A Lindy Groove Christmas

Over to Lindy Groove for the LG Christmas party. Fabulous and sad, since this is the last performance that Barbara Morrison will give before moving far far away to the midwest.

Dancing was great. Anytime His Vickness and Evincerator are there, I know it's going to be a good night. HV is such a good lead, and really shares the dance, and his wife doesn't mind sharing his floor time. And E is so funky and unexpected, and his girlfriend doesn't mind sharing him either.

Met Jack, who apparently does a lot of DJing in the WCS world. Was waiting for a good song, and for him to be free, to ask him to dance. And he beat me to it! I love it when that happens.

Just about all my old favorites were out in force. Sadly, I didn't get a chance to dance with White StretchJ. And now he's moving to Las Vegas for a bit. But I'm sure he'll be back here for vacations and such. Turns out that Philly is going to start a westside monthly blues venue. BenY conned me into a dance ... I protested that it would be too fast. He said it wouldn't be. I shouldn't have believed him. It was fast. But BenY is such a good leader that it didn't really matter. Note to self: must do more cardio.

Fabulous fabulous night. I was sad when it was over. Lance did a very good thing when he started this club.

Christmas behind the Orange curtain

Down to Costa Mesa tonight with Satine to check out the OC Mormon Choir that I've heard so much about. Drive down was fun. It's been a while since I've chatted with Satine, and it was good to get to know her a little better.

The choir was ... good. As an amateur choir, it was certainly an accomplishment to put on a performance of that size and scope. And it was fun seeing Drummer Boy, Eric and a few o ther familiar faces singing so intently. And the children were really cute. Perhaps the best parts of the night were seeing that our seats were next to Salsera and her friend, and getting to listen to Satine sing the Hallelujah chorus. Satine really has a marvelous voice.

Chatted a bit with Salsera. Turns out that we were both headed out to Palm Springs for the same dance event. However, they'd cancelled most of the salsa portion of the program. It may turn out that she comes anyway, though. It would be fun to see a fmiliar face.

A high school Christmas party

What: Christmas PICU party
How: High School Prom Theme

Maybe the best slide show I've seen about work. Then and now pictures of colleagues. And then there was the results of the voting ...

Class Flirt ~ Farmhand
Most Likely To Do Compressions ~ Topper
Most Spirited ~ Sansalicious
Best Dressed ~ Baldy Metro
Prom Queen ~ Franny-poo
Prom King ~ Tan Shaggy

It was fun to see everyone dressed up. Some in evening dress. Some dressed like they did in high school. Case in point, Mr and Mrs Nine Yards came in jeans and t-shirts. Schmitty came in his letterman jacket (40+ years old). Jace and boyfriend came in 80's mod jackets and bolo ties. Hurricane R dressed as a Material Girl. Topper came in a hideously funny turquoise polka-dotted dress. And JoNG came in a tshirt printed with a tuxeda pattern.

Ahhh ... the people I work with know how to party. Some, like Tan Shaggy party a little too hard. But we're like a big, happy, occassionally dysfunctional, but highly productive family.

Oh Brother!

Took Spork out to dinner at Orris, my new favorite restaurant. Good to just sit down and catch up, just us two. Spork is my little brother, and when I remember how I used to tickle him when he was four, kid him as a child, mostly leave him along during his thuggish years, and see him mature ... well, it's almost impossible to reconcile the boy with the man. He's smart, successful, fun and funny, laid back, and yet very passionate about some things. He's been a mystery to me most of his life. But now he's just a joy to be with. Eventhough the patrons at the Japanese deli down the street may be distressed since he bought out every single bottle of Pietro dressing off the shelf!

Singing In The Season

A new Christmas season called for a new Christmas party ... one that I've been contemplating for a while now. Ever since going to Hella-Mormon's piano parties (where her handsome and musically talented guy friends [funny how I can't remember any of her non-LA girl friends except the roommate and our friends in common] would come down from Stanford, crowd around her piano, and sing song after song from her musical library of everything from the Beatles, to John Denver to Billy Joel, in parts no less ... well, ever since then, I've been wanting to throw a piano party of my own.

And then, earlier this year, Pilgrim Girl asked me to house her piano for her. She said that it was because their apartment was so small, and she never had time to practice since she should be devoting her time to her doctoral studies, and that it would be bad to put the instrument into storage. And I jumped at the chance. What a fortuitous event!

So, this summer saw me practicing some Christmas songs. Strange, I know. But that's what the plug-in headphones are for. My plan was to practice a couple of new songs every week from the rather simplistic book of medlies I had buried among the sonatinas. And really, my intentions were very very good. However, the time slipped away from me. And November saw me desperately scrambling to play catch up.

The evites were sent out, and people were excited. I did make it a point to talk to the guitar guys (Drummer Boy, Mr Giggles and Hoppe Skip and a Laugh) about playing along, since they'd been so much fun up at Arrowhead. And I tried to pull in as many musical folks as I could ... not only to hide my own deficiencies, but also to give people a chance to share their talents. Spent a couple late nights and dollars at Kinkos copying and fitting music to pages ... hymns, popular carols, favorite four-part music I've sung in choirs over the years, some old favorites, and Dona Nobis Pacem (my favorite song from the Exponent II Retreat). Cleared out all the funiture from my bedroom (yes, even my massive bed was taken down and stuffed into the closet), decorated a tree, and I was ready.

It was so great to see everyone. LisaG, who I never seem to see except at my Christmas party. Eric and Co from down south. Some new and old friends from outside LA. And all my favorite nearby people and some of their friends. Sharing potlucky food, catching up, choosing books to take home, greeting and meeting new faces. it was just great. And then we started moving people back for the singing. The Guitar Guys were fabulous. However, the real surprise was Improv-er, who sat down at the piano and played just about each of the 30 songs in my little songbook. Sometimes even transposing between keys at a glance. So I was able to toss my feelings of musical inadequacy out the window and just enjoy the singing. Not that I'm good at the singing, but I do really enjoy it.

And so this is the start of a new tradition for me. I admit that my family doesn't have many Christmas traditions. My parents are both immigrants and converts to the church. And while I know that my parents have done Christmases with all the trimmings ... Santa, big Christmas tree, lights on the front of the house, etc etc ... it never felt quite right. I remember taking up the mantle one winter when I was home from college (stockings and everything), but it was expensive and not all that much fun. I also remember one Christmas when everyone was so busy that Christmas eve found us without a tree. So, we put a pointsettia plant on top of a horizontally-tilted music stand instead and sang, "O Christmas Stand!" But that's neither here nor there.

These days, my family celebrates Christmas whenever we can all get together. With a nurse, a doctor and a law student, and about half of the family out of state, it's become a necessity.

However, the joy of singing in the season of Christmas is one that just fills me with joy. This rite feels very right. And so, until next year ...

A very good day

Work has been really depressing lately. Lots of heme-onc kids with devastating cancers, that have been dying. I've been saying for a couple weeks that we need a happy ending. Well, today I got one.

About a month ago, I took care of a 14 year old boy who was waiting for a heart transplant. Previously healthy, but had gotten sick, and had rapidly gotten very sick. He was on a couple of pressors to help his heart pump strong and fast enough throughout his body to keep him living. He was a good kid, and was as patient and good as can be. His mother was absolutely devoted to him, and I really admired her love kindness and good sense. I had him for three days in a row, during which time I bonded with them both, yet could see the decline in his condition.

And then I was off for a couple days. When I returned, I found out that he had gotten so ill that he was moved to the top of the line, and a heart was miraculously made available for him. He had had his transplant, and was now on the cardiothoracic ICU. The sad part was that he had been so ill just before the transplant, that he was having a hard time recovering.

Anyway, fast forward a couple of weeks. I'd been wondering what had happened, but had been too busy to find out the end of the story. Until ysterday. All of a sudden, I saw a tall boy with curly hair standing at the charge nurse desk. He was wearing a mask, but I could tell it was him. Yes, he'd had a remarkable recovery. Had been on the CTICU for a week. Then on the regular nursing floor for a week, and has been at home for two weeks. It was amazing that his recovery was so brief, when it was projected that he would take 4 weeks to get home. He looked healthy and happy, as did his mother. Of course, he can no longer play football, and there are lots of other restrictions, but all this pales compared to the fact that he is so vibrantly alive. It's days like this that make my work so worth it.

It's also worth noting that we were really well staffed today. I was the Rapid Response team member, and Cherry was the admit nurse. So, we were able to help all the nurses who were travelling (to MRI, CT, and radiation) where they needed to be, and everyone got their breaks. With the new RRT trial, it looks like we will be better and better staffed. At least, one can hope.

On a similar note, I finished reading Hospital Ketches by Louisa May Alcott, see Shelfari for my favorite passage. Despite having contracted typhoid during her Civil War nursing service, which treatments with calomel ruined her health, she never regretted having done the valiant work. She amazes me.

Easy going Thanksgiving

Celebrated Thanksgiving with the family today. Drove up to the valley in the afternoon. As I got on the 134, I called home, and realized that mom had been busy all day, and there were no plans for dinner yet. So, I swung by Costco (huzzah!) and got fixings for dinner ... a rotisserie chicken (because none of us really like turkey), salad greens, stuffing with cranberries, scalloped potatoes, and persimmons (because I saw them, and they reminded me of Yuki-grandma). I love Costco.

Dinner was fantastic. Didn't have to stress about cooking, and we all had fascinating discussions on whatever came to mind ... politics, religion, finance, etc. All those controversial topics that tend to ruin dinner conversation, just flowed and kept us all engaged and interested.

For dessert, Spork brought sweet potatoe pie ( a first, because he wanted to try it) and ice cream. We both stayed later than we'd intended, which meant a sleepy Tuesday for me. However, even though it was just me, Spork and the parents, it was a marvelous Thanksgiving.

Going Westie

It's been so long since I've blogged anything. And really, I've got tons to blog about, just no time to do it!

However, this past weekend was just spectacular. On Thanksgiving, I went into a spasm of cleaning. Had Thanksgiving lunch with Girl Friday, who cooked a feast of many of my favorite feast-y items.

Friday, I went down to the US Open Swing Dance Championships. First time I've ever gone West Coast swing dancing in California. I still consider myself a lindy-hopper, but I want to blur the edges a little, and incorporate WCS, blues and latin stylings into my lindy. The weekend was absolutely amazing. Although WCS tempos are slower, the stylized movements are much sharper and swankier. Sad thing is that I missed the workshops, since I got such a late start.

Saturday I made it in time for Benji and Heidi's workshop, except that it was moved to the next day. So, I took it easy during Nick and Kristin's slides class. Again, competitions were stunning. And, like yesterday, I got a lot of dances. Met a of leads who dance at the Hacienda and at Sonny Watson's venue in the valley. Who knew there was that much dancing in Reseda? Best was when I got asked to dance by leads I'd been working up the courage to ask. Met a short, young asian guy who has the best hands I've ever danced with.

On Sunday, I took the workshop with B & H. They are fantatic teachers, and focused on good lead and follow technique. Nice to realize that some of the misses on the dance floor were really not my fault. Also great to help the guys learn to do a body lead, instead of arm leads. I really hate arm leads ... they look funny, and they hurt.

Sunday night I stayed for the late night dancing. Stunning to see the top level competitors letting loose on a social dance floor. Yes, I like to see choreographed showcases and dances, but I much prefer to see creative improvisation on the dance floor. I could have watched Todd Yannacone all night (and really, I stayed until 0330, so it was almost like I did). Todd does a really good job at blending lindy and WCS, along with some hiphop influences. Plus, his arm and feet actions are so intricate, that I can never decide which to watch more intently.

At the end of it all, I ended up eating a lot of protein, and using lots of advil and bengay. Hmmm ... very, VERY sore. But oh so worth it. I'm going to have to take a look at my schedule and see where I can fit in trips to Reseda and the Hacienda for more WCS dancing.

Check out the division winners. My favorites were Arjay Centeno, Brandi Tobias, Xavier Young and Todd Yannacone.

Rush Blogging: the rest of the trip

Everything is getting so smooshed in my brain, it's hard to keep it all in order.

Wentt with Genie and the kids to see JLITH at the hospital. Fun to wander around and see where she spends almost all of her waking (and non-waking hours). After Genie and the kids left, JLITH got me in to change into scrubs, and she took me around the units and areas where she spends most of her time. When I left, it was snowing. But after I'd gottend down the hill a bit, it turned into just plain rain.

More dancing at the MAC on Saturday. Competitions started very late. Probably because they had to start them after GC priesthood session got out. Tookus very sore by the end of the night. Would have been better to break up the different competitions by having at leas two or three social dances between each set. Courage was back tonight, and got a lot of dances. Hurray!

Had lunch over at One World Everyone Eats. JLITH was supposed to join us, be she ended up not being able to leave the hospital. Great concept: tasty food with a humanitarian goal. I was interested in volunteering, but didn't have a food specialist certificate or any abilities with plants. So I just gave more money. This may turn into one of my SLC faves.

Genies made some great middle-eastern good. Tabuleh, and couscous with a delicious apricot and lamb stew.

Went to go see Becoming Jane with JLITH at the Dollar movie theatre. Confess that I wasn't exactly keen on the movie, but it was cheap, and time alone with my sister. To my surprise, it had very little of the mocking, lighthearted social commentary that I've come to associate with Austen's novels. Yes, it did have a lot of heaving chests and piercing looks that seem so commonplace nowadays. But there were moments when my desbelief was actually suspended, and I was totally caught up in the idea of tragic sacrifices for love. Makes me want to find a really good biography of Austen and just get to know her. Same as for Alcott, Potter, Montgonmery and Woolf. I would like to ask these great minds how and what they thought about their world and their place in it. I think I would find a very different point of view than what some really conservative and pushy commenters on the X2 blog and constantly refraining on ... even while we permabloggers are trying to play nice and not lambaste them.

Over the The Discovery Center with Genie, Bean One and Bean Three (Bean Two being in school at the time). So funny to watch them interact with their environment and the other children. Of course Bean Three is too young to interact with other children his age, and so he just wants to find fun things to touch and chew. However, I think Bean One is unused to being in situation where he is not the biggest kid. And besides his performance anxiety, and trying to take turns with other children like this mother teaches him to, I think he just gets frustrated easily. So, I saw him holding back while the other rowdier (and bigger) children were crowding around some the the exhibits and not letting anyone else in. And when they had moved on, I saw Bean One happy at being able to do the things he wanted to ... to the exclusion of some other kids his own size.

Dinner at Sawadee with JLITH. I was so full from eating tabuleh, that I couldn't hardly eat any of it. Instead, we just had a good chat. Had thought about buying her an ipod so that she would have something to listen to on her trips to India and Egypt, but she's already gotten one for mom. So, I loaded a bunch of TAL episodes, and classical and Christmas (hey, I was in the mood) music on it for them to enjoy on their trips.

Decided Monday morning that that would be a perfect day to go see the Timpanogos Ice Caves. I'd gone to see some at the base of Mount Fuji, and they were quite spectacular. So, why not? Well, for one, the entrance to the cave is reached by a 1.5 mile hike. Not so bad, 1.5 miles. Except that the elevation gain was almost 1200 feet. And, I didn't have hiking boots, only my trusty dansko clogs. Going up was hard. I hate ascending switchbacks. Was shamed into kicking up the pace when a couple of kids came running down the path shouting back, "Okay grandma! We're halfway down!" Well, if grandma can get up the mountain ...! Caves were fun. Didn't photograph very well, but fascinating to see the different types of ice formations. Hike down was miserable. Since my feet hurt too much to walk straight down the trail (clogs that don't lace up), I had to zigzag down ... which no doubt lead to the aching in my outer calves that lasted almost a week!

Lunch with FGITW at Macaroni Grill, my first time ever. Cute waiter that FGITW chatted up because he looked so much like Dexter (or some other such tv actor).

Dancing at MAC again on Tuesday night. THe soreness hadn't reached peak levels yet (read: it was still on the rise), so I was able to get in a few good dances without hobbling like granny). Talked a bit more with Utah Swing Ambassador, who has some info which will make my next trip a little more interesting.

Left early Wed morning and drove and drove and drove. So soooooo glad to be home.

Rush Blogging: A Hard Day's Night

Got very little sleep last night as I packed for the trip to SLC. It's hard to whittle down the dance outfits.

Worked all day.

Took a 30 minute nap.

Then drove to SLC ... a paltry 700 miles.

Arrived this morning around 0900. After lots of caffeine. Several boredom relieving eposides of This American Life. Short nap in a rest station. And lots of nibbling. Was so wound up that I stayed up for another hour just chatting with Genie and letting the caffeine leach out of my system.

Then ... sleep.

Woke up in the evening, showered and got out to the MAC for some dancing. Well, more like watching dancing. Invitational couples. Most everyone was too busy getting ready to compete, or running around making sure things were running smoothly to dance a whole lot. And I found myself strangely cowed ... courage level was very down. However, did get in dances with Utah Swing Ambassador, Foosball and StraggleM.

Ran into Gil and Candy. I was surprised that they'd come all the way from LA for this event. Turns out, they'd gotten married a number of months ago, moved to SLC to be near her family for a little while, and are already regretting it and planning as escape. I'd like to think that I can entertain ymself sufficiently to live in any part of the world. But as I get older, I think that my flexibility in the area is rapidly decreasing.

Rush BLogging: sipping with numb lips

Down to my dentist in Torrance to get some fillings redone. Only this dentist could induce me to drive so far. He's just got a marvelously wonderful work ethic and touch. Plus, his hygenists are wonderful.

Dentist shot up my entire front lip. What a bizarre feeling.

The rest of the day I was unable to smooth lip balm evenly, or drink any fluids in a normal way. I could sip with a straw, but even that had to be done in very small volumes, and a strange huffing action. I felt deformed. Like a deranged bunny.

Rush Bloggingg: ECMO end

They decannulated the ECMO patient yesterday, and he expired soon after, being held in the arms of his family. I found out today. I hope they can find peace. The child was so ill, there really was nothing we could have done to save his diseased lungs.

It now remains to be seen what will happen with pediatric EMCO at my hospital

Rush Blogging: My activism has not been in vain

A small group of us met with sthe stake presidency about ideas about how to best serve in the stake. I'd just about decided that the stake presidency weren't interested in haring about it, until President V asked me to organize the meeting. Anyway, it seems as if they are finally interested in turning their thoughts and actions toward making it happen. I'm excited for this new turn of events.

Afterward, White Boy and I headed up to Pasadena to hear John Welch, a prominent church apologist, speak. Interesting. However, he seemed much more conversational and casual than I am used to hearing academics be. Maybe apologists just have to be extra persuasive? Maybe he toned it down for his audience? Maybe I'm just being prejudicial?

Anyway, it's always fun spending time with WB. He's so entertaining. Like the outrageous older brother I never had.

Rush Blogging: Extra ECMO

Of the past seven days, I've worked six days. One totally extra day. One 16 hour shift. And four regular 12 hour shifts. I'm exhausted. When T called me while I was in Raleigh to see if I wanted to pick up a shif last week for ECMO, I thought she was joking. I'dd come to expect that we would never again do ECMO on the PICU again. But, the call came from anotehr PICU, was referred to us by a prior fellow, and the attending on-duty was ECMO-friendly. So it was that we took the first ECMO patient on the unit (there have been others in the NICU and CTICU) in 18 months.

There were several saving graces.

First, it was Dr. Metro and Tan Shaggy on. They are my favorite attending-fellow team to work with. They are smart, good communicators, skilled, and fun to be with. The nurses don't ahve to worry about questioning the fellow's judgement, or worrying that the attending's disposition is going to be off-kilter.

Second, the mother was studying to be a nurse. She was very interested in everything we did, but not in an instrusive way. When I started talking to her, we got along very well, she asked intelligent questions, understood much of what was said, and was always grateful for however we could include her in her chid's care. She was also very realistic about the potential outcomes for her child. It seemed as if the rest of the family was in denial about how sick the patient was, despite all the many high level interventions.

Third, the whole EMCO team rallied. The ECMO coordinator was able to pitch in a lot to help us run the circuit, and relieve us for breaks. Many of the PICU ECMO team members who had quit the team got recerted quickly and came back to work either with the patient or the pump. And there was a lot of support from the other ICU's in providing the second nurse needed to take care of the patient and pump.

We'll have to see what happens next with the PICU ECMO team.

Rush Blogging: Feeling Raleighian

Dropped Wry-an of at work. Over to Big Ed's for a true southern breakfast. Grits with butter, link sausage, and eggs. Grits are like savory oatmeal.




Off to the Tobacco Museum, at the old Duke farm. Took lots of going to actually get there. I can't seem to get the grip on driving through the east coast highways. I was skeptical about whether or not I'd enjoy the experience. But Wry-an seemed to think it would be great fun, so I decided to give it a try. And I loved it. Interesting to learn about an industry that dominated the area until just recently. Now, instead of being known for tobacco, the area is trying to revamp itself as a medicine-focused community. I especially loved going through all the old buildings, seeing everyday items like the bed key (used to tighten the ropes that held up the straw mattresses), the ash distiller for making soap, the pie-safe, and the jagged/primitive fences. It was a real treat.

Back in the center of Raleigh. Art Space ... like an artists' communal building. Lots of little studios. Particularly impressed with quiltworks by Ann Harwell. Her work is so vibrant, colorful, and imaginative. Even her quilting, though done with machine. changes color within the fabric pieces to meld them all together with swirly lines of stitching.

NC Museum of History. Photo exhibit of Margaret Warner Morlay. The Carolina Mountains. Found out the story of the Tar Heels.

Picked up Wry-an, and we met up with GP for dinner at Sushi Blues. Fun place that serves sushi and blues music. An odd combo, but definitely entertaining. Wish I could have eaten more, but it was just impossible.

Then, we were off to Loafer's Beach Club. A misnomer, since it is nowhere near the beach. At first we couldn't even find it. Then, Wry-an introduced me to the wonders of Googl texting. I was amazed. Must find out more about this phenomenon. Finally found the place. Had trouble getting in, despite knowing that there was at least one person inside. Turns out it was a "private club." Meaning that it served alcohol, and that you needed to be a member or be referred to get in. I didn't know that these types of places exited outside of Utah! Anyway Adam, who was the teacher for the night, came and agreed to be our sponsors, and so we were in.

Lesson was on Charleston. Not my favorite, but it was good to brush up on it. Teachers were very enthusiastic and light-footed. Dancing was okay. Best dances were with Adam, Bob (so very smooth and airy), and LT (or some other configuration of letters, who was very adaptable). Wry-an and GP left around 10-ish, with some stricture for me to be safe, etc etc.

Got home not too late-ish, but had to shower quickly, and pack. And then I kept waking up for fear that I would oversleep and miss my flight.

Rush Blogging: Nuclear Raleigh

Visited the nuclear power plant. Interactive kids' displays weren't open to the public yet, but the nice front desk guy let me in, and I had a great time learning about nuclear power, about which I didn't know anything. What concerns me most is how to dispose of all the waste products. Used cylinders need to be kept in wet storage for 5 years to cool off properly. And then, the federal, secure, underground permanent storage facility is still not built yet. Plans for the facility in Nevada have been on hold since 1997. Seems as if the waste is now stored out on landing pads at the nuclear facility. Seems rather dangerous and short-minded to not have a long-range plan.

Couldn't find the Railway Museum.

Drove back in to Raleigh to see the NC Museum of Art. Amazingly, all the museum appear to be free here. Of course, I'm not terribly blown away by anything in particular, but maybe that's just because I'm particularly focused on a very specific time period and style.

NC Museum of Natural History. I loved the Living Conservatory. Enclosed area with turtles, a sloth, and butterflies. One little girl noticed a butterfly flat on the ground, and one fluttering here and there above it. The guide explained that the flying butterfly was a male trying to entice the female to lift her bottom, for mating. It happened in the blink of an eye. One butterfly soon after alighted on the girl's shoulder. The response? "Get off me, I'm not your wife!" I also liked all the snake and bug displays. Generally, I hate bugs indoors. But as long as they are contained, I think they are quite fascinating.

Picked up Ryan. Stopped off at the Cookhouse for chicken sandwiches on the way home. All ate dinner together. My first time eating hush puppies. Food was good, but not quite as good as In-n-Out, no matter what Wry-an says.

Then, we all got in the car and drove out to Durham to see the big church at Duke University. Apparently Wry-an and GP haven't gotten the hang of driving eastern highways either. since we had an awful time finding the University, and then the chapel AT the university. Maybe this says more about the roads and maps than it does our navigating abilities? Just a thought.

The chapel was lovely. I really liked the stonework on the outside, and the lavishness inside. Especially the organ pipes. It was really too bad that it was dark, because we couldn't see any of the marvelous stained glass windows.

That night, as I got to thinking about how ill I'd been, I got to wondering if I'd been bitten by a tick. I have a lingering fear of ticks, especially after I heard that they fall down from trees and bite unsuspecting humans, causing all types of diseases that are generally only caught after many misdiagnoses and inconclusive testing. I just about scratched off a mole thinking that it must be a tick embedded in my neck.

Rush Blogging: a day inside an apartment

Got up early to drive Wry-an to work. So generous, he's letting me use his car, in exchange from driving him to and from work. Glad to have the chance for more seated conversation. Wry-an is wonderful to chat and exchange ideas with.

Then I drove home and slept all day. The few minutes I was awake were spent nibbling on saltines, taking sips of water, and even having one more episode of tossing.

Felt a little better in the afternoon and picked Wry-an up. When we got back, Georgia Peach was home, and we all had a nice chat. Wry-an made waffles while GP and I bonded over nursing and SYTYCD clips.

Wry-an also did a lot of research on what to do in Raleigh, since I'd reidiculously left all my travel books in LA.

Of note: when flying into Raleigh at night, it looks like ths street lights twinkle ... due to the many trees that fill every spare nook and cranny.

Also of note: Wry-an and GP's apartment is lovely. Dark, modern furniture. Sleek and comfy. And it all blends really well. Shocking to see Wry-an with so much furniture.

Rush Blogging: Last X2 retreat day

VG spoke today. As Leslie would say, VG is just like a good orange ... full of good juice! Spoke on non-violent communication. Which Madwoman blogged about here. VG really struck a chord with me. Want to read up on some of her source material. Joanna Massey. Marshall Rosenburg. LDS Crucial Conversations. James Carroll. Lester Brown. Bo Lozoff.

Had to take off early. M was gracious enough to give me a ride back to Logan Airport so I could get to Raleigh. M was the chocolatier from the night before, and also a nurse, so there was a lot to talk about. Lots of new persepctives on the nursing profession.

Bought pizza at Uno Pizzeria in the airport. Mistake. Felt really nauseated on the plane. Had to ask for an airsickness bag, drink seltzer water, and keep the fan on my face.

Wry-an met me at the airport and drove me back to his and Georgia Peach's home. So good to talk and share. Ended up tossing my cookies shortly after entering the door. At least I made it to the toilet. Not that I was fond of said cookies. But I feel that that particular track should be only one way.

Rush BLogging: X2 retreat

Communal dining area so conducive to meeting new people.

So glad to have finally met Deborah. She's marvelous. Also got to chat with a few of the women who intrigued me during Introductions. The whole "Explanation instead of Conversation" feeling I had yesterday is subsiding.

Diversity panel got me thinking and inspired this post over at the X2 blog.

Post-lunch discussion about how the blog and the publication can support and strengthen one another.

Lakeside discussion with the X2 bloggers. So good to be in one place and interact face to face.

Met more sisters throughout the day. Talked about everything from living in West Hills, global hymnbooks, dancing and friends in common. Got an excellent shoulder rub from Deborah. I leaned over to rest my elblos on my knees, and someone started rubbing my back. At firts I thought it was Pilgrim Girl. Then it went on for more than 30 seconds, so I knew it wasn't her. And I wanted it to go on forever, so I tried hard not to change my position. Absolutely heavenly. Got me to thinking about this other post I wanted to do for the X2 blog.

Talent Show. It was long. But lovely to see the sisters share their talents. My two favorite parts were the chocolate sharing, and the learn-how-to-do-a-shoulder-rub part. Then again, I loved SH with her walker, dancing in the "It's In His Kiss" line as well.

Rush BLogging: some perfect Cambridge moments

Packed up and went off for more adventures.

My lucky day. LA Burdick's reopened this morning. Sat down and savored a cup of rich, foamy, hot chocolate.

Museum of Useful THings still closed.

Walked through Harvard Yard. Passed by Memorial CHurch. Sign outside advertised UChoir tryouts, but not until much later in the afternoon. As I was getting over my disappointment, I heard a wonderful, Handel-esque tenor aria issuing from the depths of the church. Followed my ears inside, where a tenor was rehearsing with a pianist and a flutist. Sat and enjoyed the mini-concert for 15 minutes.

Then, over to the Fogg Museum. Still feeling directed towards the Impressionists. As I was walking around, I passed a vibrant woman with gray streaks in her long and wavy hair. She was wearing a museum uniform, and looked like one of the guards who are supposed to make sure no one actually touches the art-work. She asked where I was from, and I explained that I was just visiting town for the week. She sounded so disappointed, but I didn't think much of it. I again encountered her in an elevator. She said, "You have such a great face!" She explained that she was an art teacher, specifically in painting portraints, and that she would have liked me to model for her class. I exclaimed that I love portraiture best, as in Sargent, etc. We smiled at each other, and then I had to leave the elevator ... and the museum. Now, I know that great doesn't necessarily mean beautiful. But that day, I felt beautiful.

Back over to the Museum of Useful THings. So much fun!!!

Back to the BHFH, where we left to meet Caroline and Brooke at the airport for the drive out to the Exponent II Retreat. Took a while to meet up, but the ride was fun. Especially getting stuck on the roundabout. Not fun was having to call Mike for directions, since the instructions we'd gotten were so incomprehensible.

Finally got to the retreat, and basked in the room full of such vibrant, inquisitive and spiritual women. Introductions. Singing. Saw and caught up with Sara, who I hadn't seen in ages.

Rush Blogging: walking the Freedom Trail

Up early. Over to Trinity Church. Loved the green stained glass windows and the ornate organ pipes.

Over to the MFA, but had forgotten pass!

Tried to get to Filene's Basement, but it had moved? Boo!

Back to BHFH to get some laundry done. It's been a long time since I've needed that many quarters.

Did the Freedom Trail. Most women weren't able to attend many of the meetings at the Old South Hall. Some names to look up later: Mary Autin Mary Heminway (?) and Margaret Sanger.

Kettle Corn. My favorite munchie.

Faneuil Hall. Bought a Kariza skirt. So lovely and adaptable. I love washable silks.

Old State Jpise ~ beautiful bannister, even if it's recreated.

Revere Home was the best part. Loved seeing the home, and the items that he made especially, and what was used in everyday life.

My favorite part of the trail was not an official site. However, in a little alcove, right before Old North Church, surrounded by trees and peace, there is a memorial for the Iraq War Veterans. And even with all my desire to go-go-go, I took a few minutes to relax, and ponder and listen.

Copp's Hill Burial Ground. An old-fashioned graveyard, most of the headstones simple and small. Some teetering on the edge of falling down. When looked at from the side, a line of the headstones look like the haggard mouth of a man with very crooked teeth.

Browsing along Newbury Street.

Returned to Arlington for dancing. Smaller crowd. No Bill Cameron. Did get a fun welcome dance. The mid-level dancers seem much more able to try new things and not clamp down on me when dancing.

Transcending in Concord

Today the three of us took the communter train out to Concord to meet up with Sarah. Pilgrim Girl met Sarah through blogging. And when Sarah heard that a visit was pending, she graciously invited us up to Concord for a tour.

First, we stopped by her house, which is just steps from the station, for a bit of a chat and something to quench our throats. Her home is full of books, bright colors, and comfort.

Then it was off to the local deli/specialty cheese shop to pick up lunch. Nichan ended up getting a specially made sandwich from the sandwich specialist who was here for her last day ... Italian deli with all kinds of goodness. It made my mouth water just to hear it, so I ordered the same. Other delicacies that we picked up, some triple cream brie, local goat's milk with cranberries, crackers, chili-flavoured raw chocolate, olives, and stuffed eggplant.

Sarah drove us out to Walden Pond (really more of a lake, but "pond" seems much quainter) to consume out feast. Had a bit of a kuffufle getting in ... a violent, mechanized dispenser that rudely shot out the parking permit at the ground. Sarah uttered the fabulous line of the day, "What would Thoreau think?"

The day was just lovely. Filtered shunshine that warmed us gently, although not enough that I would even consider swimming the length like the ten or so people that we saw during our picnic. The leaves were jsut starting to turn a magnificent shade of crimson on a few select branches. And steps from which we were able to lounge on as we chatted and contemplated the breeze making patterns on the water.

The we walked over to the recreation of Walden's little house. Small, one roomed place. Large enough for a fireplace, a bed, a desk, and not much else. Not the he would have needed much interior space, what with the woods and the lake to draw him out. And, given the fact that he had laundry done and meals delivered by family, it doesn't seem to have been too hard.

And, a short visit to the gift shop. Thoreau was so imminently quotable ... there are so many phrases that I recognize as his, and yet I don't think I've ever read one of his works cover to cover. Something to put on my to-do list. Found a set of woodblock note cards to bring to Georgia Peach and Wry-an. And we got to talking with the guy at the counter. Historian, and re-ennacter, which means that he has costumes! Pilgrimgirl may have winced, but I thought it was great. And, found out that Thoreau pronounced his name "tho'ro " (as in, The writer did a thorough job of explaining the situation.), and not "tho-ro'" as I accustomed to hearing it. Around that time period, there was a great anti-French bias, and he was trying to distance himself from any connection to those marvelous purveyors of fashion and cheese.

Sarah then drove us to
The Old Manse. We wandered around the foregrounds, taking in the garden that Emerson had planted as a wedding gift for Nathaniel and Sophia Hawthorne, and luxuriating in the beautiful wonder of sunlight filtering through dense tree leaves. When we went to purchasee our tickets for the house tour, the gentleman at the desk advised us that Emerson house was open later than Orchard house, and that we would still have time to visit both if we wanted. And yes, PG, Sarah and I resoloutely did. So, we left Nichan to peaceably wander the grounds, and made our way down the road.

Orchard House was the Alcott family home from 1858-1877. It was here that the Alcotts mingled with the other American transcendentalists such as Thoreau, Emerson, Fuller and Hawthorne. As we toured through the house, I wondered what it must have been like to grow up in such company. Louisa May Alcott's father was a teacher and educator, even if he was not very proficient at providing financially for his family. Her mother was the first paid social worker in Massachusetts. And she held company with some of the most progressive and intelligent people of her day. LMA wrote Little Women while she lived at Orchard House. There are recovered thermal prints of visitors that May (Amy in the book) painted on the walls, and little paintings that she decorated the window sills with. There is indeed a writing couch with the mood pillow that the family used as a barometer of Louisa's approachability. And the parlour where the Alcott girls staged their numerous plays.

And yet, there are differences. There was no one solitary Teddy, he being a composite of many male friends. LMA never married, but was heavily encouraged by her publisher to have Jo marry in the book. May did marry, but it was overseas, and she sent her daughter to Louisa to raise before she (May) passed away. Seems as if Louisa was much more ascerbic and harsh than Jo, but that only makes her seem more real. Louisa served as a nurse for two months during the Civil War, but was forced to quit due to worsening health . She was never the same, but reportedly never regretted the experience. Need to find a good biography so that I can find out more about this fascinating woman.

Back at the Manse, we joined in the tour. What a charming, lived-in house. Weeks later, what I remember most are the scrawled messages and poetry lines that Sophia Hawthorne inscribed with her diamond ring. All in all, it was charming. Afterwards, we just sat on the lawn and under the tree, breathing in the peaceful atmosphere, and luxuriating in the beauty of tree-leaf filtered sunlight. Somehow standing makes me more tired than walking.

Sarah then took us to an organic market. She bought a peck of honey crisp apples, and we munched, and watched dusk descend over the farm. So peaceful and restful. Then it was time to leave. Sarah drove us to Alewife, where we picked up the T.

Back in Boston, I picked up my laptop (huzzah!), then joined Pilgrim Girl and Nichan at Pomodoro. I was in the mood for Italian, and this bistrino seemed to fit the bill. However, it seems as if some people have had really bad experiences there. Hmmm. Well, it might not be for everyone ... payment is cash only, it's quite small and intimate, and the restroom is across the street. But even with all of that, I liked it. The food was tasty and interesting, and it was quite and mellow, with a clear view into the kitchen. We finished the night with cups of gelato down the street.

Rain and impressionism

Up early in the morning. Had left my travel books back in LA, so I gathered up my laptop and T'd it over to Cambridge. The Apple store was in Cambridgeside, which couldn't be too far from Hrvard-town. Right?

Actually, Cambridgeside was a rather tedious busride away from Cambridge, as the nice lady at the Harvard kiosk told me. I wandered through Harvard Yard for a few minutes, dreaming of how Yardstick Man would have looked as a young freshman here, until I shook myself from my reverie, and scuttled off to Cambridgeside to attend to business.

Arrived at the Apple store not a minute too soon. I got the last Genius Bar appointment of the day, beginning in about 30 minutes! When I was finally called, I was able to complete my explanation in complete sentences, having satisfied my internet needs at the other computers in the store, and was able to focus sufficiently on the magnificently colored tattoes on my Genius-guy. Combined with the all-black attire, shaven black hair, Irish skin, and piercing blue eyes, he was quite magnificent. He ran through the same drill as Nichan, then said that I'd have to leave it for closer examination. Ouch. Thankfully, it was still under warranty, and I left hoping that it would be fixed before I had to leave on Friday.

Made my way to the mall exit, to be confronted with buckets of pouring rain. I wasn't surprised, but a bit deflated. Turned around and bought a Boston book at the Border's store, and made a new plan.

Boston Museum of Fine Art. Large, but not as imposing as the Met in NY. I skimmed through the little available of the asian art section (most of the Japanese stuff is being rearranged an not open for viewing). But what I really wanted was Impressionism. It could have been the rain. It could be my upcoming trip to Paris. Whatever, I really delighted in the experiments on light and texture. And I really revelled in the portraits. I'm not very attracted to landscapes. And I really dislike the flatness of pre-Renaissance art, and the pained religious art (is it the the bloodlessness of the subjects?) that followed. And still-lifes bore me. But there's something magnetic and magical about a portrait that captures and communicates the true soul of the sitter. I like Sargent, Cassatt, David, Rembrandt.

And, although I don't generally like modern or contemporary art, I was very struck by the Shy Boy, She Devil and Isis: The Art of Conceptual Craft exhibit. The piece I remember most was a stunning piece of glasswork. Desert FLower by Christopher Ries. From the side, it had the shape of a sail, with a white indentation a third of the way down on the "hypotenuse" side. From the front, one could see that the indentation was laser carved, and branched out to show the most beautiful multi-petaled flower suspended, as it appeared, in mid-air. Absolutely stunning.

Other pieces that captured my imagination
Forest Bench by Peter M. Adams
Ladybird's Requiem by Akino Kondoh
Self Portrait by Ellen Day Hale
Pat Lyon at the Forge by John Neagle
The musical isntrument collection
Naginata weapons traditionally used by samurai women, and the story of Tomoe Gozen
The Painter's Honeymoon by Lord Frederic Leighton
St. Mary Magdalen Penitent by Domenico Fetti
Cecilia Beaux
Caritas by Abbott Handerson Thayer
Aizen, King of Passion, behind the large flower arrangement
10,000 Li Up the Yangtze River by Wang Hui

Met up with PG and Nichan, who had also headed for the museum in the rain. Stopped for some dessert at Finale for dessert, which Nichan graciously hosted. Then they were off to dinner with some friends, and I took myself off to Legal Seafood, which was just across the street. Couldn't decide on one thing, so I got an appetizer tray. The crab cakes are the best I've ever tasted! I've always been disappointed before, but these cakes took the cake. The waitress told me that the secret was using lump-meat. The result was a delicious and delicate drab cake that easily came apart as I picked at the yummy lump.

Hurried back to the house to change, and then I was off to Arlington for some west coast swing on the east coast. Took the T out to Harvard, then got on a bus for Arlington. As the bus was about to pull away, another asian girl hopped on and tried to get directions from the driver. Finally, the helpful woman seated across from her asked her where she was trying to get to. Then the girl started t say something about dancing at an Elk's Lodge, and I found a friend to walk with to Dance Boston. Good thing, too, since the walk involved passing through a dark neighborhood, under an underpass disconcertingly like a scene from Jodie Foster's new movie The Brave One, and a jaunt across a baseball field. Really, the guys who run Dance Boston need to come up with better directions!

Well, YG and I finally got the place, but the girl at the front directed us to the beginner-intermediate lesson, since we were a little late. Jon Schimmel taught the class, which was pretty good, but I was itching for more. When the class ended, we wandered downstairs, where the advanced lesson was ending. Turns out that Bill Cameron (who looks disconcertingly like Antonio Banderas) wasn't teaching, since he'd invited another dancer (from California?) to guest teach. I didn't catch her name, but she was wonderful. Talked all about shaping, and letting the follows have more leeway for creativity in the dance. And though she sounded a bit out of place (using terms like "organic" and "flowing"), I really liked her lesson.

The dancing was a lot of fun. People were really interested when I told them that I was visiting from the west coast. And I did confess that I'm actually a lindy-hopper who does WCS only when I travel. But I might just have to try going out in LA sometime. Even got a chance to dance with Bill. So nice, he came up and introduced himself, since Jon had told him that I'd emailed about visiting. Wanted to, but didn't, ask Bill to dance the next song, since it was fast. But I did gather up my courage and ask for a better song later in the evening. Pure bliss! Also spoke with Ryan and Laura, some other lindy hoppers who were crossing over to WCS. And, got a ride with YG from Amy back to the Alewife T station, so we didn't have to walk back through the scary underpass.

Going to live amongst Friends

So, I worked yesterday. Came home and finished packing, which involved finishing laundry, checking the weather reports in three states, and cleaning up so that I could feel relaxed when i got home. And then I sat down to watch some tv. A mistake, I readily admit. The upshot is that I didn't get to sleep until around 0100-ish. And didn't get up until Girl Friday came to wake me up with the news that the Prime Time shuttle was outside and waiting! Yikes! Quick scramble to get one the clothes I'd laid out, and humbly scamper into the van. And think of FGITW, who is the only friend I know who would volunteer to drive me to the airport (and not try to make me feel guilty), no matter what time my flight.

Took me three flights to get to Boston. Yes, I could have bought non-stop tickets, but that would have drained my purse of $500+, and then I wouldn't have Bryan, the handsome and friendly pilot who I sat with. He was a good luck charm, as certified by the fact that the only empty seat on the plane was the one right between us. So, between having the aisle seat and an empty middle seat, I had plenty of stretching room. And a companionable conversation partner. Married, and settled in Atlanta, Bryan had come to LA to visit a brother who had been in a bad car accident. So, we talked hospitals. Then, we talked about the piloting business. Why flights are delayed. Landing patterns. Airport controllers. And I have a new appreciation for flight attendants, stemming from Bryan's appreciation for them. Interesting that the term "stewardess" has been abandoned for the gender-neutral term "flight attendant." I've never had positive associations with the word "stewardess," to which I always thought of nubile young ladies serving up drinks, food, and fantasies. Then, Bryan talked about how flight attendants are mainly trained to manage passenger safety concerns in event of a catastrophe. And then he used the word "steward" to refer to a male flight attendant, and I had a much different reaction, thinking of protectors. I started to think tangentially about how I perceive titles differently when they are applied to men and women. Male secretaries connote power, as in secretary of state. A female secretary connotes a harried female with a steno-pad and a pen sticking out behind her ear. And I began to have an inkling of why female thespians prefer to be called actors instead of actresses.

In Atlanta, I was seduced by the glossy fashion magazines of a bevy of blonde hipsters. But when I got the the airport mag store, ended up getting issues of Outside magazine's 30th year anniversary issue and The New Republic, two magazines I've never read, but which intrigued me. Bryan of course stayed in Altanta, but his good mojo stayed, since I again had an aisle seat and an empty middle seat.

In Baltimore, hte mojo temporarily departed. The last leg of my trip was delayed a couple of hours. To make up for it, the cosmos saw fit to give me a whole three seats to myself. I arrived in Boston too late to go out for MOnday night dancing, but at least I got to stretch out like I haven't been able to since my childhood, on solitary trans-Pacific flights to visit relatives.


Pilgrim Girl had arranged for us (her, Ni-chan and me) to stay at the Beacon's Hill Friends' House located just a few blocks from the Park Street T station. Here pictured are the chapel, and a typical neighborhood building. As I would later discover, the house is actually two side-by-sides that were joined by taking out the separating wall. There are two managers, a cook, a number of residents, and room for a couple of visiting guests. The situation is really quite cozy. Breakfast is communal ... help youself to anything, and wash up your own dishes. There's a large formal sitting room with a piano and harpsichord. A large courtyard. a chapel for worship. Coin-op washer and dryer. Huge dining room with a table reminiscent of Precious', but with room for twice as many diners. A tv room. And a library. And wireless internet!!! Not all the residents are Quaker, but there's an air of safe congeniality that I liked immensely.

But all was not well in Quaker Zion. Firstly, I'd come too late to go dancing. Secondly, my airport had disappeared from my laptop. Nichan fiddled with it for a while, but didn't want to get too intrusive, if it affected the warranty on my laptop, which I wasn't even sure was still in effect. Anyway, we located an Apple store in the vicinity, and I resolved to go first thing in the morning.

Baby Talk

Got together tonight for Precious' baby shower. When I talked to her about it a few months ago, she had very specific instructions. Low key dinner out with the girls. No dumb shower games. End of story. Wow. I knew there was a reason we were friends! All I had to do was set it up with the restaurant, send out the invites, and enlist the help of Mrs. Activities to organize the group gift.

I got the final money count from Mrs. Activities. However, when I got on-line to choose stuff from the registry list, I was horrified by the shipping costs! They were almost as much as the items themselves! So, I called around to see if the local Babies R Us's had the items in stock. Well, they had the glider, but not the cest of drawers. That made the decision a lot easier. Asked about Box dimensions, figured I could fit it in my car, and drove up to Calabasas to pick it up. However, I believe the item was on sale, because I had a whole of of extra money left. So, I got the bassinet trio, and called it good. However, as I was leaving the store, the selection of baby bags caught my eye, and I was spellbound for another hour. JLITH has been so enthusiastic about the Eddie Bauer diaper bag that she uses for a hospital overnighter, that I felt compelled to see if I could find one suited to my needs. In the end, I left without one, but with a new resolve to do some new internet searches.

The shower was nice. Some people ended up not being able to come because of the BYU/UCLA football game. And, none of the food really appealed to me, having just had a wonderful dinner the night before. Whatever. Anyway, the point was that we were able to get together, have dinner, and celebrate Precious' and Superman's soon to be baby boy. And that was just a bundle of warm and lovely wonderfulness!

Eating family style

So, Wonder Woman has resurrected her version of the Restaurant Club. Exciting, because it means discovering lots of interesting eateries in the LA area.

First up was Orris, a Japanese tapas place over on Sawtelle, the westside's version of J-town.

However, before I get any deeper into this delicious tale, I should provide some background information on my restauranting habits.

As a child, I never went to a lot of restaurants. There was the odd celebratory dinner at Sizzler's, where we all (or, mostly my mother) delighted in the All-you-can-eat popcorn shrimp and salad bar. But mostly we ate at home. And, with a mother who was interested (and generally successful) in experimenting, and a grandmother who had decades of tasty Japanese cooking in her repertoire, it was a good life. An eclectc mix of sukiyaki, lasagne, beef stroganoff over rice, curry, Korean BBQ, ramen and soba, tempura, layered chocolate mousse, sushi and hamburgers. Besides, doing anything (restaurants, visits to Disneyland, music and sports lessons, family vacations and trips to asia) for seven, could never have been cheap.

The one exception to the Sizzler rule was family get-togethers with my father's side of the family. My father was the first of the clan to move out to the United States, but it wasn't too long before the rest of his realtives followed suit. So it was that my grandparents lived in Koreatown, an aunt and her family settled in Orange County, another aunt's family in Saugus, an uncle and family in LA, and a far-off brother on the east coast. Any national holiday was an opportunity to get together in K-town for a large dinner. The type where we'd take up several large circular tables at the Chinese restaurant down the street from my grandparents' apartment, and order tons of food! Exotic vegetables. Sweet and sour pork. Noodles with that savory, black, onion sauce. Shrimp. Cashew chicken. All with steaming bowls of glistening rice in metal bowls with lids. It was free-range eating, as long as our arms could reach the dishes that cavorted merrily on the fascinating lazy Susans.

What I'm trying to say is that single-plate dining is not in my food vocabulary. When I eat out, trying to choose just one dish to order is a trial and ordeal. Of course, there are some things that I am always drawn to. Anything with eggplant, squash, zucchini or succulent mushrooms is automatically appealing. Carmelized onions are also a huge draw. And anything that looks to artfully combine potatoes and garlic is always a benefit. But, on the whole, ordering just one thing is never satisfying. And I do try to experiment with interesting restaurants when I'm travelling solo, but it's always much more gratifying to go to a restaurant with a bunch of other food-sharers, order a plethora of dishes, and share and share alike.

Which brings us back to Orris. It was so fun to look over their menu, and each decide on two dishes. I chose the tempura squash flowers and the pate' with eggplant (surprise, surprise). And when it came to ordering, our likewise delicious waiter volunteered to bring everything to our table portioned for eight (me, Wonder Woman, T Diddy, Venetian, Party Girl, Superman, Daddy-O and DW). And so began the parade of food. It was so tasty. Enough of each dish to tantalize the palate, with the excitement of more to come. Don't get me wrong, we cleaned each plate. And it was a small enough group to be able to converse with each person at the table. The beet dish was divine. And we had enough fish dishes to satisfy my craving. But the best was the pate' with eggplant. Small, succulent and divine.

In the end, the meal was a tad more costly than we'd anticipated. Our delicious waiter had indeed portioned the plates for eight, instead of whatever would have traditionally come on a dish. However, we were too happy to make a fuss, and $50 per person was not outrageous for the lovely feast we had just partaken of.

Leaving the restaurant was the hard part. We'd had such a good time. Plus, the huddled body warmth was keeping us seated (on the patio, just a foot or two too far from the heaters). As we walked DW to her car, I appropriated the arms of Venetian and T Diddy to make a Dora-sandwich to conserve heat. We then bid farewell to Venetian (who I'm so glad has come to our latest gatherings), and piled into T Diddy's car for the ride home.

How boys live

Tonight we got together for a small dinner at Orris. However, the events leading up to the dinner deserve their own post, and so I give it to you here.

Left my apartment around 6pm. Thought I'd get to the restaurant a little early, find parking, and while away my time in the Japanese deli. As I was leaving, I called T Diddy to see if he was interested in carpooling over. Like usual, I got his machine, Left a message, then started driving. When I turned on to Olympic, I glanced down the street and thought to myself, "It's so close. Why not walk?" And once the idea came, I couldn't get rid of it. So I turned around and parked my car back at my apartment. Just as I was opening my cardoor, who should call but T Diddy, who was definitely interested in ridesharing. So, I popped back into my car and headed over to his place.

When I walked in the door, he handed me a gun. No, not a realy gun. It was for BB's (an old prop of Daddy-O's). Not that I knew this ... I'd never touched a gun in my entire life, and I know that TD has plenty of them. After a brief moment of shock, he pointed my gaze toward a miniature target, nd told me to entertain myself while he groomed his hair. So, I tried it. However, the paper target had so many holes in it already, that I couldn't tell if I was hitting it or not. At which point Daddy-O came in (telling me to point the gun down and take my finger off of the trigger) and loaded a new paper taget sheet for me. And, when they finally told me how to sight down the barrel, I even made some on-point hits. And then I noted that the trigger stuck a little. At which point T Diddy popped back into his room, emerged, and put another gun in my hand. A real one. Told me to try the trigger. I might have given him a crazed look. Until he reassured me that there were no bullets in it. So I squeezed. Smooth ...

My adventures might have ended there. But they didn't. Apparently there were other targets to be explored. So, we moved into the backyard. Where T Diddy assembled his bow, and put up a cardboard box target with the outline of a man on it ... and an area in the chest specifically marked as the kill-zone. Which, after a try or two, I managed to hit ... TWICE. Who knew that I would be such a success at close-range practice?

Then, Daddy-O directed my gaze to yet another target ... a wood stump with concentric circles painted on, set up in front of a protective backdrop, set up on front of a shed. And he brought out his knives and his hatchet! I know this sounds like a set-up of a bad horror movie, but I was intrigued. Is this what boys do in their spare time? I would have liked to try to knives, but even the boys looked to have trouble getting them to stick, even when they did hit the target. And plus, they were getting a little too engrossed to want to share!

Playing Indoors

The heat being almost intolerable, our Labor Day BBQ was moved into the living room, where we could crank up the a/c to a livable level. Many thanks to Superman and T Diddy, who braved the harsh elements to sear our hamburger patties and hot doggies. I really wish I could write more about it, because I know that I had a good time. However it's been almost a month, and my blog memory is full from more recent adventures!

On not Laboring over the weekend

Down to San Diego this weekend. Girls only. Hosted by Lovely Lady.

Drove down with Shimai J. Need to reiterate that I don't really like driving. Except that I love taking road trips with congenial company. It's almost like an extended meal. Except that there's no food to distract you, so there's an even bigger imperative for conversation. Just reinforces my supposition that most meaningful conversation occurs when the parties involved are seated.

One of the things that I appreciate so much about Shimai J is that I perceive her viewpoint to be very personally conservative, and yet very open (charitable?) when focused on others. In other words, she's intelligent without being judgemental.

At one point, we were talking about how the language of the endowment ceremony is very patriarchal, and doesn't correlate to how I believe that God will see or treat us. Gospe according to Dora: like the restriction of priesthood from the blacks, I believe that this will change when the membership of the church are ready for more knowledge. At first, Shimai J quite disagreed with me, saying that we would never be in a position of being married to a man who justified his wrong actions solely by his possession of the priesthood. Yet, as we parsed it out, I think she could understand my argument that it doesn't matter if we wouldn't ever place ourselves in that situation. Just the fact that the literal interpretation of the endowment ceremony allows for that very real interpretation. And, in the end, as Wonder Woman likes to say, we should say what we mean, especially in such important ceremonies as these.

Finally got down to Del Mar around 1230-ish, having endured lot of stop and go traffic along the way. Found Lovely Lady and Feminist A sunning themselves in the backyard around the inviting pool. So, we quickly changed into our suits and joined in. For me, this entailed a lot of moving around, to obtain the perfect amount of water contact (lower legs dropped down into the pool), sun exposure (on my legs and torso), and shade (on my face). What I really needed was a back wedge so that I could recline the top half of my body, while sitting directly on the ground and dangling my legs into the pool. That and the fact that I'm not a sit-around-and-tan kind of woman.

Yes, there was some shopping. W did check out the outlet mall. But I am pleased to announce that my resolve held, and I did not spend nary a cent.

Fell asleep during some late night conversation, relaxing in the Lazy Boy in the living room. It drew me in and enchanted me. Woke up around 0400, and went up to bed. Tossed around for 30 minutes until I returned to the magical spot downstairs and resumed my somnolence.

The morning was again sparking and beautiful, if still a tad hot, but better than LA. Kerri had arrived, making our five-some complete. Interesting conversations throughout the weekend. The one I remember most is Feminist A talking about her work ... she is a social worker with the state, and works with adoptions. And since we'd had some discussion over this at the Exponent II Blog, I was very interested. Someday, I would like to foster or adopt a child or two. I don't know that I will ever actually bear a child, but I am interested in providing a loving home for a child in need. And I know that I'm not the only single LDS woman who sees this as a distinct possibility in my future. So, I asked Feminist A if she would be interested in writing something up for the X2 blog, and she seemed really enthusiastic. Just can't wait!

The five of us did go down for sacrament at the Del Mar building, which was coincidentally hosting a singles conference. In my opinion, this year was worse than last year. The main speakers were a couple, the husband an Area Authority Seventy, and his wife, a Relief Society President. Wife seemed pleasant enough. My main argument with her was that during her talk, she started to compliment a woman in her ward. Not that that's bad, but she complimented her by saying that the woman was wonderful because her children had such strong testimonies of the gospel. There was no mention of the woman herself having a strong testimony, or being very sharitable and service-minded, or indeed anything personal about the woman. She just had good kids. Which is admirable, but doesn't necessarily say anything about the woman's parenting skills. Especially when the wife went on to describe the oman having a meltdown at church. The second thing that seemed very wrong was that the wife said that it had been very difficult getting herr many children ready for church on Sundays because her husband was never around, implying that he was always at meetings, or had other big responsibilities to attend to.

The Husband had a very genial air. An air that was also very condescending, although he probably wasn't cognizant of the fact that he talked to an audience of 31+ years of age, who I'm supposing had mostly professional careers. I felt like I was in a youth morality discussion. It also didn't help that both he and his wife used mostly child-rearing examples to illustrate their point. Of course, it's possible that there were many single parents in the congregation. Or, maybe they just had no idea of what to talk about, or how to do it for this very homogenous group. Talk about needing to understand your audience! Also, i thought it was very sad that he just wasn't available for his children. I believe he even complimented his wife on what a fine job she did with raising the children. Very, very sad.

Back at the house, we talked through the disurbing aspects of the talk as we prepared for dinner. Al fresco, poolside dining on Lovely Lady's wonderful rib recipe. Her younger brother showed up for dinner, and was quite the entertainer. I like meeting my friends' families. Somehow people make so much more sense when placed against the backdrop of the family scene.

After dinner and cleaning up, Shimai J and I packed up the car and headed back home. Had thought about stopping by at Pilgrim Girl and Nichan's, but we were just tired and hot, and wanted to be home, so we zipped on by on the blessedly congestion-free 405 freeway.

Getting back into the swing of things

After work headed up to Pasadena for the first time in a long time. Ankle has been feeling better, if still a little stiff, and I'm ready to dance again.

Hot hot hot! The heat makes everything a little more unbearable. However, the excitement at Lindy Groove is palpable. There must have been at least 200 people taking the beginning and intermediate classes. I'm excited that so many people are learning to dance.

After the lesson, dived right in, and took as many dances as I could handle. Danced two songs in a row with Ben Yau. We kept on missing hand holds during free spins, at which point I would add an extra turn. Ben realized that I'm much taller than most of the follows he dances with, and that he was reaching for my hand much lower than he should have. Or was it that I should have moved my hand lower? Anyway, he complimented me on being a good follow (not stopping [turning, etc] until he lead it), and I glowed.

Had time to dance a couple with His Vickness and Vincerator as well, two of my favorite dancing boyfriends. They are both so fluid and creative. I never feel boxed in by them as we dance.

Cut out around 2145 to go meet Mr. Giggles and Viola-trice just down the street to see Once again. Viola-trice had never seen it before, I'd loaned her my soundtrack at the BBQ, and Mr. Giggles invited me along to a convenient show.

One of the things I love best about this movie is the jamming scenes. As I watched, I felt sad that I am not intimate enough with music to improvise along with other musicians. It seems even more regrettable as I prepare music for Christmas festivities, and wish I were as talented as Hella-Mormon and her friends, who used to have such fantastic piano parties ... someone pounding away at the piano with everyone else moshed in around, trying to sing from the lyrics on the page, or from memory. And yet, I realized that dancing fills this desire for me. A desire to connect and create with another human being. In the space of a few minutes, if the music is right, and the partnership firm, I feel as if I'm creating a link to another human being, where we can express what the music brings out, and even learn something new about myself and the other person.

I also love the ending. I'm a firm believer in carrying out one's duty. In today's world of flaky, irresponsible behaviour, I find comfort in believing that good things come when we fulfill our obligations, and do the things we know are right.

The first (and last) picnic BBQ of the summer

As Wilson has noticed, we haven't had a BBQ all summer. Quite sad, really. So, to remedy the catastrophe, I decided to try and squeeze one in. Sent out an email to a bunch of the old stand-by's, and the extracurricular RS ladies. Also invited Canadian Poet, as he was newly back in the area; Viola-trice who I'd invited on a whim, having seen her recently active on linkup; and Neurotrauma, another RN that I'd been introduced to, and who attends my ward, and who I coincidentally sat next to in sacrament meeting. Honestly, I had no idea who was actually going to come, but since I'de made it a potluck event, I figured that if no one did, I wouldn't be the poorer in any way.

Turned out that about 20 people came, which was perfect. Good mix of girls and guys. Six of our married friends blessed us with their presence, and those of their fun kids. And some wonderful people, taking my advice to heart, brought along a friend to add to the mix. Highlights of the evening: getting Mr. Giggles and HSAAL in on my plans for a future party, catching up with Viola-trice and Canadian Poet, hearing about T Diddy's mistaken identity arrest in Paris, putting a face to the author of La Dolce Vespa, finding out that other people were interested in reviving and hosting Safehouse dinners, and talking shop with Neurotrauma (which is a refelction on her nursing specialty, not her mental status).

I've got to say that I love hosting casual potluck dinners. I find that I'm too uptight (especially with non-RSVP-ers) to host seated dinners where I do all the cooking. It wouldn't be too bad if I had a few good friends who were able to commit to an evening. But most people I know have so much going on that it's never a sure thing if they are going to be free. Plus, I'm still in the mode of trying to meet a lot of people and expand my current circle. So, potlucks are perfect. Someday I hope to graduate to the seated dinner.

Anyway, it was a great night. Here's to the resuscitation of fun Safehouse dinners!

Behind the orange curtain again

Haircut with Nicki today. Shears is still out due to more surgery on her foot. Talking with hairstylists while they are working on me is always a little awkward. Firstly, they really aren't generally my close friends, so chitchat is generally shallow and uninteresting. Secondly, there are few things that make me feel less attractive than how I feel while me hair is being cut. No makeup, under bright lights, hair plastered to my head. It's just not pretty.

But today, I was bubbling over with travel plans. And when I told Nicki about everything that was in the works, she called over a German girl that also worked in the shop, and we compared notes on what our plans were. Then, Nicki had her assistant come over and review what she had learned in her most recent class, almost like a mother asking her daughter what she'd learned in kindergarden that day. And it was really cool to hear the assistant try to verbalize the new things that were swirling around in her head, as Nicki guided her through it.

I like the cut. It's really layered, and gives me a lot of options. I'm on the brink of wanting to chop it all off, and have it super short like I did when I graduated from UCI. But maybe I'll be able to forestall the longings. I foresee that I will become a bun-addict like Perky and Charming.

Dropped by quickly at the apartment to get some things (forgetting the cd's I'd meant to give to some OC peeps), and I raced against traffic down to Irvine for Madwoman's birthday dinner. Traffic was not kind. Got down to UCI, got the things for the caprese salad at Trader Joe's (love this place!), and headed off to Madwoman's, since I didn't even know where Pilgrim Girl and Ni-Chan lived, since they'd jut recently moved.

Fabulous to catch up with everyone, having not seen them hardly at all this summer. Not having DOT meetings has been a blessing and a curse this summer. Blessing because I've had much more time to do important things up in LA, which generally got pushed aside when there are regular DOT meetings. It's surprising how much of my Wednesdays were just swallowed up in all the driving. But it's been a curse, since I really do miss the discussion and the friends.

In a couple weeks PG, NC and I leave to go explore Boston for a few days. Then, Madwoman and Poetess join us and we meet up with other Exponent II-er's at the retreat. And after all that, I head over to Raleigh to spend a couple days with Wry-an and Georgia Peach.

The coolest idea I've ever heard about!

So, there I was. Bored. Had come home from dinner with a friend who had recently gotten back from travelling around the world ... seriously ... and heard all about his adventures. I was insanely jealous. Started looking around a travel thread. And found a reference to CouchSurfing.

Huh?

Made a new tab and opened the page.

...

And didn't come up for air until an hour later! This had got to be the most amazing thing I've ever heard about (Well, maybe not the most amazing thing ever, but really, really close up there, and definitely the most exciting thing I've heard about in the past three days)! Sounds like what happens at Lindy Exchanges, but more secure. Maybe closer to hostelling, which I'm a fan of (provided the bathrooms are clean). I can't even begin to explain how excited I am about this, especially with my travel plans next year. I've always said that, despite the "amazing" factor, what makes travel so fun is the sharing ... with friends I'm travelling with, or friends I'm travelling to.

The site seems huge! I only read the newbie info stuff, made a profile, and did a tentative search of one destination. But there are international discussion boards, and events, etc etc. I had to stop before I got totally sucked in for the night.

Anyway, take a look. If you've had any experiences with this organization or any similar to it, I'd love to hear about them. Seems too good to be true, and I'm desperately hoping it's not.

topic

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury ...

(from lawcomix.com)

After work, drove into LA to participate in Wonder Woman's mock jury selection exercise for the class she's teaching. This was the first week of the class that WW is co-teaching with a fellow attorney, and she had a bunch of us come to act as jurors so that her students could try their hand at jury selection questions, nd learn subtle techniques of how to use and influence the jury pool. Party Girl, Lovely Lady, T Diddy, myself, and two other attorneys from the office showed up for the fun.

It was interesting to see the students struggle through, try to grasp the concept of how to relate to the jury, encourage trust, weed out who would be good/bad jurors for their part of the "case," and influence how the jurors perceived certain bits of information based on presentation and questioning. Some were pretty good, like the two young-professional looking women down in the front. Others looked a little lost, like the young guy in the middle back. And then there was the Adam Goldberg-esque looking kid on the far side who latched on to my last name, and kept addressing questions to me as, "MS. X, do you think, given your professional background, you could be impartial ..." after which all the students addressed me as Ms. X, eventhough all the other jurors were able to keep annonymous with the ubiquitous titles of Juror #1 (2, 3, 4, etc). T Diddy seemed to think that AG#2 was really sharp and would be the best student in the class, and eventually work as a public defender. I thought AG#2 looked like a rebel, and more likely to work in entertainment, where the pay was high, and the clients more tolerable of maverick tendencies.

Also very interesting to see WW in her element, expounding on her specialty, to (and with) those who are also in the field. It's fascinating to see my friends in action at work.

If I had a cool mil ...

Went to the dentist today. The same one that Karaoke Dentist referred me to. And who I still go to, having had some bad experiences with unproficient &/or shady dentists. Despite the fact that his office is in Torrance. And maybe for the fact that he's the only dentist that I've found I can enjoy yammering on while my mouth is otherwise occupied. And, maybe that he has really good hygenists that don't hurt me.

Anyway ... I arrived early. Had my Liberty book all ready to read. Until my eye spotted a snazzy magazine. So, it was a high end men's magazine. So what. The cover was laden with some of the "97 best designs," and I had to have a look-see.

And, besides the world's smallest grill, designer Stefan Andren, some sleek techno gadgets, and a cool outdoor furniture set that stacks up into a rocketship, I found the house I would definitely buy if I had $800,000.00, plus money for land, permits, etc etc ...

Steve Glenn's luxury pre-fab house. Dat dada Daaaaaaa! Isn't it beautiful?

"Hold on a minute, Dora," you might say. "Your apartment looks nothing like this. What happened to faux painted walls, colonial, dark wood furniture, and vibrant tapestries? And you have way too much stuff in closets, and are way too much of a privacy freak to live in such a sparse home with no curtains!"

"So what," I'd counter. "Have you taken into account all the cool environmental features that this house exhibits? Great water efficiency. Use of recycled materials. Supremely energy efficient. All that open space! And it would be a fantastic place to park my new hybrid car!" Hey, as long as I'm dreaming, why not dream big?

I couldn't tear my eyes away from the house. Much to the annoyance of the dental hygienist who was trying to clean my teeth. But some things are just too riveting to turn away from.