I love this! Check out the website for more fun theory videos: www.thefuntheory.com.
A scenic byway is a specially designated road that travels through an area of natural or cultural beauty. You can drive on through your life as fast as you can, more focused on the destination than the journey. Or you can choose to be present and revel in the journey that is life. I choose the latter. Eyes wide open and marveling at the beauty that is everywhere all the time - this is My Scenic Byway.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Last Week on My Scenic Byway: Jan 24 - 30
Scenes: A lot of work. The gym. Red Butte Garden - where we got married last September. The Paris bistro in downtown SLC - love it love it. A high school dance recital (my niece was in it). Discovered The Kings English bookstore.
Ingesting: Cheesecake Factory - and then I went into a food coma. Steak frites and wine like we had in Paris. Indian buffet - the only buffets I like. I ate enough for the entire day. Cedar Rapids premier at Sundance. True Grit (finally). Shirley Valentine (an old favorite - have you ever seen it? It still works even though its from the 80s...it was a play and then a movie in 1989. I absolutely love this film). The SAG awards.
Loving: My new, and first, King bed. My new work out shoes (I don't dare call them running shoes as I am not back to running yet...but it is coming soon...). That I finally did some yoga - after not doing it for so long. My new iPhone apps. Click the link to check out Time's list of 50 best apps 2011.
INSIDE
Memories: Funny I didn't do a lot of remembering this week, but I sure did have a lot of vivid, crazy, detailed dreams that I woke up remembering every morning. Weird stuff. Is that due to the new bed? Working out? I usually don't do this.
Intrigues: Autobiographical memory and this cool 60 Minutes story I read about it. What is happening in Egypt and the potential outcomes.
Desires: New work out pants. More yoga. Join a book club.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Red Butte Garden, Salt Lake City
There is a beautiful botanical garden and arboretum in Salt Lake City - Red Butte Garden. 100 acres of gardens, walking paths and natural areas with hiking trails. It is a non-profit organization and part of the University of Utah. You can rent out various places in the garden for events and ceremonies, like weddings. In September 2010 we had our wedding ceremony in the Fragrance Garden and our wedding reception in the Orangerie, both within Red Butte Garden. The site was perfect. We and all of our guests loved it. If you are looking for a place to hold a wedding in the SLC area, I highly recommend it. The location is beautiful and the employees who organize the events are top notch.
Below are a few photos from our wedding to try to give you some images of the garden.
If you are visiting Salt Lake, or live in the area, it is worth a visit. The place is open year round
Below are a few photos from our wedding to try to give you some images of the garden.
If you are visiting Salt Lake, or live in the area, it is worth a visit. The place is open year round
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Bad Music
This morning going through my music collection to put together a new mix, I came across an album that I love - ELO's Greatest Hits. Now don't laugh. I have a very eclectic collection of music. And I love a lot of old music that I grew up hearing on the radio. Some of ELO's stuff is fun. Listening to ELO reminds me of my youth and it also brings up some fun memories driving around Zambia on a work trip with a friend and former colleague years ago). As so often happens with greatest hits collections, I love most of the songs (isn't that the purpose of a greatest hits collection), but there is always at least one loser, sometimes a few, in any greatest hits collection. You accept those loser songs into your life because you want the rest of the "best of." Do you have bad songs in your music collection because of this?
It suddenly struck me that the beauty of storing all your music on your computer is that you can REMOVE a song if you don't like it so it never appears again in your shuffle or when you are listening to an album. Do I care if the complete collection will be missing a song if I can't stand that song and never plan to listen to it? I just use the skip function. Old school. Epiphany. I should remove these bad songs completely.
So what song was it that made my skin crawl? ELO's Hold on Tight to your Dreams. Oh man. Just saying the title makes me cringe and suddenly I can hear it in my head. Sigh. And as soon as that song hit my senses, my brain started sifting through data and cranking out all the other songs I can think of that I cannot stand. Songs that I really dislike. The kind that make me want to walk out of a room. The kind that I cannot understand how any human being could like them. I do not understand how these songs got made, and sold, and in most cases played over and over and over again on the radio and thus accepted by so many people. How does it happen???
Here is the list that came to my head at one sitting...
It suddenly struck me that the beauty of storing all your music on your computer is that you can REMOVE a song if you don't like it so it never appears again in your shuffle or when you are listening to an album. Do I care if the complete collection will be missing a song if I can't stand that song and never plan to listen to it? I just use the skip function. Old school. Epiphany. I should remove these bad songs completely.
So what song was it that made my skin crawl? ELO's Hold on Tight to your Dreams. Oh man. Just saying the title makes me cringe and suddenly I can hear it in my head. Sigh. And as soon as that song hit my senses, my brain started sifting through data and cranking out all the other songs I can think of that I cannot stand. Songs that I really dislike. The kind that make me want to walk out of a room. The kind that I cannot understand how any human being could like them. I do not understand how these songs got made, and sold, and in most cases played over and over and over again on the radio and thus accepted by so many people. How does it happen???
Here is the list that came to my head at one sitting...
- Kokomo - Beach Boys
- Dancing on the Ceiling - Lionel Ritchie
- Heart of Rock & Roll - Huey Lewis & the News (actually anything by him)
- Any Chicago music from the 80s onward
- She's Got Betty Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes
- Rosanna - Toto
- Africa - Toto
- Anything by Phil Collins after he left Genesis
So...there are just some artists that consistently put out crap and I can say I don't really like anything they do - I just do not like their style of music (as noted above). But then you have some artists that you like and think they put out some decent music, but then they put out a real bomb of a song. I think that is the worst. I mean I like the Beach Boys for what they are, but that song Kokomo? It makes me want to rip my ears off and run screaming from the room. And I know there are a lot of people out there who LIKE that song. I just. do. not. get. it.
Interesting that this list all comes from my teenage years (80s) isn't it? I realize there are so many more truly bad songs out there (from earlier and current), but this is just what popped into my head in one sitting and I can't waste any more brain space on this.
I thought about linking the videos for these songs, because I love to do the links for you, but I decided these songs just aren't worth the effort and I don't want to inflict pain on you. If you know these songs, then you already know what I am talking about. If you don't know them, then do yourself a favor and never listen to them. Run! Stay away.
What is on your bad song list? I mean "make you want to run from the room kind of bad."
What is on your bad song list? I mean "make you want to run from the room kind of bad."
Friday, January 28, 2011
Lamb's Canyon, Utah
Yesterday I had to go to my dentist in Park City. Park City is only about a 20 minute drive from my house and about 40 minutes from downtown Salt Lake. The drive between Salt Lake City and Park City is beautiful, despite being on a major highway (Rt 80 East). You start low and ascend quickly up into a canyon way through the Wasatch mountains. For an east coast girl I always find these mountains to be breathtaking. On the drive you pass Lamb's Canyon, just 12 miles east of Salt Lake. I visited Lamb's Canyon last July, and driving by the sign for the canyon yesterday, I was reminded of that day. If you are out in this area, a hike in Lamb's Canyon should be on your list of things to do.
The entrance to the canyon sits at 6,300 feet above sea level and there is a trail that runs up 8,100 feet above sea level. There is a small road that drives up the Canyon, with cabins scattered here and there all the way to the top. Oh how I want one of these cabins! If I were to win the lottery it would be a done deal. The road is typically gated and is only for use by the people who own the cabins. However, the day we went to check out the Canyon, the gate was open and one of the owners welcomed us to hike up the road if we wanted. So we did. We hiked as far as the road would go, up to this amazing lake (see photo below). It took us several hours to ascend and descend. Typically hiking on a road might not be that exciting, but this was one of my most beautiful and memorable hikes. We saw only a few cars coming up for the weekend. There are very few cabins. It was us and nature on that beautiful road, with views of amazing flowers, trees and mountains. I can't wait to go back and hike that road. And I want to hike the trail.
I just discovered an awesome website that might interest the hikers out there: Trails.com. Put in your US zip code and it finds trails in your area. They have information about the Lamb's Canyon trail and they describe it as "Old-growth forests of spruce and fir, shared with quaking aspen, line a canyon fed by several springs. A steep trail to an 8,100-foot pass offers views into the valley before leading down Elbow Fork and into Mill Creek Canyon. It’s a symphony of woods, wildflowers, berries, creeks, and views."
Sounds awesome, doesn't it? It is! Check out some photos I took from our hike last July.
The entrance to the canyon sits at 6,300 feet above sea level and there is a trail that runs up 8,100 feet above sea level. There is a small road that drives up the Canyon, with cabins scattered here and there all the way to the top. Oh how I want one of these cabins! If I were to win the lottery it would be a done deal. The road is typically gated and is only for use by the people who own the cabins. However, the day we went to check out the Canyon, the gate was open and one of the owners welcomed us to hike up the road if we wanted. So we did. We hiked as far as the road would go, up to this amazing lake (see photo below). It took us several hours to ascend and descend. Typically hiking on a road might not be that exciting, but this was one of my most beautiful and memorable hikes. We saw only a few cars coming up for the weekend. There are very few cabins. It was us and nature on that beautiful road, with views of amazing flowers, trees and mountains. I can't wait to go back and hike that road. And I want to hike the trail.
I just discovered an awesome website that might interest the hikers out there: Trails.com. Put in your US zip code and it finds trails in your area. They have information about the Lamb's Canyon trail and they describe it as "Old-growth forests of spruce and fir, shared with quaking aspen, line a canyon fed by several springs. A steep trail to an 8,100-foot pass offers views into the valley before leading down Elbow Fork and into Mill Creek Canyon. It’s a symphony of woods, wildflowers, berries, creeks, and views."
Sounds awesome, doesn't it? It is! Check out some photos I took from our hike last July.
Lamb's Canyon Road |
Amazing views |
Lake at the top of the mountain |
Happy hikers |
Thursday, January 27, 2011
A Kick in the Pants
Today I was depressed. I have no idea why. Nothing in particular happened to cause it. I just felt it. Do you ever feel that way? I moped around all day feeling sorry for myself and also feeling angry at myself for feeling that way when I have no rational reason to feel that way. But I still couldn't shake it.
I had to go to the dentist in Park City today (not Sundance...the dentist...sigh). Driving back on 80 west from Park City to Salt Lake I had a crazy thought that maybe I should just keep on driving to west. Not tell anyone. Not answer any calls. Just drive and drive. With nothing but what was in my purse. Stay in a hotel. Buy whatever I need. Drive. How wacky would that be? It would sure freak out my husband.
I was just in that kind of depressed, freaky mood. But I did not do that. Instead I came home, moped around some more and then forced myself to go the gym because I know that working out always makes me feel better, and I also know that I will generally feel better if I can get back in shape and lose these 10 pounds I've put on since the wedding. At the gym I felt...depressed. But I worked out. And eventually I started to feel a little better. And then I was watching the news on the tv screen at the gym and a story came on about Gabrielle Giffords (who I went to graduate school with in a small department yet still cannot remember her) and how she has entered rehab, and then the story talked about how far we've come with rehabilitation over the past few years, primarily due to all the injured soldiers coming out of Afghanistan and Iraq. And there they were. Boys. 18, 19, 20, 21 years old. On crutches, in the hospital, struggling to walk again and move their arms and their hands and have a normal life. And it was like someone slapped me hard across the face right there in the gym. What the hell do I have to complain about? What do I have to be depressed about? I was being absolutely ridiculous. And I stopped. I regained my sense of self and stopped feeling that way. Sometimes we just need a kick in the pants to change our attitudes.
I had to go to the dentist in Park City today (not Sundance...the dentist...sigh). Driving back on 80 west from Park City to Salt Lake I had a crazy thought that maybe I should just keep on driving to west. Not tell anyone. Not answer any calls. Just drive and drive. With nothing but what was in my purse. Stay in a hotel. Buy whatever I need. Drive. How wacky would that be? It would sure freak out my husband.
I was just in that kind of depressed, freaky mood. But I did not do that. Instead I came home, moped around some more and then forced myself to go the gym because I know that working out always makes me feel better, and I also know that I will generally feel better if I can get back in shape and lose these 10 pounds I've put on since the wedding. At the gym I felt...depressed. But I worked out. And eventually I started to feel a little better. And then I was watching the news on the tv screen at the gym and a story came on about Gabrielle Giffords (who I went to graduate school with in a small department yet still cannot remember her) and how she has entered rehab, and then the story talked about how far we've come with rehabilitation over the past few years, primarily due to all the injured soldiers coming out of Afghanistan and Iraq. And there they were. Boys. 18, 19, 20, 21 years old. On crutches, in the hospital, struggling to walk again and move their arms and their hands and have a normal life. And it was like someone slapped me hard across the face right there in the gym. What the hell do I have to complain about? What do I have to be depressed about? I was being absolutely ridiculous. And I stopped. I regained my sense of self and stopped feeling that way. Sometimes we just need a kick in the pants to change our attitudes.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
I love This
I love stuff like this. Odd little mysteries...
Update on January 27. Sad the mystery was solved so fast and that the piano has been removed.
Dancing in the Moonlight
Its time for a "Happy Wednesday" moment...
One of my favorite songs of all time.
One of my favorite songs of all time.
This song always makes me feel happy. Always.
Enjoy!
Dirty Hotels
My blog covers a range of topics, but travel is a big theme. And you know I like to write about the bed bug pandemic (check out the bed bug registry). So, I thought I should also share this travel-related news report I discovered yesterday on CNN: TripAdvisor names dirtiest hotels. Yeow - I did not know that such a list or reporting existed...although I am glad to know it now. TripAdvisor is a great resource and I find myself using it more and more, both in the US as well as overseas. It is good to know they do this annual survey. They have a list for Asia, Europe and India too.
My favorite line "Had to go buy socks so my feet wouldn't touch the carpet." You've stayed in places like that before, right? I have. Carpet where you really do not want to walk around barefoot. And how about those nasty, shiny, polyester bed covers? The ones that give you the heebie jeebies thinking about how many people have probably done things on those bed covers and that they probably aren't washed regularly.
Go directly to TripAdvisor for the full story. Make sure you aren't planning a stay in any of these places.
You can find the list from TripAdvisor's dirtiest hotels 2010 here.
And I wish I had not read this little ditty...just reminds me of things I don't really want to think about.
My favorite line "Had to go buy socks so my feet wouldn't touch the carpet." You've stayed in places like that before, right? I have. Carpet where you really do not want to walk around barefoot. And how about those nasty, shiny, polyester bed covers? The ones that give you the heebie jeebies thinking about how many people have probably done things on those bed covers and that they probably aren't washed regularly.
Go directly to TripAdvisor for the full story. Make sure you aren't planning a stay in any of these places.
You can find the list from TripAdvisor's dirtiest hotels 2010 here.
And I wish I had not read this little ditty...just reminds me of things I don't really want to think about.
Poor little guy... |
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Cedar Rapids at Sundance
Sunday night we saw the premier of Cedar Rapids at Sundance (thank you M for the tickets!). The director is Miguel Arteta, best known for his films The Good Girl and Chuck and Buck. The cast includes Ed Helms, John C. Reilly, Anne Heche, Sigourney Weaver, Alia Shawkat (from Arrested Development), and a very funny Isiah Whitlock, Jr.
It was a small, sweet, quirky, funny film. About the midwest. And the insurance industry. And breaking out of your shell. And friendships formed. And the antics that go on at work conferences. I laughed the entire time and I really enjoyed it. It is not going to be a blockbuster or a big money maker, but it will be a funny good film that I recommend you see. I am trying to think of some films to compare it to, but I always struggle with that. Let me think about that and get back to you.
Ed Helms is always funny. Sigourney Weaver has a small but really great role here. I didn't really know Isiah Whitlock, but man did he play a funny character. And John C. Reilly is always such a freak. The whole cast looked like they had a great time making the film.
The fun thing about seeing Sundance films is the energy of the crowd - an enthusiastic audience who really wants to be there. And of course getting to see and hear the Director and the cast and crew at the Q&A session afterward if it is a premier. Spotting celebrities on the stage and in the crowd. Being surrounded by people who live and breathe the film industry. It is fascinating.
If you want to see a trailer, check it out here.
It was a small, sweet, quirky, funny film. About the midwest. And the insurance industry. And breaking out of your shell. And friendships formed. And the antics that go on at work conferences. I laughed the entire time and I really enjoyed it. It is not going to be a blockbuster or a big money maker, but it will be a funny good film that I recommend you see. I am trying to think of some films to compare it to, but I always struggle with that. Let me think about that and get back to you.
Ed Helms is always funny. Sigourney Weaver has a small but really great role here. I didn't really know Isiah Whitlock, but man did he play a funny character. And John C. Reilly is always such a freak. The whole cast looked like they had a great time making the film.
The fun thing about seeing Sundance films is the energy of the crowd - an enthusiastic audience who really wants to be there. And of course getting to see and hear the Director and the cast and crew at the Q&A session afterward if it is a premier. Spotting celebrities on the stage and in the crowd. Being surrounded by people who live and breathe the film industry. It is fascinating.
If you want to see a trailer, check it out here.
Dreaming of Colorado
Have you been to Colorado? I have not. And I can't believe that. Me who has traveled to so many states and so many countries over the past 43 years...how could I have missed Colorado? It is a cool place, with so much to see and do, yet somehow it has escaped me. Ok, ok, I drove straight through it once when I was like 11 or 12, and once when I was in my 20s and hightailing it back to the east coast after a summer living in Portland, Oregon, but on the first trip my mother was driving and on the second my ex-husband was driving, and I am pretty sure I slept most of the way through the state. So those drive-bys do not count. I have not experienced Colorado. I have not seen the Rockies, or Boulder, Denver, Colorado Springs, Grand Junction, Pueblo, Durango - these places I've read about and want to see.
Now that I live in Utah, Colorado is so teasingly close. It is just east of me. In the state next door. Just over this mountain range in my back yard. Well...just 200 miles and about a 4 hour drive over the mountain range if you take Route 40. But that isn't that far is it? That is less time than it used to take me to drive up to NYC from Washington, DC, if I remember correctly. Route 40 takes you to a town on the border called Dinosaur. Can you imagine living in Dinosaur, Colorado? Population 319 according to my friend Wikipedia. It is really only there because of something called the Dinosaur National Monument. Take a guess on why it has that name. Yes, you are correct. Dinosaur fossils. I read somewhere that this location has more than half of all the different kinds of dinosaurs that ever lived in North America during the late Jurassic period. I am not really into dinosaur fossils, but that sounds pretty cool. Sounds worth a visit. Sounds worth the four hour drive from here.
So, again, have you been to Colorado? What do you love about the place and what should I see when I finally get there?
Not my photo |
So, again, have you been to Colorado? What do you love about the place and what should I see when I finally get there?
Monday, January 24, 2011
Last Week on My Scenic Byway: Jan 17-23
Scenes: Checking out the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market Expo. Finally joining the SLC Public Library. Seeing beautiful Utah Lake. Cleaning up my mess of a home office. Bathing the cats. Beautiful, cloudy, winter skies. Finally returning to the gym and starting to get back in shape. Finally getting to check out a Sundance film. Walking my neighborhood in Olympus Hills - I live in an incredibly beautiful neighborhood at the base of the Wasatch mountains...man is it beautiful. I am still amazed every time I look around.
Ingesting: Rilo Kiley station on Pandora. American Idol...yeah I can't help it. Golden Globes. Piers Morgan. David Letterman. Less food. Cedar Rapids - very funny film at Sundance.
Loving: My clean office with an old sleeping cat in the corner. The public library. Jorge, Alexa, and Eliana Narvaez and their sky rocket to fame. Getting back to the gym. Coffee. Sleep.
INSIDE
Memories: My former life in Washington, DC. My trip to Ireland...was it really 7 years ago? Slamdance/Sundance in 2008 promoting my friend Virginia's film FrontRunner - my friend's film is awesome and that was a fun trip.
Intrigues: Sundance and Slamdance. Oprah. Kelsey Grammars divorce. Switching careers to work in something more outdoorsy - park ranger? outdoor retail? The sad news - we already know that small book stores are a dying breed - that even big chain book stores like Borders and Barnes & Noble are in trouble.
Desires: Better times ahead for my friends who are having a rough time of it right now due to loss of loved ones. On a more materialistic front: to go skiing and snowshoeing; a Sprinter Van so we can hit the road and see the wild west; to go camping; ice crampons...don't know if I would use them, but I want 'em! To get my act together early next year for Sundance and see a lot of films.
Best Giveaway at the Outdoor Retailer Expo
Happy Monday!
What a funny, weird thing. And I didn't even notice the website at the bottom until later. That is the website for Donavon Frankenreiter, a musician you may know. I like him and have a few of his songs. Sanuk is a fun shoe company - they were one of the exhibitors at the expo. Good marketing. Everyone wants a fake mustache...
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Outdoor Living
The future us. |
Recently an old friend was visiting SLC and we met for brunch. She joked about me showing up in all of my outdoor wear because she remembered me as being a different kind of dresser. And I was. I have closets, boxes and bags full of shoes and clothes that came from my Washington, DC life that I do not wear anymore. I wonder if I will ever wear most or any of it again. High heels, business suits, blouses, dress pants. Ugh. Most days now I dress like a walking advertisement for REI or Lululemon. Last month I was walking into REI to do some Christmas shopping (I did most of it there) and I suddenly realized that everything I was wearing - pants, shirt, jacket, shoes and my bag - were all from REI. REI took care of our luggage and our wardrobe for our honeymoon to Europe. We have an REI five minutes from our house. I love it. I walk in and drool over the jackets and shoes and the bags - yes it has wonderful gear, but it is also now my place of choice for clothing. It has replaced Ann Taylor and Banana Republic and Nordstrom and the boutiques I used to frequent. This is what leaving DC and living in SLC has done to me. This is all I want to wear. And they always have great sales. If you never think to go to REI for clothes, think again.
So...we left the expo energized and fantasizing about our outdoor adventures that lie ahead. We will get some winter sports in here over the next few months and I can't wait to break out my old tent when the weather warms up. If you live in this part of the country it is a crime to not take advantage of the wilderness here. Here are some awesome things from the expo that I want to buy. Cool huh? I will be on the look out for them on the internet, REI and other outdoor stores.
coolest camping dishes |
Strap on ice crampons |
Cool wool boy cut underwear |
Camping cookware |
Tasty |
Awesome solar powered music player |
The coolest sled |
Me trying the ice crampons. I want these! Yes, those are ice blocks and yes that is a guy in a penguin suit. |
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Public Libraries are Awesome
I did it! One of my new year resolutions...today I finally joined the Salt Lake City public library. Back in early December I wrote about my love of books and bookstores and public libraries. I have wanted to join the library since moving here. I love buying books and music (at the dwindling number of music and bookstores in the US), and I feel very fortunate that I have money to buy these things. BUT, why not add to that? The public library is a beautiful, beautiful thing. How awesome is it that not only can you check out books, now you can also check out movies, audio books and music CDs! All for FREE!
Thank you America. The public library is one of your greatest creations. I thank the universe that they exist and that they are alive and well in many cities and communities. I excitedly exclaimed something along these lines while we were at the library today, causing my husband to call me a big nerd. If loving the library makes me a nerd, then yes, I am a huge nerd.
When I was growing up in the 70s, the public library in my hometown - the Coyle Free Library in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania - was like heaven. I vividly remember my mother (thank you mom!) taking me there on weekends when I was a little girl. I was so excited to walk through the stacks of books. Endless possibilities. Since then, in spite of some use of the Arlington, VA public library back in the late 90s, I have sadly not taken advantage of this great resource. That is going to change.
The motto of the SLC Public Library system: "A dynamic civic resource that promotes free and open access to information, materials and services to all members of the community to advance knowledge, foster creativity, encourage the exchange of ideas, build community and enhance the quality of life." Who can't get behind that?
So what did I check out on my first trip to the SLC public library? I grabbed two very random music CDs. That is the beauty of the free library - you aren't making a financial commitment so why not try random books, movies and CDs? The SLC library lets you check out up to 30 music CDs at a time! I picked up, wait for it, Alice Cooper - Goes to Hell. A1976 classic. I had the record album and I used to listen to this a lot in junior high school. I thought it was dark and mysterious and cool at the time. Listening to it now is not so fun. I picked up Joe Jackson - Rain - never heard of the album, but I like him, so I will give it a try. I also picked up an NPR Road Trips CD, with stories about family vacations - because not only am I a library nerd, I am also an NPR geek. And I picked up a classic book that I haven't thought about since college - Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig. I know I read it, but I don't remember any of it, so I look forward to reading it again.
Do you belong to your local public library? If so, then you know why I am raving about how wonderful it is. If not, get out there and take advantage of your city and county tax dollars at work!
Friday, January 21, 2011
Naked Earth
I do love my modern world.
I am grateful for my infrastructure and luxuries -
electric power, hot water, transportation, roads.
But sometimes...
I just want to see and experience the beauty of the earth, without these trappings.
Although I guess the shape of the power line has its own kind of beauty.
Random DC Memories
Having just visited Washington, DC, and also reminiscing on the phone with a dear friend and former roommate from my early DC days, these random memories came to mind from my time (1989-2010) in DC. I arrived in Washington in September 1989, age 22, after graduating from college and spending the summer in Kenya, and did not leave until last year (except for a brief stint in New York for grad school, but DC remained my home where I returned during breaks). The early days were about being on my own for the first real time (college did not count): first apartment; first real job search and then first real job secured; roommates; paying bills; struggling; roaming the city on foot all the time; parties and happy hours and crazy times. Over time I built a career, made many friends, lived in many apartments, bought a car, left briefly for grad school, got married, bought a house, etc. Life progressed. So many friends left DC, but I stayed. So much life happened there in DC for me - in that little diamond of earth along the Potomac. With no car, I remember in my first few years in DC I never really left the NW quadrant. Back in those days we never traveled out to VA or MD and rarely to other parts of the city. Later my world would expand to cover all of the city and the suburbs, but that happened mainly when I moved to Rosslyn and had a car. Then I moved to Takoma Park, just over the DC line. But I was always in the city. I drove through the city every day to work and spent most of my social life still in that little diamond. So many changes in the city over 20 years. It sometimes blows my mind driving around the city and remembering how it was and is now. So many memories. I guess that happens for all of those who live in a place for a long time and witness its changes. I think it is fun to remember those things. Reach way, way back 5, 10, 20 years ago.
Some of you who will read this list will know these things because you lived them with me or you were also in the city in those days. I've missed a lot, but these were the things that popped readily into my head. Do you remember some of these things?(this list is in no particular order)
Some of you who will read this list will know these things because you lived them with me or you were also in the city in those days. I've missed a lot, but these were the things that popped readily into my head. Do you remember some of these things?(this list is in no particular order)
- a friend swimming in the Dupont Circle fountain
- a rat running across our feet walking down the street
- blow out parties at the California Street apartment
- our first apartment at the Chaselton
- seeing the Clintons coming out of church on Sundays as their church was around the corner from one of my old apartments
- the Obama inauguration - freezing my behind off but in a crowd of so many people and so much awe and love
- shopping at the Soviet Safeway back when $20 went quite a long way
- G&Ts at Fox & Hound on the patio then pizza at Trios
- the peeping tom (and the crazy building managers) at one apartment building in Arlington
- running the marine corps marathon
- Mr. Eagan's happy hours - pitchers of beer, popcorn, darts and stealing the glasses with Mr. Eagan's portrait
- Seeing a free Captain & Tennille concert at the Washington monument one evening - that was hysterical
- Seeing Ella Fitzgerald perform one sunny afternoon at Wolftrap - that was amazing
- working at the Gap on Connecticut Avenue (old location was right near Lucky Bar) so long ago...when there were no restaurants on the street except for a nasty Roy Rogers
- being mugged at gun point outside of my apartment on California Street (Embassy District - supposedly safe) at around 2 am
- dancing at Kilimanjaro, not soon after I had moved to DC from Nairobi
- going to the old 930 club with an old friend who worked there and then going to dance across the street at the Vault
- the riots in Columbia Heights
- the hookers on 14th street
- U street before it had restaurants and shops and condos and crazy nightlife and Adams Morgan before it became the way it is now
- Hell, when they first opened and there were no signs and only the locals knew (it was there before Heaven)
- 18th street lounge at the beginning, before it became crowded and trendy - it was so awesome when it first started
- great farewell parties and New Year's Eve celebrations at Stetsons, back when it was a really fun, neighborhood bar
- Kemp Mill Records
- DC before Starbucks
- the homeless Vietnam vet who used to hang out by the Dupont Circle metro, circa 1989-1990
- the singing homeless woman from Connecticut Avenue (made famous in the "She's Homeless" dance club song)
- Going to Trax, wearing overalls and not much else, and dancing all night long in a sea of gay men
- temping at a law firm back when people smoked at their desks (1989)
- Restaurant Club and Hike Club and Book Club
- George Peppard feeling up my backless dress at the American Cancer Society Ball
Thursday, January 20, 2011
The Ocean Washes Away
Today is a sad day. Thinking about family and loss.
An old friend lost his son today. He battled so long and hard to fight the disease that I am in shock that the disease won. I really thought it wouldn't. Loss of life is always sad, but it seems even more unfair and painful when the person is young.
And a dear friend is losing her mother right now. And again, I was surprised by this. I did not want to believe that this would happen.
And this is all painfully reminding me of the recent loss of my mother-in-law. Again, a surprise and a shock. I did not think that would happen.
And this too reminds me of other friends and family who have recently suffered painful situations and loss.
Today I am thinking of all of them.
Photos from the Oregon Coast, July 2010
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