Day 338

Seen on my recent walk with Adam.



Does anyone else find this sign...I dunno...creepy? Like the beginning of a Stephen King story or something?

Yeah.

Day 337

It's Tuesday.

Yep.



Or at least it was when I took this picture.

I specifically took this shot because it was Tuesday. And Tuesdays just don't matter much. I needed a picture to post and I didn't feel like digging through my archives and I just didn't care. I was behind and so I just took a picture of side of the bookcase against my desk.

And then I didn't post yesterday after all.

BUT! Please note the lovely flower shot, courtesy of my cousin Jen and her penchant for sending her pictures as postcards. Thanks, Jen!

Day 336

For the first time ever,



I'm up for jury duty!

My thought processes went like this over the last few days: Amused >> excited >> worried about scheduling conflicts >> fear that I'd end up on THAT trial.

You know the one--murder trial, jurors sequestered for weeks, defendant connected to nefarious characters who will do anything to be set free, like leaning on the members of the jury to declare "not guilty," and then, if that doesn't work, hunting down everyone involved in the trial after they get out of jail and killing them all horribly.

That's right--I went from amused to "My life will be a Lifetime movie or CSI episode!!"

My imagination knows no bounds. And unfortunately, it's very persuasive. My logic tends to believe every word.

Day 335

We took a co-worker out for Thai on Monday. Luckily for me, they also had Chinese and Vietnamese food and I managed to find a nice chicken sate (or satay)with peanut sauce to go with my customary crab rangoon default main course.

And then: fortune cookies!



This is so, so, SO true.

It also quite often has gotten me in trouble.

Day 334

I now owe you five posts. Here's the first.

In the continuing saga of "Sprouts On My Sill," I have good news.

Spruce sprouts!!!



Aren't those swirly cages fabulous? My sister used to have a pair of earrings like that...twisted gold cage with a peach colored bead inside.

Those twists are days ago. Now, they've popped the seed pod off the end and spun out from there. First they were windmills, as seen below (with the zinnias next to them--the tiniest zinnia died last weekend).



Now, they're umbrellas turned inside out by a fierce gale with all the fabric torn from the frame.

I don't have a picture of that.

Sorry.

*mutter*

I'm having blogspot problems right now. I can't see any of my pictures! So I'm going to give it a day to rest and post for the weekend and today tomorrow. Unless this resolves in the next few hours and I remember.

I haven't forgotten you!

Day 333

I like having a car in which I can eat lunch on sunny, but chilly, days.

I like rolling the windows down after the interior has baked in the sun for awhile, warming me up like a baked potato in a convection oven (or something that makes a more romantic image). I like trying to find the birds in the nearby trees by the doppler effects of their song.

Today, there was a cardinal.



This cardinal wasn't singing. Just flitting about, being all handsome.



Here, let me zoom in on that picture for you a bit more.




Look at his birdy feetses! Look at his knowing eye!

Lunch in the sunshine with friends.

Day 332

I know you love me, blog readers.

How do I know?



It isn't from your comments. It isn't from the numbers that scroll by on my visitor counter. It isn't because I'm so convinced of my own lovableness (nothing could be further from the truth, in fact).

It's because I constantly post pictures like these. Pictures of tree seeds in the woods, of water arranged in streams or lakes, of the sky in all its infinite variety, of squirrels and turkeys, of cakes and bread.

I post pictures of branches and flowers and leaves and acorns and cats and cats and cats.

I post pictures and rambling stories of all the tiny bits of life that amuse or move me.



And you keep coming back.

Whether it's because you love me and therefore the things that I love, or because hope springs eternal and you believe that I'll someday have something interesting to post...whatever the reason, I thank you.

Day 331

"A" is for Adam.



Adam is my friend.

He is intrepid and amused.



Adam learns about wood lore and tracking.



Adam puts his learning into practice.

"Yes," says Adam, checking a pawprint. "A beaver did pass this way!"



Adam is smart.

Day 330

I was going to come in here all weepy and apologetic because I was SURE I posted yesterday but I didn't and I felt like a failure and slack and all that.

Then I realized that I only have 35 days left in this project. THIRTY-FIVE DAYS! And you know, for the vast majority of those days I've been right on time, very consistent--and more to the point, I'm still here and still going.

Actually, I feel pretty good about myself right now. So what if I forget to post occasionally? I still do it!

Yep, it's a good day for self-esteem today.

And on that note, Holly's making cloth! On a loom! From scratch!



All right, she didn't spin the thread herself, or card the wool, or shear the sheep. But look at the pretty she is accomplishing!



This thread will eventually become a scarf.



So pretty!



For a picture of what it looks like now (days after these pictures were taken), head to this post on Holly's blog.

Day 329

It's Debbie's birthday!

This morning she emailed me and said, "Hey! Wanna go to lunch!" I, of course, was more than happy to do so. I like spending time with her, you see. Plus, birthday!

We had an awesome waitress. When we ordered, I asked if they did anything special for birthdays--Debbie's not shy like I am, you see. Twelve people singing to her? No problem!

But it's a little mom and pop kind of place. Not really a big "Balloons and Singing!" kind of place, so I wasn't really expecting anything.

Sara the waitress sat in the seat next to Debbie and sang "Happy Birthday" to her right there.

After that we certainly weren't expecting anything ELSE. Sara'd already gone above and beyond in a place that clearly doesn't usually do this sort of thing.

Then our food came. And right there on Debbie's olive burger:



A candle. And not just any candle! One that burns with green flame! Seriously, I did no color correction on this picture.

Sara got a couple of big tips. Because of her sheer awesomeness.

Make a wish, Debbie!



It's no firestorm, Matt. But it was pretty darn cool.

Happy birthday, dear Debbie! Happy birthday to you!

Day 328

My friends have cute kids.

This is a random post for proof from the last few days.

Penn and I went to a movie on Saturday. He and I saw Astroboy while his parents saw Alice in Wonderland. Our movie got out first, so we had some time to kill. At one point I got out my camera (of course) and asked if I could take his picture. I said, "Smile!"

And I got this.



Yeah...

He gave me a couple of real smiles for the next couple, but I liked his fake smile here best. It's so...humoring the crazy lady so she doesn't kill him. Don't you think?

And then there's Cole and Asher. We went to Walmart on St. Patrick's Day (note their Protestant orange sweaters--with "Kiss me, I'm cute!" shirts underneath).



They're in stereo!

Day 327

Every St. Patrick's Day my friend Debbie and I go out for dinner and celebrate. I can't quite remember when the tradition started but it's been at least six or seven years for sure.




We get each other cards. We embrace the wearing of the green (even though, yes, we're Protestants). We try to find a new place to sup.

This year our plans changed literally as I was driving to her house. I drove past a place that said, "Live music tonight!" on their marquee. And when I called for specifics, they told me there was already a band playing--and there were bagpipes coming up. Yeah, there was no debating. Bagpipes? Oh, yeah!

We got a table outside and, as it turns out, front row seats for the strolling Irish band.



And the food was delicious, too. From the bread



to my chicken etc. sandwich



to Debbie's steak.



And during the meal, the band played. Just for us.



I think the look on the guitarist's face there. She was saying to the guys, "Are you ready? You sure? Cause heeeere...we...GO!"



Now, I want to point out how well this picture illustrates Debbie's commitment to theatre. Because if you'll notice in the blow up below, there's not actually any food on that fork.



But it was important to demonstrate the enjoyment of music over dinner!

I love Debbie so. :)

This was one of our most fun St. Pat's celebrations ever. But there was one major disappointment.

The bagpipes never showed.

*sob*

Day 326

My friend Adam and I went hiking on Tuesday evening. More pictures from that trip at some point (it's been a busy week! My picture backlog is huge!)

When we emerged from the woods, we said our goodbyes and got back into our respective cars to drive home.

I waved, got in, started my car...and realized there was a little piece of folded paper on my lap.

It was a fortune. From nowhere. I don't eat Chinese food and I don't even like fortune cookies. And yet, there it was, sitting on my leg as if it had fallen from the ceiling.

So, somewhat bemusedly, I opened it.




I can only hope that this inexplicable fortune knows something I don't. Unfortunately, I suspect the star of riches is shining on me only to taunt me that it has all the riches and silver and gold have I none.

And I still don't know where it came from.

Day 325

Do you remember a week or two back when I showed you my newly planted work windowsill? Day 316?

At some point Tuesday morning, I looked up and...



Sprouts!!!

Soon, those three (of the ten seeds I pressed into that soil) tiny green bits will be zinnias!



I also learned something: the germination of a zinnia seed is shorter than that of a spruce.

Either that or none of my spruce seeds took. One or the other.

So we'll see what further happens. This week has been the first sunny run they've had since the day I planted them, though, so that's bound to help. Right? Although the fact that it's two days later and I'm seeing neither spruce things or any more zinnias doesn't bode well.

Still! Sprouts! Tiny green lives on my windowsill!

Day 324

St. Patrick's Day is my favorite day of the year! I have no idea why, I just know I've loved it since I was a little kid. In fact, in second grade, Mom made me an Irish costume to wear to school that day.

I always wear green, even though I'm Protestant. And my friends and family send me cards as if it were Christmas.

Sometimes? Sometimes I get presents.

This wasn't specifically for me, but I'm claiming it as a present for my day nonetheless. I looked up from my desk and saw a sight to gladden my heart beyond the telling.



"That makes me so happy!" I told Josh. He was pleased.



And...just because it makes even happier, I give you my morning's fun.

Day 323

Now what do you suppose these are for?



I know! I know!

My friend Holly is learning how to weave.



Her first lesson was last week and there is now a loom set up in her apartment. This is what she looks like as she's working.



Or so I suppose. I've not actually seen her weaving. The loom itself is pretty awesome, though. Pictures of that tomorrow!

Day 322

After bowling on Saturday, Tonya and I went to a local Irish pub that was having live music all day long.



Here, the crowd is singing and clapping along. Or at least the woman in the lower left is.

It was a good time, though very smoky (I have since washed all the clothing I wore that day), loud, and dark. Walking out into the very overcast day was almost blinding.

Can you tell I'm not really used to going to bars?

The sheer amount of kelly green and Irish kitsch going on in this place was staggering. Not just beads and face tattoos and shirts. Giant hats. Grown men dressed as leprechauns, complete with fake red beards, stripey socks, and shillelaghs.

In this midst of all that was this man who looked as if he was just stopping for a pint of an evening at his local Tipperary pub.



This man made me happy.

Day 321

Last Saturday, Tonya and I went bowling and had ever so much fun!

We realized at some point that we were basically doing an hour and a half of squats on our left leg only. We did TRY bowling with our left hands. Turns out the rest of our bodies had absolutely no idea how to accomplish such a thing. There was much almost falling over.

When we were on, though, we were...well, still not that great. But that's neither here nor there.



See that blur in the lower right? With the bright orange blur swinging back? That's Tonya. Doesn't she look fast like the wind?

The picture is a lie!

And this, my friends, was my best game.



Please note that, while Tonya kept getting strikes, I still kept beating her.

Also note that anytime either of us got a gutter ball on the first frame, the scoring computer felt bad and awarded us an automatic two or three points. And the rest of the scoring was often just as whimsical.

Day 320

I don't know why, but one of my favorite things about bowling is the shoes.



I suppose that shouldn't really surprise me. One of my favorite things about life is the shoes.

Day 319

WARNING: This is really long. But I couldn't help it. :)

There's something you don't know about me. Maybe.

I've been in love with ballet as far back as I can remember...and my earliest memory is at 18 months old. In all my dreaming of what I wanted to be when I grew up, "ballerina" was always either my main desire or, "...and a ballerina." Like, "A zookeeper and a ballerina," or "a famous writer and a ballerina," or "winner of the Nobel Prize in astrophysics...and a ballerina." Where other little girls collected and dreamed over horse stories I...well, okay, I had piles of those too. But books on ballet and dancers stacked up right alongside. I taught myself all the basic positions, propping up the books that showed them near a mirror or reflective window so that I could correct my stance until it was perfect. I would practice my turnout while my mother did errands, twisting my right foot to turn precisely the opposite direction of my left--something I still do without noticing when I'm standing in line. I was madly, deeply in love with Baryshnikov.

Unfortunately, we never had money for me to take ballet lessons. I never had a chance to don the traditional black leotard and pink tights. I never got to scuff and pound a pair of toe shoes against the floor or stuff them with gauze (to absorb the blood from burst blisters). And around about puberty when I was awarded the traditional Park genetic structure (i.e. hips and bust), I buried the dream. I was too tall, too curvy, and way too late in life to ever really be a dancer.

But I carry the memories and the love.

One of the most formative books was this one:





Maria Tallchief was my idol. Oh, I was fascinated by other dancers. But Maria Tallchief -- she was something more in my mind. She was both transcendent and possible. She was demonstrably a little girl at one point with a mother and father and little sister, growing up in the U.S. just like me. And yet, she was also an Indian princess! When they wanted her to change her name to sound more Russian (because all the best dancers were Russian--or sounded like it), this is what she said:



Bravery! Temerity! Beauty!



I wanted to be her so very badly.

Last night I went to see an Esther Williams movie, Million Dollar Mermaid, the biopic of Australian swimmer Annette Kellerman. And during her debut at the Hippodrome, guess who else was there?



Pavlova, one of my other favorites -- played by Maria Tallchief!!!



This sounds silly, but I've never seen her before in color! And I've certainly never heard her speak before!



I can't tell you how over the moon I was about this. I can't quite describe how wonderful this was, to see her, to actually be able to watch her dance. It was like I was that little girl again, packed full of dreams and wishing, meeting the embodiment of everything I wanted to be.

And it was amazing.