I had the joy of receiving an early birthday present this weekend (on the left side of the photo). Isn’t she gorgeous?! Oh, and the scenery isn’t too bad either.

Taken at Lincoln Park in West Seattle.

I have been so reluctant to write for the last couple of months and I’ve honestly questioned whether I would return at all. Every time that I take a leave of absence from blogging, I feel like I should play catch up on the details of life. I know that’s virtually impossible to do but I still feel compelled to document the passing days and months. Today, it’s quiet at work and absolutely beautiful outside. It’s torture to be constricted to an office on days like this. But the warmth in the air has me daydreaming of kayaking over clear waters and feeling sand between my toes. It’s a sign that summer is finally upon us and that before long the bounty of the garden will be overflowing with green.

Days like that make it easy to write because they induce a euphoria in my mind that is pure bliss. And who wouldn’t want to share that? With the recent passing of Lach’s dad, it’s been more trying to find adequate words to express the emotions and uncertainties that death inevitably brings upon us. I suppose it helps to mentally process those types of traumatic events and that, in turn, alters our focus. For one, it’s brought me a greater appreciation of home and how vital our comfort zone is to the healing process. I’ve consciously tried to alleviate stresses and focus on the array of good things that define our life. Read the rest of this entry »

Sorry that I have been MIA for some time now but it has been a busy few weeks for us. The good news is that I’m the proud new owner of an iPhone so it’s likely that I’ll be able to write more frequently. This is my first test post, welcome to the future!! Oh how I love technology.

We have a charming tradition in our household of trading the responsibilities of making a toast before each meal. Tonight it was my turn but adequate words could not find their way out. As you know, I have spent the past few weeks taking stock of my priorities, goals and dreams. I wonder how many millions of Americans around me have been doing the same. We have been swept up in a tidal wave of global consciousness that we are riding into January 20th, 2009. There is no denying the electricity in the air. At times, I wasn’t so sure that I’d make it to this place with all my limbs… or at the very least- a majority of my mental facilities. It seems like a lifetime ago that I was riding in my new girlfriends Jeep when we turned onto 3rd Ave and faced a sea of protesters filling the streets. That was March 19th, 2003 as the president’s proclamation of war filled the airwaves.

But tonight, I look out my window into the deep fog that envelopes my beloved city and I feel that the haze will soon be lifting. And that tomorrow morning, it’s more than just another day that awaits. In that spirit, I raise my glass to a new era. To each and every individual out there that donated time to serve our communities today because I believe that is what shows America’s true colors. It’s what I find most promising right now- the prospect of ending the divisions that have been the centerpiece of the last eight years and moving beyond those petty barriers. Because we are not just blue or red, black or white, muslim or christian, queer or straight. We encompass all of those things and so, so much more. Cheers to the end of this era scarred by fear-mongering propaganda, religious extremism, social injustices and smothering deceit. Cheers to the dawn of a long awaited intellectual discourse among us all as we take on the enormous task of rebuilding our country. And of course, cheers to our soon-to-be-President Obama, for inspiring millions to again put power behind the words “by the people, for the people”.

Every year around this time, I typically take a break from blogging. There is something about the pace of the world around me during the holidaze™ that makes me want to slam on the brakes and just slow down. It’s a good time to reflect on the year we are leaving behind and begin to plan for the new year of adventures ahead. In that spirit, Lach and I have been thinking about some new goals and some new traditions of our own.

Mentally, I’ve been craving some new interactions. I’ve been participating in some local discussion groups for a while and am going to my first ever book club meeting tonight. I’m excited to meet some new people that I’ve only communicated with online. The current book up for discussion is The Zookeeper’s Wife. I haven’t read as much into it as I’d like to but hopefully I will have covered enough to participate.

Physically, It’s been nearly two months since I last bought a pack of cigarettes. I still crave them occasionally but it’s been a lot less painful than I would have ever imagined. Now that I have traversed that hurdle, I’m thinking more about getting the rest of me (especially the crooked part) in better shape. We have the perfect area in the basement with a weight bag already set up. Now, we just have to make a few adjustments to the space and our diet, then get on a routine.

Professionally, I don’t feel like I have any right to complain because I am one of the lucky Americans that is still employed. Even so, I feel like there is so much more meaningful work that I could be doing. I have gotten to this place many times in my career but it’s no longer feasible for me to drive to Mexico and then stay off the grid for a few months afterwards. I want to get my portfolio site put back together again but haven’t been able to find the time or the energy to give it what it deserves.

Creatively, I’m running on fumes. I have to admit that being an artistic being can be exhausting. No matter where I look, my eyes fill in the negative space. Every room I walk into I can see what I want to be there, reminding me of all the projects I have yet to complete. Working in the creative world makes it that much harder to find the mental capacity for my many not-for-profit creative endeavors.

Spiritually, I miss tending the garden and talking to the dirt (and my food) every day. (Ever seen the bumper sticker “Tree Hugging Dirt Worshiper”?) What can I say, I’m still a southerner at heart but with a NW passion for sole food. I think I would find the peace of mind that I seek, in finding a balance between all of the above and my desire to live more harmoniously with nature. It’s about time to plant some garlic to talk to through the winter.

So, don’t mind my absence while I spend some time realigning our priorities closer to where we want them to be. If I’m not around before then, I hope that you all have a wonderful Winter Solstice, Christmas, Hanukkah or Festivus as you so choose. Cheers!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Turkey Day! I was lucky to have my mom visit but the time just went by oh so fast. That seems to happen to me a lot this time of year. It seems like I’ve barely gotten pumpkins carved when Christmas trees start going up around me. My mom needed to catch up on some R&R so we mostly stayed close to home. Thursday, we cooked up a big bird with all the trimmings and laid around reading most of the afternoon. Friday, we wandered around in our local hardware and book stores. Saturday, we wandered some more, this time covering antique and salvage stores.

Saturday night was the real treat. We went to Purple Cafe and sampled the majority of their tasting menu. We also had some amazing wines that I will have to elaborate more on later. There was one so good I christened it “wine I’d most like to fill a bathtub with”. Sunday, we went to Jak’s for brunch and it was ROTFOMFG goodness. Maybe I shouldn’t mention that they are doing brunch because I was very happy to get into that restaurant without having to pace for an hour. Then we strolled around the farmer’s market before heading home for a post-brunch nap. By the time that was all said and done, it was nearly time to take mom to the airport. Four days is just not enough time!

I blame the tryptophan from my turkey leftovers for the small amount of work I’ve gotten accomplished today, despite the fact that I didn’t get much done before lunch either. Perhaps it’s a collective sedative effect after Thanksgiving. After so much good food, family time and laziness, I’m just a big hungover leftover that is ready for my next nap.