some new additions to the place

I've had some new additions to place this year!

New pots and pans from my mom and dad.

Pictures on the wall!

One wall holds a photo frame of 2 black and white photos of Molly S and me from circa 2002/2003 and a sign with japanese writing that says "Harmony"

The opposite side of the windowed wall holds a spraypaint/printed canvas work of Marilyn Monroe that I picked up at Folklife.

The adjacent wall holds a metal print of Marilyn Monroe that I got from Katie years ago and a small Marilyn calendar.

The abundance of Marilyn seems a little too-20-something for me but they're still great to look at!

Next to these is one of my favorite pieces that I own, a small framed hula girl painted by Jason Waskey (whose work includes at least one small painting that belongs on your wall, dear reader).

Below is another favorite, a simple painting of a glass of sherry and a few cherries with a very old large wood frame that I got my mom to let me have.

I've got a large print of a painting in muted tones of the Oregon Coast on a normal overcast day on the wall behind my couch (amazing what moving a couch will do for the flow of a room!!).

Other walls hold taped up photos of friends, far too few photo booth strips to call a collection (there are only 5, how sad!), small bulitain boards that hold tickets to upcoming shows (SeaCompression, They Might Be Giants and Peter Pan at Seattle Children's Theatre - which my nieces and I are proud subscribers of), postcards from my parents recent trip to South Africa and a few family photos.

Another addition to my place is in my lap right now: My new Dell Lithium minibook. So, the advertised weight of 3 lbs clearly doesn't include the 4 hour battery, but the whole thing is pretty awesome and really is compact, light and easy to use. Yes, I got a 3 year warranty. Her name is Minnie Mouse. My poor Macbook, Jolene, will be soon retired to my parents if I can get this little machine to hold iphoto without slowing down much.

Let's see, what else. My snuggie (blue) still makes me happy. I bought a second one (yes) which is zebra print and lives at Brandon's. I'm thinking of having a snuggie fashion show in my February variety show - let me know if you want to be in it! (Snuggie, you're welcome to sponsor the show, if you're reading this).

There's a few other additions and all in all I'm enjoying the red leaves outside my window, even though it means there are months of cold and grey ahead.

What's everyone's predictions on snow this winter in Seattle?

Got My Ballot!

Got My Ballot! I'm voting yes on REF 71. It's about human rights, don't vote religion!

So, friends who care - what else should I vote for or against?

Because It's Important

I ♥ two girls named Molly.

But not in that "domestic partnership with rights" sort of way.
(sorry girls, don't take it personally)

BUT IF I DID, I would hope that we would be able to hold on to the important rights that were JUST provided to us in the Washington State Domestic Partnership Law.

Referendum 71 - vote YES to approve.

This is NOT the time to forget or ignore that there is a vote.
It seems that many people who are against domestic partnership rights feel passionate about their beliefs. Don't let them win the right to continue hate for no reason.

The Domestic Partnership Law protects the LGBT/Queer Community and ANYONE over the age of 62.

"The state of Washington needs to recognize the rights of domestic partners so their partners and children can be fully protected in case something goes wrong. The protections and rights of a marriage need to be available to everyone, not just those who fit into a specific, traditional formula". - The Western Front

This has nothing to do with religion - it is purely about being compassionate and giving basic civil rights to your neighbors.

Please get out and vote and encourage others to do the same.

Seattle Times writes in 2007:

The law gives gay and lesbian couples some of the rights granted to married couples, including the right to visit a partner in the hospital, inherit a partner's property without a will and make funeral arrangements.

To qualify, the couples must file an affidavit of domestic partnership with the Secretary of State's Office.

Unmarried heterosexual couples in which at least one partner is 62 or older are eligible as well. Lawmakers say older heterosexuals were included because they face the possibility of losing pension rights and Social Security benefits if they remarry after a spouse dies.

dreams and tears

I woke up from a vivid and awful dream.
After many tries of going back to sleep, I had to get up to remove myself from the place the dream occurred, to really move myself away from the place my dream had taken me.
My man is out of town and having fun with his friend- it's silly to know that just a text or hearing his voice would help me so much, but it does. I'm glad he's having fun, I just wish he was around his phone to hear my text or phone call.

I finished watching Grey's Anatomy, season 5, episode 22, what a difference a day makes.

I can't stop crying. Sometimes I really hate dreaming. 3 nights ago, he woke me up from my sleep because I was crying.

I'm glad the flowers he brought me are still very much alive. It's comforting. The yellow roses I bought myself on saturday help too. Why do flowers help me in this feeling of sadness, created by a fake experience? I don't know. Why do my dreams affect me so much?

HOME SWEET PLAYA

I feel like I've been going to Burning Man in spirit since my wonderful friend Sheila got back from her first year in 2002.

This year, 2009, will truly be my first year. We're RV'ing it, which means a lot more posh/relaxed trip than tenting up. I'm heading to Nevada with my boyfriend, Paul, Erin and Brian (our friend Joe will also be along for the ride). It's brian and my first year. I've been warned to wear something I can get rolled around in the dust in when I arrive - that's what happens to the newbies. Goggles on head? Check.

I'm a little worried I won't have everything I need packed. Luckily, Paul is leading the way with the food situations (he's also orchestrating the food for the ENTIRE camp of 40 people each night - what a task! Luckily there is a head cook for every night, so he won't be doing all the work once we're there, but that's a LOT of planning).
I've got 4 packs of baby wipes and tons of sunscreen, a camelpack (2 actually, one to loan to Brian) and a room full of costumes at Paul's house that Erin and I are going to go through tomorrow to decide what we REALLY need to take.

Our friend Angel (who won't be joining us this year - she's taking her $$ on a solo trip to Europe instead, how fun for her!) has loaned me her bike, costume pieces and goggles, which is awesome. I'm strapped for cash right now, so all the loaning of stuff I don't have to buy helps a TON.

Last year she put together a really comprehensive list of "must haves" for the Playa (Brandon, Erin and Paul were all newbies last year).
I've chopped it up and am left with these things to pack or to buy:
PACKING

I own these things but need to pack them:

Pillow, sheets, extra blankets
Wash cloth for face (we'll have the bathroom, which will be sooo nice!)
Small sweeper broom
Flashlight
Towels for showering/personal hygiene items, etc.
deoderant
utensils, bowl
water bottle and one portable
Flask
sunblock
lotions
foot pamper stuff
makeup
glowsticks
lights
games for RV
camera in ziplock
small journal
socks
underwear
blank name cards
sunglasses
goggles
tennis shoes - my old nikes are fine - not enough $$ to buy new shoes
boots - knee high doc martins should work
pjs
socks
earplugs
underwear
chapstick
wipes
gloves and sleeves
goodwill clothes - stuff in my "get rid of pile" that will work on the playa
costumes - at Erin's
hat
scarves for hair


Need to buy
liquid band aid or neosporin and band aids
batteries
party favors
more socks
more underwear
1ply toilet paper
travel saline for nose
hair ties and clips

**

Still need to decorate my bike but i think i can do that tomorrow with the costume planning.

Now I'm just re-reading all the articles out there for first timers!

Any tips you might have will be appreciated. Wish I was in better shape, but I'm going to have fun regardless!!

Reading:
Playa Princess tips for Girls & Boys

Event Survival

First timer's guide

facebook stats for me!

According to http://www.friendshipstats.com I have 793 friends, 673 more than average. 45% are male, 55% are female. 117 are single, 405 are dating or married.

If I contracted a deadly variant of flu, I would likely infect 16 people, 2 of whom would die.

When I share something on Facebook, it is typically viewed by 42 people. I

f I died today, an estimated 696 people would try to attend my funeral.

Based on my Facebook profile, I have a 96% probability of getting married. I am likely to earn US$3.6 million and have 2.8 children over my lifetime. Calculate your own stats at http://www.friendshipstats.com.

So much of this is probably wrong :)

boo

I want my mom right now. She's currently traveling along the coast of mexico on an amazing journey. I know what her advice would be, the supportive do what is good for you, don't let your feelings go to the wasteside, stay true to you and know that happiness will be mine again. But still I want that hug and the box of kleenex handed to me like only mom does, that funny joke that she'll make to get us laughing again through the tears, the stories she'll tell to remind me that everything passes and we keep going and have the ability to find our own happiness and strength, even if it's not where we expect to find it.

She's a pretty awesome, mom, really.

I need a lot of comfort right now. The person I've been turning to for the most comfort in the last year and half is here for me, but it's complicated. I want to press myself into his hugs deeper than physically possible. I want to hug out of him the love that I seek in the way I want to see it.

I'm sure I'll feel better soon.