Visitors from Another Planet

And that planet is Wisconsin.

Don't worry, they are not really aliens, and I'm not really funny. I can live with that.

This is the blog where I announce with glee that Hayley and Dan, my sis and her boyfriend for anyone who might not know (why wouldn't you know?!?), are coming to visit me in A FEW SHORT DAYS and it's just not going to feel real until I pick them up at the airport! But I'm so excited to see their faces, I can hardly stand it.

I AM BESIDE MYSELF!

WITH GLEE!

In the meantime, I have to try and focus on work. Learning a new job is hard enough, but make that learning-a-new-job-while-going-into-crunch-time-on-the-other-new-job-that-I-just-felt-like-I-got-the-hang-of and YIKES I am more than whelmed, i.e. overwhelmed.

Yeah, not funny. I know.

I Walked

We have two city parks that I love; one is Sequoia Park in Eureka, within a mile of my house, and the other is Redwood Park in Arcata. I'm sure I've mentioned both.

This past week I walked. I worked, and I walked. Sunday I walked from my house to Sequoia Park, which is attached to the local zoo. I hung out with the black bear at the zoo, who was looking for some food at about 10 in the morning. He was smaller than I would have thought, as I have only seen him from the back of his "area" sleeping. Sunday, he walked right up to the front and looked at us onlookers like we had fish in hand that we were withholding. I walked through Sequoia Park down one of the trails through the woods to the duck pond, and after walking back up another trail out of the forest, I sat in the gazebo in the small garden on the other side of the zoo and talked to my grandma. I had walked for about two hours at this point but wasn't ready to stop walking. So I kept walking away from my house and ended up at the video store. I picked up two DVD's that I still as of today have not watched. They are due back tonight, but it's so nice out that I don't know if I'll get to them. I walked a total of four or so hours. It was so ... relaxing ... and relieving. Walking, in solitude, is the best way to get to know oneself, I have found. Walking in pairs, is the best way to get to know each other, I have found.

Monday night after work Mike and I walked from our house to Sequoia Park (Eureka). Tuesday night after work I went to Arcata to pick Mike up from his work and we went to Redwood Park (Arcata) and walked. Wednesday, Sequoia Park. Thursday, Sequoia. Friday, Redwood. Saturday, Grizzly Creek, which is somewhere else amazing altogether, save for the poison oak they have growing in spades.

Each walk on the trails was over an hour and sometimes two hours. Each walk was downhill as well as up. It was exhilerating. My muscles feel the results of such consistent walking. I had been walking everyday up until this point, but the length and the level was incredibily varied and sometimes the walk was no more than 15 minutes, and essentially on flat land, though that is hard in this hilly county in which I reside.

We are about to go for another walk. It's beautifully sunny here, and not too windy. I like the structure of an everyday job, but I live for the stress relief that is walking. Taking a moment at the top of the trail to stand and behold the huge trees and listen to the sounds of the birds, to reflect on how alive and beautiful the forest is...well, I'm having trouble finding the words, so just go find out for yourself. Your body and soul will thank you for it, I promise.

Where I Live (AKA The Best Dictionary Entry)

While looking for a word in my dictionary I came across the best entry ever:

la-la land (la'la') n. 1. A place renowned for its frivolous activity. 2. A state of mind characterized by unrealistic expectations or a lack of seriousness.

I have been accused by just about every teacher growing up of being in la-la land. But I did not know it actually existed, according to my rockin' dictionary, and that just clears up so much for me! You have no idea how excited I am.

I guess this means there is a real name for my condition.

Hahaha. Just kidding.

Changing the subject, the lowlight of my day was when a fiber optic in our little Humboldt County made the internet go away for all people everywhere/in Humboldt County. This meant at my second day at my new job I was able to do hands-on training MUCH less (like not at all) than I wanted.

In related news, the highlight of my day was that the internet was down so my coworker and I went for a hike on our property, which has its very own hiking trails. Oh yeah, I love my life and I love la-la land.

PEACE.

End of Trail

Here is one pic for y'all - this is the only time you'll see me by this sign (this was the point at which we hiked up another gazillion yards to a "vista point" and THEN turned around and walked the entire trail back to the car).

I Get to Help People For a Living

OK I'll let the website speak for the organization I'm now proud to be a part of; it is called Humboldt Area Foundation and its website is here.

I oversee and advocate for the Angel Fund, which provides money for low-income families and individuals who need assistance in paying for health- and medical-related expenses; and also the Angel Dental Fund, which helps pay for dental needs of children.

I work two days per week at Humboldt Area Foundation and three days per week at Redwood Coast Music Festivals. After my assistant director gig at Blues by the Bay mid July I will go full time at Humboldt Area Foundation.

I feel like I've found my niche.

ALSO,

I haven't been posting because I've been too sore. Stupid, eh, but true. In a way.

A few weeks back we hiked 8 miles and it was rough, on the muscles; the scenery and the trail and the experience were all wonderful. Last Sunday, one day less of a week after the first hike at Headwaters Trail, we had another go. The entire trail is something like 11.6 miles. And we hiked the entire trail.

That may not seem like much to you, but holey moley was it hard. It's 5.3 miles in and then you loop around and come back. The entire fourth mile is very steep uphill. Everything after that (so that would be the entire fifth mile and then the .3 mile that felt like five miles all in itself) is barely a trail and completely overgrown with lots of stuff. I thought we were in the middle of a jungle or something. The "trail," if you can call it that, at that point is so uneven and rocky that it was a good thing I had such great hiking boots (that Mike bought me in January when I was out here for a visit) that provided ankle-saving support, no doubt.

I am so glad I did it, and I even have a picture of myself by the "End of Trail" sign to prove I was really there. But I tell you that will be the last time I make it that far. I felt the last mile and some was overrated. We have decided to hike 10 miles the next time around, for at the five-mile mark is a beautiful secluded little part of the redwood forest with streams and logs and growing things (i.e. ferns, wild purple irises, other things for which I know no names) everywhere, where we sat and ate our lunch (I have never eaten a more delicious turkey and swiss and avocado and black olive sandwich in my life as the one I ate after hiking five difficult miles).

I didn't know mere walking could be so hard. I no longer think of hiking as "mere walking." My muscles felt it for all of last week. I've just now recovered enough to type blogs again! My goal is to hike those 10 miles until they are not so difficult anymore.

I Got Another Job!

I haven't been on here in a while... busy with work, blah blah blah, same story different day or something like that.

But anyway, I had the strangest thing happen, strange because it's never happened to me before, not because it's actually odd: I'll have to tell you later, i.e. look at this post's title for a big "clue"/the answer. And why it's strange/odd? Again, I'll add details later.

But no worries about my assistant director job at the music festival non-profit; things are going absolutely wonderfully there - I'll explain the circumstances and details later/soon! I just didn't want y'all to think I gave up on this thing.

Love and Stuff,

If You Want to Cry for Two Hours Straight...

...Watch the movie version of The Five People You Meet in Heaven.

If not, well I don't know. Do something else.

Why I love Hwy 1 (Pictorial Evidence)

That is, as far as highways go...































P.S. The driver of the vehicle and the handler of the picture camera were not one and the same individual. Also, no animals were harmed in the making of this blog content.

At My New Job...

...there is spam poetry in the email. Some of it is "really good!"

Here, see for yourselves:
The world itself is pregnant with failure, is the perfect manifestation of imperfection, of the consciousness of failure.
Never lose a holy curiosity.
You have been my friends, replied Charlotte, that in itself is a tremendous thing...
Give me a lever long enough, and a prop strong enough, I can single-handed move the world.
All these primary impulses, not easily described in words, are the springs of man's actions.
Every failure is a step to success.
The child is not to be educated for the present, but for the remote future, and often is opposition to the immediate future.
Calamity is virtue's opportunity.
The empty vessel makes the loudest sound.
Creativity is a highfalutin word for the work I have to do between now and Tuesday.
Human history in essence is the history of ideas.
It is by its promise of a sense of power that evil often attracts the weak.
I worked very hard. I felt I could play the game. The only thing that could stop me was myself.

Another one here:
Two of us, Docteur and Madame Machin, who stand
His sightless eyes horribly watch the air;
Out of the road into a way across
Some stubborn sprouts up through the stubble hay,
Pallid waste where no radiant fathomers,
Figures of light and dark, these two are walking
I bring down a bit of its light
At the white place of the road's vanishing
I do not betray you, I still go forward,
Silent patch of ultimate paint. You are
The winter road from the St. Simeon farm
For any part of them we can make out
I've drifted somewhat from the distant heart
That this mud draws on the stone.
Lucky the bell—still full and deep of throat,
That only you and I can know. Les deux
Suddenly, in a savage, dreadful bend,
—Now that you notice it—have just moved past
He never even dreams, being sheer snow;


Ah, Spam Poetry. I personally love the "creativity is a highfalutin word for the work I have to do between now and Tuesday" line. Yeah. Can we not all understand this sentiment!?

Also, when you are finished enjoying the poetry, you can, in the very same email, purchase Adobe software for the low low price of 99 cents. Originally One Thousand Dollars.

In other job news, my job rocks. Though today it will be hard hard hard. I have to get off the blasted internet now. Now that the day has started.

Ta ta.

PS I did ride my Bicycle to Work on Friday too

And that is about 8 miles round trip as well. I am going to try and bike all the time. I will have to post a picture of my bike; it's so cute with the milk crate on the back, which is very nice for holding a book and my water bottle and my lunch and my rain slicker (in case it starts to rain) and then not have to have a bunch of things on my back. I work three days a week, so really that's not expecting too much out of myself to bike three days a week to work. And the weather is really so prime for biking, not too hot and not too cold. So I have no excuse not to do it, really.

8 Miles Through the "Rainforest" AKA Banana Slugs EVERYWHERE!

So we just recently, within the last two hours recently, went hiking. 8 miles at Headwaters Trail right south of Eureka. A lot of uphill. A lot of downhill. A fair amount of mud. Some rocks. A lot of banana slugs. Rainforest-like weather conditions. (Yes, that means misty-like rain-stuff that is not really rain but accumulates and sticks and makes ya all wet anyway, as well as extremely humid and steamy, naturally.) It was hard. It was gorgeous. It was nice. I'd do it again. But not tomorrow.

My buns are sore now, y'all. Like they need some ice cream. Hahaha.

P.S. Besides the strangely large number of banana slugs we saw a fire belly salamander - which Mike picked up - a stripey garden snake - Mike picked that up as well because he's like a little boy and they must pick up wriggly things - and I guess that is it. But we heard animals in the bushes. And we went into the scary dark woods to have a look, which reminded me of when my siblings and I did that a lot as kids. And didn't have a fear of the spooky forest darkness of it either. Also, the air smelled so sweet, from all the flowers and trees and uh, nature, and I took the deepest breaths I could as often as possible, but it was never deep enough. It really was a marvelous experience, good for my soul. And my sole(s). Heehee.

Gnarly. (This Post is Where I Blame Being In Love and Happy for My Recent Weight Gain.)

I mean, what the hell. I am active everyday more than I've been in years. I'm learning about and consuming healthier and more organic foods. OK, so I may perhaps eat sweets on the daily as well, but I always did that! Blast that Mike has introduced me to the wonders and evils of Haagen Dazs. But seriously. I don't think that should account for the 20 pounds I've put on since I got here. (OK a bit of it was prior to leaving Wisconsin, but I attributed that to stress. OK, I've been stressed here as well. OK, whatever. Excuses, excuses.)

Mike says I'm beautiful and look wonderful but he's just a blind-in-love liar. But I of course mean that in a good way. Haha. But I mean, I finally for the first time in my life feel happy in a romantic relationshp, feel confident and secure in myself and in my partner, and I blame this, not the ice cream, for the weight gain. And the stress. OK, it's the fault of the ice cream as well. But besides that, don't happy people and people in committed relationships stereotypically "let themselves go?" Is this what I'm doing? I HOPE NOT!

Well, anyway, back to reality, it's the beginning of my third day of work today, and the first day without the aid and training of the assistant director whom I am replacing. I'm on my own today. And I'm excited to get in there and get to work. So I gotta jet, y'all. I'm riding my bicycle, because I gotta get moving! And stop eating Haagen Dazs! It's all natural amazingness, but of course comes at a price, like so many sweet things in this world.

PEACE.

I Have a Yob!!!!

OK I really have no idea why I think saying "yob" instead of "job" is funny, but other titles in the running for this post were "I've Been Jobbed" and "You are Looking at the New Assistant Director for the Redwood Coast Music Festival." First one could be inappropriate, second one is not actually true, unless I post a picture, because you are not actually looking at me.

But I digress. The actual point, and yes I do actually have one, is that I GOT THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR JOB THAT I WANTED! I am the proud new employee of the company that brings you such music festivals as Blues by the Bay and Redwood Coast Jazz Festival. You can find their site here: www.redwoodcoastmusicfestivals.org.

I will be helping the director coordinate and put on the Blues by the Bay event, scheduled for July 14 and 15 in my very own Eureka. My job description is, and I'm not kidding, do what it takes to put on Blues by the Bay. It's a two-person office, I'm the second person.

According to My CAR, I'm a Californian Now (Monday, May 14)

So last night was the Ziggy Marley show. It was a total blast. We danced practically the whole time. Had this really awesome organic syrah. We left at midnight just as Ziggy finished his encore.

Today we went to the DMV and *FINALLY* all was in order and I've got my Californian registration, title, and new license plates. They make you physically hand them your old Wisconsin plates, so I can't ever go back. Haha, just kidding.

So then Mike dropped me off at the store and went to work. I realized he had both sets of keys. He realized it too and was about to head back to Eureka. I told him not to and I'd call him when I got home, since I thought Sarah might be home and able to let me in. I walked home and checked the door. Locked. Rang the doorbell. Looked through the mail. Got this really cute Wisconsin Cow postcard from Hayley. "Just a minute!" Yay! Sarah was home. Called Mike and told him not to come back to Eureka. I was in.

I watched The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, since apparently I'm in a movie-renting-and-watching phase these last few days (also, it was a 3 titles for $5 movie deal). It was humorous, especially the part where everyone in the galaxy is apparently British. Naturally.

Oh yeah, and I got a phone call back from the jazz place and it sure sounds like I'm in. They are trying to coordinate with the board of directors and could I come back for another interview? He told me it is mostly just a formality and that "they are going to love you" and not to worry. So I can't help it, I feel like I basically just got hired there. Cross your fingers. I'll let y'all know for sure.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Sunday, May 13)

Mike went to work. I stayed home and watched Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. On DVD. It was soooooo good. I love it.

It was so crazy and beautiful and funny and scary (not scary scary, but a little scary). Starts at the end. Then the story of them, their love story, is told via Jim Carey's memories. At some point, even though he hired this man to take his ex-girlfriend (Kate Winslet) from his memory, he changes his mind and decides he needs to keep the memory of her. But he is sedated so he can't wake up to tell the "doctor" to stop erasing his memory. So he takes her (Winslet) and starts "hiding" her in memories she never occurred in, like from his childhood.

Also because much/most of the movie is taking place in his dreams there is crazy dreamlike stuff happening, things and people disappearing and reappearing, scenes flip-flopping and changing, very strange and broken continuity. Makes for interesting presentation.

I don't think I gave away too much since this movie is like four years old or something and that means, I'm quite sure, that I'm one of the last people to have seen it. My friend Nick kept telling me it was one of his ultimate favorite movies, and that I should watch it. I think we even attempted to watch it once. But now that I've seen it and felt like I could really relate to the impulsive and neurotic Kate Winslet character, I am paranoid that Nick recommended the movie to me because he thinks I'm crazy like her.

Whatever. I'm over it.

I also watched Sideways. It made me want to drive around California and taste wine.

The Farmers Market (Saturday, May 12)

Set alarm for 6AM. Hit snooze for approximately 1 hour 20 min. Got dressed, washed face. Took Mike to bus stop for the 7:48AM bus. Bus schedule informed him that the first Saturday bus is at 9:50AM (this is why I waited for him even though he told me I could just drop him off). Went back home. Packed up shoulder bag and laptop. Brushed teeth. Left house at 8:30. Dropped Mike off at work. Parked at Arcata Co-op. Purchased "ready to eat" wrap made up of filafel, hummus, cabbage - YUM - fresh organic strawberries - amazing - bottle of Venatura red table wine - for later - Naturtine dark brown hair dye (expensive at $15.39 but healthy for me and earth), yummy mix of cashews and choco chips and raisins and peanuts called "Good Stuff" in the bulk foods section. Still not a member of the co-op, but brought my own cloth bag so that was my redeeming value/thing.

Next I parked a few blocks off the square and walked to farmers market. Things for sale: carrots, leeks, strawberries, lettuces, cabbages, spinach, asparagus, herbs, cacti, flowers, plants, trees. Had two women comment on my Made in Wisconsin shirt and said they were too - one from LaCrosse, the other ran away without specifying after grabbing my hand and saying "me too!" I had a mouthful of hummus and filafel and couldn't do much besides smile close-lipped and hope it came across that way (as opposed to a grimace, which seems more likely considering how quickly she turned and disappeared into the crowd).

After gazing longingly at the raspberry cheese danishes provided by Los Bagels at the center of the market, and deciding I'd purchased enough food already, I walked the two blocks to Sacred Grounds, where now I sit enjoying a delicious fresh cup of coffee (light roast) with brown sugar and half-n-half, having snagged the last cushy chair in the house. Coffee is one thing. I can justify coffee. Danishes, not so much.

11:13AM

A woman I would guess to be in her late 40's to early 50's approached me in the coffee shop. "Wisconsin? Really?!" She was born and raised in Ashland and has been here since 1975. Always goes back for visits. "Welcome to northern California," she said. Friendly conversational strangers make this world a much better place.

1:14PM

Sat and listened to Magnolia (rhythm and blues type band, including a guitar, drums, cello, alto sax and violin, lead vocals female, everyone looked mid 40's and older, did lots of Tracy Chapman covers but also a lot of their own music, had the crowd dancing) at farmers market for about 30 minutes. Then purchased a couple of tamales at a stand (Loleta jack cheese and black beans, side of mole sauce) to take back to the studio for Mike and me.

5:43PM

Rode my bike back to Sacred Grounds where now I sit. It's so windy outside, hard to ride. Spilled coffee all over my journal and decided to read my book instead. Coffee spillage unrelated to the windiness outside.

6:13PM

Layers upon layers of clothing. That's how people dress around here. Like RIDICULOUS amounts of layering. I frequently see both men and women with about three pairs of pants, women often have two or more skirts over their pants. And then there are the shirts. Oh, don't get me started on the shirts. I only have two on at the moment. Two! What was I thinking?

The Country Store (Friday, May 11)

Went to work with Mike. Talked to Grandma on the phone. She leaves on her train trip tomorrow. Went to McIntosh Country Store while Mike was in Glass House next door. Enjoyed fresh cup of coffee and organic dried whole banana. Mike joined me and we dined on beef tip sandwich (Mike) and garlic and olive oil tofu with homemade pesto noodles (me). Bought a slice of pumpkin bread to go. Everything at Country Store is freshly made right there. Much of it is organic. Went for a walk down the street to the convenience store. I can't remember and did not write down much/anything else. So The End.

P.S. I also left a message/voice mail on the machine at the jazz and blues music festival place. That is the main job I am trying to get.

"Do Nothing Thursday" (Thursday, May 10)

So, today is apparently "Do Nothing Thursday." Because that is what we have done today.

Got home really late last night from our fantastic road trip. Spent the day resting on Thursday.

Mike is doing laundry. I have determined that Grey's Anatomy is on at 9PM PT. We went for a walk by the horse stables (at Redwood Acres, behind our house) before it got dark.

Super duper enthralling, but nice to rest.

Road Trip! Mendo County (Wednesday, May 9)

Yesterday was the best day! Mike drove us from Eureka to Mendocino (about a two-three hour drive - he drove so I could enjoy the scenery). We drove on Highway 1, which is coastal and winding and crazy and AWESOME! There was a direct view of the ocean for very much of the ride.

We sold over $900 in glass just today! We had a lovely dinner at Cap'n Flint's - fresh seafood at the harbor (south of Ft. Bragg, north of Mendocino). The weather was PERFECT.

We made $99 reservations (mid-week special, naturally) at The Beachcomber, which was this fantastic motel right on the coast in Ft. Bragg, with our room's private balcony facing the ocean. We went to a reggae show at the Caspar Inn (in Caspar, between Ft. Bragg and Mendocino) - Sister Carol. The whole day was just wonderful. And Mike and I were both so happy to be together and on the road together, enjoying the beautiful scenery.

Of course, we took plenty of pictures which I hope to post soon.

11:41AM

We're like big kids. This morning we went down to the lobby and got coffee and danishes (mine was cheese!) and then ate our breakfast with the patio door open and the ocean view and music. Then we ran around at the beach and looked at tide pools and climbed all over mollusk covered rocks for an hour. After we got back to our room we ate milk and cookies, for a mid-morning snack of course.

(I took picturs of the sea anenomes and the starfish and the mollusks and other fun things, of course!)

1:35PM

We ate breakfast/lunch/brunch at Cafe 1 in Fort Bragg on Hwy 1/Main Street. All organic food. Delicious!* I had "heuvos diversaderos (rancheros)" which consisted of two scrambled eggs (but you can substitute tofu if you want), vegetarian beans, cheddar and jack cheeses, fresh avacado, two salsas, sour cream, served over corn tortillas, potatoes on the side. Mike had "hungry person" which included eggs, bacon and the best pancakes I've ever tasted in my life. Blueberry pancakes, I don't know if it was nutmeg but something made them so yummy. We also split an organic housemade bagel with butter and housemade jam. And plate-swapped. We love to share our food. It's just so ridiculously sappy, I know. But, whatever. We are happy, so leave us alone.

Now we are on the road again.

5:10PM

From Mendocino County to Lake County. Hot today. Mid to upper 80's. Sweaty hot. Beautiful and sunny. The lakes in Lake County with the sun reflecting off their still surfaces are sparkling/shimmering/gleaming. People are full of summer moods. Smiles from strangers. Windows wide open. Wonderful (wonderful adj. causing wonder, awe-inspiring, miraculous...).

8:40PM

We walked over by a lake and there were fish heads. It was gross. The lake was much prettier from afar. We stopped and ate Chinese fast food in our last little town before heading for home. It was neither the best nor the worst food I've had. Much better than McDonald's. No MSG, they advertised. And cook in olive oil for our health. The name of the town was Clear Lake. The name of the restaurant was something like Panda Bear or Big Panda. There was a huge TV on the wall playing a Shania Twain in Chicago live concert. I found that strange.

*delicious adj. delectable, palatable, savory, tasty, luscious, mouth-watering, appetizing; pleasant, pleasurable, delightful, joyful, charming