12/31/10 The End

I've found that you can do just about anything for a year. Things that are intolerable in the long run can be dealt with for a year. If there is no end in sight, it makes that thing harder to do in the meantime since you never know how long it will last. For many things it is nice to have that deadline, that end date to look forward to. Research papers, final projects, moving, leaving a job you can't stand, a business trip that takes you away from family. Small or large, it doesn't matter. Of course, there are some things we want to go on forever and we don't want an end date. A good marriage, having good friends and family, you know the like. But for the things that are hard in life it is nice to have a button at the end to look forward to. Sometimes things ending is a good thing. It helps us to learn from the experience and take it for what it is and move on. There are always valuable lessons to be learned from even the worst of experiences and we can hopefully always find at least one positive thing from a bad situation.

What I like about the last day of the year isn't that something is over, but rather, that we can transition into something new starting. Appreciate the year for what it was and look forward to building on the good things that have been started in the year. Recognize the things that didn't go so well and think about how to improve upon them. Not making crazy new year's resolutions that are too big that you can't keep that will make you feel like a failure when you can't keep them all. Look at the relationships you have in your life that are important to you. Making sure to continue to cherish the people you do. Looking at how to improve relationships that need more attention. Things come and go. Stuff wears out. The people we have in our lives will always be there. Hopefully people can focus on surrounding themselves with good people and maintaining a positive support system with people they love and who are important to them. Tell them you love them. Show them you love them. Respect people for who they are. Also be willing to let go of things or relationships that, for whatever reason, are poison to who you are and drag you down and make you miserable. Love the people who may hurt you but be willing to let them go so that you can ultimately love yourself for the amazing person that you are.

I am thankful for the past year. I have learned a lot. I have been disappointed and I have been amazed. I have had ups and I have had downs. I have lost and I have gained. Through it all I have been surrounded by people who love and care about me. Thank you all.

kk

12/30/10 French Waffles

Growing up, my dad would bring French Waffles from Larsen's Bakery over for Christmas. I don't even know how to explain them. But they are out of this world. I haven't had one in ages, but at Thanksgiving when I visited Jennifer we went to the bakery and I had one. They are made slightly differently than when I was growing up. They used to have plain buttercream filling and the ends of them were dipped in chocolate. Now, they are no longer dipped in chocolate and the filling is slightly pink due to the raspberry filling. You can't really taste the raspberry but it still makes it look different. Still delicious. I was so excited to be coming up here at Christmas because I was going to bring one home to share. When I got there this morning, they were out! They are still trying to catch up from the holiday and they haven't had a chance to make them! They had a lot of bare shelves. I was devastated. Yes, not having a treat that I've been looking forward to can do that to me. Especially since I am going to start my healthful eating with the start of the new quarter. French waffles won't be on my list of good foods so I am sad I don't get to have one now, while I still can. So instead I purchased some cinnamon bread that I think will be good. I've heard it makes good french toast so I am going to try that this weekend. I am leaving the bakery still dreaming of French Waffles.

I am thankful for French Waffles from Larsen's bakery.

kk

12/29/10 RHS Honors English/History

Today I drove back up to Seattle to visit with friends from high school. Every year a group of us from the honors English and History block class get together to visit. What a bunch a nerds we all are. I love it. They are all great people who have gone on to do great and amazing things. We share a history that we can reminisce about, but we aren't all stuck in the past. We can relate to and enjoy each other for who we are as people today. And we can have intelligent conversations which isn't always the case with people I meet, unfortunately. I arrived super early, as there was amazingly enough no traffic, and helped Meredith finish getting her house ready for 20 people to come visit. She and her family had just arrived home from a week long trip to visit her family in California that afternoon! Busy. I ate some delicious food and was able to get rid of more holiday cookies. I think they are multiplying in my tupperware... I had a lovely evening visiting people and then was able to spend the night at one friends house and I get to see her 2-year-old in the morning! I'm very excited. Eloise is so cute.

I am thankful for the friendships that I have maintained with people from high school.

kk

12/28/10 Speaking of a delicious spread...

Hooray for leftovers! They were good the first time around and sometimes even better the second. And I don't have to prepare anything. Yay!

I am thankful for leftovers.

kk

12/27/10 AK visits the lower 48

8 years ago my dad moved to Anchorage in order to work with the FAA. Despite him moving thousands of miles away, we are lucky that we get to see him fairly often. Today was one of those days. He and his wife come down for Christmas and stay with her daughter on the coast. Which means that they can make the hour and a half drive to my house pretty easily to have a Christmas celebration with me, Erika and Scott, and mom. So today was the day. They drove over and we had a nice time visiting and opening gifts and eating a delicious spread. We are lucky that they are able to take time off to come down here and visit.

I am thankful for the opportunity to visit with my dad.

kk

12/26/10 Pit Stop

We woke up this morning and had a nice breakfast with my aunt and uncle. It is really nice to stay with them because we get to talk to them. When we are at my grandparent's house we have something like 30 people to talk to. Plus with all the activity of opening gifts, eating, etc., we hardly get to actually talk to everyone. And my uncle seems to be hard to track down at big family gatherings as well. So what I was telling my mom today on the car ride home was that it is really nice to stay there so that we get to talk to him. We had nice conversation last night and a good breakfast this morning. Then we packed up and headed over to Barb's. I think we were over there for about two hours as well. We had a nice time over there and then got back on the road for Portland.

We used to stop in Centralia for gas and a restroom. But if we don't need gas, an Arco restroom is not very desirable. On Thanksgiving my mother and I stopped at exit 72 instead of 82 and used the restroom at the McDonald's there and got a hot chocolate. It was much better. So today we did the same thing on the way home. No one else wanted a beverage but as I was hacking in the car to the point of vomiting, never fun, I got one thinking it would help coat my throat. And it did. I am sorry that the preceding was so graphic and gross. I am sure that would be labeled "tmi," but I feel it is important to note how bad my coughing was in order to appreciate how awesome a 12oz cup of hot chocolate was.

I am thankful for my hot chocolate from the McDonalds espresso machine at exit 72.

kk

12/25/10 Merry Christmas!!!

This year my mother, younger sister, and I drove up to Bellevue to celebrate Christmas with our extended family on Christmas morning. Last year we drove up Christmas Eve. I drove to my mom's and we opened stockings. I got a shovel and a hatchet! And then we went and picked up Erika. We got to say hello to Scott, her fiance, who isn't able to come with us this year since he works at 6am tomorrow. Then we headed up to Seattle. There is usually a lot of traffic and some always experienced slow down areas. Today was a different day. There was hardly anyone on the road and we made amazing time. I tried to rest in the backseat. I even brought a pillow and wore comfy clothes for the trip. We arrived in plenty of time for me to change without feeling rushed and get ready for the annual family photo of my grandparents plus all the grandchildren and great grandkids. It was a smooth ride and we were all in good spirits.

I am thankful for there not being any traffic this morning!

kk

12/24/10 Traditions

Every year on Christmas Eve my family goes to a movie. We started off doing family movies and family Christmas movies. Then as we got older, I still liked going to Christmas movies but my sisters felt that we had outgrown the Disney cartoon phase and we started going to "real" movies. I think it was Lord of the Rings maybe that started the marked shift in genre. We have found a way almost every year despite being far apart to make things work. In the past few years this hasn't been the case but we did pretty good for a long time. I have continued this tradition on my own. Movie on Christmas Eve? It is just what you do. So I have drug along significant others if my family couldn't make it. This year was no different. I had to figure out how to fit it in with different schedules, but we did it! This year I went and saw Black Swan. It was very good. I am glad I got to go. Christmas is my favorite holiday but often it is all of the traditions we have surrounding the actual day that I like. Getting a tree, decorating it, baking cookies, hanging up lights on the house, going to a movie, seeing family and eating yummy food. There are so many things to enjoy about the day. I also really like going to the evening service at church. This year kind of sucked since I am so sick. I couldn't sing any of the songs which is my favorite part about the service usually. Oh, and the candles we all hold at the end. But in general, it was still a good day.

I am thankful for the tradition of seeing a movie on Christmas Eve with my family and loved ones.

kk

12/23/10 Ahhh

I have never been as sick as I am right now. At least, not that I can remember. No one likes being sick. It really sucks. Since I don't usually fall ill, I do not have any "medicine" to speak of in my house. I usually just like to ride out the sickness and let my body build more antibodies and duke it out. I knew that this was Christmas week so I was trying to be smart by taking a lot of medicine to try and get better faster. I can't imagine how sick I would have been if I hadn't taken any medicine. This is horrible. I've lost my voice and been coughing like I was dying. I haven't been sleeping well because of it and have no energy. Luckily, I no longer have a fever. I am in good spirits though so that is important. Lots of other things are going well so I am doing ok.

Tonight my mom came over and delivered some fruit popsicles for me to have to help soothe my throat. I don't think you ever outgrow popsicles or needing a mom to take care of you when you aren't feeling well. Thanks mom!

I am thankful for popsicles. And also thankful that they were delivered!

kk

12/22/10 Wrap it up

I thoroughly enjoy wrapping gifts. I spent the bulk of today doing it. Mostly because I am very sick and so everything took a lot of energy and effort and time, not so much because I have a lot of gifts to wrap. I like using different fun and pretty wrapping paper. I like finding cool ribbons or bows or alternative decorations to compliment the paper. I have done many different things throughout the years and like looking for new ideas. Thank you Martha for so many of them.

I am thankful for wrapping gifts in exciting ways.

kk

12/21/10 House Boat

I would very much like to live on a house boat. I'm not sure it will ever happen but it is a dream of mine. I would also like to live on a beach. I don't know how that would work feasibly either, but it would still be nice. An acceptable alternative to both of these was the time I lived in a Condo on the Portland waterfront right by the Broadway Bridge. I was right in between the railroad tracks so I got caught by the train several times. But, I loved to sit on my couch and watch the river traffic. The Christmas ships would go by this time of year, the Navy all came in during Fleet Week, there were many different barges and grain ships that would go by, in addition to all the personal water crafts that would sail or speed by. There was a grain elevator just across the way and it was fun to watch the boats rise in the water as they offloaded their supply or sink further into the water as they took on more weight. There was never a dull day on the river and I had a lot of fun living there for 2 years.

I am thankful for my time living on the Wilamette Riverfront in Portland.

kk

12/20/10 Cousin Cookie Day

When we were still young enough that we couldn't stay home all alone during Christmas break, my mother took us to my grandparent's house so she could work and grandma could watch us. We brought over all the ingredients needed to bake cookies. We started small. We made a batch or two of cookies and then spent the rest of the afternoon decorating them. Over the years we added several of our cousins to the tradition. My grandparents remodeled and now we had two ovens to work with and a giant kitchen to spread out in.

I have kept the cookie baking day tradition alive even though my cousins don't live in Portland with me. Last year my mom, Erika and I had a cookie baking day. This year, today, I had one with many interpreters from work. I had a cookie baking-a-thon day where people came at various times throughout the day and made a batch of cookies, hung out and ate food, and then went home. Some people came early, some in the middle, and some not until after work. I had company from 9:30 in the morning until 8:30 at night. It was very fun and nice to see so many friends of mine in a non work environment.

I am thankful for Cousin Cookie Day, in all its forms.

kk

12/19/10 Family Game Night

My dear friend Erin Shannon wanted "one of everything" from the Trader Joe's Frequent Flier. So that's what her boyfriend got her for Christmas. But since they are leaving town in the morning and many things are perishable, they decided to have a last minute get-together to eat food and celebrate with friends. When I arrived the group was in the middle of a board game.

Growing up we had Family Game Night. I can't remember if it was every week or every other week, or once a month... But it was super fun. We all got to pick one game that we wanted to play and then we would play together as a family. I always picked Nerts. We played Sorry. We probably played Chutes and Ladders since Erika was still so young. I don't think we played Monopoly since it is such a long game, but we may have. We played Clue. We played Know the USA. We played. It was so fun to spend time together playing games where we all laughed and had fun. We didn't have a TV. We actually interacted with each other. I think it is a far better way to spend time together.

Erin and Brian have lots of board games and often have game night. I really enjoy going. Now I need to have a game night, but the game I really want to play is BINGO. It is so much fun. I don't know how other people really feel about it though. I think I'm a little more excited than most.

I am thankful for game night.

kk

12/18/10 Secret Santa

When my parents first got divorced my mom had been out of the work force for over ten years. She found herself trying to figure out how to re enter it and figure out how to raise three kids at the same time. She needed updated skills and job leads. A resume and an idea of what she could do while still being able to be at home with us for most of the evening. There were times that she struggled and times where things were working out well. Right at the beginning was a time of struggle. One day she received a gift in the mail. An unsigned card containing 100 dollars. This is something she has never forgotten, a story I don't get tired of hearing and feeling blessed by, and something we both think about as we strive to pay-it-forward.

I was talking on the phone this evening when there was a knock at my door. I looked through the looking glass and didn't recognize the bald man holding two huge packages standing on my stoop. I opened the door, he asked if I was Kirsten and I replied yes. He handed me the packages with a card addressed to Kirsten and said Merry Christmas. I didn't know what to do or say. I said thank you and he turned around and walked away. The card had nothing more than my first name on it. The inside was not signed. I have no idea who sent me these gifts, but Thank You! My flannel sheets are worn out and have several large holes in them. I was trying to not turn the heat on in my house because I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to afford it. Suffice to say this fall and early winter was very cold. My secret Santa sent me a new pair of micro fleece warm sheets and a queen sized electric blanket. Now I can return the twin size I have been borrowing from my mom. These were really just what I needed and I feel fortunate to have people looking out for and taking care of me.

I am thankful for my Secret Santa delivery.

kk

12/17/10 I can see!

We had a "cold weather snap" recently complete with ice and freezing rain. I melted the ice off my windshield before I drove to work and thought I had waited long enough that I could hit the windshield wipers and help speed up the process. Only, they were still frozen to the windshield and so basically I ripped them off and broke them. Not terribly bad but they were not securely attached anymore so I decided to get new ones. I don't actually remember the last time they were replaced and they mostly smeared the rain rather than got rid of it. While at Jiffy Lube yesterday for my oil change I asked them to put new ones on. Today I had reason to use them and My! What a difference. My windshield is something I can look through so clearly now. How exciting. The new wipers are a big improvement over the old ones.

I am thankful for my new windshield wipers.

kk

12/16/10 Hollywood

Tonight was the premier of my first movie! This summer I shot a movie, called Pamilya, in a gorgeous house in Hillsboro over my birthday weekend in August for a Senior Project for Jerry Monckton, a student at AI. I played Melody, the older sister of a boy who the entire family ignores, except grandma, until grandma dies and he gives a moving speech at her funeral about how she saw people for who they are on the inside, not on the outside. Then we become better people and welcome him into the family. The movie is less than 10 minutes long, but I made it! Yay! It was fun to go and see it on the big screen at the Hollywood Theatre in Portland. Hopefully I will see many more.

I am thankful for my role in the movie Pamilya.

kk

12/15/10 Here comes the bride

Today I met my younger sister at The English Department to try on her wedding dress which has just arrived. The English Department has fantastic dresses and I really wanted one to wear to her wedding. I've missed the boat on that one since they take 14 weeks or something to order. But their dresses come as wedding dresses or bridesmaid dresses and I thought I could get a bridesmaid dress and look so great. Their dresses are not froo froo-y or over-the-top. Everything is simple and elegant and classic looking. Just what us Kyllingstads prefer. As I waited for Erika I was talking with the gal who worked there and she said I could go ahead and try some on. Since she had a customer I felt bad doing that since I would just be playing around so I declined. Then when the customer left and Erika still wasn't there I asked if it would really be ok. She said of course, so I played dress-up and tried on 4 different dresses. They were all so cute and fun. Then as I saw Erika coming in, I changed back in to regular clothes since today was all about her! She tried on her dress and it looked fantastic. She is wearing a green dress instead of white and I am so excited. I am glad that she is not intimidated into doing what the "norm" is when she really wants to do something else fun and exciting. She is going to look great.

I am thankful for Erika's fun and exciting wedding dress.

kk

12/14/10 The most important meal of the day

There is a restaurant that opened fairly recently by me. It is called Slappy Cakes. This restaurant joins the millions of breakfast options here in Portland. They have various "normal" breakfast options, but what makes this restaurant so special and fun is the make-your-own pancakes. They have several different kinds of batter to choose from including buttermilk, whole wheat, gluten-free, peanut butter, and I think potato or sweet potato or something. Then you get to choose your mix-ins. They have different sweet items including chocolate chips, my favorite, and savory things like pecans, bacon and goat cheese, and specialty things like lemon curd. You get your batter in a squeeze bottle and get to make the shape and size of pancake you like right at your table. You can add your mix-ins while it is cooking or spread them over the top when it is finished cooking. It is a very fun experience. I also very much enjoy the various options to tailor the pancake specifically to me. I think they have around 30 different options. I usually get chocolate chips, but today I got bacon, sauteed mushrooms, and goat cheese. Delicious!

I am thankful for Slappy Cakes.

kk

12/13/10 Sock it to Me

One local business woman has come up with an amazing idea. Cool knee high socks. I first saw these socks at the Portland Saturday Market. They now have permanent stock set up at Sock Dreams in Sellwood. You can visit their website and search Sock it to Me socks to see all the cool designs they have. Today I am wearing bright pink socks with black handlebar mustaches on them.

As a sign language interpreter I have to wear solid dark colors. I am much more exciting than all black so my creativity tends to be in my skirts/pants, and more so even with my sock/tights apparel. I am also a person who tends to be cold and I have found that knee highs are almost essential for me to be remotely comfortable. Sock it to Me socks are a great fit for me. Yesterday I wore grey socks with dinosaurs on them who were saying "Rawr." The day before I had on green socks that had a few trees to represent a forest, a few red-capped mushrooms, and a fox hiding partially behind a tree on the bridge of my foot. Friday I had socks with birds sitting on telephone wires. They make me very happy.

I am thankful for my Sock it to Me fun socks that make me smile and keep me warm.

kk

12/12/10 Rhodies

I hate Rhododendrons. They are sticky. My mom loves them so I grew up with a lot of them in the yard. Now, they are evergreen which is nice, and the flowers are ok, and they do have super awesome trunks once they are hundreds of years old and really tall. I do like the Rhododendron Garden in Sellwood. What I do thoroughly enjoy about the one in my front yard is decorating it with red and silver balls for Christmas. They are so funny and make me laugh when I come home.

I am thankful for my decorated Rhododendron.

kk

12/11/10 Crafty Wonderland Goodness!

Renee Rugh and I started this morning with a plan. We were going to a craft fair. Not just any craft fair. This was "Crafty Wonderland!" All local artisans who make some really cool stuff. The first 150 people get really awesome goodie bags. Last year my mother and I went. We got there about a half hour early. We weren't even close! So this year I was determined to be there early. We got there an hour and forty five minutes early. There were already 30 people ahead of us! But we made it. We had bagels for breakfast and some delicious hot beverages from Dutch Brothers. We had fun talking to each other and the people around us. I have never been to Black Friday. I have never camped out over night for seats to watch the Rose Parade. I have never waited for hours for concert tickets to go on sale. I have never been to a midnight release of a movie. This was super exciting. I guess I'm kind of nerdy to be as excited as I was for a craft show. But I got an awesome re-useable goodie bag filled with stuff, a free chinook book, and then I bought a sweatshirt and a hat. I walked away very happy. I also saw a man who used to teach at Clark who I hadn't seen in a few years. I really liked him and he just kind of disappeared. He started this amazing thing called "Supportland." So catchy, right? It is a point earning card for local businesses. A way to promote living locally and being rewarded for that. Hooray! So I got one. Now I can't wait to look up the local businesses involved. Today was a good day.

I am thankful for the Crafty Wonderland where I can get things totally unique, often recycled, and see so many different choices. Over 200 vendors to choose from!

kk

12/10/10 Mmmmmm

Our Fall office meeting is one of the best. Secret Santa gifts are exchanged. Gift exchange gifts are exchanged. Birthday gifts from our head boss for the year are distributed. We have a great potluck. But best of all is the Shortbread Amazingness that my boss makes. Shortbread with caramel and chocolate. I look forward to it every year. I am a bit notorious for my love of it. One year, my friend, Laura Likes, who also worked as our front desk gal before moving to the HR department, and I ate so much that we had the craziest sugar highs. We laughed at everything and had so much fun and then were in sick agony. I know we had fun, but apparently we were very entertaining for the other people there. That meeting will go down in infamy. They still talk about it and every year they remind me to not eat all of it at once. Today is the day that I got my treat box from Heather and I have already eaten one. It is so sad to me that it is a secret family recipe and that she promised a dying woman she would never tell anyone else the recipe. I will never be able to replicate it for myself. I think I have to go over and help her make it one day and try to spy and see her technique. But I am so happy she makes it for us.

I am thankful for Heather White's delicious shortbread.

kk

12/9/10 O Tannenbaum

Today I had the day off from work. I scheduled it this way so I could go get my Christmas Tree! I had a job from 10-11 and after that I was free. Turns out the sofa people were coming today at 10. So I sweet talked Jason Glick in to meeting them at my house and accepting the delivery for me while I went to my job. Then he came with me while I looked at tree farms for a tree to bring home. I am so glad he was available. I would have had a much harder time getting my sofa and I would not have had any fun getting me tree.

I heard about this great place out in Boring. So we drove there. No one was there and no one answered the phone when we called the posted number. So we drove to one of the dozens of places we passed on the way there. No one was there and no one answered the posted number. Where was everyone? So we finally ended up at this one place where a very elderly gentleman came out of his trailer to "help" us. Pretty much the only thing he did for us was hand us a saw and some twine. I really wanted a Noble Fir, but they didn't have any so I got a Douglas instead. It is not my first choice of tree but I couldn't leave him after his being so cute. So I found one that was good enough and Jason cut it down for me. Then he carried it with one hand to the car. That's some muscles. I have never tied a tree on my car before in my life. The tree guys always do it. Neither had Jason. Well, the old man wasn't going to do it for us, so we tied it down and hoped for the best. It arrived home safely still attached to the roof.

It was pouring down rain all day except for the 10 minutes we were out chopping it down. Getting it into the house was a very wet experience. The water was running, not dripping, off the tree. I used up all my towels to dry off my hardwoods and then lay around the base while it continued to drip.

My tree is looking a little drier here in the evening and hopefully by tomorrow I can put some lights up. The Christmas Tree is one of the best things about the holiday. I am very Martha Stewart in many ways, but Christmas Tree decorations are not one of them. I have things that are all totally random that remind me of places I've traveled, things I've made, things I've been given. Nothing really matches and I like it that way. It is always nice to see the tree lights in the window as I pull into the driveway and then see the tree as I walk in the house.

I am thankful for me Christmas Tree.

kk

12/8/10 Sharing is Caring

I like the fact that I live so close to family and friends that I can depend on. I am borrowing a saw from my mother today so I can go get my Christmas tree tomorrow. She doesn't know this yet. I will leave her a note. But I am so thankful that this is something I can do! I like to share things I have with other people. Well, I suppose only as long as they are grateful. I don't really like sharing with people who are rude and demanding. I think that is normal though. But I think we all have enough to do in this world alone that it makes things so much nicer and better for one another when we can help each other out.

I am thankful for sharing.

kk

12/7/10 Creativity at its best

Monday I arrived at work before the sun rose and left after it had set. Bummer. But this morning while driving to work in the dark a Suburban passed me. On the top of his car, the man had built a "tree." There was a 2 by 4 in the center of the car that stuck up about three feet. There were strands of lights from the top of the post to the roof of the car. Each strand touching a point on a circumference of a circle, forming the shape of a "Christmas Tree." If I have to go to work in the dark, I'd rather do it next to a lit tree.

I am thankful for people's ingenuity and creativity when it comes to decorating their cars. (For whatever reason. Today's just happened to also be Christmas related.)

kk

12/6/10 Down to the wire

Today is the first day of Finals Week!!! Yea! I can't wait for my three-week break!

I am thankful for Finals Week which signifies an impending well deserved rest.

kk

12/5/10 Jingle Bells

Today was my Christmas Carol concert. My choir starts rehearsing in September. I love Christmas Carols. Bring 'em on. I have no problem starting so early. I know people who literally get angry if they hear Christmas music before Thanksgiving. Maybe they are just sick of the fact that there isn't enough variety in places of business so they hear the same songs over and over again. Anyway I love them and I listed to them in the car and I don't care that they are the same ones I hear over and over because I just sing along and have fun.

People really appreciated our concert today and I think the carols help people get in a festive mood. Also, being able to come to a church and listen to the music with good acoustics and not in a store with a lot of banging band in the background or with people pushing and grabbing and trying to have the best Christmas they can have and they don't care who gets in their way is a nice way for people to really enjoy the sounds of Christmas music, as well as the meaning behind Christmas.

I enjoy singing the religious music as well as the secular fun things. Except Rudolph. With all our other songs with crazy jazz and tight harmony I am fine. Simple little Rudolph? I suck. It always stressed me out. But I wouldn't give up singing in some way for the rest of my life for anything.

I am thankful for Christmas carols.

kk

12/4/10 Hell's Angels

I forgot about this day! Today I passed about 30 motorcyclists all traveling together in a pack. One passenger carrying a big pink stuffed bunny under her left arm while her right arm held on to the driver. Every year at the Holidays there is a toy drive that the motorcyclists participate in. I am not sure who they all are. Are they a part of a club/group? Are they also individual motorcyclists who just know about it and participate? I would like to know more. So they all drive to the bus depot on 17th (14th?) and Holgate. They congregate in the parking lot there and collect toys to give to needy children. I think it is a pretty awesome thing for people to do in general and also crazy awesome when it is a bunch of burly motorcyclists carrying stuffed animals. It makes me smile and laugh.

I am thankful for the annual motorcycle toy drive.

kk

12/3/10 Up to 4"

What's great about women's shoes is that we have so many options. It does make it a little unfair that men can wear the same pair of shoes for almost every outfit and women really need several different pairs because they don't match everything like men's do. Anyway, I have many, many, many pairs of shoes. In six locations throughout my house. I have some great rain boots, snow boots, hiking boots. I have running shoes, walking shoes, tennis shoes, trail shoes. I has work shoes in a variety of styles and a multitude of dressy shoes. I do not wear high heels to work on a regular basis like my older sister does. She is always super fancy. I wear slip on danskos since I spend most of my time standing. I do however like to wear high heels when I am dressing up. I also have to dance on stage in up to 3" heels so it is always good to practice walking in them. I have some very nice high heeled shoes and also some fun high heel boots. I know that high heels are not very good for women. They give us freaky weird posture and are not good for our backs. But they do make your legs look nice, so every once in awhile I am all for them.

I am thankful for high heels.

kk

12/2/10 White Stag

When driving on I-5 passing downtown Portland, one can not help but see the large neon sign of the deer. It is an historic piece of Portland and has been the subject of much controversy lately. It currently reads "Portland Oregon." It used to say "Made in Oregon" because the Made in Oregon store owned the building and had its shop there. Before "Made in Oregon," it read "White Stag" after the White Stag Clothing Company that resided in the building, and before that it read "White Satin" for the sugar company that occupied the space. The University of Oregon bought the building it is on and wanted to change it to "University of Oregon." There was an uproar and they compromised and changed it to something more neutral instead. The one thing I especially love about the sign is that during the Holidays, the stag/deer is given a red nose and becomes Rudolph. Just a little light change on this large sign shows the celebration of Christmas. Religious and non-religious people who celebrate Christmas can all enjoy Rudolph.

I am thankful for the Portland Oregon neon sign with Rudolph.

kk

12/1/10 Special Delivery

My younger sister and I used to play all different kinds of things. School, Store, I think I baptized her several times in Bathland, and we used to write or draw notes to each other and slip them under the other person's door. We had so much fun playing postal carrier.

My mother's roommate from college, who is also my older sister's godmother, has taken it upon herself to keep the art of letter-writing alive. She started writing to all three of us girls when we went away to college to help us not feel alone when we left home. She wrote at every major holiday. She used to always include seasonal confetti that would get everywhere when you opened her letters. She has continued this with all three of us and she has added many others to her list as well. I am not sure if my sister's keep up with her but I always write back to Marilyn. It is more like twice a year now, rather than six or so. Which is much easier for me to keep up with.

With the advent of emails, instant messaging, and texting, letter writing is becoming less and less frequent. Many people still send out Christmas cards but I think more people even do those online. Event and party invites are online now. Virtual greeting cards. It is evident that snail mail is becoming less frequent with the amount stamps go up every year! When all we are getting in the mail anymore is junk or bills, an actual letter handwritten and addressed to me is something I get very excited about.

We can call people on the phone and say beautiful things to them, but there is no memory of it when they are gone. We can send an email with flowery words but it won't be personal. I have a birthday card from my Grandma Kari, who died when I was in 8th grade. She lived in Chicago so I did not see her very much before she passed away. It had my name at the top with a comma before the Hallmark sentiments and ended with Love, Grandma Kari. That's it. Four words. But she wrote them and so a part of her is there that I can see. Her writing doesn't look like any one else's and I know it is from her and that she loved me. I still have that card and I think the idea of letter writing for posterity's sake is very important. Some people throw everything away. Other's save everything. I'm a big saver. Sometimes I keep ridiculous things, so perhaps a middle ground would be better. When people I love are gone I will have memories of them, but sometimes memories fade. With the letters I've saved from them, I can read them and it can help to trigger my memory and remember them.

I am a big fan of leaving notes too. So if you know me well, then I've probably written a note for you and left it somewhere for you to find. Just a little something to let you know I am thinking about you. I like finding notes on my windshield or in my luggage or in my lunch.

I am thankful for letters. Actual real physically written letters sent through the mail.

kk

11/30/10 Marionberry Pie

Visiting my friend Meredith this weekend was great since I hadn't seen her in so long, and the last time I did see her I only got to talk to her for about 5 minutes. This way we could visit for several hours. Not only did I have a great time with her and her children, I also walked away with their old microwave. I didn't have one and they just redid their entire kitchen with all new appliances. We were able to help each other out. I didn't realize how much a microwave really comes in handy. I had taken some leftovers home from dinner with my mother for breakfast the next day. When the next day arrived I had no idea how to heat it up. I didn't want to put it in the oven for a crazy long time before it would heat through and I couldn't put it on the stove top and I didn't have a container small enough for my toaster oven. So instead I found an errand to do at my mother's and ate over there. Today I ate some delicious Marion berry pie my Aunt Sharon had made for Thanksgiving that I heated up in the microwave and ate with some Vanilla Bean ice cream. Mmmmm.

I am thankful for my new-to-me microwave.

kk

11/29/10 I got ssssssteam heat

I have only recently turned the heat on in my house. My thermometer was registering 50 degrees for far too long. I was grumpy and depressed. So once I turned it up to 60 I was doing much better but it was still cold. So my mother lent me the electric blanket from her guest room twin bed. A twin size electric blanket is a little smaller than a queen size bed, but it isn't too bad. And It Is Amazing! I put it on my bed once I got home from Seattle and slept in it for the first time last night. I didn't wake up once during the night shivering from sheets having slid off my shoulders. I slept so peacefully and it made me so awfully happy. Ahhhhh.

I am thankful for my electric blanket!

kk

11/28/10 SWAG

This morning I stood in line for about 45 minutes to be one of the first 100 people to enter the "Give Handmade Sale." We got swag. And it was a pretty good haul. But the thing I really like about this sale is that it is all local Portland Artist goods. And at this particular show they donate 10 percent of their proceeds to the Oregon Food Bank. I brought some canned goods to donate and purchased some items. I got some things for me and some to share. I met some new great artists and visited with people I have been purchasing things from for years. I made sure to connect up with people I have bought things from and let them know how much I have liked my purchase and how often I have been complimented. People are all in a great mood. People weren't pushy or grabby. They were friendly. It was a good day. I look forward to the "Crafty Wonderland" and the "Handmade NW" sales coming up in December. Buy local, buy sustainable, buy recycled. I love when I can support my local Artisans and get something truly unique. I am very Portland Urban Hippie Chic. Dress skirts made from recycled T-shirts? I think so. Jewelery made from antique watch pieces? Yes, please. Everything is one of a kind. We are so lucky to have such talented people here in Portland!

I am thankful for the "Give Handmade Sale" where I can donate to the Oregon Food Bank in two ways, support my local economy and neighbors, and walk away with items that make me happy for what they are and what I have saved from a landfill.

kk

11/27/10 Fireworks

Bell Square has a shop that I haven't seen anywhere else. Fireworks is a store filled with great and unique things. On our way out of town, headed back home, I requested a special stop there. Going to a mall isn't always high on my list and also isn't always fun this soon after Thanksgiving. People are often rude, pushy and inconsiderate. And there are a lot of them. But I was willing to brave it today so I could go to my one store I enjoy. They had some things that were interesting, or funny, or neat. Mom got some cheese knives for Barb that seemed to be a hit. I didn't get anything but they had these hilarious cookie cutters. Ninjabread Men and gingerbread men who know Martial Arts. They are very fun. They always have quite an ecclectic mix of items to choose from. I really think you could find at least one thing for everyone there. They are a hard store to categorize but they are neat.

I am thankful for Fireworks, the super fun store.

kk

11/26/10 Eloise, Madeline, Charlotte, oh and Jennifer, Matt, and Meredith too.

Today I am still up in Seattle and I had a super fun play day with some friends from high school. I spent around 4 hours with my friend Jennifer, her husband Matt, and their daughter Eloise. We talked, we went to Larson's, we played with packaging and cardboard boxes. Pretty close to a perfect visit. Then I went to my friend Mary's, whom I call Meredith, and we chatted and played with her daughters Madeline and Charlotte. We had leftovers and part of the entertainment was watching Charlotte eat. I helped rearrange living room furniture in order to accommodate a Christmas tree and read books and played catch with a stuffed penguin. Also a super fun visit.

I am thankful for the times I am able to spend with friends who don't live in Portland. I don't get to see them as often so I cherish the time we get to visit.

kk

11/25/10 Happy Thanksgiving

Today I drove up to Bellevue with my mother in order to get together with my immediate extended family for dinner. We had a smooth drive and made it to my grandparent's house swiftly and safely. We had delicious appetizers and a great meal. I haven't seen my family since last Christmas so it was really good to see them. I had a great time visiting with people I sat next to but didn't get to talk to everyone so I am looking forward to Christmas. Plus some people were missing so I didn't get to talk to them at all. But after it being 11 months, it was a visit long overdue.

I am thankful for my family, and I am thankful that they are close enough that I have the ability to go up and see them, and I am thankful that I am not working at the restaurant anymore so I am available to go up and see them!

kk

11/24/10 Bagels

Today was the last day of work before the Holiday break. There were only going to be three of us in the office today, down from 11. And I was only going to be there a short time. I decided to bring us bagels as a treat. My boss brought the cream cheese and our front desk gal brought some grapes. On my way to Noah's Bagels on Hawthorne at 7:30 this frosty morning I was struck by how quiet it was as I walked back to my car. Being that the weather had been bad, people were not going into work or driving anywhere really. Being that it was the day before Thanksgiving, people were not going in to work. So there were almost no people walking around. Plus it was early. But there were also almost no animals anywhere. It must be too cold for them. Especially since the temperature dropped over night. It must have come as quite a shock to them. So not only were there no people noises, there were no animal noises either. It was a nice to just hear nothing. The stillness of the air was very relaxing and made me smile.

I am thankful for the stillness this morning.

kk

11/23/10 Jolly Time

I work with a woman who schedules "Fend For Yourself" dinner nights a couple of times a year. She cooks every other night, but on this night everyone can eat whatever they want for dinner. Anything is fair game. The only rule is that you have to have a piece of fruit or a vegetable as well. I told her I wished I had that and she reminded me that as an adult I can make that decision for myself. But it isn't quite the same as having permission. I do have to say that I am a big fan of popcorn for dinner. Something I probably inherited from my mom. And very often I will have popcorn for dinner. It's better than having dinner and popcorn right? Who needs the extra calories? I am just replacing them. And although there isn't much nutritional value, it is better than having both so I feel justified. It used to drive John crazy.

One great garage sale purchase was my air pop popcorn maker I got at the sale through the Spanish Club at Clark. We were raising money to go to Spain and so I was working it. One of the other members brought it and I promptly put it in my car after paying my dollar for it. It has been great! See, also I am being healthy by having it air popped and not putting any salt on it. Tonight I had way too much dinner and then a little popcorn. But I haven't had popcorn in a very long time so I was very excited to have it today.

I am thankful for popcorn from my air popper. Delicious!

kk

11/22/10 Bert and Ernie

Bath toys are a big thing for kids. We get to play with boats, differently shaped and colored sponges, rubber duckies. One of the best toys I got for the bath was from one of the Gardner's. I don't remember if it was Eric, Mark, or Evan. Maybe they all got it for me. They came over for a slumber party. It was in the old house so I was probably around 7. I got a travel toothbrush holder shaped like an ice cream cone, I think I got a Hello Kitty mirror and comb, and I got some bath crayons. You can use them to draw on the walls, yourself, whatever, and it washed right off. How cool were those? I wonder if they still make them.

Two years ago I went to a Christmas party at a friend from college's house. We had a white elephant gift exchange. Side note here, why do we have white elephant gift exchanges? We buy gifts that we know people won't like? Maybe it takes the pressure off, but it also seems like kind of a waste of money. Anyway, I got ended up walking away with some small rubber duckies. One is a devil, and one is an angel. When you touch the silver connector thingies, they light up. They are very cool. I have them on the ledge in my shower. Although the devil goes almost three times as long as the angel which kind of creeps me out so I make sure to light him first so that they end closer to the same time and I don't have a devil ducky pulsating red light at me while I shower.

I am thankful for my light-up rubber duckies that make me shower entertaining.

kk

11/21/10 Learning = Living

This summer I took an acting class with Michael Mendelson. I am currently in his Fall class. Well, actually, today was our last day. I feel that his classes have been invaluable to me. I have learned so much about acting, in general, and about myself. I feel that I have improved and have been fortunate enough to work with some great people. I can't recommend him highly enough. If you are an actor in town, go go go take one of his classes.

I am thankful for my work with Michael and everything he has taught me thus far.

kk

11/20/10 Phew!

I was scheduled to go to some very important callbacks today from 12:30-2:30. After that I was to head over to a film shoot. Thursday I got an email from the movie director saying he would see the people on Saturday at 9am. I responded with an "I'm confused, please clarify" email and he said that they had changed the schedule and he hadn't talked to me first. I said that was fine if I could get everything done by 11:30 so I could be out of there by 11:45. I definitely did not want to be running of to an audition and be stressed about that. Especially when we had already set up a schedule. So we did the shoot. I don't feel very satisfied with my work. I think I was a little stressed about time so we will see how the movie turns out. But I was wrapped at 11:35 and arrived at my callback in plenty of time. I was able to change and breathe and just be there before I actually needed to be in a room reading.

I am thankful I got out of my film shoot on time today.

kk

11/19/10 Bad theatre can still be fun

I went to a show tonight that was, simply put, terrible. I was there on a comp, thank goodness, to watch a friend of mine interpret the performance. The show had been adapted to be set in a circus sideshow. So in the lobby were all different booths. I bought some tokens so I could support the theatre and also to get stuff! I bought a fake mustache. I got some fancy earrings. I ate some popcorn. And I had my fortune read. The fortune teller gave me a card "strength" to use in help deciding the order of the scenes in the show. So that was exciting too. I watched a woman turn into a gorilla. I saw a horse behind a curtain guess a man's birthday month. Then I sat and watched a really long hour and twenty minute show. I know it doesn't sound long, but it was torturous. I had already been warned that this was a bizarre and not quite awesome show so going into it I had no expectations and was able to have fun where I knew I could. The person I was watching the show with wondered why I was having so much fun beforehand. It was because I decided I would. I was having lots of fun with my mustache on a stick, I seriously contemplated feeding the hunger artist some of my popcorn, and the fortune teller told me when I would find true love. Only, really, she didn't. That was my question and basically she just told me that I was a great person and whoever met me would be a lucky man. That is not helpful Miss! Oh well. I had a great time before the show anyway. And it was fun watching my friend work. More fun than the actual show.

I am thankful that I am able to find a way to have fun even when I know the 'task' at hand may not be so enjoyable.

kk

11/18/10 Chugga Chugga Choo Choo

I grew up in Redmond, Washington and went to Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. During breaks, I would take the train home. I didn't have a car the first two years so it was really the only option to make it home without a family member driving down to pick me up and then driving down again to drop me off. I had never taken the train before. It was great! I would take the four hours to watch the scenery, nap, eat, read, and get my homework done. I didn't have to worry about doing homework over the break since I had used my travel time so wisely. Whatever I didn't quite finish, I could do on the train ride back and back at the dorm Sunday night. I didn't have to worry about driving and paying attention to the road. I didn't have to worry about other people driving and paying attention to the road. I didn't have to stop for gas, treats, or a bathroom break. This is the only train riding I've done. PDX to SEA.

Barb took a train to Minnesota or some place when she was in college for a project during J-term I think. I remember thinking that was so cool. A cross-country trip. I think they ran into some bad weather so it may not have been awesome 100 percent of the time. But growing up watching movies like "From Russia with Love" always made me want to take a train ride which required me to have a sleeper car. How fun. The traveling itself would be part of the adventure! I've taken cruises and they aren't the same. I don't particularly care for them. But a long distance train ride seems fun still. I'd like to take the train up to Vancouver, Canada and spend a weekend there. I'm not sure it's overnight though. Maybe I could visit my dad in Alaska. I am sure that would require a few days.

Today while walking I heard a train whistle in the distance and it reminded me of the traveling I've done and would like to do. I was filled with good memories and excitement at the same time. I live about 20 blocks away from a train yard and I don't hear trains almost ever. Every once in awhile. It is nice to not have to hear their loud engines or whistles all the time. I don't think I would enjoy liking right next to the train yard or train tracks, but I do enjoy being able to hear them every once in awhile.

I am thankful for train which offer a way to travel to a destination other than flying or driving where you can really enjoy the scenery. Not to mention the added bonus of more leg room!

kk

11/17/10 Is there any water left in the sky?

It has been pouring buckets! Here is one thing I do love about when it rains so much in such a short amount of time, especially when all the leaves are on the ground and clogging up drains: standing water. I know, I know, it can be very dangerous. There is a place on the freeway where it is very scary. I meant more like in areas that you drive that aren't too too busy or fast. I also know that as bad as it is for my car and I shouldn't do it, I love driving through them faster than I should and having the water spray every where!

I kind of want to get drenched like they do in those movies where nothing is going right for our poor lead character and this is just the last thing that makes their day suck. Of course, I really only want it to happen when I am able to laugh at it and not actually have to be somewhere and perhaps I can have a change of my clothes in my car so I can be dry again. I'm not sure that that perfect scenario will ever happen. Either I will never get sprayed, or it will end up sucking just like in the movies. But it is still fun for me to drive through them. I kind of want to spray someone too. But I wouldn't want them to be super sad so I don't ever do it on purpose even though there is a small part of me that really wants too.

Wouldn't it be fun to just have a wall of water shot at you as a surprise. Although, it is probably gross icky, oily, nasty road water so maybe that wouldn't be fun at all. I guess perhaps I need to be in a movie where this can happen with clean water on a set? I'll work on that.

I am thankful for driving through big splashy puddles on rainy days.

kk

11/16/10 Lady Giraffe

My friend Renee Rugh has a photo above her bed which reads "Hope." Each letter is a different picture and is formed using iron work you would normally see around town and not think twice about. The "H" is formed from bars, the "E" from the swirl at the end of a bench. I love iron work and I love thinking about things in a new way. This picture is right up my alley. And on this particular day it very much speaks to me about Renee. I don't know how long she's had it but it is something that I feel is important right now.

A few months ago Renee found a lump in her breast. She went in for an appointment and had some tests done. X-ray, Ultrasound, lots and lots of doctors poking and feeling while she stood there exposed. Nothing showed up as a problem, but based on the size they decided to do surgery and remove it. Just to be on the safe side. She would have to go in for some follow up appointments, check the other breast, etc. So the day came when she had her follow-up appointment to plan the following appointment schedule. Thinking that this was an appointment merely to set up more appointments,

Renee went alone.

The doctor told her it was cancer, they hadn't gotten it all, and would have to do another surgery.

She had more tests, both breasts. Still nothing showing up as cancerous. Renee feels the spots that are showing up on the second breast seem questionable though. They did a second surgery and it came back as positive for cancer on three sides. There was more.

The doctors are somewhat dumbfounded. They have never seen anything like this. The tissue doesn't look cancerous to the naked eye, it isn't showing up on X-ray, it isn't showing up on the Ultrasound. They don't know how much more there is. He has taken this case to a board of doctors to get their opinions. She has her blood drawn to see if she carries the gene for cancer and is told her options.

Option 1: Have a third lumpectomy and hope they get it all at the risk of removing even more tissue which will leave her breast somewhat deformed.

Option 2: Mastectomy. Followed by reconstruction.

Renee is 25.

The blood results come back as negative for the gene which is good news. But doesn't put her in the clear. New options.

Option 1: Lumpectomy including checking lymph nodes for cancer. If there is cancer in her lymph nodes she will have to undergo radiation and can't continue with reconstruction until radiation is complete. Apparently it affects the implants and makes them bumpy or something. Which means after everything goes through ok it is yet another surgery. She will have to take menopausal medication for the next 5 years to help reduce her risk of the cancer coming back. She will have to have check-ups every 6 months, for, what? ever? I think so. She is still at a high rick for the cancer to return.

Option 2: Mastectomy including checking lymph nodes for cancer and following the same plan. Medication and check-ups and still considered a high risk. The medication causes a slew of uncomfortable side effects. Mood swings, hot flashes, profuse sweating, weight gain. It also can cause blood clots, which go to your heart and kill you. On the plus side, one option in reconstruction includes taking your own fat from your own body and using that instead of implants. She could do some chosen body-shaping if she wanted. But this would leave two surgeries to recover from.

Option 3: Double mastectomy. Again, checking lymph nodes for cancer. No medication and her risk drops to about 1%. Check-ups not nearly as frequently. Reconstruction of both breasts to make sure they are symmetrical. And really, to a size of her choosing. Downfalls? She's 25. She doesn't have any kids and it eliminates her possibility of breast-feeding. Some people may not feel strongly while others do. It is still something to take into consideration and come to terms with. Some women can't breastfeed anyway even if they want to, but that usually is discovered at the time of, not by eliminating the option. She would be removing a part of her body and that is hard to do. I feel it is a bit better than having to remove a leg due to gangrene or a hand because of frostbite. But many women have a strong identification of their femininity with their breasts and so it is still a hard thing to decide. I also learned that then you have no nipples which can be tattooed on but some of the pictures we were looking at did not look so good and so I think that can be a bit worrisome. No one wants to look different or strange. However, living is the most important thing. But when they can't say for sure how much cancer there even is, or where, how do you make such a monumental decision?

I saw a show many years ago about women who had had single or double mastectomies and had since had gotten tattoos on their chests. One woman even had shirts specially designed for her to show off her left pectoral area. They were beautiful! We looked up pictures of tattoos. Some were so awesome. I think a person most definitely has to go through the grieving process for the loss of a part of their body, in whatever capacity of loss she may decide upon. But then I think it is so important to look at this as an opportunity. Making the right decision and having the best possibility for survival. And then being able to choose the breasts you want. An opportunity we don't get naturally. (An opportunity one pays for dearly if they decide on breast augmentation.) An opportunity to use your body as a canvas to celebrate your beauty if you so desire. An opportunity to remain strong and be a beacon of hope for all those around you.


I am so thankful for my dear friend Renee Rugh.

kk

11/15/10 I know that light

This morning looked like snow. I know it isn't cold enough but the clouds and light just look different on a day when it is about to snow. I started to get very excited at the possibility. I think there is some in the forecast for next week too so that is very exciting.

My mother likes the snow. As long as it is only on people's lawns. Then it is pretty but you can still drive safely. Can you imagine if it only snowed in convenient areas? That would be kind of cool. I like it to snow everywhere. I don't like when people don't know how to drive in it and become crazy scary drivers. But I live in a place that is within walking distance of many things so I can get most of what I need without driving. The only thing I would have to drive to would be work and if school operations are suspended I don't have to do that either. Let's hope for that. If school classes are canceled I still have to go, so pray for suspended operations. Thanks.

The actual snow is exciting, sure, but the anticipation of it is seemingly even more so. And the light on the clouds when it is about to snow is something that I don't see any other time. It is the best.

I am thankful for the special sunlight that accompanies the clouds of pre-snow!

kk

11/14/10 Fog

This weekend has had some very interesting foggy weather. I have seen it rolling though the valleys up on pill hill, driven just under it on the freeway by the zoo, like being in a room with a low ceiling, and driven through it where it was foggy on second and then clear the next even though it was the same elevation. The fog was hanging out in very localized areas. It was all very interesting and especially so since it was so varied. I suppose I don't really like fog on windy, unlit, back roads at night, but other than that I find it very fun and interesting. I especially like watching it roll along. I like climbing Saddle Mountain and hiking through the fog and clouds and breaking through. Watching the valley shrouded in white is very interesting. Not every time though, I do enjoy seeing the green too.

I am thankful for interesting and mysterious fog.

kk

11/13/10 Humor

I got my younger sister's wedding invitation in the mail this week. It is not your traditional invite. It is quirky and fun. On the outside is a very nice picture of her and her fiance. On the inside is a picture of them together making goofy faces. I think it is great!

My family has a very different kind of sense of humor. It is witty and goofy but also very intellectual and logical. People have a hard time telling me jokes because I tell them they aren't funny because they don't make sense. They've told me to just laugh because it is a joke. And I reply "But it isn't funny." We all find humor in semantics or the misuse of language by people who say one thing that means something else. It probably started when we were young and we asked our mother to make us a sandwich. Her reply was "Ok, what kind of sandwich would you like to be?" We learned quickly to phrase things correctly. If you just listen to what people are actually saying you realize that often we don't say what we mean. But in everyday speaking we know what they mean even if it is incorrect. But if you actually think about what was just said, it is quite comical.

It is hard to find people who actually "get" us then too. Especially since we are such a mix of what is thought of as funny. But I really enjoy our humor and that we all "get" it.

I am thankful for my sense of humor.

kk

11/12/10 Bird on a Wire

On my drive to work in the morning I am always interested in the one lamp post on Mcloughlin Blvd that is extremely popular. There are, of course, lamp posts lining the street but this one is the only one that has birds sitting on it. About 20 birds sits as close together as possible in order to all fit on there all facing the same direction. They are surrounded by other posts, buildings, signs that would all serve well as places to perch as well, but they all pick this one. I find it very funny and amusing. Maybe they do that to keep warm? Maybe they are choosing to be surrounded by friends so they aren't lonely. I am not sure but it always makes me smile as I drive past.

I am thankful for all the birds that line up on one lamp post.

kk

11/11/10 Red, White, and Blue

I have many family members that have served our country in the military as well as many friends and acquaintances. I am grateful for them. They have an extremely hard job that is often met with disdain from civilians who disagree with the politics of war. It is often a thankless job, extremely dangerous, and emotionally, mentally and physically difficult. We have services to help vets but they often come back from war and have a difficult time finding work and integrating back into civilian life. It is a job that I don't think I could ever do myself and I am so glad that there are people who take the responsibility of joining the armed forces.

I am thankful for the service men and women of the United States of America.

k

11/10/10 Lifesavers

Do you remember the lifesavers commercial from the early 1990's where a father and young daughter are sitting on a hill watching the sun go down? The father says "Going, going, gone." And then the little girl turns to him and whispers "Do it again Daddy." I love that commercial. It reminds me of It's a Wonderful Life when Zu Zu hands her broken flower to Jimmy Stewart and says "Paste it Daddy." So cute.

It is interesting to me how the sunsets can be so different from day to day. Depending on the weather, the time of year, and unfortunately, the amount of pollution in the air. Sometimes they are just absolutely breathtaking. The lifesavers commercial is one with a fantastic sunset that is shared. And isn't it so much nicer to share things and experiences? Today's wasn't quite spectacular but it was a pretty good one and it reminded me of how amazing some are and I look forward to seeing more. Hopefully that will happen once in awhile to help get me through what is shaping up to be a pretty cold and gray winter!

I am thankful for beautiful sunsets.

kk

11/9/10 Running

Portland is home to a relay race that is extremely popular internationally. So popular that they have to limit the number of teams that can enter. If you've ran the race the year before you have a good chance of being allowed to continue, but I don't believe you have a 100% guarantee. But you can fact check that. New teams are put into a drawing to see who will be allowed to participate.

The Portland "Hood to Coast" is the largest relay race in North America and happens every year toward the end of August. Often on my birthday. This coming year it will be the 26th-27th. Teams of 12 driving in 2 vans runs legs of anywhere from 2-7 miles from Mount Hood to the Portland coastline. It takes two days. You alternate through your team taking turns until you complete your 197 miles.

Last year I joined a new team but we didn't get selected to run in 2010. You register for the following year in October and we just heard back today that we made it in for 2011! Now I really need my foot to heal so I can start training again. I didn't get to participate in the Portland Marathon this year due to injury so I'm excited to be able to do the relay next summer.

I am thankful our team was drawn to run the Hood to Coast next year.

kk

11/8/10 Headstone Rubbings

In sixth grade I went to outdoor ed. It was so cool. I took archery. I learned how to cook a mini pizza pocket in a fire. I decorated a sweatshirt. I played capture the flag. I participated in a fun skit. I built a shelter in the woods to protect myself from bad weather. I made a wilderness survival kit in a big metal band-aid box. I took rubbings on designs from the cemetery stones nearby.

These rubbings were pretty cool. We used paper and crayons. Mine was green. People have done different processes to come up with a similar result. People use indentations or raised designs to color over to make a design on another sheet of paper. People use the sun to take the designs of leaves and flowers and "burn" them onto paper.

At Clark, the leaves from the many trees fall all around campus. Down on the lower campus is a sidewalk that is lighter in color. The leaves lay there and the rain drains the leaves of their color. The leaves eventually blow away or disintegrate. Left behind is the color of the sidewalk where the leaf used to be, surrounded by the color of the cement. It is like a stencil. Sometimes the look is pretty uniform. It is as if the leaf is still there. And sometimes it is like someone brushed the color mostly off to one side and you can see the leaf sliding away.

The leaves fall at many different angles from many different trees and have many different shapes and sizes. I like to look at the art that nature has provided in a semi=permanent way until the color finally washes away. Everyday I notice a different area that looks neat.

I am thankful for the natural leaf art on the sidewalks around campus.

kk

11/7/10 The Ol' Hitchin' Post

I had these two solid, hard plastic horses growing up. I have no idea who I got them from. They looked like real horses, not Barbie horses. One was a mama horse, and one was a foal. I never played with them. I don't remember liking them very much. But I had them on display on my shelves because I had got them from someone. Thinking about them now, they were way cooler than my other cheap ones. I wish I had appreciated them more when I was younger. A few years ago I sold them at a garage sale to a little girl. I was so happy she liked them and I knew she would play with them. And even though I had never played with them and didn't particularly like them as a kid, there was a large part of me that was sad as I watched her carry them away.

One of the great things about the streets in Portland is the occasional metal ring in the curb of the sidewalk. When I first moved here I had no idea what those were for. And then I saw a toy horse tied up to one once. How cool, I thought. Turns out that that is exactly what they were used for. People used them to tie their horses up outside stores while they went in to shop. There are even some on residential streets. They aren't everywhere any more. As curbs have been replaced by the city, I do not believe that they include the metal rings again. I feel like finding one is like finding a treat. A nice way to remember history. Some of the rings are still in pretty good condition and some look fairly mangled and deformed. And every once in awhile you see one with a horse tethered to it. These are the best rings of all to see. I wish I had one outside the front of my house. I would definitely find a horse to tie up there.

I am thankful for the toy horses tied to rings outside stores or houses around Portland.

kk

11/6/10 Long, thin, slimy ones. Short, fat, juicy ones.

Yesterday in the little bit of time that I had between things during the break in the weather I did some weeding in my front yard. I remember how my mom loved gardening. I hated it. The one great thing about developing Spondylolisthesis in high school and wearing a back brace for 6-weeks was that I didn't have to help weed any more! It hurt my back.

I have discovered that although it sucked weeding while growing up, I thoroughly enjoy it now. I think it makes a difference when it is your house. I do enjoy the immediate gratification I get from seeing how much of a difference I have made too. And another great thing is that my mom lives only a few miles away and she sometimes comes and helps me weed. For hours. I figure it is my gift to her to allow her to weed, since she enjoys it so much. But really she has helped me a lot over the past three years getting my beds into shape and that has really been a gift for me. Plus we get to hang out and chat and so we have fun. And I have no idea where to trim rose bushes or tree branches so she helps tell me where to trim and I put in the manual labour of sawing tree branches or trimming my butterfly bush a perch a ladder.

Yesterday, I came across a few worms and tried to move them to a safe place where I wouldn't shovel them.

In junior high school we had an assembly with people from the Seattle Science Center. They had an aquarium full of dirt, some lettuce leaves, and a few other things, including several worms. I believe they asked us what we saw. They told us that they had only put produce in there and no dirt. So why were we saying that we saw dirt? Turns out that the worms made the dirt. Which is both cool and gross to think about. I have remembered that assembly ever since. That's the only part I remember but it has fascinated me ever since. I have a composting bin in my yard, but I really want a wormery for my deck. How awesome are worms? They create soil, which is something good, by eating my old produce scraps, which is also good. I don't have to throw my scraps away, I can recycle them. And I can use good quality dirt without having to buy fertilizer.

I do feel bad for worms though too. What a tough and dangerous life they lead. On days like today where it is pouring down rain, they run the risk of drowning. So they crawl, slither, inch...what do worms do? to the surface so that they can breathe. Here they become prime targets for bird food and if it gets too sunny too fast they burn and die. And people step on them. And on regular days of just chillin' in their homes they run the rick of having someone come and dig in their area and chop them in half. Worms should move to the forest where there is a nice canopy to shelter them from the sun and too much rain. Less foot traffic, less digging, and less likely that they would need to escape to the surface and then become a bird's breakfast. But I am glad that there are worms who have decided to live at my house and increase the quality of my land. I do try and be good to them.

I am thankful for worms.

kk

11/5/10 Power lines

I attended Lewis and Clark College in Portland, which is how I ended up here. I came for school and never left. It was here that I remember my first time seeing shoes thrown up to cling to power lines. There were always at least one pair, if not more, in between the Spruce and Ponderosa Dorms. I don't know what it is about shoes dangling from power lines that makes me smile. I'm sure the power company doesn't like it at all. I'm sure there must be some kind of danger to them being there. Although if birds can sit on the wires, why can't shoes? Despite the annoyance I am sure some people feel, it makes me pretty happy to see them. I always wonder who threw them up there? How long did it take, how many tries, before they were successful? Are they throwing their own shoes, or someone else's? Do they not need them anymore? How did they happen to be carrying a pair of shoes? It must have been a plan, right? So then, how did they pick this location? It is fun to see all the different kinds of shoes that people throw. Different styles and different colors. Though they are all also very similar in a way. Too bad people can't decorate power lines with stilettos or slippers or boots. Boots are probably too heavy. Probably hard to throw too. But I would like to see some high heels hanging from some lines. That would be different and exciting. I guess I will just have to keep my eyes peeled for a more creative artist.

I am thankful for the shoes that randomly decorate power lines.

kk

11/4/10 It's a bird, it's a plane

This year has been very strange for weather. What is nice about recently is that there is some unseasonably warm, dry, and sunny weather. Part of my goal for this blog is to really be aware of all that is around me and take in the natural beauty that we take for granted everyday.

I have been noticing the sky recently and how amazing all the clouds have been. I must learn how to upload pictures from my new phone to the site here. I'm still learning how to use it. It is funny to me how often I see the sky and think that it doesn't even look real, it looks like a painting. I guess I should be thinking "Wow! Those painters sure were talented. They captured the sky exactly right." But I don't. It is either "Yep, that's the sky," or an amazement of how it doesn't even look like anything real. What is fantastic about being here in Portland is that we have mountains that help to make that skyline very interesting. And the city itself has some cool structures that add to the beauty, yet it isn't a very large city with so many tall buildings that you can't hardly even see the sky.

I am thankful for the clouds and how different they can be adding to the interestingness (can I make that into a word?) of the sky. There are so many different types of clouds and much like snow flakes they are seldom the same from day to day now and so it is always a delightful surprise to see what I see.

kk

11/3/10 Crunch, Swish

It has been dry for more than 24 hours so the leaves have dried out on the walkways and parking lots. I love to hear them crunch as swish as I walk through them.

Growing up on Education Hill meant that the high school was 5 blocks away. The elementary school was just a few more. The junior high school just beyond that. Another elementary school down to the right. A pre-school down to the left. A private elementary school across the street from that. And another elementary school at the bottom of the hill.

One fall day when I was in junior high, my mother announced to us girls that we were going to go to Hartman Park and play in the leaves. We were mortified. Erika was in elementary school and Barb was in high school. The leaves that fell from the trees at Hartman Park that we drove past everyday were on the main drag directly across from the high school. How embarrassing! We were forced to put on our outdoor play clothes and boots, and walk to the park, and carry rakes to rake them with. We made it there and raked them into piles like we had to and then ran and jumped in them. I don't know how long we were there. Hours. We had so much fun. It started out as this horrible idea that my mother had to force us to have fun and enjoy ourselves. Lo and behold was she ever right. Amazing how moms do these kinds of things. So we quickly forgot about any kind of street traffic and played in the leaves.

We didn't have a lot of money and so I think my mom did what she could to provide us with entertainment and fun as well as creating family bonding time without it being dependent on 'stuff'. I did get 'things' I wanted but I can say that most of the enjoyment I remember about my childhood was the activities that we did and time we shared and how much fun we could have doing free things. We played in the leaves. We had water fights with hoses, guns, and balloons. We played tennis against our garage doors. We played baseball in the front yard. We played hand ball in our hallway. We had family game night where we played board and card games for hours.

My mom taught me that we can be grown-ups and be mature and responsible, but we can also do things that some people label as "kid-play" like play in the leaves and get over ourselves and have fun. I still like to swish and run through the leaves kicking them up as I go along.

I am thankful for the dry leaves that are swirling about this time of year and today particularly.

kk

11/2/10 Bridgetown

I grew up in Redmond, Washington on Education Hill. Driving not very far would take you to Snoqualmie Falls, Lake Washington, Lake Sammamish, Puget Sound, large bodies of water. I love Portland, but one of the things I miss most is all the water. The Willamette is not quite the same. I loved going to Kirkland or even just taking the 520 bridge. I love how, as a floating bridge, it divides the water into rough and smooth. Depending on which way the wind is blowing will decide which side is choppy and which is like glass.

When I was living in England I traveled in Amsterdam for several days. First I was giddy when I walked out of the train station and saw all the bikes in the parking lot. Insane. They were every where. I'd never seen anything like that. It was such a shock and it just tickled me. No cars, just bicycles. But then I was increasingly happy to walk across all the bridges they have in town. I watched people travel by boat down the canals, people living in their boats. It was so great. I think I would like Italy. I must go there.

Tonight, driving to OBA! for dinner as it was just becoming dark, I was memorized by the beauty of the city lights but also all the city's bridges. The St. John's, Freemont, Broadway, and Steel to my right, and the Morrison, Hawthorne, Marquam, Ross Island and Sellwood to my left as I crossed over the Burnside. Although Portland doesn't have large bodies of water, it does have some great bridges.

I am thankful for the many different styles, types, and sheer number of bridges Portland has.

kk

11/1/10 A Winnie-the-Pooh kind of day

Today was quite blustery. It reminds me of the time I was living in London my Senior year of college. I was on a study abroad trip and one long weekend I decided to take the ferry over to Ireland to get on a train to go to Waterford. My soul purpose was to see the countryside on my way to buy my mother Waterford china from Waterford, Ireland. This was not the countryside I was expecting or hoping to see so I think I shall have to travel along the other coast next. I think I am more interested in the south and the west...

I arrived in Waterford and then took a taxi to the factory making sure to tell the taxi driver that I was meeting friends there. Just to make sure he knew people were expecting me so he couldn't kidnap me. I wonder if he knew I was lying. I went on the tour and it was fascinating. I purchased a small butterfly for my mother and then went to Rosslare Harbour to wait for the ferry back. I checked into a hostel and walked along the bluff. It was incredibly windy. But not cold. My favorite kind of weather. Well, I suppose I like the sun and warm weather too, but there is something about the wind that really invigorates me. As long as I am warm. If I am cold, then I am not a happy camper. I think one of the things I like so much is my fantasy of being in a movie on the top of a bluff in some very windy weather wearing a long flowing white dress. Maybe that is already a movie. I'm not sure. But I think that would be fun to film.

I am thankful for the wind that blows about and makes me happy.

kk

10/31/10 Longshore Woman

I have told this story several times but it never ceases to surprise me.

My younger sister's birthday is July 27th, mine is August 23rd. Erika wanted some yellow rain slickers for her birthday. My dad was currently living on a sailboat and I'm not sure if she wanted them for there or if she wanted them just for 'cause. When her birthday rolled around she got a pair. My dad was super excited and asked me if I wanted some for my birthday. In a way that I thought was very clear I said No! I do not want any. Do not get those for me. Guess what I got for my birthday? I don't think my dad didn't hear me. Perhaps I wasn't clear after all. Perhaps he forgot. Perhaps he felt as my father, he knew what I needed more than I did. I'm not sure the reason. Nevertheless, I got some firsherman slickers for my birthday. I was not happy. You should see the picture of me trying them on. It couldn't be any more obvious.

Now I think these are pretty expensive. Maybe not, I don't actually know. Maybe that just makes my story seem more dramatic. As a pack rat I didn't throw them out or give them away. Instead I saved them, unworn, for years.

My ex-husband and I started a window cleaning business. I washed the inside, and he washed the outside. I also did the pressure washing, which was probably the best part ever. Did I not have the perfect ensemble in my possession to pressure wash in? Yes! I pulled out my slickers and have worn those countless times pressure washing driveways or sides of houses. The pants are good to keep your legs dry and when it is also raining, as it tends to do here in the Northwest, the jacket was great. Add the sealskin gloves and a knit hat and you're good to go. I have been so grateful for those slickers since.

I was reminded of this today when I was cleaning the windows at the country club. By some divine intervention it stopped raining and I was able to clean without my jacket on, but everything was still wet. I tramp through lots of ivy with a 25 foot painters pole trying to reach different windows. I always get hundreds of fiberglass slivers in my hand from the pole, but I am never wet. I wear my slickers. Today it was especially good to have them because I was washing a window in the grille, right next to a table with a older couple at it, and walking up a hill of ivy backwards. In the ivy are a bunch of decaying leaves all brown and slimy and slippery. My legs shot out from under me and I fell right on my behind and was basically lying in the ivy. The woman at the table got up and looked out at me with a look of concern on her face. But I couldn't see her yet. All I could see was the man craning his neck and watch me laughing. I smiled to show I was ok and he smiled back. As I stood, I saw the woman and she slowly sat back down. I think it must have been obvious that I fell, not because they could see me, but rather that my squeegee must have hit the window quite loudly.

But I stood up and was completely dry. Thanks to my slickers to got as a gift around 15 years ago.

Today I am thankful for those slickers.

kk

10/30/10 iPhone 4

My new iPhone 4 is amazing. I am unfortunately overly addicted like the people I used to make fun of. But the whole reason I got one was so that I could access email for work and also be able to mapquest things for freelance work. The mapping has saved me so much and has made my life so much easier! I need to get a handle on the other aspect of it wasting too much of my time but I am thinking that is just because it is a new toy. At least I'm hoping it is...

I am thankful for my iPhone with all its capabilities that are helping to make my job easier.

kk

10/29/10 red

I love the colors of the fall. This year has been so strange weather-wise. Summer was lame and this fall has been very odd. Most of the leaves didn't really change color. They kind of started and then just all fell off. It was quite disappointing.

However, driving to work this morning I noticed all of the vines growing on the cement walls of the freeway and they are now all a brilliant color of red. What a treat on these gray days to be graced with a splash of color to lighten up the day.

I am thankful for the wonderful fall colors along the freeway walls.

kk

10/28/10 beach boys

Is there any better test of a relationship than a road trip? I think not. We watch relationships of all kinds grow and become stronger or utterly fail on the show "The Amazing Race." Some people have great communication skills and work together under pressure. Some people become so mean and biting that I wonder how embarrassed they are when they see what they look like on air. We laugh at road trips depicted in movies like whatever that one is with Ben Stiller where he marries that girl in San Francisco that he hardly knows and then they road trip to Mexico and he finds out she is crazy. Mostly in the car on their way there. I have friends that have road tripped with their partner and felt like their partner was stupid since apparently they didn't know how to read a map. And as annoyed as we all get at times at the ineptitude of our traveling companion, aren't road trips just awesome? I do love flying, but there is something more in a road trip.

I have gone on many road trips throughout my life. When I was younger I went with my family down trough the Redwoods and ended up in Disneyland and San Diego. We have gone back east to visit family in Chicago and driven through Mt. Rushmore and other amazing things I don't remember. So they are on my list of things to visit again. I know we've been there but I don't have any recollection of Wall Drug, Rushmore or Yellowstone. I've road tripped to San Francisco twice, Vegas and Reno, Whistler, Canada twice, Vancouver Island, Canada, Lewiston and Clarkston in eastern Washington, Kennewick, down the Oregon Coast, from Savannah, Georgia down the Florida Coast to Orlando, and around Provence, France. I have traveled with Ashleigh Cashman, Chad Latta, John Sconce, Barb, Erika, and my mom and dad, and just my mom and me solo. Friends, family, and former partners.

For the most part we get along. There are definitely times where you want to get away or tell someone else how you are obviously right about something and your companion is wrong, and probably stupid, but you get through it and in my experience it is usually for the better. My most stressful times were when I was driving through France with my mom. The roads are narrower and people drive crazy fast. Through mountainous and curvy roads. People on motorcycles were passing me around blind corners! People honk at you and you are just trying to figure out where to turn off the million and one round-abouts. My mom had been to France twice before so I nominated her the navigator and me the driver. But sometimes her directions were: we should follow the signs to fill-in-the-blank. But with having all the crazy traffic, the people speeding, passing, and honking I didn't have time to look at signs and there were some tense times when I couldn't get the directions the way I wanted them, though I hadn't told her how I needed them yet. But once we finally were able to establish what the best way to navigate was for the both of us, and I was reminded that really we didn't have a plan so if we took the wrong turn, we could just turn around, or continue around the round-about if we missed the exit until it came up again, I was able to relax. It really wasn't that big a deal. We were there to enjoy the countryside and each others company. Don't let the stress of other people get in the way of that.

Anyway, back to The Beach Boys. It seems like every road trip I took with my family growing up had a soundtrack of The Beach Boys, The Beatles, and "What's New Pussycat" by Tome Jones. It's Tom Jones, right? What a great song. We all loved that one. So one of the classes I work in plays a variety of music. Today was all Beach Boys. It reminded me of road trips of when I was younger and then road trips in general.

I am thankful for road trips I have taken and for many more to come.

kk

10/27/10 sound

I know and work with some amazing Deaf people. I am a firm believer that a Deaf person can do anything a hearing person can do, except hear. And for many Deaf people, they don't mind or care that they can't hear. They were born Deaf and have a rich culture and language and therefore feel whole. They only face a lot of problems in trying to deal with ignorant hearing people. Given the choice between blind and deaf I would definitely choose deaf. I already know the language and I think I could get by without hearing. I think not being able to see would be much more scary for me. But there are definitely things I would miss. The sound of the ocean, the sound of the wind as it blows through the fall leaves, music, children's laughter, the phone.

I am thankful that I have my hearing and can enjoy all the sound around me.

kk

10/26/10 rainbows

Maybe I shouldn't be titling these, it seems like it gives everything away.

After a weekend of near record-breaking rainfall it is so nice to see a break in the clouds and a full rainbow! It seems akin to the dark cloud having a silver lining. I actually don't mind the rain but I am not excited about the cold. This summer was lame and it seems this fall is shaping up to be pretty lame too. I think we skipped most of fall and are headed straight for winter. The cold that accompanies winter is only acceptable if accompanied by snow. So bring that on. Freezing rain? Not so much. But I am ready for a winter wonderland if we're going to have an early one. It seems that with each negative aspect to the seasons, there is always something equally amazing about it.

So in the starting of the rainy season, I am thankful for the rainbows that the sky offers up.

kk

10/25/10 - that call

Hmm, not having internet at home and not being able to post from my phone is making this hard to get to everyday. But never fear, I am keeping track.

Being in a career filled with constant interviews and near weekly rejection I am so thankful for the phone call that starts with "Kirsten! We would like to offer you the role of..."

I am thankful for my recent success!

kk

10/24/10 in the wee small hours of the morning

Today I awoke at 5am to go to a job. For me, that was pretty early on a Sunday morning. For others, it is a pretty late Saturday night. Driving home while it is still dark outside, after a 2 hour job I was thinking how beautiful it is to drive over the Marquam Bridge and look at the city in lights. Usually, I like to look at it at night and really enjoy the city in lights, but this morning the lights were still on and the sky was getting lighter as the dawn approached. It is nice to think about how the city has been sleeping and while it is still now, soon it will be bustling with movement and activity. I was born at 6:30am so I've always been a morning person.

I am thankful that I am a person who can be awake and alert and present in the morning to witness the beauty that our world and city has to offer. Someone who may need coffee or another 3 hours before they are "awake" that then just drives to work in an auto-pilot fog misses it. They don't know what they're missing. Even in the pouring down rain. It's really amazing.

kk

10/23/10 Rain! And more rain!

No computer access yesterday means that I am posting on the 24th for the 23rd.

Pouring down rain reminds me of a day my senior year in high school. One of my best friends and fellow puddle jumper, Jennifer Steele, and I had taken the ACT one rainy Saturday morning. Or, at least I had. Afterward we decided to take advantage of the rain and drive around downtown Redmond in search of great puddles. We were still conscious of my mother's car I was borrowing and brought towels to cover the seat. As seniors in high school, how many people can say their idea of fun was to responsibly play in the rain? Some might call me boring. But I think water is super fun. We used to have water fights all the time at home. But that's a story for another day. So, Jennifer and I managed to find some pretty good puddles at various places, but the best one was in a little parking lot of shops just off the big QFC parking lot. There was a grate in a dip that was clogged and so there was a large pool of water that had collected. We jumped and jumped. People driving passed us honked and waved, including the police. We laughed and splashed and had a great time.

A half an hour later, or so, the police came by again and this time pulled into the lot. Jennifer and I had dared each other to sit in the puddle and we waved and smiled to them as they pulled up. I'm not sure we even stood up and the officer approached us. He started out conversationally and kind of sounded like he was joking when he asked us if we were testing the "water-proofness" of our pants. We laughed and said something. Yes or no, it doesn't matter. We were still jovial. Then the officer sternly tells us to stand up. He asks us if we are on drugs. First of all, if a person was on drugs would they really be playing in the rain after putting on their rain gear? We tell him no that we aren't on drugs. He tells us repeatedly that it isn't against the law to take drugs. I think he's trying to make it seem like if it isn't against the law then we won't be afraid to tell him? I don't know. I reply that it is against my moral conscience to take them whether or not it is against the law. And isn't it better for us to be playing in the rain than to be taking drugs? We said we've been here for some time and cars have waved at us. He replied that he drove past us and was the cop car that waved to us, but that some people had called and complained and thought we were on drugs. How would they have even known? No one had come within 30 yards of us. He shines a flashlight in our eyes and has us follow it. He asks us why our eyes are telling him we've been doing drugs. He asks us what we've been doing and what we've had today. I said I took the ACT this morning and all I've eaten was a soft boiled egg. Jennifer had had Tums. This to me is ridiculous. I'm a bit of a defiant person when faced with authority so although I am a little scared I'm also a little upset. He's lying and treating me like a criminal, which I am not, so I am actually becoming angry. And I know policemen have to identify themselves by their name and he never did so, so I'm feeling like I want to kind of be snotty in my responses. Thank goodness Jennifer was there, she was much more level headed and knew how to behave properly. He asked us what we would do if he brought out some breathalyzer or drug test or something to test us. I'm thinking Yeah, go ahead and try buddy, but Jennifer calmly responds that we would be more than happy to take it. So I politely respond affirmatively as well. We called his bluff. He said that he wasn't going to do that but since this is a busy parking lot, it isn't safe so we should go somewhere else. But we were in a side lot with no traffic! Whatever. So we got in our car and went to some office building parking lot but the puddles just weren't the same. But overall, it was still a fun day.

I am so thankful for my wonderful friend Jennifer Steele and her shared love of puddle jumping. I am thankful for playing in the rain. It is something I miss doing since I've moved to Portland and away from her. I don't have a friend here in Portland yet that shares my affinity for puddle jumping. I may go out into my own street this Fall/Winter and jump on my own. Maybe I can convince the parents of my 3-year-old neighbor across the street to let him come out and play with me...

kk