the past but always feel like I am "cheating" on one of the books and not allowing myself to get as swept away by either of the authors as I could if I devoted all my time to really focusing on just one. I can't do two books at once.

This is probably why I can also only ever date one person at a time. I've tried 'dating" and found I lack focus when given too many options and end up liking no one in the end.

But I digress. This brings me to my two questions for all 4 of my readers today:

1. What book are you reading and do you enjoy it?
2. Do you read one book at a time or multiple books at one time?

New Addition

Please say hello to Ms. Sasha. She's the latest resident in my new home.

Yes, I am one successful step closer to becoming crazy cat lady.

Carry on.

Friday Kick Ass Clip of the Week

Rachel Ray really loves corn.

.

Stuff

It's a funny thing, the stuff you own. You're never forced to sit and really think about it until you are forced to move it all and they you usually, universally, find yourself asking the following question:

"WHY DO I HAVE ALL THIS CRAP?"

Like a VCR and VHS movies. I thought I gave all those away. And what do you do with old cds and cassette tapes? Is there a charity that takes them to 2nd/3rd world countries so they can enjoy the musical stylings of Color Me Badd? How about all those books I got for free on the 21 Immutable Laws of Marketing and the Whiskey Distilleries of Scotland. I've never read them. Why do I keep them?

Once you realize you have to pack up, lift and carry everything, it really makes the decision making process much faster. I've already taken 4 bags of clothes, shoes, and books to Goodwill.

But it's the random little things that build up over time...like the extra camera batteries, the books that have been read and loved, the sweatshirt that you know you should throw away (Stacey and Clayton would be appalled!) but you love it so much you can't let it go...these are thing that make our lives comfortable, if not slightly crowded.

I just moved from a 1 bdrm apartment to a 3 bdrm house and can't believe the amount of un-needed crap I have kept and yet already know I need to buy a lot more stuff to fill up my new house. I can't even begin to imagine what it will be like when I move out of this place someday...

Home Owner!

For those who have been following along on the Twitter feed this is old news but as of last Thursday, I am officially a home owner! After years of saving and scouring the real estate websites like a scavenger, I finally have a piece of land to call mine.

That's right. It's not a condo. I OWN LAND.

I bought a 1950's rambler in North Seattle. It's on a cute little dead end street with a front yard, a back yard, and an attached one car garage. I have a neighbor named Sarah. I have trees. BIG TREES. I OWN BIG TREES. I have 3 bedrooms. I have a kitchen and a bathroom. I OWN A GARAGE. A garage! It seriously belongs to me. That idea blows my mind. Like, it's all mine. You can pick a flower in my yard. I OWN THE YARD...AND THE FLOWERS. This is big people! My little house needs some cosmetic updates but all in all, it's move in ready and I gotta tell you:

It's already a lot of work.

Once I got over the high of owning big trees (AND A LAWN MOWER!) I came down to realize that I had completely forgot what a PAIN IN THE ASS moving is...and I had a lot of help. I had amazing help! The Kyrsa Painting and Moving Operation helped on Friday. The Cheech and Brea Painting Crew took over on Saturday and on Sunday, the Jamey and Kate Moving Crew helped complete what the rest had started. But the hours were long, the muscles are sore, and the work is far from complete.

(Yeah, I know I need more men in my life but the women handled things JUST FINE ok?)

I painted three rooms on Monday and my hand was literally cramped around the paint brush by the end of the day. (I can now paint a trim a line with the best of them though!) Last night after work I had to finish cleaning and moving out of my old place - the odds and ends - and didn't get home until 9:30 pm. I got to my new house and was so tired I couldn't be bothered to put anything away in the new place. I am currently wearing outfits to work that can only be described as pieced together from clean clothes I could find. I don't look like a homeless person, but I kinda feel like one in these clothes.

The thing I hate about moving is that even though you are moved out, it takes FOREVER to move in.

But I now have 1300 sq. feet all to myself. I have a "Restful" green living room and a "Sun Light" yellow and white kitchen. The ugly two tone green bedroom is now a lovely soft pale lavendar and my bedroom and bathroom are a soft blue.

I'll post photos soon. For now, I have to go home and sit in MY LIVING ROOM and cook some food in MY KITCHEN and keep unpacking because I'm not homeless...and a home owner should dress better than this.

Friday Kick Ass Clip of the Week

In honor of my late night visitor the other night, I wanted to post some cute raccoon video. Raccoons have tons of personality, they do smart funny things, I figured there was some YouTube something somewhere, right?

What I learned is that there is a surprising amount of people who keep raccoons as pets...and the majority of them have southern accents.

I'm not sayin, I'm just sayin.

However, instead of sharing with you the multitude of coons taking baths, eating birthday cake, stealing cat food and playing with the family dog, I am instead choosing a some what mellow video of a neighborhood bandit getting some treats. It's cute. It's how I like my raccoons (OUTSIDE the house) and that's all I can really say about it.



That, and I am NOT installing a dog door without one of those electric sensors that only let's the dog wearing the collar in. Raccoons in my house. Eek!

Living in the Northwest

Last night, I noticed that THIS guy was watching me as I watched TV.

I now know what a zoo animal must feel like.

Our interaction was short and curious. I watched him watching me for about 10 seconds until he/she moved along. I think we should name him/her.

Suggestions?

So Eloquent...

Really? The main point of national political discussion is around an old colloquialism "lipstick on a pig"? It's pure diversionary tactics. It's the GOP getting people to talk about something inane and common rather than key issues like national security or the economy.

"Hey hey American voting public! Look over here!! We're talking about pigs and lipstick!! Let's focus on that and not the fact that my proposed vice president has zero political experience on a national, let alone global level!!!"

BTW - If you go to You Tube and type in "Lipstick on a Pig" and "McCain" you will find at least 3 videos of McCain using the exact same phrase.

So yes. The bleeding hear liberalism will continue to be a theme until Obama is elected. The below beautifully captures some of my thoughts on current matters. The full op/ed can be found here.

"Yes, McCain made a decision (picking Palin) that revealed many appalling things about him. In the end, his final concern is not national security. No one who cares about national security would pick as vice-president someone who knows nothing about it as his replacement. No one who cares about this country's safety would gamble the security of the world on a total unknown because she polled well with the Christianist base. No person who truly believed that the surge was integral to this country's national security would pick as his veep candidate a woman who, so far as we can tell anything, opposed it at the time.

McCain has demonstrated in the last two months that he does not have the character to be president of the United States. And that is why it is more important than ever to ensure that Barack Obama is the next president. The alternative is now unthinkable. And McCain - no one else - has proved it."

What I Learned This Weekend

• Paint color choices can be overwhelming. It's harder than you might think to decided on a shade of yellow...without being too yellow...let alone what colors you want the rest of the house.
• Cherryride wants a hot pink bedroom.
• They sell cabinet knobs and drawer pulls at Target and they're priced better than Lowe's.
• You can get really sick of watching home improvement shows.
• I can improve my golf swing...and have!
• Marymoor Park is an awesome concert venue, especially on a warm September evening.
• John Butler Trio is better live than on the cd and you should all be big big BIG fans.

Friday Kick Ass Clip of the Week

Well, if I'm back I better be BACK. Here's your Friday kick-ass clip of the week. Keeping this week's political theme...Enjoy!

Break's Over

Just like those sunny summer days, my blog break is over. It's sad when I typed my address into my OWN address bar and it wasn't there. A sure sign that I've been gone long enough.

And I gotta say, I MISSED YOU GUYS!!! How ya been? Whatcha been doing? Who ya been seeing?

Many things to update all of you on including CherryRide completely ignoring me for pretty much the entire extent of Pest Fest, my foray into the Seattle housing market (closing pending!) and my new status as resident expert on what everyone should think about Sarah Palin.

I'll address the Palin thing simply by saying this...it's a fake of course but I think it gets the point across. Oh, and I guess I should clarify that she wasn't Miss Alaska, she was Miss Wasilla, and up until a few short years ago she was mayor of Wasilla. A town with a current population of just under 9000 people.

Someone with that kind of political experience is definitely ready to lead one of the most powerful countries in the world should the 72 year old President have some type of health issue. Don't you agree? Can't ya just see her going toe to toe with Putin and successfully negotiating with China?

Vote accordingly.

More soon and on a regular basis!

Hiatus

For those who haven't figured it out, this blog is on summer hiatus. I may be back for a fall season, I'll keep you posted.

If you just can't stand to be without, the Twitter is being updated ----------------->
You can follow me there.

Been Around the World and I-yi-yi-yi

Yes my people, I am back from my whirlwind word tour. As much as I would love to just leave my lovely Parisian dinner as the top entry, I realize that fresh content makes the world go around...so I am back, blogging my life away.

A few things I learned:

• Paris is a good time even when you work an 80 hour work week (including the 4th o' July, Saturday and Sunday).
• Fois Gras makes everything better...and wine makes everything better than fois gras.
• Flying 12 hours with a hangover is the single best and worst way to travel. The whole "I can't sleep on a plane" issue really becomes a non-issue. However, the whole "need to stand in a 45 minute line to get through passport control" issue really is much more difficult than you could have ever previously imagined.
• The Foo Fighters ROCK...I mean serioulsy. They rock.
• Even if it's sunny and warm in Paris and Seattle it can still be mind numbingly cold in Anchorage. Always bring a sweatshirt and coat. Even in JULY. You will need it.
• Driving an F-150 kinda suits me. Srsly. You really can't take the Alaska out of the girl.
• A day trip to Homer, Alaska is not all it's cracked up to be
• Baby moose and bald eagles are all they're cracked up to be.
• I have a deep seated fear of pretty much everyone shopping at the Safeway in Homer.
• Freaks and Geeks does live up to the hype. I am now joining the ranks of those who are very sad there were only 18 episodes. Pure television awesomeness.

That is all.

Last Night's Dinner in Paris

Skipping over the calf's head and the pig ears, we went for a bit of a more mainstream meal.

On the recommendation of a lovely person named El Jeffe, we ate at Le Cafe du Commerce and enjoyed every lovely bite. A smattering of what I ate from either my plate or the plates of others is below:

• Foie Gras
• Crab Mousse avec avocat puree au harcort verde
• Tendre grillade du Commerce au sauce Marchand de vin (Steak with wine sauce)
• Creme Brulee
• Profiteroles with chocolate sauce.

It's not anywhere central so you have to make an effort to get there but make note for the next time you are in Paris!!

The Reason I Love Paris...

...is because it's Paris. Cherry, Titus, you were totally right. What the hell was wrong with me? It's PARIS.

Today we got out of the hotel to the opening event ceremonies at the Hotel de Ville (city hall) and as we drove past the Tour de Eiffel and le Louvre and the shops de Tabac, Le Poste, the Seine, I remembered how much j'adore Paris.

Regardless of the fact that I spend most of time in the staff work room and the hotel conference center...the traffic and honking cars. The history. The tourists. The locals. The variable weather. It's Paris. It's awesome.

And I forgot that Paris looks so...Parisian. I know it's a lame statement, but it's true. The level architecture with cream colored buildings, the iron wrought window patios, the shops along the street. The people walking everywhere. Napoleon would be proud. His boulevards are very much in tact and his city remains as vibrant as it ever was.

I ate carpaccio and frites for dinner and drank vin rouge de Cote de Rhone. My salade vert avec fromage from the non-descript bistro was super yum. In fact, I am already looking forward to tomorrow's dinner...but for now, it's off to bed.

Vive la Paris!

"I Bet They PARTY on the 4th in Europe!"

That sentence was actually uttered by one of my college roomies. Bless her heart. It took a moment of explanation before she realized why the 4th of July might not be the biggest party Europe (and especially the UK) has ever seen.*

So yes, I am off to Paris today for work and will spend the next week or so working my butt off. We have some great locations for our event - a hotel in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre - but I won't see much of either one. Long days, long hours in press rooms...I can actually already feel that ache you get in your legs when you have been standing all day.

Hopefully, I'll manage to have at least a moment or two to peek my head outside. The one good thing about having to go to Paris for this event is that I've spent quite a bit of time in Paris, so at least I won't be sad about not having any play time.

The thing I am most sad about is missing the 4th of July again. This year was to be my first 4th spent in the USA in over 3 years. I actually have spent the 4th of July in France more recently than I have spent it in the USA. It was with my mom, on a beach in Nice, eating fresh mussels and caprese salad while the sun set behind us and a big bottle of wine chilled next to us.

Yes, my mom and I do take some good holidays...

And yes, I know that the Fourth Of July brouhaha is really celebrating the fact that a bunch of slave-owning, aristocratic, white males didn't want to pay their taxes...but I was looking forward to the fireworks over Lake Union, a bbq of some type at a friend's house somewhere, and also a day off of work (instead I will be working the 4th and Saturday and Sunday too). The 4th of July is my type of holiday - it involves rest, relaxation and a party with food and drink. No gifts. No guilt. Just good times.

I know, I know, I will be in Paris! I don't expect your pity. I know I don't really deserve it. But on the 4th - do me a favor - watch at least one firework for me...I'll eat some cheese for you. A baquette or croissant if you prefer?

*Although, in my 3 years in London we did manage to get the office on board with celebrating Thanksgiving - how can you not love a holiday that's main purpose is to eat and drink?

Random Stuff from All Over

Yes, I know I have been slacking on the blogging. I've been trying to make up for it by Twittering like a mad woman...but I know it's not the same.

In an effort to catch all y'all up quickly, a random smattering of my recent highlight activities:

• Boating on Lake Washington - Considering how long I have lived in Seattle, I had never gone boating on either Lake Union or Lake Washington. I drive across Lake Washington every morning and night on my way to Bellevue, always jealous of those boating people mocking me as I sit in gridlock. Well, we can now check off Lake Washington thanks to Cheech's man friend and his fast boat. It was a glorious and happily unexpected way to end a Monday and I have now decided a boyfriend with a boat is the only way to go.
• Summer Solstice - one of my favorite holidays in Seattle - was spent at the Center of the Universe (please set your watch back 5 minutes) in Fremont. Nekkid bikers kicked off the parade as they always do and creativity on the body pant was high this year. The parade itself was better than last year and the festivities lasted well into the evening. Highlights included actually getting a table at Tacos Jomama's (even if Cheech forgot to order my tacos), buckets and buckets of ice cold beer, making lots of new random friends, meeting a girl who didn't realize that putting ice down cleavage is NOT funny, a man I had just met (named Jeff) trusting me with his credit card, and losing Kelly in the woods only to find her again 10 minutes later.
• Spontaneous Camping - I called Brea on Friday night at about 5.30 to see if she was up for some spontaneous Happy Hour (the sun was out, the wine was calling) only to discover she was on her way out of town to camp at Lake Kachess in Snoqualmie Pass. "Why don't you join us? It's only an hour away." she asked. "Hmm...ok!" I replied. Fast forward an hour when I am $150 poorer but cruising out I-90 with a newly purchased sleeping bag, sleeping pad and camping pillow. The location was gorgeous, the company entertaining (to say the least), and I was home in time the next day for a shower and lunch date. That's my kind of camping!

Am off to Paris tomorrow for work for 9 days...I will (hopefully) catch you up on the rest from the other side of the world...

G'Bye Billy Boy

In honor of Mr. Gates last day, I offer you the following Friday clip of the week:

What I Learned This Weekend

Well, actually, you can see it all here but I'll give you a hint:

...it involved nekkid bikers, robots, zombies, belly dancers, a giant doobie and a ham sandwich!

What I Learned this Weekend

• A Mariner's game is always a good time. Even when they are having an uber crappy season, even when they don't win. Give me good weather, a ballpark and Safeco field and good times are guaranteed.
• You can get good parking around Safeco for $7 for a Mariners game. You can get a beer inside the game for $7. The parking may be the last reasonably priced thing in Seattle.
• My dad watches a lot of sports, but only the "majors" or the "finals" are important to him. Needless to say, he was happy as a clam to watch the US Open and the Basketball while I carried on doing what I needed to get done.
• I can procrastinate on things I actually WANT to do as well as I procrastinate on things I don't want to do. Go figure.
• I really really really want a dog. I may even settle for a small one if that's all I can have in my space.
• I really really really want my own space. I may even settle for a small one if that's all I can afford.
• There's plenty of crazy in Seattle...and it can be found walking around Green Lake, talking to trees and squirrels and helping set up tents.

Friday's Clip of the Week

Just a friendly commiserating reminder that somedays you're the hamster, somedays you're the wheel...

Happy Friday everyone!

Reader's Poll:

I fell asleep last night at 8 pm while watching Hope Floats on AMC.

I can't decide what is the saddest part of that sentence: 8 pm? Hope Floats? AMC?

Please vote.

Things To Do in Maui

After a lovely week spent doing little more than was absolutely necessary in sunny warm wonderful Maui, I find myself back at my desk, staring out at 55 degrees, gray, cloudy, rainy weather and wondering where this thing called "summer" is hiding.

At least I have a tan to remind me of better times.

So how did I fill my time in the Maui you ask? Well, I'll tell you:

• I watched the sunrise over Haleakala crater and then biked (and by 'biked' I mean coasted) down 28 miles with gorgeous views of Maui all the way. We stopped for breakfast at Ku'la Lodge. I highly recommend!
• I went snorkeling at Molokini, swam with turtles, and sailed in the tradewinds. (Awesome. Awesome and Awesome)
• I ziplined my way over ravines, rainforests, and waterfalls at Ka'anapali. Even though there was no Pinzgauer, there was Ollie the wonder pup to make up for it.
• I laid for hours and hours next to the ocean side pool topping up my tan and watching palm trees, waves, and surfers. My biggest concern for the week was the internal debate I faced when I got too hot and wondered if I could hold out on jumping in the pool until I finished my chapter.
• Speaking of chapters, I read three books: Kitchen Confidential (thumbs up), Jitterbug Perfume (not so much), and When We Were Orphans (quick and ok).
• I saw 2 dear friends tie the knot at Olawalu plantation while the sunset behind them and then did the Electric Slide on a dance floor under paper lanterns and a sky full of stars.
• I bonded with 3 of the sweetest babies I've ever met and took great joy in making all of them smile.
• I watched dry lightning on the horizon across the sea at night while sipping white wine and counting shooting stars.

Needless to say, the chilling Seattle greeting of winter weather in June is a hard reality pill to swallow. Remind me again why everyone doesn't live in Hawaii?

Photos soon.

Gone to the Beach

You can find me here if needed...and yes, my tan is looking great.

Updates are in Twitter for those that are interested ---------------->

Busy Busy Busy

• Lord child have I been busy. Busy busy busy. Every weekend booked. Every weeknight choc-a-bloc. From Monday morning until Wednesday night I don't stop going. This morning, my coffee actually got cold on my desk because I was so busy I couldn't drink it. I am now blogging because I can't take it anymore. All systems are shutting down.
• The GMAT class on Tuesday's is good. It's helpful. I think it will bring that score right on up. It's nice to have a reason to leave the office at 5 pm. It's not nice when it's nice out and I am stuck in a classroom for 2 hours while the sun sets and I have already been in an office all day.
• Good thing I'm single. Officially single. Single single single. When I find time to date, I'll take up the banner again. No, there are no cute dudes in the GMAT class.
• I am having trouble sleeping. I either dream stress dreams or wake up several times.
• I celebrated eight years at my company last week. Where DOES the time go? I have no idea. Does that make me old? At least I know I don't have a problem with commitment or maybe I just like the abuse.
• Heading to LA for the weekend to visit the Tawa. Going to see her play and rub elbows with celebrities. This should be awesome. I plan to lie like a vegetable.
• Next Saturday I am going to Maui for 8 luscious days for a friend's wedding. Lots of friends from college will be there. I plan to sleep all day and do nothing more strenuous than to make sure I am appropriately covered in sunblock.
• I miss you guys.

Friday Clip of the Week:

File under: Completely random and Made me Laugh

Songs to Get You Through the Work Week

Little something here for everyone:

1. Handlebars - Flobots
2. Hold On - KT Tunstall
3. Love Don't Live Here - Lady Antebellum
4. Overdure - Bitter:Sweet
5. Mercy - Duffy
6. Can't Find My Way Home - Ellen McIlwaine
7. Baby Got Back - Jonathan Coultain
8. La Belle et le Bad Boy - MC Solaar
9. Foundations - Kate Nash
10. Can I Get Get Get - Junior Senior

Now you know what I am listening to when I am ignoring you yelling at me from over the cube wall.

Enjoy my lovelies.

Bad Blogger

I'm so sorry my pretties.

Work keeps getting in the way of my anti-social socializing on the Internet.

Damn you work!* Why must you torture me with your stress-filled deadlines and mind-numbing meetings?

(*but thanks for the paycheck. It helps numb the pain. )

I Have Decided That:

"Better Than" by John Butler Trio is the official song of my summer.

It shall be played at all outdoor events and in the car with windows down and system up on all sunny days.

No arguments. It's not a discussion.

That is all.

What I Learned This Weekend

• CherryRide is so my monkey boy. DANCE MONKEY BOY DANCE!
• The White Horse in Post Alley is super awesome, even if they don't have a single drink on tap.
• I have little teeth. Or maybe I don't.
• The parking fairy is always with Kjersti.
• If you yell out "BOSTON BITCHES!!" in a bar in Seattle, someone will always holler back.
• Three girls can drink a lot more wine in a single day than they thought they could. In fact, they can drink a ridic amount.
• "Ridic" is the new ReckenRoll word of the summer. As is "bitches."
• I thought I had been wine tasting in Yakima but apparently I had really been wine tasting in Zillah.
• Always bring your Rattlesnake Trail passport. It never expires!
• Brea + Jo = Good times. Good times.
• The Yellow Church in Ellensburg serves up some tasty vittles at a very right price.
• The Tav NEVER lets you down.

SPOTTED IN SEATTLE

The CherryRide.

Mothers, LOCK UP YOUR SONS!!!

Biting the Bullet

Well, kids, after months of thinking, debating, and weighing my commitment levels today I took a big step.

I bit the bullet and copped out an outrageous amount of money to enroll in a GMAT prep course.
That's right - the ReckenRoll is heading back to school.**

Class starts next Tuesday and I am actually excited to go (which surprised me). In anticipation, I took some practice questions online and wow. Let me just say, I need as much help as I can get.

Shocking, I know.

I mean, I consider myself to be relatively competent with the written word and when it comes to math, I am usually the one who sorts out the bill in a group dinner situation. But these test questions reminded me just how far I've slipped since my hay days of the 11th grade.

Do you know how to figure out surface area of a cube if the volume is 27? I didn't. I guessed. I was wrong. It's weird to me that the problems all involve math that I KNOW I should know...like we all learned it somewhere, once, about a million years ago but haven't seen since the 8th grade. Seriously. When was the last time you used math beyond basic percentages? It's kinda like when you watch Jeopardy and there are those questions that you KNOW you studied in school but now have no idea.

It's clearly time for a brush up.

And hey, who knows, maybe there will be some cute pre-MBA future millionaire type who needs a study buddy. Who am I to fight fate?

So wish me luck kids. In the tradition of CherryRide working his way through medical miracles, I'll keep you all well posted on progress!

**Actually, the GMAT score will determine if she's heading back to school or not.

What I Learned This Weekend

• When the Barefoot Contessa says to bake the cookies on parchment paper, you REALLY SHOULD bake the cookies on parchment paper.
• Mangled coconut macaroons still taste awesome.
• I am an excellent cook. Seriously.
• I can still rally to leave the house after 10 pm on weekend night...but I will still be home in bed about 2 hours later.
• I spend a lot of time with my own demographic. Go figure.
• Free beer always tastes better.
• It can snow in Seattle in April . What happened to global warming?

What I Learned on Monday After Reading My Weekend List:

• I had a damn boring weekend.

Friday Moment of Zen

Sticking with the little decisions theme, I gotta say, this guy made a bad one. But the thing I love is the professionalism. The fact that he closes the piece and signs off is, in a word, AWESOME.

Happy Friday Kids!!

It's the Little Things

You've already made hundreds of decisions today.

Starting with deciding to get out of bed to how long you're going to brush your teeth to whether to drive 25 or 28 mph in your neighborhood. The decision about what way to go to work, the decision about how many cups of coffee, the decision about whether to keep working on that spreadsheet or to read this blog.

We all make a lot of decisions - sometimes without even knowing it.

This morning, my decisions had me leaving the house at 9 am. My upstairs neighbor Michelle, and her 2 kids did the same. It's not unusual for us to walk out around the same time, but it doesn't always happen. As I was crossing the street to get into my car, I had to lean in to my driver side door to let a mercedes squeeze past. I had made the decision to cross in front and make him wait for me to cross. It's an urban residential neighborhood - houses with yards, not apartments - but not many people have driveways so we all park on the street and when both sides have parked cars, only one car at a time can get through.

I get in my car, check the rearview mirror and see the exact moment of impact between the mercedes and a motorcycle that was crossing the intersection.

I see the motorcycle driver fly through the air.

I am in shock. Did I just see that?

I look at Michelle, who has her 3 year old and 10 year old girls in tow, and in shock ourselves, we silently agree on the decision to be made. She grabs her phone and stays put and I run down half a block in heels to the scene where the motorcycle driver is (thank god) alive and standing there in a daze.

The bike is trashed. There is windshield glass and car parts everywhere. Some fluid is leaking and smoke. He is in socks - his shoes have been knocked clean off - one of theme is 1/2 up the street the other direction. He's holding his arm which is either broken or dislocated or both and when he takes off his helmet (before I can suggest that he doesnt) there is blood on his face from a small cut.

THANK GOD for helmets.

He walks towards me and I make him stop and sit down. Then I have to make him keep sitting down. I yell to Michelle, we need a medic too - not just the police. He wants to make phone calls but his phone is broken. He was just test driving the motorcycle. Can I call them for him? Another neighbor who just arrived says she'll call. I'm afraid to leave him alone, he'll get up again.

The driver of the mercedes comes walking up the street on his mobile phone. He seems fine. He's also calling 911. He was driving his daughter and her friend to school. They were in the backseat where the impact happened. The motorcycle T-boned their car. There is no stop sign. He made the decision to go. The motorcycle made the decision to trust there was a stop the other way.

The car passengers all appear to be fine but the girls have glass from the windshield in their hair. The girls (also about 10 yrs old) know Michelle's daughter. The dad asks if Michelle can take them to school. The girls are worried about being late.

Clearly no one involved in this accident is thinking clearly.

The police and medics arrived within 3-5 minutes (it was pretty amazing actually). The cycle driver was taken away on a board with a neck brace. I overheard the medic telling the dad he was going to HAVE TO to take the girls with him to get checked out at the hospital. Specifically, the one that was on the impact side.

And all I could think about on the way to work afterwards was the decisions that everyone involved had made that day...that life...to be in that spot at that moment. If I hadn't made the mercedes slow down to pass me, he would have been safely through that intersection. If some city planner had ever decided to put a stop sign at that intersection, one of the drivers would have stopped. If the dad had the girls out of the house 2 minutes earlier. If the cycle driver had been 30 seconds later. You can extrapolate back for generations of decisions if you try - all leading up to that moment of impact.

It's the little decisions we make that make the big ones happen, kids. The little ones.

Sadcakes - it's totally famous!

So I was googling myself today (don't judge - you've all done it) and a link took me to a blog I have never read, to a person I have never met, who is using Sadcakes (actually there were 2 cases of this) and it's getting credited back to me thanks to Julie Gong.

I love the Internets!!!

This totally made my day!

What I Learned This Weekend

• It is possible to sit on the couch and play Packrat for 6 hours on a Friday night. I would think this made me a loser, but Cherry was blogging and reading blogs at 8 pm on Saturday night, so I don't feel so bad.
• It is also possible to walk Green Lake twice in one day - especially when it's sunny out - which it rarely has been in Seattle. You've got to get your Vitamin D when you can.
• Washing your car at one of those drive in bays, instead of going through the car wash, counts as a workout (Yes, I am super out of shape, thanks for asking). My car is real pretty when it's clean.
• The kind of lame book, "The Memory Keepers Daughter" made for a kind of lame movie as well. Yes, it was on Oxygen but it had big stars so I gave it a shot. Meh.
• From this point forward, I will always call a Subaru a Lesbaru. That is just too funny.
• If I hit my scary age, Gancer is willing to donate DNA to father my children (and I think any other single female out there). I have not yet decided if this is good news or not but it's oddly reassuring.
• Even 9er will eventually bend to the all mighty power of Facebook.
• And finally, even when you are mutually agreed and there are no hard feelings and people are still friendly, it sucks being single again. The very idea makes me tired.

Friday Clip of the Week

And now for your viewing pleasure, your weekly moment of Zen...

Am I Getting Old?

Actual conversation had this weekend in the car :

ME: "You know, I've found that I am listening to The Mountain and JACK a lot more often these days. They've been playing really good music lately."

K: "Um, no, they are playing the same music we're just getting old and don't like the younger stations anymore"

ME: "No we're NOT! I still have KISS programmed in..........but it does drive me crazy that all they play is Chris Brown and Rhianna over and over and over and over. I can't take it."

K: "They're dating you know and they sing that song together."

ME: "Yeah, that makes it even more annoying. It's like every song is by them and SO damn repetitive. Oh, and I what I really hate is that Love in the Club* song! Ugh. I have to flip."

K: "Yeah, you're old."

(My attempt at Perez Hilton style blogging)

* yes, I know Love in the Club is by Usher but they still play it on KISS a lot and it still annoys the crap out of me,

Paris Je T'aime

"Sitting there, alone in a foreign country, far from my job and everyone I know, a feeling came over me. It was like remembering something I'd never known before or had always been waiting for, but I didn't know what. Maybe it was something I'd forgotten or something I've been missing all my life. All I can say is that I felt, at the same time, joy and sadness. But not too much sadness, because I felt alive. Yes, alive. That was the moment I fell in love with Paris. And I felt Paris fall in love with me."

At the recommendation of a coworker, I rented Paris Je T'aime last weekend.

Eighteen directors (like the Cohen Brothers, Wes Craven, Gus van Zant, and Olivier Assayas) were each assigned on of the 18 Arrondissements (neighborhoods) of Paris. They had 5 minute of film time to tell a story about love in that neighborhood. Some stories are in English, some stories are in French, some stories need no words. Cast members include Gena Rowlands, Bob Hoskins, Elijah Wood, Natalie Portman, Juliet Binoche, Maggie Gyllenhaall, Nick Nolte, Willem Dafoe, Natalie Richardson, Emily Mortimer...it goes on and on.

The trailer doesn't do it justice but when you do rent it, I highly suggest you watch the behind the scenes bits about the making of the movie and the experiences they all had. If you've ever been to Paris, it's like a journey back to the places you saw and experienced and you'll fall in love with Paris all over again.

Going Green: I hate plastic bags.

Ever since I started learning about how bad they are for the environment, plastic bags have become my number one source of urban yuppie guilt. More than driving my non-hybrid car. More than drinking bottled water...it's plastic bags that irk me. Some facts:

• It takes 1000 years for plastic bags to break down. As polyethylene breaks down, toxic substances leach into the soil and enter the food chain
• Americans throw away approximately 100 billion plastic bags per year.
• Approximately 1 billion seabirds and mammals die per year by ingesting plastic bags
• In addition, 100,000 marine mammals die yearly by eating plastic bags because plastic bags are often mistaken as food by marine mammals. These animals suffer a painful death, the plastic wraps around their intestines or they choke to death
• Plastic bags are carried by the wind into forests, ponds, rivers, and lakes.
• I am sick of looking at them everywhere - aren't you?

ONE THOUSAND YEARS people!!! That means that EVERY plastic bag you have EVER USED in your ENTIRE LIFE is still out there somewhere (even if some poor seal or sea turtle already choked to death on it, it's STILL out there. The body just decomposes around it. Yuck.) Every time you took an extra bag, or took 2 bags when you really only needed one, you potentially killed Flipper.

Think about THAT.

Being the lazy mooch that I am, I started out small, insisting I didn't need a bag for my pack of gum. Most store clerks looked at my like I was from Mars. "No bag? Are you sure?" When I got up to not taking a bag for up to 4 or 5 items (you're just going to your car, you can carry 4 items people!), I thought they might call the nuthouse. "Um, Steve, we got a gal on checkout 5 who isn't taking a bag for her handful of items." "Is she sober? I dunno."

And when I did have lots of items, I would insist on all in one bag and I never allowed for the dreadful double bag. I mean seriously, what is up with the grocery stores insisting on giving you like 30 bags for your 2 items? "Let me double bag those 2 apples and cheese for you, Miss, wouldn't want the apples to get bruised."

But for some reason, I was resisting buying one of those reusable bags. I don't know why. Maybe I was afraid I would be mistaken for an unshaven hippy toting my canvas bags, buying organic veg, and drinking my Fairtrade coffee out of my reusable ceramic mug. I was guilty, yes, but at least I wasn't INCONVENIENCED. Remembering that bag would be hard. Who needs that kind of trouble?

That is, until yesterday, when I broke down and spent the $.99 to buy a reusable bag. Let me tell you, I slept like a baby that night. The weight of the world was lifted from my shoulders. And so far, it's easier than you think. Take the groceries into the house, put bag by door, put bag back into car for next time.

Easy peezy.

I was also pleasantly surprised to see in the PI the next day that Seattle could impose a 20-cent-per-bag "green fee" and outlaw foam food containers next year. Yeah! I mean, shoot, if even China is doing it...

So Go Green people! If for no other reason than so that you don't have to keep that ever growing collection of plastic bags under the sink anymore.

Call Me a Spoil Sport

But I seriously am not a fan of April Fool's Day.

For one thing, as a PR person in the tech industry, every year we have to deal with all kinds of bogus requests thanks to "funny" press releases...and until someone remembers the date, it can cause a lot of wasted time and effort trying to figure out what was going on. But the tech guys like to take it to new levels (see Google today). It's answering one bogus question after another all day, "No, no, it's really not true - just look at the calendar date."

For another, it's really a day about trying to make someone feel stupid. "I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU FELL FOR THAT!! HAHAHAHA!"

That's just mean!

So, on that note, what's the best April Fool's you had today? :-)

Brace Yourselves

For news that (some of you) can REALLY use click here and tune into the Today Show on Friday. If you live in the UK, I'll see what I can get for you - I am guessing it will be all over YouTube post haste.

Cherryride is gonna be so sad that he left the country. Poor timing on that one chap!

Comments

I don't know why the comment link is being weird on the post below. I tried to fix it but I am not that talented so you can leave a comment on this one instead if you are so inclined.

Please feel free to share with the group. Your call is very important to us.

An Open Letter to the Drivers of Seattle -

*Warning: RANT ON*

Dear Seattle Public,
How are you? It's been a while since we chatted. I hope things are going well. I know you made it safely to work today. In fact, that's what I'd like to have a little chat about. Today, on my way to work, I encountered no less than SIX DRIVERS in a span of 30 minutes (that's one every 5 minutes or so) who didn't know what they were doing on the roadway. This is a serious issue. We need to have a little chat. Would the following drivers please report to Driver Ed? You can stop by my house for an arse whooping first:

1. Parked in the Traffic Lane Guy - DO YOU NOT SEE THE SIGN that says NO PARKING in that lane from 6 am - 9 am? Clearly not. Thanks for screwing up everyone's mojo.
2. Not Going to Let You Into My Lane Guy - you suck. It's a residential street and some idiot parked in one of the 2 driving lanes. You see him parked there. You see me trying to get over. Don't be a dick, Dick. Yes, I am going to force my way over. Go ahead and honk. You suck. Oh, and your girlfriend is UHGLEEEE.
3. Delivery Van Who Doesn't Know How to Merge - These two lanes become one lane. That means you proceed and take turns with the cars in the other lane to merge into one lane. That does not mean you come to a complete stop (where do you see a Stop sign? Please explain.) and let ALL OF THE OTHER TRAFFIC GO first. That means you go. They go. YOU GO. They go. YOU GO. SO GO!!!!
4. Changing Lanes Recklessly and Fast With No Blinker in Jammed Freeway Traffic Guy - you are going to cause an accident. Seriously. I hope your car gets totalled.
5. Don't Know How to Exit Girl - When you see two cars, travelling at about 65 mph, and they are in your lane traveling at a relatively close distance, and you see that there is a completely OPEN lane behind them, it is WRONG to place your car directly in between them in the lane next to them and sit with your blinker on. Ease off the gas honey. Slide in behind. You can do it. Stupid cow.
6. Don't Know How to Change Lanes Guy - Alternatively, when I am travelling a decent distance behind the guy in front of me, and I am letting you over, GET THE HELL OVER. Don't sit there with your blinker on and try to decide for a good 5 minutes. I realize you've probably been driving next to Not Going to Let You Into My Lane Guy and had a bad experience but hey, we're not all like that. A little awareness is all I am asking for.

And finally, to Everyone Out There Driving a Car Anywhere in the World, HANG UP YOUR DAMN MOBILE PHONE. You're driving like an idiot and pissing us all the hell off.

Yes, that includes you.

Thank you for your time and attention in this important matter. With a little extra attention, a bit of space in between us and you getting the hell out of my way, I think we can all just get along. I have a good feeling about this.

Sincerely,
ReckenRoll

Grounded

The ReckenRoll is on restriction. We've grounded her plane, sent away her driver, and hidden her passport. We're considering removing her mobile phone but we aren't Sam Lufti so the phone remains in her possession. No more travel. No more trips. Not until at least 30 days have passed with her arse remaining in the Pacific Northwest (Portland and Whistler are considered PNW).

I mean seriously, I couldn't let a whole work week go by without blogging at least ONCE! Man, am I a serious lame ass lately. Grounding was the only way to go.

Speaking of Once, have you seen it? I have not (yet) but have been told by several people that it is apparently the most amazing thing since sliced bread and my life is not complete until I've seen it. It's going to blow my mind. I'm looking forward to it - although I fear that expectations are too high...

Friday Video of the Week

Let's get some normalcy back up in here.

Reckenroll Out.

Welcome to the World Grady James!

One of my nearest and dearest friends had a baby last night! Little Grady James joined the world in the wee hours of this morning after putting his mommy through over 48 hours of quality time at the birthing center (apparently induction doesn't always happen that quickly). He rocked the scales at a whopping 6 lbs, 11 oz.

In honor of his birth, I'd like to share some of the funnier gems I got in emails from Jenn during her pregnancy. All you need to know is that Jenn is a high school English teacher by trade and we should fear for the future of America:

• I'm wearing a sweater that ties above my belly and heard the statement, "Dang, Mrs. D, your belly is getting BIG" more than once today. Thanks, kids, I hadn't noticed. And they talk about it because they think that's the socially appropriate way to be excited. Sigh, 9th graders. And yeah, if they made these comments and I wasn't pregnant, then I'd seriously be issuing detentions like a madwoman.
• I just said, "That's not an acceptable choice. You're not in kindergarten; you're a big boy," to an 18-year-old.
• Today in one of my 9th grade classes I was talking about Langston Hughes and how he wrote during the Harlem Renaiisance. I said, "so when I say Harlem, where do you think of?" And like 8 boys all at once said "Globetrotters!" while one kid, who is actually usually kind of slow, said, "New York." So great, my other supposedly bright kids think Globetrotters is a PLACE and the kid who usually doesn't know what's going on knows that Harlem is in New York. Be afraid.

Just think, someday little Grady will be giving his teacher's precious little gems like these to share with their friends...Congratulations Jenn & Aaron!

Happy St Patrick's Day!

Last year at this time I was celebrating St Patrick's Day in Singapore with the Shaun and the Rob and calling The Cherryride from across the world to see what was up with the Green River. I went to look up the blog entry on this fabulous experience but there wasn't one.



I have no one to blame but myself.

So to recap for all of you this year: in true Irish style, we drank Guinness in an Irish pub while a local Singapore band played the English hits of the 80s and 90s; feasted on local street food in a hakka market; and then stumbled our way home in the humid 90 degree weather that is always present in Singapore, even at midnight.

You've never done a proper St. Patrick's Day until you've done it on the other side of the world. I challenge you to find a country in the world where there isn't an Irish pub. I think there may be more Irish pubs in Barcelona than there are tapas restaurants. If not, it's a close race. I mean, come on, EVERYONE loves Guinness.

Happy St Pat's Day Everyone!!

The Best Steak You EVER Had?

I am pretty sure mine was at Canlis last night.

Oh yeah, it was so good I had to DOCUMENT IT* on my blog.

It was filet mignon. It was a perfectly cooked medium rare. It was magic magic magic. What is it about red meat? I could never be a vegetarian. Not ever never ever.

*the photo is not the actual filet mignon I ate last night but that's pretty much what it looked like. Yum.

Sore.

Whistler was awesome (as previously noted, it had no choice) but I am feeling the pain today, let me tell you. This old girl ain't what she used to be. When did I get so old?

I spent a gorgeous sunny Saturday desperately trying to keep up with my mom. She was on skis, I was on a snowboard and it was such a pain. SUCH a pain. She had to wait for me every time I got off the lift while I did up those STUPID bindings. I couldn't keep up with her on some of the steeper bumpier runs. When we hit a flat anything I was totally screwed and had to hop off the board and walk it/skate it (great way to suck the life right out of you by the way, struggling to walk in snow and carrying a board in full gear) and for some reason, everywhere we went there seemed to be flat cat tracks EVERYWHERE.

My legs were constantly on fire.

Ugh.

On Sunday, the weather wasn't as good but I was on skis and we (almost) conquered that mountain! Unfortunately I had totally burned my legs the first day on the snowboard so I wasn't in for as long of a day as I would have liked. My legs ached and ached and every turn/stop burned my quads. By the last run, I was taking breaks every minute or so to let my legs rest. Only by keeping my eyes on the lodge at the bottom was I able to make it.

So I have a new rule. Skis with skiers. Board with boarders. Oh, and hit the gym and work the legs before next time...but not until after they've had a few days off.

Sadcakes.

Bliss.

Friday afternoon my mama comes to town and we are heading north to the happiest place on Earth.

Whistler.

When you think of me on Saturday (cause let's face it - you all always think of me on the weekends) picture me there.

I choose to ignore the weather forecast for rain and the fact that I am going to be spending 5 hours in the car with my mother as she critiques my driving with deep quick intakes of breath.

It shall be magic. It's Whistler! It has no choice.

Excuses Excuses

I gotta tell ya kids, the ReckenRoll is TIRED.

Dog tired.

And she's having a string of bad luck.

Bad luck + TIRED = Not so famous.

London last week was great. I was there for 10 days and was BUSY the whole time. And I don't mean busy in a social kind of way. I mean working 9-10 hours days everyday, with jet lag, for 8 of 10 days I was there. It was go go go the whole time...and while I was always go go go in London when I lived there, this trip seemed particularly frantic. I also jam packed my one weekend, because it was my one weekend, and while I LOVED seeing everyone and everything, it didn't make for a very relaxing time. That's why I didn't blog so much about the London...but I will.

Oh, and the toughest thing about trips that last from 7-10 days is that is right about the time that you start to get over your jet lag...and then you go home and reverse the process.

Got back on Wednesday and have been waking up at 5 am ever since (without an alarm clock). On Thursday morning the work I was doing in London carried over, (no rest for the wicked)except now when I got in to the office in the morning I was already 8 hours behind on email. I was putting out fires all over the place and the 9-10 hour days became 12 hours days.

But I was doing ok with it...until the weekend when:

• The work that I was hoping would be finished during the week, made me work on the weekend. Like at 7 am on Saturday...but hey, I was already kind of awake anyway.
• The sump pump at my house broke, meaning I can't use the toilet or shower. So even though I am home, I am not able to be at home and am staying at various friend's houses until it gets fixed today. My landlord offered a hotel but the very idea of being in another hotel makes me shudder.
• A jar shattered when I opened it and sliced my thumb open pretty deep. Didn't get stitches, but they were seriously considered while it was bleeding all over.
• My computer, which is my life at work, decided to fritz...a lot...when I needed it not to be on the fritz. I love Vista!
• Completely sober, I spilled a full glass of red wine all over Suz's new expensive boots and coat right before she got on a red eye flight back to NYC. But hey, at least I didn't kill anybody! Right?

So hopefully today I get to sleep in my own bed again and hopefully soon I'll be back on the blogging bandwagon. I miss you guys! I really do...

Please Hold, Your Call Is Very Important to Us

Your request for new blog content will be answered in the order it was received.

Please continue to hold.

I Gotta Get Me One of These!!

"The Perfect Hawaii Chair combines the ancient art of the Hula with patented 2,800 RPM Hula motor to create an easy-to-use waistline slimming and fat burning aerobic workout exercise machine that take the work out of your work."

*Many thanks to JDobbs for the tip!

London Day 3

Tonight, we PUB!!!

Oh, and Big Ben still stands.

That is all my pretties. That is all.

I Fear I am Starting To Bore You People

I mean seriously - I am just kicking along, living my famous lifestyle - but is it all that interesting? I think not. Am I becoming a bore?!?!

Couple of things I forgot about London bathrooms:

• The Bathtub: What is the fascination with taking a bath in this country?. It's 2008. Who bathes anymore? When was the last time any of us took a bath? And why is the tub so skinny? Apparently the UK is the fattest country in Europe, yet there is no way any normal size human (let alone a fatty) would be able to bathe in that bath.
• European Showers: Almost begrudgingly they give you a showerhead that only hangs about 1/2 way up the tub. And what's up with the half glass wall that is supposed to act as a shower curtain but doesn't really work? Water all over the floor!
• European hotel hairdryers: So low powered they might as well just be a room fan that I point at my wet head. One of these days I am going to time the hairdryer vs. just letting it air dry. I am honestly not sure which one would win.
• The light switch outside the bathroom: Apparently there is actually a law that says the light switches and power outlets must all be lovated outside the bathroom in the UK. This means some idiot at some point screwed it up for the rest of us and now I have to thank the lord there is a mirror outside the bathroom in order to dry my hair with the fan.

At least there isn't carpet in the bathroom...

London = Surreal

Just arrived in London this afternoon. Spent the last part of the trip into the hotel trapped in traffic from Kosovo independence celebrations (which I am sure have not stopped traffic in American cities) then headed out to wander around the city that I love.

And I do still love it. Regardless of the fact that it doesn't give a rip where I've been or what I think. It's still my fabulous city but I gotta tell you, being here - it's SURREAL.

I don't know if it's because I wasn't planning on being back so soon or jet lag or what. Maybe its because I came and went so often when I lived here - but it really feels like I never left. I mean REALLY. I almost got on the tube to go to Belsize Park when I was walking back from dinner. Then as I turned to face Trafalgar Square and began to question if the last 6 months in Seattle had even happened.

And then I really wanted to be back in Seattle more than anything.

Go figure.

Valentine Mixed Tape

While struggling with the appropriate gift to give to my Valentine yesterday, I was inspired by 5of9er and realized that the mixed tape (cd) was the perfect mix of corny, cute, and safe while still expressing that I took the time to make some effort. I share the playlist below.

At some point I will get back into my groove of Friday You Tube clips (I have some great ones lined up) but today you get my mixed tape playlist cause I really like it. It's loved up without being heavy on the corny sentimentality (kinda like me) and it's something I would likely listen to even not on VDay.

And yes, he's new and no, I didn't tell all of you.
Sometimes I KEEP THINGS TO MYSELF OK?!?!

1. Somebody to Love: Queen
2. You Sexy Thing Hot: Chocolate
3. Let My Love Open the Door: Pete Townshend
4. Let's Get It On: Marvin Gaye
5. No Tomorrow: Orson
6. Your Song: Elton John
7. Bubbly: Colbie Caillat
8. Waiting for That Day: George Michael
9. Love Will Come Through: Travis
10. Brighter Than Sunshine: Aqualung
11. Mushaboom: Feist
12. Better Together: Jack Johnson
13. All I Want Is You: U2
14. Come Away With Me: Norah Jones
15. It Takes Two: Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock
16. Lovesong: The Cure

(For the record, he was prepared with nuthin, not even a flower, although I did get a nice dinner in return so that's something I guess. Oh well, maybe next year. )

Happy Valentine's Day!

Soul Mates?

My cute cute cousin has asked the question about soul mates on her blog and it got me thinking...in the interest of the pending Valentine's Day I decided to write a blog about it.

Hers is a question of faith. Do you believe in a soul mate?

My first thought was a quick and easy: "NO." Followed with a: "How silly."

But the more I thought about it, the more I realized it's not a quick, easy answer. It all depends on how you define it. So I broke it down. First of all, you need to believe in the soul.

Which I do.

Then you need to believe that you have a perfect soul partner and you have somehow become separated from them and some how, some way, in this world of a billion people, you may become reconnected.

Why do you need to become reconnected? I don't know. Because my soul is not complete without them? Because they are the perfect compliment to me? Does that therefore mean I've wasted my life up to this point because I am not being half of someone else's whole? Because I am incomplete myself?

I think not.

It's a romantic notion though isn't it? And I DO think different people bring different things to your life. I think I have lots of people in my life that my soul needs to be complete but not just one person can ever be all things to another.

That's just not healthy.

But other people add to my existence and my happiness. We're social creatures. People need people. It's as simple as that.

In which case I would like to revise previous statements. Maybe I do believe in soul mates and it turns out, I have lots of them.

They're called 'friends'

BUT if you'd still like to know if they're your SOULMATE you can take this quiz ok?

Don't say I never gave ya nuthin!

Getting (kind of) Political

We're caucusing in Washington state on Saturday. While I rarely tend to pay attention to any election until the post-primary dust has settled, now that I am back in America, and it's been clearly proven that things go to hell in a handbasket when I leave, this year I am getting into the swing of things early.

Call it a sense of urgency to make sure we don't let any more good old frat boys near the White House for at least another 8 to 16 years.

I am America people...and so can you.

The conflict comes in when I realize that ultimately, I don't think rockstars or actors should get involved in politics (I mean look at what happened with Regan and Schwarzenegger) so, as a top global rockstar, I can't in good conscience spout off what I think you should do politically.

Except for that gay marriage thing. (but that's obvious, right?).
Oh, and the point on legal abortion. (but then we all agree here already)
And um, the semi-automatic weapons, immigration, health care and America's role in global energy policies. (but again, I don't need to state the obvious)
Oh, and Iraq. (puh-leeze!)

But like I said, since we are all obviously in agreement, I won't go repeating what we all already agree on. However, if you're like old Reckenroll, you got lots of opinions but not a lot of time to listen to speech after speech after political analysis after speech.

(Let's be honest, you just watch the Daily Show and Colbert Report and snicker from the sidelines while Comedy Central helps you decide your opinion on national policy then you repeat the funniest lines at cocktail parties and pass the points off as your own.)

So given that I haven't really invested a lot in the pre-game so far, I wasn't convinced who my candidate should be...until a friend pointed me to a cool little tool that can help you find your candidate (or gut check the candidate you've already picked).

You take a quiz on your existing opinions and the results will tell you who is closest to your opinions, how close they were and how/why you differ and on what points. I also love that I can see how the individual candidates compare to my opinion and then link directly to their position on the points where I disagree and find out what they think exactly.

Check it out HERE.

So while I won't be endorsing my candidate here (now that I know who he is, love that his name rhymes with Yo mama), I will say you should all get involved. Take the quiz. Take a stand.

Yes, we can.

And in other news...

For those among the audience who doubted that Reckenroll would be able to maintain her famous lifestyle from the cold rainy shores of the Pacific North West, we have a news bulletin:

London Tour Dates have been confirmed: 16-27 February, 2008

So break out the party panties and book your seats now!!!

This show WILL sell out!!

Are you ready?

*I'm Reckenroll, and I approve this message.

R.I.P. to the Baileyman

Danielle called me on Saturday morning. She told me that she wanted to talk to me before we all met up for lunch.

Apparently, the coolest cat on the planet, our Bailey, had passed away in his sleep on Friday night.

Sadcakes.

Bailey was a joint project. Danielle let me adopt him when we first moved in together. We were always good about "no joint purchases" - so I picked Bailey. He was my responsibility. He had kennel cough when I brought him home. Our first job as new parents was to drag him out from under the bed by his neck every night and wrap him in a towel so we could give him his medicine via eye dropper and not get scratched to death.

He hated it.

So needless to say, it took a while to win him over.

But in the long run, he was the coolest cat around. He was chatty, he liked to have a chat when you got home...he'd tell you about his day and sometimes he would even sit to listen to you talk about your day. He was a lover, he liked to have his belly rubbed, he'd get you to follow him across the room...on your knees...as he continually rolled away from you and you scooted to follow and keep rubbing the belly. He loved a good nap (but not with me cause I moved too much) and he'd power nap with Danielle like nobody's business. But most importantly for the Reckenroll, he was a rockstar...he had his own thing going on (like any good cat) and he didn't care if you partied with him or not.

When I moved to London I couldn't take him with me. I wasn't willing to put an 8 year old cat in quarantine for the 6 months the UK govt required. Regardless of the fact that Zak and I hadn't lived together for a year, I always secretly thought he liked Danielle better... so it was a logical conclusion that he should stay with her.

So he did.

When I came back 3 years later, it didn't make sense to take him back. He had a good thing going on. He was 13 years old and had a yard, a family, and a kitten to hang with. I couldn't offer him any of that. So he stayed on with Zak, and when I'd come to visit I'd get a cuddle and a passing confirmation that I still ranked (but not as high as I used to).

And on Saturday morning/night, it was Danielle who found him after he'd decided to check in to the kitty heaven in the sky. Unlike any other pet passing in my life, he was curled up in a sleeping type pose and completely at peace. He lived to be almost 15 years old. He wasn't sick, or hurt, or in any type of pain. He was happy. He was vibrant. He lived a big full life and I can't even be sad that he's gone except that I am sad I'll never get another cuddle.

Thanks for everything Baileyman. You rocked.

I'm Back (kinda)!!

But I am ever so busy. I posted a *few* photos but there are many more...for now, I leave you with a good feeling, a very good feeling. The feeling you know that:

I'll be back,
when the day is new,
and I'll have more ideas
for you
and you'll have things you'll want to talk about,
and I
will
too.

More soon neighbors!

Mama I'm Coming Home...

My tour bus just dropped me off here in Airlie Beach and I was actually really sad to see them go...some really great people on that bus and some very happy memories. I hope they continue to have fun without me (although, let's be honest, is that really possible?).

All that's left now is to make my way (solo) back to Melbourne for my flight to the USA on Tuesday. I will be happy to have some time to reflect on everything I have seen and done and although I am sure the low is going to come soon I am in a pretty happy place right now. I am older, wiser, tanner, and back to using the majority of my English vocab (which will of course quickly go away again once I hit American soil).

They all kept asking me if I was sad to be leaving, which I felt bad saying "no" to so I said "yes" but really, it's all one big adventure at the end of the day and I never feel sad about finding out what happens next. You keep in touch with the ones that made the real connections and you fondly remember the others that made asses out of themselves while you laughed on your bar stool.

It's all about the great circle of life kids.

Wonder what movies I'll watch on the plane?

*sigh*

Missing you already Oz...missing you already.

Whitsundays - Coming to the end of the road

Just a few days left now - lots to report but not much time to write so you'll have to wait for the post-trip report.

Highlights include:

• Jumping in the waves at Surfer's Paradise.
• Swimming in an amazing fresh water lake while hoping to spot a dingo (but not)
• Teaching my tour group how to crank it like Soulja Boy.
• Creeking on Fraser Island and avoiding eels and ginormous spiders
• Watching kanagroos take their brekkie in the early morning twilight
• Turning a poor innocent tree frog into the subject of tour group paparazzi (he was well up for it though)
• Sitting in a dark natural cathedral cave with perfect acoustics and listening to an acoustic Lorena McKennit echo back to me while bats circled above.
• Waking up constantly in the middle of the night afraid there is a bug in my bed.
• Tanning, peeling, tanning, peeling

We are in the Whitsunday Islands for the next 3 days - including Australia Day, which promises to be an amazing party, and a full day on a booze cruise catamaran. Hell of a way to end the tour I think...

I can't believe it's almost over. It went so fast! This time next week I'll be on American soil (Cheech - would you pick me up?) and this will all be a memory with only the photos to remind me. Guess I better get out there!

(BTW - Are you all still with me? No comments and I start to wonder if I've lost you)