Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Navigating the treacherous
Ken and I took off from Seattle today at 10:30 am in our trusty Prius with borrowed chains in the trunk just in case. (Thanks Marcos!) There was some concern that the snow accumulation overnight might vex the progress of the recent warming trend and ruin our chances for a smooth journey. But little did we know what awaited....
We made it to Portland in record time. In 3 hours. We don't even make it down here that quickly in normal weather. There was light traffic and I-5 was just wet pavement. I was utterly amazed. One thing I did do was follow WDOT on Twitter and get updates on my phone of all the troubled spots. It's a good idea if you're traveling. Unfortunately Oregon isn't yet down with the Twittering but does have a comprehensive website.
One interesting thing is that Olympia has its own micro-climate and was colder than anywhere else. We got a little snow and the slightest bit of slush just south of Tumwater, but other than that--easy peezy. It rained a little then it was clear--but less eventful than our normal SEA-PTD drives.
Everything was easy until we neared the WA/OR border. The car's thermometer said outside temp on the WA side was 36, as soon as we hit the 205 bridge it was 32 and it stayed there as we drove. Mother has been house-bound for several days and requested that we go to the store and pick up some things once we hit Portland. I was razzing her a few days ago that she should get out and use the 4wd in her Subaru. I was thinking how bad can it be in Portland? I figured, the side streets are snowy here in Seattle but all main arterials are clear so it should be exactly the same in Portland. Well...we got off 205 and we immediately realized Portland has a little more thawing to do. Sandy Blvd which I assumed would be clear was slushy and the Safeway parking lot was ridiculously slippery. And getting down the 500 feet of mom's cul-de-sac in Portland was the most adventure we had the whole trip.
But my brother has a much more difficult route from Pullman to Portland. He's already traversed from Pullman to Tri-cities and will stay there overnight. But he's going to continue tomorrow which will take him through the Gorge--and from all indications that area is still sub-freezing during the day. He's got a back up plan and can stay overnight in any of the cities along the way but he wants to make it for Christmas. If any one can do it, it's him.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Insulation: overhead but not on your mind
(Ken in a Ballard park making snow boulders)
(Not our car but someone left a delightfully ironic message about the weather.)
make me glad we have insulation now. Everywhere we turned this past summer & fall, Puget Sound Energy or someone was encouraging homeowners to have good insulation for energy efficiency. We really had no idea how good or bad ours was. We were shocked and amazed to find out that prior to pumping a whole bunch of loose cellulose insulation into our attic that we only had an R-factor* of 8? You're supposed to have 38. Up until a few weeks ago, all that had been keeping our expensive oil-fired heat from floating off into space were 1930's newspapers and old rat droppings. Lovely.
Do you know how you can tell if someone has good or adequate insulation? I learned from an appraiser the other day if you look at roofs after it's snowed those with no snow or considerably less have poor insulation while the roofs with lots of snow signal good insulation. When you look around the neighborhood especially now in the PNW, you will know.
Now we notice that when we move from the back rooms to the front of the house, the air is the practically the same temperature. Before, it was noticeably colder in the front rooms (single pane windows don't help either). Yeah, windows are next year.
*R-Factor (Thermal Resistance Factor) - The National Commercial & Industrial Insulation Standards Manual defines R-Value as - a measure of the ability to retard heat flow rather than to transmit heat. The higher the "R", the higher (better) the insulating value. Source
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Put down the gloves and step away from the Wii-mote...
Monday, December 15, 2008
Wii Theremin Revisited
This is the hot new "dance" cut of the Dr. Who theme.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
How to Manage Gift Giving This Season
Tips:
• Plan your gift giving so you can get more creative and tailor the gift to your recipient.
• Budget what you are going to spend overall or even per person. (And stick to it!)
• Use a spreadsheet to keep track of what you’re getting for who and how much
• Avoid the malls to avoid impulse buying
• Don’t go into debt for gifts.
• Purchase online or from catalogs. You can shop any time and compare prices easily. My Favorite catalogs for selection, uniqueness and prices: Solutions, Restoration Hardware Gifts, Crate & Barrel, Harry & David.
Some examples of meaningful gift ideas:
- Photo gifts! Maybe this year you had a family vacation, birthdays, milestone events or just some great snaps in general—photo gifts are one-of-a-kind and endearing. Snapfish.com, Zazzle.com, Cafepress.com, are just a few places that can turn a digital photo into gift-giving gold.
- If you don’t want to break the bank and can’t find that perfect gift, give the gift of time. In our busy lives, a special outing or a pledge to do an extra chore can be better than any physical gift. Make a special coupon or ticket to be redeemed at the receiver’s convenience.
- Handmade or homemade gifts can be refreshingly unique and supportive to small and/or local businesses. Your area Farmers Market or sites like etsy.com are great places to look.
(This is a piece was originally written for Lillylikes.com but was not published.)
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Monday, December 08, 2008
Down to "The Wire"
The opening scene's dialogue did not sound like the characters were saying things as much as actors were reciting a script. Not a strong start if you ask me. But indeed it did get better and more interesting.
Don't get me wrong by episode 3, I can recognize that this is a great show--great characters, great story, great visualization. But in my old age, I don't have the stomach for all the tussling and the corruption and the backstabbing--of the Baltimore Police Department. There's a definite aspect of brutality and everyone smokes and cops drink alcohol in their squad cars on the duty then drive--it's now a pattern established in the first 3 shows. The drug pusher's world is intensely "gritty" and even more dire. I'm sure if I wasn't so hung up on these things, I'd enjoy the show more. But as I told Ken, every moment I watch it, I'm just waiting for someone to pull out a gun and shoot someone else. And I can't take that kind of anxiety. It's why we stopped watching Lost half-way through the first season--it was just too stressful. Perhaps if real life weren't so grim, I'd find this concept more "entertaining." But as it is...I don't know, maybe I'm just a big ole whiner.
Saturday, December 06, 2008
Difference of Opinion
Blog to check out for Moms
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Thanksgiving Roundup

Monday, December 01, 2008
UPDATE: Wii-mote Hacking--More fun than you know
- Visions of the Future (Dutch)
- Cubed3
- TED Blog (NEW & noteworthy!)
- Boing Boing
- Engadget
- Destructoid.com
- Joystiq.com (NEW & funny!)
- Gameblips.com
- Kotaku.com
- Geek Dad on Wired.com
- Gamespark (Japan)
- Offworld Blog
- 20minutos (Espana)
- Wired.com Blog
- Gonintento.com
- Arstechnica.com
- NeoTeo (en espanol)
- Gratis Juegos (en espanol)
- Blog of Interaction Guru, Johnny Chung Lee (scroll to the bottom)
- Make Magazine Blog


Monday, November 17, 2008
Portland Marathon Video -- Redux
This is the "vision" I had all along for Ken's Portland Marathon video--all of it in one package. There's new video, new photos and some "fancy" titling at the end.
Check it out!
Pineapple Classic

Friday, November 14, 2008
Does Grey's care about my feelings?
It's driven some people to vent on the Grey's writers' blog...
Rantings of a pissed off viewer.
Posted by: Mylene | November 14, 2008 at 08:30 AM
First of all, I want Mark and Callie not incestuous Mark and Lexie. I also want George and Lexie.
I want George and Izzie to be best friends again.
I want George to have more than 10 seconds of airtime every episode.
I want Sadie to go away and (s)top annoying me and taking his airtime.
I want Lexie and the stupid interns cutting themselves thing to stop right now.
I also want you to post my comments because I am tired of writing every single week just for you to not post any of what I write. It makes me feel like you couldn't care less about my feelings.
And really who wants to watch a show where the creator doesn't care about their feelings?
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
Update on the Basement Flooding Incident
In the second video, you witness us discovering another potential issue with our sewer connection. At 60 feet out, it's almost 50% blocked by some combination of a misaligned pipe and dirt. This is something we have to watch in the days/months to come. For the time being though, we're okay according to the plumber. (And no his name was not Joe) Though we still need to replace the baseboards in the basement, we'll wait a few weeks on that to make sure everything's still dry.
A note to all of you with older homes, it probably didn't occur to you (like it didn't to us) to scope your sewer line when you first bought it. It costs roughly $300 and it's a really good idea for to have it in the inspection when you buy a house. As I said before, converging storm drains and sewers are no longer code but many older houses still have this set up. If you get a blocked p-trap or another obstruction in your line, you can get sewer water coming in your lowest drain/toilet during a heavy, sustained downpour. I don't even want to imagine that.
Things I think about while commuting...
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Emergency Home Repair Escapades







Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Regarding the Obama Win
Election Coverage
2. Look for Indiana and Virginia to indicate how the night will go.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Happy Halloween!



Cheek bones Guy Pierce would kill for.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
WA Polls
But he also talks about the Seattle hipsters which you gotta love...
Hipsters. Lots and lots of them. They love Obama. They're educated, they
live in their same-sex households, they donate to Obama at a much higher clip
than most states, and they're going to wear ironic clothing and send in their
permanent absentee ballots for the Democratic candidate for president.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Vote and be grateful
I'm a little embarrassed to say that I didn't know much detail about this movement. It's pretty significant because while an effort to get women the vote had started well before 1920, it took the confluence of a few states independently granting the female vote, World War I and the highly publicized illegal detainment of Alice Paul & the suffrage demonstrators to get this amendment enacted.
I bet these ladies would be mortified that not only do many modern day women not know about the amount of resistance and sacrifice they endured, but that many citizens male & female take this right for granted. I then immediately wanted to know how many people have previously not voted in the 2004 Election.
Eligible to vote in 2004: 215,694,000
Voted in 2004: 125,736,000, 58%
Did Not Vote in 2004: 89,958,000, 42%
Source: US Census
I know alot of people have felt removed from what goes on in politics, like they don't make a difference or that they are so busy living their lives that they don't have time learn about issues and candidates. Even though I have voted ever since I was 18, there were times I wasn't fully informed about what or who I was voting for. Sometimes I didn't want to bother myself with politics because it seemed like it didn't affect me or the things politicians talked about were tedious & stupid. When I look back on that, I can't help but feel a little ashamed because now I see what it means to have a vote, that you can't really be a full fledged citizen without one and if the last 8 years have shown us anything, it's that who we elect really does matter.
I simply don't understand why registering to vote in America isn't compulsory. I've heard other countries like Canada, send you a registration card as soon as you turn 18. It isn't a sign up--you just are registered. I think in the last 8 years especially we've seen what can happen when you leave the governing up to the politicians. When the media and the constituancy fall asleep at the switch. Just like assuming the banks would behave in their customers best interests, we know that even the most-seasoned politicians cannot be soley left to their own devices. I'm looking at you Ted Stevens.
So if you are American and of age, as your priviledge, right & duty of being a citizen, learn about the issues & candidates and go vote next Tuesday.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Plants are getting lazy
It's pretty neat and it's thoughtful to want to help our plants get the most sunlight they need but think about it... Plants can grow in the direction of the best sunlight and their leaves have evolved to make the most of the light they get. So while this is helping the plant in one way, it's circumventing adaptation and basic function in another. Over time, it stunts the plants ability to do what it does naturally. And how much "energy" is used to operate this contraption? Does it even net out?
Our cousin Thomas made a point when we were out visiting awhile ago that the Internet (and specifically Google) makes us lazy because as search becomes more and more optimized, it will start to anticipate and think for us. In trying to bring up the best correlations to a search term, it will make assumptions and apply its own logic--leaving us to hit enter, wait and drool.
I think like any powerful tool, there is a fine line between it helping advance our society and it crippling us. When I think about the major paradigm-shifting advances in the last 10 years, I only hope that in our exuberance to embrace technology, that we not only ask "can we?" but "should we?". The tenants of curiosity, practicality, efficiency and simplicity are the cornerstones of thoughtful people and they were around long before the Internet age. Sometimes I worry in the current atmosphere that these ideals may seem passe or quaint to the over-stimulated youth of today. But technology can't make moral decisions or value judgements nor can it take the place of thoughtful introspection. For all our sakes, I hope that will never go out of style.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
The Google Phone has Arrived!

Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Political Message for Washington Residents


Monday, October 20, 2008
Star Trek should have consulted me for casting

Photograph by Jill Greenberg
Photograph by Entertainment Weekly

Photo by ILM
More coming on Lillylikes.com
Friday, October 17, 2008
Scavenging the Internet for Distraction

see famous look-a-like faces
(Thanks Mom for sending!)
My favorite:

Also go click around on http://www.palinaspresident.us/
And you are so special to me at http://www.urbandelicious.com/specialness.html
Oh and this.....
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Highlights of the 2nd Year of Evidently...
Creative Endeavors:
Thanksgiving Rap 11/2007
Sarah's Birthday Rap 4/2008
Ballard Basement Band 7/2008
Milestones:
Austin turns 30 5/2008
Sam & Suzanne Wed--Hindu / Western Ceremonies 6/2008
Angela Graduates from College 6/2008
Ken turns 40 7/2008
Ken runs Portland Marathon 10/2008
Nation & Politics:
Primary Voting 2/2008
Jon Stewart 4/2008
Hanging with the Gov 8/2008
Greed is Not Good 9/2008
Open Letter to Republican America 9/2008
More Jon Stewart 9/2008
Oliver:
Video Catnip, Part One 12/2007
Video Catnip, Part Two 1/2008
Teeth Brushing PSA 3/2008
Another Open Letter 5/2008
CSI-Cat Pee Investigations Unit 8/2008
Animal Encounters:
Monterey Bay Aquarium 10/2007
River Valley Ranch Photos, Video & Narrative 4/2008
Travel:
Bay Area-Google 10/2007
East Coast Thanksgiving 11/2007
La Conner Getaway 5/2008
Arizona 5/2008
East Coast Summertime 7/2008
Oregon Coast Part One & Two 7/2008
Thursday, October 09, 2008
Contributing Writer on Lillylikes.com
Grey's Anatomy made me love Thursday nights again. Over the years, I've cheered and cried through the heartbreaks, triumphs and medical mysteries in this much beloved and diverse show. With the fifth season just starting, it looks to be another wild ride for our friends at Seattle Grace Hospital. So in honor of this new beginning, let's take a look back to some of the amazing things we've seen so far...
Monday, October 06, 2008
Marathon Madness: Multimedia Edition
2. Then start this...
3. When the video ends, start this...
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Marathon Madness
Photo by Cindy Hovind
Photo by Angela Halsne, Sign by Sarah Waller
Friday, October 03, 2008
Getting ready to leave for the Race
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Countrywide Clowns
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
I'm Only Happy When It Rains
If I can't have the sun, a good substition for sunshine is spending time with friends. And in that way the weekend was full of sun. Sean and Shannon introduced us to dim sum lunch at New Kowloon on Saturday. It's a huge place and when we first arrived it was mostly empty. But by time we left, both large dining rooms were almost full. I guess this town loves it's Dim Sum. Being that dim sum is a buffet on wheels, it's really easy to take too many things from the roving carts full of goodies. Because of the sheer volume and variety of foods, we all left completely stuffed. Afterwards I got to take a tour of the Testa's newly purchased home on Queen Anne. I believe if all goes well they are moving in this weekend--fingers crossed. And the house is roomy and has such neat period-correct touches. So exciting!
In the evening, Brett & Denise hosted an accurately named 'end of summer' BBQ at their Maple Leaf home. This was the first time we got to see their house and the finished basement they did all by themselves--and passed city inspection! This included tiling, plumbing, fixture installation, painting and wiring a bathroom, office and family room. I guess the dry wall was done by someone else but otherwise they learned how to do all that other stuff. I neglected to take any pictures but was very impressed.
We also got to meet many of their friends and there were children everywhere. One mom showed us a "revolutionary" way to carry around a baby with a "piece of cloth." Looks freaking awesome. You should have seen this gal put it on--it was like wrapping a sari. A bit complicated but once it was in place, the kid calmed down and couldn't get enough of it. I guess this is also better for your back than a Baby Bjorn. Fun times. The Coug game was on during the event and though the Cougs probably got their only win of the season, they suffered many injuries to their quarterback rotation. Hopefully they can recover. But most of us have written this off to a "building year."
Sunday I incorrectly assumed that because it was sort of drizzly that the Farmer's Market would be less crowded. WRONG. I think everyone else assumed that too. Well one lovely surprise was running into Wilson and Briahna and their cute dog Havana. I was picking out potatoes and Wilson pointed me to a better potato stand up the row. It's good to have friends who know things. After picking up a few more produce items, I trekked out to Lake Forest Park and spent the afternoon with Amy. I brought some Thai food because Amy loves to put soy sauce on Phad Thai and I love to marvel at how bizarre that is. Like us, Tim and Amy have the video game Rock Band so I asked Amy if she was any good at it and she's all "yeah, I'm pretty good." And I was like, "yeah, so am I." Luckily she's good on guitar and (I think) I'm good at drums. We played awhile and Amy IS good by the way but we were only having access to the first 14 songs. So I wondered if the unlock code on the Wii version would work on the Xbox 360 version and you know what---it did! So Amy suddenly got access to 30 songs she didn't know existed in the game. And it was like Christmas all over again! After playing through some of the new songs, it was time to go home.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Phantom of the Opera was never so Operatic
This was Ken's first time seeing the Phantom and I thought of all the musicals, this would be one that consistently delivers--even the touring version. I suppose it didn't help that we had an understudy playing the role of the Phantom tonight. Tonight's Phantom was played as more of a character to pity rather than fear. But it's hard to see something not live up to it's legacy. I heard people talking about how they'd seen Phantom multiple times in multiple cities. I can't imagine. I'm hoping to see Lion King for the first time when it comes next year but I think I may steer clear of the "classic" musicals going forward and let them live on flawlessly in my memory.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Greed is not good
Like the other day, when we received a letter from Countrywide (the company that holds our mortgages) saying they endured a security breach. One of their ex-employees may have sold our information (along with 2 million other people's) for profit and nefarious purposes. This employee allegedly exploited a security loophole in their computer system and got a hold of "client files, which includes names, addresses, mortgage loan numbers and social security numbers." Well that's just excellent.
Not only are mortgage lenders in a world of hurt because of decreasing access to credit and lots of bad debt due to defaulted loans, but they can't turn their backs on their own people for fear that a disgruntled employee will bring them down from the inside. I have made such a fuss about trying to keep our info secure by shredding financial docs and not giving out my social security number needlessly. But when the people who are supposed to have it can't be trusted either--that's a quandary. I was telling Ken the other day that we're getting to the point where mandatory biometric identification will be the only way to properly identify ourselves: retina scans, fingerprints, saliva DNA...
And then there is today's scandal and intrigue: Lehman Bros. filed for bankruptcy, Merrill Lynch sold for half its value to Bank of America and the stock market plunged 500 points. I think everyone has cause to be worried. Naturally for the impact on the price of goods, accessibility to credit and our stance in the world economy. But more than that, the average person should also be concerned with how we got to this point.
The intrigue of a mystery gets your attention but the details reveal people's innermost desires, what motivates them. And the mystery of how the economy got this way qualifies as a bonafide whodunit. But you might be thinking, 'this is all so complicated and over my head,' right? Well, not really. Do yourself a favor and listen to this streaming episode on This American Life called "Giant Pool of Money." It's quite possibly the best primer for a layperson to grasp the in's and out's of the financial turmoil we now find ourselves in. You will feel so smart after hearing it. And then, as in my case, you might feel a mix of indignation and disgust.
Why? Because it seems that no matter how evolved, sophisticated, enlightened and indulged we humans become, greed shows up and tempts our lesser selves. Greed causes people to make bad, short-term, destructive decisions. Greed urges people to buy houses they know they can't afford, lenders to qualify those people for outlandish mortgage amounts and employees at that mortgage lender to raid customer information for profit. And when you look at other issues we have, like why did we start an unprovoked war with a Middle Eastern nation flush with oil, why didn't car companies start the electric car revolution a whole decade earlier when they had the technology or why do products today feel largely disposable and not made very well, it again comes back to greed.
And specifically greed of money. Isn't it stupid that something as simple as that is at the heart of what is causing all this suffering? Professionals who crunch numbers, assess risk and balance budgets for a living, ignored common sense and succumbed to a tide of quick profits. It honestly makes me lose faith in human beings a little bit. But then I think perhaps it's lessons like these that teach us what is truly valuable. Quick profits are especially not valuable when it comes at the expense of our country's sovereignty. Guess who now owns a lot of our collective debt? Hint: They just hosted the Olympics and they have lots of drummers.
The troubled economy is not someone else's problem--it's all of ours.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
WA Republicans, shame on you
Shame on you for propagating this crap!
You very well know that that this "lipstick on a pig" comment was not uttered by Obama in regards to Sarah Palin. You are making asses of yourselves by trying to use these cheap, inflammatory, out of context quotes to get people riled up. You must not think much of your base if you have to resort to this tactic.
Don't you have anything substantial to tell your people about your candidate?
Or do you have to stoop to blatant manipulation of sound bites to get donations?
This is a spam that went out to registered Republicans today. (Thanks to S for sending this to me.)
The Obama-Gregoire Smear Machine
Despite promises to run a “different kind of campaign,” Barack Obama yesterday uttered one of the most sleazy and shameful smears ever spoken by a presidential candidate.
In a clear reference to Sarah Palin’s convention speech where she said of herself that the difference between a hockey mom and a pitbull is lipstick, Barack Obama said, "you can put lipstick on a pig … it's still a pig."
(Click here to play the video)
This personal attack on Gov. Palin by Obama is the most offensive so far, but it is hardly the first. For weeks now the Obama-Gregoire Smear Machine has been telling lie after lie about Gov. Palin and Dino Rossi because they are desperate to hide the truth of their radical, left-wing agendas.
What these attacks make clear is that Barack Obama and Christine Gregoire will say or do anything to get elected—and during the next two months until Election Day they’ll only get more desperate in their efforts.
We know that all too well right here in Washington, where Christine Gregoire and her political operatives have used smear tactics similar to Obama’s. You’ll recall the State Democrats’ racist video attacking Rossi's Italian heritage. And when Michelle Obama visited Seattle to raise money for our Democrat Governor, Christine Gregoire went so low as to even attack Dino's dog (who his kids named “Dubya”).
We need your help to focus this campaign on the issues, and to take on the desperate and offensive attacks by the Obama-Gregoire Smear Machine.
Will you help us fight these attacks and tell the truth about the far-left agenda of Obama and Gregoire by making a secure online contribution of $10, $25, $50, $100 or whatever you can afford to the Washington State Republican Party?
Together, we can defeat the Obama-Gregoire Smear Machine, and bring the right kind of change to our nation’s capital and Olympia this November!
Sincerely,
Chairman Luke Esser
Washington State Republican Party
P.S. Help us set the record straight and refute the attacks on Sarah Palin, Dino Rossi and all our Republican candidates by making a secure online contribution of $10, $25, $50, $100 or whatever you can afford today. Thank you!
Sunday, September 07, 2008
Letter to Republican America
Dear Republican America,
All this recent RNC hoopla with Sarah Palin and the realization that the Republican ticket is unabashedly buoying the ultra conservative right scares the crap out of me.
I realize the United States was initially settled by religious extremists (the Puritans) and that the founding fathers moved to create laws that protect religious worship. But I'm just amazed that in 2008, despite all we've been through, despite our stature in the world, by our actions and deeds and leadership we are regressing into conservative Christian territory. Us. America. Land of the Free. Sounds ridiculous doesn't it? We seem to be allowing our diverse, melting-pot-of-a-country to be steered into a less tolerant direction that plays on people's fears and distrust of others not like us.
What I learned about Republicanism in school does not necessarily match what it is today. As I recall, it was the party that supported less governmental interference, individual success, fiscal responsibility, state's rights and lower taxes. And yes, it leaned to conservative social values but I don't remember it being so fused with religious evangelicals.
The RNC galvanized behind Sarah Palin mostly because of her social conservatism, her Obama bashing skills and lesser qualifications (let's face it--she's pretty and younger). I know there are smart people in the Republican party and that just because you are a Republican doesn't mean you subscribe to all of what's said. But how can smart Republicans still be party to a group that is so obviously being commandeered by the conservative Christian movement? Weren't Republicans the ones who didn't want government so involved in your life?
We have an energy problem, foreign policy issues, massive debt, growing inequity of class/education/health care access. Now why wouldn't you want the smartest, most educated & eloquent person running this nation as opposed to the most dogmatic? I find it really confusing when instead of tackling the big problems, Republicans get really excited about making an amendment to ban gay marriage. Comparatively, that just seems like the least of this country's "problems".
But with the polls running Obama & McCain almost 50/50 now, I can only conclude that we are truly at a crossroads. And one more thing, with two or three Supreme Court justices due to retire in the next few years, this next President will set the tone for how law is interpreted for the next generation. With these being lifetime appointments, you really want a balance on the court and lest we forget, we just got two new conservative justices. A President is for 4 years but a Justice is for their lifetime. Keep that in mind as you vote this November too.
Sincerely,
Kali
Twice the Fun on Rock Band
We have so much fun with this family and have had the pleasure of seeing the children grow up through their various stages. This was the first time the family had been over to our house not in the context of a larger party or BBQ. Ken and I wondered how fun our house would be to 3-year-olds but I remembered I had a big container of Legos and Star Wars action figures so I pulled those out. Believe it or not though, the carpeted stairs to the basement were an unexpected big hit too. It was good times.
But the best part was when we turned on the Wii and played a little Rock Band. The kids really wanted to sing, so I turned to Tracy and said, "Can the kids read?" Uproarious laughter proceeded by, "Kali they're only 3..." (What do I know?) So Tracy would sing and Owen would repeat. Everyone seemed to have a great time and to think only a few years ago this kind of game/entertainment didn't exist. How we've suffered until now.
Owen Sings!
Stella blew us out of the water with her wicked drum solo and Owen tried to eat the microphone...
Adding to the excitement of the night, we survived an attack of a Giant Moth.
Ken gave Owen some Guitar Lessons while Stella did what she does best.
Thursday, September 04, 2008
What I think of her nomination
Women on Palin
Palin's reception
Something to get you ready for what's coming up...
Monday, September 01, 2008
Coug Game @ Qwest Field
Murrow College
And while I was responsible for planning this little gathering, I wished I would have used Evite. It can be a little challenging to get everyone coordinated but even though we exceeded our head count, everyone brought cash just like I asked them. See, Communication majors, they can follow (some) direction. I would also like to say that it is always a pleasure to spend time with my fellow alumni. Not since this crazy weekend in '06 have I had the pleasure to sit and chit-chat with Karen, Marcus, Scott, Jamie & Pat all together. I also found out that several of those folks are readers of this very blog, which warms my heart in a special way. I also met some other Murrow alumni who graduated after me who I look forward to hanging out with again at the next Murrow event.
Afterwards more partying at the Two Bells with special guest star, Sean Mantooth. He was in town coincidentally to work at the Penny Arcade Convention for his company.

CSI Ballard -- Cat Pee Investigations, Part Deux
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Soundgarden Reunion?
Soundgarden Inadvertently Reunites At Area Cinnabon
The unplanned 15-minute reunion was the result of a number of unrelated events, including lead singer Chris Cornell stopping by the baked-goods franchise to buy a Caramel Pecanbon, drummer Matt Cameron taking a break from shopping at the nearby Banana Republic, bass player Ben Shepherd walking by and noticing his one-time bandmates in the food court, and former guitarist and Cinnabon daytime supervisor Kim Thayil working the 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. shift.
According to those in attendance at the packed fast-food venue, the highlight of the incidental Soundgarden reunion came when the rockers reconciled their differences and teamed up for the first time in years to finish off an order of Cinnabon Stix.
"At first it was pretty awkward and none of them seemed like they were really into it," said Al Helbling, 30, a Northgate Mall Sam Goody employee and Soundgarden fan. "But then the drummer comes in and right after that the bass player comes in, and it was like, 'Yes, Soundgarden is back.' It was so intense."
The former members of Soundgarden, who have not released an album together since 1996's Down On The Upside, reported that it was initially difficult to find common ground, but once they began exchanging ideas and riffing on which sugar-filled dessert they were going to order, the chemistry felt "as strong as ever."
While Shepherd told reporters he enjoyed seeing his old bandmates, he admitted to experiencing some last-minute doubts about going through with the encounter.
"I got all the way there, but then I just didn't know if I could do it," Shepherd said. "I had a huge lunch that day. And Cinnabon, that's some really sugary stuff, even if you have a sweet tooth like me."
Thayil, who joined the band shortly after it was formed in 1984, said some tension arose between himself and former front man Chris Cornell early on in the reunion, after Thayil scolded Cornell for entering the cinnamon-bun snack purveyor without a shirt.
"Honestly, I didn't even recognize Chris at first," Thayil said. "All I saw was this bare-chested guy entering the store, and that's unacceptable in the food-service industry. I hate to be the enforcer, but just because we were in a band together doesn't mean I can allow him to create an unhygienic environment."
The heated situation was quickly settled, however, when Thayil offered Cornell a complimentary 12-oz. CarmeLatta Chill. In turn, the 44-year-old lead singer responded by serenading Thayil with a version of the group's hit song "Black Hole Sun" in which he replaced the titular phrase with the word "Cinnabon." Cornell, former singer for the now-defunct group Audioslave, then stuffed his pockets with napkins, saying he needed them for a later solo project.
The two soon moved to a back table, where they joined Shepherd and drummer Matt Cameron, the latter of whom said he was overjoyed to see his old bandmates, since he had to "kill some time" before Pearl Jam practice.
Although Tuesday marked the first time the group has fully reunited, the members of Soundgarden have had a few near-misses in the past 10 years. In August 2000, all four members were seen entering Seattle-area Arby's restaurants, but the reunion never materialized: Cornell and Cameron visited the Meridian Avenue location, while Thayil and Shepherd decided to visit the Michigan Street franchise. The afternoon did, however, mark the largest Temple of the Dog reunion to date, when Cornell and Cameron ran into the rest of the supergroup's members in the restroom.
After the success of the Cinnabon reunion, Soundgarden is reportedly planning a tour of the Sunglass Hut and Piercing Pagoda.
I couldn't stop laughing when I read this. Good times.