Dewey

Last night my plan had been to relax a little and start the world of warcraft expansion. Of course life is what happens when you are making other plans. About 5:30 my mother calls and want to know if I will go to an author reading with her. At 6:30. So I grab a quick bite to eat, check in on my neighbors cat (who I'm catsitting), and head out the door. The reading is at one of the local libraries.

I get to the building about 10 minutes before the reading is to start to realize that there is hardly a parking space to be had. People are walking some decent distances through the cold rain to come hear this author. Now this library's reading room is not big. I've been in there for several readings and there are normally only thirty or so chairs set up. My mom, dad, and I walk in the door to see that it is literally standing room only. And that standing room is out in the library's lobby. To make a long story short, we spent 30 minutes standing in the lobby listening to the author speak but not able to see her. There were probably 150 people there.

I'm interested in this author partly because she's a librarian. Actually she's the librarian in Spencer, Iowa who one morning found a cat that someone had dropped in the book drop. She managed to talk the city council into letting her keep the cat, who lived for 19 years in the Spencer library. Everyday the cat would wander the stacks, greeting people, cheering people up, and generally finding laps to sleep in. I'm sure for the non-cat lovers this was hell but for people like me, this would have been perfect. When the cat past away, the librarian Vicki Myron was approached by a number of publishers with money to publish the cat's story. The book is currently a best seller and will be made into a movie. Myron announced last night the Meryl Streep will be playing her in the upcoming movie.

The discussion (it wasn't really a reading) was very good and Vicki Myron was enjoyable to listen to. I was not surprised by the number of people who showed up but I wish they would have moved the reading out into the general library area. There were a lot of people who know of this cat before the book was even published. This cat was actually known across the country. When he died, the obituary for Dewey Readmore Books was run in over 200 newspapers. That is some serious notoriety for a cat.

Picture of Dewey courtesy of the Spencer Library

The Animal Rescue League had set up a booth. I was pleased to see the number of people there who gave to the ARL and helped to support the library. This was a very successful event for them. Even without having read the book (I just got a copy last night) I'm sure it will be a good story. Cats and librarians, right up my alley. And more than anything reminds me why I like librarians. I love the idea of a cat in the library. I love that the librarian decided to take him in that cold January day. I love that people have helped support the library and the cat because of it. What a great story. I hope it inspires others.

Cleansing post

I spent a good deal of yesterday researching the egg industry in the United States. Part of my job includes putting aside my personal feelings about something and learning as much as I can about a specific topic. Most of the time I can be slightly impartial. This was not the case with this topic. I could only do any serious research in 45 minute increments. Then I would be so sick that I would have to find something else to look at. As a semi-vegetarian, yesterday was enough to almost push me straight into vegan. Or at least make sure every egg I eat is from a free-range humanely treated chicken.

Actually I will make a plea to support California egg growers. California passed Proposition 2 in this last election that requires that all animals raised for food must be held in spaces that allow them the freedom to lie down, stand up, and stretch their legs. For many cows, pigs, and especially chickens, this has not been an option in the past. The egg growers are saying that this will bankrupt the California egg industry. If we can prove to them that humanely raised animals can still be profitable, there is a chance to move that legislation nation-wide.

But I didn't start this post to talk about the terrible things I saw and read yesterday. Instead I wanted to talk about one of the fun artists I found while looking for something to cleanse my head. With eggs on the brain, I happened to stumble upon Jeff Koons and this sculpture.


I love the glass and the delicate nature of this sculpture. Koons is a very interesting artist, using mostly pop culture references. I remember when the Des Moines Art Center purchased one of his pieces. There was a huge uproar. The art center had paid several million dollars for three shop vaccuums stacked on top of each other in lighted boxes. Similar to this.

But I love Koons' sense of fun. This has to be one of my favorite sculptures.

I love how he uses unusual materials to create his art. The glass instead of the balloon. The use of shop vacs as art. Modern art for me has always been about finding new materials and using them in a way not used before. Koons definately does that. Plus how can you not smile when you see these.

Fruits of Winter

Last night we had freezing rain, tonight we'll have snow. It is now officially winter in my book. Anyone who knows me, knows that I hate winter. I've always said that people should only complain about one season. Winter is it for me. You won't hear me say a word when it hits 100 degrees with 80% humidity. But the moment it drops below 32 degrees, expect some swearing. 

So I find it strange that I absolutely love the fruit of winter. Yes I'm talking about the Pomegranate. Pomegranate are not easy fruits but they are incredibly tasty. And it's also why (according to the Greeks) we have winter. When I was in the grocery store this past Sunday I noticed that they were starting to stock pomegranates in the produce aisles. This early they aren't quite right yet. Wait until right before Thanksgiving and they will be perfect. 

The Greek story of winter focuses on Persephone, goddess of the harvest. One beautiful day she was playing in a field when Hades, lord of the underworld, appeared and carried her down to the underworld to be his bride. Persephone's mother Demeter, was furious with the abduction and vowed that the earth would not produce food until she was returned. Finally Hades relented but before doing so he gave Persephone some pomegranate seeds. She ate those, and according to Greek tradition, became bound to the underworld. The agreement reached is that Persephone would spend some of her time in the underworld, during which time nothing would bloom or grow(winter). And then after three months she would be returned to the upper world, and the plants would begin to grow again (spring). 

So of all of my hatred for winter the pomegranate, the "cause" of all that misery, is still one of my favorite fruits. If you have never had one I would recommend trying one. As I mentioned they are not easy fruits. They are reddish color outside and seem to grow in an almost square shape. The fruits inside are full of juice and very delicate. I tend to peel the fruit very gently until I reach the seeds. Then I pull off each seed separately adding them to a tupperware container. This is time consuming. The juice doesn't stain but it can be messy. Normally I buy two at a time, prep them right away, and then snack at my leisure. You eat the whole seed including the pit. A handful of these is not only healthy for you (good antioxidents) but very flavorful. A beautiful fruit. Even if it does cause winter. :-(

Bernie

As a state employee I get tomorrow off. I'm looking forward to hopefully sleeping in, getting some things done around the house, and maybe some reading. When I first started working for the state I thought I would get all those wonderful bank holidays as well. You know, the ones like Columbus Day or President's Day. Instead I get Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Veteran's day only. Not that I'm complaining. Most people don't get that. 

So Veteran's Day is tomorrow and I should be thinking of all the soldiers overseas who are serving our country. While I am a Pacifist, I still support our troops. I may not like why they are there but I can certainly show my appreciation. 

But Veteran's Day always makes me think of Bernie. The year I was born my father decided that he wanted to take up the guitar. He signed up for a continuing Ed course and it was there he met Bernie. Bernie was in his mid fifties and my dad was in his mid thirties but they struck up something of a friendship. After the class was over Bernie would come over once a week to play guitar with my dad. I grew up around this man. It was so regular to see him each week that in the summer when he was up at his cabin was strange. There are certain songs, like Greensleeves and Edelweiss, that I can't hear without thinking of my dad and Bernie. 

Now Bernie is a veteran. He gave his leg and most of the movement in his right hand to World War II. He was doing artillery for the Army when they were hit by a randomly aimed shell. Three of the guys in his group died. He was happy to have just lost a leg. He would tell us stories of being lost at sea on a disabled destroyer. He told us of his time in France. But mostly I learned about attitude from him. 

Bernie could have come back as shattered as his leg. Instead he remembers just being happy to be alive. He worked for years at the Veteran's Administration, working his way up the chain. But it was when he retired that Bernie really started to work. He started a band, called the Old Timer's Band, that plays in retirement homes and community centers for free. You would think that would be easy. A great volunteer gig. But Bernie takes it seriously. The band did 363 gigs last year. There were days when he would do two gigs, traveling miles between locations. Sometimes they come in the summer when the weather is nice, sometimes in the snows of winter. Bernie says he loves it. He can't imagine doing anything else. And for a man of 88, with only one good leg, he certainly gets around well. 

His attitude is what makes me so impressed with him. Bernie will tell you he's doing what he loves. He lost his wife two years ago, and he could be feeling sorry for himself, but he is constantly thinking of others. He knows the older people love to hear the music so he goes. He loves to play so he never misses a gig. So tomorrow, even as I look forward to it as a day off, I'll be thinking of Bernie. Even though we're expecting snow he'll be out driving to his gig. I just hope I have his energy when I get older. And his attitude. 

Why poetry makes me look stupid

I hate to look stupid. But more than anything I hate to feel stupid. But a poem has humbled me. It's not one of those classic poems that no one can read. Heck I loved the Odyssey and the Illiad. This is very simple Zen poem that I had adopted practically as a mantra. 

Right after I got married I worked in a burnout job where I got yelled at a lot. I did phone and customer service for a county hospital. I enjoyed the job but some days were really tough. My boss was one of those amazing women who understood how tough it was. She would periodically give us little cards, gifts, or sayings to keep us going. One day she left me a poem on my desk, after a particularly hard week. She had pulled it out of her Zen once-a-day calendar. I tacked it up on my cubicle. It simply said:

It is much better

to close your eyes, sit in your study,

lower the curtains, sweep the floor, burn incense.

It's beautiful to listen to the wind, listen to the rain,

take a walk when you feel energetic, 

and when you are tired go to sleep. 

I never wrote down the author and the piece of paper has been lost to history. I loved the simplicity, the Zen feel of it. To just focus on the simple things and worry less. It was, for a long time, one of my saying to remind me to relax. 

So this past week has been very tough. I'm still fighting insomnia and I'm having trouble relaxing. I had forgotten some of the words of the poem so I went looking for it. I cheated, using Google, and pulled it up. Only to find that I had been missing over half the poem. The actual poem was written by Yang Wan-Li in the 1100s. He was one of the masters of the Song Dynasty poets. 

Don't read books!

Don't chant poems!

When you read books, your eyeballs whither away, leaving the bare sockets.

When you chant poems your heart leaks out slowly with each word. 

People say reading books is enjoyable.

People say chanting poems is fun.

But if your lips constantly make a sound

like an insect chirping in Autumn,

you will only turn into a haggard old man.

And even if you don't turn into a haggard old man,

it is annoying for others to have to hear you.

It is much better

to close your eyes, sit in your study,

lower the curtains, sweep the floor, burn incense.

It's beautiful to listen to the wind, listen to the rain,

take a walk when you feel energetic,

and when you are tired go to sleep. 

Wow. My former mantra actually stands against everything I believe in. I love to read books. (please note that my eyes have not withered away) I love to memorize poems. My beautiful zen poem was actually some guy complaining about too much noise and wanting to become a hermit. As a librarian, I'm actually shocked by this full poem. The words "Don't Read Books" will never ever escape my lips. They shouldn't even be in my vocabulary. But there it is. The mantra that I have used for years is a lie. A poem made me look stupid. 

Karazhan!

{Warning: for my non WOW playing readers, this post will mean nothing}

For my Wow playing readers they may not be interested but at least they should understand what I'm talking about. I had dinner with a friend Wednesday night that ran almost two hours. I got home finally at 7:30 and the first words out of Jeff's mouth were "we have a spot for Kara, want to go?" Now I'm a brand-new 70, wearing mostly greens. Not your typical Kara player. Jeff informs me that it is incredibly nerfed so I say what the heck. I have to say that I love my guild for that. Not a lot of guilds would take a underpowered, underequipped player into Kara. Mine did.

We started with Attumen and had no real problems with him. I had a moment of stupidity, right after Attumen mounted Midnight, my hand slipped. I spun around, losing track of everyone. I knew I was supposed to be behind the horse right then. I just didn't know where the horse was. I happily didn't wipe the party, or even kill anyone. That was pretty much my whole goal for the night.

We did Murkblood who provided the most challenge for the evening for me. Just trying to stay in front of him was difficult. He moved way too quick for me. I just dotted him up (Affliction ftw) and kept running. It was pretty intense but we managed to down him on the first try, no deaths. Moroes was practically a trash pull for the group. They are mostly epiced out. Then Maiden. I had seen this fight before but I was surprised at how long she stood up. It took quite a while to kill her. I managed to do the entire fight without taking any damage.

My first shot at Opera and we got Romeo and Juliet. I was pretty happy with that. The Wizard of Oz would have probably been too distracting for me. I've never done a 10 man so it was a bit confusing at the start. We killed both and then started to work on the two of them together. Juliet went down, and Romeo still had way too much health. But we turned on the dps and brought him down. Then on to Nightbane. This was awesome. I knew what to expect going in (I've watched many a fight over Jeff's shoulder) but this was seriously wild. The imps were kicking my tail (I'm squishy) but luckily we had good heals. Down in one try. And the end of the night. It was past midnight EST.

I picked up some great gear including new gloves and a beautiful new staff. I thanked everyone and logged off. The next night was our rescheduling knitting night so I didn't think I would get a chance to finish the run. But my sister called at 4 and said she didn't really feel like it, and I wasn't overly excited so we called it off. I signed up for that night's run. And I'm glad I did.

It was an odd group. A warrior, four hunters, a shaman, a paladin, a priest, a rogue, and me. We started with Curator, who went down easy. Then we moved onto Aran. Jeff accidentally left his gorilla on aggressive. We walked into the room and he attacked. Aran threw down flame wreath immediately as we were moving in and we were toast. Only one member survived and that was surprising. Our second attempt proved much more successful. I even remembered to banish one of the elementals.

Chess was odd and not my favorite fight. I died once when my piece couldn't get out of the fires. We won without problem but I just didn't enjoy the experience. I hated the limited movement and the limited attacks. I managed to bring down one piece though. Illhoof was next. My moment to shine. As a warlock I got to focus all my attention on Illhoof. My guild leader had me simply seed of corruption the thing to death. Worked like a charm.

And lastly we took down Prince. That was the most intense fight of the night and one of the most fun. So much going on and at the end he was running towards us, I assume after dispatching our tank. He had almost reached me (standing next to the healer) when he fell right at our feet. Wild. He dropped the Helm of the Fallen Hero and Jeff finally made me roll for it, even though he wanted it badly. I figured I had already picked up a number of beautiful purples. I won it and picked out my first T4 piece. Yay!! It was an amazing night. In two days I helped complete Kara. We only have Netherspite left and he'll be Sunday. I hope I can go.

Jack Frost

They're predicting snow this evening for down here in Des Moines. This would be our first for the season. Traditionally I would say that I'm not even remotely excited about this. I've never been much of a snow fan. Of course it is pretty. Of course it can be fun (love snowmen and snowball fights). But then you have to leave the house. And that's not so fun. 

I have to admit the mere suggestion of snow makes me want to pull on my slippers and sweaters. I want to break out the hot chocolate and curl up on the couch with a book. In winter I become a homebody. I have tended to hibernate as much as possible in the winter. It's not the cold that gets me. I can handle the cold. I just hate to drive in the snow. 

I come home from work after having driven home slow enough to anger the people behind me. And once home I don't normally leave the house unless Jeff is driving. I hate to drive in snow. Hate it and am scared of it. I would go to work and back but that was normally the limit. 

But this last year really tested that fear. We had over 70 inches of snow in Des Moines. Normally we get just a little over 30. I started the winter with this terrible fear of driving. I would lose sleep over the mere suggestion of snow. I was scared of sliding, I was scared of being stranded, and I was scared of getting into an accident. It's strange that as you do something day after day, suddenly it doesn't look so scary anymore. The difference is that last year I didn't offer myself any options. I went to work every day, except one.  

This year I'm actually okay with the idea of snow. Tomorrow will be pretty. I'm sure there will be big white flakes floating lightly from the sky. It won't stick to the roads and it will actually make me start to think that winter is coming. The 70 degree temps the last week, had made me start to doubt. But winter is coming. And for the first time, this year, I don't need to hibernate. I'm sure I will a little. I have a lot of writing I want to get done, I have books waiting to be read, and a subscription to Blockbuster that often goes to waste. I'll easily fill my time. Tomorrow I'll try to post pictures of the snow. And I'm actually hopeful we get some. 

Not keeping up (with the Joneses or anyone else)

I logged onto my Facebook account for the first time in three weeks. I looked at all the new notifications that I have. I read one new email. And I glanced at the number of requests that I had. Then I logged out. I didn't even accept my requests. I think I'm officially burnt out on Facebook.

A friend of mine got me started with the site and I played around with it a bit. I created a profile, found some friends, and added a couple applications. Then I lost interest. I tried to maintain at least some connection with the site for a while. I'd log in, send out silly requests, and post to people's walls. But my heart really wasn't in it. I wanted to say more. I prefer conversation to superpokes. Throwing a frog at me tells me nothing about how your life is going. The site is okay for email but I actually prefer regular email systems.

The one good thing that has come out of my early interest in Facebook is this blog. As I realized I wanted to say more I decided that I would start this. Now I spend significantly more thought on this then I do log time on Facebook. I figure I spend all day at work on the computer, I spend some of my evenings on the computer playing World of Warcraft, and I try to fit in more and more time at the computer for writing. I'm done with sites that are just time wasters. I don't really feel like I have a lot of time to waste. So for those of you who read my blog, that are waiting for me to come back strong to Facebook, sorry. I'll try to log in occassionally but if you really want to contact me, text, phone, or email works best.

Election Fever

I know you're all tired of hearing it but if you haven't had a chance to get out and vote, do it. I went this morning at 7:15 and was the 80th person through my polling place. My hope is that this means that there will be a good turnout. I've had smaller elections where I went at 6:00 pm and was the 80th person. In Des Moines we don't tend to get the huge crowds that some of the polling places in New York seemed to have today. The lines around the block have been encouraging.

Now I don't tend to be a political person. My idea tends to be that the less the government does, the better. My dad once told me that the best situation is to have a Democratic president and a Republican Congress or vice versa. Less gets done that way. Cynical I know but that seems to be the overwhelming response before this election. Suddenly everyone is excited about politics and I have to admit that I have been swept up in the fever. My plan for this evening is to go home, turn on the TV and watch the results roll in. I've never done that with any election before. Now I'm not going to say that the computer won't be on during the whole thing. I'm sure Jeff will talk me into playing some WOW. But Tuesdays are traditionally my knitting night. But I don't really want to go tonight. And everyone who normally knits with me says the same. They want to stay home tonight and watch. History is about to be made, no matter who wins.

And today is a proud day to be an American. I love election day. The actual election process gets old fast but election day is wonderful. This one started almost two years ago and has been the focus of more media coverage than any other before it. I get three or four political campaign calls a day and I hate those. But election day is special. I get to go and cast MY vote for who I want. I get to stand in line with my fellow Americans (and that is one of the few days we call ourselves that) and make my small voice heard. I get to do something that some countries' citizens don't get to do. And for that I'm proud. I don't care who you vote for, I don't want to know. That's between you and the voting booth. But if you want to complain during the next four years about who our president is, make sure you've said your piece and cast your vote.

New Toy!

I'm pleased to announce a new addition to our household. A Wii Fit!! After many, many months of searching Jeff and I finally stumbled on one in Target this morning. It just seemed too good to be true. We had both decided that we would splurge on the DVD edition of Star Wars (the originals, of course). When we walked into the video game aisle and saw it. Star Wars went back to the shelf immediately. I stood guard while Jeff went to find a salesclerk. And I was not about to let anyone else pick it up. I Saw It First! Luckily no one challenged me. I'm pretty sure I would have brought out the claws. 

So we got our new baby home and hooked it up. Now I wasn't sure what to expect. I'd heard from friends who had one but never been able to try or even seen the games. I was shocked. By the end of the strength training session I was sweating. By the end of the aerobic section, I was panting. And by the end of my entire 30 minute time playing, my legs were jelly. I'm so out of shape.

And the Wii was sure to remind me how out of shape I am. The game takes your weight, calculates your BMI, and then reminds you (sometimes gently, sometimes not) that you are doing things wrong. My balance was so off that my trainer continually asked me if I was putting my other foot down (I was) and then remind me that balance is one of the most important things for people as they age. Was the thing calling me old? Turns out it was. My physical age turned out to be a decade older than my actual age. Ouch! 

So I have big plans. I'm going to try to get up early every morning to workout with the thing. 30 minutes a day should be perfect. It's cheap (now that I own it), at home (perfect for the cold Iowa winters), and actually fun. I don't even mind the running portion. We'll see how well I do. Right now my intentions are the best. 

He Has The Power!!!

No, not He-man with the power of Greyskull. BigRedKitty and the power of his horde. I have several blogs that I visit every day. They are just part of my morning ritual to start my day out right. All fun, all interesting. One of my favorites is BigRedKitty. He's just so funny and informative. I'm not even a hunter, although I do play World of Warcraft. So I was shocked when BRK discovered my little corner of the net. And then more surprised when he linked to it. I'm honored!!! /salute  

My husband got me started reading BRK since he plays a hunter. He was picking up all sorts of great tips and enjoying the great writing. He showed me one of BRK's Daniel stories and I was hooked. I don't always follow all his pet advice, but as a warlock some of his tactics are useful. Minions are close enough to pets. For those of you interested I play an Affliction warlock. I love the fact that even if things run away, they still die. /evil laugh

But the reason I say he has the power is this. I traditionally get 10 or so hits a day to my site. I tend to jump from topic to topic, not good for building up a steady audience. Since BRK's link this morning, I've had almost 1050. Behold the power of one man's words. Now for any of you visiting, remember he warned you. I don't really talk about WOW much. I mention my first two trips through Zul'Farrak. I talk about going into Stratholme. And I celebrate the fact I just turned 70 (finally). But I play casually. I've been addicted for stretches but WOW playing competes with my reading and, I have to admit, sometimes it loses. 

So this is big thank you to BRK. Thanks for taking some time out of your morning to see who your readers are. Thanks for writing one of the more consistently entertaining blogs I read each day. And thank everyone for stopping by. BRK and his horde are a force to be reckoned with. Thank goodness he uses his powers for good instead of evil. (or at least I think. hmmm)  Maybe I'll have to talk a little more WOW. But then again Wrath comes out in less than two weeks. I might just be too busy playing. 

 

Trick or Treat, Des Moines style

Des Moines is bizarre when it comes to Halloween. I've grown up with the traditions but to anyone else the customs are strange. It has been this way since the late 1930s. Last night was the night that kids go trick or treating. It is known as Beggar's Night. Since the late 30s kids in Des Moines have always gone out dressed up on the night before Halloween. Even with this holiday falling on a Friday, the tradition held. 

Apparently this was started by the head of the Parks and Recreation board in 1938. The city was dealing with terrible vandalism. Kids were being too rowdy for the staid Des Moines residents. So they made the rule that trick or treating would be done before. This actually worked, cutting vandalism significantly. And then the most bizarre tradition was added. The joke. 

Kids in Des Moines are required to tell a joke to the homeowners they trick or treat. Normally these are the terrible jokes you find on bubble gum packs or popsicle sticks. "Why did the man throw the clock out the window? He wanted to see time fly." I know I told some terrible ones over the years. I always had one joke memorized and told it at every single house. And it was a struggle to think of a joke at 7 but it was fun too. Now I love the tradition. I love that the kids stand at the door with their bags and tell silly jokes. And the adults laugh. Because it's kind. And some of them are actually pretty good. 

Since Jeff and I are in a townhouse, we don't get any trick or treaters coming to the house. We haven't had a single one in the three plus years we've lived here. So last night my little sister invited us over to celebrate the holiday. And I had a blast. Jeff couldn't go because of World of Warcraft stuff he had signed up for last week. I brought a bag of candy, some sharp knives, and a pumpkin. And Em spoiled me. 

I walked in to ham, apple, and brie crescent rolls. Mmmmm. They were wonderful and so easy to make. She had carved a small pie pumpkin earlier and made pumpkin soup. There were pumpkin seeds in the oven roasting. As we started carving, my older sister and her fiance came over. So the four of us carved four pumpkins, getting our hands gooey and harvesting seeds. I'll roast mine tonight. I made a very happy pumpkin, with a strange goofy grin. 

We drank hot chocolate and ate brownies. We got about 20 kids or so which is a pretty small number. My boss told me today that he had 80 kids at his house. We had a Morticia Adams, a Hillary, a Power Ranger, and a pug. Em answered the door most of the night. It was a lot of fun. Jeff still needs to carve his pumpkin tonight. 

Crafty

Tuesdays have become my knitting nights recently. When my sister and I first started getting together to knit it was almost always on Mondays. I knew that each week I would be busy on Monday nights. But that was back when there was only two of us. Slowly over the last year and a half our knitting group has grown. Tonight we had six people who came out, and there were three others that couldn't make it. We've gotten big. 

With the leaves starting to fall and the weather turning colder I've been in the mood to knit. I'm working on a scarf for a friend and think I'm almost finished. I'm a terribly slow knitter and this is a long scarf and it will eventually have tassles on the end. I'll try to post a picture when I'm done. I think it's the best one I have done so far. Next I plan to either make myself a hat or some socks. 

After I went home I decided that I would look at one of my sister's friends websites. She spins and dyes her own yarns, along with making all sorts of sewn items. And I ended up buying some yarn. Actually I drooled over a lot of yarn and then was disciplined enough to only buy one. But people like my sister's friend make me wish that I was more crafty. She is constantly making things. www.sewspun.com. I am constantly amazed at how she finds the time to create all of these things with two small children and a house to mind. I don't even have children and I don't make things like this. 

Here is just a sample of the yarn that she has made and some rather pretty pumpkins that she's sewn. Thank goodness she has finally opened a store. Check it out. (Mandy, I hope you don't mind that I "borrowed" some of your pictures. It was done with love.) 

I am always fascinated by crafts. One of my other favorite sites Roadside Scholar is predominately an art site but occasionally has crafts. Everything that is feature is interesting or incredible or both. I promised my sister I would find and post a picture of this cashmere elf house from meekssandygirl. (etsy name) I had seen it on the site many months ago and had been just amazed. What sort of pattern do you use for something like this? 

And lastly if you are interested in homemade gifts you need to check out Etsy. www.etsy.com. There are a number of very crafty people out there selling pretty much everything under the sun. It is well worth a look. Here is a screenshot with just some of the things available. 

Pets and other Animals

{Warning: I'm up on my soapbox for this post}

I was out of cat food so after dinner tonight Jeff and I went to the pet store. As usual we fawned over the kitties waiting for adoption, played seek with the hiding lizards, watched the birds, and were amused by the small rodents. I both love and hate the pet store. I love that everything there is for the comfort and joy of animals. I hate the idea that some of the animals there won't find a home. Tonight was obedience night so there were a lot of dogs roaming around the store. I was in dog heaven. 

I left the store thinking about pets and the "other animals". The American Pet Product Manufacturing Association estimates that we will spend $10.5 billion on pet products and services here in America in 2008. Dogs will go to daycare or the groomer. Cats will get expensive toys that they will shun for tissue paper and hair ties (I'm not speaking from experience or anything here :-) ). Dogs and cats will get elaborate Halloween and Christmas costumes. Heck some animals get massages and psychotherapy. There is a story out there in the news that Ricky Gervais's dog got Botox. 

I'm not saying that we can't love our pets. I know I love mine. But I'm an animal lover. I also love the deer that live in the creek near my house. I feel sorry for the raccoon that met its end on the road the night before. And I watch with sadness as new housing developments go up and more wild land is plowed under to make way for movie theaters and strip malls. I don't understand how we (as a society) can have such love for our pets and such apathy for the rest of the animal kingdom. 

October 4th is World Animal Day. The day, which was started in 1931, celebrate the animal kingdom as a whole and our relationship with animals. There was little notice of the day in the press. With a quick Google News search I found 76 mentions of the day, 10 of which were from the US. Pakistan actually had more mentions of the holiday. The news actually has very little good things for animals. The current administration is attempting to rewrite the EPA guidelines to allow businesses and other government agencies to determine whether their projects will injure the environment. That's a little like asking the coal burning power plant if maybe they shouldn't build because the plant could destroy some wetlands. I have a hard time believing they will care. 

The World Wildlife Fund, one of the largest conservation organizations in the world, had a budget of $160 million for projects and administration. That is only $10.3 billion short of the pet product market. We hunt animals, conduct research on animals, confine animals for meat, cage animals, and destroy animal habitat. The hardest thing for me to understand is the apathy we as a society feel for these creatures. I read a story recently about a huge wildfire in Florida. The reporter happily reported that no one was injured. There was simply no mention of the hundreds upon thousands of animals that lost their lives. We simply don't notice them. 

I'm pointing the finger at myself recently. I have been meaning to join the World Wildlife Fund or the Humane Society for a long time. That, by the way, is not just for pet animals but for all animals. I certainly can't say I helped at all on October 4th. Instead I flew home from a cruise. Talk about expanding my carbon footprint. But my eyes are starting to open. I look at the ever expanding city and wonder what will happen to the wild places. I wonder how people can ignore the damage we have done to diverse ecosystems. And I wonder how long we can justify population growth at all costs and in the same breath talk about culling wild animal populations. But that is a rant for another day. I'll leave you with these. Some beautiful images to remind you how incredible our natural world is. May we learn to love our animal neighbors.

Reuters/Beawiharta photographer of this newly hatched Green Turtle

Getty Images/Paula Bronstein photographer of this unemployed elephant and his mahout

 Reuters/David Moir photographer of this 3 week old Tapir. 

Hiking, Beauty, and Shock

This weekend has been a rollercoaster of emotions. Stress was the name of the game on Friday. I had a project for work that I had been working on slowly for an outside client. Outside requests always end up being back-burner requests to staff requests and I hadn't had a lot of time for this one. So I was shocked when Friday morning I got an email from the requester saying that they needed an answer that day. I bought myself a pop upstairs and buckled down. I have to admit I was sweating it. But I was able to get it done. Just in time to go home and set up for my bridge party. The party at least went well. But the last minute cleaning was stressful. 

Saturday was perfect. One of those days in October that you can't believe aren't early September. The weather was beautiful and I decided that we simply couldn't stay inside. I conned Jeff into going hiking with me. Right before we were heading out the door my older sister called to see if we wanted to go hiking. We ended up meeting at Saylorville Reservoir, after some mild road issues, and walked through the mud and woods in what turned out to be one of the more enjoyable hiking treks I've taken in a while. We crossed brush filled ravines, sinking sands, and scaled bluffs. We topped it all off with margaritas and mexican food for lunch. A perfect day. 

Sunday was a great day until about half an hour ago. We had a late breakfast at IHOP, and then settled into some serious World of Warcraft playing. The wind howled outside, gusting to up to 50 miles and hour. It even took out some power lines. But we played, for most of the afternoon and I finally hit 70. The magical level that is as high as I can go. I can now start instancing with the rest of the guild. 

After I reached eye strain I did laundry, cleaned the house, and went through the forty or so magazines that I needed to weed through. I looked through travel magazines and pulled out pages of places I wanted to go. I pulled out pictures that intrigued me. And I pulled out articles that I will (at some point) read. And as I was going through I noticed a strange humming sound coming from outside my window. I looked outside to find an ambulance parked at my neighbor's house down the way. I thought about going out and then figured I would just be in the way. But my neighbor Jeanne called me, shortly after. 

I guess one of my neighbors killed herself this weekend. I'm in utter shock. Now the woman had been unemployed for a long time, she had suffered an injury that caused her constant pain, and she was dealing with a frustrating lawsuit that she filed. So I'm not sure why I'm shocked but I am. And now I can't help but think that I could have done something. This is not a neighbor I was friendly with but perhaps something would have helped. I've been blessed in my life with a feeling that nothing (that I've encountered so far) could make me want to commit suicide. It seems like such a permanent solution to temporary problems. But then again I've been blessed. And I don't really know how to deal with this. I'm shocked and saddened and in some ways a little guilty. I just can't shake the feeling that I had this great weekend (even with the news that I didn't get two of the jobs I applied for) but she had a terrible one. One that caused her to take a step that can't be undone. I'm blessed is all that I can think. I'm blessed with an incredible husband, a wonderful family, great friends, and my health. This is a reminder for me, and  hopefully for others, to remember how lucky we can be. Any day alive is far better than....well I don't even want to imagine that.