Monday, January 4, 2010
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Reflecting on 2009
Feeling reflective this morning and inspired by Ronnie 's all-in-one Best of 2009 blog post, here's my Best of 2009.
1. Best Trip.
We got to travel so much over the past year thanks, mostly, to Matt's job change & I loved each and every trip, whether we were out seeing new sites or hanging out in hotel rooms & pools. The whole year has been a trip: Chicago & it's suburbs several times, middle-of-nowhere Indiana, Middle-of-nowhere Illinois, Memphis, Pittsburgh twice, DC, Baltimore...
2. Restaurant Moment.
Chowpatti vegetarian restaurant in Arlington Heights, IL outside of Chicago. The moment that stands out for me is when Seth walked up to the owner & told her that her food "tastes like heaven."
3. Article.
I love most everything Glenn Greenwald & Norman Solomon wrote all year. But the thing that popped into my head was not an article but a series Jason Jones did on the Daily Show called "Behind the Veil" where he travelled through Iran trying to show the real people we might want to think about in between episodes of "all options are on the table" bravado.
4. Book.
Will Tuttle's World Peace Diet. It wasn't at all what I was expecting it to be about, and I almost put it down when I realized it was an argument for a vegan diet. But by a few chapters in, I was quite intrigued by the connections he drew between socially acceptable violence toward people and animals.
5. Night out.
Midnight opening of Half-Blood Prince!
6. Workshop or Conference.
G-Fest. The yearly Godzilla Fan Festival in Chicago. We went there because Seth is such a huge Godzilla fan, but we all had a blast. It's always fun being surrounded by people who are passionate about something!
7. Blog Find.
Waging Nonviolence. Happenings in the world of nonviolent social change.
8. Moment of Peace.
On Flagstaff Hill in Pittsburgh at the Mass Meditation for Peace before the People's March to the G20. Sitting outside on a grass hillside overlooking the city of Pittsburg with a group of people thinking about, praying for, and/or meditating on peace.
9. Challenge.
Has been and still is trying to figure out how to live joyfully *and* ethically in this world. I pretty much feel like my life -- everything I have & do -- is at the expense of someone else, or lots of someone elses, around the planet. I haven't gotten very far in figuring anything out around that conflict or in figuring out anything to do to make a real difference -- makes for lots of sleepless nights.
10. Best Album
Playing for Change -- Songs Around the World. Love the idea of linking people all over the world together through music.
11. Best Place
In a canoe on the Little Miami River near where we live. We had a blast, all 5 of us squished up in that little canoe, and it had been way too long since I'd been swimming in a river. Aaaaaah.
12. New Food.
The cheeseless veggie pizza Leslie made when we had Mom's night out at her house! Happy, happy to discover I could love pizza without cheese!
13. Change you made to the place you live.
Incorporating a work space for Matt to work from home!!!!
14. Rush.
An early morning trail run in the woods on a misty summer morning. No one else around. It was like running through the afterlife-in-the-jungle setting of Thich Nhat Hanh's haunting poem/play The Path of Return Continues the Journey.
"It is neither Hell nor Heaven. And it's not as far away from the world of the living as people generally believe."
15. Best Packaging.
Obama -- same old service to corporate and military interests wrapped in the appearance of & energy of so much "hope and change".
16. Tea of the Year.
I'm more of an iced tea fan than hot tea fan. Loving Panera's fruity-sweet iced green tea and Starbucks' minty iced green tea.
17. Word or Phrase. "2009 was..."
Travel!
18. Shop.
Craig's List, Amazon one-click shopping, and The Hunger Site.
19. Car ride.
My solo trip to Pittsburgh. Left home at around 3:30 a.m. by myself to drive 5 hours to a place I'd never been before for something I really, really wanted to do.
20. New person.
The very nice couple who helped me find my way -- on foot and by bus -- back across Pittsburgh to where I'd parked my car before the disorientingly long and winding March!
And Dona, sweet peacemaker friend, who I'd met through Facebook and spent a day hanging out and hiking with.
21. Project.
Experimenting with vegan cooking and baking.
And the Unschooling-in-Action collages I made from photos I had taken all year that are now framed and hanging on our living room wall. "So many great memories" we keep saying.
22. Start-up.
Fickle Skateboards and Galaxie Skateshop
23. Web tool.
Not new, but new-to-me. My ancient but loved cell phone died this year, and I like being able to upload pictures to my blog or facebook from my new cell phone.
24. Learning Experience
Oh, it's *all* a learning experience!
25. Gift.
Argh, I can't pick just one thing. I'm choosing the gift of gifting, of giving or doing something that brightens someones holiday or regular old day.
26. Insight.
That it's not so much about figuring out how to change anyone else but how/who to be within the situations that exist.
27. Social Web Moment.
The comment thread with my childhood friends' memories of my Mom.
28. Stationery.
A spiral notebook?
29. Biggest Belly Laugh.
It doesn't work so well to tell the story, but it had to do with a Beavis and Butthead moment Matt had while we were all in the car talking about food. "heh, heh...fat nuts."
30. Ad.
Where the Wild Things Are movie trailers.
31. Resolution I wish I'd stuck with.
Trail running. There was always about as much walking in my efforts to run as there was actual running, but it was fun. I quit when my running shoes wore out & it was mid-summer and really hot. New shoes are now on the way, though.
1. Best Trip.
We got to travel so much over the past year thanks, mostly, to Matt's job change & I loved each and every trip, whether we were out seeing new sites or hanging out in hotel rooms & pools. The whole year has been a trip: Chicago & it's suburbs several times, middle-of-nowhere Indiana, Middle-of-nowhere Illinois, Memphis, Pittsburgh twice, DC, Baltimore...
2. Restaurant Moment.
Chowpatti vegetarian restaurant in Arlington Heights, IL outside of Chicago. The moment that stands out for me is when Seth walked up to the owner & told her that her food "tastes like heaven."
3. Article.
I love most everything Glenn Greenwald & Norman Solomon wrote all year. But the thing that popped into my head was not an article but a series Jason Jones did on the Daily Show called "Behind the Veil" where he travelled through Iran trying to show the real people we might want to think about in between episodes of "all options are on the table" bravado.
4. Book.
Will Tuttle's World Peace Diet. It wasn't at all what I was expecting it to be about, and I almost put it down when I realized it was an argument for a vegan diet. But by a few chapters in, I was quite intrigued by the connections he drew between socially acceptable violence toward people and animals.
5. Night out.
Midnight opening of Half-Blood Prince!
6. Workshop or Conference.
G-Fest. The yearly Godzilla Fan Festival in Chicago. We went there because Seth is such a huge Godzilla fan, but we all had a blast. It's always fun being surrounded by people who are passionate about something!
7. Blog Find.
Waging Nonviolence. Happenings in the world of nonviolent social change.
8. Moment of Peace.
On Flagstaff Hill in Pittsburgh at the Mass Meditation for Peace before the People's March to the G20. Sitting outside on a grass hillside overlooking the city of Pittsburg with a group of people thinking about, praying for, and/or meditating on peace.
9. Challenge.
Has been and still is trying to figure out how to live joyfully *and* ethically in this world. I pretty much feel like my life -- everything I have & do -- is at the expense of someone else, or lots of someone elses, around the planet. I haven't gotten very far in figuring anything out around that conflict or in figuring out anything to do to make a real difference -- makes for lots of sleepless nights.
10. Best Album
Playing for Change -- Songs Around the World. Love the idea of linking people all over the world together through music.
11. Best Place
In a canoe on the Little Miami River near where we live. We had a blast, all 5 of us squished up in that little canoe, and it had been way too long since I'd been swimming in a river. Aaaaaah.
12. New Food.
The cheeseless veggie pizza Leslie made when we had Mom's night out at her house! Happy, happy to discover I could love pizza without cheese!
13. Change you made to the place you live.
Incorporating a work space for Matt to work from home!!!!
14. Rush.
An early morning trail run in the woods on a misty summer morning. No one else around. It was like running through the afterlife-in-the-jungle setting of Thich Nhat Hanh's haunting poem/play The Path of Return Continues the Journey.
"It is neither Hell nor Heaven. And it's not as far away from the world of the living as people generally believe."
15. Best Packaging.
Obama -- same old service to corporate and military interests wrapped in the appearance of & energy of so much "hope and change".
16. Tea of the Year.
I'm more of an iced tea fan than hot tea fan. Loving Panera's fruity-sweet iced green tea and Starbucks' minty iced green tea.
17. Word or Phrase. "2009 was..."
Travel!
18. Shop.
Craig's List, Amazon one-click shopping, and The Hunger Site.
19. Car ride.
My solo trip to Pittsburgh. Left home at around 3:30 a.m. by myself to drive 5 hours to a place I'd never been before for something I really, really wanted to do.
20. New person.
The very nice couple who helped me find my way -- on foot and by bus -- back across Pittsburgh to where I'd parked my car before the disorientingly long and winding March!
And Dona, sweet peacemaker friend, who I'd met through Facebook and spent a day hanging out and hiking with.
21. Project.
Experimenting with vegan cooking and baking.
And the Unschooling-in-Action collages I made from photos I had taken all year that are now framed and hanging on our living room wall. "So many great memories" we keep saying.
22. Start-up.
Fickle Skateboards and Galaxie Skateshop
23. Web tool.
Not new, but new-to-me. My ancient but loved cell phone died this year, and I like being able to upload pictures to my blog or facebook from my new cell phone.
24. Learning Experience
Oh, it's *all* a learning experience!
25. Gift.
Argh, I can't pick just one thing. I'm choosing the gift of gifting, of giving or doing something that brightens someones holiday or regular old day.
26. Insight.
That it's not so much about figuring out how to change anyone else but how/who to be within the situations that exist.
27. Social Web Moment.
The comment thread with my childhood friends' memories of my Mom.
28. Stationery.
A spiral notebook?
29. Biggest Belly Laugh.
It doesn't work so well to tell the story, but it had to do with a Beavis and Butthead moment Matt had while we were all in the car talking about food. "heh, heh...fat nuts."
30. Ad.
Where the Wild Things Are movie trailers.
31. Resolution I wish I'd stuck with.
Trail running. There was always about as much walking in my efforts to run as there was actual running, but it was fun. I quit when my running shoes wore out & it was mid-summer and really hot. New shoes are now on the way, though.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Nutcracker Ballet
Today, my sister came up from Frankfort to go to the Nutcracker Ballet with me and Maya.
Maya and my sis
Checking out the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra before the ballet started
Maya and my sis
Checking out the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra before the ballet started
In front of the cool ceiling lights at the Aronoff Center
Friday, December 18, 2009
Zombie Walk
Heading out for a winter walk in our neighborhood to "search for zombies." We found lots of evidence of the zombie apocalypse sprawled all over the ground in neighbors' yards -- crumpled up Homer & Bart Simpson, crumpled santas, a crumpled snowman, crumpled penguins, and even a crumpled Grinch.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Win-Win
We had an interesting game of Monopoly Jr unfold yesterday. As per the rules, we all started with the same amount of cash in hand at the beginning of the game. We all used the same strategy -- buy any & every property you land on so you can rake in the rent payments. The only variable was the roll of the dice.
After the first couple of passes around the board, I had happened to land on the majority of properties and was sitting back collecting money way quicker than I was spending it. Seth was in the middle and his trips around the board were hit or miss -- sometimes coming out a bit ahead, sometimes behind but fairly close to even. Riley was not so lucky. The first couple of trips around the board he seemed to land on everything except property to buy. After Seth and I had most of the property, most of Riley's turns ended up costing him rent to one or the other of us, and his money dwindled quickly.
When Riley got down to his last dollar and landed on my property, which rented for $3, Seth piped up and said, "I don't want to play this as a win-lose game." I asked him what he suggested we do. He said he had plenty of extra money, and just gave Riley some. "You have even more, ya know, Mom." So I gave him a handful. Then Seth decided to sell Riley one of his properties and I sold him a couple, and everyone was able to stay in the game as we continued to play.
Ewww -- pay no attention to the messy kitchen in the background. We had better things to do than housework, apparently. (See foreground)
After the first couple of passes around the board, I had happened to land on the majority of properties and was sitting back collecting money way quicker than I was spending it. Seth was in the middle and his trips around the board were hit or miss -- sometimes coming out a bit ahead, sometimes behind but fairly close to even. Riley was not so lucky. The first couple of trips around the board he seemed to land on everything except property to buy. After Seth and I had most of the property, most of Riley's turns ended up costing him rent to one or the other of us, and his money dwindled quickly.
When Riley got down to his last dollar and landed on my property, which rented for $3, Seth piped up and said, "I don't want to play this as a win-lose game." I asked him what he suggested we do. He said he had plenty of extra money, and just gave Riley some. "You have even more, ya know, Mom." So I gave him a handful. Then Seth decided to sell Riley one of his properties and I sold him a couple, and everyone was able to stay in the game as we continued to play.
Ewww -- pay no attention to the messy kitchen in the background. We had better things to do than housework, apparently. (See foreground)
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
It's Starting To Look and Feel Like Christmas Here
Cold, grey, & dark outside, warm and twinkly in the house.
I'm thinking it's about time to add the smell of cookies baking.
I'm thinking it's about time to add the smell of cookies baking.
Monday, December 7, 2009
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Saturday, December 5, 2009
Monday, November 30, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Wednesday Gratitude
Well, here we are at the final Wednesday Gratitude day and I'm thinking I *really* wish I had written mine out earlier in the week before all the news yesterday and today about carrying on with the whole War is Peace thing. Yeah, we all knew it was coming, but don't you just like that in-between time where you can hang on to a shred of hope that something will be done to turn the old Business as Usual on it's head?!
1. I'm thankful we'll be in Chicago next week when the official War is Peace speech/advertisement is supposed to happen. Glad I'll be somewhere where I can find people gathering together to speak out, even though I'm pretty sure the decider types don't listen.
2. I'm thankful to be spending today and tomorrow baking & cooking with Matt & Ri & Maya & Seth.
3. I'm thankful that for the last several years we've been leaving behind old holiday traditions that were stressing everyone out and creating our own happier traditions.
4. I'm thankful that things like Farm Sanctuary exist and that "our" adopted turkey gets to live there.
5. I'm thankful for the shift in mood that a little gratitude brings. Thank you, Clint, for the idea and Clint, Frank, Sandra, Lisa, and everyone else who has played along. Loved reading all of your posts each week!
1. I'm thankful we'll be in Chicago next week when the official War is Peace speech/advertisement is supposed to happen. Glad I'll be somewhere where I can find people gathering together to speak out, even though I'm pretty sure the decider types don't listen.
2. I'm thankful to be spending today and tomorrow baking & cooking with Matt & Ri & Maya & Seth.
3. I'm thankful that for the last several years we've been leaving behind old holiday traditions that were stressing everyone out and creating our own happier traditions.
4. I'm thankful that things like Farm Sanctuary exist and that "our" adopted turkey gets to live there.
5. I'm thankful for the shift in mood that a little gratitude brings. Thank you, Clint, for the idea and Clint, Frank, Sandra, Lisa, and everyone else who has played along. Loved reading all of your posts each week!
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Highfield Discovery Garden
These are from a few weeks ago. Matt and Riley were away for the day on a skatepark trip. Maya, Seth and I spent an afternoon at the Highfield Discovery Garden at Glenwood Gardens in Cincinnati.
Seth's new joy: saying, "Mom, come take a picture!" Then running away just before I snap the picture.
Scavenger Hunt
Seth's new joy: saying, "Mom, come take a picture!" Then running away just before I snap the picture.
Scavenger Hunt
Spotting fish and frogs in the pond
In the center of a spiral pathway
Seth's picture posing trickery again! Look at that *joy*! Love it!!!
Seth's picture posing trickery again! Look at that *joy*! Love it!!!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Wednesday Gratitude
A few of the things I'm thankful for:
1. All of the new things we've gotten to see and do and learn about this week in Baltimore and D.C. -- the museums, the aquarium, the metro, the harbor, the parks. And I'm thankful that we get to do those kinds of things when there aren't big crowds.
2. I'm not usually thankful for my Kentucky accent, but this week we got to meet and chat with several people because of it -- must have really stood out here! One was surprised that we live in KY but don't own any horses. Another was surprised that our grass is not really blue. If anyone was surprised that we were wearing shoes, they were too nice to say so! ;-)
3. For learning that sounds like "Oooooh, look at this!" or "Hey, check this out!"
4. For candy -- because of general yummy goodness & because something so simple can make such a huge difference on a mile-long walk with tired kids at the end of the day.
5. For some upcoming down time with no plans.
1. All of the new things we've gotten to see and do and learn about this week in Baltimore and D.C. -- the museums, the aquarium, the metro, the harbor, the parks. And I'm thankful that we get to do those kinds of things when there aren't big crowds.
2. I'm not usually thankful for my Kentucky accent, but this week we got to meet and chat with several people because of it -- must have really stood out here! One was surprised that we live in KY but don't own any horses. Another was surprised that our grass is not really blue. If anyone was surprised that we were wearing shoes, they were too nice to say so! ;-)
3. For learning that sounds like "Oooooh, look at this!" or "Hey, check this out!"
4. For candy -- because of general yummy goodness & because something so simple can make such a huge difference on a mile-long walk with tired kids at the end of the day.
5. For some upcoming down time with no plans.
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