1/21/11 Toast

The Chinook Book is awesome. What is even better is getting it for free. What is even better is getting the additional online coupons for free too! Man the Crafty Wonderland was good to me this year.

Tonight Jason and I went to Toast, a restaurant just blocks from my house. We eat out quite frequently, thank you Jason, and we have had some great food, some ok food, and some food not that great and super expensive. We've had excellent service and places we will not go back to again.

Toast is a small locally-owned place that did a great job in all the categories. Plus I had a coupon! The man who sat us was very friendly and brought us some house made Parmesan bread sticks in a delicious marinara sauce. We started some fun juice drinks and crab cakes with hunks of crab that were so large they surprised us. They were also not super heavy and oily tasting. They were scrumptious, served over greens with slices of blood oranges. Jason had the chicken and I had the lamb stew. Both out of this world in flavor and good portion sizes for the cost. He had the pear trifle with vanilla bean pear sorbet for dessert. Our server was great. When Jason was done with his drink it was refilled for free with some more ginger ale. We were checked on frequently so as to not feel ignored, but not so much that we felt like it was too much attention. It was delicious and I would highly recommend going there. You can be casual and feel right at home or dress up a little and not feel totally out of place. Good times.

I am thankful for Toast.

kk

1/20/11 Fertile Ground

The Fertile Ground Festival happens annually for two weeks around this time of year. It is a chance for people to show new work and get feedback from audiences. It is pretty fun to see all the different things local people have written and come up with. This is my first year performing in the festival and I'm pretty excited about it. I will be in a reading on Sunday. But that's not what I want to talk about here.

Tonight I went to a show called Mr. Darcy. It was just a short one-woman show that was a snippet of a larger show to be mounted in the fall. It was all about how "Books Save Lives!" and the woman goes on to explain how books help people in a multitude of ways. She acted out some books from her youth and really did a great job. It was very funny and I am excited to see what they come up with for a full length production later this year.

I am thankful for the delightful show I saw this evening. What a great concept and so much fun.

kk

1/19/11 The Man in the Moon

Wow the moon is big and bright and beautiful. I always like when it is rising and it looks gigantic next to the horizon. And when it is bright orange or yellow that is even better.

We've been having way too much rain for my liking recently. I am not against the rain. I don't mind it normally. But I need to it not to be happening all the time. Especially not during the bulk of my summer. Tonight the sky was clear, well mostly, and I could see some stars and this beautiful moon. I like how it is always changing. Depending on where it is in the sky it looks like a completely different size and color. It waxes and wanes. It is up at night and sometimes it is up during the day. We have a children's moon, a harvest moon, a new moon, and a blue moon. We have lunar eclipses where the sun hides the moon and solar eclipses where the moon hides the sun. It's pretty amazing. Not to mention the tides being tied to the moon's movement. Yeah, I think I'll keep it.

I am thankful for the moon.

kk

1/18/11 Revisiting an old friend

When I was going through the Interpreter Training Program at PCC I found something that helped me. The program itself is very hard, grueling, and in a way, mean. You only get negative feedback. When you ask for things you are doing right the response was "if you don't hear about it, assume you are doing just fine." This is a pretty hard way to learn. It's stressful and hurtful. The program puts out quality interpreters but it is still a hard two years to come out the other side.

What I discovered was yoga. I would go in the morning before class. I can't believe the change that I felt inside. It is hard to quiet my mind. It is going all the time. But to take the hour and focus on breathing and body alignment and not the negative things, or the pressing things, or the homework or worry of whether or not I was going to pass the class or the program, was extremely helpful. I felt like a much happier person. I have not done yoga since the program but have always missed it. This quarter before I start work I am taking a yoga class at school. It is so nice to come back to it. I really must continue.

I am thankful for Yoga.

kk

1/17/11 MLK Day

Today is Martin Luther King Day.

I am thankful for what he stood for and what he asked us all to strive for. I believe in his dream on the grandest scale. I pray that we get there someday. As a nation, as a people, as a world. Hopefully sooner rather than later.

kk

1/16/11 Bread and Cheese

Tonight was my first read thru with the cast of Lend Me a Tenor. On my way there I realized I hadn't eaten anything since breakfast and as I was running early, I stopped at Albertson's for some dinner. Nothing really appealed to me. So I decided to get my traveling staple. A loaf of French bread and some soft herbs and chives cheese. Delicious. It reminded me of traveling through Europe. Can't wait to do that again.

I am thankful for the foods that remind me of the places I've traveled and the things I've seen and experienced. Today it was French bread and cheese.

kk

1/15/11 Prom

Tonight I went to the Awesome 80's Prom on the Portland Spirit. I have several friends working in the show and was able to go with a friend of mine, Erin Shannon. We got all dressed up. She sleeves were very big and poofy. She crimped her hair and put in a big bow. We put my hair in hot sticks and put on fun makeup. Unfortunately it was pouring down rain so our hairdos kind of fell. But we still had fun. We got our prom picture taken, ate some good food, and danced to some fun 80's music. The DJ came over and gave me the microphone and made me sing "Total Eclipse of the Heart." Now, this is a very long song. And I didn't have a video prompt for the words. I do not know all the words. I am also still sickly so I don't have much of a voice. So I think I probably did a horrible job. Luckily another friend of mine helped me out with the words. And the song was actually playing so when you couldn't hear me at least it wasn't all instrumental. Ha! But I had a very fun time.

I am thankful for my fun night out at the Awesome 80's Prom.

kk

1/14/11 The big day

Today is my younger sister's wedding. I had no idea what to expect. She planned everything herself and I didn't really know many of the details. It turned out to be a wonderful wedding. She is marrying a truly fantastic person and I am so happy they found each other.

I am thankful for Scott for Erika and that the wedding was so enjoyable.

kk

1/13/11 They make them with chainsaws

When I was younger, I would go with my family to the country club my grandparents belonged to for special occasions. Like Easter. We would go through the buffet, get an omelet that they made for us right there, and I would get a Shirley Temple. The whole experience was fun. The really cool thing was the ice sculptures they would have.

When I was in college we would have finals brunches with a similar feel. We had all kinds of fresh seafood, an omelet bar, carved meats, a doughnut bar where they made them right there for you while you waited, chocolate covered strawberries, a plate of danishes. My mom was always shocked when I told her what I had to eat. We would also have at least five ice sculptures. They had nice things but they also had ice sculptures of characters from South Park or other kooky things.

When I visited my dad in Alaska we went to an ice sculpture garden. There is a contest that goes on in the winter to come up with the best ice sculpture. We used an ice phone in an ice phone booth. I got stuck in an ice hot tub. I sat in an ice basket. We went down an ice slide. We went through an ice maze. And we looked at many cool scenes that had been sculpted.

I've always been fascinated by ice sculptures. How fun it was for me to start working at Clark and discovering that there is a unit in the culinary program that deals specifically with how to make ice sculptures. They pull out their chainsaws and make art. I think it is very cool. Then they leave them outside to slowly melt away. Pretty neat to carve using a chainsaw.

I am thankful for ice sculptures.

kk

1/12/11 Just a few more hours

I am thankful for sleeping in. I am sure everyone agrees with me too. I'm not sure I need to explain any more here.

kk

1/11/11 I've been coughing for how long now?

Trying to kick this cough.

I am extremely thankful for paid sick days.

kk

1/10/11 Negative

Negative usually means bad things. I don't think people feel very positive with a negative result.

Today negative is a wonderful thing. My friend Renee had her double mastectomy today. They did the lymph node test for cancer. The test came back "negative." She was able to have reconstructive surgery immediately and she now has a four- to six-week recovery process ahead of her. She won't be allowed to use her pectoral muscles and therefore can't lift anything over 5 pounds. She won't be able to wash her own hair. But at least she does not have to undergo chemo or radiation and then another surgery for reconstruction later.

I am so thankful for a negative result on Renee's node test.

kk

1/9/11 Warmth

For Christmas I wanted a pair of cashmere hand warmers from restoration hardware. They are reusable heating pads inside a nice cashmere mitten-looking pouch. I got some great gifts for Christmas but I didn't get any hand warmers so I figured I would just have to go in and buy some. They weren't too expensive and I figured it was worth it. I know it has been several weeks since Christmas but I still hadn't made it in. Luckily for me there is a restoration hardware by Barb that had a bunch of them on super sale so she just picked me up a pair and hand delivered them last night at Erika's bachelorette party. It was quite cold outside so I put them to the test. I snapped the little metal disk and enjoyed the warmth the whole car ride home. Today I put the liquid containing holders into a pot of boiling water and viola! They were ready to use again. So excited.

I am thankful for my new hand warmers from Barb.

kk

1/8/11 I'd like this in a different size, color, and style please.

My mom needs something to wear for Erika's wedding next week. She wasn't sure she would have time to find anything or any luck even if she found the time. She thought maybe she would just wear one of her work suits. Barb thought she should have something nice and new so she called and set up an appointment with a woman at Nordstrom for a personal shopping day.

Today mom and I went to Nordstrom and had a lovely day shopping. Wow is it awesome to have a personal shopper. She had pulled some things for mom to start with based on what she learned about her from Barb. Then upon seeing mom and talking to her she pulled more choices. Mom didn't have to wander through the whole store aimlessly trying to find something she wasn't sure she was looking for or which department to find it in. The woman was able to look at mom and see which things fit well, which things were too bulky, and which things looked funny and didn't quite fit right. Sure was nice to have all that personal attention. I wish I had somebody running to find things that made me look amazing the next time I go shopping. Maybe I'll look into that.

I am thankful for personal shoppers. Even though this one wasn't even for me!

kk

1/7/11 Tulla Salon

I started working at Chili's Bar and Grill in 2000. I worked there until 2008 when I found out from the local news coverage that the restaurant had closed and I was out of a job. Movers had come overnight and gutted the restaurants of everything that wasn't nailed down. People showed up to work the next morning and didn't know what was going on when they couldn't open the building and everything was missing from the inside. Classy.

I met many people through my 8 years there that I truly enjoyed working with. One of these people is Erin Shorthill. Erin worked as a host and then a server. She left the restaurant to pursue her career in hair. I started going to her at her school and followed her to her first job at Hello Gorgeous. The salon closed a few years ago and Erin opened up her own business.

The thing Erin is really good about is knowing what the client wants and giving them a style that matches their face and personality. It's uncanny. And I always get so many compliments. Today I went in to get my partial foil and had a great time visiting and catching up while she worked.

I am thankful for Erin and her great work!

kk

1/6/11 Classic Scenes

Today as I reached for the dishwasher liquid I grabbed the dish soap instead. Realizing my mistake immediately, I put it back.

You know how in the movies someone accidentally puts dish soap in the dishwasher and it overflows with bubbles and then crazy hilarity ensues? I always wanted to do that. It had happened to my friend Caroline and I was secretly jealous. I could just do it but that would just be dumb. You don't plan to make a mess, it needs to simply happen. I never tried to "accidentally" use the wrong soap. I was always very careful to use the right kind. But secretly, I wished one day it would happen to me.

About eight years ago I was living with a roommate in Wilsonville and this very thing happened to me. I came out from my room after having started the dishwasher awhile before to find tiny white bubbles spilling out onto the floor. I was delighted! I think other people would have been annoyed. I stopped the dishwasher and cleaned everything up with a huge smile on my face while I giggled.

I am thankful for my fun movie scene I experienced.

kk

1/5/11 Visual Aids

My family is so awesome. And a bit annoying to others perhaps, and ourselves at times, in our need for clarification. When describing colors of items we saw we need to describe it exactly including finding several similar colors around us to liken it to. We also pull out sheets of paper and writing utensils so draw maps of what we are talking about. We have also been known to use items at the table as visual aids. At restaurants no salt or pepper shaker, packets of sugar, or silverware is safe. I was reminded of this the other day at Barb's condo when she was describing an experience she had and started moving stuff around on her packed table to describe precisely what she was talking about. It was just after Christmas and mom and Erika and I were headed back down to Portland stopping by her place in West Seattle on the way. I was completely sick and lying on the couch and couldn't really see what she was showing and I was so sick that now I don't even remember what she was talking about. But I remember her moving gifts from Christmas and food aside to make room for her mapping. I remember smiling and thinking about how I had recently drawn a map for Jason talking about the tunnel on 26 and how it splits and where it does, and not too long before that I think Erika has done something very similar with items on my mom's kitchen table. Do other families do this?

I am thankful for my families ability and seemingly our need to use everyday items to explain our stories clearly.

kk

1/4/11 Alternate Transportation

One of the things that makes me happy is the number of people who skateboard around campus to get from class. Many businesses and public areas prohibit skateboarding. I think they think it is a nuisance. Maybe skateboarders are dangerous and run into people? I don't know but everyone here has been respectful and been careful about not running into people or riding them in large crowds. I like them, they make me smile.

I am thankful for the skateboarders with their alternate to walking to class.

kk

1/3/11 Clark

Yesterday was the last day of freedom and today is the first back to work. You never grow out of Winter and Spring Break. I do enjoy working at a school for sure.

And as much as I would like to just vacation continuously, in this economy I am very thankful I do have a job.

kk

1/2/11 Mill End

I am going to reupholster my two kitchen chairs. I have never done this before in my life. My step mother has reupholstered many things and will be in town so I am going to borrow her know how and her tools next week. But today was about fabric shopping. Like I said, I have no idea what I'm doing. I arrived at Mill End and told a lady what I was doing and that I also had no idea what i was doing. So she sent me back to the Home Decor Fabric section and told me to speak with a gentleman back there. I arrived and looked at a sea of fabric. I mostly just stared and didn't know what to do. he came over and helped me and gave me lots of things to think about. I am super glad that he had such good customer service. However, I was still completely overwhelmed and hadn't brought my chair so had no idea what would look good with the color wood they are. So after about 10 minutes I left to come back another day with my mom as a second pair of eyes. But in a time where most people ignore you when you walk into a store or hover and annoy, I was very glad to have this knowledgeable man ready to help out.

I am thankful for people with good customer service skills.

kk

1/1/11 Lord of the Rings

Today was a great day. I went to bed before midnight last night and received all my well wishes for a Happy New Year this morning instead of "last night" when they were sent. I had a good evening so I don't see anything wrong with going to bed. I think it was last year that I was at my grandparent's house. We stayed up and went out at midnight all dressed in our warm gear and used wooden spoons to bang on pots. It was fun.

But this morning I was well rested. I went on a hike with Jason along the Wildwood Trail which winds for almost 30 miles through Portland's West Hills and up toward St. Helens. We started off Cornell and went for about a mile and a half before turning around. The air was crisp and cold. It wasn't snowing or freezing raining but there was ice in patches along the trail and in the woods. Walking down from Cornell we got to the bottom where there was a rushing brook. There was beautiful greenery growing up along a barrier at one point in the water and other big rocks and things that made the water at the bridge look good. Then we passed a rock cliff that was covered with moss. The moss had water frozen in icicles as it had dripped down. It sparkled and looked like something that should be in faerie land. We expected a door to open and a hobbit to take us into another place. It was gorgeous. Then we came upon an old stone structure that would be a really cool background for some photographs. We had a good time talking and looking at the natural beauty that we have right here in town. It was almost amazing except that I slipped on some ice and fell right on my butt just before we got back to the car. Darn. I almost made it. But we had a fantastic hike overall.

I am thankful for my hike today along the Wildwood trail.

kk