You're Doing It Wrong

Keeping up with the blog is much harder than you might guess. It’s not even my intention to post every day.

I’m going to Norman, Oklahoma in October for Returning the Gift X. Just this week I decided to do some homework and check airfare, etc. So guess what 2 of the 3 airlines that fly into Oklahoma City are? Yes, Delta and Southwest. How unlucky is that? It’s not even that I have too much pride to give the two suckiest airlines another try — but I’ve been getting contacted by their shills since I posted those stories — how do I know they don’t have my name in their systems and will torture me on purpose, just to get me? I guess that’s a little paranoid. I’m guessing I will take Delta over SW since I haven’t been to Salt Lake City for awhile (ahem) and because I would happily pay an extra $20 to get an assigned seat. What some people are willing to put up with to save a buck, I do not understand. Oh, and the 3rd airline is American and maybe I just didn’t understand how their webpage worked but when I check on a fare it was $1100 — I’d rather walk.

Baking update — made a Cooks Illustrated recipe for biscotti yesterday and I think both Bob and I will require extensive dental work. These things are like little rocks. They taste good though.

I came back from basket camp on June 9 and I’ve been on an anti-domestic chore kick ever since. Especially cooking. I just don’t have the energy or motivation to get fancy. I can’t explain it except to say that I’m overwhelmed with the care and feeding of this other person and yah, he does take care of it himself sometimes, but mainly it seems up to me and I just get sick of it. Lately we’ve been having a lot of things that can be defrosted and heated up and served with a green salad which I’ve been making by the bale since the farmers market started. Last Thursday I bought a bunch of spreads and dips and a baguette and crackers and some vegan chicken mcnuggets and Annie’s BBQ sauce and that was dinner. It worked.

Today I was coming back from my errands just as I turned into the courtyard right by our office I saw this large bird on the sidewalk clutching a flapping sparrow under its feet. It took me a second to register what was happening, it was so out of place. I realized it was a hawk — that close to me. Sometimes when I see a hawk, it looks sort of shabby, but this one looked dangerously beautiful. I stopped and tried to blend into the scenery because I wanted to watch. The hawk took the flapping sparrow and flew to a nearby tree.

I very slowly walked to where I could see up into the tree and the hawk gave me the stink eye — it was a little unsettling. The poor sparrow continued to flap in vain. Finally the hawk took off again and I didn’t see where it went.

Ug, what a wretched day. People can be so aggravating. If you can conduct business in a pleasant way or a nasty way, why not just pick nice. I don’t understand. And if I already sent you the crap you need, don’t call me and ask for it again. The biggest crime in the PamUniverse is wasting my time.

Remember the story about the Patio and their fancy-shmancy baby turnips and Mew England marinated veal strips with kiwi vinaigrette? There was an article in the paper that they are trying to re-vamp their menu to make it more accessible and cheaper. Wah! I am a restaurant activist. I think they should offer me free visits to check out the new menu and give commentary.

I’m having some insect issues. What does this mean? First I saw an ant in my room — of course while I’m doing my yoga practice. The next day I saw two and if history has taught me anything, that means the whole trail of swarming ants taking over is not far away. So far, hasn’t manifested. Then yesterday I was mixing my breakfast muesli which I make with oats from the bins and then adding in trail mix and the trail mix bag was filled with fruit flies. Gave me the heebees. I had to toss everything in a bag in a bag and then, like bleach the container and now I don’t want to eat that stuff. My favorite breakfast, ruined.

Tonight we watched part of this VH1 Behind the Music thing on 1987. It was too damn funny. They talked about current events/politics and related it to music. So you’ve got the stock market crash of 1987 cut to: Bon Jovi. And then they do a big Iran-Contra bit cut to: Beastie Boys. The simplification of modern history. Too funny.

I viewed the history part with an odd POV because there I was post college person dealing with a supposed adult existence and I was so friggin self-absorbed — these history events seem like a dream. Ah, to be in my 20’s again. Just kidding. Wouldn’t go back for anything.

I don’t know who reads this or how often, but I don’t assume I have too many regulars. Regardless, I find that I am always editing myself — things that I wouldn’t hesitate to write to myself in private I wouldn’t dream of alluding to in this space. And when I was thinking about this – I wondered what my purpose was, I mean, why shouldn’t I edit myself? Do people really want to see the unedited brain dump of any person willing to throw it out there? Especially someone like me who spends so much time analyzing her brain.

It’s been a great weekend so far. Friday night I went with Bob to the Waterfront Blues Festival and saw a band called something like Wild Magnolias from New Orleans and I called them “Las Vegas Indians” because of their outfits. It was super fun — I love events where all ages of people are having a good time dancing and enjoying music — is there any other artistic medium that compares in terms of group interaction?

Yesterday we went to Tacoma to visit Phil to talk about RTG XI and then we went to the Washington State History Museum to see the Woody Guthrie exhibit which I cannot more highly recommend. What an amazing life. Even if you have zero interest in folk music, you can’t ignore his amazing contributions or the impact he had on so many artists. I found it particularly ironic that such completely non-American artists like Billy Bragg and U2 had so much to say about him. I mean, can you imagine someone like Steven Tyler talking about some random British guitar strummer from over 50 years ago?

The Museum is amazing in itself. A beautiful facility, well built and nicely organized. On the one hand I was sad to see it so dramatically underused — a Saturday and it was a snap to park in the lot and we could cruise the exhibit at our leisure without worrying about other visitors — so at the same time I was happy to enjoy it without pushing and shoving and being annoyed by people in my way. I’m not into folk music but it made me want to invest a little time listening to his work.

I don’t know why I always think I have can post only when I have something to say. Why can’t I just sit here and type if it pleases me?

Yesterday I got myself worked into the most godawful snit which made me feel like crap all day long. Sometimes I wonder if it’s worth the effort since I don’t seem to becoming any more evolved or any better at asking for what I want. In fact, I just sit here and beat myself up for wanting anything. I know, veering awfully close to a public confession of neuroses — wasn’t the world a lot better place when people kept these things to themselves and it was considered impolite not to?

Happy 4th. Today we’re going out towards Mt. Hood for a gathering and then on the way home we’re going to Jimmy’s for a party with a band. I think it will be a fun day.