Monday, July 31, 2006
Big day for kids
A moment in time -- kids get their own cell phones.
I shared with them the global context.
While some of their friends have cell phones -- most do not.
Tonight, as they plug in their cell phones to charge them -- and climb into bed, most of the kids in the world will go to sleep without a bed.
The fact that we have such things as cell phones should only underline our responsibility to others who lack for basic needs of food, shelter and safety.
And that I would be terribly disappointed if -- within that context -- a child with a cell phone would ever use it as a source of vainity or privilege.
Still life: dog in field of flowers
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Friday, July 28, 2006
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Saturday, July 15, 2006
My secret junkyard salad recipe -- revealed
Here on the laptop. My black lab at my side. Good news -- the butterfly bush came back from the fierce trimming by Augusto. It's now blooiming and there are even a few buttflys around.
A reflective day. Nothing to do untul this afternoon when I make my junkyard salad for a dinner party.
A neighbor gave it that term because of how much I toss into it.
I guess there are two elements to it:
One, everything is cut to a small size -- no stew size pieces of carrots.
Second, I begin with a goo in the bottom of my huge wooden salad bowl -- goo make of evoo, garlic, grated ginger, red wine vinegar, ground seasoned pepper and ground sea salt.
I have about of cup of that.
Then I start tossing in cut up pieces (in this order)
carrots
green onions
tiny tiny cut up pieces of red onion
celery
tiny florets of brocolli
radishes
then i let the stuff marinate in the goo while I cut up organic lettuce (yes, I do find a difference in taste)
spinich (baby leaves)
prepare toppings: cut up pieces of crispy chicken, small pieces of good pepper bacon, toasted pine nuts, craisens, sunflower seeds, shreded chedder and parimsan.
Just before serving:
pour goo and stuff into second bowl.
put lettuce in main bowl.
toss lettuce with some goo (not too much)
then pour goo bowl of stuff over top.
get out croutons -- smash with fist on bag so that half of the croutons are pulverized and end up sticking to lettuce like a coating
then cheeses
bacon
nuts
cilantro topping,
light final toss and enjoy.
A reflective day. Nothing to do untul this afternoon when I make my junkyard salad for a dinner party.
A neighbor gave it that term because of how much I toss into it.
I guess there are two elements to it:
One, everything is cut to a small size -- no stew size pieces of carrots.
Second, I begin with a goo in the bottom of my huge wooden salad bowl -- goo make of evoo, garlic, grated ginger, red wine vinegar, ground seasoned pepper and ground sea salt.
I have about of cup of that.
Then I start tossing in cut up pieces (in this order)
carrots
green onions
tiny tiny cut up pieces of red onion
celery
tiny florets of brocolli
radishes
then i let the stuff marinate in the goo while I cut up organic lettuce (yes, I do find a difference in taste)
spinich (baby leaves)
prepare toppings: cut up pieces of crispy chicken, small pieces of good pepper bacon, toasted pine nuts, craisens, sunflower seeds, shreded chedder and parimsan.
Just before serving:
pour goo and stuff into second bowl.
put lettuce in main bowl.
toss lettuce with some goo (not too much)
then pour goo bowl of stuff over top.
get out croutons -- smash with fist on bag so that half of the croutons are pulverized and end up sticking to lettuce like a coating
then cheeses
bacon
nuts
cilantro topping,
light final toss and enjoy.
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Allegro Dance 2006
Ricky in the 'boy/girl' dance
Ricky as Napoleon Dynamite
Our sweet neice, Bryn Baker 
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
Friday, June 30, 2006
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
A friend asked what she could do about those annoying salesmen?
On my first trip to Mexico, Kim and I went to the pyramids outside of Mexico City.
The tour guide introduced us to a fellow sitting on the grounds who showed us how the ancients squished a certained bug to make a dye and then painted with it on a card. He offered to sell us one. I declined. The lady from Germany bought one.
As we were walking away, our guide said quite unjudgementally, "we all need to make a living."
That was more than 10 years ago and I still regret not having bought a postcard with the bug guts on it.
The guide was right.
We all need to make a living.
My mom was raised during the Great Depression.
She said that anyone who choses work -- work no matter what -- over idleness or begging, deserved my respect.
Saying no to a product that I don't want is a minor hassle compared to the person who has to hear that no.
A few years ago, a friend challenged me to take an extra 3 seconds with greeters and Freddy's and solitictors. It might be the kindest 3 seconds of their work day.
Living with Intent
Week 10 of Weight Watchers: for the first time since I began, I showed a weight gain. Up .2 pounds.
Not really surprised.
It’s been a hot week. Lots more beer in the evening. Less activity. More hunkering down inside air conditioned house.
Our WW coach said that hot weather lends itself to hunkering down.
She talked about living with intent.
She said it is a challenge in the summer to let meal time drift later and later into the evening.
The key to WW is being intentional.
Having a plan for meals so that good choices are intended rather than poor choices happening inadvertently.
The discussion about intent reminded me of women I know.
I mentioned that I can see how women, moms especially, can easily have their intent focused externally. On kids, on house, on pets, on partners.
Many of the women I know and love can and will put themselves and their self interest behind that of their children and other loved ones.
And how that can lead to what some of the other WW attendees (all women but me) call the most dangerous time – late evening.
I’ve been aware that for many women, moms especially, late night can be the only time they call their own. I can see how easily it might be to reward themselves by eating rather than taking the WW philosophy that a gift to oneself is focus, intent and discipline.
Also we talked about self responsibility.
Ever since I started Weight Watchers, I’ve been reminded of my late father.
I can hear so clearly him sitting down to dinner with his belly protruding and saying, “godamit Thelma! You’ve got to stop feeding me such fattening food.”
I think of how much easier my life would have been if I had grown up hearing, “godamit Thelma, I am fat and it’s because of me and my choices alone.”
It’s something that is reinforced in society with litigation.
Smokers sue tobacco companies for their health problems.
I’ve even heard of overweight people suing McDonald’s for serving them fattening foods.
One of the neat things about having spent a little time in Mexico is seeing a county that truly believes in individual responsibility. If you trip and hurt yourself on a crack in the street, it’s your fault for not paying attention.
So there it is. The zen of a Weight Watchers meeting.
Live with intent. Whatever I don’t like about me or my life isn’t anyone’s fault but my own.
Not really surprised.
It’s been a hot week. Lots more beer in the evening. Less activity. More hunkering down inside air conditioned house.
Our WW coach said that hot weather lends itself to hunkering down.
She talked about living with intent.
She said it is a challenge in the summer to let meal time drift later and later into the evening.
The key to WW is being intentional.
Having a plan for meals so that good choices are intended rather than poor choices happening inadvertently.
The discussion about intent reminded me of women I know.
I mentioned that I can see how women, moms especially, can easily have their intent focused externally. On kids, on house, on pets, on partners.
Many of the women I know and love can and will put themselves and their self interest behind that of their children and other loved ones.
And how that can lead to what some of the other WW attendees (all women but me) call the most dangerous time – late evening.
I’ve been aware that for many women, moms especially, late night can be the only time they call their own. I can see how easily it might be to reward themselves by eating rather than taking the WW philosophy that a gift to oneself is focus, intent and discipline.
Also we talked about self responsibility.
Ever since I started Weight Watchers, I’ve been reminded of my late father.
I can hear so clearly him sitting down to dinner with his belly protruding and saying, “godamit Thelma! You’ve got to stop feeding me such fattening food.”
I think of how much easier my life would have been if I had grown up hearing, “godamit Thelma, I am fat and it’s because of me and my choices alone.”
It’s something that is reinforced in society with litigation.
Smokers sue tobacco companies for their health problems.
I’ve even heard of overweight people suing McDonald’s for serving them fattening foods.
One of the neat things about having spent a little time in Mexico is seeing a county that truly believes in individual responsibility. If you trip and hurt yourself on a crack in the street, it’s your fault for not paying attention.
So there it is. The zen of a Weight Watchers meeting.
Live with intent. Whatever I don’t like about me or my life isn’t anyone’s fault but my own.
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Why I love Oregon
Some day I will write in more detail about this -- but Tom McCall is one of the main reasons I left Seattle and moved to Oregon.
I was inspired by his vision of the Oregon story.
A place of individuals -- a place where we may not agree on everything, but we agreed on one thing -- this was a blessed place to live and we love it here.
Why I love Rick Emerson: I am a word guy. I can sit for some time to try and craft a sentence that says something meaningful. I respect it when others can simply -- in the best sense of the word -- rant.
Here is Rick's rant on why he loves Oregon. You may not agree with it all -- but I think it shows a love of this special place and a love for individuals.
http://www.rickemerson.com/av/Audio/PDXRant.mp3
I was inspired by his vision of the Oregon story.
A place of individuals -- a place where we may not agree on everything, but we agreed on one thing -- this was a blessed place to live and we love it here.
Why I love Rick Emerson: I am a word guy. I can sit for some time to try and craft a sentence that says something meaningful. I respect it when others can simply -- in the best sense of the word -- rant.
Here is Rick's rant on why he loves Oregon. You may not agree with it all -- but I think it shows a love of this special place and a love for individuals.
http://www.rickemerson.com/av/Audio/PDXRant.mp3
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
The Big Trip
100 kids, 40 parents - two and a half days on the road, here in the Newport High School gym
Friday, June 16, 2006
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