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