I've moved on

To Wordpress. Much easier to deal with. PLUS I get to learn lots of CSS.
Come visit me on my new AkaJesais.com space.

Too Many Funerals, Not Enough Weddings!

My dear dear friend Ralph lost his mom last week, and I went out to Chicago (I use the term loosely as his parents had retired to a town called Huntley, which Ralph tells me is the Algonquin word for "way the fuck out there"). Ralph has not lost his sense of humor.

It's hard to lose a parent at any time. As we age, it means there is no longer a layer of a generation separating us from being elderly ourselves, or separating us from death. It's a little shocking to look around and all of the sudden realize you are, in essence, the head of the family. I saw this with Ralph this week past. His father, elderly and defeated, his mother now gone and Ralph as oldest son stepped up to his new position as de facto head of the family with grace and strength.

Patricia M Walton was a loving wife and mother and a doting grandmother. Never one to dwell on the past, she looked to the future with strength and optimism. She always looked on the bright side, had a positive outlook, and kept smiling right up to the very end.

In 1958 Pat married Ralph S Walton and became a mother first on August 12, 1964 when Ralph V was born and on April 22, 1969 when Patrick was born. On July 12, 1997 she became a mother again when Eva Venus joined the family upon marrying Patrick. "Pat" became "Grandma Pat" when Ryan was born on January 24, 2002 and again on April 17, 2008 when Elizabeth was born.

Pat worked for several companies, including Garcy Corporation, NBC, Continental Bank, and American National Bank, from which she retired in 1994. When not keeping the rest of the family in line she could be found gardening, reading, working crossword puzzles, watching over the neighborhood children, and feeding birds, squirrels, and various stray animals. The world was Pat's family and it is a better place for it.

In keeping with Pat's focus on the future, we are comforted in the fact that she lives on in everyone she has touched. She is still with us in spirit, just not in body.

My heart went out to him as I was able to welcome him into a club I wish I did not even know existed, The Motherless. Sure, when you're forty-something it sounds overly dramatic but no matter the disfunction(s) of our families, no matter our age, we love our parents and grieve them.

Now... if someone would just get married! It would be way more fun to get together for a wedding and not another funeral.

Certainty?

In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes.
~Benjamin Franklin


Captain George T. Simpson, USN (Ret)

February 1, 1933 to April 15, 2006

---

Finaly notes from the Writing Marathon...finally

This was from a prompt from Judy Reeves, "I discovered...."

I discovered more about myself than about my mother. I discovered that I carry parts of my my mother in me and not just my father. I discovered that it is not all genetic and the parts that are environmental can be changed.. I discovered a longing for adventure inside my soul. I discovered a need to nest too.

I discovered regret on the table right next to grace, down the way from milkweed. I discovered I DO like to write in groups and I WILL miss my tribe mates.

I don't know what the prompt was for this snippet, but Saturday, the day of the marathon, was the day after the paddle out for Colin Wagschal and he was on my mind.

A broken surfboard, the name Colin Wagshal written with a thick black felt tip marker-- a Sharpie maybe-- more permanent than the young surfer. Pictures printed out and taped to the fiberglass prove Colin was here. The lilies, birds of paradise and baby's breath prove that he no longer is.

and the final prompt: The Present Moment

My eyes are starting to blur and I feel my shoulders inching closer to my ears. My fingers are cold. My ears are cold so I put my hood up. Maybe it will help me keep all the great ideas from escaping. Or maybe it will just keep my ears warm.

How do I write the moment and live it at the same time?

I am writing on the last line of this page, and so I turn the page and continue. A cool, no make that cold breeze comes in through the open window and Steve is happy.

I want to take all the pencils home and recycle the plastic bottles that lay strewn and empty on the table. Judy calls time and we are done.

SO thanks to everyone who contributed... together we raised over 13 THOUSAND dollars for San Diego Writers, Ink. Your official thank yous are coming soon.

It's not about cancer

If you don't know who Randy Pausch is, you should. Dr. Pausch is a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, and he has three to six months to live. And LIVE he will.... This video, "The Last Lecture" is well worth watching even though it is over an hour long. Get comfy, pull up a chair grab a coffee and listen.

Randy Pausch's PhD means he knows a lot about computer science and virtual reality, but this lecture demonstrates that he knows a lot about living life and how to achieve your dreams as well. Key points that resonated with me:

The importance of People Who Help Us: family, friends, collegues, bosses. We can't achieve success alone.
Having lost my mother at an early age, and having a father who was absent in a lot of ways taught me early on to do things myself. I've been spending the last few years unlearning some of that. It's not only OK to ask for help, but sometimes, to really be successful, it takes more than one person, and when you have a team of talented, dedicated people working together you can make a difference in the world.

How people perceive you can limit your ability to succeed.
Like it or not, Perception is reality as any good marketeer will tell you!

Do the right thing and good things have a way of happening.
This is a hard piece of advice, especially when you look around and see people that seem to be successful by cheating or lying, and it looks so easy to do it that way.

Be good at something.
This is another one that's challenging. Sometimes it takes a long time to figure out what you're good at.

Get a feedback loop and listen to it.
This is one of my favorites, I call it a personal mantra. My current mantra is "Live Like There is No Tomorrow" which to me means living life to its fullest, being prepared to take advantage of opportunities, and asking for help if I need it.

What's your personal mantra? Who do you find inspirational? and if you have a minute, say a prayer for Randy Pausch and his family... especially his three children.

My Co-Worker Scott

This is to demonstrate the new dress code at work:


Not really...

I just had to post this because Scott thinks
he's kind of a big deal...

He's not, but he dresses like one!

No Kitty No

Dear Anonymous,

Just a little heads up. I will no longer be accepting comments from you. It's not that I don't appreciate civil discourse. But civil is in fact the operative word here.

You make a lot of patronizing references to "people like you" and "the likes of you" as if you know me. You know nothing about me. And I know nothing about you. Maybe you just got fired. Maybe you just lost your best friend, or your spouse walked out on you and you decided to take it out on me. Whatever. Too bad. I am drawing the line here.

You consider my blog nothing more than me "spewing trendy blabber," that I have no original thought and I say nothing relevant. Besides, as a marketing guru everything I write has a "hidden motivation." So, I'm sure you won't mind if I simply reject your comments.

And while I'm drawing lines. I will no longer accept Anonymous comments from anyone. I won't go so far as to require you to have a Google account, however, if you don't put your name or email or link to YOUR website on your comment, I won't publish you on MY blog.

And if you agree with Anonymous, that my blog is irrelevant trendy blabber, then move on. There are some 10 billion other websites out there. Or make your own blog where you are free to opine until the cows come home.

The Power of Words

"My favorite poem, my — my favorite poet was Aeschylus," Robert Kennedy said, "and he once wrote:

Even in our sleep, pain which cannot forget
falls drop by drop upon the heart,
until, in our own despair,
against our will,
comes wisdom
through the awful grace of God.

"What we need in the United States is not division; what we need in the United States is not hatred; what we need in the United States is not violence and lawlessness, but is love, and wisdom, and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer within our country, whether they be white or whether they be black."

You can read the full text of the speech here.

Or listen to the story from Morning Edition, today, forty years after Martin Luther King Jr was shot.

Write A Thon Wrap Up

Not all the writing prompts worked well for me...
For this particular session, we received an envelope filled with randomly selected letters that was supposed to inspire us to write about our destiny.

My first response:

Note I had to cut up a letter to make that work.

And then I came up with this:


It's kinda scary how my brain works. This may eventually work for me, to use in my writing, or it may become my new mantra: Live Like There is No Tomorrow or Defy Destiny.

Last year's mantra was Why Not Me. But I think I need to move on from that.
Do you have a mantra?

We're Getting Down the the WIRE here...

The Holy Blazing Laptops Write-A-Thon
There's still time to sponsor me!
And make sure I get one of the cool shirts I designed!

Pictured left here is the extra-ordinarily talented Ms. Judy Reeves. She's not only my writing coach/mentor, she is the executive director of San Diego Writers, Ink.

UPDATE: some of you have already donated... you'll be getting a full report and an official thank you after the event.

I'm a little shy of my $500 goal, so if you have not yet donated, do feel free to click!

The best laid plans...

I'm neither mouse nor man, but I can tell you that I always have the best of intentions... Photo Phriday, Wordless Wednesday, Mailbag Monday.... yeah yeah, goin' to hell am I.

Oh, no, I meant to say I'm goin' to grad school! and feeling rather frenetic at the moment, sort of all over place. Checking out moving companies one moment and class offerings the next and the constructing a transition plan for work. I'm feeling very scattered.

It's not a Wednesday, this post is not wordless and it's not a Phriday, but here's a pic of me and my sister anyway.

From the I Have a Sick Sense of Humor Department

This is an American centric, post WW II history, told in food. I find this irreverently funny. In a slightly twisted kind of way:



If you need to brush up on your history, or familiarize yourself with the cast, visit the filmmaker's website.

Black and White and Read All Over

Call me naive, but why does it have to be about race at all? Why is Barak Obama called a black man? Isn't he equally a white man?

One of the things I find so motivating about Obama is the fact that he is every man. He is a smart man. He is inspiring, and what I find appealing about him has less to do with the color of his skin and more about his message of uniting us.

We hold him to a different standard in regards to tolerance of friends and family. I don't know about you, but I have plenty of friends and relatives who I would consider either racist or clueless.... Sometimes I speak up, and sometimes I say nothing.

Hear/read what Obama has to say about race in his own words.

Holy Blazing Laptops!

Jennifer is writing a marathon!
That's right, WRITING, not running…. To support San Diego Writers' Ink

WHAT? How do you WRITE a marathon?
I'll be joining fellow writers in an all-day writing marathon led by a number of workshop leaders over a 10-hour period. Yes, 10 hours. That's non-stop write-til-you-drop fun on March 29 from 9 am to 7 pm.

WHY? Why? Why would you do such a crazy thing?
As most of you know, I am a writer. What you may not know is that I am a member of, and volunteer for San Diego Writers' Ink (SDWINK), a non –profit organization that "nurtures writers and those wishing to explore the craft of writing, fosters a literary community, promotes literature and celebrates artistic diversity."

Through SDWINK I have had the opportunity to study with many respected (and published) writers and workshop leaders, I've been able to perform my work live at open mics and I've developed an important support network of fellow writers-- which came in handy when I got my first rejection letter, also from SDWINK. That support network also came in handy for celebrating when my first piece was accepted for inclusion in the audio anthology, Best of First Friday CD... it's a support network I will miss greatly when I'm in grad school (in case you haven't heard-- I've been accepted into the Masters of Fine Arts / Creative Writing program at University of New Mexico)

WHY? Why? Why should you care?
The Write-A-Thon is a fundraiser, and I'm asking you to show your support of me and my writing. Besides, the more money I bring to the table the better I'll look in front of my writer friends.

Seriously, San Diego Writers Ink is a terrific organization that supports emerging writers like me. It is a 501(C) 3 organization-- which means you get a tax deduction!

Any amount you can give will be greatly appreciated, and will help me meet my fundraising goal of $500.

You can donate ONLINE if you like via my personal Pledge Page. Payments are processed via PayPal account or credit card (using the PayPal credit card processing system). Or, you can download a printable form at the San Diego Writers Ink website.

If you are unable to give, that's fine too. I appreciate your support, good vibes, well wishes in any way.

And if you know a writer of any level, tell them about San Diego Writers, Ink.

My How Far We've Come

The other morning while lounging in bed, listening to KPBS and catching up on the news and dreaming and floating between that space that is awake and asleep, I heard something about an attorney named Amy Lepine running against Mike Aguirre for San Diego city attorney....

I am not technically in the city of San Diego anymore (just a mile north of the line) and I can't vote in the city anymore so I only half pay attention to what's going on "down there." When I heard this announcement, in that floating space, I thought to myself, "hmmm. I used to know an Amy Lepine....." and my mind began to wander way back. To college, the first time around. Mira Costa College to be specific.

I thought about my friend Karin Zirk, who is still one of my dearest and bestest friends and how I tutored her in Spanish. I remembered Gloria Floren's "world" literature class, which should have been titled women's literature (not that there's anything wrong with that) because every book we read was written by a woman. I think it was Ms. Floren's way of balancing the literary scales.... Anyway, Amy Lepine was in that class with me and Karin was in the class too. It may have been where I met Amy, I don't know. It was a long time ago. It was a required English credit and I think I skated by with a C.

Several days passed before I thought of Amy Lepine again, or read something in the paper and google girl that I am, set about to figure out if this was indeed the same Amy I knew. And it was. It is. Amy Lepine, Attorney At Law.

There's a few things about Amy I remember, most revolve around having fun as college students are apt to do. I am not sure why we lost touch. Maybe we were just friends of convenience, of a time and a place. We both went to San Diego State University, but took different paths from there.

Gloria Floren is still at Mira Costa College... and while she may be suprised at where we are now, me going off to get an MFA in creative writing, Karin a talented writer and an environmental activist and Amy preparing to go up against Aguirre, I think she might be proud of all of us.

Alls Quiet on the Western Front

Big sigh. I have been holding this one in for a long time, though those of you in my inner circle (Hi Uncle Bill! Hi Debby!) have known about this for a long time...

I have been accepted into the MFA in Creative Writing program at the University of New Mexico.

So, I'm going to Albuquerque.

It all began in July 2005 at the Taos Summer Writers Conference....

I signed up for Gregory Martin’s memoir class with the intent of vacationing in Taos and learning a little more about writing. Instead, I saw little of Taos and indulged in the literary landscape of the conference. Rather than enjoying the wonderful restaurants of Taos, I gorged on the readings, the panel discussions and of course the extra stack of essays from Greg—this was in addition to the three books he assigned ahead of time. His class changed the way I looked at my writing, forcing me to see beyond the basics to craft features such as character, persona, dialog, conflict, point of view and time of writing voice.

That first conference also saw the birth of what is now my book-length project, “Reconstructing My Mother.”

For the last two and a half years I have been working on this project with my local Read and Critique group facilitated by Judy Reeves. Working with other writers has helped me stay on track producing prose.

In 2007 I was accepted into Greg Martin’s Taos Master Class so I gathered up all my writing, stuffed it into a three ring binder and called it a first draft. I knew at the time it was premature but I was eager to work with Greg again and the class was an opportunity to get a fresh perspective on my work and address it as a whole. My classmates were all talented writers, with full length manuscripts covering everything from adopting a special needs child to researching a famous naval architect father. All these other writers had master's degrees, or law degrees. It was a little intimidating.

During my one-on-one evaluation with Greg, he said to me, "You make all these self-depracating remarks about how you're not as smart as all these people with master's degrees.... why don't you just go get a master's degree?"

In other words, he challenged me, and I took him up on it. I applied this winter, and was accepted into University of New Mexico last Wednesday. Greg called me himself.

So now I find myself excited, intimidated, scared (terrified really) and overwhelmed, but I'm going.

I'll need to be in ABQ in August. Classes start August 20.

Wish me luck!

Captain Simpson's DVDs

When my Dad died, in addition to inheriting a condo that needed a lot of work, and a lot of personal business that had been unattended for many years, my Dad left what I consider a huge collection of DVDs. Although my Dad had an ecclectic collection, and his taste ranged from classic dramas to action movies, most of the DVDs were not what one would call "chick flicks."

My sister and I had no idea what to do with them, and for some reason rather than just dump them at the Goodwill, we boxed them up and shipped them to us with the other things we wanted to save.

I had this great idea to donate these movies to "the troops," but I had no idea how to go about doing this.

Until my co-worker turned me onto Operation Interdependence.

So instead of just donating the DVDs, I had to make a big project out of it and create a whole website about it. Check it out here, CaptainSimpsonsDVDs.com. I guess I really am a geek!

Monday E-Mailbag

I have a friend who forwards a lot of emails. You know the kind, cute pictures, funny little videos, jokes, the occasional don't-microwave-tupperware warning.... Sometimes I look at them, but mostly I just leave them in my Inbox, then delete them a few days later when I'm doing a cleanup. She's an old family friend.

Last Friday I received an email from her with the subject line "Help secure the boarders!" The body of the email said, "Get Ready--- They are faaaast."

This piqued my interest because of the word "boarders." I thought maybe this was a joke. A liberal play on words, perhaps.

Wrong.

It was nothing more than a misspelling of a racist online "game."

Somehow this is supposed to be fun, to shoot border (note the correct spelling) crossers. Blood splatters every time you hit one, and I believe you get extra points for "breeders" but I could be wrong. This "game" is on a website run by proud-to-be-racist, Tom Metzger (founder of the White Aryan Resistance). I am purposefully not linking directly to his website. Look it up yourself if you're interested.

Now the funny thing is, my friend lives in Hawaii and from the preponderance of pro-Obama email she sends, is an avid Obama supporter.

Isn't that ironic.

I struggled with this for a while this weekend, I kept thinking about the quote, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

And yet I hesitated, because she is an old family friend, and someone I care about. I didn't want to hurt her feelings or offend her or embarrass her.

Then, because she is someone I care about, I decided to send her this reply:

I have to say I found this one very offensive... and if you look, the website is run by..... leader of the Ku Klux Klan.

Her reply, "I DIDN'T KNOW THAT I JUST HAVE FUN TO SEE HOW MY REFLEXES AR AT MY AGE.
SORRY."

No malice. And today, I got an email to this video:



I'm glad I said something. I've spent too much of my life not saying something.

What would you have done?

Unfurl

On Life. Just Life

It's official.
Mirna has a bump!

On Death and Life

Per previous post, I was in Modesto, CA this weekend... the reason for my delayed Photo Phriday was that my sister and I went up to Modesto for my Aunt's service.
We opted to go up on Thursday night (flying into San Jose) and spent the night with my Aunt Mary K and Uncle Bill. Cousin Jay flew in from New Jersey so the Simpson side of the family was well represented.

BETTY LOU VARGAS [Aunt Betty]
JUNE 11, 1921 - FEB. 18, 2008 Betty was a native of St. Paul, Minnesota and a resident of Modesto, age 86. She was interested in art and was an Artist herself, she was an avid reader and loved to travel. She is survived by her husband, Raidesel Vargas of Modesto; and her son, John Vargas of Sparks, Nevada. She was predeceased by her children, Nancy Lynn Vargas and Jeffrey L. Vargas. Visitation will be held from 3:00 P.M. - 6:00 P.M. Friday, Feb. 22 with Services, same day, 4:00 P.M., at McHenry Chapel-Franklin & Downs. Private committal at San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery. Remembrances may be made to Salvation Army, P.O. Box 1663, Modesto, CA 95353. www.modbee.com/obituaries
Published in the Modesto Bee on 2/21/2008.

I'm so glad we went up for the service, and that we were able to spend the day with my Uncle Ray-- who's nearly 90 and still as handsome as ever!! We used to visit them frequently, but it's been a while. I even forgot that Uncle Ray and Aunt Betty were my godparents, until Uncle Ray told me that he and Betty wanted to adopt my sister and I after my mom passed way. The picture here was taken in front of their house in San Jose. I'm the sceptical blond in the front row.

They moved to Modesto 8 years ago! I had never seen this new house they bought (and you won't either, I forgot my camera!) They turned one bedroom into a studio so my Aunt Betty could paint. I walked through the halls of my Aunt Betty's house admiring her paintings and I came across a Family Photo wall. I recognized my Grandma and Granddad (Betty's brother and sister-in-law), my great grandmother Simpson (Betty's mother) and a photo I have never seen of my Great Great Grandparents Jay Ferris and his wife (name unknown at this moment).

As I stood there at the wall looking at pictures a woman came behind me and said, "La Familia."

"Mi familia!" I said, turning to look at this dark haired, dark eyed woman a little older than me.

"Mi familia" she said.

"I guess we're related then!" I learned that she calls my uncle Ray, "Uncle Red" because his name is Reidesel. She pointed out her mama, abuela, bisabuela los primos.... tio Red y su hermanos...

I came home with a tamale recipe that upon closer inspection calls for 12 pounds of meat. The Vargas family is much larger than the Simpsons!

Photo Phriday (delayed)

Better than a message in a bottle...


My new shoes (wish I could wear them to work!)

(sorry for the blur, but I'm not a morning person... perhaps I'll try some evening)

There were broken dishes...

I saw this meme on a fellow bloggers blog. Grab the closest book. Go to page 123, and copy the fifth sentence. And the following three.

From Linda Hogan's The Woman Who Watches Over the World (my new favorite book):

There were broken dishes I remembered, lying on the ground alongside other discarded, burned, or otherwise broken goods. An instant iced tea jar still contained brown crystals of tea. I picked up a chip from one of the dishes and put it in my pocket along with the plant fossils from the "tankque," our name for the man-made waterhole. I carried away mementos not only for the memory and connection, but as if these things would prove my life, my tribe, my worth.

And so I ask, what do you carry to prove your life, your tribe, your worth?

(not so) Wordless Wednesday

Backrow L to R: Granddad, Grandma, Dad, Mom, Great Grandma Simpson, Aunt Betty and Uncle Ray.
Front row- Cousin John, Debby. I seem to be MIA. Or not here yet. Since I am four years younger than Debby (look at her posing for the camera in her red dress and matching tights) I am pretty sure I am not the one taking the photo.

Aunt Betty passed away the day before yesterday (she sure was a dish!). (Uncle Ray is still with us but he must be sad. He and Betty were married for over 50 years for sure) She was actually my great aunt, my granddad's very much younger sister. The last of the Minnesotan Simpsons. We had not been close the last few years. She and my Uncle Ray had moved from San Jose to Modesto. They were older and didn't travel much. I think they stopped travelling all together. And I didn't have much call to go to Modesto.

I was busy with my life. (you know how that goes-- work, home, writing, friends, busy busy). I think the last time I saw them was for Granddad's funeral in 2004. (This is a problem with my family-- too many funerals and not enough weddings!) The truth is I didn't make the time to go visit. And except for the occassional Christmas card, didn't make the time to keep in touch much either, relying on my sister or my Aunt Mary K and Uncle Bill to keep me posted.

My fondest memories are of going up to their house when I was a kid, swimming in their pool. I could say I'll miss Betty... but really I've missed her for a long time I guess.

Pray it forward

If you're like me you go through the routine of your day. Maybe you start out with a latte at your favorite gourmet coffee stop on your way to work. Maybe you get ticked off at the guy who cut you off or the woman who is going too slow. In the fast lane.
You go to work. You have lunch with friends, run some errands on the way home, cook dinner, tinker around on the computer a bit then go to bed.
You start the whole thing over the next day.

And maybe somewhere in the routine of the day you come across a post on a blog by a woman who asks the question:

....what you would do if you had only 12 months left to live. What would be really important for you, the things that mean so much, that you would regret if you didn't do them and left this planet soon....
READ MORE HERE

.

As you read further you discover that this young woman, young mother, who's name Jen is similar to your own but she has only one 'n', is asking the question because she has an agressive form of colon cancer.

Maybe that gets you to thinking about what really IS important.

You wonder what WOULD you do. Or maybe you just DO.

Not even for Obama

I got all excited about Obama and signed up for the email list. They send a lot of emails. That I delete. Usually without reading. This one caught my eye, however, because of the subject line

Come to Texas for Barack

So I read:

Dear Friend,

My name is Mitch Stewart, and I'm the Texas Field Director for the Obama campaign.

Barack's won the last eight primaries and caucuses decisively, and we're heading into the next set of contests with a lot of momentum. But the race for the Democratic nomination is still extremely close.

The March 4th primary in Texas is the single biggest remaining contest, and we need supporters across the country to get involved.

Sign up to take a trip to Texas before March 4th and help Get Out The Vote for Barack

With all due respect to my good friend Julie, and her fine family whom I have met and who graciously hosted me in Winnsboro, Texas... can I just say, I am NOT a fan of Texas. I won't be going. Not even for Obama.

Y'all feel free to sign up and go to Texas. It's a lovely place with big trucks and guns and oil and republicans.... Obama is surely going to need the support.

Interview with a Blogger

So I came late to the Interview A Blogger Party happening over at Citizen of the Month... but when someone bailed, I offered to step in. Neil shot me an email with a link to a website, and I couldn't find a contact us page, or an email addie, so I left a comment which to this day has been unanswered....

Along comes Nat. She tells me, "We are to interview each other for The Big Interview Project." And so we did!

Great fun to meet a Canadian/Canadien. She's an interesting gal, and turns out we have a lot in common... except she runs! in winter! in Ottawa! brrrr. I live in sunny Southern California, and if I make it out for a mile walk, when its 56 degrees farenheit, I'm feeling SO proud of myself.... and rugged.


View Larger Map


Nat's a bit heartier. And was most gracious in answering my oddball questions, including the one about the vegetable. I've always wanted to ask that of an job applicant but.....
and quicker on the draw in posting her interview with me.

Why do you blog? and Which came first, From Nats Brain or See Nat Run?

I started blogging a few years back with a blog called Afraid of Diving. But I decided to scrap it, it lacked direction and really wasn't going anywhere. I was a reporter at the time and it felt like work. Now I don't write so much for work. I talk to people a lot. So now I feel the need to explain the world as I see it. It's my personal soapbox.

From Nat's Brain came first, but I started running more seriously -- and didn't think the running stuff fit in with the other silly things I write about. I find that no matter how far I run, or how I work out there is usually something to say. Maybe it's because it's such a physical thing that the mind wanders. Who knows...


and speaking of running... I read one of your posts from last year
where you mentioned you finally considered yourself a runner. How long
have been running?

My first "run" was in November 28, 2004. I went less than 2 miles. I am a bit pudgy and hated running in school. In fact, they called my mother in Grade 8 (Secondaire 1 in Quebec) and told her I was being uncooperative in gym class. I refused to run the bridge. But as I got old older, I became fascinated with the idea of a marathon. It seemed like a superhuman thing to do. The zen of me and the pavement. And the idea really really made me laugh.

I met a trainer in Nov. 2004 who said she could train me to run the marathon here in Ottawa in May 2005. I did it. But it was ill advised and it took me a year to recover. I started running seriously again in early 2006. I learned that I really need to have confidence in what my gut is telling me. But I digress. I am slow as molasses in January but I love it.

how much do you run daily/weekly?
I run three or four times a week. Right now I'm marathon training so I run about 4.5 miles three times a week plus a long run. When I'm not training I run 10 to 15 miles a week. I'm hitting peak marathon training so last week I did 30-odd miles, this week is a "recovery" week and I only ran 18.

how many marathons have you done?
Just The National Capital Marathon in 2005. It was an amazing experience. All these races are. I am training for the Shamrock Marathon in March. The famille and I will be piling into the car and driving to Virginia Beach. It's less than a month away -- and I am only freaking out a little bit. The goal is to do one marathon a year and a few halves. (I love the Half I have run many.)

How many shoes do you wear out when you're in training for a marathon?
I'm hard on shoes. I switch them every 250 to 300 miles. I'm on my second pair for this training run. Weird things hurt when they start to go . I always buy the same brand (Brooks Ariel size 9.5B). I love these shoes. Love them. Speaking of which I need to buy a new pair.


and what's your post run shoe of choice--obviously not high heels.
I am big barefoot fan or big socks. At work I do have to wear appropriate footwear which does means heels from time to time. But around this point in marathon, it's about putting as little stress on my feet as possible. So I wear Docs at work.


(On the heels thing -- Katie Holmes apparently did the New York City Marathon. Many people are of the impression that she cheated and only ran part of it. I tend to agree. There were two things. (1) She ran without a sports bra -- she would have had so much chafing her nipples would have bled and (2) she was seen at a movie premier that night wearing heels. If I had to I suppose I could but usually your feet are just tired, heels are hard on them.)

Back to Nats Brain... you mentioned you are a child of the 80s.
Thats funny because I was thinking we were the same age (sort of) but
I consider myself a child of the 70s (I'm 43) So, what does being a
"child of the 80s" mean to YOU?
Wow. Good question. I'm 37. And remember little prior to being 10, it seems to be the first decade where I see my place in the world. I remember the recession and people having to sell their homes as interest rate went through the roof and people had to move and how hard it was to find work once I completed my degree. In Canada, it was a time of budget cuts and of my mom (specifically) being worried about losing her job. You work hard, and then when got there you work harder. I'm not sure we see that so much anymore.

But the 80s were a time of excess. I formed my opinion that we need to help our fellow human and brought me to a place where I could truly explore alternatives to the mainstream way of thinking. It also means I have the lyrics to some truly bad songs imbedded in my head. George Michael will always be from Wham! Michael Jackson had a career and a nose.

How did you come up with the Flakey Friday? (maybe I'm a little
dense... or that glass of wine with dinner is kicking in) I don't get
the theme of Flakey Friday. Or maybe thats it. Anyway, explain
please!
Well I wanted to write about Pierce Brosnan. And the time, it struck me as a stupid thing to write about. I was being a flake. (Really the entire blog is flakey.) The concept being that I would discuss something lighter and a bit on the ditzy side. Stupid stuff like my ode to the Buttertart. I am actually not sure I am going to keep it to be honest. It seemed like a good idea at the time.

How many posts a week do you do ? and how many blogs-- besides
Citizen of the Month-- do you read?
My running blog is really where I post the most. So I post there after every run and include mileage, and all that (about four or five times a week.) In theory I'd like to post to FNB three or four times a week. But time... motherhood. I try to keep it positive.

Well, I signed up for Google Reader so it's a bit of a long list. I'll go update my blog roll and people can go check it out. I subscribe to about 50 blogs as well as four news feeds. A lot of running blogs and a few this and that blogs. Big blogs, little blogs, in between blogs. Most people don't post every day.

And here's from the marketing side of my brain: do you know who reads
your blog? where they come from? how many readers a day/month?
I think I know about four people in RL who read my blog. A part from that many are people who have followed me back from a comment and the like. In general terms, I'm not sure where the rest of them come from. I have little blog. The running blog is read mainly by runners. Most of whom found me through the Runners' Lounge (I think.) My attitude to blogging is that it shouldn't be work. So I don't really worry about readership too much. I reckon if I'm doing blog related stuff and it's fun to me. Then I'll keep doing it.

And is it true PR people laugh at us marketing people?
No. No. We aren't laughing. We would like to reassure the marketing people that at no time would we be laughing at marketing. We were .... indulging in... some vocal exercises that's it.

or from my smart alec side... is it true that PR people are really
just frustrated reporters?
Too funny. I think it depends. PR pays so much better the hours don't suck, and you don't have to call parents and say stupid things "Hi Mrs. Smith, your son Billy died in a horrific crash. Can you tell us about him?" I think that's wrong. In my present job, I get to say no. "No, you cannot speak to Mrs. Smith. No you cannot hang around the ED. It's a weird thing how into our lives reporters and media are. So that bit I don't miss. I do miss talking to people and hearing what they have to say. It's the whole tell me your story. (Which is why I ended up doing three interviews for Citizen of the month.)

Now the folks I really worry about are the folks who have ONLY ever done PR. It's all they know. As one of the best writers/communicators I know said to me. They can't teach you communications and public relations. You either get it or you don't.


or from my even more smart alecky side... is it true that PR people
and Reporters are really just frustrated novelists?
Reporters definitely. I know more reporters who are waiting to write The Great Novel.
PR people not so much. We are too busy coming up with excuses.


Seriously, do you consider yourself a writer?
Like you, I think writing is one of the few creative outlets I have. I am a writer by trade. It's a large part of what I do. (Debatable how good I am at it. Some days I suck.) The problem I find is that every one thinks they can write. In fact, few people can write well and keep it entertaining. Words have to flow. They have a rhythm. I love words. I love talking about words. Language is just such a gift.

And finally.... if you could classify yourself as a vegetable, what
would it be?
A Turnip.


Thanks for playing Nat! and like I said in my email... come on down for the Rock and Roll Marathon if you must run... I'll take you to dinner.

Photo Phriday: Phebruary 15, 2008

Two Photos:

Ball in Tree. Haleiwa, December 2007

and this one's for my friend Eeeeeebie.


www.indianajones.com

Happy Valentines Day

While I don't agree politically with Ben Stein (he's a little conservative) I do think he is well intentioned and honorable, not to mention a damn good writer. This commentary and the one Stein wrote for mother's day brought tears to my eyes.

Just goes to show you, we (liberals and conservatives) are not as far apart as the current political climate (or the media's portrayal of the climate) might suggest. We all want the same things out of life. And we all rank as important the people in our lives. Not the stuff, not the laws, not the budget, nor the primaries but the people.

So this Valentine's Day I'm taking the opportunity to show a little love for one of my favorite conservatives, Ben Stein.

Wordless Wednesday: February 13, 2008

Solitude

Twofer Tuesday

A follow up to Monday's post about the passport, and today's second post. This Twofer Tuesday may be another new feature of my blog.
Or not.
We'll see.

Anyway, I let my passport lapse. I had kept an up-to-date passport for many years. And I used it. But the last few years I have not done much travel. In fact, I think the last time I left the country with my passport was 1993 when I went to Argentina as part of a Group Study Exchange Program sponsored by Rotary International. (That's where I met Martjavascript:void(0)
Publish Postin aka Eebie)

Anyway, my passport expired and I had no travel plans, so I didn't bother updating it.

However, since new law sort of went into effect regarding travel to Mexico I realized I couldn't even leave to head down to Rosarito for Lobster lunch!

So last Saturday I went down to the post office (I had to have an appointment) and applied for my passport. For details on how to apply for a passport, or to find a post office or other facility near you, check out the Passport office online.

And even though the passport office says it will take 4-6 weeks to process, I got mine in 9 days. And I didn't expedite it!

So, I can only conclude that They want me outta here! or the post office guy likes me (he is kinda cute, I think I may have some more packages to mail)

.... what would you do? book a flight outta here? or go mail a package?

Google Girl Strikes Again

At work I'm known as Google girl. Well, I've found a new google tool, Google Gadgets. Lots of fun ones, like:



and my personal fave:

Monday's Mailbag February 11, 2008

Another New Feature. I thought this one up all by myself.
Probably not as cool, on a regular basis, as Photo Phriday, but here ya go.
In the mail today: two valentines and a passport.

Where should I go?

Great Books

Raffle over at Flawed But Authentic
for FREE BOOKS.

Photo Phriday

New Regular feature for my blog.

UPDATE #2 I should probably tell you that this photo was taken on my Hawaiian holiday at Waimea Falls.

Join the fun by posting a comment with the URL to your Phriday Photo.

BTW: I got this idea from Karen the Shama-lama-mama and her smart alekey comment about my Worldless Wednesday photo. :-)

UPDATE: I just realized the photo wasn't showing... oops. Probably because I had the Height set at 0 pixels! I'm dangerous with a little HTML.

Wordless Wednesday

I was totally going to do a Wordless Wednesday post, just ilke my friend Karen, the shamalamamama.

However....

1. I don't think I can even come close to that beautiful picture she posted, and

2. I can't go wordless. That's like naked to a writer. And with the whole election thing still on my mind, and on my fingertips, well, Wordless Wednesday Will Wait.

So I cruised over to the KPBS Citizen Voices blog (yeah, I'm a glutton for punishment, I know) and there is a great post, Sporting the Red, White and Blue Beads by Charles Hartley. He kinda puts the whole "polarization" issue into perspective:

.... While I agree that the polarization is unfortunate and a bit unseemly, sometimes we take our problems a bit too seriously. To borrow and adapt a line from the film Dogma, "I have issues with anyone who treats democracy as a burden instead of a blessing. You people don't celebrate your freedom; you mourn it."
.... read the rest of the post

It is an honor to vote, a responsibility, and one I cherish. Heck I was absolutely giddy getting those "I voted" stickers. My only regret was that I voted AFTER work, and no one saw my awesome collection.

And if you believe our troops are fighting "for our freedom" then you should be voting and celebrating that freedom. If you don't believe that, then all the more reason to vote.

So if you missed out, there's still time to register for the next election (in California).

--Now we can try WORDLESS WEDNESDAYS next week---

Third Time's a Charm

My friend Aaryn B. put up this great post about voting... and turned me onto this great essay, In Support of Hillary Rodham Clinton: Good-bye to All That, Part II, by Robin Morgan.

I scanned it, got a little gut reaction and posted a comment over on Aaryn's blog.

Then my friend Nancy sent an email, quoting the same essay.

And then I voted. (see previous post, and note that I only voted once but asked for extra stickers... I only voted once)

As I stood in the styrofoam voting booth I stared at the names on the Democratic Party ticket... most of which are no longer in the running... and I thought I had made up my mind. But as I stood there, much of what Robin Morgan wrote ran through my mind, especially excerpts like these:

Goodbye to the double standard . . .

Hillary is too ballsy but too womanly, a Snow Maiden who’s emotional, and so much a politician as to be unfit for politics.
She’s “ambitious” but he shows “fire in the belly.” (Ever had labor pains? )

....

Goodbye to the toxic viciousness . . .

Carl Bernstein’s disgust at Hillary’s “thick ankles.”
Nixon-trickster Roger Stone’s new Hillary-hating 527 group, “Citizens United Not Timid” (check the capital letters).
John McCain answering “How do we beat the bitch?” with “Excellent question!” Would he have dared reply similarly to “How do we beat the black bastard?” For shame

....

This is not “Clinton hating,” not “Hillary hating.” This is sociopathic woman-hating. If it were about Jews, we would recognize it instantly as anti-Semitic propaganda; if about race, as KKK poison. Hell, PETA would go ballistic if such vomitous spew were directed at animals. Where is our sense of outrage—as citizens, voters, Americans?

....

Goodbye to the phrase “polarizing figure” to describe someone who embodies the transitions women have made in the last century and are poised to make in this one. It was the women’s movement that quipped, “We are becoming the men we wanted to marry.” She heard us, and she has.

....

Me, I’m voting for Hillary not because she’s a woman–but because I am.

—Link to Robin Morgan’s website

When did being a feminist become a dirty word? Why is it ok that we call Senator Clinton "Hillary" but we call Senator McCain/Kennedy/Obama just that? or by their last name. Why do we judge Senator Clinton by her looks more so than the men?

I won't say that Robin Morgan's essay swayed me but it made me think. More than anything, it sparked that feminist fire in my belly.

Bottom line, I'll be happy with whoever goes up against the Spend And Spend Republicans come November.

Two Fer Super Tuesday

Second post for the day!
I voted... did you?

Vote California!

This from the Barak Obama Campaign folks... a little primer on voting:

Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to at least 8:00 p.m. Anyone in line at the time the polls close is allowed to vote.

Voters have the right to cast a provisional ballot even if their name is not listed on the voting rolls. If a voter is at the wrong polling location and has time to get to the correct polling location before polls close at 8:00 p.m., they should go to the correct one and vote with a regular ballot instead of voting with a provisional ballot at the wrong location.

If you declined to select a political party when you registered to vote, you can still vote for Barack Obama if you request a Democratic ballot from the poll worker. Make sure you mark "Democratic" in the appropriate space or the vote might not be counted.

Voters have the right to return a completed vote-by-mail ballot to any precinct in their county.

If you have any difficulties, you can call the California Obama Election Protection Hotline:
o LOS ANGELES: (310) 801-9546 or (310) 779-0816
o SAN FRANCISCO/BAY AREA: (510) 520-5025
o OAKLAND/EAST BAY: (415) 606-6043
o SAN DIEGO: (619) 770-7105

Citizen Voices Blog Launches Without Me!

KPBS has just launched the Citizen Voices Blog today.

Without me.

They had the opportunity to talk about the project, partisanship and politics and the upcoming election on the KPBS These Days program, hosted by Tom Fudge.

I must say, it looks like an interesting lineup of political bloggers. And of course in hindsight, it's probably just as well I'm not in the thick of it. Now, I can focus on my other writing projects. So instead, I look forward to reading the blogs, commenting, and adding my own spin here on my own blog, on my schedule.

Have fun everyone.

And if you're in one of the Super Tuesday States-- DON'T FORGET TO VOTE!
And if you're not registered to vote, you'll miss out on the primaries, but don't let the general election get by without your vote!

PS: it couldn't be any easier to register to vote in California. Not sure about the rest of the US.

The Hawaii Stories: Dawn Bicoy

“You like play chalk?” I asked.

“Excuse me?” she asked, as if she hadn’t heard me.

Looking into her eyes, trying to connect, “You like play chalk?” I repeated, sure that she would understand, or somehow recognize me.


It was crazy, really, to imagine that she would know me.

I wore a gray hoodie over a black dress that was really a beach cover-up and with my still sandy feet and salty stiff, salon red hair I looked very different than the ten-year-old tow-head I was thirty years ago.


If it weren’t for the newspaper clipping I carried I wouldn’t have recognized her either. She stood almost five feet tall, still the same olive toned skin, brown hair and soft eyes. Dawn Bicoy, all grown up, singing in a jazz band at Makaha.

“I’m sorry,” she said, shaking her head.

I felt like I was speaking a foreign language, and I was. I was speaking pidgin English, the language of my childhood. It was the language of jacks and jump rope and Barbie dolls, the language of eating guavas and li hing mui and running from imaginary wild boars. It was the language my parents hated, the language I needed to know to fit in.

* * *

The neighborhood we lived in was new and all the families were young with kids. Our house had the best view of a distant Pearl Harbor, the result of an architectural misunderstanding—or so the story went—that put our house a good ten feet taller than any other in the neighborhood. Dawn’s family moved into our neighborhood last. Their house was custom built and had a swimming pool.

My new best friend Dee Dee Wong and I weren’t sure if she were a boy or a girl so we walked arm in arm around the cul-du-sac, once, twice, maybe three times. We stared at this kid sitting on the low lava wall that defined the Bicoy property.

Dawn was the first to speak. “You like play chalk?” she said. Dee Dee and I looked at each other and shrugged, walking towards Dawn, her outstretched hand holding a piece of chalk.

We sat on the sidewalk and began to draw.

* * *

“You like play chalk?” I repeated. Dawn looked confused. “I KNOW your mother told you we were coming,” I said as I watched recognition light up Dawn’s eyes.

“Oh my God,” she said. “Jennifer?”

I nodded.

“Oh my God,” she said again. “I’m gonna cry.”

“Me too,” I said, laughing, crying, smiling as we hugged. “That was the first thing you said to me. Don’t you remember? We drew with chalk on the sidewalk in front of your house.”

I may get rich yet!

For the last couple of years I've been sure the housing market was a bubble about to burst. I did the math. I could not see how people with regular incomes and 100 percent financed mortgages, and Hummers, could afford houses in Southern California. Recent turn of events in the market have proven me right. Good for me, good for anyone else that hadn't already gotten into the housing market, and bad for those folks who are way over-extended and sitting on houses with sinking values.



Unfortunately, I'm not as good at predicting the stock market. Last year I bought Yahoo stock. I really wanted Google (at work I am known as Google Girl) but at 300 some odd dollars a share, even buying a couple of shares seemed like a lot of money. Besides, I was sure it was overpriced. (Note: Google is now worth over $500. I could have made a cool thousand.)

And Yahoo. The number one visited site on the internet.
I was sure if they could just get it together, they could make some serious coin.

Um yeah.
Not so good picking stocks, am I.

I watched my measly little investment go from $35 per share down to under twenty. (I bought high, you're supposed to buy low) I didn't invest much. I hung on. and on. and on.

But today I may be vindicated! and sorry I didn't buy more.

Microsoft Unveils $44.6 Billion Bid
For Web Ad, Search Rival Yahoo
By KEVIN J. DELANEY and ROBERT A. GUTH
February 1, 2008 7:06 p.m.

Microsoft Corp. on Friday went public with a $44.6 billion offer to buy Yahoo Inc., in a bold attempt to dramatically expand its online business and compete more effectively with Google Inc. in services ranging from email to Internet advertising sales.....continue reading--->

How To Stay Fit and Make Money

Here's another shameless plug... of sorts...

I've already passed this along to several of my friends via email, but thought I would post it here too.

If you know anyone who fits the bill, drop me a line and I'll put you in touch with my sister:


-FROM DEBBY (pictured seated on the machine above)--

As many of you know I have a background in dance and fitness. Through friends I have been contacted by an event production company in Chicago looking for employees to work an event in San Diego.

The event, the IHRSA trade show, a convention and show for the fitness industry, is downtown at the convention center March 5-8.

We are looking for FIT, ENERGETIC, POSITIVE and FRIENDLY people with endurance who would be able to demonstrate new workout equipment and have fun. The hours are approximately 6:30am-2:30pm and we will need people for 3 and possibly 4 days.

The pay rate is $300 per day. (note this would be on a contract, one-time basis)

If you or anyone you know might be interested please let me know and pass this along asap.

--Sincerely,

Debby Simpson, Inside-Out Movement
Keeping Fit From the Inside Out!

NOTE: Debby is a trained Pilates instructor and Gyrotonic instructor in Encinitas, if you know anyone who wants to get fit from the inside out!

Despite looking phallic...

... it's really quite beautiful.

It's been a long time since I lived in Chicago. In fact, it's been nearly 15 years since I have been back in California. Where did / does the time go?

Since I left Chicago, so many things have changed. Millenium Park did not exist when I lived there. Marshall Field's is now Macy's. State Street (that great street) now allows cars again. And most importantly, my friends Ralph and Martin and Kris and Nancy ... no longer exist in Chicago. I really have no reason to go there anymore.

Except maybe to see The Chicago Spire.

wow.

scheduled to open in 2010. which really is just around the corner.

Kitty Love

my contribution to Love Thursday

Christmas in Kula

They say that this part of Maui is God's country, and based on the view from Kathy's house, I'd say they are right... whoever they are.

Its not Easy being Green er, uh, Blue

Maybe not really blue, but definitely out of sorts. Is it winter? the holidays? Or one more step in the grieving process... post holiday blahs? post vacation (I have a boring life) blues?

We are almost done closing up my Dad's estate. For our trip to Hawaii, Debby and I were able to use my Dad's US Air air miles for a free trip (did YOU know you can inherit miles?). When we got home the lawyer told us that the IRS is going to forgive the penalties and interest they wanted to extract from us. So that's good news, right?

Somehow it makes my Dad's death all the more real. Finalizing makes things, well, final.

It is time to move on, I feel it. And even though in some ways having all this paperwork pending keeps me closer to my Dad, I know it's closer in a thoroughly unhealthy way. I'm just not entirely sure how to push through. I have projects of my own I am not working on. Writing I am not doing. So if anyone has any tips, or recommendations for a good therapist, let me know. :-)

Aloha

Christmas in Hawaii.
December 19 through January 3.
Not much time for blogging.