disjointed thoughts and scattered musings

My, has it been forever.

2011-03-05T10:25:00.000-08:00

I'm not going to explain away my absence. I'm in the Navy, it rules my life. What little time I have is slaved to the local Little League schedule. I wouldn't have it any other way. Instead, I will list some things that I love. Because I feel like it.

1) Coffee mugs. For a number of reasons. They're very collectible, and my fabulous husband cringes every time I lovingly poke one in a souvenir shop. Also, because I drink coffee. A lot of coffee. All day. And I eat cereal out of mugs. Almost never bowls. I love all kinds; old advertising mugs, handthrown pottery, huge heavy ones, little espresso cups, travel mugs. My current favorite is a NASA mug from Johnson Space Center. No surprise there. :)

2) Skin creams. I am NOT girly. My favorite coffee mug for the ship says "I'm no lady; I'm a chief!" I have been making grownup strides lately to dress my age. But I love expensive delicious smelling light floral skin cream. No idea why. I don't remember my mom using it (she always had Oil of Olay) and it doesn't really spark a memory. But let me in to L'Occitane or Crabtree&Evelyn and I will blow money fast.

3) My newest addiction is framing. I have been collecting pretty cool artwork for a while. Usually we just get a cheap frame and mat and hang it. While I was gone this last time, El Jefe got some prints and had them FRAMED. It made a world of difference. A world. I am addicted. I think I will go broke decorating if allowed to.

So theres some randomness for you. Lets hope I don't go two more years before I get wind enough to post again.

In which I explain (or don't) my deployment.

2009-03-01T13:40:00.000-08:00

The short answer to the question you may or may not have asked is "I dont know." But I'll rewind.

If you've been reading my scattered musings, you know I'm about to go on deployment. You may even have a general idea of vicinity and possibly the name of a Naval Vessel. All this is true, and let me fill you in on something.

That's ALL I know. Really. I mean, I know the ship name, even some of the folks on it. I know what general area I'll be in, but that's it. I don't know when I'll be home, and at this point, I don't know when I'll be going. See, I'm on leave right now, hanging with my family. Doing what you would do if you were about to leave home for an indeterminate amount of time to go somewhere unknown. I will know when I am to leave when I get to the Regional support detachment. They'll hook me up with a flight (or flights) and a way to get there. And a departure date. But until I check in, I won't know a thing. And I'd rather spend time with my kiddos right now. So please, for the love of all that is holy, STOP ASKING!!

I will tell you what I know, when I know it, if I feel like it. The way I look at it is this. The only 3 folks in the world who DESERVE to know anything about my whereabouts are my spouse and kids. If you had anything to do with my birth, the birth of my spouse, or the birth of my kids - you will know what I know when I know it or shortly thereafter. The rest of you will find out as I tell you. Remember when you were pregnant and your Mother-In-Law called everyday and asked if anything had happened yet for a month before the birth? Now you know how I feel. I really don't know anything.

And you know what? I'm OKAY with that. It's my job, not the end of the world. We plan for this stuff. El Jefe and the children will be fine. Anna may not get her hair braided for a while, but that's fine. She will learn about baseball. Sam will get to cook more with Dad. He's good daddy, and is used to this. What I would really like right now is for everyone else to calm down.

25 Random Things about Sailor Jenny

2009-02-04T13:12:00.000-08:00

Yes, I've been bitten by the Internet meme bug. I originally posted this on Facebook, but I thought everyone in bloggyland would like to know a few choice tidbits about me, too.

Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.

1. These silly notes have been awesome and I've been secretly wishing I'd get tagged. I love getting to know old friends all over again.

2. I'm addicted to coffee. The folks I work with know better than to talk to me before I've had a cup, because I don't make any sense.

3. I'm a food snob, and I'm very picky about what I eat. I have to know where it comes from and I only buy local produce grown organically. I don't eat at chain restaurants.

4. All bets are off on deployment. I will eat anything on a stick from a street vendor on the darkest alley in Southeast Asia. And love it.

5. I got sick doing that in Hong Kong and learned more than I ever wanted to know about how horrible public restrooms are and that they mentholate kleenex in HK. A little advice? Don't use mentholated kleenex for TP.

6. I have OCD. I also have to have everything symmetrical.

7. I enlisted not knowing what the hell I was getting in to and to get the hell out of New England. I miss home more than I ever thought I would but just can't see myself going back to stay ever.

8. I have only 7 years and 4 months until I retire and get a real job and I have no idea what I want to do when I grow up. My thoughts so far are maybe an Alpaca farm in TX; but I have the feeling I'll end up teaching.

9. My sister and I are polar opposites. I have no idea how two people who grew up together are so different. I wish we were closer but it seems like we really have nothing in common.

10. I love my job. I love the sea, I love the opportunities it's provided me, I love the travel and the responsibility. Still, most days I feel like I don't belong.

11. I'm jealous of all of my friends with degrees, especially my SIL who is a Doctor. But not jealous enough to actually go back to school.

12. I almost didn't have another baby because being pregnant with Thing One was horrible. I lost 3 babies before him and one after and didn't know if my body or my heart could take it. I can't imagine life without Thing 2. My kids are amazing and I would do it all over again for them.

13. I got married at 19 and didn't tell anyone for a while. When we finally did, I'm pretty sure everyone thought we were crazy. We were, but El Jefe is the most wonderful amazing person I've ever met. We'll be married for 12 years in June.

14. I'm an internet addict. I've 'met' some amazing people through the internet that have made a huge difference to me and I've never even seen them IRL.

15. When I was 15 and crazy my folks sent me to live in VT for a summer with my mom's cousin. Those three months were some of the most defining months in my life. I learned to love fresh butter, cucumber sandwiches and me.

16. I read ravenously. I'm looking forward to deployment because despite the 18+ hour days, I get a lot of reading done. I have tons of books on my Kindle just waiting.

17. I can't wait till my hair turns grey. I have the family grey gene and I'm really proud of it and it grows in a 'Stacy London' streak.

18. I've lived here in San Diego county longer than I've lived anywhere in my life and I don't really like it here.

19. I collect the Evil Queen from Snow White. I have a replica of the Magic Mirror in my house. We also have a xmas ornament from Disneyland for every year we've been married.

20. I buy almost everything I can handmade from small businesses. I have a lot of custom clothing and I love it.

21. I have a pool in my backyard that I've never been in.

22. I hate working out, and the only reason I ever do is because I will lose my job if I get too big.

23. I collect watches, even though I can only wear one at a time. I tend to judge people based on their watch. Also, shoes.

24. I am the least photogenic person on the planet. El Jefe has a file in iPhoto of my "Greatest Hits". They're terrible. But funny.

25. I collect hobbies. They're always crafty. I knit, sew, scrap, bead, solder, paint and lots of other stuff. Nothing well, but I have to have a craft going at all times.

(This was harder than I thought!)

I'm not tagging anyone here - but I shared and you should feel secretly guilty for reading my deepest random things and not posting yours for the world, too. So lovely readers, please share! (And if I don't alerady follow your blog, leave me a comment so I can!)

Be Righteous and Happy!

2009-01-01T11:39:00.000-08:00

I promised resolution # 2, and I've been thinking about it - really. See, the problem is that I can't figure how to work it out in my head. I'm not sure how to say how I feel. Odd for me, really, being of so many words typically. (Yes, intarweb friends, I'm a talker. Seriously.)

So here's the gist of it. I need to do the right thing more often. Sounds like an easy trick, or a Spike Lee directive, but think about it. How many times do you NOT do the right thing? Out of convenience? Or selfishness? Or a need to fit in? I make poor decisions on a tiny scale a lot. Or at least more than I would like to.

And on a larger level, I need to think about my team. I routinely make decisions for a team of folks. These are people who are perfectly capable of making decisions on their own, and VERY capable of evaluating those made by others. A decision made in selfishness or laziness has an effect on not only me, but these other team members, and those who we serve. So this year (and forever, really) I resolve to think about the consequences of decisions I make. And to do the right thing for everyone; not just me.

Quote Print by annechovie

Being Resolute.

2008-12-28T21:28:00.000-08:00

It's almost that time of year. Maybe you're the kind of person who has the same old resolution every year. Go to the gym, eat less, smile more . . . I'm not a resolution keeper. I don't even make them. Why bother, really? Telling a bunch of folks about the things that I'm going to do when I know deep down that I'm not going to do them just seems like a perfectly good waste of a lie.

This year will be different. It already is. I'm starting out fresh in February. New workplace, switchin' up the job. I'm excited and I've already been planning. The three things I resolve to do this year fit in quite nicely.

The first is for me, and only me. I've been reviving my knitting habit, and I'm really happy. It's been fulfilling me in a way that it never did before. Maybe it's knowing that it was men and sailors who were among the first knitters, maybe it's just knowing that knitting is a portable project that I can take on board with little hassle. (And odds are good that no one will steal it until it's finished.) But this year I resolve to finish a sweater. I have chosen the February Lady sweater, a popular pattern based on a baby sweater. I was lucky enough to win a blog giveaway from Martha's Vineyard Fiber Farms of a whole pound of gorgeous kelly green Cormo wool. By the end of my deployment (whenever that is) I should have a finished project to be proud of, and I will have kept a resolution.

Resolutions 2 and 3 to come . . .

Let's Talk Coffee!

2008-12-26T08:45:00.000-08:00

So it's been well established what I do for a living. Along with life at sea comes long hours in cold, boring spaces (that's what we call rooms on ships.) My job on a ship, by and large, is not that exciting. (It does GET exciting, but not very often, for very long, and we're talking about the boring parts.) So how do we do it? For me, it's coffee. I drink coffee all day long. I can drink anything, any roast, cold or hot, weak, strong or burnt. Even *shiver* instant. But let's face it, I can, but I'm a coffee elitist at heart. So this Christmas, El Jefe got me one of these babies.

It's a burr coffee grinder, and I am completely in love. I love trying new coffees, and the Greenie in me loves Fair-Trade, Organic coffees. But the problem is that often these small, home roasters offer their coffee in whole bean form. To have it all ground and sitting on my counter (even in an airtight container at room temperature) would be to lose some of the freshness. Most roasters will grind for you, so please try some, but if you LOVE it, get a burr grinder.

Once upon a time, I had a small blade grinder. You've seen them - small handheld, pour the beans in and flip it over because the top is the ground-bean vessel. It was good while it lasted, but it's grind wasn't consistent, it was a pain to clean, and it was really loud. The other problem with blade grinders is heat. The amount of time it takes to get a consistent(ish) grind burns your beans, causing bitterness.

Of the two kind of burr grinders, cone and disk, mine is a disk grinder. Great for home application (yay) and easy to clean, and affordable, now I can have freshly ground coffee when I want without having hit hit the drive-thru. Now I just need a cup like this one:

Available at Fred Flare for $22, made of porcelain with a silicone lid.

And some of this, which I have been lusting over FOREVER:

Brainscan Fair Trade Organic coffee!

I hope you enjoyed my "I love what I got for Christmas post", there's more to come!

Season's Greetings from our family to yours . . .

2008-12-24T14:54:00.000-08:00

Make a Smilebox greeting

The Business of Selling Yourself in America

2008-12-22T10:17:00.000-08:00

Many of you have probably heard of the law (H.R. 4040) passed in August which seeks to establish consumer product safety standards and other safety requirements for children's products and to reauthorize and modernize the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) (legalese.) Unfortunately, an unintended effect of this law may very well be the end of many small businesses. There is lots more information to be had on the subject, my jumping off point was the Handmade Toy Alliance . This proved to be an excellent resource for all of the information I needed. The actual law itself is 68 pages long and can be read in it's entirety here. There are also wonderful abridged versions here and here by some crafter momtrepreneurs.

To make a long story short, it would appear that SOMETHING is being done in Washington. I recieved a well written email this morning from my congressman Providing me with a place to provide feedback to the CPSC. Here's a copy of the letter so that you can provide your comments too.

December 22, 2008

Jennifer Lastname
123 House Street
So Cal, CA
12345

Dear Jennifer:

Thank you for contacting me with your thoughts regarding consumer safety. It's a pleasure to hear from you.

As you know, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 4040 (Rush-IL), the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Reform Act, which seeks to establish consumer product safety standards and other safety requirements for children's products and to reauthorize and modernize the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The CPSC's mission is to protect children and families against unreasonable risk of injury and death from over 15,000 types of consumer products.

Like you, I am concerned by the uncertainty many Americans have with the safety of products that are imported and sold in the U.S. For this reason, I voted in favor of H.R. 4040 when it passed the House of Representatives on December 19, 2007, by a vote of 407-0. President Bush signed H.R. 4040 into law on August 14, 2008 (P.L. 110-314).

I agree with you that this bill, while favorable with respect to enhancing the effectiveness of the CPSC, also has several provisions that may harm small businesses instead of solely focusing on increased product safety. I am currently unaware of any legislation at the present time that has been introduced in the House to address these concerns, but you will be interested to learn that the CPSC is currently accepting comments on Section 102 of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, Mandatory Third-Party Testing for Certain Children's Products until January 30, 2009. I would strongly encourage you to email your comments to Sec102ComponentPartsTesting@cpsc.gov

Thank you again for contacting me. Should you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to let me know.

Sincerely,

Duncan Hunter
Member of Congress

Low Standards Tee by Fatamerican at Etsy.com

My Review of SmartWool Saturnsphere Socks - Women's

2008-12-19T18:26:00.001-08:00

Originally submitted at REI

Multicolored socks are simply more fun, and these striped Saturn socks from SmartWool fit that bill.

The only socks I have ever loved.

By Sailor Jenny from San Diego, CA on 12/19/2008

Gift: No

Fit: Feels true to size

Pros: Durable, Good Design, Cushy, Comfortable, Stylish, Regulates Temperature Well, Wicks Away Moisture, Colorful

Cons: Pricey

Best Uses: Travel, Daily Use

Describe Yourself: Casual Adventurer

These are the socks that I put on after wearing dress shoes all day. I love the colorway(s) and the patterns because I can be funky and comfortable. My feet don't get hot and sweaty like they do in cotton socks, and they're WAY more comfortable than even hand knit socks (which I still love, just not under shoes or to walk in.) Every trip to REI, I scour the clearance bins for just one pair. Definitely my favorite!

(legalese)

Get outta my dreams . . . .

2008-12-15T19:20:00.000-08:00

And into my blog.

Seriously, every day whist sitting in the inevitable traffic I come up with something that I MUST SHARE! And then get home and forget it all. I spend a good amount of time waiting for laundry and reading blogs, or ducking work and reading blogs (shhhhhh . . . Jeff, don't tell on me!) or waiting for baby to settle and sleep and reading blogs. I comment on some, am ravenous about a few, and I feel bad that I'm not the web presence I wish I were.

So instead, here's a comprehensive list of all the other places to find me on the web. Most link to each other somehow, but here they are in one place.

Facebook. I spend a lot of time here reconnecting with old friends. Not so much making new ones.

I do that here on Twitter! If you really want to know how I am right this minute, that's the best place to find me.

Often I'm on Etsy, shopping for wonderfulness. Lately I shop for yarn and other fibery goodness. Which I then share . . .

On Ravelry. Or will, anyway, once I'm a little more comfy there. It's knitting time, what with the cold, the rain, and the fact that I'm not sure how much time/energy I'll have on the ship.

So until I get that voice recorder I've been wanting, check me out in these places and please try and keep up with my sporadic updates. Meanwhile, check out Petra's blog for laughs and that acrid New England attitude you've come to love.

(Yarn by simplytwisted, who rocks.)

The List

2008-12-07T10:57:00.000-08:00

The List
So I came across this list on http://www.curiousmess.com/ and thought I would take part too!
You're just supposed to go through the list and bold the things you've done. Bolded more than I thought I would, but a few of those are still on my list of things to do before I die. (Old Faithful, Niagra Falls . . .)

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community.
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar.
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House.
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury.
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a lawsuit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

Bucket List earrings by bearrunroad.

Prioritizing. Organizing. Rethinking.

2008-11-01T14:03:00.000-07:00

Prioritize Notepad, RedVelvetArt

*Diana, this is for you.

All over the news all you hear is that the economy is in the toilet; the government is paying to bail out people who made bad decisions because they weren't fully informed and companies who did so knowingly; neighbors are pitted against neighbors and by all accounts it's turmoil.

I'm doing okay. WE'RE doing okay. But it's got me thinking, and for the very first time in my life - doing. I grew up pretty priveleged. Solidly upper middle class. Great schools, great friends (all of whom are still great folks) great opportunities for success, all without doing much. Then at 18, I enlisted. I know you all see the news about how hard it is to be a young military family, and it is, but it gets a lot easier. We are once again middle class. My kids want for nothing. (Okay, Sam wants a pocket bike and a cell phone, no and no.) They have plenty of opportunities, and yet so many are denied them because of pure unadulterated American discrimination.

Semaphore Love block print card, nydampress

So I've spent a lot of time in the last few months/weeks trying to do what I can to fix that. And I'm realizing lately that more than ever, what I need to do for ME is to succeed at my job. We all know that I AM a United States Sailor, but I'm an Atheist, too. And I believe that equality is for everyone. And I believe that Barack Obama truly has the best interests of my country and my children at heart. And I believe that the best way to stick it to all of the discriminatory Americans who don't want my friends to marry who they love, don't want someone with Muslim blood (I didn't know religion was blood borne) to become president, and don't want young women to be able to make choices that may save their lives without Daddy breathing down their necks; is to continue to fight for their right to say whatever they want. To continue to fight for their right to disallow my children to be boy/girlscouts, to require that god be thanked before every little league game, to allow prayer before every town meeting. So I registered to vote, I've volunteered, I've contributed. And I plan on succeeding at my day job. And leading sailors into whatever we're ordered to do, with no discrimination, no favoritism.

Success in View, SailorJenny

We in the military lament so often on the freedoms we DON'T have. We leave for long periods of time, often unable to talk to our families at all, sometimes they can't know where we are. We work 24/7, we stand duty for long hours, we do often thankless jobs in the face of disaster for countries who've been our enemy . But never before and probably never again have I worked in a less discriminatory environment. We take care of our own, everyone wears blue. There's no men, women, colors, only sailors.

So I've put the jewelry on hold. I'm not really sure I can function in a real world environment just yet. I have so much more to do between the Navy and my own home, that having that one more thing on my plate just proved too much. My things will stay on Etsy, and there will be more. But they're therapy, not a business. My business is my country and my family.

The Future of the Fleet

2008-08-15T18:55:00.000-07:00

Vintage Number One Teacher Coffee Mug, DoNotDestroy

I've been spending a whole lot of time NOT here, and most of my Facebook and Twitter updates have been that I was studying. I'll probably be MIA for another two weeks or so, and I thought I should explain myself.

My day job is to train sailors on new/replacement skills, specifically maintenance of equipment. I have learned an immense amount abut instruction and learning; and really people in general. Now it's time to move on and become a little more qualified. I'm working on my Master Training Specialist qualification, which will help me to become a better instructor and leader, and the fundamentals of curriculum development. (A side effect of which is that MTS is a easily recognized skill in the corporate world . . .)

"The Navy's MTS program recognizes instructors who have demonstrated excellence in leadership, technical competence, application of instructional methodology, and desire to improve fleet readiness through quality instruction."

It is pages of memorization, and once all of the training is complete, a 3 step process. I passed my test, which was Phase 1. Next is my Pre-board on Monday afternoon, a test of my fundamental knowledge on the subject. When I pass that, I have another week to prepare for my final Board, which is the application process, where I get to create curriculum and teach to demonstrate my ability. So phew, I'm tired. I'm stressed from memorizing instruction numbers and acronyms, and I just want this done. I'm so close.

I'll be back, and probably in a really good mood when this is all over!

Bittersweet week.

2008-08-07T20:12:00.000-07:00

"With No Anchor, With No You" - thedreamygiraffe -$20

I aplologise for my probably inconspicuous absence, but I've been here, being sad and keeping busy. My shipmates know (and now you do too), that I was up for a big promotion this year. It's an annual promotion, selected by board after a grueling exam, and I thought I had a good shot this year. I did, really. But for whatever reason, I was (am) not what they were looking for. Circumstances being what they are, I have a hard time escaping my failure. You see, El Jefe has already attained this level in his career. Two years ago, he was selected and the carnival ride that is the transition period began. El Jefe means The Chief. And he is.

Advancement into the Chief Petty Officer grades is the most significant promotion within the enlisted naval ranks. At the rank of Chief, the sailor takes on more administrative duties. In the Navy, their uniform changes to reflect this change of duty, becoming similar to that of an officer albeit with different insignia.

I was eligible for advancement with several of my friends, a few of whom were selected. Mike, Mike, and Jeff; you guys deserve it and I can't wait to shake your hands when it's all over. That part makes it sweet. El Jefe has been chosen to "sponsor" one of his own selectees - an honor in and of itself. He's through the roof proud, and so am I. But I'm still sad. My friends are moving on without me, El Jefe's caught up in the work of the next 5 weeks (the process is a long one . . .) and I haven't really had time for myself to just be sad. It's hard to vent to him, he's very supportive, but hard on me. And he's very busy himself. Sigh. I really just need to take a day off, but I've taken on a bunch more work - both to busy myself and numb the pain, and to do what I can to come closer next year.

Must go study!!

Inked!

2008-07-27T20:38:00.000-07:00

This has been a tattoo-riffic weekend. In the fine tradition of my sailor heritage, I have quite a few tattoos. I'm a collector of sorts. They chronicle my personal journey; life changing events. Here is the latest.

It is an illustration from Thing Two's favorite children's book when she was small - Goodnight Moon. Framed by the window is the moon and an Apollo CSM. On the CSM are the roman numerals IX XI. All of these things have meaning somehow or another, but here's the general breakdown of this one.

Thing Two loves Goodnight Moon. This is HER tattoo. Also, the IX XI on the CSM are her birthdate.

El Jefe and Thing One are Space Geeks. They are fascinated by the space race, and you often see either (or both) of them watching the science channel's many space shows. Space week was like a holiday here. I promised El Jefe long, long ago that I would never have his name or likeness tattooed. And I will keep my word. But he is my command module, unable to do anything, but keeping a close eye on me at all times and dispensing careful advice. And now I have that analogy forever with me.

Facebook

2008-07-17T20:10:00.001-07:00

So . . .I've caved. I signed up on Facebook a while ago so I could talk to my cousin who quit myspace. I went there recently to visit my cousin and found a message from a high school friend. Enter a world I didn't expect. The one where everyone seems to have grown up and they all seem really cool again. Sigh. Growing up is so wierd. But . . . I found a few cool blogs along the way! Mark has Songs From a Mixtape, and the other Mark has Chronicle of a Gay Marriage . I think I've pimped them before, but seriously, check out The Bullet Points. And Herman. Jay (and Neal, who probably still thinks I'm a psycho) are geniuses. And Check out NeverEnoughBooks.org for the ramblings of Sarah. Craziness that high school was that long ago.

Matchy, matchy!!

2008-07-08T08:28:00.000-07:00

I have never been one who coordinates well. I have always wished that I coud look put together and matchy - you know the girls with the matching bag/keychain/wallet combo? Of course it's always expensive, and I've given up expensive handbags for more quantity. And I prefer to support craftsmanship over a big company.

I'm pretty sure I just hit the jackpot! BizzieLizzie, one of the craftswomen in the Handbook to Handmade, has the cutest coordinated handbags! She makes everything from bags to buisness car holders to tissue cases, and all in coordinating colors. And they're affordable! I love this blue pattern . . .

Charlotte makes the prettiest bags and pays special attention to detail. Looking for a custom piece? Just ask! Her shop is merely a click away! I am so excited to see her wonderful work in the upcoming Handbook to Handmade!

I'm so excited!

2008-07-06T12:58:00.000-07:00

One of the sellers on Etsy, a talented metalsmith(TimothyAdam), has come up with a great idea. I have wanted a portfolio for some time, but wasn't quite sure how to put one together or whether I really had enough depth in my work to pull one off. That's still planned for later, but meanwhile, check out this great book! Called The Handbook to Handmade, it features 35 artists and their shops, showcasing their favorite items and a short description of their work, their vision - anything! It's all bound professionally and is a wonderful advertising tool. I can't wait to see my work in print and to have something to show off on those occasions when it's just not a great idea to carry all of my jewelry. There are still slots available, and if you're not quite ready yet, there's advertising space available, too! If you are a small business who has a shop on Etsy and are in need of a little something to carry around (and want to showcase some other great talent, too . . .) try the Handbook!

I know what angels sound like.

2008-07-03T19:20:00.000-07:00

If you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you know that I am not a religious person. In fact, I'm pretty much the antithesis of that. But I swear that there is one thing on Earth that can make me question my lack of a belief system.

On Monday, El Jefe and I went to see Alison Krauss and Robert Plant live at Humphrey's. (San Diegans, if you have the opportuntiy to see an artist you enjoy at this great venue, GO!) They collaborated in 2007 on an album called Raising Sand. Produced by T Bone Burnett (a legend on his own), it is a compilation of mostly lesser-known material from some of the great writers of blues, country, folk, gospel, and R&B, including Tom Waits, Townes Van Zandt, Milt Campbell, the Everly Brothers, Sam Phillips, and A.D. and Rosa Lee Watson. The album is amazing, the pairing, moreso. (Side note. When I reach 60, I hope to look as good as Robert Plant. Damn.)

It was an amazing show, but the two best moments were Black Dog - slowed WAY down and haunting; and Down to the River. If you have never heard Alison Krauss sing live, you are missing out. There are tons of You Tube videos, Here is Down to the River and Black Dog OMG banjo. I won't embed them, you have to watch them without distractions. Alison Krauss has simply the most beautiful voice. Ever, anywhere. I'm not a fan of Country music, but I'm a fan of her. Wow.

So it was a nice birthday gift for El Jefe, who turned another year older on Wednesday. Wow, I'm still gushing!

The Big Read

2008-06-28T18:01:00.000-07:00

The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts, designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The NEA presents The Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest. The Big Read brings together partners across the country to encourage reading for pleasure and enlightenment.

Each community event lasts approximately one month and includes a kick-off event to launch the program locally, ideally attended by the mayor and other local luminaries; major events devoted specifically to the book (panel discussions, author reading, and the like); events using the book as a point of departure (film screenings, theatrical readings, and so forth); and book discussions in diverse locations and aimed at a wide range of audiences.

The NEA inaugurated The Big Read as a pilot project in 2006 with ten communities featuring four books. The Big Read continues to expand to include more communities and additional books. By 2009, approximately 400 communities in the U.S. will have hosted a Big Read since the program's 2007 national launch.

I found this great idea on Beneath The Rowan Tree. The Big Read says that the average adult has only read 6 of the top 100 books they've printed.

Well let's see. Here's how it works.
1) Look at the list and bold those you have read.
2) Italicize those you intend to read.
3) Underline the books you LOVE, and strikeout the books you read but didn't like.
4) Reprint this list so we can try and track down these people who've read only 6 or less and
make them read.

1. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2. The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3. Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4. The Harry Potter Series JK Rowling
5. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6. The Bible
7. Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8. Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9. His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10. Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
11. Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
12. Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13. Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14. Complete Works of Shakespeare
15. Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16. The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17. Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18. Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19. The Time Traveller's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20. Middlemarch - George Eliot
21. Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22. The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23. Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24. War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26. Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh .
27. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28. Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29. Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30. The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31. Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32. David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33. Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
34. Emma - Jane Austen .
35. Persuasion - Jane Austen
36. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis
37. The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38. Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39. Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40. Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
41. Animal Farm - George Orwell
42. The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43. One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44. A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45. The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46. Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47. Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48. The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
49. Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50. Atonement - Ian McEwan .
51. Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52. Dune - Frank Herbert (I'm still working on Dune, dammit.)
53. Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54. Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55. A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56. The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57. A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58. Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60. Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61. Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov Nabokov
63. The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64. The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65. Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66. On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67. Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68. Bridget Jones' Diary - Helen Fielding
69. Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie
70. Moby Dick - Herman Melville -
71. Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72. Dracula - Bram Stoker
73. The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74. Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75. Ulysses - James Joyce
76. The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
77. Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78. Germinal - Emile Zola
79. Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80. Possession - AS Byatt
81. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82. Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83. The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84. The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85. Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86. A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry .
87. Charlotte's Web - EB White
88. The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90. The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91. Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92. The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93. The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94. Watership Down - Richard Adams
95. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96. A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97. The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98. Hamlet - William Shakespeare
99. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100. Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

I must say, I do NOT agree with the current top 100. Narnia would be above Harry Potter on my personal list, and I'm NOT AT ALL a fan of Dickens. A Handmaid's Tale is my favorite book. Ever. And why only fiction? Anyway, check the list. Be a proud reader! And encourage reading. My kids are already readers, and we (el Jefe and I) read A LOT. Sometimes out at sea when the whole world as you know it (583'x23'7") is a yucky soul eating mess, books are the only things that keep me from screaming.

And check out Beneath The Rowan Tree at Etsy. I was headed there today anyway, because she sells lovely kid safe, natural toys. We have some wonderful playsilks and Anna just loves them! Thanks!

Etsy wonderfulness!

2008-06-26T19:03:00.000-07:00

Okay, it's a little long in coming, but I thought I'd blog about a few wonderful Etsy sellers and their wonderful things! I have received a few items lately that have made me very happy, and I want to share my joy (and a few stories.)

First, the very first artist whose original work I had in my collection. If you have never owned an original piece of artwork before I urge you to do so. Buy the painting. Find a place for the sculpture! I agree, that beautiful stained glass will look awesome in your kitchen. Diana Crites is an artist with a tendency towards the dark side of life. No sugar coat for her. Since I stumbled upon her shop, I had my eye on a particular work, a pen and ink of a little girl. But not just any little curly haired girl. Noooo! This one was on fire.

Funny story (now.) When I was 4, I was in my Aunt and Uncle's wedding. I LOVED being a flower girl. Auntie Karen (and yes, I still call her Auntie) made my dress, with it's wonderful yellow sash/ribbon/belt and eyelet lace. I got to carry flowers and be pretty. Then my other Uncle got married. Total letdown. No pretty handmade dress, no basket of flowers, no front table away from mom and dad where I could eat all the veggie dip. And matches at the table! My very own little new box of matches! Ha! Revenge. Until I got burned on the finger, and dropped the match. Needless to say, Diana's pen and ink brought back memories in a flash.

The talent that oozes from this piece is astounding. Seriously, I had no idea it would be this amazing. In her shop paynesgrey, Diana offers several more original ink drawings, and some amazing prints and original paintings. Please, check her out, and seriously consider buying your own original. You won't regret it, especially if you buy from Diana.

I have one of those jobs where I sign a lot of papers all day, and require others to sign them too. If you have a job like this, you know that it is hazardous. I can easily go through five pens in a day if I don't pay attention. Problem is, I love great pens. I love how they feel, how they write, the very weight in your pocket. I used to buy the semi-good Zebras, but I lost them too much to opportunist memo signers. I don't like carrying the cheap ones, even if only to lend out. (Those are in a cup on my desk.) I decided one day that I needed a nice pen. A refillable pen. One that would make me proud, feel nice in my pocket, and most importantly - be memorable. Folks don't steal pens they ask about before they use them. Trust me. So browsing Etsy, I found these.

They are made by an artist named Thom Taylor. I have the Spalted Maple Slimline (The bottom photo) and couldn't be happier. It has never been stolen, feels wonderful, has a wonderful waxed finish and writes like a dream, since it has Cross guts. If you use a writing instrument often, and like the feel of good pens and wonderful artistry, please visit Thom's shop. He goes by the moniker Pilot1022, and has plenty of beautiful offerings.

Whew, okay. I have so many wonderful things to blog about, I think I'll break it up . . . back soon!!

Eleven years has FLOWN by.

2008-06-10T05:50:00.000-07:00

El Jefe and I have been married for 11 years today. (OK, so our families found out about 10 years ago - but who's counting?) Here's a blast from the past ('02, since that was the beginning of the digital age for us!)

And here's a NOW picture. Whew. What a long (and short) strange (and wonderful) trip it's been.

Suggested Aniversary gifts? Steel and jewelry. Hell yeah. I'm all over that. TimothyAdamDesigns has it covered! Or OMG, this RING!!! No way, I love this watch!!!

Happy anniversary to me!!

I'm alive and quite well.

2008-06-07T23:35:00.001-07:00

There's quite a lot going on here at Casa de Jenny, so I apologize for my absence. I promise, next week (Saturday, probably) I'll be back to my usual blogging. But for now, feast your eyes. (Click to see it in a bigger size. Totally worth it!)

I got this today (on the heels of another wonderful piece which I will blog at a later date). It rocks. I can't explain the feeling of seeing yourself on canvas if you haven't experienced it. It's amazing. It's in honor of our 11th anniversary, on Tuesday the 10th. Eleven years. Craziness. So I felt it needed commemoration. Anne knocked it out of the park. This is US. In all of our dorky, self assured glory.

It was done by AnneE on Etsy, and was a custom commission from Alchemy. She does awesome work for sale in her shop, and is SUPER cool and easy to work with. Thanks, Anne!!

Green Saturday: Green Gifting!

2008-05-10T13:56:00.000-07:00

Oh noes! I almost forgot Mother's Day! Not to worry. There's still plenty of available gift ideas within reach - and better yet, great for Mother Earth, too.

On the way to mom's for a dinner that you'll cook (or that the dad's will cook?) Stop by the store and pick up these ingredients, and follow these simple directions to make a bird wreath with mom! Great idea for the kids, and lots of fun later. The kids will love hanging out with Grandma watching the silly bird antics, and the birds will love having a great safe place to come and get some spring goodies! Can't visit mom this year? How about sending one of these? Edible Sunflower Bird Feeder Wreath

Handcrafted Primitive Birdhouse , birdhouseaccents

My family loves the outdoors. Living in San Diego, we have the benefit of great weather and some beautiful places to visit. America really does have a lot to offer. How about giving mom a taste of America? Plan an event; take her to one of the many National Parks and experience it together! The National Park Service is an important participant in the new Interagency Pass Program which was created by the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act and authorized by Congress in December 2004. Participating agencies include the National Park Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture - Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Reclamation. Looking for a park near you? Look here. The Cape Cod National Seashore is one of my favorite places on earth, and a National Park.

OCEAN ENCHANTRESS Bracelet, CapeCodCupboard

It's still not too late to plant Mom a tree! The Arbor Day Foundation's Trees in Memory and Trees in Celebration programs plant lodgepole pine and Douglasfir trees in national forests which have been destroyed by fire, disease or insect. When you plant a tree in memory of a loved one, or to mark a special occasion, you contribute to a healthier environment and provide for future generations. As the trees grow and prosper, so does the meaning of your gift. Over the course of 50 years, a single tree can generate $31,250 of oxygen, provide $62,000 worth of air pollution control, recycle $37,500 worth of water, and control $31,500 worth of soil erosion.
Your trees will be silent sentinels, honorable monuments, and for decades to come, active participants in nature's plan.

Another option for planting trees is the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation. They are a unique nonprofit charity dedicated to planting edible, fruitful trees and plants to benefit needy populations and improve the surrounding air, soil, and water.
Our programs, recently featured in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Hindu, and Plenty magazine, strategically plant orchards where the harvest will best serve the community for decades to follow, at places such as public schools, homeless shelters, drug rehabs, low-income areas, international hunger relief sites, and animal sanctuaries. FTPF's projects benefit the environment, human health, and animal welfare—all at once! What a great gift for mom!

A Seed is All You Need, Colorful Handmade Paper Cards with Wildflower Seeds, recycledideas

Whatever your Mother's Day Gift, I hope you have a wonderful Mother's Day, whether spending it with your Mom, or eating breakfast in bed made by the kiddos!

On hiatus. . .

2008-05-09T12:40:00.000-07:00

Sorry, my loyal WTW readers (that's short for World Travel Wednesday). I'm on a short hiatus. I'll be back for Green Saturday tomorrow!

Cut out and Keep

2008-05-05T21:02:00.000-07:00

I found this website that may prove to be awesome. Like I need another website to keep me company on those long cold nights. But just in case you're looking - try out CutOutAndKeep.net. Cool people sharing cool projects, both through tutorials and just "look at me!" posts. Fun! (And I'm pretty sure I recognize some Etsy avi's.) I want to be your friend. I'm Sailor J.

Green Saturday - Girls Gone Green!

2008-05-03T07:58:00.000-07:00

Ugh. Time to talk about that thing we all either dread or look forward to every month. Whether you embrace your female self, or hate dealing with all of the symptoms of it all, there are lots of different ways of dealing with it. When El Jefe and I were married, I went on Depo Provera for a cycle (one shot). I figured I wouldn't have to deal with the mess every month, carrying around different tampons, napkins, wet wipes, a spare pair of pants in the car . . . and no babies. Wow. Did I ever miss my cycle those three months. I'm one of those girls who can't tolerate Depo. The stories you've heard of girls becoming raving lunatics? Me. Heaving sobbing puddles of snot? Me. I wish I had had a cycle chart or some cycle beads to help me out.

Menstrual Beads - Turquoise 'n Black Necklace, DoulaHara

I was one of those lucky girls whose folks just tossed a book on my bed (Growing Up, Feeling Good) and hoped I would figure it out. (They did okay, I fiured it out.) I hope I do a little better by my daughter, and I can teach her more about her body than my Mom knew about hers. I wish I had found one of these beautiful necklaces. It wasn't until I realized that hormonal birth control wouldn't work for me that I learned a little more about my self.

Chart Your Cycle - A menstrual chart to help you go with the flow, HolisticallyHeather

So when I got to a ship, where I knew I'd spend months at a time (and don't ask where the used supplies go.) I knew I was going to need a new solution. You see, blood is a biohazard. You can't just dump it in the ocean. And if you don't pull in to a port that can accept "medical waste", it stays on board. You do have a few options. When I first got to a ship, I used Instead. A disposable Menstrual Cup, it does not absorb any blood, simply catching it in the cup. When I took it out, I would dump it, rinse it, and toss it in with the plastics; no longer medical waste. That was a great solution for me for a long time. But it had a few problems. First, if not inserted correctly, it leaked a little, meaning I had to wear pantiliners on heavy days. No longer a Green option. Until I discovered cloth pads. I love these. I don't wear just pads. So I never have to deal with any bulkiness. I love cloth pads because they're washable, and they are a little secret. I can wear butterflies or goth themed pads and no one will ever know. And I can wash my own.

Claire de Lune Cloth Menstrual Wetbag and Set of 4 Maxis, clairedelune

The other issue I had with Instead is that it IS disposable. When on a deployment, you can't always get mail in a timely manner. Sometimes no at all for a while. What if you run out?? That's where the Diva / Mooncup come in. They were an easy transition from Instead, only now I can keep the cup! No waste, no storage issues (our storage area is tiny) and no running out. If you're not comfortable with the softcups, theres another option, too. Sea Pearls are natural tampons made of Atlantic sea sponges, a reusable sustainable resource. They're comfortable and easy to use, and an affordable green option.

There are plenty of green products out there to make your cycle easier, more fun, or more secret. It's definitely not a taboo subject anymore. Look around and I'll bet you can find some great alternatives! (Like this Cramp Kit, which looks lovely!)

Natural Menstrual Cramp Relief Kit, JoyfulGirlNatural

Twelve Years, man!

2008-05-01T16:38:00.000-07:00

I, Sailor Jenny, do solemnly affirm that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

This was me only 10 hours ago. Six more years for the country I love. In front of my co workers, my husband, my bosses (all six of them) and a boatload of Brass. And I meant every word.

U.S. Navy Memorial, Washington DC

World Travel Wednesday - Old Town!

2008-04-30T19:56:00.000-07:00

I hope my loyal readers will excuse the fact that I'm already bushed; and this will be short. But I promise - Patriotism and Tradition tomorrow if you can bear with me.

Today I ventured out with Thing One's class to Old Town San Diego. Old Town San Diego is considered the "birthplace" of California. San Diego is the site of the first permanent Spanish settlement in California. It was here in 1769, that Father Junipero Serra came to establish the very first mission in a chain of 21 missions that were to be the cornerstone of California’s colonization. Father Serra’s mission and Presidio were built on a hillside overlooking what is currently known as Old Town San Diego. At the base of the hill in 1820’s, a small Mexican community of adobe buildings was formed and by 1835 had attained the status of El Pueblo de San Diego. In 1846, a U.S. Navy Lieutenant and a Marine Lieutenant, raised the American flag in the Old Town San Diego Plaza.

San Diego Alcala 2, ArtPhotoGirl

Our guide this morning was Sherriff McCoy, State Senator and Sherriff of San Diego. In March 2000, the California Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) completed construction of the Old Town San Diego State Historic Park Entry Redevelopment project, which included extensive landscaping and reconstruction of the McCoy House. State Park archaeologists excavated in Old Town San Diego in 1995 to recover information needed to reconstruct a large residence built in 1869 by James McCoy, a well-to-do Irish immigrant who served as San Diego’s sheriff and state senator. Prior to 1851 the property belonged to Maria Eugenia Silvas, descendant of a Spanish Colonial soldier who came to Alta California in the 1770s.

Cactus Old Town, shellsnoel

Old town has lot to do; we saw the first Public schoolhouse in California, learned about adobe and it's use in the old west, about native California plants, and how to make butter! (The kids got to eat some with their snack of tortillas.) But what I really waned was CANDY! Old Town also boasts Cousin's Candy, an authentic penny candy store. They have some awesome old fashioned candy. (And sesame candy for cheap. Mmmm.)

Old Lithograph Print Small Town Scene Girl in High Boots, ArtPhotoGirl

It was a fun trip, all things considered, and it was nice to go with the Boy before he gets too old to want me there.

Curate.

2008-04-29T22:05:00.000-07:00

I'm quite enjoying this curating thing. Have I mentioned that? Here's my latest go, for fans of Tommy Tutone (and Jennys, Jennis, Jenis, Jennies, Jennees, and heck, even the Jens and Jenns. Bring Jennifer and Jeniffer, too.)

Green Saturday - Eco Friendly Gaming!

2008-04-26T09:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was stumped on what to blog about today. I usually have all of my research already done by Saturday, and there's kind of a lot going on in our casa right now, so I hadn't had time. Driving in the car, I asked El Jefe what he thought I should focus on this Saturday. "Well I should think it's pretty obvious!" was his reply.

It wasn't. But he's right, his answer should have been obvious. If you're a gamer (like El Jefe) you know that the first game to get 10's in all categories on IGN.com is due out on Tuesday. Grand Theft Auto IV is currently the obsession here. And it was the answer. So in honor of the release of GTA4 (and El Jefe's cute funny self) I decided to look into gaming. Seems all is not so green.

Greenpeace, in particular is not happy with Nintendo. They put out this funny video called "Clash Of The Consoles" where you can learn which of the 3 is the worst. Poor little Mario comes out on the bottom. Seems Nintendo is not their favorite.

Floral Series - Wii Skin, NoveltyGallery

Greenpeace is not my favorite. I am a supporter of non-violent protest, letter writing campaigns (I mean who really writes letters anymore?) and telephone calls. GreenPEACE is known for their violent protest clashes. That gives me a bad taste in my mouth. All the same, my first recommendation, before spending that economic stimulus check on a new game console, is to do a little research. Nintendo has an environment section in their FAQ's, Sony has an in depth report page. Microsoft has not much that's easy to locate, but I'm a Mac girl.

And on that note, lets talk a little about that Alienware glowering in the corner. That water cooled processor? It's a big drain on power and probably costs more than you realize every month. Think about treating yourself to a new (and smaller) gaming laptop. This one from Alienware boasts the Intel® Core™2 Duo processor and everything from wallpaper and avatar selections to the proper time zone are personalized just the way you want it, right from the factory. Or maybe you'd be interested in this Vigor Atlantis Pro with a 20" WSXGA+ TFT panel and desktop-class Core 2 Duo processors from INTEL for uncompromised performance. Besides, should you want to actually be in the same ROOM as some of the other members of your 40-man, this is a great way to do it!

Item Block Pillow, punzie

And let's talk about how we get those games, shall we?? Though I am not a gamer in the true geek royalty sense, I enjoy a good romp in my Viva Piñata garden every once in a while. I bought it at the GameStop here in town. Used. Yes - I went to the store and bought an already played game. This is a great deal! I keep games forever and continue to play them. El Jefe, on the other hand, plays a game until it is totally beaten and then is done. Lately he and his buddy Mr. T have been trading games. I love this plan. This way they don't take up space and someone else gets to enjoy them. So if you are a buy-it-when-it-comes-out gamer, please share with your buds (besides how else can you brag about achievements if they haven't played the game?) And when the bragging is over, take them back to GameStop and let someone like me buy them.

Guitar Hero Embroidery design, ia2ca

Another option for buy-it-play-it-toss-it gamers is GameFly. Like NetFlix for games, you can rent, play through, return, and rent another. Perfect solution, especially for those who don't have a lot of game space. And hey, if you like it, buy it used!! And if you're done with your old console, consider donating it to a Children's Hospital or similar charity. Child's Play, the gamer charity, is always in need of new games, consoles and software for Children's Hospitals around the country.

And please, as always, when you're done playing (and you actually have to go to work or school), please turn your console off. Save your game (hooray for technological innovation) and shut your console OFF. You'll save a lot of power and a little money this way.

Thanks!

2008-04-25T21:55:00.000-07:00

Thank you (again) to the lovely (and darkly cool) Diana, who has bestowed upon me the "E for Excellence" blog award. You have made my day. I am not alone in recieving this award, my co-awardees are ChristopherandTia. Please, I beg of you, go visit. It is hilarious and altogether human.

I almost forgot! I now have the incredible honor of passing the buck! I pass it to Heather, who has TWO excellent blogs. One is her own silly blog, the other has an amazing story of kindness to thank for it's beginnings, and hopefully a lot more kindness to thank for it's continued success. (So get out there and do something nice!) Yay Heather!

World Travel Wednesday - San Diego, CA, USA

2008-04-23T18:26:00.000-07:00

Funny, I live in one of the most beautiful cities on Earth, and I just now realized what a wonderful focus it would be. And so now I give you my home. San Diego.

San Diego (pronounced /ˌsændiˈeɪgoʊ/) is a coastal Southern California city located in the southwestern corner of the continental United States. In 2006, the city's population was estimated to be 1,256,951. It is the second largest city in California and the eighth largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of San Diego County. and is the economic center of the San Diego–Carlsbad–San Marcos metropolitan area, the 17th-largest in the United States with a population of 2.9 million as of 2006, and the 21st-largest metropolitan area in the Americas when including Tijuana .

San Diego County lies just north of the Mexican border—sharing a border with Tijuana—and lies south of Orange County. It is home to miles of beaches, a mild Mediterranean climate and 16 military facilities hosting the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard and the United States Marine Corps.

The University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and the affiliated UCSD Medical Center combined with nearby research institutes in the Torrey Pines area of La Jolla make the area influential in biotechnology research. San Diego's economy is largely composed of agriculture, biotechnology/biosciences, computer sciences, electronics manufacturing, defense-related manufacturing, financial and business services, ship-repair and construction, software development, telecommunications, and tourism.

First stop: Balboa Park

El Jefe and I (and the kiddos) love Balboa Park. We visit at least once a month, usually more often than that. It is a 1200 acre (4.9 sq. km.) public park, and has SOOO many things to do. The clickable photo above was taken by El Jefe of the Botanical Building. Much of the park's look and feel today is due to the development done for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition. The Exposition was to celebrate the completion of the Panama Canal, set to open in 1915, and to tout San Diego as the first U.S. port of call for vessels traveling north after passing through the canal. The botanical building and it's lily pond (stocked with lovely koi) were built for the exposition. (Picture taken by El Jefe, and prints are for sale if you would like one. Email me!)

Also in Balboa park is the Old Globe Theatre. The internationally-acclaimed, Tony® Award-winning Old Globe is one of the most renowned regional theatres in the country, and has stood as San Diego’s flagship arts institution for over 70 years.

The Old Globe produces a year-round season of 15 plays and musicals on its three stages, including its highly-regarded Shakespeare festival. The Globe has become a gathering place for leading theatre artists from around the world, such as Tom Stoppard, Daniel Sullivan, and Chita Rivera, among many others. Numerous Broadway-bound premieres and revivals, such as Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Full Monty, and Damn Yankees have been developed at The Old Globe and have gone on to enjoy highly successful runs in New York and at regional theatres across the country.

We are subscribers to the Old Globe. It is an amazing venue, all of the theatres are intimate affairs and there are truly world class showings going on all of the time. We recently saw Dancing In The Dark, starring Scott Bakula (yes, that one) and it was AMAZING.

One of the wonderful things about Balboa Park is that it serves as a central location for many of San Diego's Museums. Pictured is the San Diego Natural History Museum, recently remodeled and with fantastic exhibits. Currently showing is A Day in Pompeii, which followed the Dead Sea Scrolls, two things I never would have guessed I'd have the chance to see without leaving the US. Both exhibits were marvelous, and the regular exhibits are always great, too. The museum recently held an exhibition called Earth, Wind & WILDFIRE that taught us how to live with and protect ourselves from the wildfires that are commonplace here. Some parts of the country have earthquakes (we have little ones), hurricanes or tornadoes; we have fire season.

Next stop: The Stars

Just outside of San Diego proper sits one of the largest optical telescopes in the world (at #19 currently.) Palomar Observatory is situated on Mount Palomar, a nice drive up mountain twisties an hour or so from downtown. The 200 inch (5.08 m) telescope is named after astronomer George Ellery Hale. It was built by Caltech with a 6 million dollar grant from the Rockefeller Institute, using a Pyrex blank manufactured by Corning Glass Works. The telescope (the largest in the world at that time) saw "first light" in 1948. The American astronomer Edwin Powell Hubble was the first astronomer to use the telescope for observing. The Hale Telescope is operated by a consortium of Caltech, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and Cornell University.

Please excuse Thing One's cold self. Although it is beautiful here year round, due to the altitude, Palomar tends to be pretty cold. We enjoy driving up there, often unplanned. El Jefe likes the drive, and I like the gift shop and the fact that six months out of the year there is snow on the mountain. The telescope offers tours most days, and they have wonderful grounds with a picnic area.

Final Stop: Back to Earth

A refreshing amount of land in San Diego has been preserved, and consists of parks and nature conservancies. One of these has an entrance not far from where I live. Mission Trails Regional Park encompasses nearly 5,800 acres of both natural and developed recreational acres. Its rugged hills, valleys and open areas represent a San Diego prior to the landing of Cabrillo in San Diego Bay in 1542. With over 40 miles of trails, boating on Lake Murray, camping at Kumeyaay Lake, numerous informative hikes, and a state-of-the-art Visitor & Interpretive Center, Mission Trails Regional Park has something to offer everyone. I love living in San Diego, because it has all of the things a big city has. But I think I love the care that San Diego has for the land and the people who live here more.

Please, come visit! It's lovely here. There's so much stuff I haven't even begun to show you. If you have any questions, email me!!

Green Saturday - Earth Day edition!!

2008-04-20T16:35:00.000-07:00

Earth Fair San Diego was today. I love Earth Fair, a packed event that usually brings up to 70,000 people, with lots of food, drinks, music, not-for-profit organizations and just plain cool stuff. We had a blast, and it was a great way to introduce the kiddos to some concepts that they may not quite understand. It all started with the bus.

It was parked right outside the park (well, one of the 14 entrances anyway. The fair takes up the WHOLE park.) and it belongs to one of the many religious organizations that have booths. (The Twelve Tribes.) That's one of the great (and not-so-wonderful) things about the fair. Not only are there plenty of options to clean your home, clean our air and our water, but there are lots of ways to cleanse your soul, too, should you desire a new enlightenment. I like these booths, as religion seems to breed deep thinkers. And so does non-religion, it seems. The ladies and gentlemen at the Atheist Coalition booth are always very friendly and willing to chat if they're not swamped. The thing that I find upsetting is that there are anti-abortion protestors there every year. Children holding huge posters and wearing awful tee shirts. Children, 7, 8, 10 year olds who can't possibly grasp the concept of what they're protesting against. Sigh. Okay, back to the fun!

The kiddos had fun. At every exhibit that had the possibility of being cool, Thing one asked if he could bring his little sister. So they checked out Brittle Stars with the lovely ladies from USD...

And saw an American Alligator with the folks from Sea World and Conservation International . . .

And Sam got to make his very own paper. It's actually a pledge to keep every day Earth Day, and he did a very good job. So good that the local news station filmed and interviewed him! Let's hope one of our friends has a working cable box as ours won't record programming right now.

A few of the other great companies there were Simple. shoes, made of sustainable products. They even make DIY shoes and a DIY Bag (it's cool, too!) And they have the cutest infant shoes ever, with little felt piggies on them. Seriously, if you haven't seen thses and you have a little one, check 'em out!

I was also introduced to Veterans For Peace. They are a national organization founded in 1985. It is structured around a national office in Saint Louis, MO and comprised of members across the country organized in chapters or as at-large members. There is an annual convention each year attended by our members, families and supporters from across the nation. Members receive periodic VFP publications.
The organization includes men and women veterans of all eras and duty stations including from the Spanish Civil War (1936-39), World War II, the Korean, Vietnam, Gulf and current Iraq wars as well as other conflicts. Our collective experience tells us wars are easy to start and hard to stop and that those hurt are often the innocent. Thus, other means of problem solving are necessary.

If you are a non-veteran, you MAY become a member, and support this cause for the many men and women who cannot. Especially for the women. There are not enough organizations (in my opinion) that recognize women veterans. There are many more now, and quite a few from the war in Iraq. VFP provides a wonderful community for those women.

There was also lots of yummy food (many samples!) We liked the Clif bars. They taste good and are great for little ones because they are like a Granola Bar but less crunchy and with more energy. They were giving out Banana Bread and Cool Mint Chocolate bars. Yum.

All in all it was a lot of fun. The kids (well, Thing One, anyway. . .) learned a few things and we had a good time. Just check this out! (Okay, maybe the little one wasn't diggin' THAT so much . . .)

Green Saturday postponed til tomorrow!

2008-04-19T18:26:00.000-07:00

Earth Fair San Diego is tomorrow, and I wanted to show you some pictures and cool stuff from there. See you tomorrow!!

Treaured!!

2008-04-18T23:27:00.000-07:00

This time I didn't curate, but I'm in a treasury!! San Diego's East County team has this awesome treasury, go check it out! HERE!!

Partay!

2008-04-18T09:55:00.000-07:00

Thing one turned seven the other day. We had a birthday party, and I am really proud of how it turned out. Here's some pictures to share!

The gift bags and big card (we also had silver pens so his friends could sign...) The gift bags had a little thank you tag on them with a moon picture (taken by El Jefe!) and a thank you.

What Space Party would be complete without a Rocket Piñata?

And the cake. I got a regular Costco cake and decorated it myself. Spraypaint color for the sky, and colored fondant planets. The little stars are nonpareils to give the impression of a starry sky. I'm really proud of it!

So it was a big hit, all the moms and dads were impressed with the park and how well the kids got along (and my cake decorating skillz) and most importantly, everyone had fun!

Curator

2008-04-17T08:55:00.000-07:00

In smaller organizations, a curator may have sole responsibility for the acquisition and care of objects. The curator will make decisions regarding what objects to collect, oversee their care and documentation, conduct research based on the collection, and share that research with the public and scholarly community through exhibitions and publications. In very small volunteer-based museums, such as local historical societies, a curator may be the only paid staff member.
In larger institutions, the curator's primary function is as a subject specialist, with the expectation that he or she will conduct original research on objects and guide the organization in its collecting. Such institutions can have multiple curators, each assigned to a specific collecting area (e.g. Curator of Ancient Art, Curator of Prints and Drawings, etc.) and often operating under the direction of a head curator. In such organizations, the physical care of the collection may be overseen by museum collections managers or museum conservators, and documentation and administrative matters (such as insurance and loans) are handled by a museum registrar.

I like this gig. I think it fits me. Perhaps I have a new plan for what to do when I grow up. Again.

World Travel Wednesday - Perth/Fremantle, Australia

2008-04-16T15:39:00.000-07:00

I love Australia. At one point, El Jefe and I discussed emigrating there when we retire. I have worked with the Australian Navy, wonderful people, every single one. Truly, Australia is the friendliest country I have visited. And there's lots of other reasons why I like it, too.

Today, we'll visit the Perth/Fremantle area. Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia, and the fourth-largest city in Australia, with a population of 1,554,769 (2007 estimate). One of its LGAs, the City of Perth, is currently the fastest growing area in Australia in percentage terms (10% per year).
Perth was founded on 11 June 1829 by Captain James Stirling as the political centre of the free settler Swan River Colony. It has continued to serve as the seat of Government for Western Australia to the present day.
The metropolitan area is located in the south west of the continent between the Indian Ocean and a low coastal escarpment known as the Darling Range. The central business district and suburbs of Perth are situated on the Swan River.

Fremantle is a port city in Western Australia, located 19 kilometres (12 mi) southwest of Perth, the state capital, at the mouth of the Swan River on Australia's western coast. It was the first settlement of the Swan River Colonists in 1829. It was declared a city in 1929, and has a population of approximately 26,000.
The city is named after Charles Fremantle, the English naval officer who had pronounced possession of Western Australia and who established the camp at the site. The city contains well preserved buildings and other heritage sites. The Western Australian vernacular diminutive for Fremantle is "Freo".

Pulling in to Fremantle (we stay there because it's a smaller port and easier for us to deal with all of the customs requirements and just easier for us to make a home base) we really get the best of WA. There is fabulous public transport from Fremantle up to Perth along the coast, and a bunch of lovely seaside hotels to stay in and enjoy the beautiful weather. San Diegans - Love your weather? Visit Perth/Fremantle! It's just like San Diego, but with a different accent and lots of friendly new people. (And great shopping!)

Perth has wonderful museums. The Western Australian Maritime Museum was being built when I was there, but we got a few sneak peeks (we were right by it) and it is fabulous! The building itself is great, and it houses galleries that detail Western Australia's rich maritime history in pictures and displays. Along with lots of pictures of Australian Navy men. Those uniforms are HOT. (And there's a tourable RAN submarine, too. Way cool.)

While in Fremantle, I was intorduced to one of my now favorite bands, The Waifs. They're a trio from Western Australia and their latest album 'sun, dirt, water' came out on September of '07. I fell in love with this song.

Besides the amazing culture in Perth, there's a little of the gritty stuff there, too. ( I spent quite a bit of time at The Amplifier Bar, one of Perth's premier live venues and a kickin' bar . . . although anywhere is kickin' when the fleet's in. ) I was also lucky enough to get a tattoo from Marc Pinto. Marc is a world renowned hand tattoo artist who studied at Johnny Two Thumbs. My tattoo was done totally by hand, with just a single needle lashed to bamboo, then the ink was applied by Marc. Ink freaks, if you have the opportunity to have a traditional tattoo done by an amazing artist like Marc, do it! Here's my tattoo, a couple of years later.

I know, it's way cropped, but nobody really wants to see my foot that huge. I hope you've liked my tour of WA, I really do love it there. And I can't stress the friendliness enough. Cheers!

Total Awesomeness

2008-04-15T19:22:00.000-07:00

Treasury!

2008-04-14T16:44:00.000-07:00

I am officially a curator of my very own treasury! I LOVE the colors of this one, so rich and vibrant and cosy all at the same time. The colors I'd like to have in a home library. When I was making it I was thinking of dark wood, large leather wing chairs and well loved gilt edged books. Enjoy!

Of course I added some of my favorite artists, many who I have in my favorite links list over on the left. Thank you paynesgrey, heatherfuture, calloohcallay, Kerry, and AnnE and the other wonderful artisans included. You are all in amazing company!

Green Saturday: Fair Trade

2008-04-12T07:22:00.000-07:00

Mmmm . . . Good morning! I'm sitting here at my computer drinking my first cup of Fair Trade certified coffee, and feeling jut a little self righteous. After all, MY coffee's Fair Trade!

What does that mean anyway? I've been seeing it a lot on goods ranging from coffees to pillows to candy. What does it mean? How do I know? How can I find more Fair Trade goods? You're in the right place.

Fair trade is a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency and respect, which seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers - especially in the South. Fair trade organizations (backed by consumers) are engaged actively in supporting producers, awareness raising and in campaigning for changes in the rules and practice of conventional international trade.

Fair Trade Spice Kit from purposedesign on Etsy

How does a product get labelled "Fair Trade"? Through Fairtrade certification by the FLO, or Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International. You can identify FLO products with this seal.

Several Online marketplaces deal primarily in Fair Trade goods, such as the Global Exchange and Ten Thousand Villages. Etsy is also a great place to find Fair Trade goods!
Check out this African Black Liquid Soap from Fairycat!

These silk cushion covers from cebra are amazing!

Wear this apron from HotTeaApparel while you make a fresh pot so all your guests know how you feel!

Big businesses are getting into the mix, too. One of my favorite products ever (thanks to the awesome counselors at Camp Favorite when I was 10 or so) is Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap. I used to buy it at Eastern Mountain Sports back then, and I swore by the Peppermint. I still love it. And now they're Fair Trade Certified!

I hope you have fun shopping for your favorite sustainable and Fair Trade goods this weekend. I'll finish up with my FAVORITE Fair Trade Item on Etsy (besides the coffee!)

This beautiful scarf from toybreaker. I love this scarf. El Jefe - Mother's Day is almost here!

4 things . . .

2008-04-11T17:42:00.000-07:00

4 THINGS...

Well, first, one thing. I'd like to thank Diana of A Muted Palette and paynesgrey for tagging me. I won a wonderful art card in a contest on her blog last week. I recieved it today, and it is an amazing work of art. Check out her store, read her blog, take a look at the work of this amazing artist. And her 4 things.

4 jobs:

Retail Clerk at J.C. Penney
Pizza Delivery girl
Sonar Technician, USN
Mom

4 favorite movies:
The Handmaid's Tale
Disney's Robin Hood
4 Weddings and a Funeral
The Man Who Skied Down Everest

4 places I've been:
Hong Kong
Thailand
Oman
Australia

4 places I've lived:
North Attleboro, MA
San Diego County, CA
Chicago, IL
USS Shiloh/Hewitt

4 favorite television shows:
As Time Goes By (BBC)
House
Emergency (LOVE Randolph Mantooth)
Rick Steves

4 Favorite Beverages:
Root Beer floats
Thai Iced Tea
Coffee
Gin & Tonic

4 favorite foods:
Thai (Green Curry)
Japanese (gyoza and BBQ pork buns)
Fusion Boulliabaisse
California Burritos

4 places I'd rather be:
Asleep for a LONG time. Like 14 hours.
On the water. (But not working.)
Anywhere in the world with El Jefe.
Somewhere new, eating something local and yummy.

Now I have to tag 4 other bloggers, or my next post will go unread and sad. Or my children will have bad penmanship. Or something equally awful. So I choose these lucky folks!!

Isabel of Hola, Isabel. (Who is also having a great giveaway, check it out!)
Jen of Little Pods (she makes super cute clothes!!)
Persimmons Gal (who has an AWESOME blog contest on right now and just opened a new Etsy store!)
JLC Studio, with her wonderful Friday Flickr finds and a weekly win-it!

Have fun, fellow bloggers!

World Travel Wednesday - Another Side of Japan

2008-04-09T07:38:00.000-07:00

I'm an American. That much is probably pretty clear in my manner of speaking, my ideals and methodology, and if you know me in real life - my often blunt tactlessness. I'm proud, too. Maybe not as proud as, say, Lee Greenwood or Hillary Clinton. But I know very well the oportunities I have been afforded, the things I take for granted that other people only wish for. But every once in a while, my American pride makes me sad. Because there are more than a few points in American history that are not nice, or pretty. Today I'd like to talk about one of those.

The last time I visited Japan, I had the opportunity to visit the Nagasaki Bomb Museum and peace park. (The funny pooping dog sign? Peace Park.)It was a sobering and educational experience to say the least.

The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were nuclear attacks during World War II against the Empire of Japan by the United States at the order of U.S. President Harry S. Truman. After six months of intense firebombing of 67 other Japanese cities, the nuclear weapon "Little Boy" was dropped on the city of Hiroshima on Monday August 6, 1945, followed on August 9 by the detonation of the "Fat Man" nuclear bomb over Nagasaki. These are to date the only attacks with nuclear weapons in the history of warfare.

The Nagasaki Bomb Museum serves to educate those of us who did not live through the events of WWII. There are displays of the rich culture of Nagasaki before the blast, firsthand accounts from the destruction, interviews and writings from survivors outlining the horrors of the aftermath of the bomb. There is also a large portion of the museum dedicated to educating people about nuclear weapons with a large display of where all the weapons in the world are located. This pictoral display was particularly sad, as the US has 2,000 more available nukes than the next leading nuclear power (Soviet Union) and 10,000 more than anyone else. (Non-pictoral table HERE.)

There are also many artifacts from the blast. This bust of the Virgin Mary was on the front gate of the Urakami Catholic Church when the bomb exploded. It was dug from the ashes, and is now displayed in a newly built church.

The most amazing part of the museum to me is the strength of the people who survived the blast and their struggles just afterwards. Many survived by almost miraculous means, hiding behind trees or walls or crouching, faces on the floor. There is a portion of the Bomb Museum website dedicated to the trees that have survived the blast, like this one - which saved it's owner Emiko Taira from the blast, and the walls of buildings like the Urakami Tenshudo Church.

I am proud to be an American. And I am glad that I have visited this important place, so that I may hopefully learn from past history. May we never repeat it.

Hooray for blog contests!!

2008-04-06T19:34:00.000-07:00

I always try to leave a comment when I visit someone's blog, and usually I get to 'meet' some cool folks that way. And blog owners have contests. Well today was my day! I woke up this morning to the news that I won two wonderful blog contests, one from Little Pods and one from a muted palette. Today i stumbled across another contest by a fellow Etsian named Persimmons Gal. She has an amazing Etsy shop HERE, and her blog giveaway is HERE. Go check out her stuff! (Here's my favorite thing in her shop!) Jil is having a new blog contest tomorrow HERE. Like origami? Check out the contest HERE! Do you like coupons? HERE's a link to some, free! JLC Studios (also in my blog list) has a weekly giveaway!

Do you have a contest, giveaway or coupons in your blog? Leave a comment!

Green Saturday: Microfinance

2008-04-05T09:15:00.000-07:00

Microfinance has become a household buzzword lately, but what is it really? Wikipedia says "Microfinance services are financial services that poor people desire and are willing to pay for. The term also refers to the practice of sustainably delivering those services. More broadly, it refers to a movement that envisions “a world in which as many poor and near-poor households as possible have permanent access to an appropriate range of high quality financial services, including not just credit but also savings, insurance, and fund transfers.” " It's really about providing financial services to those who would not be able to attain such services in a regular market because of the cost to the lender in doing so.

There are several peer-to-peer lending organizations out there. Kiva.org is a not-for-profit organization that uses a network of growing Microfinance Institutions (MFI's) in over thirty countries to provide loans to small businesses using the paypal donations of folks like you and me. Here's a great story by Matt Flannery, co-founder of Kiva.

I lend to Kiva myself, and as an example of who these loans help, here's the bio of one of the small business owners my loan is currently assisting.

Amrahova Dunya was born in Sumqayit city. She is 34 years old and the mother of two children. Currently, she lives with her family in Sumgayit city, situated in the eastern part of Azerbaijan. She started her business in 2002. She sells creams, lotions, perfumes, shampoo, etc. With this business she earns little money. The money is enough for only some of her family's basic needs. She has difficulty in covering other family consumption needs for medication, clothes, school etc. Her best clients at the moment are young ladies who work at the offices. She needs $800 to buy merchandise in order to have a bigger inventory and be able to offer her clients a larger variety and better quality. She will be able to support her children’s studies and help with the family’s expenses with this income. She will repay the loan within 12 months.

Another microfinance portal - and a relatively new one- is MicroPlace Recently placed on the map by it's parent company eBay, MicroPlace is a portal that allows the lender to collect interest on their loans. There are similarities and differences between MicroPlace and Kiva (the important one to me being for profit (MicroPlace) vs. not for profit (Kiva).) NestBillion.net has written an excellent article about it here.

A third portal, and one of the largest in the newsmedia, thanks to Natalie Portman (a spokeswoman) and HM Queen Rania of Jordan (on the Board of Directors and an avid spokeswoman) is FINCA. FINCA primarily lends to women, and has an excellent FAQ page on their site outlining the reasons for lending to their target borrower. From the website . . . "Why does FINCA lend primarily to women?  For several reasons. First, the feminization of poverty is a worldwide trend. Seventy percent of the world’s poor are women, largely because of their limited access to education or to productive resources like land and credit. Another worldwide trend is an increase in woman-headed households, in which a mother provides the sole support for her children. Most victims of severe poverty are children. According to UNICEF, at least half of the 12 million children aged five or younger who die each year, die from malnutrition associated with severe poverty. The most direct way to improve childrens’ survival and welfare is to strengthen their own mothers’ ability to take care of them."

I hope I have helped put a face or two on the growing wonderful trend of microfinance, perhaps you will consider lending yourself. For more information, the United Nations Capital Development Fund has some great research and a very infomative website.

World Travel Wednesday: Japan, Take 1

2008-04-02T18:17:00.000-07:00

Japan is a wonderful country. Lots of great people, amazing food, and a culture thousands of years older than my own. There a lot of quirky awesome things about Japan that I particularly love . . . Here's a few.

This is a sign. That much is clear. I don't speak japanese, and I'm even worse at reading it; even when it is in bubbly happy letters. (Japanese speakers, translation would be welcome!) Still, I am relatively sure of what this sign says. And you can bet your bippy that if I had a dog, s/he would not be pooping in that park!

This was lunch, the before version. (Well mostly, I got a little excited and tried a few bits before remembering to snap.) It was very very tasty, and I can assure you, the bowl was almost dry when I was done. What I cannot do, however, is tell you what those purple pinwheel things are. Nor the brownish cylindrical thing in the top right quadrant. (You'll notice that's what I tasted.) I loved it, it was delicious. The Japanese do some amazing things with food. (I also learned that if your friend flaps his arms and says "bok, bok" at a truck stop or street stall, the kind workers will give him something that looks and tastes like chicken after laughing and calling their friends over to see. Mmmm . . . chicken.)

This one ALMOST speaks for itself. Because that's its job. To speak for you when you can't. Now I'm sure that the reason for this card is to assist those of us who have language difficulties, but lets face it. Almost every other country in the world teaches their children English at an early age. It is difficult to find a person in a very developed nation like Japan who cannot understand at least enough English to get an ignorant tourist back to the hotel. But it's REALLY easy to find a drunken sailor when the fleet's in. Huzzah! I'm too drunk to remember the name of my hotel. But wait. Here's the card!

Next week - a different view of Japan.

ACEO:art card, editions and originals. A Review.

2008-03-30T09:14:00.000-07:00

I have always wanted an original piece of art - be it painted, collage, a wonderful one off lino/block print- in my home. As a child I always thought art made peoples homes look worldly and classy. I still think it makes you look interesting, if not always classy. But great art comes at a premium, as does wall space. Recently, I have come across ACEO's. They're wonderful 2.5" x 3.5" works made just for collecting. How fun! An opportunity to display wonderful pieces without breaking the bank or having your walls come down on you! I recently discovered Diana Crites a wonderful artist in several mediums who tells my own stories (it seems) through her artwork. She has recently had some of her favorite pieces printed in a limited (to 66) edition ACEO so that everyone can enjoy her work. Please check out this up and coming artist in her Etsy store - and get a piece while you can. You won't regret it!

Here is my favorite, a piece entitled "Faith". It says so many things about my thoughts on the subject, and in a nice accessible way. It's delightful and darkly whimsical.

She is also a master with a pen, check out Harriet, Konrad, and The Tailor! Harriet is also available in her Etsy shop - But I call dibs!!

Enjoy!

Green Saturday: Take Me Out To The Ballgame!

2008-03-29T11:41:00.000-07:00

Thing One's birthday is coming up soon. His great love right now: baseball. Seriously, sometimes I wonder if David Ortiz really IS his Papi. We bought him tickets to a Padres game (no Red Sox this year, though.) and I was presented with an interesting "green" ticket delivery choice. It even said "Go Green!" You can elect to have your tickets held in virtual Will Call, and print them out at the gate by swiping your credit card. They had me at green until I realized I would just be printing them anyway. I opted for home printing (on recycled paper; and I know I recycle used ink cartridges.) Anyway, it led me on a hunt for some interesting developments in the sporting world, not really known for it's Eco-Friendliness.

The New National's Park in Washinton, D.C. is awaiting certification from the U.S Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (better known as LEED.) Here's a link to an interactive story about the new park. Here's the official team website. I'll bet they have great Veggie Burgers, too.

Not a baseball fan? The Philadelphia Eagles are as green as they come in the NFL. They have a Go Green link on their homepage that outlines the new Eagles Forest (you can buy a tree!) and the Eagles attempts at Carbon Neutral Games. Here's an ABC news article about the greenest team in the NFL. Go Eagles!

Love golf? Here's a fabulous resource provided by Audubon International for finding environmentally friendly courses, getting your course or club involved, and ways golf courses can help the environment. You can also become an Audubon Green Golfer and make a pledge to adhere to the golf environmental etiquette tips above and join others who are making a public statement about their love of the game and love of the natural environment where the game is played.

My favorite genre of sports is also one of the most harmful. I love motorsports, and I was so glad to see the governing body of Formula One (the FIA) show their support for the Make Cars Green Campaign. Gotta love Honda's Car this year, too. :) Wired magazine had an article about F1's Green Measures last year HERE. Maybe there is hope for all of motorsports.

And always remember to think green on your way to and at the event. Take public transportation, walk if you can. Do you really need a golf cart? And make sure to recycle those beer cans after your Daytona party! If they can do it, so can we.

Play ball!

An open letter to my blog . . .

2008-03-28T19:57:00.000-07:00

Dear disjointed thoughts (though this is neither a thought nor a musing, but closer to the former),

I am sorry if you feel that I have abandoned you. I have not, and am in fact researching tomorrow's Green Saturday as I type. Let me lay it out. Weeklong trip to Texas to see the in-laws. (Wonderful people, mind you, I love them Very much.) I love my In-Laws so much, in fact, that well, I didn't have time. I only see them every year and 1/2 or so, last time Thing Two was 2 months old, she's 19 months old now. Dad had the flu. Now El Jefe has the flu. Thing Two has some kind of crud. Thing One has a new Xbox 360 game from Great Grandma and is camped out in the TV room. I was just busy. I went back to work today. Whoa. Crazy how things can go downhill in only 8 days. So many fires to put out, so little time. Sigh. See you tomorrow!

- missfire

Music Mondays!!

2008-03-24T11:50:00.001-07:00

Todays feature is Nerina Pallot, a young lady from London who is just my style. Raw, simple and beautiful.

Green Saturday - Earth Friendly Bags!

2008-03-22T06:54:00.000-07:00

Every time I go to the store, I see branded, earth friendly cloth bags. Everybody's doing it- it must be in! The green movement is on the rise, and it's cool to be seen with your reusable bags; but who wants a cool bag with bullseye boutique logo on it?? Or Wally world? Heck no! Today let's explore the wonderful world of reusable bags!

First (of course) my bags - EarthWiseBags! I prefer the green basic bags, myself, but they now carry collectible Simpson's bags, too! Why do I love my EarthWise bags? They're the perfect size for the back of my car (a Scion xB 1st gen), the handles are jut the right size for throwing over my shoulder and carrying heavy groceries upstairs, and they're GREEN! So everyone knows just how trendy I am!

Next are Morsbags. Why do Morsbags rock? They're reusable bags made with recycled/upcycled materials by other socially conscious individuals! Here's their blurb:
let’s do something positive to reduce the hideous number of plastic bags being used - 1 million are consumed per minute globally - of which hundreds of thousands end up in the oceans.

the idea is to get together with people in your local community, drink wine and make reusable cloth bags (from old duvet covers, curtains from charity shops etc) and hand them out to the unsuspecting public for free on specified dates outside different supermarkets.

meet new people, do something marvellous for the planet and beat other pods (groups) of baggers with your morsbag tally.

go to www.morsbags.com to be a part of a wonderful thing!

p.s. non-commercial/ non-profitable - just full of beneficial things for everyone, especially whales!

A great resource for reusable bags, EcoBags has it all. Whether you're looking for a string bag for produce, or a simple cloth bag with handles, they've got it. You can also pick up a SIGG drinking bottle for those hot treks from the farmer's market with your loot! I especially like their produce bags, much better than those thin plastic bags they give you at the store. Made of lightweight Natural or Organic cotton, they make great gift bags, too.

There are also LOTS of wonderful reusable bags on Etsy like these canvas totes from RedPaperRecord with a gentle funny message handprinted on them. Another favorite are these produce bags in ripstop nylon from kootsac perfect for all of the bulk flour and grains.

And if you buy from Etsy, you're buying homemade and supporting small business! Cloth bgs are great for the environment AND your image. I hope you find some that fit for YOU!

World Travel Wednesday (a little early)

2008-03-18T09:36:00.001-07:00

Since I'll actually be traveling on Wednesday, I thought I would give everyone a sneak peak of my trip. We're off to Texas to visit family this week. Texas, if you've never been, is a whole other world. Several of them, n fact. It's an amazing state. Whatever preconcieved notions you have of Texas (be they football, cowboys and ranches or great food) are probably true somewhere. But Texas is everything else, too. El Jefe is a wonderful amateur photographer, and one our favorite trips in this great state is exploring the Missions that were it's start. We'll start with Mission San Jose. (Click for bigger pictures!)

Mission San José y San Miguel de Aguayo was established in 1720, and was founded by Father Antonio Margil de Jesús. It has a real working mill - great for the kids to see.

Next post - Mission Concepcion. Stay tuned!!

Music Monday!! (a little late)

2008-03-17T21:15:00.000-07:00

Today in honor of what is still St. Patrick's Day here in So Cal, a few selections from my favorite Irish artist (and the bestselling solo artist from Ireland). With a beautiful voice that pales in comparison only to Alison Krauss (maybe next week?) Enya has been popular for decades. Her music is timeless and simple and ethereal. Lullabies for adults. Sleep well and dream of Shamrocks and pots of gold!

Green Saturday: Carbon Neutrality

2008-03-15T08:01:00.000-07:00

Carbon Neutrality is a subject which has interested me for a while. I saw a bumper sticker a while back (normally I don't like bumper stickers - a story for another day) that peaked my inerest. It said something like "This Car Is Emission Free!" with a website.

In the years since my children were born, I have made a fairly conscious effort to be as green as I could without skimping on what I consider necessities. (I still shower daily, use shampoo, use bleach, etc.) But Carbon Neutrality has always seemed like an easy way to reduce my personal impact on the planet. Just pay a small fee (see HERE for ecobusinesslinks.com's review of several carbon offset businesses) and you can either have trees planted or support the use of renewable power sources.

How much of a carbon footprint do YOU have? Check HERE to see the impact of your household!

Planning a wedding? Worried about the environmental impact of our event? Check HERE to see how you can offset by number of guests, those flying, down to the kind of hotel your guests are staying in. You can offset your rehearsal dinner, too!

Going on vacation? Worried about the emissions of the plane? www.ClimateCare.org allows you to offset a flight by letting you choose the airports and the number of passengers. Not ALL airports are available (ie, when offsetting my trip to Texas, I had to select LA instead of San Diego) but you can select flights from all over the world.

All things considered, the best way to reduce your CO2 is to REDUCE you emissions. Drive your car less, slow down for better mileage, open a window instead of using the AC. But for those necessary things like trips far away and just living, think about reducing your footprint with carbon offsets.

Friday Pet-tacular!

2008-03-14T20:00:00.000-07:00

I had a request for kitty pictures, so I thought I would share a little about my pets today. Currently we have two, a goldfish named Lulu who is four years old and was fished from a kiddie pool by Thing One with his bare hands. Poor Lulu shouldn't have survived a week, never mind four years, two tanks, three moves and a 3-7 year old boy. But she's seemingly happy in her little tank (an upgrade from her bowl when we learned she was a trooper) with a little fishy tank statue of Gary to keep her entertained. I have no pictures of Lulu, but she's a goldfish. A feeder type.

I also no longer have these guys :(. I miss them, they were so neat!

Their names are Crockett and Tubbs, and they are Giant African Millipedes. (That's a 5 gallon tank, for size reference.) Their primary diet is cucumber (although they do like other fruits and veggies) and they like to nibble on plain chalk for the calcium to keep their shells strong. They are the easiest to care for pets I've ever had, and way more interesting to watch than a fish tank (when they're active.) The downside is that a lot of my friends were freaked out. They don't live very long, and I miss them :(.

And last is my kitty, Miss Violet.

And Miss Naked and not happy Violet.

Violet is ten (July 6th, 97) and has been my baby since before I had babies. In fact she was my trial baby. She is a Maine Coon (pure guess, really, but she fits the bill) and weighs 16 pounds. That's a lot of lazy cat-ness. She sleeps in the crook of my knee and meows every morning at 5:30 for food. She doesn't really stop begging for chow until we go to bed. :) We love her!!

I love my fur, scale and exoskeleton babies. Next pet-tacular will be about the other animals in my life. (With a vet in the family, there's a lot!)

World Travel Wednesday

2008-03-12T16:19:00.000-07:00

Today we go to Hong Kong, probably my favorite place to visit in Asia. Hong Kong is a wonderful city with absolutely everything to do, and people of every country to share the experience with. Lots and LOTS of people. So many that there is a large floating city in Aberdeen Harbour that you can tour. (On a boat, and only after negotiating a good price with the tour guide!) Aberdeen Harbour also boasts the Jumbo floating restaurant, a tourist must-see! (Click for bigger pictures!)

Within the floating city are many different kinds of boats, each a home and workplace for a family. This family is drying their cuttlefish catch on the roof.

This is a favorite shot from Aberdeen that day and reminded me of home. I wanted to go pet him!

Hope you enjoyed our little trip, and come back next week and see where else we go!

I'm featured in a blog!!

2008-03-11T22:49:00.000-07:00

Design to Save The World has me as their featured seller today! Thanks so much, and stay tuned for more Eco-Friendly Etsy sellers to come!!

Music Monday!! (St. Pat's Edition)

2008-03-10T15:53:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday! St. Patrick's day is coming soon, do you have 'yer corned beef and cabbage ready to go?? In honor of music Monday and St. Pat, I thought I'd share a few of my favorite Irish tunes. (I'm Irish by birth - named after my Great Granny Jenny O'Connell, but I become a lot more Irish this time of year!)

First off, my new favorite. A little ditty from Flogging Molly called "What's Left Of The Flag".

An old favorite, and the necessary Riverdance vid - Countess Cathleen by Bill Whelan. Jean Butler is absolutely stunning.

Because I miss home so much this time of year, The Dropkick Murphys "I'm Shipping Up To Boston". There will never be a better place in the world to be than Southie on St. Pats. Just sayin'.

And the best for last - my favorite song. The one that reminds me of all that is dear to me at home when I'm miles away across the world. The one that keeps me sane when I can't stand the sound of my own heart and the sea any longer. Afro Celt Sound System "Persistence of Memory".

Ahh! I've been tagged!!

2008-03-09T09:40:00.000-07:00

Thanks Callooh Callay for tagging me! (She has the coolest slithiest blog ever!) Now (by law, apparently) I have to tell you seven random and personal things about me and pass it on to others. Here's the skinny!

1) It took me seven tries to get my Driver's license in Massachusetts. Failures included running a stop sign, hitting a snowbank and my dad talking to me during my test. (He still feels bad.) Three years later it only took me one try in California. And I have a Motorcycle license too. Look out world!!

2) I collect hobbies. Our computer nook/craft area has become a haven for all of my failed projects. I'm glad I love the jewelry so much, but I wonder now what to do with all of my fabric, paper goods and assorted unfinished projects.

3) I'm addicted to the internet. I tried "weaning" myself for New Year's, but failed. All I found were different sites to chat with different people. I ALWAYS have at least 2 windows open at a time and I must check CNN and Fark 5 times a day at least.

4) I have a cat who is in serious need of a check-up and grooming (she's a fat maine coon who is too big to reach her own back.) I know she needs a haircut, and El Jefe grumbles about the fur constantly, but I can't get off my butt to do it. She definitely plays third fiddle to the kids.

5) I live two blocks away from a small municipal airport and down the flight line. Sometimes at night when planes are flying low over the house waiting to land, I'll jump out of bed to make sure they're not going to hit the house. I'm not sure what my plan is, it's not like I'm going to stop a Beechcraft with my mind.

6) I'm an atheist and apparently this is a christian part of town. It wasn't an issue before, but now that I have kids in school it comes up more than I would like. It almost makes me ashamed to be who I am and that makes me sad. I'm also sad for my kids.

7) I'm a coffee addict. Starbucks or anything, just Maxwell House every morning at least. I bought Toasted Marshmallow syrup at the Bullseye Boutique in the $1 Spot to liven up Sundays; when I make my own at home. If you take nothing else from this blog - take this. Don't buy coffee syrup for $1 at Target.

I tag Kerry, Weird Bug Lady, and Sheila. Al folks I would like to know a little more about. This was fun!! Thanks, Callooh Callay! Oh frabjous day!

**SJ

What's a Nurdle??

2008-03-08T11:49:00.000-08:00

I'm starting a new feature - Every Saturday I will blog about something GREEN!! This week (today) I learned about nurdles. Nurdles are the raw plastic that is shipped to manufacturers of bottles, car parts, toys, plastic bags, anything made of plastic. They absorb a very large volume of toxins and are extremely dangerous to sea life. Check out these resources and learn more about them!
Green Museum
Ecology Center
What's a Nurdle - Greenpeace

For my Cali friends, please check out "Heal The Bay" for an overview of the Pacific Protection Initiative!

Have a green weekend!!
*SJ*

Whew! Another weekend?

2008-02-24T20:06:00.000-08:00

Where does it all go?

Well, I'm legit now - Sailor Jenny is registered with the County Of San Diego, and I have a bank account and everything. It really is a great feeling to actually fill in the "business" name at Staples when applying for a frequent rewards card. And I'm set up with all of my office stuff, too. www.sailorjenny.com is live again and now has a great storefront. Check me out! Whew it's been a crazy weekend, I'll be back to sort it all out later.

Great weekend! Wait - there's more?!

2008-02-18T02:39:00.001-08:00

I have had a great weekend. (hence the title. Great.)

Bought a new mattress on Friday, Simmons Beautyrest. Shopping around for one, I started by asking friends and fellow bloggers/internet denizens what kind they loved. The general consensus was that I should get either a 1) Tempurpedic 2) Sleep Number or 3) something cheap because heck, it's a mattress. Dang, those specialty mattresses are expensive, and we needed quality. We're not getting any younger (at least El Jefe's not). We looked at a Beautyrest Black (ooohhh....aahhhh....) and I was unimpressed. I was more impressed by the name and the fact that it was made of cashmere and alpaca than by the way it felt. So we went a little bit lower. But I'm stoked. It's been ten years, and it's been time for a new mattress for a while.

Thing One had practice on Saturday. It's so nice to see the boys having fun together. El Jefe really enjoys working with the kids, and it's nice to see them getting excercise together. Our jobs take us away from the kiddos so much, it's great to spend time doing stuff that makes everyone happy.

Today we bought MS Office for Mac. I'm stoked. You see, there's a Etsy seller who has designed spreadsheets for other sellers to organize their business, and I am always in serious need of organization. Only problem is that they're for Excel, a program I didn't have until today. I've always been a staunch Apple supporter (Looove my Mac) and I've tried to avoid MS products, mostly because I really had no need. I really use the computer for shopping and surfing and email. But now I need to use it for business, too. So if you're in need of some cool spreadsheets to organize your business stuff (they work well for other home based businesses, too) check out . Super nice guy, very talented. I never thought I'd be so excited about a spreadsheet.

And it's President's Day!! The Plan (yes, capitalized) is to drop Thing 2 off at daycare and take Thing 1 to the Natural History Museum to see the Pompeii exhibit. And probably get breakfast somewhere. Yum.

The Craft

2008-02-16T14:02:00.000-08:00

I am proud to be attending my first meeting of a new craft mafia familia on Wednesday. (Name left out until the site gets updated!!) I'm soo excited to be going to this meeting. Here's a little of why . . .

Sam had baseball practice this morning. I love watching him play the game. He's so enthusiastic, he's naturally good at the game and he tries so hard. I love to see him run with his friends and know that he's getting out there and doing something good for himself (both the having fun and staying fit parts.) But I just don't fit the Baseball Mom profile (or any other profile, for that matter.) All the other mom's (or a good many of them, anyway) were talking about Cub Scouts, or school, or any number of topics I have no experience with. I know about pressed Czech Glass beads. Brass, and tiny watch tins.

What I AM is a crafter. That's not a profile, we're all so different, but it's a common thread. And I'm so excited to have the opportunity to hang out with other like minded (like in that we're not alike, savvy?) individuals for the night. Yay! I get to bring some of my new stuff (good thing I got that package of new collageable goodies today!) I get to be part of something bigger than myself, bigger than my own personal "buy handmade" movement. Couldn't have come at a better time.

An Open Letter To The Tagger Under The Grossmont College Overpass

2008-02-06T21:18:00.000-08:00

I was actually sad the day they painted over the message someone had left for me. A sweet benefactor, not with money or real estate, but thoughts and love; left me a note. I saw it every afternoon on the last leg of my journey home from work. You are beautiful. the message was so TMBG. So Linnell, so Flansburgh, so Michael Stipe. And then one day, it was gone. Just gray. I understand getting rid of graffiti. But that simple message, stenciled neatly, not sprayed in some cryptic font, never hurt anyone. It wasn't lowering property values or sneaking off of the overpass at night to break windows or deal in drugs or favors. Thank you, dear friend I'll never know, for putting it back up there. I still remember. I am beautiful.

Date night in San Diego

2008-01-20T17:10:00.000-08:00

Date night is a wonderful thing. El Jefe and I got raises for the new year, and I thought we should spend them on ourselves. Not that we're lacking money spent on ourselves, it just seems like we spend it on singular ourselves. So we used a website called sittercity (totally recommend it) and found a great sitter to hang out with the kiddos. Last night was our first actual "date". Married folks, if you can spare the cash for a sitter once a month or so (we're aiming for twice a month) DO IT!! It felt sooo good to be out eating a nice meal at a little table and just us. No sippy cups, no kid's meals, just us and a little Indian restaurant with great food and a fountain that flowed from the ceiling to the floor. San Diegans, try Bombay. Great food, amazing Naan bread, and Indian food is super Vegetarian friendly. I went out in heels and jewelry (my own designs) and felt Grown-Up for the first time in a long time.

We are live!

2008-01-13T21:27:00.000-08:00

I now have my own official domain. Actually easier than I thought. If you're thinking about buying one, or those Danica Patrick commercials are just too much to resist, you won't be disappointed. See, I'm not really all that savvy. I work on OLD technology for the Navy, and make jewelry out of vintage things. I'm not exactly a tecchie. But if I can come up with a relatively professional looking domain (albeit one that is hosted for free with ads for now) anyone can.

I've had the domain for a few weeks now, but I got a kick in the pants today. We took Thing One to see Cirque Du Soleil, leaving Thing Two with Super Sitter. Wow. Not my first Cirque experience, but one of the best yet. And those folks were getting ready for another show as we were leaving! I'm not a very good multi tasker, but it's pretty much how I live. Because even though I'm not a good multi tasker, I have a SHORT attention span. It amazes me the dedication it must take to be a Cirque performer. The drive, the strength, the time they put into their craft, all to entertain me (very well) for three hours. And sometimes I pick clothes out of the laundry because I can't get off my butt and do it. Not tonight. Thanks Danica Patrick, and thanks Guy LaLiberte, tonight I have been productive. Now to get the clothes out of the dryer.

Holiday time again.

2007-12-24T09:27:00.000-08:00

Not actually having a religion, the holidays are wearing thinner and thinner each year. I find myself wishing that the boy would just ask about Santa already so I coul tell the truth and get it over with. It's not that I don't like hiding things or seeing the kiddos faces light up, it's just that I feel kind of ambivalent towards the whole thing. As if I'm going through the motions just because. And by because I mean that we are, really.

We're not pagan. I recognize that the earth is tilted, and I am thankful that the earths tilted axis combined with its rotational speed keeps us from burning or freezing and I think that's great. I celebrate every day when I get up. By getting up.

Not being Christian, I feel no need to celebrate The Jesus' birth, especially since it was in the fall, anyway. I'm not convinced he cares one way or another whether I attend midnight mass since he's dead.

Since we're not jews, either, I really can't be too upset that we just get a day off to spend with family and friends, but it still makes me sad. More because I'm automatically assumed to be part of a club that I don't really belong to. Every once in a while I pull out my "non-member" card, but no one really cares. It must suck to be Jewish, or Muslim, or anything else but xian in a place like the US. I just don't have a tie to holidays, so they're free days off for me. But they miss out on days off or have to take time to celebrate and miss other stuff.

I have a wreath on my door. It's blue and silver - kind of ambivalent, really. I have a small tree up, because although I love our big skinny fake tree, the baby might love it too.

Anyway, the whole point of this rant is that for the holidays this year, I plan on giving the biggest gifts to myself. There's a lot of them, so hold on.

- I need to wean myself off the computer. I spend too much time reading CNN and Fark and lame celebrity websites and ignoring what's going on in my own home. I need to reconnect with my family.

- I need to stop selling myself short at work and stop making excuses. If this is going to be my year, I have to make it my year. Nobody's going to do it for me.

- I need to stop being so constantly sarcastic. It's a defense mechanism, and it works too well. Stop dropping snarky comments and relax. Along these lines, I also need to SHUT UP sometimes. Okay alot. Mom was right for once. Only say nice things.

The holidays are useless to me for most things. I'm miles away from family, and don't really hang with friends. But they do work well as a useful time stamp. A nice stopper for life to reconnect with the important things. Maybe that's what the baby Jesus would want me to do.

Slow going, but sure.

2007-04-17T18:13:00.000-07:00

Some of the "simplifying" things I have already done:
- Cleaned out my closet. Job one. I now have 2 piles of stuff to go: STUFF TO GIVE and STUFF TO SELL.
(Now I just need to post stuff for sale and call AmVets to donate.)
- Thing Two's in cloth, full time at home. Next is the plunge to get school to ride along with me. It will take a little research and probably another cute wetbag first.
- I have made the kiddo's lists of stuff that they'd like, so that when gift time comes around I can point family there. Hopefully we can avoid having cluttery stuff that they won't use. My goal is to eliminate plastic crap toys and get Thing One some great foundation toys that he loves and will last a while. He loves blocks, and I'm hoping I can get him to help with my crusade. Legos just are not cutting it for him anymore.
- My EarthWise bags came today!! Hooray for being able to carry your groceries on your shoulder instead of with one hand. Yes, they're better for the environment, and yes, they'll stop annoying me and filling up my little recycling bin.... But they look cool! And they're comfy! Hooray!
- We should be signing the lease for another year within the next week or two. Hopefully in that time we'll be able to thnk a little deeper about a big plan. Ideally, I'd like a HOME of my own, but this military thing is difficult to get around. And I have this vision in my head that Southern California just doesn't fit into. Sigh. Slow down, I guess.

And so it goes.

2007-04-15T21:09:00.000-07:00

It's funny how life changes, really. I'm staring down the barrel of being a single mom for 6+ months, and hoping I can simplify along the way. Ten years ago if you had told me that El Jefe and I were going to still be married, would I have believed you? Heck yeah. But I would not have pictured life like this. Not this good. Not with kids this beautiful and well behaved and smart and wonderful. Truly gifts. And so I desire to make things easier. To slow down and enjoy them more. All of them. Will going green make my life better? Who knows. But I'm pretty sure it won't make it worse.