Putting up the Rain Chain.... at the front of our house by the porch. It drains into the bird bath. Pure copper. Bought and brought from Japan.

PS it was hidden in ye olde burning man toy box.

skiing.

so I know she's only 14 or so.... but really i like this. A lot. Now If i could just get denim leggings... I know I know I'm 46 BUT I am 5' 9 " 130 lbs ... couldn't I whip up a little outfit SORT of like this one?? Huh? or would I look like Mid Life crisis Central?

We received our first Ikea catalog today.

Fight Club flashbacks.

Cat says everything they buy there breaks. hm.

I say their catalog is total milquetoast. Beyond ennui. why may i ask?

In better news, WE'RE GOIN' CYAMPING - yep comin' right up! 4 solid fun filled days and then evenings of seeing the nighttime milky way from 10,000 ft. It is so superior and breathtakingly spectacular~! Lookin' forward to it.

That's all.

Thank you for your vote 4 years ago - may I re-up my Sobriety term?

Having lived with one once, I think I might have a few insights about geeks. Admittedly, some of you are geeks (as we all are in our own certain ways), however the geeks I am referring to work in the back of places such as Best Buy, Kaspersky, and my local AT&T store. Grr.

Upfront we have the slick sales person. Well dressed, well spoken and good looking. S/he treats customers with respect and kindly takes their broken phones or laptops to the back.

In the back, in a dark haze, playing World of Warcraft or whatever is the most important game at the moment, eating red vines and drinking whatever the latest energy drink might be, is the guy or gal whom our lives depend upon (temporally not spiritually - although I imagine geeks blur the line there as seems to be the case in the 21st century.) (WoW- What a run-on sentence!)

Imagine Seth Green only fatter with the same attitude- male or female. The slick sales person brings the antique blackberry that no one can figure out (that would be mine) to him or her with an air of deference and respect. Geek=King and trumps them all.

King rolls eyes, lets out a few choice epithets and without taking his or her eyes from the gamer screen - puts his or her hand out with an attitude of "Alright! Give it to me already." As slowly as a sloth the meticulous King Geek, be it he or she or it pushes a few odd, unknown mysterious buttons or hooks it up someway and voila: now.....ve mus only wait for machine to finish its work.... a hahaha. The King Geek then immediately returns to important business - the Game.

Never mind that Geek King is actually "on the job". In the mind of the Geek King his or her mere presence should be enough to keep the ship afloat, keep the gremlins at bay and in short to save the world. In their own certain way.

*$igh*

Well the bachelor buttons are finally up in the back and the roses are doing nicely. If it is to be, I will be in SF in 4 days. Yes I have started packing, yes I am exciting and yes yoko I am bringing the gloves. So Nicky and Andy... when and where shall we go to lunch?
(P.S. I say the "exciting" that way because ppl in Japan said it in Engurishu that way and I just get a kick out of it.) So anyway..... can River come to lunch?

Update #2
KK Jane survived her surgery WELL! Still helping a lot with Jaquers which is fun. We are business associates. He gives up his old baby toys which I take to Kid to Kid and trade in for new toys for 5 year olds. :) Now we just need to find Spiderman's nemesis Sandman's head so I can put together this amazing new toy after school. Ahhh childhood.

My left foot has a hairline fracture from the car crash. I'm wearing a soft shiny black Darth Vader boot decorated with bright red nail polish. Think Baby Spice.

Still planning to go to to SF. Yay~!

:)

My dear friend is out of the hospital. She survived. I helping her along with her boyfriend - we are nursing her back to health. It will take weeks. She had a blessing.

I hope Violin Group goes well this morning. I'm pretty excited because we are playing Bartok Roumanian Dances.

Mr. Bear is outside using his Great Green thumb to plan all the beautiful flowers on the porch.

Watched I Am Sam with my friend last night and I cried.

My back doesn't hurt. :)

I weigh 131 (5 ' 8 & 1/2") no lie.

Love, Suzanne

I think that when we are very young, say 2 or 3 or so, we love to learn. Learning everything is very fun and grown-ups - they are the one's who know everything.... and won't it be great then or so it seems.

Then when we are teenagers, suddenly a switch goes off and *POW* we know everything! And everyone else (parents, teachers etc.) THEY are the ones who don't know anything.

This continues and gradually declines throughout our 20's and 30's into various stages of trying to look good and pretending to know things that we don't really know until finally we hit 40 or 45 and it is becomes painfully OBVIOUS that we really don't know squat about anything... and that it really doesn't matter that we don't know!

The most important things (at least to me) that we now know are the things we had completely given up on back then - things like family, service, compassion, religion, empathy, wonder and awe, experience, respect, work ethic, honest days work for an honest days pay, loyalty, forgiveness, prayer ... or at least I gave up on those things back then...

Now as we get older, we know that we didn't really know anything when we were teens ...as we grow we just know more and more about how much less and less we actually know as life goes on...

...and then I look back at that teen-aged girl and that 22 year old young woman who thought she knew it all and just think... nope. She didn't. As I hope to later look back on this 45 year old and say nope. I still didn't know.... ya know?

One hour and 15 minutes prior to skiing and I'm almost ready.

I have this thing where I'm always cold plus I have nightmares about skiing (going down with no poles or only one ski etc.) Usually my Sis is there doing wonderfully. Or sometimes it's actually fun in my dreams too... anyway it's high time that I actually get up that hill.

I have three (3) pairs of thermals on plus two pairs of jeans under my snowboard pants. I am rethinking the socks... I want another pair in addition to these high tech $20 socks that we bought. I'll bring them along and ask my friend. She was so adamant that I have these wicking action socks.

So cute KK Jane, yesterday said "Just remember: Pizza frech fries Pizza french fries" for the shapes you make with your skis then she did a tiny little hopping motion and said in a weak voice, "air..."

That's for sure. I'm helping KKJane pack up her stuff this weekend because she's moving to a much better place now YAY! Closer to town where she works. Closer to me so we can get together more often when she isn't working her tail off.

One hour and counting.

Hmm the idea of taking my mp3 player just occurred to me.... heh. I had already thought of the camera. I'll go get that ready ...

Forecast for Brighton Ski Resort this Fri, Cloudy, Cloudy, 49 °F / 9 °C 31 °F / -1 °C

hee hee

I may be going skiing on Friday - yipppeeee!!! Yep my personal pro said that Friday might be the day!

49°F is NOT that bad. 31° is tricky - that's why I have all the good gear. Better go get on the stationary bike to get ready. Do push ups and those embarrassing leg exercises-heh. SKI!

After Geminca's entry regarding her being in a coffee shop without a laptop, I made it a goal to go to a coffee shop with a laptop. This didn't prove to be as difficult as Mozart or skiing... I simply borrowed "back" the family laptop, installed kaspersky and here we are. Alchemy cafe. Lovely antiquey brick walls with framed black and white photos of men and women angels in very esthetically pleasing poses... My clean cashmere stocking covered feet are propped up on an easy chair as I lazily slip back into the old-fashioned couch and I'm sipping Mighty leaf African Nectar (byot)... listening to Coldplay of all things. The best of all possible worlds.

So all is well here in the land of Zion. Into goin to church. lovin it.

As I get older, I find it more and more difficult to peg ppl's ages. A family was here enjoying the couch area with me and the only one I was certain about was the Father... or was he a headmaster? As in Realms of Inquiry.

News: KKJane has a new house WITH the ever crucial keys. I'm helping to make a Star Wars room there for the Jackers who will soon be 5. Glow in the dark paint... on must buy list. And I'm helping to get him enrolled at Realms. Thus the segue.

Cat is 3 months now and will have her children back by Valentine's Day. As could be predicted I will be teaching her 3 year old violin despite my designs to get her into a coop preschool instead. Teaching friends is difficult for all involved.

I wrote email to my Repub weirdo Senators (Orin and Bob) begging them to accept Barack's economic recovery plan. I have no money for Move On org. or I would give give give. Heaven's I bring my own tea and recycle it...

Yet I feel strangely and wonderfully rich due to surroundings and goal achieved. Also watched Serenity DVD the other night with Mr. Bear. Loved it as usual. Must go back and watch the entire series again. Are there more comix?

Blass you. Come again.

It went well.

I can honestly say it went well.

I was a bit nervous, the students were absolutely amazing and practiced like pros for a whole hour before the concert. Many people commented on how good the Mozart was. And ... ah at what price? My dear friend Janet, when I said I couldn't believe I did it (long after it was over) she said..."still!" You see I used to lead this when I was 17. It was fun. It's still fun ... there towards the end... it's just all the sturm and drang getting there...

Nope. I can rehearse them. Twice even. However, I will not stand up at the Concert and lead them with my violin - well, never say never (nor type never, even in private.)
Love, Suzanne

PS It looks like I am however in charge of the Thanksgiving and Christmas Turkey next year, Ah the joy.

P.P.S. Yoko- they were practicing Aikido on the way out of all the amazing things. We watched quietly.

...feeling alive, awake and human again. It seems the trick might be simply not to go to bed until I am really, really tired, which is hard when my mental state is hyper manic. #1 thing I need for mental stability = sleep....aaand the #1 thing I can't seem to do it sleep. But oh well, I'm OK today. One day at a time.

Knitting is getting better. There, I just did another row. Obviously it will be a scarf of some sort. hee hee. One skein wonder. I started over with maroonish yarn, since the other yarn was curly and too tricky for a novice. The point is for relaxation.

I'm wondering if I could purchase some fetching FO ...(what is the meaning behind FO I wonder?) Anyway, Ballad of Yoko, if you are selling, I am buying. How Muchi? as the famous old Nihon gameshow asks? (Like "Let's make a deal") Are you selling or do you have advice about where I could find some?

I spoke at a speakers meeting Saturday. Mozart is in three days and I'm not ready. I teach it today which should help.
Thanks.

I can't sleep at all. It is past midnight. I'm not even sleepy in the least. So I cam ehere to talk with you.

I'm learning to knit thanks to my new friend Cat who took the time to show me how to do it. I'm hurting my fingers a bit but it's OK. I'll get better eventually. It's quite fun and relaxing when everything goes well. Homespun yarn (the twirly kind) is not good for learning. Cat has better yarn for me so I will start again. Cast on.

Leading Mozart Graduation next week. I have a back up leader for the actual Concert in front of about 600 people or more. 12 students performing. I led the first rehearsal which went well this week. Concerto number 4. Yep that's the you tube of me playing along with with Katrin Scholtz. I lead another rehearsal for an hour right before the concert. The Final Concert is next Thursday.

I spoke at a Speaker meeting tonight and then went out for food with friends after the meeting. Why can't I sleep. Oh well, I'll be up all night. I guess it's all I can do.

*sigh* How to sleep. It eludes me. I wish it was just time to go to church. I wonder if I'll just be up all night. Up in the night. Oh well. Can't do anything about it... warm milk. I'll go try that.

Thanks for reading.

Favorite Inaugural speech Barrack Quote: We are willing to extend our hand (as he stretches his hand out as if into a hand shake) to those who are willing to unclench their fists... (as he makes a fist)... something like that. I'm certain it's already you-tubeable but I'm just not going down that rabbit hole right now. I'm Obamaed Out frankly. Love him. Loved him from before ppl could say his name. End of story... or rather, only just the beginning.

Evil genes is just not a cool book. I simply disagree with much of her ideology and plan to tell my Therapist so tomorrow and promptly return it to the library. But first, I must get through a scary exam in the morning involving radiology. Icky Yucky. Scary memories. Yet must be bold and do the 'big girl' thing as KKJane would say. Maybe Cat will go with me.

So how many inaugurations have you watched over the years?

The good news...

#1This week I was told that I am "so YOUNG!" by a 29 year old.
#2 Kaspersky has my profile listing as a "child"... which I really like. 

The not so good news....

#1 my other friend just described me as the lady with the long GREY hair. 

Ugh. 

Yet, I reFUSE to color it - such a pain.  Won't do it.  Too expensive, difficult, looks dumb.   Besides my hubby likes it just fine.  :P


Are you young or old?? 

Recently I have been doing "recreational therapy" in the form of "adult coloring".  This was something we studied while I was in the hospital.  One of my biggest problems is that I don't know how to recreate.  That's what I mean when I say I am working at playing.  Fun points.  I need more fun points. 

So I color with nice pretty ink pens that my hubby and I bought at a craft store.  I download patterns like this one .  Since it is just coloring it really doesn't have to be perfect at all.  It's fun to come up with color combos.  I especially like celtic knots.  Anyway ... thought you might be interested in this as an immediate stress reliever.  Just.... color. 

Now I need to get some special Ski Socks.  This is from my Ski instructor (aka sponsor). So... even though I have the pass, the ski pants, the thermals, the goggles, the gloves etc...  now the ski socks.  AND we can't go until February.  So... I will wait.  And get the socks.  Apparently they are all special now and high tech and much better.  BULKY = not good.  Cotton = not good.  That's what I have already so... off I go to purchase new ones.  I sure hope this goal to go skiing gets accomplished this years.  See?  WORK at playing. 

My cold is waning.  At least I have my voice back alothough I have a big ole headache.   I'm hoping to teach again tomorrow.  I have a lot on my plate tomorrow so...  hmm... rest is important.  I slept in until 9:00 this morning.  Church was awesome (what I was able to attend). 

Talk to you guys later,
bye

Slowed down due to cold.   Practiced.