Welcome Augustus Rush

R.I.P. Rosie

How sad, Rosie went to meet her maker sometime between Friday 8/29 and Sunday 8/31.

Aaahhh . . .

Too tired, and still in shock and awe, to blog about the most incredible weekend of my life thus far . . . but here are a few pics and I'll tell you more about it later!

Fall Festival - Womens Way Red Lodge

Here is the poster for a WWRL event I am in charge of. Click on the image to view larger. I love playing with Printshop! FYI!

Whats New

Places I've Been
Camping at Mt Rainier's Ohanapacosh Campground - absolutely beautiful. My friends family camps here every year. The site is right on the river, with rock walls for diving off of (although the water was like 30 degrees), a waterfall, and lovely hikes. Then we went up to Paradise to hike, although all of the trails were under 6 feet of snow. We began on one trail, but it was too dangerous to continue.

Movies I've Seen
At home I've been watching Tipping The Velvet
Went to the theaters and saw The Dark Knight (WOW!) and Mama Mia (VERY FUN!)

Excersise - Bleck
I joined the Ohana Swim Team. I'm up to 850 meters twice a week.
Water Aerobics once a week, followed by a feisty game of water volleyball.
Kickboxing once or twice a week - look out!

Latest obsessions
Cooking with Quinoa (Keen-wah) and my yummy fresh herb garden.
Listening to Melissa Etheridge - duh - and my newest band discovery Me First and the Gimme Gimme's. They cover all kinds of music - punk style, from Broadway Showtunes, the Top 40 hits, and Country. It's crazy, but very cool.
Decorating the house - on a budget. I've gotten quite creative!

At work
Annual Audit. I think that sums it up.


I just love this image!

No Frickin Way --

So I think I might pass out, quit breathing, throw up, or quite possibly die.

I signed up for this Messenger Team for the Melissa Etheridge Information Network to promote her tour. With the crappy economy they are doing everything they can to get ticket sales up. You email them with your membership number and which concerts you are going to, then they send flyers to the nearest kinkos, and you pick them up and distribute them around town. It was pretty cool to walk up to the counter and say you were picking up a package from the Melissa Etheridge Promotional Team.

Part of the deal is that you were eligible for a drawing for seat upgrades or a souvenir package if you joined the team. Very cool, but unlikely I thought because there are tons of people doing this.

I left my cell phone at home today, but when I checked my messages this afternoon there was a message from the MEIN that my name had been drawn for my choice of a meet and greet with Melissa or seat upgrades. I thought I was going to pass out. I started crying and my coworker was like what the heck, but I couldn't talk. I composed myself long enough to call my mother (who loves this sort of stuff), and to call the lady back to get details. I have good seats to both concerts (yes, I'm going to both the Seattle concert and the Eugene concert :) so of course I chose the meet and greet (DUH!) It is going to be a very intimate setting, about 5 or so people and Melissa, a couple hours before the show and each person gets a couple of private moments with Melissa (close your eyes Mom!) and you can have her autograph 1 item. Plus, I should be able to give her the 'I Am Awake' necklace I'm making (I know that is soooo first grade, but what can I say, I'm obsessed).

Needless to say, I have not accomplished anything at work this afternoon, I am completely freaked out and floating around on a pink (or should I say rainbow) cloud.

Holy Crap.

Wedding Pictures - As Requested

Here are some pics from Lori's wedding. (See Bridesmaidzilla Post Below!)

Melissa Etheridge Countdown

Bridesmaidzilla

Is there such a thing? Lori Jo's wedding was on Saturday, and once the wedding commenced everything was lovely. The homily was amazing, I told the pastor to remember his speech, because I wanted to steal it someday. It was about how each musical note has power and beauty on its own, but when combined with others (spouse and love) it forms a tightly woven harmonious chord. It was soooo sweet! Lori looked gorgeous. The boquets were amazing, pink roses with eucalyptus and some other green stuff. Each of the bridesmaids were to get the bride the traditional something old, new, borrowed, blue. I was in charge of the blue, and so just before the ceremony when we were presenting Lori her gifts, we hiked up her gown and I drew a totally cute blue heart on her butt (in Sharpie!) I thought she might freak, but she ended up loving it. I'd post the picture, but I don't think Lori would appreciate that much.

The fact that the night before my bridesmaid dress was only pieces of two sleeves, and the last girls dress didn't arrive until 5 minutes before the wedding - not so pretty. We all in some way or another had to be literally sewn into our dresses; the front of my dress hung two inches below my breasts, and so the front of the dress had to be tightly sewn across the top of my bra, which then kept playing peek-a-boo throughout the service. Two of the dresses didn't have zippers, and so they had to be put on and then sewn up the back. We all had to use seem rippers to get undressed. I reminded Lori (and myself!) that these are the things you laugh about in 20 years. Wedding memories aren't the same without great wedding memories, right?

That evening I went with the Stenersons to see Molly perform in the musical Once Upon A Matress, based on the story of the Princess and the Pea. It was great, and absolutely hilarious. I would encourage anyone who has the chance to go see it.

Zzz Zzz Zzzzz

So I was volunteering at the Grand Cinema the other night, and another volunteer and I were talking about The Smurfs. I don't know why, but we were. This 14 year old kid was working with us, and he asked "What are Smurfs?" WHAT! I'm way too young to feel that old. We just looked at each other and shook our heads.

Last night was Lori Jo's bachelorette party, and speaking of feeling old, partying till 2 AM just doesn't carry the same spunk as it did a few years ago. We hung out in the room at the Shilo Inn for a bit with our own personal bartender Ruth, then headed to the Melting Pot and indulged on every heavenly food you can imagine drizzled with (drowned in) chocolate or cheese. After we rolled ourselves out of there, two and a half hours later, we headed over to Jazzbones for more liquid refreshment, and enjoyed a great but very loud blues band. Congrats Lori Jo!!

Todays agenda: Sleep and laundry.

Nothing New . . .

It's been a long slow week. Not much new. Had a great weekend though: Friday went up to Issaqua to see Guys and Dolls at Trinity Lutheran College (my friend Rachel is the Music Director there, and our friend Don was in the play). I'd never seen that show before, it was hilarious. Saturday morning got up early and headed of to the Daffodil Parade to walk with the Domestic Violence Coalition. We parked at the end of the parade, walked to the end, and waited. Waited. Waited. Should have remembered, parades never start on time and take forever. Waited. Then the friends who invited me to go see the Dalai Lama with them called, and wanted to leave in a half an hour for Seattle. Crap! So I booked my fat butt back up the hill through downtown Tacoma, and met up with them to head to Seattle. I was already pooped by then.

When we got to Seattle, more waiting. Those who know me, I am usually good at waiting, but tend to do really ridiculous things to entertain myself and embarass those around me. Waited. Waited. There was such anticipation for the Dalai Lama to come on stage. The sun was out, anda constant, peaceful sense of joy and community flowed through Qwest field. Quite different sense than what goes on there during a football game, thats for sure!

When the procession began, and His Holiness entered the stadium, wow. Everyone cheered, and bowed, and oohed and aahed. Then this 11 year girl got up on stage and played her violin for him. He watched and listened to her with such genuine connectedness, you couldn't take your eyes off of either one of them. She was amazing. When done, he bowed to her and sent her off with a blessing. What an experience and memory for that little girl!

As the Dalai Lama sat and prepared to speak, you could have heard a pin drop in the center of that stadium. As he spoke, everyone listened with such concern. To watch him was amazing, he was so humble, and full of joy, and you couldn't help but get all warm and fuzzy as he walk with us on a path of sadness, hope, solidarity, and joy. I loved it when he laughed, his whole body radiated with happiness. Ah . . . . .

That night, absolutely exhausted, we returned to Tacoma and had our monthly Poker Night, in which Tambra, aka River Rat, and I duked it out for 1st and 2nd place. Unfortunatly, and by a total fluke I might add, I went all in on awesome hand and the River Rat lived up to her name and won me out with an 'accidental' straight. Shucks, but 2nd place ain't bad.

Also, almost forgot, I bought the most ridiculous, impractible kitchen table on craigs list monday, a chrome 50's diner tall table with chrome and red leather spinning barstools. I totally rocks, and matches my kitchen perfectly!

That's all for now! Spread the peace!

the weekend - yay

had a great weekend!

friday night went to the tempest lounge (and had the yummiest drinks: galanga - kafir lime vodka, simple syrup, fresh squeezed lime and orange juice) to celebrate my friend tammy's job transition. then it was off to station 56 to listen to the cover band kry, they do the killers, the raconteurs, green day, etc. the are amazing, some of their songs i like better than the originals!

saturday i slept in, for the first time since i moved, it was sooooo nice. watched two movies, amadeus and the saddest music in the world, and made jewelry all morning. i threw some chicken in the crock pot for meals for the week (8 pieces of chicken, 1/2 C coconut milk, 1/2 C water, 1/2 C brown suger, 2tbs soy sauce, 2 cloves chopped garlic, 1 tsp cloves, cook on high for 4 hours, serve with jasmine rice, yumm!)

that night i went with some friends to the first bout of the tacoma roller derby, the dockyard derby dames. it totally rocked, and this is my new get in shape goal for next year.

sunday i spent the afternoon at my friend sharons' daugter lexie's 2nd birthday party at chuck e cheese, did a kick butt workout at the ymca, then enjoyed happy hour tequila surises over a horribly painful game of pool with tammy and tambra.

now is monday morning, back to the grind! hope y'all have a good one!

Phew

mle tickets on sale: 1:00pm
purchased mle tickets: 1:02pm

thank you to you know who you are -- you totally rock

first ten rows -- that's what im talkin about :)

mantra song of the week:

i am a tower of strength (from moonsongs for the goddess soul)

i am a tower of strength within and without
i am a tower of strength within
i am a tower of strength within and without
i am a tower of strength within

all burdens fall from my shoulders
all anxieties dropped from my mind
all burdens fall from my shoulders
all anxieties dropped from my mind

all my fears slip away slip away
all fears slip from my heart
all my fears slip away slip away
all fears slip from my heart

all my shackles are loosened
all my shackles are loose!
all my shackles are loosened
all my shackles are loose!

i am a tower of strength within and without
i am a tower of strength within
i am a tower of strength within and without
i am a tower of strength within

!!!OMG!!!MELISSAETHERIDGE!!!OMG!!!

seattle tour dates for melissa have just been announced! August 24! AAGGGHHHH!!

breathe . . . .

for $1000 (ha ha ha) you get seattle lodging, meet and greet with melissa, pit tickets, and exclusive souvenirs. robbing a bank has never seemed appealing . . . until now.

but fan club (of which i am a member - duh) tickets go on sale today, first 11 rows, and are no where near $1000. too bad i've spent crazy amounts of money on moving this past month. must find a way to make this work.

thank goodness for mondays

i know that sounds crazy, but lately it feels as if my weekends are longer than my weekdays!

it was a busy weekend entertaining people, playing a gig, preparing for a huge ups sorority mary kay class (that friggin canceled last minute, ugh), entertaining more people, and craploads of laundry. on saturday evening though i went over to vashon island for a womens way red lodge friend-raiser event. it started with a kick-ass drumming circle with their new drum, then had an amazing potluck (a lot of scary looking but very yummy vegan and vegi dishes), followed by a performance by Jami Sieber, a cellist who has spent time in thailand living with elephants. then i drove across vashon like a mad woman and caught the last ferry to tacoma just as they were closing the gates. yikes.

unpacking the new digs is happening slowly, but making good progress. here are some pics!

Fresh Start

so, i'm gonna leave all the previous posts on here (becuase they are cute and creative!), but here's off to a new start! woo hoo!

rachel and i split up last sunday, and i have moved into a fabulous new apartment (kari: i was always jealous of your old dwellings). the building has amazing personality, was built in 1920's, has all hardwood floors, walk in closets, tons of storage space, lots of windows, and everything about it has a touch of vintage ornamentation. so i'm not excited or anything, as you can see.

this was a great transition, no regrets. current kitty situation (unbeknownst to my apartment manager, hope it can stay this way) is down to my original three kitties:

gracie

bindi

lucky

please keep checking back, i promise to keep up with the posts! love ya all.