yeah, yeah, I'm not dead on the side of the road

Again, as my life gets more awesome, my internet presence declines. I am not at all convinced that this is a bad thing.

I made it home from Olympia safe and sound. Spent a couple of weeks in the office doing a whole lot of nothing (I get cranky when I'm bored), but got to go out on the road again this week and do some shows. Finally got to catch up with Taryn and hear about Palestine. She also hooked us up with couches in Seattle and came and saw our show and helped us pack the van. Quite excellent. We also got to crash with my beloved roomie Anna's folks out in the boonies of Vaughn, Wa. It is absolutely beautiful country up there, and it was so relaxing and rejuvenating to spend a whole 24 hours in their crooked yellow house that is bursting at the seams with art, good food, love, and color. Her mother, Britta, is an artist who is loud and speaks very quickly, so I felt right at home.  She is also extremely kind and nurturing. The perfect hostess! I slept for 11 glorious hours (which I desperately needed), and left feeling inspired and relaxed. It just so happens that we'll be back in Vaughn this coming weekend, which I am quite excited about if only to hang out with Anna's folks once more. 

Also in work-land, I'm learning a new show to do at libraries around Portland Saturdays in February. It's called Who's in Hare's House? and is based on the West African folk tales about Sangura the hare, who just so happens to be the trickster who evolved into Brer Rabbit on this side of the Atlantic. Also, I've gotten the script for the show we'll be doing in town in April. It's called The Fabulous Bear and is a Polish story. I'm thrilled because the puppets are super light, and my only parts are that as  a narrator figure (just a brief introduction), and then later ... wait for it... a puppy! So most of my lines consist of, "Woof!" "Grrrrr!" "Arf!" THRILLED!

Aaaaaaand, I've started dating a fella who is pretty darn swell. It's still early, but he brings me flowers, showers me with affection, is terribly smart, and cooks a mean plantain. I'm a lucky lady.

it's the end of the world

I'm stuck in Olympia, Wa due to flooding and avalanches. I kid you not, flooding and avalanches. What's next? Locusts?

Thankfully I happened to bring two books and a knitting project on our supposed-to-be-a-one-night-trip, and Jon brought his ukelele.

Here's to Law and Order marathons kids!

___________ getting married

I just saw Rachel Getting Married (mom- you'll be proud to know I snuck in a bag of popcorn pretending to be fat/pregnant; sigh. the things you taught me!) It is shot in this really voyeuristic way using almost exclusively hand held shots and diagetic music. It very vividly and candidly illustrates how complicated, fucked up, beautiful, sad, and totally worth it it is to be a part of a family. To invest in people who don't always seem worth investing in. 

It made me miss Laura Jean and Dave. It made me want my mom to live closer to me. It made me want to call my dad. 

All in all, a rather productive evening, I'd say. 

aw geez.

Here I go again not posting for weeks and weeks, leaving myself with a whole lot to post about. But! today is my catch-up-on-things-I've-been-meaning-to-do day and gosh darn it I will try!

So, let's see....

Snow in Portland was awesome and magical for about a day and then turned into a giant pain, because apparently this city knows less than Atlanta about dealing with winter weather. The week before Christmas Jon and I did about half the shows we were scheduled to do because of school closings. Thankfully we didn't get stranded anywhere, but we are both now a LOT more experienced winter weather drivers! 

Apparently this kind of sustained snow is rare up here. It snowed on and off for a week, and then the Saturday before I was supposed to leave for Alaska, we got a good foot and a half, maybe two feet of snow. This put a bit of a damper on my plans for finishing up Christmas shopping, but I made due. LJ+Dave almost got stuck at SeaTac on their way to AK, but finally made it out on the last flight of the night (before they ran out of de-icer). 

Monday morning brought with it even more snow and a small panic attack on my behalf. I was supposed to fly out at 10:30, and around 7:30 my ride said they didn't feel comfortable driving on the un-plowed roads, so I put on my long-underwear, jeans, and waterproof pants, 2 pairs of socks, mittens, hat, shirt, sweater, coat, and hat, donned my pack and trekked down Belmont to the bus. I thought I had hit the lottery when it arrived just as I did, but I realized after about 3 stops that I was going the wrong way and had to get off and wait 20 minutes for another going the opposite direction. 

It was cold, but I was determined. 

Also, since the switches on the MAX were frozen, I was having to take a bus to north middle of nowhere portland and wait for a shuttle to the airport. When the bus finally came it was driving with only one chain because all the others were broken. Awesome! After about 45 minutes we finally got to my stop, and then I had to trek about a quarter of a mile to the shuttle stop. There I was met with a line of about a 100 people also waiting for the shuttle. Waited in line... In the cold... Tried cracking jokes with my fellow que-ers... Finally a shuttle! but not enough room so had to wait for the next one... Did I mention the wind? 

So finally I got on the following shuttle and about half-way to the airport, mom calls to tell me my flight has been officially cancelled. Okay! Did I mention I was determined? Early on (after I had a minor break down when I realized I was riding the wrong bus) I made the decision to take each leg of the journey as it came to me and be happy and optimistic and kind to those I encountered. And guess what? It actually worked! By the time I finally actually arrived at the airport a full 2 and a half hours after I'd left my house (usually a 20 minute drive) I felt like Rocky at the top of those steps in Philadelphia. I had made it! 

Then I joined another line. 

This one of Alaska Air passengers trying desperately to get out of town. The line stretched all the way back to security and doubled back. I told mom I was willing to wait 2 days for a flight, but after that I would go home. It was a zoo. There were people everywhere, sleeping, demanding, but mostly just waiting. While I was in line (about an hour) mom called and said that her boss (an Alaska Air Gold member) had called the airline and said that I was her niece and gotten me the last seat on the last flight out of PDX and the same out of SeaTac! 

Sweet Jesus! 

So then, I got to actually check in, and get through security. It was totally strange though because the gates were remarkably quiet, and deserted compared to the ticketing area. Also, neither of my flights were full, which I couldn't understand for the life of me, but was just thankful to be on them! 

So! Christmas in Alaska! LJ+Dave and I drove to Seward my first day in town and went to the Sea Life Center there, and then had tasty fish and chips at a local diner. We saw moose and an bald eagle! Then LJ drove us back to Anchorage in a blizzard. She was our chauffeur the entire trip (because of the rental car insurance bs) and did great! Wednesday was Christmas Eve, and we spent the whole day watching  Mad Men while mom was at work. Dave had gotten it (Mom did this present-a-day thing which was fun) and we all got hooked. Then when mom got off work, we went sledding! Super fun. Afterward we went to look at Christmas lights, and they were like no Christmas lights I had ever seen! The two houses that we went to each were transmitting a radio signal of Christmas music. Festive, right? But! They had also rigged some kind of program to make the lights dance and blink along with the music. It was like a Christmas light version of the visualizer in iTunes! Quite impressive. Then LJ+Dave and I staged a coup. Mom had planned to take us hunting for Northern Lights, but we just wanted a quiet night in. So I made dinner, Dave cleaned the kitchen and built a fire, and we watched It's a Wonderful Life, which is basically my idea of a perfect Christmas eve. 

Christmas day we did the whole Christmas morning thing, and then ate tasty food. Bryon Harrington (son of one of momma's good friends) is stationed in Anchroage for the airforce and joined us for lunch. Then we got on the road and drove up to Talkeetna (teeny enclave of Alaska liberals. Town Northern Exposure was based on). We stayed at the Roadhouse there and saw a local production of a very funny sketch comedy show about the holidays called Home for the Hostilities. After a couple of beers with the locals at the Fairview Inn we all turned in to get ready for our adventures the next day. 

DOG SLEDDING! That's right, we went dog sledding with a real Ididarod competitor. It was just about the coolest thing I have ever done. The weather was stunning, clear with fresh snow on the ground and trees, and the doggies were so excited and happy! It was amazing in the fullest sense of the word. 

LJ and Dave that night at midnight and I spent the weekend hibernating with mom. Reading, movie watching, and eating tasty food. It was really nice to end on a relaxing note. 

I flew back Monday morning with no hitches, and have been back at work. I cleaned and organized the office for two days! I think it was the first time some of the people at work had seen my OCD, and I think they were both amazed and slightly intimidated. 

New Year's started with a fancy dinner at home provided by my illustrious room mate, Anna. Then I headed over to Goose and Amy's for board games. It was a nice low key way to ring in 2009. 

2008 was one of my best years in recent memory, and I've got a suspicion that 2009 is gonna just keep getting better. 

This year I make three resolutions:

1) To see my friends that don't live in Portland. It's been almost two years since I've seen some of you, and take note, you are on my list!

2) To finally build MY puppet show. This is something I've been talking about for a while. I'm gonna make it happen.

3) To focus. Sometimes I have a hard time getting things done because I want to do everything. I want to learn how to focus on the things that are important to me. 

Alright, that's it kids. For those of you who have made it thus far, I salute you! You are a trooper and I appreciate your patience. 

Love and blessings in this new year to all!

SNOW!!

There's a full on snow storm happening right now in Portland and it's beautiful and cold and new. Wonder isn't a an experience I have daily, but I think it is so important. There's something about snow that's inherently magical. 

At least for someone who grew up in Georgia.

Scout is absolutely freaking out. So happy and frolicking. I think he remembers playing in Alaska with Grace last year. 

I walked the six cold blocks to Meeting this morning and was so overwhelmed. Meeting was obviously smaller, but such a blessing. I was overwhelmed by the saturation of love in my life. How being a part of that community has transformed my life in such beautiful ways in the past year. How blessed I am. So thankful. So very thankful.

This evening we're having a wintry gathering of the Young Adult Friends. Hot chocolate, cookies, and Irving Berlin's White Christmas (my contribution). 

I am so very much in love with my life. 

And know that if I don't talk to you regularly, I love you dearly and think of you often. 

Thanksgiving, Peter and the Wolf, and my mother makes everything beautiful

So, Thanksgiving:

Picked mom up at the airport around 6, lots of fast talking and giggling on the ride home. Trying to fall back asleep, which resulted in more fast talking and giggling. Walked my precious doggie. Found a treasure to make my house beautiful. Went to meeting. Came home and cooked and ate the un-Thanksgiving meal. Halibut (that mom, herself, caught and filleted!), brussel sprouts, delicata squash, and quinoia. Yum! A few glasses of wine and one tired fight later, we had a lovely evening in front of a beautiful fire. Watched a movie and went to bed. Friday we had AWESOME breakfast at Genie's, including best waitress ever and mom forgetting her wallet. Te-he. Then we did shop, but at Goodwill, and since it was my birth month, we saved 25%! LOVE Goodwill. Came home and organized our treasures. Got a call from a F/friend, who joined us for dinner, IKEA (in and out in 28 minutes!), Puppetz vs. People (Improv comedy + TOJ puppets + comedy sports people= AWESOME), Portland City Grill for drinks, then Voodoo for doughnuts (apple fritter the size of your face), then (because we had absolutely no self-control) the Roxy for onion rings and hash-browns. Phew. Epic Portland evening. The next morning, I suffered from what I can only assume was a sugar hang-over. Grumpy and unfocused, Saturday was a challenge in life, much less being a pleasant hostess. Mom dutifully made the curtains I promised we'd make together, and by the time we'd hung them, everything was happy. I dropped her at the airport, thankful that I have the most resilient, focused, generous, and loving (albeit stubborn) mother alive. Getting to know her as an adult has been one of the most rewarding challenges of the past few years and continues as we redefine our understandings of one another. Kudos momma for making everything better, even when it's hard and most other people would give up.

So, in the two days leading up to Thanksgiving, Jonathan and I very quickly learned Peter and the Wolf. This week was supposed to be set aside for rehearsals all week, but as nothing ever happens as planned over at TOJ, we had to run over to Astoria and do a couple of shows on Wednesday. Now, at first I was cranky, because I've really enjoyed my two weeks home and was not pleased to have that interrupted by having to take a day trip to the coast (I know that sounds bitchy, but I was also worried about Peter rehearsals). Anyway, as everything with this job that I at first dread, it ended up kicking some major ass. Astoria just turns out to be the cutest town ever, and all without being kitchsy or pretentious. We performed at this BEAUTIFUL old vaudeville theater built in 1924. It was in short, awesome. I was informed after returning home that Astoria is where they filmed the Goonies (THE GOONIES!). I'm moving there. End of story. 

So, we pulled it off. Last night was our first of two performances of Peter and the Wolf and it was so much fun! I was nervous because I had never done Bonraku-style stuff before (puppeteers visible but dressed completely in black including henchmen-esque hoods and gloves), and I had to wear these ridiculous Spice-girl boots (like 6-inch platforms) because I wasn't tall enough. But it went great! Performing with live music was just about one of the coolest things I've ever gotten to do, and I got to meet Jonathan's parents (super adorable), and I had a bunch of friends come! All around great. And in case you were wondering I was the cat (difficult), the duck (my favorite), Peter's feet, a hunter, and alternately the bird and grandpa. Have I mentioned lately that I love my job?

So, today I have a long list of things that's been building for a while and I am so very excited to tackle it. It includes making a face for the Sasquach puppet that I'm building. Oh, yeah. 

Aaaaand it's sunny. For like the third day in a row. It feels amazingly decadent. 

hey! my life is starting to rock again! score!

So, supremely awesome weekend. 

Dad and I had a really great visit. 

That bears repeating: I had a fantastic visit with my father! 

He got in on Friday, and came and picked me up from work so he could see our studio and workshop. Then we had dinner at the Tin Shed on Alberta (so yummy). Saturday morning he came over and I fixed him brunch (my first attempt at a frittata was an amazing success). Anna ate with us, and I was really glad she got to meet and spend time with him. I broke my phone last week, so he took me and bought me a new one for my birthday. Super awesome, as I wouldn't have been able to afford one otherwise. Then he updated the operating system on my computer, which ended up being somewhat of an adventure in back-up land. I didn't have enough space on my computer, which forced me to finally back-up my senior project from my ASL independent study (three ASL interviews with sub-titles), which I'd basically been meaning to do since I finished it. (i.e. 2 years) After that, we went downtown to see a photography exhibit on the Columbia river gorge (1860-1950). Really cool. And then made our way to the Portland City Grill (30th floor = super awesome view of this city I love) for a shi shi birthday dinner. The next morning he came to meeting with me and then too me out to my favorite Thai place. Aaaand, he bought me gas. (!)

Even a year ago, the idea of us having a really relaxed, comfortable, (as in not awkward or frustrating) visit full of real conversations and just plain good times seemed like an impossibility. But we did. I felt like he was actually my father again for the first time in a really long time. And that was the best birthday present he could have given me. Very, very thankful.

And as for all the well-wishers, thankyouverymuch! 

My 24th birthday kicked some major hiney. Anna and I cleaned house and then did a little last minute shopping (trader joe's for wine, new seasons for turkey day groceries, and fred meyer for balloons and streamers-- yep, I had balloons and streamers). Then we decorated and she fixed me an amazing birthday dinner. I had gotten a nicer bottle of wine for the two of us to start the evening, and I gotta say, when you're used to $3 wine, $10 wine feels faaan-cy. Before the party I got all fancy in one of my pretty dresses I never get to wear. Anna had just finished a knitting project that didn't turn out exactly how she had planned but made the perfect last minute accessory to my outfit. (pics to come) So then my friends came over and we had fun. I ate a lot of chocolate and drank a fair bit of wine (kudos to myself for switching to water before the party was over). We chatted in front of a fire, and danced up a storm. It was so great to have my awesome house full of some great people, many of whom I see on a regular basis, but many of whom I don't see often enough. 

And if the first couple of days are any indicator, my 24th year is gonna be superb. One for the books.