Midwestern on the West Coast

Blank Stares at Blank Pages

2010-01-20T10:56:00.000-08:00

Head under water
And they tell me to breathe easy for a while
The breathing gets harder, even I know that

You made room for me, but it's too soon to see
If I'm happy in your hands
I'm unusually hard to hold on to

Blank stares at blank pages
No easy way to say this
You mean well, but you make this hard on me

I'm not gonna write you a love song
'Cause you asked for it
'Cause you need one, you see
I'm not gonna write you a love song
'Cause you tell me it's make or breaking this
If you're on your way
I'm not gonna write you to stay
If all you have is leaving
I'ma need a better reason to write you a love song today
Today

I learned the hard way
That they all say things you want to hear
My heavy heart sinks deep down under you
And your twisted words, your help just hurts
You are not what I thought you were
Hello to high and dry

Convince me to please you
Made me think that I need this too
I'm trying to let you hear me as I am

I'm not gonna write you a love song
'Cause you asked for it
'Cause you need one, you see
I'm not gonna write you a love song
'Cause you tell me it's make or breaking this
If you're on your way,
I'm not gonna write you to stay
If all you have is leaving
I'ma need a better reason to write you a love song today

Promise me you'll leave the light on
To help me see with daylight, my guide, gone
'Cause I believe there's a way you can love me because I say

I won't write you a love song
'Cause you asked for it
'Cause you need one, you see
I'm not gonna write you a love song
'Cause you tell me it's make or breaking this
Is that why you wanted a love song
'Cause you asked for it?
'Cause you need one, you see
I'm not gonna write you a love song
'Cause you tell me it's make or breaking this
If you're on your way
I'm not gonna write you to stay
If your heart is nowhere in it
I don't want it for a minute
Babe, I'll walk the seven seas when I believe that there's a reason to
Write you a love song today
Today

New Beads for Sale on Etsy

2009-08-17T14:04:00.000-07:00

Here are some beads I just put up on Etsy.com that you may want to check out (no, I don't expect you to buy any, just admire them from afar a little).

Love you all!

xoxoxox

CLICK HERE:

OpenFireGlass.etsy.com

She Sells Seashells by the Sea Shore - Now Online!

2009-08-09T11:21:00.000-07:00

We *finally* have half a dozen seashells available for purchase on Etsy.com, and thought you all might want to view them.

Click here:

openfireglass.etsy.com

You can also click on the photos below to make them bigger:

Hope you enjoy!

Experimental Poetry: December 2008 Edition, Volume III

2009-08-06T19:38:00.000-07:00

UNTITLED

12/30/08

We are out of food
That we want to eat
Though if our favorite food was canned green beans
We’d be in for a treat

And if you like lettuce and tomato sandwiches
You are in luck
Because we ate all the cheese and turkey some other time
Before today

We could have spaghetti
If the noodles weren’t wheat
(Mike “would rather starve”)
We could have a salad
If I knew how to prepare a beet
We could have enchiladas
If we had some more cheese
We couldn’t even have enchiladas
Because we don’t have sour cream
(Mike only likes enchiladas if we have sour cream)

As I was thinking up this
Mike brought me a toasted tomato sandwich
It was delicious
See he’s a good man
(Was there even a question? I thought this was about food.)

Experimental Poetry: December 2008 Edition, Volume II

2009-08-06T19:36:00.000-07:00

C’MON C’MON

12/29/08

By Dr. Cleuss

Josh and Kaya
Fight all day
They’d rather argue
Than go out and play
How can this be fun you say?
What an interesting question.
(It can’t.)

Experimental Poetry: December 2008 Edition, Volume I

2009-08-06T19:33:00.000-07:00

SMALL

12/29/08

The aquarium’s on the microwave
My bicycle’s in the front entryway
Which is also our living room
That doubles as a guest room
I guess you could say we have outgrown
This little place we call home
(Never mind we never quite fit in it in the first place)
Not to mention the head of the guest “bed” is where people also get fed

(Oops, did I mention it?)

Busy Doesn't Even Cut It

2009-07-15T06:43:00.000-07:00

Self-employment can be rough. The freedom is exhilarating, the long hours seven days a week exhausting.

Not that I'm complaining, mind you. I know that I have it much better than many folks in this "great nation."

Anyway, since last we met, I have been down the coast as far as Monterey, which is a few hours south of San Francisco and currently the southernmost I have been since living here. I loved it there, in Monterey. We hope to go back with the kids and check out the famous aquarium there. We set up two new gallery accounts while we were out driving around, and I do in fact have high hopes for many more to come.

Next week is the marble show up in Tacoma, Washington, already. Where has the year gone? It's so weird how slow time used to go back when I was 10, now it just goes faster and faster and faster, and suddenly half of the "new year" is come and gone.

There's a lot to be said for paying attention.

I hope everyone is well in Wisconsin. I don't wish I was there - I've gotten quite accustomed to this moderate weather and never feeling too hot - though I do wish you were here! But then again, I probably wouldn't have time to have coffee anyway, so probably it's better this way.

Hugs and kisses, hope to chat again soon.

Josh and I (okay and Mike) made a video - and we really like it

2009-06-15T15:42:00.000-07:00

I went in to Mike's studio a week ago and shot some footage of him blowing glass. Over the weekend Josh edited it and put it together into a video that we can use to promote Mike's work. We think it's pretty awesome, and wanted to share it with you.

It'll also be up on our work website: warrenartglass.com

ENJOY, hope you like it for a first effort; let me know what you think! (Even if you think it needs some work.)

And can you see what he is making???

50 Seashells, One Dog

2009-06-11T19:31:00.000-07:00

(DISCLAIMER: These photos were taken with a Canon point-and-shoot digital camera. They are by no means professional-quality.)

"Roasted Baloni"

2009-06-10T17:16:00.000-07:00

“I think you have some mail,” she announced happily to me one Saturday afternoon.

“Oh, yeah. I already got the mail. Thanks, Kaya,” I replied, semi-absentmindedly.

“Oh, cool. Well. There might be some more, then. Maybe. You might want to check. Just in case,” she replied brightly, with a mischievous glint in her eye.

So I checked the mailbox.

Inside was a plain sheet of printing paper, folded in half. On the outside were the words:

TO: NAOMI

FROM: ?

So, I said, “Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, I wonder who this is from.” In an exaggerated tone. I made a face, to back up the tone, one that I hoped looked like I was pondering it, dramatically.

“Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm,” she said, “it IS a mystery.” And then she grinned.

I walked back inside from the front porch, Kaya following on my heels. I closed the door.

“Well, open it!” she yelped.

“Of course, of course,” I replied, quickly.

I opened it. On the left half of the folded paper there was a drawing of a piece-of-bread person. That is to say, a piece of bread with arms, legs, and a face. Behind him stood the rest of the loaf, in the plastic bread bag. (I actually had to ask Mike what it was, for this story, and he was like, “duh, it’s a loaf of bread.” Obviously.) In a thought bubble over the bread person's head were the words “Wow, he’s roasted.”

Now, okay. You may think this must be the best part of the story, because it’s pretty great. But you would be wrong, dear readers! We are not to the best part yet, though we are getting closer to it.

On the right side of the sheet of paper stood a slice-of-bologna person, in that it was a slice of bologna with arms, feet – or at least shoes – and a face. He’s waving, at the piece-of-bread man. His conversation bubble says, “Hi!” Next to the piece-of-bologna man is a container that says “roasted baloni.”

Now I know what you must be thinking. This surely must be the best part of the story, because, wow, it is great.

But no, because it gets better. Right now:

“Turn it over,” Kaya encouraged, once I had looked at the bread and bologna people for a while.

I turned it over.

On the back of the homemade card it said, in big letters down the page that took up the entire back of the card:

HA
HA
HA
HA

And there it is. Kaya just beamed at me, then, very content with herself and this card she drew for me. (Well, we can only assume it was from her, since she never did admit it.)

This story is why I love Kaya so much.

Josh didn’t get why it was so funny, but I love him anyway. Maybe even because of it. After all, you know what they say: Variety is the spice of life!

TODAY

2009-06-01T20:52:00.000-07:00

Today marks the 35th year that my parents have been married. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be who I am, and I am grateful. I am so proud of them for having stuck out the hard years, when their kids were snotty teenagers. Now when I talk to them, and when I see them, I think they seem truly happy with one another. And it is wonderful. (And now that I am co-parenting with Mike I understand so much more about all that they did for me. Thank you, Mom and Dad. Thank you for all of your sacrifices.)

Today marks the day my baby sister became a first-time homeowner. She is the youngest of the four of us, and the first to own her home. I am so proud of you, Sis, so proud it makes my heart swell.

Today also marks the day of my mom's birth; I think she's 35ish. She's as beautiful as she ever was. When she married my dad she was 21 and he was 19. We used to tell her she was a cradle robber. The other night the kids didn't believe that there are hippies in the Midwest, and I showed them my picture of Mom and Dad on their wedding day, as proof that there are.

I am grateful for the people in my life. I am grateful for my family. I am grateful for today. And there are few feelings better than to feel truly grateful for what you have.

Kinetic Sculpture Weekend was last weekend - one of my most favorite local traditions

2009-05-29T20:29:00.000-07:00

Hobart Brown invented the Kinetic Sculpture Race in something like 1974, I believe, because he wanted 'kids to see adults having fun so that they would want to grow up too.'

Anyone who knows me knows this right up my alley (I have an email that is iheartrandomsilliness, after all).

Anyway, it was last weekend and too much fun to remember to take tons of photos, but I took a few; here they are:

Hahahahahahahahaha. See, I Told You Guys.

2009-05-26T12:13:00.000-07:00

Overheard in my house last night:

"Honey, have you checked if Bird needs water lately?" said Mike, casually.

"Uh, not for a few days." I responded. Just as casually. (In my head I'm doing the Champion Dance, but I don't dare crack a smile or let on that I noticed he just called our plant by name.)

* * *

We had friends over for dinner last Friday night, and the menu was fabulous: Mike made steamed calamari and prawns, baked Tilapia fillets; I made steamed asparagus, jasmine rice and fruit pizza for dessert; and one of our guests TJ (who is Mike's new shopmate) brought over "Lion's Mane" mushrooms that he just grew. And then we served it all with local organic red wines. It was a feast! And an absolute success!

Our friend Ted took this photo of us, which he then gave us a copy of:

It was a wonderful night that reminded us of the important things in life: family, and the moments you have where you get to enjoy one another's company (as well as eat delicious food, let's be honest here, who doesn't love that).

* * *

I had wanted to make this recipe, but got kicked out of the oven (when I was recipe planning I heard Mike say he was frying the Tilapia but he was baking it, so fine, I'm nothing if not flexible), so I steamed my asparagus instead. I had leftover uncooked asparagus, so I made the roasted sesame asparagus for part of our dinner last night; and it was really easy and really delicious. So here's the recipe, try it and love it:

Roasted Sesame Asparagus

Ingredients

•1 lb asparagus, washed and trimmed
•1 teaspoon sesame oil
•1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Rinse asparagus and pat dry.
Place on jelly roll pan or a pan with sides.
Drizzle sesame oil onto asparagus, tossing to coat, then sprinkle with salt.
Roast for 10 - 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the asparagus. I like the ends to be a little crispy.

Note: I drizzled about 2 teaspoons worth of sesame oil and did not measure the salt at all, just eyeballed it. Super easy, and tastes awesome. Enjoy! (Oh and I bet it also works well with broccoli.)

The other part of dinner last night was something Mike and I made up together that we are sort of calling "gumbalaya" and/or "mush," though mush is deceiving as it tastes awesome and is super easy, so here it is:

Ingredients:
Rice of your choice (we used jasmine rice)
Black-eyed peas (the canned kind is just as delicious but you can also do the dry kind)
Sausage of your choice (we used sun-dried tomato chicken sausage)
Rita's Hot Salsa (okay, Rita's is a local thing so for you Wisconsin folks, just try to find a red-pepper based salsa that is blended and saucy)

Directions:
Cook rice in pot
Cook beans in a different pot - spice beans with cumin and garlic if desired
Slice and fry sausage in skillet (use oil if necessary and/or desired)
When everything is cooked add the rice and beans to the hot skillet where the sausage is, toss it to get the flavors all mixed together
Mix in salsa to taste

Eat and enjoy! It's yummy.

She's on Fire!

2009-05-22T12:50:00.000-07:00

Wow wow wow wow, our second Etsy sale and guess what it was... (drumroll please):

KAYA'S BANANA SLUG!

Watch out, she's unstoppable! This girl never ceases to amaze me.

Meet Bird, and Other Household Adventures

2009-05-18T17:49:00.000-07:00

We went to the local "home improvement" store together and got a house plant yesterday. It was so domestic of us. And such a Sunday thing to do, I think.

It's a White Bird of Paradise:

I told Mike we needed to name the plant. He said, "Okay, you go ahead and name the plant, and talk to it, and whatever else you want to do."

Which basically translates into, "Don't expect me to participate in this weird behavior with you." (We'll see.)

So, I decided to call her Bird, and I also decided that the name "Bird" sounds feminine, so that's why she's a she.

So, with a plant named Bird and an adult dog named Baby, it's obvious we are a little confused around here.

In other, basically related news, we have a kitchen table, a real one, for the first time since I moved out here. Yay, us. Best part about it: it was $75 for the whole works. Thanks, craigslist.

Pretty soon, Kaya and I are going to embark on a painting project with the chairs, out on the back deck, of course. The table is made of oak and is pretty nice, so I'm vetoing painting the table.

And since I'm in a sharing mood, here's a photo of Mike's rug. It's been in storage until we moved here. It's a lion and lioness, and I like it.

And here's the new shower curtain Kaya and I picked out at Target.

(Okay I know that's weird, but it's pretty and I like it, and I would have you all come over to see all this stuff if you lived closer, but you don't, so I improvise. Plus, it's the little things in life that should give us joy, right? Well, I'm joyful about my new shower curtain.)

Two Milestones All at Once: Our First Etsy Sale, and Kaya's First Online Sale

2009-05-10T14:21:00.001-07:00

Kaya's slug sold on Saturday! It's been a very exciting moment here for us.

UPDATED TO ADD: Don't worry, though, if you wanted Kaya's banana slug glass art sculpture, we put another one up today!

HELP US HELP KMUD, AND GET GORGEOUS GLASS ART JEWELRY!

2009-05-08T14:00:00.000-07:00

So you all know by now (if you are a regular reader) that KMUD is my favorite radio station. They are getting to the end of their bi-annual fund drive, and now that we got the moving out of the way we have some time to support them. We thought it would be fun to support them in a way that also drove traffic to what we are doing.

Learn the details at our new and improved website:

warrenartglass.com

And of course, Friends and Family, I don't really expect you to participate in this unless you want to; I mostly just wanted to share with you what I am up to.

Here's the post on our home page at warrenartglass.com:

DONATE TO KMUD AND WIN THESE BEAUTIFUL GLASS PENDANTS:

Here's how it works:

1. Go to kmud.org

2. Donate either $35, $40, or $75.

3. Make sure you specify that it is for the Mike Warren Glass Pendants.

4. And then we will ship you one or both of these pendants.

$35 gets you the jellyfish pendant.

$40 gets you the fish aquarium pendant.

$75 gets you both!

This is a great cause. KMUD is an indispensable community resource, and needs all the support we can give it to keep it going!

Thanks for your support!

Woman's Best Friend Too

2009-05-08T10:25:00.000-07:00

Here's my new best friend basking in the sun on her new deck:

We Have a Winner!

2009-05-08T08:26:00.000-07:00

The lovely Tall Penguin from Facebook and elsewhere is our Grand Prize Winner.

Tall Penguin contributed mikewarren.com, artbymikewarren.com, and mikewarrenart.com.

I used random.org to determine the winner (thank you, Your Ill-Fitting Overcoat, for letting me know about it - it did the trick). There were 21 total entries. I assigned each entry a number. Tall Penguin's entries were represented by numbers 3-5. The sequence picker selected 3 as the first number in the sequence! And there you have it.*

Tall Penguin will receive the paperweight for which she is excited. (I believe her exact words were "Wahoo! Yay! So excited!")

Tall Penguin, I hope you will let your friends up in Canada know how cool Mike's art is!

Thanks to all who participated!

*As a point of possible interest, Russell had the most entries at 6. His entries were represented by numbers 16-21. Hayley's were numbers 9-10, as she provided two entries. Etc. The random sequence picker picked Russell as the second runner-up, and Hayley as the third runner-up.

Since we did not use anyone's suggestion, but ended up coming up with our own that we felt suited our needs better, there wasn't a winner for that part of it.

The Prize

2009-05-06T17:13:00.000-07:00

I have not forgotten about my contest, and picking out and awarding a winner.

Here is The Prize (click on the picture if you want to make it bigger):

I included some helpful captions, so you would realize what to focus on and how to make sense of what you see. You're welcome.

No, but seriously, this photograph is really awful; the problem is not shoddy workmanship, however. It is a free form paperweight, with curved edges, and no uniform shape. It's fabulous in person (or is that "in paperweight"); it is nearly impossible to correctly photograph its beauty.

So, you are just going to have to take my word for it. And whoever wins will hopefully back me up when they get this beautiful paperweight. It is personally an item I really love.

So, this Mike Warren piece of art was created in 2006. It is a handcrafted, lampworked, sodalime (that's soft glass) glass piece. Included within is a man-made gemstone that is just phenomenal (that's a trick that not all glass artists know - how to make a gemstone compatible with glass so that the glass does not crack). There are also a few of Mike's signature millis and a fair amount of sparkle. Beautifully contrasting and complementary colors, the paperweight measures 2 1/16 inches tall by 1 1/2 wide by 1 1/2 deep. It is valued at $100.

I will announce the lucky winner shortly, so stay tuned...

Naomi's Glass Art Start

2009-05-06T13:40:00.000-07:00

I promised pictures of my art a long time ago, and you have all been so patient. In fact, probably by this time you have forgotten and/or lost interest. Totally understandable.

So, without further ado, here is my fish tile that I made (well a close-up of the eyes and mouth, anyway):

I feel a bit like a little kid bringing my construction paper art project home to show my mommy by posting this, but I am very proud of this tile. It's a six inch by six inch piece of "soft" glass - the kind used in glass fusing - which is the glass techniques I have been learning as a way to introduce myself into this endless world of working with glass.

For those who may not know, glass fusing is often referred to as working with "warm glass," in that you are working the glass in solid form, cutting and fitting together, arranging and gluing, and then placing the project into a hot kiln and melting it all together. It's different from lampworking in that you are working with the glass in a solid state, whereas with lampworking you are forming and shaping molten glass.

So, I started with a clear tile, cut a yellow piece of glass into my best version of a fish-face shape, and then glued that onto the clear tile. Next, I took various colors of glass that were in the form of tiny shards, also known as "frit," and mixed those tiny shards of glass with special glass glue and a little bit of water, to form a paste-like glass "paint." One glass color in each paper cup. The main color was a red orange topped with a lighter orange. The spots on the fish are a light blue color, etcetera.

And then I proceeded to use paint brushes to paint the pattern I wanted onto the glass.

When I was all done with this - the painting took about five hours in one session, I believe - the whole thing was carefully placed into a firing kiln, where it was melted together.

I wish I would have taken a "before" photo so you could see how unlike a fish it looked, and how much of my imagination I had to use when I put this together.

My art instructor was so impressed by my fish that she called me up to tell me how good it was when she first took it out of the kiln. "I think we found your medium!" she said.

I think so too.

Circumstances revolving around my number one focus, our business (which is what pays the bills), has not allowed me to further explore this medium. Yet. But pretty soon I will be taking another class from my instructor and will be learning how to paint landscapes using glass. This is all very exciting to me, as I never before considered myself an artist, never took art classes in school (besides the required ones and a terrible time attempting ceramics my senior year in high school), and was never really encouraged by anyone to explore this side of myself. Until Mike.

Wish me luck, or better yet lots of time, energy and inspiration, which is most likely more useful than luck!

I do have other glass pieces I am excited to share with you, but photographing glass in a way that actually shows what it looks like is an acquired skill in itself. Photographing this fish tile took me at least half an hour last night, and it still isn't as good as the real thing. The point is I will get the pictures done as I am able.

My House

2009-05-06T12:00:00.000-07:00

We are basically settled, though there is more to do and more to get and more to organize, and of course more to get rid of - but that's hardly different than it usually is.

The bottom line, though, is I love our house. Very much.

I keep hearing "Send me pictures" from a few of my relatives, so I will post a pic of the outside of our cute little house, just to help you get by until I get my home set up and can take some pictures.

And just because I want to, here is the pretty little tree I get to look at right outside my office window:

Open Fire Glass Art has a new Web Address: WarrenArtGlass.com

2009-04-29T13:20:00.000-07:00

Hey Folks,

Thank you to everyone who contributed to my contest and raffle. We have decided on a web address.

We are: warrenartglass.com

(You do not have to use any capital letters when typing in the web address.)

We decided this name covers the basic concepts that we need and want to cover, is properly pithy (mikewarrenglassart.com, etc. was feeling too cumbersome), and also leaves room for growth (when other members of The Warren Family want to be featured on the site, for instance).

As for the contest results, we are moving to a new house TODAY AND TOMORROW (YAY!) and setting up a new studio space as well as all kinds of other things going on. I have your beautiful prize(s) put in a safe place so I can find them as soon as the Big Move is over. If I have time to do photos today I will so you can all drool over the prospects.

And then as soon as we are moved I will pick the prize winner(s), post the pictures, contact the winner(s) for mailing addresses, and announce it all. And then I will send you your beautiful glass art.

In the meantime, thank you for your understanding! Poor timing on my part, but I really wanted to get a new domain name taken care of, and get rid of all the icky ads at the top of our web page. So now they are gone, we are so official and what-not, and we are happy!

Peace and Love!

We Are Live on Etsy! Check it Out!

2009-04-25T18:00:00.000-07:00

We are (finally!) live with glass art for sale on Etsy.com! And it is not marbles.

Check it out here:
OpenFireGlass.etsy.com

Click around, check it out, enjoy yourselves. And check back often, because there can only be more to come for sale very soon!

The listings here are not auction-style, just straight-forward sales, so there's a price, and an item, and if you like it, you buy it, and then I send it to you!

Here are a few items currently up for sale:

Banana Slug lampworked by Kaya Warren:

A lampworked redwood tree landscape bead by Mike Warren:

A fused flower millefiori glass pendant by Naomi:

(flower millis by Mike, of course)

In other semi-related news, we need a new banner graphic for our Etsy store. Anyone interested in making us one? There would be compensation involved...!

(Oh, and the contest has been extended, sorry to those who were on the ball, thanks to everyone for your understanding, I love you, and good night.)

WE ARE RED STARS!

2009-04-24T09:56:00.000-07:00

I'm talking about eBay: We have earned our Red Star! This means we have over 1,000 positive feedback points.

When I started doing we had under 500. We reached our Purple Star (500 or more) a month in to the eBay thing. That was a year ago.

So, for me, getting to 1,000 is a rewarding milestone.

YAY For 1,000 Happy Customer Reports! And counting...

We are still having a contest for our new domain name. You stand to receive a very cool piece of handmade glass art, and it only takes a minute of your time to enter!

House Update

2009-04-23T12:26:00.000-07:00

We signed the lease today, got the keys, took a tour of our newly refurbished home, and I am elated! It is gorgeous; it is fabulous! I have a real home! I am thrilled to be able to extend invitations to friends and family and have a home in which to entertain and provide hospitality. THRILLED! It's been a long time coming, which only makes it feel all the more rewarding.

Next week early in the week we are taking a road trip down the coast for business, which we had planned before we even answered the ad for this house. Everything is in order, so we are still going. When we get back we are moving! So May for us is about all kinds of new beginnings, and it is a very exciting time out here!

I can't wait to show you pictures of my new home! It's fabulous!

If I can get through my to-do list today, I will have an etsy store ready for you! Gotta keep the pace: back to it!

Don't forget about the contest: there will be cool prizes for the winners, and it only takes a minute of your time to enter!

I'm Having a Contest, with Prizes!

2009-04-22T10:19:00.000-07:00

Hey Y'all,

Okay, so I am having a contest to pick out our domain name for our website.

To see details go to:

http://openfireglass.webs.com/apps/blog/

And VOTE!

If you vote, you will be entered into the raffle. If you come up with your own name, and we end up using it, you will win an amazing piece of glass art FOR FREE!

I will let this run through the end of the week, I do believe. I will keep you posted.

UPDATE:

The raffle/contest will go until Friday 4/24 at midnight, and the results will be announced Saturday morning!

ANOTHER UPDATE (Saturday, April 25 at 6:30PM):

Okay, this is probably unfair or something, but the contest is being extended, because we are moving, and we are taking a road trip in two days and we are busy busy busy. Plus I am not 100% on any of the entries so far. And so, I think I need to get moved (which is happening Friday the 1st of May!), and then I can re-visit this whole thing.

The prizes are cool though, so it'll be worth it. And everyone who first entered will get special consideration, though you CAN still enter, and you can still win!

How is that for an incredibly informal contest?

Maybe I should post some pics of what you stand to win to motivate those of you who have not yet entered... We'll see. Maybe it'll be a surprise...

ZITS.

2009-04-21T11:46:00.000-07:00

ZITS.

People don’t talk about them. They are taboo. They are mortifyingly embarrassing, and they are a real thing that millions of people deal with. So I think talking about them is necessary to helping to get rid of them, to being our healthiest selves.

I have had zits since I moved here. It’s been embarrassing, a nuisance, something I hoped would calm down once I had my life more together. Moving is, after all, a strain. Moving across the country doubly so.

Only, they did not get better. In fact, over time they got worse and worse, until last December, I became a true shut-in. I refused to go to the grocery store unless it was an “off time” when I knew there would be little traffic. I stopped making eye contact and conversation with the cashiers. I became very unpleasant, probably coming off as snobbish, due to my complete and utter mortification at being in public with such a nasty complexion. I already worked at home, so I just refused to leave the house unless absolutely necessary.

Make-up did nothing to cover them, if anything it made them appear worse. I was paranoid that people would think I was not taking care of myself, not hygienic or healthy, or worse, on drugs. There is quite a problem with speed around here, and the open sores on speed-addicted people’s faces are heartbreakingly awful. I am not on drugs, but I did have a face full of open sores too, deep, painful, cystic acne that took weeks to resolve itself just as a new crop was emerging.

I researched and tried things in an attempt to heal my acne. I had not personally had any success with a dermatologist in the past, and without health insurance was skeptical of shelling out money to someone who was only going to tell me to “not scrub so much” (I wasn’t), to use benzoyl peroxide (tried it) or salicylic acid. (Don’t you think I would try everything in my power to heal this horrible painful rashy disease growing on my face?) I left my skin alone. I tried to wash with olive oil. I changed what I ate to only very healthy items. I started a food diary (which I am still keeping to this day because it’s very helpful in general when figuring out what is going on with my body and trying to be in tune to it), I went for long walks every day, I got my 10-minutes of sun, I ate a piece of citrus fruit every day, I stopped eating gluten, I minimized my dairy intake… I. TRIED. EVERYTHING I could find to do in my personal research. And as the days went by and my skin only got worse, I became more and more anxious about it.

How can I, after all, be a successful artist rep when I cannot get myself out there to actually represent?

This was a problem.

Mike was wonderful about it, telling me I was beautiful everyday, but it didn’t matter. I still felt hideously ugly in front of my beloved, the one who I want to look the most beautiful for (after myself of course)! And weekends with the kids were brutal too; every time one of them would look at me and say something to me I just wanted to scream, “LOOK AWAY! DON’T STARE AT ME. YOUR EYES WILL BLEED!”

I’m sure some of you might think I’m being melodramatic, but I actually am not. I started to take photographs of my face to gauge if it was getting better or worse, and I am here to tell you those photos are very telling. My skin was truly awful, uglier than any of you can probably imagine. I am never going to share those photos with anyone. I hope to destroy most of them in the very near future.

A turning point was when my next door neighbor, being the wonderfully outspoken man that he is, knocked on my door in the middle of January to ask me a question. I contemplated not answering. But I knew that he knew that I was there, and that he knew I knew that he knew. (Did ya get that?) I had no excuse.

I answered it.

“Naomi! What has happened to your beautiful face?” he exclaimed.

The tears started streaming down my face. I didn’t know what to say. I just shook my head.

He said, “Have you gone to the doctor?”

I shook my head again.

“Go! Do you go to the Clinic?”

I nodded.

“Call them. Today. They can help you… I’m going to check up on you tomorrow, okay? This is a spiritual test for you. You have to project your inner beauty out to people. You are still in there. But you can do it. And you need to go to the doctor so they can help you.”*

So I did.

And I was very fortunate. The person who was available to see me was not only a very nice person, but she was someone who had personally struggled with adult acne, so she was empathetic. She understood why it was hard for me to come in and see her, why I felt foolish for not being able to heal my own acne issues. She understood.

And so three months ago we started a regimen. Some medication, some yoga, a combination of things, and then I had monthly appointments with her to check back in, and tweak the plan if necessary. She gave me hope most of all, because she has such beautiful skin I could not believe that she ever had the terrible problems I have been having.

And now my skin, for the first time since I have lived here, is getting clear, and truly healing. I have no cysts on my face! NONE! It’s been this way for weeks! The skin is pink as it heals, and for the first time in months, I can actually wear make-up! I feel beautiful again. I feel like a whole person again. I feel like I have my life back.

And yesterday when I was working the crowd, talking to people about something I love, Mike’s glass, the beauty of it was not lost on me. I am back! And better than ever! (So, watch out, World!)

I have read more on acne than anyone probably ever wants to, and some of the things I have learned include that medical professionals still don’t fully understand why this happens to some people. It’s almost never due to poor hygiene; it’s usually due to genetics, and hormones. Stress is not a cause of acne, but it can definitely exacerbate it, which can then lead to more stress, and so on, and you can see how the vicious cycle gets started. Food is not thought to cause acne, though it might have a small part. The most frustrating thing is that it is almost always a combination of many different things, and for each person it is a totally and completely different combination of factors. The challenge is to find your own personal combination of contributing factors, and work with an excellent medical professional, like I did, to solve it. There is no miracle cure, no "magic potion." But with time, serious attention, and lots of patience, it can be solved.

I thought long and hard before posting this – such personal information – on my public blog. Ultimately I decided that I needed to speak out on it, how it affected every aspect of my life for a long while, how people would politely pretend they didn’t see it right down to the nurse checking me in for the first time saying nervously, “So you are here for a … rash…?” and when I said “acne” she quickly shut my file, got very flustered, and tripped over her own shoes on the way out the door, muttering that the doctor would be with me shortly. We as a society are just too embarrassed to acknowledge it. The nurse was trying to be polite, and I understand and appreciate it. It would have been a lot harder to deal with if people pointed and laughed at me, I am sure of that. But I don’t want to be silent about a very real experience for me, because if it really is genetics, then I would like to know who in my family had a struggle similar to this, if anyone.

No, I do not expect anyone to post it on my blog (but you are welcome to). But maybe the next time we talk on the phone you could let me know. Or maybe you could send me an email, or a letter. Because, you are not alone in your struggle, there is help for you, and there is a support network for you, starting with little old me. I promise that I would keep your information confidential, it would be only between you and me (unless you posted it in the comment section here, of course).

*Have you noticed yet what an absolutely wonderful person my next door neighbor is? I am truly going to miss being his neighbor when we move, and fully intend on keeping in touch with him. He is wonderful.

A Home Office Pro and Con Minute (Plus, Support Your Favorite Entrepreneur at No Cost to You!)

2009-04-21T06:58:00.000-07:00

One of the really good things about being self-employed, and having a home office, is that when I wake up at 5:30 in the morning and I can't sleep, I can get right down to business, in my pajamas even!

The con is I can start my workday at 5:30 in the morning, and I can often work until 9 at night, if I don't cut myself off and use some discipline. And while there is nothing wrong with getting a lot of important work done (the kind that pays the bills and enriches my existence and what-not), it's also important To Me that I work to live, not live to work. Even if I do find my work incredibly enjoyable. (Which I do! Yay!)

The pro is though, that I have the freedom to do what I did yesterday: hang out at Redwood Park all day. There was a festival going on there, and we sold some glass, but we also just hung out and had ourselves a picnic in the sun. It was an all-around glorious success of a day. And we worked solidly through the weekend in anticipation of it. So, that flexibility is a really nice thing that I never experienced as a nine-to-fiver.

You know when the weather is nice and you are stuck in the office and all you want to do is go to the beach?

Well, I can do that.

But I also am playing all the roles: I'm the office manager, the HR person, the boss, the peon, the supply orderer (or would that position more aptly be called the inventory manager), the accountant, the tax preparer, the web designer, the photographer, the photoshopper (why does Blogger keep saying these aren't real words, whatever, Blogger, I'm the boss!), the (eBay and Etsy) store manager, the appointment coordinator, the ... well, you get the idea, and I could literally go on like this, but what would that accomplish? I have so much work to do!

Check out my latest blog post at http://openfireglass.webs.com/apps/blog/, featuring a discount offer to all members! If you are not a member, why not join?

And tell your friends: The Goal (one of the many) is to get Mike's art into every gallery across the nation. We want his name to be a household name. We want people to see his art in a store or on the neck of a passerby and say "That's a Mike Warren piece." And you, my lovely, lovely loved ones, can help us with that goal, without any cost to you! Just pass our website on to your email address books, to your next-door neighbors, your cube mates, your coworker down the hall, the stranger on the street, and tell them about your hardworking entrepreneurial family out here!

Oh, and if you do manage to find the time to do this for us, THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! I love you all!

Published! Plus other stuff about my artist.

2009-04-19T23:59:00.000-07:00

Hey Family,

Here's some super fantastic news I want to tell you:

Mike Warren is in the Spring 2009 issue of The Flow.

I don't own a copy of the magazine yet, so I snagged the front cover from their website at theflowmagazine.com. You can see Mike's name in the bottom right corner (fourth name from the bottom).

The Flow is a magazine for the lampworking community (I believe I borrowed that wording right off their front cover). The article featuring Mike is about his seashells, and how he makes them.

Here's a photo of the featured shell (and one of the photos from the article):

The photography and text for the article are by Yours Truly, which technically means I'm published too. It's exciting, y'all. And we have even received a few emails from people who saw the article and want their very own seashell!

(The photos throughout this post are all in the article, but there are many more pictures that you will have to see the article for yourself to be able to view.)

Much more exciting times ahead. More to tell you about, but it's late and I gotta get to bed. Tomorrow we will be at a festival selling our wares.

Oh, and in other, slightly related news, I am working hard to get our Etsy store going. For those who don't know, etsy.com is an artsy eBay-esque website where artists sell their handmade art. We are planning a jewelry line to begin with to be available ASAHP (that's As Soon as Humanly Possible).

Our seller name there is openfireglass as well. I'll post another note here when items are available, but you can feel free to pop over and check it out anytime you'd like at OpenFireGlass.etsy.com.

So, if you'd like to know Mike's secrets about how to make a glass seashell, some of them are available in the spring issue of The Flow magazine.

Happy Trails,

xxoo

We got a house!

2009-04-14T07:49:00.000-07:00

It's official. After months and months of saving every penny, scouring the classifieds for rentals, contacting potential landlords, doing drive-by's of houses (that's how they do here in Humboldt, it's weird), call back for showings of the houses we were interested in seeing the insides of, drooling over the lovely kitchen spaces, and two-car garages, and fenced-in back yards, and multiple bathrooms, filling out applications, only to have it all be for naught in the end.

Only it wasn't for naught. Because we have a house. A house that allows dogs, a house with three bedrooms, and a big deck in our own private fenced backyard where there is room for a garden. We have a garage, and we have a full-size kitchen, and we have a space large enough for a real table that more than two people at at time can dine at, and there is actual wall space to hang pictures, not just a multitude of doors. I have a home to decorate. We will have room for guests!

We got a house!

Secret Tsunami Handshake

2009-03-25T10:45:00.000-07:00

So I am confused.

I just heard on the radio:
"There's going to be a tsunami warning."

I think, what? So, that's not the warning, the warning is to come?

But then they say:
It's only a test.
But when they run the warning, it won't be indicated that it's a test.

So I think:
That’s just weird and I don’t get it.

So then they say a few more times:
They would not indicate it was a test
So the general public might think it’s real
But don’t panic
Because it’s only a test.
Then they said it would happen sometime between 10:15 and 10:45
But nobody knew when it would happen
So be prepared.
But it’s only a test.

Then they played a song
And afterward they said
“So that was painless.”
Apparently it happened already...?

They said “It came and went, we are home free, for those of you who didn’t notice, the tsunami warning test has already happened.”

So the fact that they said this makes me think at least I’m not the only lunatic who maybe didn’t notice.
But my question is
How effective is this so-called tsunami warning
Fake or not
If people don’t even notice it happens?
Is it like a secret handshake?
A secret tsunami warning
And if you don’t know what to listen for
Well you’d better know how to swim.*

*Sometimes I feel like that kid who didn't get the joke that everyone else is splitting a gut over a little too often. At least I live a block outside of the tsunami zone. I hope it's enough. But I'm not panicking, because it was only a test.

Snowflakes in March? We're Just Being Crafty (with photos!)

2009-03-18T19:28:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of posting at least weekly, here is an old post I put together in December but then never published:

At our house we made snowflakes. Snowflakes until they were coming out of our ears. If our house is anything it's an environment where creativity is not only strongly encouraged, it is often presented as The Thing People Do. People create. It is therapeutic. It is a Good Thing.

And so, when 11-year-old Kaya asked for a pair of scissors to go with her usual stack of white drawing paper and started folding and cutting out snowflakes, her dad found another pair of scissors and joined in.

When they were taking breaks from their jolly mess-making Josh or Naomi wandered over and contributed a flake or two.

In the end we had this:

Kaya and I spent the next couple of weekends with glue sticks and black construction paper and after all is said and done we have a pretty nifty snowflake scrapbook. And while it's not half as cool as real snow (especially if you ask the kids who have basically only seen real snow a few times in their lives and think it's unfair that they live in such an unsnowy place), but it's still pretty darn cool.

And Two Years Later Here I Am

2009-03-12T09:49:00.001-07:00

I decided to post today, as it is the two-year anniversary of my arriving in my new home in northern California.

So much has changed, and so much has stayed the same. I feel at home here, if only my friends and family from the Midwest were here too.

And yet I take pride in knowing that in spite of my homesickness, in spite of culture shocks I could not have anticipated, in spite of whatever hardships that inevitably come with life, I am still here, in northern California, eking out my own way, for better or worse, growing up and figuring things out.

We are shopping for houses. Nothing so far, but we'll let everyone know whatever happens. Once we have a more amiable living space you will all know because the invitations will start. Up to this point we have not had a proper guest space, so we have not invited people to come out and see us. My sister and her beau came to see us only a few months after I moved here, and the circumstances were less than ideal. I felt badly we couldn't offer them more, but so appreciative that they came to see me. It was a much-needed visit.

In the past few months I have made some pretty cool stuff out of glass, and I will post a few pictures here when I am able. They are on my camera and I just need to get them onto the computer.

Mike's son Josh and I created a web site together. The URL is openfireglass.webs.com and if you click HERE it'll take you to it. We hope to have items for sale on that site soon. We are also planning on setting up an etsy store shortly with a jewelry line. And of course we are always doing eBay, selling marbles auction-style. It's going quite well.

When I arrived in California I was a little under two months shy of my 26th year. Today I am a little under two months shy of my 28th year. I have gained much experience in the past two years, though I still have quite a way to go. When I meet people they still think I'm only in my early 20's, more so because of my naivety than how I look, I think. Mike is more my best friend today than he ever was two years ago, and we often laugh at our impulsive and passionate start (because what else can we do but laugh, and maybe even learn). We learned how to have a relationship by fire, which in retrospect is not something I would recommend. We have calmed down a lot and found our stride. We still like each other as much as before, and maybe even more, which is a nice thing. And we still plan on getting married someday. We will let people know about that too, when we know. In the meantime, we are married in our hearts. The legality will come as soon as possible. Circumstances can get in the way of even well-laid plans.

I don't know how often I will be posting here. I like it as a way to keep in touch with friends and family without forcing updates on people. You can check at your own convenience. We all get enough email already.

The sun is out and it is warm outside, in the sixties. With the early Daylight Savings the days are gloriously long for March. I went for a walk last night at 6:45, and the sun had just set but the sky was still bright with pinks and purples and blues. In the west we have the most glorious sunsets you will ever see. I really hope to get to share California sunsets with you soon!

With love.

P.S. I did rent Humboldt County (the Movie) and though Mike and I enjoyed pointing out all the places we recognized, have visited or even frequented, I think it would be more aptly titled "One Family Who Lives In Humboldt County." So if you ever watch it, that's my review, a sort-of-local. (How many years until I am a bonafide local? No matter, I am content to be a sort-of, and my heart still resides in Wisconsin.)

I hope you are well.

Signing Off for a Bit

2008-11-04T16:50:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends and Family,

I will probably not be posting for a while. There are other things I need to focus on right now. Like calling my family on the telephone more often, for instance. As well as carving out my place in life, not just riding on the coattails of this man I love. And believe it or not, I'm tired of talking about myself. Supremely tired. (I know, I know, it's hard to believe, but it's true!)

So, I just wanted to let you know that you need not check this place very often for a while. I need to take a month or two off. I need to deal with life.

Love you all.

P.S. I might come back to post some pictures of the things I have been making at my glass-fusing class though. Because they are pretty, and I'm proud of what I have been able to create. I'm going to be signing up as a member of the fire arts center and get to use all their equipment. Mike's got all the glass I need in stock already. We made our first collaboration piece, using his flower millefiores, and I designed and assembled the composition. It's a slide pendant, and it turned out lovely. I think I'll be selling my own glass art pieces before you know it.

I'm Finally Taking a Glass-Fusing Class

2008-10-15T15:36:00.001-07:00

Tonight. And the next three Wednesdays after tonight. I will learn how to make jewelry using glass-fusing techniques.

I am very excited/anxious/nervous about it. I mean, what if I have zero ability to do this? But on the flip side I could be awesome. Let's just hope for somewhere in the middle.

Our New Family Tradition? (Monkey Pancake!)

2008-10-14T10:28:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Mike surprised Joshy with a pancake custom made just for him:

Josh loved it, but doesn't like how the picture of him turned out so I won't post it.

So, we get up, I mix up the batter and Mikey makes the fantastically fun designs. I got a flower this time. Kaya hates real maple syrup but I can't bring myself to buy the Aunt Jemima High Fructose Corn Syrup version so I made my mom's version and Kaya was happy! I like when we can reach great compromises.

Then we all went for a hike in the woods and this was my favorite moment because Josh finally let us get a picture taken together:

Baby steps. Maybe someday he'll just smile. Then again, he does take after his dad in so many ways... it's actually kind of scary. That's how I know they are really related. Those kids are carbon copies of their papa. It's a good thing I like him so much!

The Choice About Wind

2008-10-10T12:50:00.000-07:00

When Hayley and Dan came out to visit last summer it was an unbelievably windy week. At least that's how my memory recorded the circumstances. This is unfortunate, because truth be told I hate it here when it's overly windy. So, I don't think they got to experience the true beauty of Humboldt as I love it. In my experience, there are far many more "unwindy" weeks here than windy ones. I can honestly say if it were windy ALL THE TIME I would hate it here.

Yesterday the wind came in full force. The sun shone and it deceived me, repeatedly, into walking outside in an attempt to walk down the street. And every time I did that, the wind pushed me, quite literally, back into the house. I grumbled that "Mother Nature" was working against my goals and progress. I never did make it down the street ... well Mike walked with me to the post office which is quite literally at the end of the street, and I had a scarf wrapped around my neck and a hat on my head to deal with the "pain." You might have thought it was winter in Wisconsin.

Today, the wind is still here, and it's either not as intense as yesterday; or probably more realistically I have adjusted to it, resilient as we humans are.

So, I put on my windbreaker and walked down the street armed with my eBay packages. In the line at the post office, an old man who was dressed as if we were in the middle of a massive snowstorm griped to the smiling young woman behind him about how she "must be new in town to be in such a good mood when we live in such a terrible climate."

I smiled to myself because I had the good perspective today. (Of course, that man's attitude and mine YESTERDAY were basically as interchangeable as our "winter" attire, but that's not the point I'm trying to make here.)

Finished at the post office, I continued my walk down the street, determined to not let the weather deter me two days in a row. As I walked I was serenaded by the most beautiful music of wind chimes, everywhere. I decided my good neighbors have the right idea about the wind, and that we all have choices to make. Maybe I am speaking too soon and when I get to that old man's place in life I will bitch and moan about the wind too, but my current, possibly presumptuous, opinion is that he has a choice: to move away to a "better climate," or hang some wind chimes on his porch.

This slightly lame attempt at making a "lemons = make sour face or make lemonade" analogy is my personal lesson for the day, one I'm simply sharing with you. We all have choices every day. If you don't like what you are doing, either find a way to like it, or do something else. I believe life is really that simple.

Of course, perhaps this man is making sacrifices for the people he loves in his life, and I'm sure it's quite easy for me to pass quick judgment on him and others. I mean to do no such thing. I am sure he has good reason to be here, and maybe tomorrow he will have a better perspective too.

There's a good chance that tomorrow I will be sighing about the blasted wind again. But for today I'm happy to hear the wind chimes.

My next-door neighbor just had surgery yesterday and was supposed to be home by now. But they are keeping him in the hospital a bit longer so I'm out the door and on my way to go visit him there. I'm bringing him a tiny orange pumpkin, because they are on sale at the store right now, and because it seems more manageable for him to bring home with him than flowers, and should last longer as well. And, well, because orange things seem to brighten people's days I think. Isn't that why we seem to crave the sun so much?

"You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one"

... This post is brought to you in part from my MP3 player randomly playing this song. It always gets to me, every single time.

The Dream of Homeowning, Tree House Style

2008-10-05T11:27:00.000-07:00

Some day Mike and I are going to live in a place like this:

If we have anything to say about it.

When Having an Artist for a Dad Really Pays Off (aka Puppy Pancake!)

2008-10-04T18:43:00.000-07:00

This morning we made pancakes for breakfast. Kaya asked her dad to make her a puppy pancake. This was just too darn cute not to share:

(Kaya wishing she could eat her pancake already!)

Tonight I'm filling in at the gallery while Mike and the kids watch movies at home. Wish I were there with them!

It's fall here in Humboldt, which means rain and chilly air that calls for having warm snuggly knits on hand!

Oh, and speaking of pancakes and puppies, when pancakes are had Baby has apparently always gotten one. This three-year tradition left Baby hanging off the back of the couch drooling and licking her chops while we ate pancakes. We set one aside for her to let it cool off, and when I got up and picked up that pancake to take it outside, Baby started dancing on her hind legs like I have never seen before. Mike told me to make her at least jump through the hoop once before I gave it to her, and when I held up that old tire she jumped OVER the whole thing, as if to SHOW ME just how much she wanted that pancake. Well, she got it. And I don't think she even tasted it, it was gone so fast.

It's a Slug Party and You're Invited

2008-10-03T09:48:00.001-07:00

I'd be lying if I said last night there were hundreds of slugs right outside our front door. It would be far more accurate to say dozens, so for the sake of honesty I'll say dozens. DOZENS OF SLUGS. Outside our door. That is still a lot of slugs. All just hanging out on the pavement, glad for the rain so that they could come out of their hiding spots and grace us with their gooey presence.

I didn't think to take a picture last night and this morning when I opened the door they were gone. I guess they had a late night and have crashed by now. Or, you know, it's damper at night, scientifically speaking.

In other slug-related news (I can honestly say I never thought I would have multiple stories at once related to slugs) Josh and I went to the zoo last Sunday (yes, it was awesome) and there is a Banana Slug Exhibit. A Banana Slug Exhibit. At the Zoo.

The question I have is how often do they have to change the exhibit since I am pretty sure slugs have a fairly short lifespan. So far nobody has cared enough to even entertain this question. In all fairness I must just like to ask the question because if I really cared I could have Googled it by now. But I haven't.

Fantastically Capricious

2008-10-01T11:37:00.000-07:00

(I believe the maker of this refrigerator poem is Mike.)

(This lion is by the artist whose work influenced Mike's glass lion.)

(I keep my marbles in egg cartons.)

(Food Yum is the name for this picture, and with good reason. This was dinner one night made from whatever I could find in the fridge - not too shabby.)

(The girl is small, but not that small. The cards are GIANT.)

(Yes, that is a smile on her face. She unabashedly loves all attention.)

(Weird things staring at me when I go into the bathroom - gosh it's fun having little people in the house.)

Proof Positive that Exercise is More Enjoyable When Awake

2008-09-25T14:05:00.000-07:00

My morning activities this morning confirmed my suppositions from yesterday; in other words, my body works much better after I give it time to wake up and fill it with a hot cup of muddy brew (with milk, or half-n-half if we have it). This morning I woke up at 7 AM, played on the internet for about 30 minutes, made a pot of coffee (that took about 2 minutes), washed dishes for about 30 minutes, drank a cup of coffee, drank a glass of water, did a whole bunch of push-ups (on my knees still, but I'm getting stronger and even have some muscle definition going, so in time I'll reach my goal of being able to do real push-ups) and a few yoga stretches, and then out the door I went on my walk. And it was a world of difference too, let me tell you. That big ol' hand that was pushing me backwards yesterday slunk away to bother somebody else. Somebody weaker, or sleepier.

I worked as my neighbor's office assistant again today, and he basically offered me a permanent job. It wouldn't be for a little while yet, which would be good for me because I'm doing the gallery gig right now. I told him I won't know for a while, but I do know that the owners of the gallery are trying to work toward being able to run the gallery themselves so they don't have to pay a person to sit here. Whether that is five months down the road, a month, or a year, nobody really knows yet. It remains to be seen. I'd like for things to settle down a bit so I can crack down on a whole bunch of things that need to get done for Mike's and my business. That needs to be my main priority now. But what tomorrow will bring? Only time will tell.

And yeah, being an office assistant does sound like all kinds of lame, which is probably why I keep quitting jobs where I am an office assistant. But my neighbor is not your average duck. He is incredibly eclectic and ... what's the nice word for weird people? Eccentric. And that's a good thing. (We actually make a very good team, naturally.)

Mysterious Mouse Issues and Many Musings

2008-09-24T14:41:00.001-07:00

Yesterday my mouse mysteriously quit working, which made it totally impossible to do marble layouts for eBay. It turns out that the mouse is absolutely necessary for many many computer functions. This is an incredibly interesting and frustrating realization, especially when your only working mouse stops working.

Luckily, upon getting home I replaced the battery and it worked again. Whew.

So, now it's another day and I've already had a lovely one. I woke up sort of late for me, so I did my morning walk before I was even fully awake. It was tough. I felt like there was a giant hand pushing on my chest, trying to get me to stop walking. So, I came up with a plan of attack, and implemented it. That was incredibly wordy when all I was trying to say is that I visualized a giant hand pushing on my back to help me walk easier. It worked. But there is a lot to be said for a warmed-up, coffee-filled body. It works much better, I must say.

So, I got back home and got ready to meet my neighbor at his office, which is on the Arcata town square (here we call it "The Plaza," and it's just fantastic). I am working part time for a couple of weeks as his assistant to help him reorganize his office. Organizing things happens to be one of my fortes, plus a little extra money never hurts. We worked for a few hours and then ate a delicious picnic lunch out on one of the park benches on The Plaza. My neighbor packed the lunch as a surprise. It was so nice!

While eating our lunch we met and talked with a lady whose from Mazatlan, moved to San Francisco over 50 years ago to marry her husband who was a Mexican also but had an American parent and so was raised in San Francisco, and now today she is visiting Humboldt County. She had such great stories to tell, and a wonderful spirit. After 30 minutes of sitting and listening to her stories, and laughing along with her, I wished we could stay longer. But alas, we had more work to do. Her name was the Spanish word for "help."

Once I was done working with my neighbor I had about an hour to spare before having to be at the gallery. So I walked the half mile or so to Mike's studio, where my car was parked. Along the way I realized it was Wednesday! Yay! (That means the new North Coast Journal is out.) So I picked up a copy at the NCJ's Headquarters, which is on the same street as Mike's studio. A couple of ladies were walking toward me on a narrow sidewalk and it became apparent that we wouldn't all fit if they continued to walk side by side. They moved into single file, and I flashed them a big grin to show my appreciation. They flashed big smiles back, and it's just incredible to me how something as simple as smiling at strangers can immediately lift your spirits. So, by this point my spirits were pretty high up there.

A little further down the road is the Scrap Heap. Okay, I don't know what it is really called, but it is a lot of metal scraps, old bicycles, a boat every once in a while... this is where there is usually a group of working men hauling and organizing this metal heap. So, I'm strolling along feeling very grateful for the warmth and the sunshine, wishing I had sandals on instead of socks and shoes, and I hear, "How are you, Beautiful?" I turn to my right from where the voice came and this handsome Latino boy is smiling at me. I flash him a smile back and keep on walking.

And yeah, it felt good. I mean, who doesn't like a compliment? Especially from a cute boy? (He looked to be about 18.)

So, I got to Mike's work, and kidnapped him for a bit. They were out of oxygen anyway and waiting for the oxygen man to bring them a new tank so they can get back to working glass. In the meantime we ran home (fine, we drove) and made some more coffee, had a quick lunch, and then I dropped him back off, and up to the gallery I came.

And now, here I am, my mouse works again, and I really do have to get some work done. The sun is shining, I switched my shoes for some flip flops, and I'm wearing one of my favorite tee-shirts. And, my jeans are getting to be too big. La la. The day is good. I hope yours is too.

xoxo

Yay, Portland! (in pictures. from the month of June.)

2008-09-23T17:46:00.000-07:00

Because I am supposed to be working and getting art ready to list on eBay, I am instead posting here. Make sense? Good.

And because I obviously love pictures and I obviously have been uber lazy in getting pictures posted from my Wisconsin trip in June, I am now going to post my Portland Oregon trip, also from June.

So, Here It is:

First, we were at the Glass Art Society (GAS) Conference, and it was a great experience. I met a lot of people that Mike already knows, and got some good inside information into this whole glass-blowing experience.

OK, pictures:

This is Phyllis, one of Mike's longtime buyers and fans. She had a vendor booth at the conference and when Mike saw her company name he rushed over to her and introduced himself. I am very glad we ran into her because we ended up spending a significant amount of time with her and she gave me a lot of good advice and tips:

When we were strolling around Portland (I can't remember exactly which section we were in, but it was a very good one), we came upon this tree. All of a sudden Mike is putting his face very close to this tree, and then he says "Touch this tree!" I thought "what's the big deal" but it turns out that the big deal is this tree is not real. This tree is made of metal. It's very hard to tell this both in pictures and in person (or is it "in tree"?):

(Doesn't my butt look very small next to the tree? OK, that's clearly pushing it. But it definitely looks smaller than the tree.)

Closeups of the tree:

Part of the conference included lots of art exhibits and private showings at galleries. This one is called "Degenerate Art":

I took a picture of Mike looking at art:

Our room with a view:

(I can't remember exactly the name of that big ol' mountain up in the top right corner, but it is a good one.)

The conference also included a number of live glass demonstrations, and the Ladies of the Corning Museum of Glass (in Corning, NY) in particular made me want to quit all other projects and learn how to blow glass:

We donated a glass seashell to the GAS auction, and after only a few bids it got purchased outright:

Mike blowing glass at a BBQ put on by a glass store and studio space called "Bridging Boro":

A kid with flames painted on his face - very festive:

Impromptu DJ-in-a-truck:

For a few minutes Mike had a pretty good-sized audience watching him, but I didn't snap a picture in time:

Stopping for fresh air and a little walk on the way home:

So there it is: all the things I haven't said about the Portland trip and some pictures too! Hope you enjoyed them.

Saturday at the Beach with the Kids and the Dog (More Pictures)

2008-09-23T16:49:00.000-07:00

My heart swelled with love Saturday afternoon. I watched this scene before me, a dad and his kids and their dog splashing and playing in the water with extreme pride for what I get to be a part of. My "weekend" son came running up to me, tentatively asking me to hold something of his so he didn't drop it in the water. "Naomi? Can you hold this for me?" he asked, not sure if that was something I would do. "Sure! Of course!" I responded, so thankful that he is finally coming around and letting me do some of the "mom" things. Daughter has let me do these things for quite some time, but the new development with her was a request for me to tuck her in and give her a hug goodnight Friday night. Perhaps she would have asked Dad to do it had he not already fallen fast asleep. Perhaps she would have gone without in the past. But not this time. This time when I asked my usual, "Is there anything else you need before the lights go out?" she responded by nodding her head and opening up her arms to me. "A hug?" I asked. "Yes, please," was her response. It melted my heart.

And yes, I know these are not my kids. They already have a mom, and by the sounds of it she's a great one. I wouldn't want to steal that privilege away from her, nor am I foolish enough to think that could even be a possibility (the mom you get is the mom you are attached to and that's just how it works). But I get to be in these two young people's lives, and I get to help make their world feel safe and stable and help them learn and figure things out and deal with things. I get to be an influence. I get to be a part of their lives and development. It's a huge responsibility, and it's a huge honor.

Kaya stole my hat again (a different one this time); she sure looks good in hats:

Mike calls the kids over to play with Baby in the water:

Part II of My Summer Trip to Wisconsin in Pictures

2008-09-23T00:07:00.000-07:00

What better way to start off Part II of the Wisconsin pictures than with this (I believe it's called The Margarator, and with good reason):

It's my aunt and uncle's and it came in quite handy when the family was together and feeling festive, which was this day.

Kids:

Cousins, aunts and uncles:

Grandpa and Grandson (each other, not mine - my uncle and 2nd cousin):

Niece:

Brother-in-Law, Grandma (right) and Great Aunt (middle) - and let me tell you, she is GREAT:

Little Ham Niece:

Proud Aunt:

Another Proud Aunt:

Brother:

Cousins:

Sister and Sister-in-Law:

Eating Time:

Kid Table:

Playing cards:

Cousin H being told to share or something like that (he appears to be deciding if this so-called "sharing" is worth his time):

Nephew being silly and telling me to take his picture hiding in the bed:

This is one of my favorites:

This is one of my other favorites:

This is my niece saying "Take my picture," and then making a funny face every time I click the button:

Looking at Mike's pretty glass:

My sister brought cupcakes with giant plastic ants on them:

My mom's new seashell on her hearth:

After a lot of stormy not-so-fun weather, there was a rainbow:

Can you see the faint second rainbow next to the first one?

And that is my family trip to Wisconsin! It was such a nice time! I look forward to bringing Mike with me the next time I come so that I don't have to spend time missing anybody and can just enjoy my time with friends and family.

FINALLY! Here are the pictures of my summer trip to WISCONSIN! Yahoo!

2008-09-22T12:43:00.001-07:00

I don't claim these to be in any particular order. I had a hard enough time putting Earthdance into order, and that trip was a week ago. My trip to Wisconsin took place during the month of June. Today is the first day of Fall. Sorry it took me so long.

Without further adieu (I'd hope not!), MY LOVELY WISCONSIN TRIP PHOTO ALBUM:

Cookout at Ben and Stacie's (pictures by Stacie):

Mmmmmmm, brats and potato salad, mmmmmmmmmm:

I think Benny might have taken this one of Stacie:

Avery's field trip to the Henry Vilas Zoo:

Mike and Anya's adorable new house (at night); and the top of my rental car:

When I would try to sleep at night, Amourette would remind me that it was her time now, and that the porch room is actually her room:

My "porch room" that Hayley and Dan made for me - it was the perfect place to stay!:

The mess is all me:

Newspaper over the windows for maximum privacy:

I spent a lot of time with Hayley and Dan and their cat, Amourette:

Ben came over sometimes:

This is a debate about some song being in some movie or some such thing:

I think Ben was dancing as proof that he was right:

Going out with Hayley and Dan:

Hayley looked radiant:

This is obviously what happens when you request a man to cooperate for a picture:

He made up for it:

We were at Jolly Bob's:

They just take such cute pictures; I can't help it:

Strolling:

Mural on Willy Street:

Poster for Stephen Marley Show on the door of Jamerica:

Hayley and Dan either trying to leave or resting in the car or hiding from my camera/me, probably all three:

Speaking of how cool Jamerica is:

More strolling (see, they got back out of the car):

Something in somebody's yard:

Sitting on a bench by the lake that may or may not be in somebody's yard, either that or public property:

Can you see the lake in the background? And the pretty sky from the sunset:

Hayley:

A maypole(?) in somebody's yard:

We walked by this park, which obviously calls for me taking a picture of Hayley next to the sign (this was totally my weird idea, as if that is necessary to say):

I always wondered:

Hot Nuts:

Thinking about Hot Nuts (this is not ambiguous, please only take it at face value):

Girls:

Bartender posing by Hot Nuts so I can take his picture, and no, I did not make this request, nor did I want a picture:

Some other patron decided to buy me some Hot Nuts since I was so obsessed with the concept (that being a gumball machine that keeps the nuts hot):

Picking out tunes on the jukebox:

Recognize that guy?:

I think here I am in awe of the list of Wisconsin brews on the marker board, something I don't see when out on the town in California:

Where we were:

Driving home (see the Capitol building!?):

I think I was trying to take a picture of me with the Capitol, but it didn't work:

Aw:

Aw:

Oh, look, there's the Capitol again; I don't know how it got there:

Hayley no longer capable of properly humoring me:

We were watching The Beatles' HELP!:

My adorable rental car (I loved the color!):

Walking down the bike trail with Benny:

The start of the Tornado Warning Day:

Eeesh. (It looked worse in real life.):

To Be Continued... Stay tuned for Part II to come to a blog near you soon (it's THIS ONE).

Art Night Pictures

2008-09-21T10:00:00.000-07:00

Well, I think our first Art Night was a success; I look forward to next month's Art Night!

Photographs were taken by Naomi C., Josh W., and Kaya W.

(Also, there wasn't as much alcohol as it looks like there was - just a very small space for people to set down their glass or cup - and then somebody brought beer - NOT CLASSY, but oh well. The whole thing was over by 9PM. And kids were involved. A totally family friendly scene.)

The gorgeous tablecloth is from my mom:

Sculpture by the featured artist:

Sculpture by the featured artist:

Closeup of the spread (the serving plates and bowls are from my mom):

We cleaned and rearranged and set up the gallery all day:

The partners (and a stray banjo player):

The musicians warming up:

Sculpture by featured artist:

Sculpture by featured artist:

Sculpture by featured artist:

Blurry musician getting his bass out of the back room:

Kaleidoscope:

More warming up:

Painting, called "Vision":

Painting, called "Starscape":

Old-timey country and blue grass jam band:

They sounded fantastic:

This is Ryan. He made the lampworked blown glass wine stoppers. This is a wine stopper demonstration right here:

Ryan's dog Chi Chi had to stay in the car:

The kids got here around 7:30. Kaya immediately stole my hat (looks better on her anyway):

Kaya posing for a picture by picking up random stuff off the ground (I've seen a history of Kaya's outdoor pictures and this is what she usually does):

The kids hammin' it up for me:

The night wouldn't be complete without a gratuitous picture of Baby:

(Josh wouldn't let us get a picture taken together - I think Kaya snuck one later.)

At this point, all pictures are either by Josh or Kaya:

Lampworked LED lightbulbs (they really work!):

I believe this is a picture of what you see when you look into the kaleidoscope:

Leaf Bowl by featured artist:

Ryan and Mike have serious glass-blowing conversation in what I call their twinspeak:

Kaya found my sharpie markers and a notebook:

So serious (I think they are talking about specific flames to use when using specific brands of torches.):

We made a sale!:

Josh asked me to pose like the sculpture:

I swear I did not take a picture of the Port Wine Cheese from WI (I didn't even know this cheese existed until moving to California; and yet I mentioned to someone that it was made in Wisconsin, and the rest of the night everyone said in a Midwestern accent "This cheese is from Wisconsin," or you know, their idea of a Midwestern accent.):

This is the one where Kaya said "I got one of you and Josh!":

Since the kids were so good their dad stopped off at the grocery store to get them ice cream. Kaya jumped into the driver seat and said "Take my picture!" and pretended to be driving/crashing:

A success!

Earthdance Pictures

2008-09-20T20:45:00.000-07:00

I could write you a six page post about Earthdance and it still would never be enough. It was an incredible time. The pictures won't do it justice, but they'll do better than my words.

So, for better or worse, here is Earthdance 2008 (some pictures are when Mike and I are on shift/working and some of them are when we are playing; still other pictures are not of us at all):

Sasha Rose and Goddess Alchemy Project:

Our camp:

our hats match, cute, huh:

backstage:

fronstage:

my view from my backstage security post:

one of my bosses, Raven:

sound check:

it was dusty there:

dancers getting ready to go onstage:

one of my other bosses, Dave (right); and Chris Decker, Earthdance's organizer (left):

main stage, Friday afternoon:

lots of interestingly dressed people there, didn't get enough pictures of them:

Anthony B:

Painting for Peace, done on stage while the music is playing:

Sunday night, Michael Franti & Spearhead's stage:

Michael Franti & Spearhead's crowd:

Some guy who kept trying to get on the stage. I confused him by taking our picture together; he was so flustered he just sort of wandered off back to where he's permitted to go after that:

The beautiful Michael Franti:

It was a full moon:

End of the night at the end of the weekend - we pulled off our jobs and now we can smile and relax:

The End. (Can't wait for next year!)

It's Art Night!

2008-09-19T10:25:00.001-07:00

So tonight is our first night participating in our town's monthly art night ("our" being the gallery partners and myself, the sole employee of the place). I just got back from the grocery store where I selected delectable wines and cheeses and individually wrapped Dove chocolates in various flavors (because they are inexpensive and yet seem fancy, plus include little "quotes" inside the foil wrappers). I've got some veggies to wash and chop up and put on trays. We are going to have live music and a featured artist - it's a party y'all! And you're invited.

Got to get back to work. But just wanted to write about it. The partners are three guys who are a few years older than I am and when I said "We should have refreshments," their response was "Here's some money. You do it." Ha ha, gotta love it. And I'm having a ball, y'all.

KMUD loves me too!

2008-09-19T08:37:00.000-07:00

I wrote this letter to KMUD (now I realize I should have actually taken a picture of the letter, which was handwritten with love by moi, and therefore awesome - OK, I'm pushing it a little, but it was at least sort of awesome).

And in return I got this:

Mike tells me I'm "a dork" for thinking this is some kind of sign that KMUD loves me too, since I, um, included the envelope with postage and my address written on it; and, well, I specifically requested this sticker. But, I seriously was expecting NO RESPONSE because they are busy, and I only requested one sticker. I got two, y'all. Proof that they love me too.

In other KMUD-related news, Mike told me last weekend that I "validated him" with my love for KMUD. Because when he first came out to Wisconsin he was like, "Let's listen to KMUD on the computer," and I was like, "We have community radio stations here too," and he was like, "Not like KMUD."

Dudes, he was totally right. (OK, I think I've been reading Your Ill-Fitting Overcoat's blog "too much" lately because now I have adopted her "dudes" phrasing that she is so fond of. If not that, then it came from my fellow Californians, because you know that stereotype about talking like a "valley person" - more PC than valley girl since guys here do it too - well, it's totally true. Teenagers in Wisconsin and grown-ups in California talk the same. I kid you not.)

A Confession (Continue at Your Own Risk)

2008-09-18T15:37:00.000-07:00

My life has felt stagnant for a long time. I have been living on the edge of wanting/needing/being unable to resist giving up. Too many days and nights have been spent entertaining suicidal thoughts as I wondered if there really is no purpose for me being here.

Firstly, I'd like to take this moment to say I know I'm not special in having these kinds of thoughts. I know bad things happen to all people. I know everyone deals with traumatic times in their lives.

But bad things didn't happen to me; I made wrong choice after wrong choice and bad consequences resulted.

Again, this sounds like the same old story, right? Well, the problem is that I thought every choice I made was ABSOLUTELY THE RIGHT ONE at the time, only to find out afterward just how wrong it was. Have you any idea how frustrating this is?

For a long time I would have serious bouts of feeling like my decision to be with Mike was the wrong one, my rush to move across the country a dire mistake that I couldn't easily take back. And many times my self-hatred was so intense that literally the only thing keeping me alive was my family. I didn't care if I destroyed my own life. But I couldn't bear to be the cause of their undoing. And I KNOW that's what happens when a family member selfishly cuts their life short. For that I owe them a HUGE THANK YOU. I owe them my life many times over.

And now? Waiting around to find out my life's meaning has been worth it. I even like myself now! And as a natural extension of that Mike likes me again too (not that he didn't like me before, but it's hard to like someone who is a self-destructive, self-absorbed Whiner with a capital W). I see the beautiful person with all the potential that I know my family must see. My life is moving forward. My days are meaningful. My nights are peaceful.

Why has this happened? It's been in large part because of the hard work I have put into changing my course. I hated how my life was going. So, I ate too much, lazed in bed, refused to be helpful, whined about my lot in life. Nothing changed for the better.

Shocking, right?

I knew something had to give. I knew I had to make changes.

So, I started to go to MYSELF to resolve my problems - instead of nagging/expecting my partner to do it.

My two-mile morning walk is now the highlight of my day.

I learned to LET IT BE. There is so much in life that I have no control over - most of it, really - and I am really really bad at just letting things be and giving things time to unfold. That downfall was literally ruining my life. And my partner's. But something as simple as a mantra I shamelessly stole from Paul McCartney has drastically changed my life for the better.

I practiced treating Mike the way I craved for him to treat me. When I wanted to lash out in frustration I FORCED myself to stop and flip it around. I asked myself, 'Why did he just say/do that? What was the motivation? If I had just said/done that HOW WOULD I need him to respond to me?'

Suddenly I had a better understanding not only of his behaviors but of mine as well!

I started catching all the ways I was being MANIPULATIVE. All the ways I was HURTING him. Pushing him away. Making myself miserable. Expecting too much. And not counting my numerous blessings. Instead of sharing my life with him and being joyous over the privilege of getting to have him share his life with me, I was trying to OWN HIM. And all I was really accomplishing was that I was slowly and painfully losing him. And he was slowly feeling like he was going mad.

Now:
I am grateful for his patience.
His love.
His sticking around.
I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful man.
We have strong respect for one another, including one another's boundaries. (That is part of trusting each other.)
We have both made mistakes with regards to each other. We have hurt each other.
But it's been unintentional, and we have both intentionally made changes so as not to repeat those hurts.
I am striving all the time to not take everything so personally.
And I know we might not be together forever but that sure as hell is our collective goal.

AND: That happiness that suffuses all the cells of my body? That smile that lights up my face?

I put it there.

And my moving to Humboldt County and changing EVERYTHING I KNOW?

It's been both the hardest thing and the most important thing I've ever done. And now, it's been the most rewarding thing I've done too.

I love you so dearly, Family. I love you all so much it hurts sometimes. I want nothing but the most and the best for all of you. I want nothing but all of you to realize your dreams and live successfully. I wish you all the deepest peace in your very souls. THANK YOU for loving me. THANK YOU for teaching me, sometimes by hard lessons. THANK YOU for putting up with me all the times that I have been really hard to have around. THANK YOU for everything else I have neglected to state in words. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

Have You Ever

2008-09-16T13:02:00.000-07:00

"Have you ever felt happiness suffuse all the cells in your body and a smile light up your face?"

- Sarabjit Singh, "Queen of the Hills"

I have.

EARTHDANCE IS HERE!

2008-09-11T08:22:00.000-07:00

We're leaving for Earthdance today!

This is Earthdance, the international event: Click here.

This is the "hub event" in northern California, where we will be: Click here.

For those who don't know, we volunteer at Earthdance every year (this being our second year together, though Mike has been on this volunteer crew for three or four years) and it is for a good cause as well as a lot of fun. It's our mini vacation, so far the only one that is planned/anticipated all year! And we love love love it!

I am so excited, and we are leaving today so I'd better get off the internet and pack my bags!

Have a great weekend, everybody! xo

Wonderfully unusual and Unusually wonderful (it's about marbles)

2008-09-09T14:44:00.000-07:00

eBay is going really well. It is paying our rent on a regular basis and then some.

Last night Mike was saying how he just doesn't understand how people can want these silly little marbles around that don't "do" anything; they just sit there.

I pointed out that we have items in our home that just sit there.

He agreed, but said they usually have some dual purpose, and if it is "just art" it is often something he made.

I then proceeded to explain the beauty that is an art glass marble.

He looked at me like I was sort of nuts.

"What do you expect? I have been photographing and creating layouts for your marbles all summer long. I have been thinking about what makes them beautiful so I can include their descriptive qualities in a justified manner. Didn't you realize that maybe I would start to actually think they were That Great?"

"Well, yeah, but then why don't you include all that stuff you just said in the listings? That would make a great marketing tactic!"

So, I wrote a thing about marbles, and here it is (and I guess I sort of want some feedback, as I know what I'm trying to convey but remain unconvinced that I am actually conveying it):

Do you know what a glass art marble is? It's a beautiful painting, an elaborate sculpture, brilliant colors, shapes and patterns contained in a tiny perfect sphere.

It's a WORLD OF ART wrapped in a compact package. The colors perform a dance with the light and you'll never tire of turning it over and over in your hands. It'll never look the same twice and you'll always notice something new each time you look.

If you don't believe me ask a marble collector: 'What is it about those marbles?' They will each have a story - or a hundred - to share.

A glass art marble makes a gift that is both wonderfully unusual and unusually wonderful: EXPECT the lucky receiver of this gift to ooh and ah at the wonder that is the art marble.

It's an addiction that never gets dull as new concepts and designs are constantly being created. It's an exciting world where glass artists get to give you a portfolio, a taste, of their talents in the form of a small perfect globe, perfectly symmetrical, perfectly round.

Don't take my word for it. With a 100% guarantee, what have you got to lose?

It's a work in progress, but that is what I have written so far.

Woofstock (pictures by Kaya W. and Naomi C.)

2008-09-09T14:06:00.000-07:00

Pictures by Naomi:

We entered Baby into a "Best Trick" contest after Mike and the kids spent no more than 24 hours teaching her how to jump through a hoop.

The stage area where the contests are going to take place:

Waiting for our turn in the contest:

The trick:

Waiting for the results:

Baby didn't win, but she should have! A lot of people came up to us and said she should have won, and her applause was by far the loudest. I think the judges knew one of the other contestants or something.

So, the kids wanted to buy her a shirt for being such a good sport. This is what they picked out:

We went to the car to eat some snacks, and play with the dog before it was time for me to start my volunteer shift.

Kaya humoring me:

The rest of the pictures are by Kaya:

Me with my volunteer backstage pass:

(My shirt says "Classy Lassie," and I think it was perfect for an event such as Woofstock.)

These are my favorite pictures, all of which Kaya took, of Mike and Baby playing:

Now Baby gets to rest a bit:

And now Baby gets to do her favorite pastime, which is climbing trees:

Kaya's a very good photographer, don't you think?

I have a video too of the kids and Mike practicing in the driveway with Baby and the hoop (tire) that she jumps through, but I can't get it to upload to YouTube. I will continue trying and hopefully post that too, as live and in action is really the way to see this trick. I still think Kaya did an excellent job catching the essence of it on film though. It's really neat to see the kids be so proud of their dog.

I declare Woofstock a total success. It was so cool to see all the dogs interact with one another, to see proud owners parade their dogs around and to talk to other dog owners about the wonders that is owning a dog.

OK, some things ARE free

2008-09-09T13:50:00.000-07:00

This radio, for instance:

It's an old Sony radio that was on the side of the road across the street next to a sign that said "FREE STUFF." We plugged it in, and not only does it work great, but it tunes in every radio station that my MP3 player doesn't get!

And it has a place for batteries too so I think it is coming with us to Earthdance this weekend.

I'm in love with this radio. It is my hero.

Letters with Love (and Self-Addressed Stamped Envelopes)

2008-09-09T13:19:00.000-07:00

So I picked up this bumper sticker at the KMUD (my favorite radio station) Booth at the Blues by the Bay Festival. It was a very cool bumper sticker, and I was planning on putting it on my laptop or my thermos. The sticker was "free," but I put a couple of dollars into the donation bucket for it. Because nothing is free, y'all.

And then it (the sticker) went missing... only to reappear later on Mike's thermos.

Which is NOT my thermos (my thermos gets washed daily - Mike's thermos behavior is questionable).

So, being the optimistic and creative being that I am, I decided to be very happy that Mike liked the sticker so much. And then I wrote this letter to KMUD:

September 9, 2008

Dear KMUD,

First of all, you all are so awesome. Thank you so much for all that you do.

Second, please accept this meager donation* regardless of whether or not you can complete my request.

Speaking of which: Do you have a bumper sticker that is black and white and says "People Powered Radio" that you can send me? If so, I have included a self-addressed stamped envelope. If not, that's OK.

Thanks again!

A loyal listener,
Naomi C****

And then I sent it to KMUD. I hope it works. (But if it doesn't I will still be my optimistic and happy self.)

*$2

Happy Friday

2008-09-05T13:28:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone is having a really great day. I don't have much to say. This weekend is Woofstock, another week has gone by at the gallery, Mike and I are working to get his art into as many places as possible and having success (the only hold-up is that Mike can only make it so fast), I've been taking Magnesium and I think it is helping my positivity and activity and motivation a lot. I stopped using an alarm clock quite a long time ago and go to bed fairly early most nights, waking up like clockwork around 7 AM. Quiet mornings full of peace all to myself, when I can read without interruption, get some housework done, go for a walk. It's my absolute favorite time of the day now.

So that's what's up with me. How about you? I miss my loved one's voices, hope to hear from you, plan to call you. xxoo

News Flash: Everyone Who Camps Should Own This

2008-09-03T17:26:00.000-07:00

My self-inflating roll-up mattress, that is.* It is a DREAM! It rolls up to the size of a yoga mat, and Mike and I figured out that if you unroll it and leave it alone for about 30 minutes it really does fill up with a whole bunch of air all on its own! And then you just blow into it a bit more to top it off, and voila! It's amazing! And I only paid $34 for it. Worth. Every. Penny.

Now I just need to get ear plugs to block out the racket of my fellow campers who are either independently wealthy and don't have to work the next day or are from a different planet and therefore don't need to sleep.**

*Well, not MINE exactly, but one LIKE mine would be ideal.
**Or yeah, the next day was Labor Day and technically I didn't work the next day either, but I just like to sleep more than other people, maybe?

Edited 9.4.08 to add: I slept really comfortably on this mattress, in case that wasn't clear. The self-inflating part is only a bonus, and not the whole show. Seriously, folks. I slept really well ON THE GROUND. You have no idea what a huge accomplishment this is. Maybe you do. It is HUGE. Like, Donald Trump HUGE. You know what I'm talkin' about.

Sounds Like Beloit

2008-09-03T12:56:00.000-07:00

So I have this story, and it just cracks me up. Why I am telling this to you: frankly, I'm sure the only other people who will find this even remotely funny would be my good ol' Wisconsin folks.

So here goes:

The Man of the House, in other words The Artist Momentarily Referred to as Warren Lake, that is My Boyfriend Mike, was eating cookies. These cookies had been purchased at our favorite local grocery store, in this case Murphy's of Sunny Brae, by said cookie-eater (that being Mike).

As he was munching these so-called delicious baked treats he wondered aloud what ingredients went into such fantastically scrumptious cookies (not very good ones, I'm afraid). Then he wondered aloud where these cookies were made, since they must have been shipped from "somewhere far away" or they wouldn't have needed such preservatives in them!

"BEE-LOW-IT," Mike said.

"What?" asked Naomi, that is, The Woman of the House, known by some as West Coast Midwestern.

"They are made in BEE-LOW-IT.... well you should know where that is, since it's in Wisconsin."

So, Naomi decided to look for her own self, and sure enough they were made in "Be-lo-it," that is Beloit!

After much laughing at a befuddled Mike, that is, The Man of the House Momentarily Called Warren Lake, Naomi (The Woman of the House) explained how to pronounce this mysterious little city in the southern part of the great state of Wisconsin.

But as the so-called Mr. Lake was more interested in eating cookies than in learning how to pronounce "obscure" towns from a state he is nowhere near to, the entire explanation was basically lost on him.

The End

(Oh, well, maybe he'll keep saying "Bee-lo-it," and I will continue snickering. One can only hope.)

To the Willie Nelson Show and Home Again (a picture blurb)

2008-09-02T17:28:00.000-07:00

'Tis the Season of the Music Festival

2008-08-28T14:26:00.000-07:00

This Saturday is the Blues by the Bay Festival, for which I will be a "Volunteer Site Manager." Last night there was a "Volunteer Orientation" meeting and my volunteers from last year were concerned that I had gotten demoted. That made me laugh. I reassured them that I had not been demoted, I had willingly given away my assistant director position and hoped to actually be able to enjoy the music and goings-on this year instead of only having time to run around with my walkie talkie and fix problems.

Although the current assistant director informed me that I would indeed have a walkie talkie as she might "need me." Oh boy. You know, I really love it though. I'm excited and very much looking forward to seeing everyone from last year again, and meeting a bunch of new people. Good times, great blues, yeah yeah the blues is alright!

Sunday, Mike and I head to "Dimmick Ranch," an hour or two southeast of us, to see Willie Nelson! We will be staying overnight in a tent! So I guess you would call that "camping." I bought myself a "self-inflating camping air mattress," which if you would like to know what "self-inflating" means, it means INFLATE IT YOUR OWN DAMN SELF. I joked to Mike that that would be a good use for all of my hot air, and he just nodded at me wide-eyed with a very serious look on his face. I had Josh and Kaya try it out for me when they were at our house and they reported that it is far more comfortable than sleeping on the floor. YES. That's exactly the effect I was going for. (Although they both insist they actually like sleeping on the floor, I remain suspicious of this fact. Mike tells me it's a "kid thing.")

Then the next weekend, September 7, will be the aforementioned "Woofstock," for which I will be a stage hand (that means: get things for the bands). And then the weekend after that will be "Earthdance."

I am so psyched about Earthdance. Last year it was so unknown to me that I was a bit too anxious about it all. Now I know exactly what to expect, and I know the gang that will be on my crew, which is background security, a lot of fun and truth be told a pretty privileged crew.

You know, I would have never guessed that in moving to California I would end up being wrapped up in all of these music festivals, but I have to admit I just love it. My grasp of how to put on a festival is now much more advanced than I ever might have guessed. It's skill-building in addition to being thrilling and challenging, and in addition to the absolutely gorgeous warm sunny weather that so far this time of year has graced me with, I just love this time of year because of the the music festivals!

And really, there are literally dozens of festivals that I miss out on every year, because there are just so many big festivals around here that there are too many to participate in. So, I guess if I really wanted to, I could make a career out of this. It's an actual option... and if I have learned ONE THING in life it is that you never completely know what path your life is going to take...

(The fact is I never would have guessed I'd be going to a Willie Nelson concert, if I were thinking about it.)

Woof

2008-08-22T13:06:00.000-07:00

So, my friend called in her favor that I owed her. She filled in last minute for me on a volunteer position at the jazz festival I worked on back in March so I knew I would be summoned sooner or later. You will never guess what I have gotten myself into. Seriously, you will never guess, so I will tell you.

Wait for it.

Wait for it.

Are you ready?

I am going to be a stage hand at Woofstock.

Yes, it is as awesome and hilarious as it sounds.

You see, my friend serves on the board for the Humane Society, and at her last meeting they were discussing this one particular band that will be playing (Yes, there are bands at Woofstock. And dogs. Lots of dogs.), and how this band requires a reliable volunteer who has some experience with bands and who will remain sober through the entire shift. (What kind of a world do we live in when remaining sober through your shift is something that needs to be verbalized?) My friend immediately thought of me, what with my recent experiences of dealing with lots of bands (I worked as assistant director on two local festivals here since I have moved here), my obvious reliability and my ability to remain sober while on the job. (She knows this because we used to share an office when I worked briefly at a nonprofit here managing the "Angel Fund," and I never once came in drunk, not even once!)

So, it's a four-hour gig on a Sunday afternoon in September at a fundraising music festival put on by the local Humane Society to raise, well, funds to do important stuff that needs to get done for dogs. And, if it isn't obvious, all friendly dogs are welcome at Woofstock, so this should make for a really interesting afternoon.

Maybe I can borrow Baby (the friendliest sweetest dog you'll ever meet, who happens to be a Pitbull) and bring her too. Only time will tell.

Theories about the Universe

2008-08-21T15:28:00.000-07:00

There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable.

There is another which states that this has already happened.

-Douglas Adams in "The Restaurant at the End of the Universe"

My Digital Scrapbook

2008-08-17T10:26:00.000-07:00

I made a few "scrapbook pages" of my Wisconsin trip, and then sort of gave up on the entire project for a while - the summer's been busy, blah blah blah, enter sorry excuse here.

Anyway, I'm going to post pictures of my beautiful trip home to Wisconsin soonish, but in the meantime, here are my scrapbook pages for your possible amusement/enjoyment (you will at least enjoy them because there are the cutest little kids I've ever seen in them - what I'm not biased, just a proud aunt here).

After the rain comes the rainbow:

Sadie's table dance (and cute ponytail):

Taking turns taking pictures and playing games around the table:

The Cure for Anything is Salt Water

2008-08-17T10:04:00.000-07:00

I read this quote yesterday, and I really liked it. So much so that not only did I write it down in my journal, but now I am posting it here:

"To be lonely is a state of mind, something completely other than physical solitude."

"The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears or the sea."

~Danish writer Karen Blixen

When I first decided to move here, part of the motivation was that it was known as a quiet, peculiar place near the ocean right smack dab in the middle of the redwoods. That, and someone* told me it was a good place to heal. And heal I have. Some of the hurt might have been something I created in my own head, but that didn't make it any less real.

My home is a beautiful place, even with its many flaws. I deeply hope that my family and friends will have a chance to experience this place as I have, to see its beauty firsthand.

*it wasn't Mike that told me this either

Think of It as Chill

2008-08-17T10:00:00.000-07:00

When I said to Mike, "We're boring. But I guess I'm OK with that," he replied, "I like to think of it as chill."

Yeah. Chill. What's so wrong with that?

Sometime around 11 PM last night...

2008-08-17T09:56:00.000-07:00

The walls rattled and the couch rocked for what felt like almost a full minute. Just in case I forgot I live in California.

I wonder what the cows think of earthquakes. So far they are far less disruptive and annoying than Wisconsin tornadoes. So far.

Humboldt County, The Movie!

2008-08-13T13:42:00.000-07:00

My favorite weekly, The North Coast Journal (or the NCJ), informed me today that there has been made an independent film about Humboldt County called, aptly, Humboldt County. There will be a screening of it in Eureka at the 101 Wild Rivers Film Festival on August 27, and I am excited!

Here's the trailer, compliments of YouTube:

Disclaimer: I did not create this film, and have not seen it, so I have no idea if it is a true representation of the Humboldt I know and love. But I will gladly give you a full report once I have seen it. Who's excited! (It's me.)

A quote from the NCJ, which is a quote from one of the directors of Humboldt County (the movie!), Darren Grodsky, seems like a good thing to, uh, quote here. So, here it is:

"The movie Chicago doesn't represent the entire essence of Chicago, nor does Casablanca or Philadelphia. It's a way of getting an inroad into the film, to set up a certain expectation. We don't pretend that we made a film that represents the entire county and everything that it is. It is certainly a very small slice of the diverse range of people and lifestyles there."

So, as I have many film festival going friends back in Wisconsin I can only wonder if any of them saw Humboldt County. I imagine I would have heard, but you never know...

A Memory that has Served me Well

2008-08-11T13:04:00.000-07:00

When Mike and I were packing up my things to move me out to California, he asked me if he could get rid of all the mismatched flatware*, since there was plenty of matching flatware**. I wouldn't let him, and told him if he wanted to get rid of some of the quantity of spoons, knives and forks that I had, the matched would have to go. I love my mismatched flatware, and I think it's far more interesting on the table than a set that matches. That's just "too matchy matchy" for me, as my mom and sisters say (you do too, Sisters, I've heard you. It's OK, I say it too).

This conversation occurred well over a year ago, and yet the recollection of it still makes me smile every time I'm washing or drying spoons and knives and forks (which is, like, ALL THE TIME).

*As a side story to the one above (and also how I came to possess both mismatched AND matched flatware), when I was first moving out of my parents' house, Mom and I went to the Johnson Creek Outlet Mall together and picked out interesting designed spoons, forks, and knives, sold as individual pieces in sale bins at the Oneida store. We had a lot of fun, and I have some really cool pieces, especially the butter knives! When I set a table I try not to have two of the same of anything. Just for fun.
**(And WHY do I have such a large quantity of flatware?) At some point my mother gave me her old matching set of flatware, which is lovely, just not my eclectic style.

My Neighbors are Goats, Geese and a Horse

2008-08-11T10:27:00.000-07:00

The goats that live across the street follow the horse that lives across the street around the yard. The horse seems slightly annoyed by this, pausing every few steps and looking down behind her at the three little black goats. Whenever she stops and looks back, the three goats freeze in their tracks, and I can almost hear them saying, "Whaaaaaaaaaaat, we aren't doing anything!" But no matter how many times Horse gives Goats "The Look" they persevere.

When the Man of the House came out to get the newspaper off the end of the driveway the two white geese were standing at the fence squawking up quite a racket.

"Hi, Geese!" called out the old man.

My neighborhood is so great.

A Variation on the One Dinner Recipe I Know By Heart, Plus Losing Weight and How Work's Going

2008-08-06T10:08:00.000-07:00

We made Mexican Lasagna "Ranchero Style" last night using chicken breasts instead of hamburger meat; Mike boiled the chicken and then pulled it all apart and mixed in the taco seasoning and a can of black beans (last time we used pinto but thought black would be delicious with chicken, which of course it was!). And then when I got home from work I put it all together and cooked it. It was a great team effort and DELICIOUS! Oh, and we also added a can of our favorite enchilada sauce, soooooo good (it's Carlita brand, and I'm telling you, I've never known something in a can to be so good, until now; try it, you won't be sorry). We served it up with sour cream on top (I cooked the olives in this time, somewhere in the middle on top of the first layer of cheese). It's fun to make food up together.

In other news, I've been doing this push-up challenge called hundredpushups.com and I though I have yet to be able to do a "real" push-up, I'm up to I think about 90 "knee" push-ups, and this week my clothes are fitting visibly better, and my abs and upper body is definitely more toned. Sooooooooo exciting! (I'm telling you, yesterday I wore one of my favorite dresses that hasn't fit in a while, and I looked smokin' hot. Just sayin'.)

On a similar note, Mike's been taking my car to his work in the morning, and then I have been riding my bicycle to his work (two miles) to get my car on my way to my job, which I work week-daily from 12-7. I love having my mornings to get lots of stuff around the house done and work for our business, run a few errands... plus I found a way to get a little exercise and fresh air in before I go sit in the gallery all afternoon. So, life is good.

Also, because I love so many rich and fattening foods (who doesn't, but anyway) I have been focusing really hard on doing physical activity everyday, even if it is just a relatively short walk, and controlling my food portion sizes. It seems to be working! So, let's stay positive on that. I can't diet, it's just not in my genes, seriously; but if this keeps working, this is a lifestyle change I can live with.

P.S. Working at the gallery is going really well, by the way. The owners are all really easy-going, plus they want lots of my opinions and advice on how to best proceed and make this business the best that it can be. Anyone who knows me knows I love to give my opinion (who doesn't, but anyway). And the shops on either side of me, one is a tattoo shop and the other is a garden supply store, are full of really nice people, so that is also good.

Now I gotta stop stalling and do my push-ups for today. I have been doing this for about a month, and now that I'm bragging about my progress, I can't let it slip now!

Updated to add: I dedicate this post to my friend, Sunshine Blizzard, for whom I am very grateful to know. It is because of her that I have gotten on this 100 push-ups challenge and gotten my health and weight moving back in the right direction. Thanks, E!

Of Course, I Mean, What Do You Expect, Really?

2008-08-01T13:12:00.000-07:00

Of course, just when I decide to actually give cooking on a regular basis a try, another commitment finds its way into my life. I am going to have to find dishes that can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated until I get home from work so I can just throw them into the oven. When I get home from the gallery it's time to list auctions on eBay, and in the mornings before I go to the gallery I photograph the items to be listed, and then while I'm at the gallery, I adjust the photos and create layouts, among the trillion other things a person has to get done in a day to be truly productive and stay on top of all the stuff to do. And still, I'm not ever done. (Does that sound whiny? I am not whining, I swear. I'm simply stating.)

I saw a question the other day somewhere: "What is your idea of a perfect day?" I immediately thought, "One where I get everything on my to-do list done." Seriously. And so far, I have not had a perfect day. Who has, I'm sure.

But if anyone has any recipes that are one-dish delights, can be put together and then refrigerated, to be cooked later, will they please share them with me? Please oh please? I accept emails and letters and phone calls. You know where to find me.

Thieves are Jerks

2008-08-01T12:50:00.000-07:00

Mike's bike got stolen earlier this week, and it's super bad timing now that I'm driving up to McKinleyville to run this gallery and he has been riding my bicycle all week, which is fine with me, but I know he doesn't like my bike at all (it has has crazy awesome shocks that make it comfortable to ride but also very bouncy). So, I know it's his own fault for leaving his bike outside unlocked, but still, thieves are stupid jerks, especially ones who steal someone's bicycle right off their own driveway in front of their own house while they are sleeping.

Just wanted to say I have no respect for people who steal, even if they need it. Though I know that if someone knocked on my door and asked for it, I would be really skeptical about giving it to them. So, there you go. I don't know what to think about all of this.

Mike's not even mad. He just says, "It's my own fault that it got stolen; guess I'll have to build myself another one." Maybe I should take a lesson from that attitude.

The Ocean, and a Cow

2008-07-31T13:11:00.001-07:00

So, across the street from the gallery where I am working there is a cow, and a view of the ocean.

Gotta love California.

The Homeless Aren't People, Apparently

2008-07-31T08:45:00.000-07:00

A few nights ago I listened to a call-in radio show about what is going on in Humboldt County right now; people are signing petitions to get the local police to remove the "transients," as if they are garbage instead of people. I know that homelessness is a problem, but I know forcing people who have nowhere to go to just go away is hardly the solution.

A local transient known as Coffee Jim was given a warning to not loiter. He was told that he better not be found there again. Exactly 24 hours later he was arrested, for "loitering" in a completely different part of town, sitting under a tree in the lawn of a local church. He was not drinking or drunk, he was not under the influence of any drugs, he did not have any illegal substances on his person. He was sitting under a tree. And he was arrested for it.

Another woman had a similar experience, someone who was born here, who has family here, who has never lived anywhere else, has been arrested repeatedly because she is supposed to leave. She doesn't have anywhere else to go. Does anybody bother to help her find a place to be? It seems that they just tell her to disappear. A bystander said she overheard the woman quietly asking the arresting officers how was she supposed to just disappear? "Do you know how hard that is?" she asked them.

This just makes me sad. The hour-long program featured many of the local transients, who told their stories a bit, as well as other locals who know these folks, and it was a really human experience. These are people. Signing petitions to have them removed from the area is not the solution to the homelessness problem.

Also, I Won

2008-07-29T20:22:00.000-07:00

at Mancala.

I never win.

So I gloated. Just a little bit.

So I Got Another Job

2008-07-29T19:47:00.000-07:00

So, I wasn't even trying to get a job, though I was thinking how working at home all the time, while it's awesomely convenient and I get lots of housework down and time to exercise (which is brilliant!) and I eat healthier and cheaper and am earning more than I earned at my last job, can also be lonely. But, I mean, I didn't even say that aloud. I just thought it.

And then our glassblower friend called and asked if I was available to come into a local gallery and talk to the owners about the possibility of running the gallery while still doing my own business at their gallery instead of at home. So I went in to talk to them. And I start tomorrow. (They had an employee, but she accepted another job instead.)

So I am now an employee of Front Gallery; I run the shop. Plus I still run my other business while I am at the gallery. I'm excited; it feels like something that has the potential to be really great.

Cooking as a Habit

2008-07-29T00:29:00.000-07:00

I have decided that as a foodie, if I want to be authentic, I need to make cooking a habit. I have always wished I cooked meals on a regular basis, and haven't done much to make that wish a reality. If wishes were horses, I'd have a whole stable full of them, or however the saying/nursery rhyme goes...

So, anyway, I decided to make dinner, and I also decided to go with tried-and-true things (i.e. something I have successfully cooked in my life) that I knew Mike would like (not that he's picky, but I know there are things he definitely likes), that called for as many ingredients already on hand as possible. This greatly reduced my options since, as I have already indicated, I do not cook on a regular basis (unless you count eggs and turkey sandwiches, not at the same time).

Still, undeterred, I looked through a binder of recipes I put together in 2003 or 2004 and have never used (NEVER used!), and voila! Mexican Lasagna. A super easy yet delicious recipe that Mom had given me, something I knew I had successfully made before, and something that called for many ingredients we already had on hand. I would have to go to the store for the ground beef and taco seasoning, but I was anticipating having to go to the store. So no biggie.

I also found a chocolate chip cookie recipe that Mom emailed me once, and made that too. Mike was surprised, and everything turned out delicious.

MEXICAN LASAGNA

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 15 oz. can pinto beans, drained (can substitute refried or black beans)
1 regular sized package of tortillas (flour or corn)
2+ cups of "taco" cheese (I used cheddar and monterey jack cheeses)

Directions:
1. Brown ground beef.
2. Drain off fat.
3. Add taco seasoning, tomato sauce and beans.
4. Spray/grease casserole baking dish well.
5. Slice tortillas in half.
6. Line bottom of the pan with half of the tortillas.
7. The next layer is half of the meat and bean mixture.
8. Follow the meat layer with a layer of half the cheese.
9. Repeat the three layers (tortilla, meat, cheese) with the remaining halves of the ingredients.
10. Cook in a 300 degree oven OR in microwave until cheese is bubbly and dish looks done. (This took about 25 minutes including a few turns of the pan to make sure it cooked evenly in our quirky oven.)
11. Let stand 10 minutes or so to cool.
12. Serve as desired. (Suggestions: Salsa, sour cream, black olives - I used all of the above.)

CHOCO CHIP BUTTER COOKIES

Ingredients:
4 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Directions:
Cream butter, sugars and shortening well, add two unbeaten eggs and 1 tbsp vanilla (3 tsp), beat well, blend in dry ingredients, stir in 1 large pck. chocolate chips (I used 15 oz. bag of semi-sweet/dark chocolate chips) and 1 cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts), drop onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 8 min.

Too Close for Comfort

2008-07-25T08:13:00.000-07:00

This morning, I was making breakfast, and I grabbed the dishcloth to wash off the table, when I saw something weird that sort of resembled a pickle on the dishrag, and I thought to myself, briefly, "that's odd because we don't have any pickles; what kind of weird trick did Mike play on me before going to work?"

And then the pickle moved. Which caused me to scream, a little bit, and throw the dishrag into the sink.

I was semi-okay with the existence of slugs out here as long as they stayed where they belong, which frankly I am certain is NOT in my kitchen sink. The banana slugs might be sort of novel, but even those can stay out of my house!

I took a couple pictures so you could share my joy with me. I call this piece "Slugs are Disgusting and Need to Stay Out of My Sink." Enjoy:

P.S. Since we are in a sharing mood, when I carried the thing outside on the dishrag it was oozing everywhere and I thought it was going to drip on me or the carpet! So disgusting.

A Few Pictures from Today

2008-07-24T15:40:00.000-07:00

I haven't even gotten my WI pictures up yet - well there are so many more of them - anyway, excuses aside, I'm stealing time for just one moment to get these pics up from our "lovely" time at the Loleta Beach (officially called Table Bluff) with Mike's mom and Mike's kids and the dog this afternoon. The company was wonderful, the weather, not so much. Before that, we enjoyed a delicious breakfast/lunch at Hot Brew in Fortuna; and though there are no pictures of this particular event, it bears mentioning because Hot Brew is delicious.

Enjoy!

Left to right, Josh, Mike's mom Mary Ann, Mike, Kaya:

Beachfront property, complete with a fenced-in yard:

Home Sweet Home etched into the wood above the "door":

Hanging out inside the hut (away from the wind):

Kaya offered to take a picture:

Leaving our "home away from home," as photographed once again by Paparazzo Kaya:

A hanglider over the bluff:

Crammed into the back of the car:

The end.

Seriously, Kill Your Television, It's Awesome

2008-07-22T21:45:00.000-07:00

Sometime last week or so, our TV died a violent death, and at first I was upset. After the initial "shock" of being once again TV-less (I sold my TV before moving out here and didn't have a TV for about a year, when a friend gave us an extra one she had sometime in late February/early March of this year.), Mike and I once again got creative about how to spend our newly found "free" time. We played board games and cards again. We cooked together. We sat on the couch and looked out the window holding hands while listening to favorite radio programs. We went for evening walks and bicycle rides. I used the now bare coffee table space to organize my papers last weekend, and I've been getting so much housecleaning done! And it's only been about a week!

I am sure that my life is so much more peaceful without a television set. When I first was living without a TV it was really strange to me, as I had never lived without one before. Then I got used to it. By the time our friend bestowed upon us a TV I thought I was glad to get back what I had missed so much. But that feeling doesn't compare to the feeling of peace I have now, at realizing how much energy I was expending even considering whether or not to turn it on and flip through channels. And how depressed I would feel if I sat and watched it aimlessly for any period of time.

The only thing I'm going to miss is having the TV to use for watching DVD's. The kids fighting constantly over whose turn it is to choose what they watch - that part I will NOT miss.

Kill your TV! Life is divine without it!

P.S. My biggest complaint in all of this is that it cost $10 to deliver the TV to the recycle center, but I know it was the right thing to do, so I paid. I've definitely blown $10 in way worse ways than recycling a TV I didn't even pay for, so there you go.

Future M-I-L

2008-07-22T21:33:00.000-07:00

I met my future mother-in-law today. She is very nice and very pretty. She flew in from Baltimore to bring home safely Mike's kids, who were out there for a visit. She is in town until Friday. We had a late lunch at our favorite local Mexican restaurant, and then we ran around at the drive-in beach for a while.

Baby Got Skunked

2008-07-21T19:00:00.000-07:00

The dog freaked me out today. I let her out for a minute, left the door open for her to come back inside when she was done, and went in the other room to make the bed. All of a sudden she came barreling inside, literally foaming at the mouth and scared half to death. I had to physically drag her outside because she was foaming and drooling everywhere and her drool had the most awful smell! She fought me because she was scared to be outside. Only after I called Mike to come home did I realize what that awful smell was - poor Baby got sprayed by a skunk!

Anyway, we took Baby to the beach today. It was a treat for her after we spent the bulk of the day with rubber gloves on, alternating between scrubbing her with baby shampoo and dousing her with water and coating her with canned tomato juice and then starting the entire process over again. So far, it seems to have worked, as she smells much better.

I can't say I'm happy it was a skunk that caused that foaming at the mouth and crazed behavior, but I can say I'm glad that's all it was. For a minute there I thought she was having a seizure! It scared me half to death too!

I hope the evening is much more low-key.

People's Paper Trails and No Postage Necessary

2008-07-20T12:16:00.000-07:00

It's only taken me a year and a half, but I have finally gone and done it. It took me the entire weekend thus far, but I already feel like a new person. An organized person. A person whose entire existence can be summed up by looking through a single crate filled with hanging files, folders with labels, placed in alphabetical order, containers for every important piece of paper, from birth certificates and car titles to bank and credit card statements. In the process of doing this, I have made more space in my apartment, and I have filled two brown paper bags with pieces of paper to be recycled, items that I have been hanging on to for the apparently sole reason of consuming my living space. Not any more! Die, paper, die! Or be recycled... or something. Uh... anyway...

As I tackled this overwhelming project, I came across numerous envelopes from "pre-approved" credit card applications to magical-cure-all-elixir solicitations that contain the following words in the upper right corner, where the stamp normally goes: NO POSTAGE NECESSARY IF MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES. Now, is it just me, or do you have the urge to mail random crap to these companies? Because I do. I haven't done it yet, mostly because I fear it's an underpaid peon who has to process these requests (read: open the envelopes, and remove whatever junk is in them). But, then the company has to pay the postage, which if enough people did this enough times, it might actually cause a dent in their bottomless pocketbooks, right? Much like how they prey on the innocent by giving them unlimited credit limits (there's an oxymoron) attached to HUGE interest rates? Is this wrong? I'm still on the fence, so for now I will behave. For now.

As a helpful tip from my heart to yours, the key to completing this seemingly undoable project is to just handle one piece of paper at a time, take breaks for eating and sleeping and exercising, read a book or do a dance when you feel like you can't take it anymore, and Voila! It's amazing the amount of progress I have made just following this simple method. You, too, can have personal organization for only $9.99 a month plus extra verbiage in tiny print that will steal your soul if you let it... oops, got carried away there for a minute... can you tell I have been opening up lots of junk mail lately?

Well, anyway, I do have a bit more filing to do, while I'm on such a roll here... Happy Paper Trails to You (until we meet again)!

Hi, There.

2008-07-18T10:26:00.000-07:00

It's been a week of getting stuff done. Monday I rode my bicycle to the bus and took the bus to the tax man and now my taxes are done, WHEW!, and I have a nice amount of money coming back too. (And I didn't spend gas on that trip into Eureka, which is great, because gas is still somewhere around $4.60-$4.79 a gallon, depending on where you fill up.) Tuesday I took Baby for a really long walk and got a lot of catch-up work done, listed some stuff on eBay. Wednesday, we drove to Fort Bragg (three hours each way) and hand-delivered a lot of glass to our favorite gallery down there, and brought back a nice chunk of change in exchange. Yesterday I listed more on eBay. I went for a walk AND a bike ride. And I made banana bread. I used two different recipes, one that I cut off a bag of bananas that I bought at Kalscheur's Fine Foods in Mount Horeb (WI - as if anyone reads this that wouldn't know that, ha ha) so long ago, and the other one from a cookbook Grandma gave me just before I moved here. I didn't have all the ingredients listed in either, but with a little bit of creativity and modifying, I made some pretty darn good bread. Mom always said cooking was art more than chemistry, but a little bit of chemistry too. (See, Mom, I was sort of paying attention.) I think it's easier to do that with baking though. Baking, I get. Cooking, I'm still figuring out. Mike has taught me a lot. He's pretty innovative.

I've walked or biked now just about every day consistently for the last two weeks. Not crummy little distances either. And I've been doing pushups too. It's hard, but I can feel myself getting stronger and that is exciting. There is also this huge hill by my house that I have finally managed to bike all the way up. I thought my lungs might explode by the time I got to the top, but I made it up, so that's what's important.

I've also learned a tremendous amount this week about what is involved in being self-employed, and I think I can do this. I really do. Guess it's what I'm doing, so might as well go with that.

So that's my week in a nutshell. The weather has been cool and foggy, much like Humboldt, though it has been warm enough for teeshirts around here this summer on a semi-regular basis, which is different than last summer was. There are still lots of fires around me, but the sky is not smoky where we live. I think the fog protects us. I read in the paper yesterday that the fires have already cost something like 31 million dollars, and there is no end in site. I read online that it's raining like mad in southern California, so it seems we have changed places with our other half. It was also over a hundred degrees in San Francisco last week or the week before, which is record-breaking crazy. This weather, man, this weather. What else can you say?

Now I am going to package and ship marbles to the good folks who buy them from us. And then I am going to take some more pictures of marbles (I am beginning to fall in love with art marbles, which are truly mesmerizing. I can see why people collect them! You could see too! Just check out http://myworld.ebay.com/openfireglass/ ... I would say just kidding, but let's be honest here.)

I've got about 10 projects going all at once, and the kids come back next week! Mike's mom will also be in town, so I will get to meet her. I got a lot of stuff to get done while I still have some relative peace and quiet!

To Do List

2008-07-10T07:54:00.001-07:00

It's been so hot here that part of my to-do list was to help get Mike out the door as early as possible so he can get as much work done before it gets way too unbearable to be on the torch. He was up and out the door with a thermos full of coffee by 6:45, so that's pretty good.

We are dog-sitting Baby this week and next while Josh and Kaya are visiting their grandma (Mike's mom) in Baltimore. Baby is in heat. So a lot of my time is spent literally babysitting her. She is the sweetest dog in the entire universe (I'm not one of those annoying dog lovers that thinks that about my awful dog; anyone who meets her and/or spends any amount of time with her comments on how well behaved she is - she doesn't bark, she does exactly what you ask of her, and is an all-around very happy, social dog who just wants to be friends with everybody and their dog or uncle, literally), but I will admit I'm looking forward to when she is done being in heat. It's time-consuming to keep track of her so she doesn't make a mess in my house or have a neighborhood male dog impregnate her.

I also need to get my taxes done - I filed an extension because life was crazy hectic during the jazz festival and aftermath, and they were too confusing trying to figure out the state taxes, having moved to another state partway through 2007.

I have lots more marbles to list on eBay and have already taken many photographs that now need to be adjusted.

I need to research and contact three galleries that came recommended by one of our local gallery owners for Mike's work; one is in Dallas, one in D.C. and one in Colorado. Operation Mike Warren Next Dale Chihuly continues (clunky operation name, needs work).

And before the day gets too hot, I need to ride my bicycle. I've been working hard to be active everyday. I've also been trying to master push-ups, which is tough! But I will do it. I will do it. (I have an email support network of three girlfriends from Wisconsin, which is definitely motivating! To strong women!)

I also need to keep working on my writer's resume - it's tough! - but there is a lot of local freelance writing jobs to be done, and I'm trying to see if I can score any of them. That would be so awesome.

BUT FIRST! I need to eat some breakfast! (My usual top priority.)

I Heart KMUD

2008-07-10T07:18:00.000-07:00

I'm listening to KMUD (kmud.org) and I have to say I've never felt so attached to a radio station before. Real live people, not the deejays like on corporate radio stations, they talk about real issues, they play a really eclectic mix of music, and I discover a lot of extremely talented musicians and artists I wouldn't otherwise have discovered.

My current favorite shows include the Hawaiian/Jawaiian one on Tuesday at 4:00PM, the trance show on Thursdays at 2:30PM, the eastern music show on Thursdays at 4:00PM, and the early morning shows on most mornings, when they play really positive music with a beat that makes you want to jump out of bed and move your feet.

Edited to add: I also love the "Audio Archive" feature on their website, so if I don't like what they have on currently or I miss one of my favorite programs (or I want to listen to some of the late-night programs, which are often really good, but I'm not up at midnight), I can listen to them anytime! Gotta love technology.

Another Heat Wave

2008-07-09T15:32:00.000-07:00

It's in the HUNDREDS a little inland, and here on the coast it's in the mid-80's. It's been that way for days, and they are saying it's lasting through tomorrow.

Yesterday when I was driving north to Clam Beach, it smelled of smoke. "Smoke" has also been in the daily forecast. It hasn't rained here in weeks and weeks and weeks. It's so not like this place. My first experience with California fires, and I have to say I'm over it. I'm sure lots of other people feel the same way.

They banned fireworks just south of us last week. I never heard of that, but it makes sense.

The Email I Just Sent to the People who Roast the Coffee We Drink:

2008-07-09T13:19:00.001-07:00

Dear Signature Coffee Company,

We have fairly recently (within the last six months) discovered your Indian Yellikudige Jasmine Estate beans at our local Murphy's grocery store, and subsequently fallen in love with it (obviously!). We are a coffee drinking family, and thusly we buy several bags a week, spending upwards of $60 or more a month on coffee! This could potentially break us unless we switch to Folgers (PLEASE, PLEASE don't let that happen to us, I beg you!).

Anyway, we saw on the bag that we could email you, and also that wholesale (and bulk?) is available for purchase. We are just two java joe schmoes; as such is it possible for us to purchase wholesale or bulk beans? If so, how do we go about doing this?

If there is any advice you can provide (or just prices and availability), we will be forever grateful.

Very truly yours,
Naomi & Mike

P.S. If you do not sell wholesale or bulk beans to the general, non-grocery-store-or-coffee-shop public, do you do sponsorships? I know a superb local glass artist who literally fuels his creative self with your delicious roast. :-)

DO YOU THINK IT WILL WORK?????

Ticks are Gross

2008-07-08T16:19:00.001-07:00

I have found two ticks on my person in the last few months - TWO! They were on my clothing (which was on my person), but even that is way too close for comfort. No one invited you to this party of one, so get lost, Ticks. Two is two too many when it comes to ticks.

YUCK. I guess tromping through the woods and the marsh has its drawbacks. EWWWWW.

Edited to Add: One of those two ticks was located on me TODAY. Hence the post about it now.

Also, when we have the kids and the dog (which is most weekends and then some), we often go for walks either in the marsh or the redwoods or both, and we always find ticks on either a kid or the dog. Every time. There have been at least 10 ticks found on children and dog, and that is just too many. Especially with the scare of Lyme Disease.

Edited Again to Add: I just picked a tick off the dog. YUCK YUCK YUCK.

There once was a time when I wasn't sure what a tick looked like. Now I'm so familiar with the little buggers it's not funny. Not funny at all.

Real Live Jellyfish in the Bay!

2008-07-07T20:07:00.000-07:00

The highlight of this day was when Mike and Baby (the dog) and I were walking on the waterfront in Eureka on a blissfully breezeless beautiful summer evening and we "ventured" out onto the floating pier. There, we saw a jellyfish, swimming in the bay (that's Humboldt Bay, not to be confused with "The Bay," which is San Francisco Bay). It was up close and personal, as in I could have reached in and touched it (if I were stupid).

I have never, to my knowledge, seen a real live jellyfish in person, though I've seen them on the IMAX screen, and that was cool too. I love where I live, I love it here, it is so beautiful and incredible.

Gotta go catch a sunset now - it looks like it's going to be a good one.

What I Have to Say About Wisconsin

2008-07-07T14:44:00.000-07:00

I just got some of my thank you's out the door! I had an AMAZING trip, in spite of the wacky weather (flooding, storms, hail, tornadoes), my family is WONDERFUL, and it was so nice to see everyone! Thank you so much, dear Hayley and Dan for the hospitality, and Grandma and Mom and Dad too! No, I know that doesn't count as actual thank you's and yes, I certainly know I have more thank you's to send out than just that!

I saw some friends, and I saw my family. I felt like it was a long time to be there, and still not long enough to spend with everyone. I spend some wonderful time with my big sister Natalie (though she is not so big, so I guess that makes her my little big sister), I got to spend some QT with Mom and Dad, Grandma, Avery and Sadie, my brother Ben (this is not listed in any particular order). My extended family (my mom's family) came over to Mom and Dad's on a beautiful Sunday afternoon for grilled chicken and pork and lots of other homemade goodies. I went for long walks with Hayley, went to REAL stores (no, Humboldt County, you do not have REAL STORES, sorry to say) with Natalie, Mom, Hayley and Grandma (not all at the same time), got to eat at my favorite places (Sa-Bai Thong with Anya and Mike; Monty's Blue Plate Diner with Laurie, Anthony, and Andrea; JMK Nippon with Natalie; Laredo's with Hayley, Dan and Ben; The Great Dane with Bennett; Jolly Bob's with Hayley and Dan; Maharaja's with Hayley; The Jet Room with Sherry; The Bradbury with Hayley and Liz; Culvers with Grandma ... oh my, can you tell what I LOVE TO DO! LOL! I'm sure there is more, but seriously, I need to stop now), went to The Kissers' Final Show at the High Noon Saloon, got to see Stephen Marley at the Barrymore for FREE (thank you to Dad and his connections!)... not to mention all the delicious food people prepared for me, and all the lovely time spent with everyone! And oh man, now I just need to post pictures, so I will do that now and maybe I'll be back later to talk more about how awesome my visit was!

Selling Seashells by the Seashore

2008-06-29T12:34:00.000-07:00

Just call me Sally. I never actually thought I would sell seashells by the seashore, but that IS in fact what I do now: