beach day!

Some pictures from Discovery Park today.  I haven't monkeyed with these at all, but I probably could/should.

Did you know barnacles make noise?  It's kind of crazy...

new camera

These are not fancy pictures. The first two are of the same plant with and without zoom sitting in the exact same spot.

 This one is obviously of my keyboard using my amazing macro!  The lens was practically TOUCHING the keyboard!  Look at that piece of fuzz you can see!

I'm off to take more pictures that I'm sure will be posted here soon.

accidentally western shirt

I went downtown last weekend to Border's just to buy a magazine.  Oh, but it's not just any magazine, no, this was/is Burda World of Fashion.  The subscription is $80/year so I wanted to make sure I liked it before I ordered.

The magazine is German, thankfully translated.  Inside each issue is 40-70 patterns!  I've made two from the issue I bought and I am in LOVE!  They are stylish and do not need any altering.  When I make clothes from the big 4 (McCall's, Simplicity, Vogue and Butterick) things never turn out right.  The two shirts I've made turned out great!

I do not have pictures of the first shirt I made, since i've worn it so many times this week it's now drying after a wash.  But here is the second shirt I made.  The fabric turned out to be a little more flashy than I was hoping for so I threw on some pearl snaps and made it a western shirt!  

 

Clothing and who makes it

So I was reading this article on Neatorama that is actually a guest blog from the author of the book Where am I Wearing: A Global Tour to the Countries, Factories, and People that Make Our Clothes 

It makes me wonder what I should do.  I feel awful that people in far off countries are making my clothes for $22/month.  They live in one room homes with 7 other people.  I feel so angry and want to never buy clothes again.

Then I realize this is their only source of income.  Some people have left their homes, families and previous jobs because they can make more money by being garment workers.  If I stop buying their clothes how will they make a living?

Right now it's a moot point for me as I have no money to buy clothes anyway.  Hopefully in a year my situation will change and I'll have to make a decision.

In other news, it's a sunny 40-something degree day and my bike tires are pumped up and ready to go to the gym. yay for bikes!

back to the grind

My three weeks off are over. I went back to my practicum today and start work and my classes again tomorrow. It felt surprisingly good being back in the classroom.

literary surprises

Sometimes I'm surprised when books that are hailed as being great actually are good reads. Right now I'm reading The Color Purple and am really into it! I'm also reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and like it too. Actually, Huck is a little harder to read because the dialect switches. And for some reason I was under the impression that Huck was black for a good 50 pages until someone told me he wasn't. I obviously never read Tom Sawyer but I thought part of the story of their friendship was that they were different colors back in those days. Goes to show ya what I know.

Ignorance be damned

It's well after 2am and I can't sleep. I am frustrated with the ignorance and selfishness of people around me, both known and unknown.

First, I would like to applaud Seattle for not using salt on the roadways. Here are a couple of arguments for using salt:

1. "Puget Sound is salt water" um...even so, is Lake Washington? Lake Union? Green Lake?

2. "A little extra salt isn't going to hurt anything." seriously? Are we just adding a dash of salt? Would you go up to your friend's salt water fish tank and shake the salt shaker into it? I think you'd lose a friend. Puget Sound is laden with pollution for the entire region and salt is certainly going to cause a problem.

3. "We use salt all the time on the East Coast and there are still fish there." This one made me laugh out loud. When was the last time this guy looked at species decline in whatever region he was living in? I even wonder how many of the fish he's thinking of are native.

So anyway...that's really grating on my nerves. Today I also got into an argument with my own father about global warming. The man can't cite any sources nor is he willing to look them up for me. He can't explain to me what he means when he spouts off some 'fact' without using a whiny sarcastic voice (and then he still doesn't answer my question). I actually yelled, and I mean yelled, at him when he pulled that on me. This all started when he swept his arm about to indicate the snow and said "This was all caused by global warming." I responded, "Actually, we should expect to see more precipitation in our region whereas the interior of the country will see far less." Here are some other quotes:

"We're in a two year cooling period"
"We're in a warming trend..in the 1600's..." Don't think he ever finished that bit about the 1600's but I heard it brought up a lot.
"What are we going to do when we find out they were wrong?" Um, rejoice? Enjoy our cleaner air and healthier bodies?
"Al Gore is an idiot."
"There are lots of scientists who don't believe it." like whom? and I can guarantee it there are a lot more who do.
Something about "humans can't alter the environment." At that point I reminded him that we're animals and look at the crazy shit we do. We build cars and buildings that can regulate heat, we make machines that let us talk to people on the other side of the world. Thought that might lead into a theology argument but it didn't.

Oh, I think I remember one of the 1600's statements. It was something about what did I think people thought when there was a cooling period in the olden days and people's crops couldn't grow. I said, so straight faced I was so proud, I said "they probably thought they were smited by God." Booyah! And he couldn't argue.

New Goal

In addition to reading books my students are reading so that I can recommend books to them and bond with them on reading, I also want to read as many books from this list as I possibly can.

Banned Books List

It's so interesting. On Wikipedia's list of banned books, this line stuck out to me immediately:

Black Beauty

Anna Sewell

Was banned in South Africa in 1955 because of the use of the word 'black' in the title

And I was reading about a kid who spear headed a campaign to ban To Kill a Mockingbird because of the racial slurs. He even wore a t shirt to school with those words written all over it and was told to cover up the offensive terms. I can't remember if the school ended up banning the book but I think they at least considered it.

That doesn't make sense to me at all. The book is a snippet of history. I think it's good he read it and was offended. We should always remind ourselves of where we came from as a society in order to continue on the better path.

anyway...

*edit* I've just noticed that both of these goals force me to read Harry Potter next.

leisure

Ahh...the shopping is shopped, the shipping is shipped and the exams have been examined (A- in PE? pff whatever!). Now I get to read and knit for leisure. Time to enjoy the holidays and the lackof work and school involved.

Books

I started reading Holes this weekend and it is such a good little book! So much better than the Twilight series.

I grabbed Holes on my way to the gym. I've never tried reading and working out at the same time. As long as I'm on a stationary bike it works quite well! I went longer on that dang bike than I ever have all while reading. Very enjoyable work out.

let down

I read Jurassic Park when I was about 13. I remember how tense and scared I was as I read it in my upstairs bedroom on the farm. A couple years later, I read The Vampire Chronicles at the house in town. Again, the suspense made my heart beat fast and my chest tighten.

I haven't experienced that kind of immersion in years. What happened? If I read those same books today would I find them as vapid as the other things I'm reading? Was it just my youth?

I am so tired of authors making characters so dumb! If your protagonist isn't supposed to get something, I sure wish you would write it so the reader doesn't get it either.

sigh, I'll go back to reading Eclipse now.

The Sisters Grimm

Wow! I'm only about halfway through this book and I love it so far!
This one was recommended to me by one of my students. I've since noticed that a few of them are or have read it. Scholastic rates it at 5th year 9th month! (5.9) *High five* My Students!

I also bought Twilight. So far, so good.
Although it's only rated 5.6. ; )

books

I just got back from the used bookstore down the street. I love that it is located in the old Ballard library building.

A few weeks ago I asked my students to give me the title of their favorite book because I know nothing of children's literature these days. Today, I bought three titles: The Sisters Grimm, The Report Card, and yes, I caved and bought the first Harry Potter. Sigh. The sacrifices I make for these kids!

Last week a student asked me to help her find a book. She wanted either a drama or a comedy. I offered her Julie of the Wolves and Sideways Stories from Wayside School. Thankfully she accepted the latter. I was really at a loss as to what to suggest! Thus, I have made a pledge to myself and my future students to keep my finger on the pulse of what they are reading in order to make good suggestions.

Here are two books I just read for the first time: (these two were recommended by my host teacher, not students)



Island of the Blue Dolphins is based on a true story. If you don't already know, I LOVE historical fiction. Karana and her people live on an island in the Pacific. She finds herself alone on the island and lives there for 18 years with only the animals to keep her company. It's an amazing story of triumph and survival.
Bridge to Terabithia is a beautiful story about two friends. If it doesn't at least make you well up in the eyes, you are souless. ; )

busy weekend

I really want to sew, but before I can I need to clean my room. Roommate is out of town so I cleaned the living room to perfection. Even rearranged. I wish I had done this before Kat came. I would have been far less embarrassed of our Apt. I also got on my hands and knees and scrubbed out the stains everywhere on the carpet.

So now I'm cleaning my bedroom. Hoping for the same dramatic change. It's a little harder because my bedroom has to be my sleeping and dressing quarters, my office, my sewing/craft room and my piano room.

I'm about to box up my books that I love and want to keep, but haven't had time to use in the past year or two. That'll free up a lot of space for my school books that I AM currently using. Hopefully, when I'm a teacher those books will find their way to my classroom and get out of my hair here.

well, back to the grind!

Debbie Harry goes plaid!

list of things that make me happy

I need to write this down so that when I get stressed out I can return to it and remember it's not all about school and work.

1. my nephews
2. dancing
3. sewing
4. painting? still experimenting
5. music
6. reading for leisure
7. quiet hikes and birds

May come back to add to this.

Frida with Rose Window

I love the color I get from gouache but it doesn't hold its shape very well with a stencil. Still, I'm in love with this painting.

sad

I just learned that my friend's two month old died last night. Beautiful little girl. They put her to bed at 6:30 and when they went to check on her at 9 she was cold.

Another friend is experiencing trouble with her pregnancy.

These are two people who absolutely do not deserve this kind of pain. They do everything right and are so loving.

Please help me send warm thoughts to both families.

The King?

On the excitement of my success with Audrey, I tried my hand at Elvis. Unfortunately, I did not wait until my paintbrush was dry to stencil him. It now kind of looks like he has a bloody nose. Too excited to wait to post so here he is with his imperfections.

Sweet!

I can't wait to show you what I did with that stencil! But they are drying right now. And I can't find my camera. I'll be back with pictures soon. So awesome!
*******************************************************************
Here it is, with stripe distortion and wrong sized pillow stuffed in there! but awesome just the same!

omg, i'm so excited by this!

Look at the stencil I made tonight!

Need not wonder any longer

Have you ever wondered to yourself, "gee, I wonder what November Foxtrot would have looked like in 1966, or 1978 even!" Well you needn't wonder any longer for the answer is HERE!



I'm thinking about rocking the 'fro for a while....

what? no school?

What do you do when you don't have class or homework? You go to the library! I finished a book I borrowed from my boss, read a new novel and started another one all in one weekend.

I also sewed a pencil pouch, for my cool new pens for the coming year, on my new sewing machine! It even has an embroidered 'N' on it! fancy!

Next week is the first day of school for my student teaching....yikes!

Summer quarter DONE!

I can't even explain how hard this quarter was. I don't think it was necessarily the classes themselves, but just going to school in the summer. The last few days have been grey and raining which has actually motivated me to go to class. Today, however, I came straight home after work, I'm watching Oprah and I haven't a care in the world! I even turned in my math final last night and found out today I got 60/60!

Two more quarters of classes followed by student teaching and then I"m DONE!

ooh it's so smooth!

My new machine came today! It sews like butter! I just want to play but I have papers and projects due this week! arggg!

spending money

I just bought my sewing machine, again! Paypal gave me some of the money I lost from the ebay purchase I made that was never sent. This time I bought my machine through Overstock.com. It's refurbished which makes me happy and sad at the same time. I like that I"m not buying something new, but I'm worried that it won't work correctly. I'm pretty sure I get the brother 25 year warranty with it anyway though.

So here it is!

completely worth watching!

I love Neil Patrick Harris!

auntie was busy

I like making things for my nephews. These three t shirts were for Alex and the burp rags were for Zach.

summer bike tally

So, I tried to remember as best as I could, but I entered in my commuting miles into Cascadia Bicycle Club's Summer Bike League database and my current total is 100.0 miles! This summer I have burned roughly 3,333 calories (almost a pound of fat!), and saved about $56.00 by not driving my car (I'm not sure how they come up with this number).

I haven't mentioned that I have not been riding my bike to class. Since my schedule changed and I do not leave work until 4:00 I do not get home until 4:30. I tried to come home, grab some food, get my school things and take off again. I got about a mile from home and really felt like if I continued I would throw up. I turned around and went home. It was just too much.

crafts!

I'm pretty proud of this blanket. It took forever so it did not turn out very large but it's just big enough to warm up my new baby nephew in his car seat.

nudibranch color palettes

So, my favorite animal is the nudibranch. Go to this blog and find out why! Also find nudibranch color palettes included!

over heard

Over heard this at Target, "We don't need a god damned fucking stroller!"

I'm sure you're wondering to whom this lovely woman was talking. Her 9, at the oldest, year old daughter.

weekend

It's 7:30 and I'm up on a Sat. I was up late reading but I still couldn't sleep any more. My SE bedroom gets just enough sun hitting it that it warms up quickly in the summer. I've positioned a fan to suck from my room and blow down the hall. The sliding glass door is open. It's the perfect time to chill the apartment before the day warms up.

And the perfect time to get things done. I have a big list this weekend.
1. Do math homework did as much as I could w/o the correct book
2. Do social studies homework
3. Work on health education project
4. Make pants working on them right now
5. Grocery shop check!
6. Shop for a garbage can that ants can't get into hopefully sufficient
7. Buy a hat straw and cute!
8. Go check on my cat at my parents' I'm here
9. Clean room *11:15, done!
10. and most importantly, declutter!

What I really want to be doing is rushing down to the Bay Area to meet my new baby nephew and play with his older brother. I've also been wanting some sister time of eating pizza rolls and watching movies.

Those things wait until Sept. so I better focus on this weekend's To Do before the days slip away from me.

another race

So I was coerced into doing the Firecracker 5000 last night. Yes, a 5k at midnight. After also being coerced to eat pizza. I didn't do too badly, 34:45. That was with some walking and not having run since the ole St. Patrick's Day Dash.

What really irks me is that I'm not horribly sore today. yeah a little bit but I can walk and squat down without wincing. Which means I could have pushed it so much more.

burst bubble

Turns out my ride from home to class is less than 4 miles. 3.7 to be exact. Sigh. So, my weekly total is 19.8 miles and lbs CO2 saved. I did not ride today because my knee hurt and my back was tight. Considering the issues I have with my back I feel it is a very good excuse. I won't ride tomorrow because we are goign straight from class down town to run the Firecracker 5k. Yes, I'll be running through downtown tomorrow night at 11:55pm. wowza!

It'll hurt in the morning!

I've been doing fairly well at riding my bike to work every day. That's a total of 5 miles each time. Today I stepped it up a notch. After work I rode my bike to class. That's another 10 miles. A total of 15 miles today and 15 lbs of CO2 saved. If I get into this habit I will shatter my record set last year in no time!

I should have been keeping track this whole time but I'd say we could start the counter today at 40 miles, and that's just since summer started.

a salute to awesome crunchiness

Crunchy Chicken (known to some as Deanna) is a pillar in the online green blog community. Not only is she a fellow Ballardite, but she has challenged us all to make greener choices in our lives.

Have you seen those ads on tv for Always that tell you to buy their product and in exchange they will donate disposable feminine hygiene products to Africa so young girls can go to school? yay for school, boo for disposable...and in an area that does not have sufficient places to dispose of them!

Deanna jumped on this issue faster than a cheetah in heat. She created the Goods for Girls program which donates reusuable cloth pads to villages in Africa. Check it out, it's pretty amazing and if you can, please donate! There is a handy little button to a paypal account.

If you do donate, let me know. We're trying to raise 5,000 for Crunchy's fund so we'd like to keep tabs. : )

I LOVE my bike!

I just did a practice ride from my place over to Discovery Park via the Ballard Locks. I can't believe I forgot how much fun it is to ride!! It's about 2.5 miles one way so I figure that will give me a good amount of exercise per day this summer. I put my gym membership on hold for the summer assuming my 5 miles a day and walking around a park with kids all day will keep me in shape.

Placement!

I have news about where I will be placed next year for my practicum/internship! It's the school I asked for specifically! Yay! Next week I have an 'interview' with the host teacher and principal. I think it's just a formality to make sure we don't hate eachother. I'm pretty excited! I've met all the fourth and fifth grade teachers at this school and they're super fun. Exciting!

Birding on Break!

I had an extra long lunch today while out in Goldbar so I followed some signs to Wallace Falls. I did not get all the way to the falls but took a nice little stroll and did some pshing for birds.

I was sure I pshed in a Yellow Rumped Warbler, but the other bird I was unsure of. Now I'm almost positive it was a Black-Throated Gray Warbler! I rarely get warblers when I psh. Usually, just chickadees, juncos and nuthatches.

YRWA picture: www.nps.gov/cebr/naturescience/warblers.htm
BTGW picture: http://www.enature.com/fieldguides/enlarged.asp?imageID=17231

The Grocery Store Guilt

Crunch Chicken has another eco challenge. This one is called her Extreme Eco Throwdown. She gives suggestions on things you can challenge yourself to do for an entire month. Number 1. is NO PLASTIC! (the best part is that the challenges get harder the higher the number, and she started with no plastic! omg!)

I just got back from the grocery store. I'm not sure how many of you were around when I was told I had high cholesterol and started having break downs at the grocery store because I couldn't find anything to eat. Tonight was kinda like that. My special butter (for my cholesterol) comes in a plastic tub, so does yogurt, chocolate milk has a plastic cap and I'm sure is lined with plastic and don't get me started about bread products.

I can easily make my own bread products. My roommate makes some mean bagels. I'm going to work on finding other ways to reduce my plastic use. I can guarantee you that yogurt and butter are not the only places it shows up in my life.

dream

I had a dream last night and my Grandpa was there. He passed away a few years ago, it was really nice to see him again.

It's rubbing off! and other school news

Some of my cohortians are making sure I know when they are recycling! I love it! One of my classmates actually thought that someone went through your garbage and sorted the recycling for you. I think my head exploded.

Speaking of school, apparently we have been placed in our student teaching schools. Only one or two of my cohortians know where they will be, though. Honestly, I think that there is some miscommunication that may be being done on purpose between our placer and our director.

Actually, one of the girls who knows where they will be placed is actually applying to do her student teaching abroad. This, of course, put a little bug in my ear telling me to do mine in France. If there was any chance of me saving money until next spring I would totally do it. Unfortunately, I'm living pay check to pay check. My big shopping spree was for bras and underwear last week. Can't even spree for fun things! Ok..some could argue those could be fun too.. ; ) Anyway, i don't think it's possible.

One more.... last week I got to go to an un-named outdoor school with my practicum class. I was so excited. I rode with a parent who is also a teacher so we discussed and it turns out she knows my old uber boss (president of organization), my old camp director AND my good friend and fellow ecobilly (rockabilly with an environmental conscious). So that was cool. But the rest of the experience was pretty lame on the outdoor school's part. My group did not even get to go into the woods until the last half hour of the day. We sat for an hour while a woman, who wasn't even a very good story teller, told a story about one of the founders who grew up in Africa. That day should have been about that particular place and appreciating the PNW environment. The kids were so visibly bored. One good thing about the day was I found out that one of my kids who drives me crazy in the classroom speaks French. All of a sudden he turned into a sweet little boy who wanted to talk to me. His demeanor completely changed en francais.

Leave No Trace

This is the lifestyle I've suggested to our roommate, except instead of using it in nature, I want him to use it in our apartment.

I cannot have people over to my apartment because I am so embarrassed by the mess. I will agree that sometimes, I contribute to the mess, but overall my things are such a small fraction they don't even matter. When I walk into the living room, I immediately turn around and walk out, or try to go straight to the patio to sit in a small space of delight.

Today, I did a few small things like: empty the dishwasher, take out the recycling and go through the mail. Roommate came home in the middle of these tasks and I proposed this nugget: "If it takes 30 days to make a habit, and we clean just a little more than the mess we make each day, then after 30 days not only will our apartment be clean, but we will also be in the habit of keeping it clean." He agreed! And proceeded to do nothing. I also giggled and said, "yeah! Like, leave it cleaner than you found it!" since we both like nature and know this rule of thumb.

This weekend, I did give my bedroom and thorough cleaning. Since I cannot control the common space, I can control this space and I'll have to put my focus here.

ohhh it's hurty

I think running the dash triggered a chain reaction that tweaked my SI joint again. My back was tight, but then yesterday, in the middle of a program for work, TWEAK! Can't bend over, can't stand correctly because I can't have that curve between my back and my butt and can't get out of bed without SERIOUS effort. Fun times!

So I'm on muscle relaxers and fake vicodin again. Thing is, it still hurts. I may need to take more vicodin but I'll wait until later because that stuff knocks me out.

I did it!

OMG! I did the St. Patty's Day Dash in Seattle today! It's roughly 3.5 miles and guess what? I ran the whole thing! No walking!!!

My time sucked . . . but I'll take one victory at a time!

Here are some race day photos stolen from Jenny! First is of Jenny and me, second is Nick, Jenny and me. My number is under my sweatshirt. It was too cold to take it off yet!

Update: my official time is 37:16 that's a minute faster than I had thought and eleven minutes faster than they originally posted.

Once you start, never quit

Running, I mean. I really haven't run since Dec. 8th and decided I better get my act together since I'm doing the St. Paddy's Day Dash on Sunday. So I went to Greenlake this afternoon. Remember when I was so proud because I was hitting, four, five miles? Yeah, today I'm lucky if I pieced together two. Killed me! It took me almost 40 minutes to get in three miles of run/walk. At least the weather is better...

annoyed

Yesterday in class, we had to create magnet and charter schools. Two groups created schools that were green oriented. They had gardens and were all about sustainability. Today as I left class I had to pull out plastic bottles that were thrown in the trash because my classmates were too lazy to recycle them.

I am not used to this type of culture.

rub a dub dub

My tub needed some serious scrubbing the other day. It was disgusting. I went into the cupboard to mix up my normal baking soda, castille soap and vinegar to find no baking soda or vinegar. Annoyed and ready to scrub at that very moment I grabbed the still full 409 bottle that we've had for a year and went to town.

I had to work so much harder to scrub off that mildew with the gross chemicalness of 409! I thought it would just wipe right off but no! I'm so glad I made the switch to the more natural recipe!! I'm sad I used the nastiness, but I'm also kind of glad because my method has been reinforced! hooray!

caucus

I caucused today. And I think I should get bonus points for the rigmarole I went through to do so. I went to The Odd Fellows building where I assumed I would go but it turns out I live on the wrong side of my street to caucus there. So I had to hoof it up 11 blocks to the school where I'm actually doing my practicum. Then I had to quick fill out my change of address form and hope everything was done correctly.

Anyway, my name is signed next to my choice candidate and I'll be watching at six o'clock to see who comes out on top for Washington!

new shampoo

Shampoo is very hard for me to buy. I hated to give up the shampoo I've used for years but not only was it not environmentally friendly, they also discontinued it. I was forced to look for something new. Burt's Bees is a well known natural product line so I went for their Super Shiny Shampoo. I LOVE this shampoo! It definitely makes my hair super shiny and glosses my curls. Unfortunately, I have to wash my hair more often with this shampoo because after two days my hair gets pretty stringy. But hey, it's natural so that's not such a big deal!

New Year

The calendar has been changed and everything is new again. Last year I resolved to be a better environmentalist. I definitely made some positive changes! This year I will continue to find new ways to improve and do my part.

The biggest change I need to make is to stop eating fast food for lunch. I initially made this decision based on my health and pocketbook but I realize this is also a good move for the environment too!

Happy New Year to you!

My city

Millesinge. I'm not sure what will happen with this but each time someone visits my population goes up! So go visit and let's see what happens! check it out!

It's official now

The results are in, I did better than I thought. 16 seconds better. ; ) 31:44. I can do better and I will do better. Just watch me!

Here's a picture of the mighty racing girls in the car on that blustery morning. (stolen from jenny)

it's not official

Friday night I went to the Century Ballroom to see Wayne Hancock and do some dancing. Turned out to be a fabulous night for me as I was the only girl in my group of dancing friends! I two-stepped, jived and east coast swung until about 12:30. Oh I also spoke a little French. Got home about 1, woke up at 7 and made it down to Jenny's in federal Way by 8:30am Sat. morning.

It was a cold morning but at least the sun was shining! We drove down to Kent, pinned on our numbers and rushed back to the car to preserve a little heat. I could not fathom taking off my winter jacket and going back into that cold to wait at the starting line. Yes, Sat. was the day of my first 5k.

I'm not sure how I feel about races. There were so many people on that one little trail. I couldn't keep up with Jenny. That girl has a need for speed and she found it! So I was alone and assumed that eventually things would even out and someone would automatically become my running partner. Not so much.

We ran along the Green River and the blackberry bushes along the banks had a straight line of mud from where the river was several feet higher just a few days ago. Huge earth worms littered the path. Most had already been stepped on but one was stretched out to almost a foot long. I had to turn around and save it. I couldn't bear the thought of someone's heartless foot coming down on it.

It was shortly after the worm save that I decided to walk. The trail seemed to go on forever and without knowing where the end was I couldn't keep my legs moving. I had no watch so I couldn't tell you how long I walked for but I don't think it was too long at all.

When the end was in sight, I felt my strides get longer and I passed by a few folks. I saw Jenny rounding the corner to get a spot where she could cheer me on. (Thanks Jen!)

My legs are sore today. I don't remember the last time my legs were sore for running. Even when Phil and I went four miles over Thanksgiving they didn't feel like this. It's a good sore though and it means I ran had and I feel less bad about walking. It also shows what great shape that Jenny is in! Holy crap, girl!

It's not official but I think I came in at about 32 minutes.

Nature is so amazing!

Disclaimer: I do not want people to get hurt or for their property to be damaged, but nature is AMAZING!

Seattle was just hit with over 5" of rain over the past couple of days. We are used to rain, yes, but not quite like this. Our soils have not developed over thousands of years to regularly absorb this kind of water. Flooding is natural, however. That is why we have such fertile areas like the Auburn Valley and fields of tulips up north. When the river spilled over its banks, historically, it would displace nutrient rich silt we still enjoy today.

Over the past two hundred years (give or take) we have cut forests, paved land, drained wetlands and straightened streams. No one can argue that these practices have altered the natural flood regime. We try so hard to control nature that when an event like this occurs, I cannot help but cheer nature on! "Lay your silt! Gouge those river banks! Find your own way!"

I am sorry for those who are facing injuries and damages to their property.

sunchokes!

They look like ginger, cook like a potato and taste like a yummy! This new veggie came in my CSA box this week. I put it in a barley soup with potatoes, carrots, broccoli and my favorite secret bullion. They are so tasty!! Some say they taste like artichokes..I don't know about that, but I like 'em!

I really hope someone out there is readin this..

I just came across a hilarious link!! It asks what a powerpoint presentation would have looked like if Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address today! It's awesome. : )

this is a lie

Get a Cash Advance

Want to see my underpants?

I had mentioned I ripped apart one of my favorite pairs of underpants. Well, today I made the pattern and sewed up a pair! I used an old staff shirt from when I was a naturalist for the Girl Scouts. I thought the pink thread would be cute but now I"m wishing I had used something that matched better. Oh well. The best part is I"m wearing them right now! ; )

confidence booster

40 year old men love me. And it's more fun when they're hot!

Now if only they were closer to 30 year old men....sigh.

100th post, 100th monkey has 100 things to say

I had such a fun time last night at book club chez Jenny! I got to meet new girls and chat with two friends I don't see nearly enough! Unfortunately, I bought my book for book club new and so I need to decide what to do with it now. I was joking when I suggested this, but now I think I might do it! You know how you get dollar bills that people try to track across the country? Well this is a way to track your book. You just leave it somewhere and hope someone logs in its location. It's a way to share your books so others don't consume more AND a fun experiment! Now where should I leave mine? In Ballard or on the airplane?

I didn't exercise for an entire week. I will go today, after I digest these three donuts.

I turned on the heat in my bedroom for ten minutes last night. It felt luxurious. It's 59 degrees in my living room and I need to go study, I'm tempted to turn it on out there for a little while to take the chill off. I don't know why I feel so guilty using heat.

I got my zen stone plus. It's bigger than a Shuffle, I learned that last night but I heart it still!

Oh AND Jenny gave me four knitted squares, my sister left one before she left a few weeks ago and my mother's coworker gave me 8 crocheted squares. YAY! Getting closer to being able to put this together!

I have learned that early elementary is not the place for me. I do not deal well with boogers and wet pants. OMG, please don't touch me with those hands! It was awful.

I just ripped the seams out of a favorite pair of underpants that were nearing the trash. I'm going to copy the pattern and try to make a new pair. And I JUST put away my sewing machine. Sigh.

Five out of six

I ran allllll the way around GL (plus my .2 to make it an even 3 miles) without even my water break. Then I did some more.

All in all I ran about five miles out of six (including warm up and cool down). It took freakin' forever. This is the first time my legs have told me to stop before my heart and lungs did. woot!

Spike!!!!

An orchid inflorescence is called a spike. I bought this orchid 3.5 years ago after my grandpa died and this is the first time it's starting to spike! This is NOT a good picture, my camera isn't good with the upclose-iness, but you can see it's there!



Here is a picture of what the original spike looked like.

Shiver me timbers!

It is Nov. 1st! I can now give myself permission to turn the heat on. I am going to continue trying my damnedest not to, though. I refuse to turn on the heat unless it drops below 60 and then I only heat up to 65. Lots of layers!

Check out Crunchy Chicken's blog! She has challenged people to lower their heat this season and over 80 people have accepted the challenge! One person has pledged not to turn on the heat at all....damn I hope that person lives in Florida!

Squares

I just found 6 mystery squares in my apartment! I think they came via my roommate who still works at my old job and I have a coworker there whipping them up like crazy! She's donated 14 crocheted squares!

My current count is:
Crocheted: 28
Knitted: 30

I can probably make one twin sized afghan if I combined them. Otherwise I'm about halfway on both. Admittedly, I've been slacking on making them too. I need to pick up my hook and needles!

want vs. need

We live in such a disposable society that we often forget what's really important for our survival: food, water, shelter and clean air. So we eat Twinkies, drink bottled water, build McMansions and drive cars that pollute our air.

I really want an Ipod Shuffle. I know I don't need one, but hot damn they're cute and I get so bored running! I also don't have the 70 some dollars to spend on one. So give me the strength to resist...or wait until someone gets me one for Christmas.

dammit, and now I want a Twinkie.

harder better faster stronger

So I went to Greenlake this afternoon after much procrastination. I clocked with my car the extra .2 miles I would need to make the tour de Greenlake 3 full miles. I did 3 miles in 31 minutes including my stop for a drink of water and perpendicular walk to let the water settle.

But then you know what happened? I kept running. I did 4.2 miles and RAN 4 of those miles! RAN! That doesn't include warm up and cool down either! HOLY CRAP! All in all 4.6 miles in about 50 minutes.

I almost cried when I crossed the 3 mile mark and again when I hit the four mile mark. In fact, when I hit the four mile marker (GL has quarter mile markers I just noticed today) I jumped on it, startling the woman behind me. HAHA!

That's right Jenny, I'm coming for you! ; )

time for a new plan

I started a new weight plan today and decided to up my cardio too. I know when I run I have a hard time surpassing my goals so today I decided to go past the usual 30-some minutes to make sure I got 3 miles in plus some cool down. Yes, today I went 45 minutes and over 4 miles. I'm hoping this will help me actually run the three miles without always having to walk. I'm pretty sure it's all in my head and that I CAN run 3 miles but I just get so bored....

Anyway, I'm lying on my floor exhausted and I don't know if between the extended run and the new weights if I"m going to be able to do my Sat. run but I"ll try.

I'm not sure how it got there...and it's doing better than the sprout I planted in a pot. It even has flowers. If only I had as much persistence as this plant does.....

I did it!

I just ran around Greenlake! I stopped once to talk to some friends for literally a minute and then got to the other side of the lake and got a drink of water and walked the opposite way for like two minutes so I didn't jiggle and slosh around.

They say Greenlake is 2.9 miles and I did my best to run in the middle of the path because I'm not sure where they take that measurement. I also ran past my starting point and then back to my car so I could feel good about saying that I ran 3 miles. OUTSIDE even! With hills and weather (was that sun blinding today or what?!) 3 miles and 35 minutes not including warm up and cool down. And I think I could've gone longer! I'm good at achieving my goals, but not at surpassing them.

I'm so excited!

*edit* It's 2.8 miles around Greenlake. I also thought that when they said the outer path was 3.2 miles that they meant the outside of the regular path but I just did the math to figure out that no, the 13.5' path is not wide enough to make that much of a difference. That's right, I sat here and literally did the math, I can even show my work! Still, since I ran past my starting point and then back to my car I think I was pretty close to that 3 mile mark and next time I'll go even farther.

Get a grip!

Another awesome friend came with me to buy tires today! He walked in, spouted off some numbers and now I have shiny new tires that smell like grape. I got 80,000 miles off my factory tires and hopefully I'll get that much off of these new tires especially since now I know how often to rotate them! (far more often than once in 5.5 years!)

Enviro conscious professors

Two of my professors have declared they'd much rather do things online than collect hard copies because they'd rather not waste paper. It was difficult not to shout out for joy!

Good Friends or How to Meet Boys

On my way to class today I noticed that my car tire was ripping apart. Yeah, I drove on it anyway. I was supposed to go dancing tonight after class but I figured maybe I shouldn't drive on it anymore than I had to so I called my friend to cancel. What'd he do? Turned around and came to campus and changed my tire for me. Then followed me to the gas station to make sure I had air in all my tires, followed me to my house to drop off my car and drove me to the show. I couldn't be any more thankful!!

While I was waiting for him to arrive I dug out my spare and jack and hung out in the parking lot. Several cute boys stopped to make sure I was ok and ask if I needed help!! I had no idea that was all I needed to do to meet boys!

Also, the show was one of the most fun nights I've had in a while. Really good friends, laughing, chatting...way fun. : )

one question

who is teaching these kids to behave? A visitor to a classroom should NOT have to work this hard nor should they have to be criticized for not getting all the information in when they were spending all their time managing someone else's class.

My future classroom will be in so much trouble if they ever behave the way these kids behaved today.

seriously.

running outdoors

Good idea: going for a jog on a nice autumn evening. Bad idea: going for a run on a nice autumn evening directly after eating three pilsbury cinamon rolls and drinking a pepsi.

20 minutes got me 1.91 miles which unfortunately included two walked blocks and my block and a half cool down. At the gym, on the treadmill, 30 minutes including my walk breaks gets me about 3 miles. So funny that it can make such a difference...

Next time I'll rethink the order of my treats and exercise.

Ballard looks so flat in a car....

wooo hoooo!

Feeling better, I went to the gym today. Today was my Friday run and I was able to run for twenty minutes straight! Then I walked for three and ran for four more minutes! That means I'm running about 2.5 miles. That's so close to 5k! But it's on a treadmill...so soon I'll have to try my hand at Greenlake where there are weather and hills.

Also, I rode my bike to the gym even though I'm done tallying for the season. I dread having to drive and park in the rain. I may have to determine if it's worth it to buy rain gear to wear for five minutes, change out of, get sweaty at the gym and then put back on to wear home. That just doesn't sound worth it to me. Then it's going to be cold and dark and unsafe. sigh.

Sept. Tally/ Six Months

Well, the rain has set in. When I started this I didn't even realize that there would be exactly six months of bike riding weather. Seattle's great like that.

Here are my results

Sept.
Lbs. CO2 Saved: 21.2
Miles Biked: 12.8

Six months
Lbs. CO2 Saved: 128.7
Miles Biked: 79.1

My goal shifted to try and save my weight in CO2. I won't say if I made that goal or not, but I think that should be a challenge for next year. If we each did even that much, that adds up!

Nights 2 and 3: Rockabilly Ball 2007

I have to say, I'm rather disappointed. The line up this year just wasn't very good. I really feel the whole thing has gone downhill. Yeah, I danced but I wasn't inspired to. There just wasn't anything else to do. I want to see bands like Cari Lee and the Saddle-ites, Marti Brom, Carlos and the Bandidos....real rockabilly...not this stuff people are calling psychobilly (which isn't even that, it's just bad punk with an upright bass).

I did make a new dress on Friday. I LOVE how it turned out. I used stash fabric and a pattern I already had so I only bought a zipper and hook & eyes. I didn't get any compliments on it though. Seriously, none. I don't know what that was about. I did not wear the tan dress pictured below but instead the turquoise early 60's one. It was a matter of placement of the darts and how they appeared under my sweater. mmhmm.

Hopefully I will get pictures from friends soon.

Night 1: Rockabilly Ball 2007

High on coffee and cold medicine I made it to the very end of last night's show. And I danced danced danced! A friend of mine is home from Australia on holiday and I couldn't be more excited! Unfortunately, he brought a girl with him so I couldn't fawn over him as much as I wanted.

"But what did she wear?!" you ask. I don't have any pictures, but others do so I may post one later. I pulled a dress out of my closet I have never worn but made out of a vintage pattern and fabric that was donated to me. I think I made this dress five years ago. It's navy blue with white flowers and white rick rack outlining the neckline, sleeves and gores. I got many compliments on it and some thought it was real vintage.

I might make another dress today and tomorrow for tomorrow night. We'll see.

Enviro Crazy

Today I met a 7th grade girl who told me that she doesn't waste a lot of water washing dishes because she mainly uses paper plates. I was stunned to silence. We were talking about water conservation and I wasn't in a good place to take that teachable moment.

The worse part...I wasn't surprised. It fit the stereotype that I had put on her. To me she looked like the type of kid who was popular, maybe didn't do well in school even though she had potential and whose parents weren't all that involved. Those are the parents who would rather buy paper plates so they don't need to do more work.

I had my first class tonight. 3.5 hours in the same classroom. Do you know how long it was 7:30? AGES! Plus I'm fighting a cold so all I wanted to do was sleep. We are able to eat in class and I had brought an orange...after I finished I put my peal in my paper bag to take home to my worms. I almost called out to a girl looking for a trash can for her apple core but I didn't know her name. Then there was the woman with a paper plate, a paper towel and something else compostable. I might start bringing a bag for people to leave their compostables in. Only problem is my household is running seriously low on paper bags and I can't afford Biobags right now.

I'll have to figure something out.

Halleluja!

After three bowls of broccoli cheddar soup with bread and all the other crap I've been eating this week I've decided my body must be trying to put on some insulation with the cold weather setting in. I've also been pretty adamant that going to the gym doesn't do anything for my physique. I'm there for my cholesterol anyway. (I like cheese, and sour cream, and butter and..)

Well tonight I decided to look at what dresses I have available to wear to the Rockabilly Ball. Since my heart seems to finally be free for the taking I'd like to look hot and do some flirting. Tonight, I decided to try on this really hot 1960's vintage number I got last Fall. The Great Depression occurred last Spring and Summer so I was pretty thin when I got this dress and the last time I put it on my hips were pushing its limits.

I slipped it on anyway. My hips turned freely! In fact, the dress was a little big!! It even came off over my hips instead of over my head.

Encouraged I tried on another vintage one (late 50's?) that rarely comes out of the closet. Ziiiiip! The pleats aren't even stretched out!! Oh I know what I'm wearing..at least one of the nights!

Here's a picture of that dress from about 4.5 years ago. (yes, my part was hot pink)

CS YAY!

I got my second CSA box yesterday. I love fall if simply for the pears. We doubled our order of pears and gave up chard.

They also sent me a recipe for broccoli cheddar soup. All of the veggies I needed were in my box, I just supplied myself the bullion cubes and cheese. It turned out so good! I really want to hug them! Too bad we missed the party last weekend..I could have had the opportunity!

Square!

I went home to my parents' this weekend and was surprised by 17 knitted squares!! Keep 'em coming folks! I'm starting to worry!

Mom also knitted me a sweater she claimed was too hard for her and wouldn't be able to make! It fits perfectly and is knitted to perfection. Lime green...and I think it will look smashing with dark brown pants!

One less bell to answer

Many things changing in the bluebird household. New job, school starting soon, new boy...it's a whirlwind indeed.

My new job requires me to drive a lot, but I will be teaching about conservation.... My books have been ordered and they are mostly used.... And I refuse to cry anymore so I won't waste anymore tissues.

So there you go...and here comes Fall.

*Edit* I suppose I should have used my hankies. I also find I am saving energy by not being able to listen to music. There's always a silver lining...or something.

First CSA box!

My box from Full Circle Farm arrived today! As I carried it to and from my car I was giddy with excitement to see the goodies. Every step released a whiff of basil and the smell of the farm. This is a picture of a few of the delights: I think that's a honeydew, Japanese eggplant, sweet peppers and pluots. I'm drooling over the color of the eggplant. But I have no idea what to do with it! Any suggestions? Crunch? I also have basil, red leaf lettuce, corn, zukes, cukes, potatoes, yellow taxi tomatoes, peaches...that might be it. mmmm

I immediately started tearing apart the lettuce, mostly because it wouldn't fit in my fridge other wise, and made a salad with yellow taxi tomatoes, cucumber, vine tomatoes and a chik patty. Oh, I also tore up some basil on a whim...it added a fantastic little kick! Best meal I've made in a long time!

Crabby Sweater

This is my newest refashion. Originally, a pull over sweater that was ill fitting and too short, I cut it up the middle, bound it with bias tape and embroidered a crab and a sea horse on the front. I'm contemplating putting a nudibranch on the back shoulder. I'm also on the fence about putting buttons or not. I like the simplicity of it.

Squares

Beth sent me two BEAUTIFUL knitted squares in the mail the other day! She also mailed them in a reused envelope because she's awesome! : )

Thanks Beth!

Aug. Tally

Assuming 1lb of CO2 is released for every mile driven (using a car that gets 20mpg) here are my results for Aug:

LBS CO2 saved: 8.4
Miles Biked: 8.4

Total for five months:
LBS CO2 Saved: 107.5
Miles Biked: 67.9

I don't think these numbers are right. I know I went to the gym more than that and only drove once. Maybe it's time to take down the tally if I'm going to forget to log it....

Goats of a chance!

SWOON! UW is doing something I can be proud of! They have hired goats to help weed English ivy and Himalayan blackberry.

Community Supported Agriculture

I did it! I joined a CSA! I settled for Full Circle Farm located in Carnation, Washington. I can't tell you how fabulous it is until I get my first box on Sept. 6th but I couldn't wait to tell you!!

For those of you who are not familiar with CSAs, these local farms deliver organic produce to your door or a local drop off location weekly. I selected the small box for $29 that my roommate and I will share. I also chose to have it delievered every other week since we have a tendency to forget we have produce. Oh! Also, they'll include recipes! How fun!

American Life

I'm disgusted at the moment. I'm just so over American lifestyle. I know I just went out and bought some Tide. I was trying to be good and use good soap but what's a girl to do when even a boy thinks her clean laundry stinks?

Anyway, I just think we're disgusting. Americans, I mean. Why are there so many disposable products on the market? Why does every web ad and every fifth junk mail I get have to do with quick fix weight loss? Why did I drive across town to get a Top Pot Donut? Oh right, because they're delicious and everyone needs an occasional treat. We got for-here cups and plates.

Over donuts I heard horror stories about how horribly foster kids and pets are often treated. That doesn't really have to do with Americans in general, just sick sick people.

So yeah. I'm just kind of down. I'm the type who just wants to be able to fix things and when I can't I get pretty depressed. But that often leads me to take action....maybe I'll see if I have more yarn in my stash to make more granny squares. That will at least make me happy that I might be able to keep one person warm.

Stinky Laundry

I have been using 7th Generation laundry detergent for the past year and haven't had any complaints until recently. I have some laundry that just will not become unstinky. The problem is, I don't know how they got stinky in the first place. I especially notice it with my pajama tops. One was just AWFUL so I washed it again. I even tossed it to my roommate (a BOY!) and he recoiled in disgust.

So today I'm going to the store and buying me some Tide. I'll get liquid, of course, so that it's phosphate free. I just feel horrid about it but I just cannot go through life wondering if I'm stinky and have just gotten used to it. I'll start with a small bottle just in case it's not the 7th Generation's fault.

In case you're wondering what kind of stink it is...it smells like they've been in a box for a really long time but stronger and worse.

Update

This looks like it's turning into a craft blog. The theme is tied, really. Reusing, refashioning . . . it's all about saving energy and garbage out of landfills.

I made three and a half more squares this weekend. That equals two mostly used skeins that were filling up my yarn drawer that had no other use. Yay for cleaning!

I'm really excited about the support I've gotten so far. Several people have offered to knit squares. For others interested in knitting instead of crochet, I'm going to let you use your own creativity for the pattern. The only pattern I'd suggest staying away from is ribbing because of the stretchiness.

I should start a list a la Crunch on the side of those interested so I can keep track. : )

Crochet pattern

Excuse the optical illusion, they are the same size.

This will be the pattern for the crocheted afghan. I stole the pattern from 63 East-To-Crochet Pattern Stitches.

Using an H-hook and worsted weight yarn, please make sure your unblocked square measures 6 inches.

Chain 8, join with slip to form a ring.
RND 1: Work beginning Cluster as follows: chain 3, (YO, insert hook in ring and pull up a loop, YO and draw through 2 loops on hook) twice, YO and draw through all 3 loops on hook (beginning Cluster made), ch 5, work Cluster in ring as follows: (YO, insert hook in ring and pull up a loop, YO and draw through 2 loops on hook) 3 times, YO and draw through all 4 loops on hook (Cluster made), ch 2, *work (Cluster, ch 5, Cluster) in ring, ch2; repeat from * 2 times more; join with slip st. to top of beginning Cluster: 8 clusters.

RND 2: Slip st in first ch-5, work (beginning Cluster, ch 3, Cluster) in same sp, ch 2, 3 dc in next ch-2 sp, ch 2, *work (Cluster, ch 3, Cluster) in next ch-5 sp, ch 2, 3 dc in next ch-2 sp, ch 2; repatet from * around; join with slip st to top of beginning Cluster.

RND 3: Slip st in first ch-3 sp, work (beginning Cluster, ch 3, Cluster) in same sp, ch 2, 2 dc in next ch-2 sp, dc in next 3 dc, 2 dc in next ch-2 sp, ch 2, *work (Cluster, ch 3, Cluster) in next ch-3 sp, ch 2, 2 dc in next ch-2 sp, dc in next 3 dc, 2 dc in next ch-2 sp, ch 2; repeat from * around; join with slip st to top of beginning Cluster.

RND 4-5: slip st in first ch-3 sp, work (beginning Cluster, ch 3, Cluster) in same sp, ch 2, 2 dc in next ch-2 sp, dc in each dc across to next ch-2 sp, 2 dc in next ch-2 sp, ch 2, *work (Cluster, ch 3, Cluster) in next ch-3 sp, ch 2, work 2 dc in next ch-2 sp, dc in each dc across to next ch-2 sp, 2 dc in next ch-2 sp, ch 2, repeat from * around; join with slip st to top of beginning Cluster.

RND 6: Slip st in first ch-3 sp, ch 1, 3 sc, sc in every stitch to next corner (about 21 st), 3 sc in corner. Continue around, slip st. in top of first sc and finish off.

crocheters, knitters, do gooders

Dear friends, stalkers, and lurkers,

I need your help. Many of us have scrap yarn lying around. Why not put it to use? I am asking folks to help me make an afghan out of granny squares to be donated to Treehouse or a local Seattle homeless shelter.

This is a great opportunity to learn how to knit or crochet! And I am not asking you to purchase yarn but to use what you, or a friend, has lying around the house.

Please let me know if you are interested. I have to run to the gym now, but this afternoon I plan on settling on patterns and final instructions.

CSA

I'm thinking about joining a CSA. There are a couple different ones in Seattle area. I love the idea of having fresh, local and organic produce being delivered (or picked up by me) each week for only $30 for two people. They also include recipes to use some of the stuff. Because I have no idea what crookneck squash is.

Anybody have an experience with these?

and I ran...I ran so far away...

So my dear, sweet, and true friend, Jenny, has suggested I run the St. Paddy's Day Dash with her. I tentatively agreed. You see, for some reason I can do aerobics, I can eliptical, I can ride a stationary bike...but I can't run. I especially can't run outside.

Today I got on the treadmill. I think it's a dnyamo...although I just looked that up and maybe it's not. I know the elipitcals run on human power at least. Look people, I'm just trying to relate this post to my conservation focused blog, ok?

Anyway, I walked two minutes and then jogged five or six for about 32 minutes. Only made 2.77 miles. A little short of the 3.1 miles of the dash. But i guess that's why we're training early! The next step, of course, will be to see if I can run outside. Why is it so different? Maybe once I'm running the full 3 miles w/o walking I'll take my skills to Greenlake.

And now I'm ravenous! I can't stop eating! damn exercise.

new pictures same dress

I took some action shots of my dress today. I look really pale . . .

Also, I made pants! They were my practice pants and I made them! I got the pattern from JoAnn's for 1.99 and the fabric I had just sitting in a drawer. I tried to take pictures but they weren't coming out very flattering. Hopefully, the pants look better in real life.

I will participate

Surly Spice tagged me, here's the deal:

Rules:
1. We have to post these rules before we give you the facts.
2. Players start with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
3. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
5. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

So... 8 random facts about me:

I'm scared to speak French to French speakers but I speak it to myself and anyone around who won't understand.
I do not like: Harry Potter, Chronicles of Narnia, Star Wars or Lord of the Rings
I LOVE historical fiction
I collect Hoya (plants)
I do not like the smell of plant leaves: no lavendar, yuck tomatoes, keep gernaniums and bacopa far from me!
Yet, have a degree in horticulture
I wish I were dancing right now
The only celebrity I get flustered over is Hal Sparks

I am not goign to tag 8 friends because most of my blogging friends have come across these several times and so I'm not going to make them do it again. This was my first though! So thanks, Surly!! : )