Monday, January 30, 2006

Go Erin!


Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)...Go Erin...(uhmp)... (etc.)... DUH duh *chik* duh DUH duh *chik* duh DUH duh *chik* duh DUH duh *chik*.....

Sunday, January 29, 2006

Earthquake!


We had an earthquake last evening at about 6 PM (see epicenter--red square--on the above map; my home is near the lower right corner). I was sitting on the couch when it happened and the first thing I thought was that a train must have been going by-- I live really close to a main north-south line, and it's common for things to jiggle when a big train goes by.

But #1, there was no train, and #2, this felt different. The normal train-goes-by shaking is very brittle and staccato; this was more of a fluild rolling sensation. It only lasted for a few seconds. The weird thing was, I sat there puzzling it out, trying to figure out what was going on since there wasn't a train anywhere to be seen. I didn't even really consider that it could be a quake. It was only a 2.8, which is nothing, but I guess it was quite close to the surface and thus felt pretty big.

Other than that, it just keeps raining. You all know how much I like the rain--I'm one of its biggest fans. But even I'm getting a little, erm.... saturated by it. It's rained something like the last 39 out of 41 days, we're close to breaking an all-time record, and once again we have a flood warning posted, which I'm hoping won't involve my basement. Bill actually went out a couple of weeks ago with pick and shovel and dug a trench that goes all the way around the chimney end of the house, where water was coming in. Since then we've been okay, but cross fingers.

The Oregonian 'EDGE' recently ran a contest to come up with a new Orgeon motto. All tongue in cheek and unofficial, of course. My favorite?

"Oregon...You're Soaking in It."

(Tip of the hat to Madge, and for those who don't get this pop culture reference, you missed out.)

Friday, January 27, 2006

Hppy ppy bthdth, Mozart!


(Points to the first person to post about the connection to the blog title.)

A big shout-out this morning to two people:

First, my beautiful, accomplished, amazing, pianist daughter--Erin--who is off in a few days to begin a round of graduate school piano auditions.

Second, to Mozart, who turns 250 today. (He doesn't seem that old, does he?) Cheeck out the Classical Music Archives for a sample of his music.

Tuesday, January 24, 2006

Thinkfast Mountain


I'm too busy tonight to really write a blog, buy here's something for your viewing enjoyment, courtesy of this site, which has collected a set of "Brokeback" poster parodies. Gotta love these, although apologies go out to Ernie and Bert. I've never believed they were gay, but if they are, let's just keep it quiet so Pat Robertson doesn't find out.

Above is the actual poster, next to the Titanic Poster, which Brokeback's was supposedly modeled after.

The fun just keeps on coming....

All fun aside, I saw "Pokeback...er, Brokeback Mountain" with my friend, Amanda, and it was incredible. If it doesn't sweep all of the awards this year, something's not right.

Forget all of the "gay love story" labels that are being slapped on it-- the real "Brokeback" is a story about love, plain and simple, and heartbreak. We've all been there. You'll find yourself in this film, and chances are you won't mind the scenery along the way.

Saturday, January 21, 2006

Day of Birth


(Posted a day late because of problems with the Blogger site last night)
I am turning 52 today, but I count the actual day of my birth as BD #1—therefore, this is actually my 53rd birthday. My birthday is number 24423 in pi.

5:55 AM. Alarm goes off. Bill tells me ‘Happy BDay’ and gives me a nice backrub. We get up at 6:15. Ernie wants out the front door (has to powder his muzzle) but remembers to wag politely.

6:50 am. My mom calls to sing Happy Birthday. Yes, 6:50 AM. This is an annual tradition—she calls us all first thing in the morning on our BDs, and she’s always determined to be the first one to get in the HBD-from-a-distance wishes. This year she wins!

7:55 am. Found a Pig Latin translator on line. Don’t worry too much about how I found it. Appyhay irthdaybay ootay eemay!

I’m watching my morning dose of “Buffy,” which right now is in Season 6. Was half paying attention but just now realized that this is the episode where, at the very end, Warren comes after Buffy and tries to shoot her and ends up killing an important cast member, after which another one goes dark-eyed starkers crackerdog. A sad, sad episode (#119- “Seeing Red”), and the turning point for everything that will happen between now and the end of Season 7.

How come the depressing shows are always on my Birthday? (Rhetorical question—no answer needed.)

8:06 am. Shower, a nice, long slow one. This is going to be a relaxing day if it kills me!

According to Cosmo Doogood, it’s not only Cheese Day, but my birthday is also shared by Bill Maher, astronaut Buzz Aldrin, and Frederico Fellini.

I check emails and find that my story on pedestrian deaths in Portland is on the Vanguard front page. Being as it's the Friday edition, that means it will stay through Monday. Yay!

9:30 am. I head off to Blades for a cut-and-color. For all of you who aren’t in the know, I’d be white-haired without this. It has little to do with age and everything to do with the fact that I began to gray at age 21 and was salt-and-peppered by 30. Kind of makes you feel all warm and happy about modern hair chemistry, doesn’t it?

12:30 pm. Back home, after stopping for a hot dog at the Purdee’s Weiner Wagon. (Great dogs, don’t ask any more about it.) My hair looks great—Ivy (hairstylist) put a plummy cast on it and a dark streak in front. I am officially cool.

I devour my hot dog under the careful scrutiny of a very serious-looking ancient poodle and while watching disk 5 of season 4 of Felicity.

I check my email and find a birthday howdy from two Grey School friends, Aaran and Rainmaker, plus an e-card from Aaran. Thank you! I also find an email from New Page with the cover art for my “Gargoyles” book.

I contemplate the fact that I should be in my Composition Theory class right now. Thankfully, Jonathan is taking notes for me.

I check my answering machine to find birthday messages from Erin (10:18 am) and Scott (12:17 pm). Scott wishes me a happy inauguration day. Yay!

Life is good.

1:15 pm. Katie calls for a “live” happy b-day from Alaska! She tells me to watch out for a present that’s in the mail, and talks about a baby moose who is wandering around her newspaper office’s parking lot.

1:30 pm. I leave at 1:30 to head for PSU, where I’m doing a taped interview of a subject for my “Writing About People” class. He’s a young rocket scientist. No, really—he is!

2:05pm. I sit in plaza of the Faboriz Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science. I phone my interview subject—he’s a block away and on his way here. This place is amazing—a futuristic blend of ceiling-to-floor glass walls, neon, and shiny metallic surfaces. I feel as if I’ve been dropped onto a Star Trek set.

4:10 pm. I arrive home again. Katie's present is in the mailbox—a book: Ravens in Winter. Yay! I call her and we have a nice chat.

My interview went well. I’m meeting my subject for interview #2 on Monday afternoon and have been invited to the Wednesday evening meeting of the Portland State Aerospace Society, otherwise known as PSAS. Repeat: I am officially cool.

5:30 pm. Bill calls—he’s on his way home and we have 7:15 reservations for dinner at The Ringside. I can hear a steak calling my name, not to mention a basket of the most famous onion rings in Portland.

10:30 pm. We’re home. After a “small” (ha) basket of Ringside onion rings, I had a blood rare rib eye steak, while Bill went for fire-grilled wild Pacific salmon. Major yums. We finished with coffee, which the tuxedo-clad waiter presented via a cool coffee service with cream and rough lumps of white and turbinado sugar.

After that, we drove by Piece of Cake, where we got two cupcakes: one chocolate chantilly and one lemon coconut. We came home and I got to open my presents, then Bill made me blow out a candle and we had bites of cupcake. We only ate a few bites of cupcake; the rest of them plus the Ringside doggie bags—are in the fridge. Too much food for one sitting!

As I write this Bill is on the couch under the magick blanket, already falling asleep, while my eyes are heavy as I prepare to check my email. It’s been a lovely day of birth.

Sleep tight, everyone….

Thursday, January 19, 2006

Insane

My life is insane now. In a good way. I love school and my classes and my students, but I just get worn out. Last night I came home at 7:30, ate some dinner, sat down on the couch to read (Habermas and Derrida) and fell asleep. Woke 90 minutes later! AUGH! Ended up staying up until 12:30 to get my homework and teaching preparations done, then got up at 5:45 this morning. Trust me, I'm too old for this kind of schedule.

The insanity paused briefly yesterday when I met friend Valerie for a pre-birthday cup of coffee a my annual birthday tiramisu. It was soooooo good to see her. While we were trying to take the above photo in Starbucks, a man asked if we wanted him to take our picture. We said no. He looked concerned. Some people....

Here are some pretty pictures from a MLK trip to the Columbia Gorge last weekend. Here's one of Multnomah Falls....















...and here's one of snow and cloud--covered peaks on the Oregon side, taken from Skamania Lodge (Washington side).

It was rainy and cold that day, but just goes to show you that there's no such thing as a bad day in the Gorge.

Monday, January 16, 2006

MLK and HobbitHouses


Happy birthday, Martin Luther King. You rocked.

Anyone bored this evening? Settle back with a favorite beverage and read MLK's "Letter from the Birmingham Jail." I find something new to think about every time I read it.

And just for fun-- as if yesterday's snowflake-making wasn't enough--here's something really amazing--a Hobbit's eye view of a Hobbiton-esque dollhouse.

Enjoy!

Sifting stardust....

Here's a great opportunity to reach into the Cosmos!

As you all know, the "Stardust" capsule just returned to Earth, carrying bits of interstellar dust from 'Comet Wild 2.' The dust-- which is older than the sun--will be examined by the Stardust team over the next several years.

Much like the 'SETI At Home' project, in which computer users all over the world worked to help scientists examine billions of bits of computerized data of evidence of intelligent life, Stardust scientists are now also looking to the public for assistance. In the "Stardust at Home" project, public users will be given bits of comet data to analyze, then will return it to the 'Stardust' scientists.

The project is supposed to start in the spring-- right now they're publicizing it and encouraging people to pre-register.

Go to the Berkely Stardust site to pre-register by submitting your email address.

Also, don't miss today's APOD page for an explanation of the comet and the project.

Sunday, January 15, 2006

For your winter enjoyment....

Try this site: http://snowflakes.lookandfeel.com/.

Friday, January 13, 2006

Fall term begins


Two days of teaching come and gone. Wow, is it fun! I have somewhere around 20 students—I can’t be sure of an exact tally yet; everything is weird during the first week of school, with students adding and dropping classes. It takes a couple of weeks for things to settle.

But I have a wonderful group of students! They are creative, good writers, and engaged in the class. During the term the students will write 3 formal essays, each going through a peer-workshop process and each undergoing at least 2 revisions. They’re also doing lots of reading--from the class text and from a short story collection—and are generating reader-response essays from those readings. There are other short essays, and lots of in-class work on invention, writing styles, craft terms, composition, revision, etc. Pretty much what you’d expect from a class called “Intro to College Writing,” I guess.

My own “as a student” classes are going well, too. Here they are:

** ‘Teaching College Writing’ (meets for 1 hour/2x each week/ 2 credits)

** ‘Graduate Seminar: The American Enlightenment’ (2 hrs/2x/4c)

** ‘Writing About People’ (2 hrs/2x/4c)

** ‘Contemporary Composition Theory’ (1.25 hrs/3x/4c)

The class I’m teaching meets 2x/week for 2 hours each time.

The above should explain why you probably won’t be seeing daily entries in this blog!

Now…. I’d like you all to do a three-minute free-write on the relative merits of blogs. Please post your writings here.

Tuesday, January 10, 2006

I'm a teacher!


Today I taught my first class: WR 121, Intro to College Comp. It was amazing and wonderful, although between that and my own "as-a-student" classes, I'm too tired right now to share details. Must sleep. But what a day!

Sunday, January 08, 2006

Happy Birthday, Ernie!


How well do you know Ernie? Take the special "Ernie Birthday Quiz" and find out!

1. For our family, our first promise of Ernie came as:

a. A bright blue stuffed poodle in a garbage bag
b. A card
c. A gift certificate
d. A singing telegram

2. Ernie was born in:

a. Portland, Oregon
b. Molalla, Oregon
c. The maternity ward
d. A garbage bag

3. Which was true of Ernie-the-puppy when we got him home?
a. He was so tiny, he couldn’t climb the stairs
b. He was already paper-trained
c. He stood on the grass for the first time
d. All of the above

4. True or false: Ernie has American Kennel Club pedigree credentials:

a. True
b. False

5. Ernie could have earned commercial fame marketing this product:

a. Doggie downers
b. Pedigree dog food
c. Fido Fleece
d. Milk Bone dog biscuits

6. Something Ernie would rather you didn’t know is his lust for:

a. Eating toenail trimmings
b. Doing annoying things with used underwear
c. Peeing on plastic bags
d. All of the above

7. Ernie eats this food every day:

a. IAMS Eukanuba
b. Purina Dog Chow
c. Healthy Choice dog food
d. Science Diet

8. Ernie’s all-time favorite dog toy:

a. The Hedgehog
b. The squeaky cheeseburger
c. The rubber nun
d. Nuts the Squirrel

9. Most of Ernie’s scrapes with death have been caused by:

a. Viruses
b. Falling from heights
c. Chocolate
d. Doing annoying things with used underwear

10. Which three dogs, in which order, are most intelligent?

a. Border collie, poodle, German shepherd
b. Cocker spaniel, Irish setter, golden retriever (yeah, right!)
c. Poodle, border collie, Scottish terrier
d. Dachshund, poodle, border collie

11. Ernie probably saved Erin’s life by doing this:

a. Barking for help when she fell down the stairs
b. Treeing a full-grown black bear that had come up behind her when we were camping
c. Getting her off the streets and into college
d. Convincing her to make the piano her life

12. Which of these human foods would Ernie choose not to eat:

a. Sushi
b. Hot and sour soup
c. Oatmeal with raisins
d. Crab pasta

13. How old is Ernie today?

a. 14
b. 15.
c. 16
d. 17

14. When confronted with a strong smell, Ernie does this:

a. Smiles
b. Growls
c. Licks his chops
d. Bites

15. If you try to touch Ernie’s feet, he does this:

a. Smiles
b. Growls
c. Licks his chops
d. Bites

16. True or false: Ernie once chewed up the hand of a would-be burglar badly enough to require an emergency room visit:

a. True
b. False

17. When Ernie travels in a car, how does he behave?

a. He curls up and goes to sleep
b. He whines and paces continuously
c. He tries to jump into the front seat
d. He bites whoever is sitting next to him

18. Who is Ernie’s Alpha?

a. Erin
b. Mommy
c. Bill
d. The cat next door

19. Ernie invariably barks at:

a. Cats
b. Men with beards
c. Pregnant women
d. A and B

20. Last but not least, what totemic Ernie-icon occupies a high place in the living room:

a. A basket of select dog toys
b. A dog bed
c. A 5 x 7 portrait of Ernie
d. A poodle skeleton

Answers tomorrow!

Saturday, January 07, 2006

Random Day


Random day yesterday.

Went to a teacher’s supply store Amanda told me about and was thrilled to find a game (above) that my kids loved when they were little. I was so excited to find it, I bought it! Maybe some day I’ll have (ahem) grandchildren to play with.

Went to PSU for a GA meeting. The First Year GAs are getting ready to teach our first classes, and our advisor wanted to see how we were doing. It was an exhausting but fruitful two hours.

Picked up my tuition voucher, which always makes me feel very thankful.

Corresponded with my agent (!) about the Gargoyles book; he’s sending me the final contracts to sign, and 30 days later I’ll get the first chunk of my advance!

Renewed my RN license on-line and was reminded that it was issued on Aug. 22, 1975. This took me back to nursing school days at what was then the Good Samaritan Hospital School of Nursing. We graduated in June as “GNs” (graduate nurses), then a few days later sat three days of State Board exams in Salem. It was spooky—we took the tests in a cavernous armory, each of us sitting alone at long tables that stretch wall-to-wall in dim rows. Proctors were everywhere—you weren’t allowed to go to the bathroom alone, and when you left for lunch, everything but you cash had to stay in the building. Two months later, THE LETTER came. I was proclaimed a registered nurse, licensed in the state of Oregon. Still am, even though I’m no longer working as a nurse. My license will hold up for several years yet, as Oregon only has a practice requirement of 900 hours/5 years and no continuing ed. Which is insane, but, whatever.

Read a dozen stories for the Portland Review, a literary journal that I read and review for.

Worked more on my class outlines for next week.

Talked to Scott, who was bubbling over about running and life in general.

Pretty typical day, overall.

Wednesday, January 04, 2006

65,000 words


Some days, it pays to get out of bed.

A large packet came in today’s mail. It included three “author courtesy copies” of the fall-winter issue of Oregon Humanities Journal. Check the table of contents and you’ll find a personal essay by yours truly: “Magical Roots,” about being a Pagan in a mostly non-Pagan world. The treatment in the journal is gorgeous. There’s a lovely Tree of Life superimposed underneath the essay, and to one side is a large Celtic cross. I'm thrilled with how beautiful it looks.

(If anyone thinks they might like to take a look at the essay, go to the Oregon Humanities site and submit your name and address. They’ll mail you a copy for free! It’s a really interesting journal, always with a central theme. The current theme is “Belief.”)

But the day continued to get even better. Some of you know that I’m in the process of doing a lot of writing in associated with the Grey School, including submitting proposals for books to be part of the Grey School “Arcanum” teaching library. Well, today I was notified by the man who I suppose is now my agent (!) that one of my proposals had been accepted! I will be writing a book on the history, lore, art, and magical traditions of “Gargoyles” for New Page Books. It’s due next September—all 65,000 words. Can you believe it? I'm writing a book! Now I have a big, scary contract to read and sign, decisions on illustrators to make, research to do, etc.

Author-in-day. Go figure. Truly, sometimes I look at where I am and what’s happening in my life, and I think of everything I’ve done and how far I’ve come and how each little piece has fit into just the right place to get me here, and…. It’s amazing.

As Shelby Foote once said, “I’ll stop when they hold me down.” Until then, some days it really pays to get out of bed.

P.S. Last night, I registered the domain name "Writingdownthemoon.com." It's something I've been thinking about doing for awhile-- I got the inspiration and the final prod from Jonathan (thanks, JF!). The domain name is now all mine for the next 2 years. Maybe I'll be able to get some use out of it--a place to list all two of my publications!

Tuesday, January 03, 2006

Happy birthday, Mom!


A big shout goes out to my Mom, a.k.a. Barny, a.k.a. Gammie. Today's her birthday-- 76 years young without appreciable signs of slowing. Above is a photo of Mom in her element (e.g., carrying a bottle of champagne) and with her favorite grandson, taken last June at Erin's and my grad party.

Have a great day, Mom!

Sunday, January 01, 2006

Happy 2006!


Happy 2006! You’ve gotta love Google’s holiday logos….

Well, unlike my children (ahem), I had a very quiet New Year’s at home with Bill. Truth be told, we both slept through the midnight hour, then woke up, then went back to sleep. Quick, everyone: feign surprise.

This morning we started the day with the family’s traditional gin fizzes—I’ll post the recipe tomorrow. We sat around and read the papers (Sunday Oregonian and Sunday New York Times), then went out for a drive to nearby Willamette Falls. It’s been raining hard here for two weeks and all the rivers are at flood stage. We expected the falls to be spectacular, and we weren’t disappointed--see photo above.

Then, we went to see The Chronicles of Narnia, which was very enjoyable—and very pretty to look at.

Last but not least, home for tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches and for quick chats with Mom and Katie.

A pleasant, unabashed way to welcome 2006. One day down, 364 to go….