Today I finally got myself all switched over to my bank account here in CO, that feels good. Then I went to a park and took a walk around the lake. It's about 50 degrees here, so there weren't too many people out, just lots of geese. A group of them took off from the lake and flew right over my head. I could actually hear their wings beating the air.

I'm still job hunting. It feels like am living a ghost life right now. I don't feel like I exist fully because I can't really go out and do much since I have to save money, I hardly know anyone and I am alone all day with my thoughts. It could be much worse though, I have to remind myself this.

On the week of Christmas I am house/pet sitting for one of Tara's co-workers, Art, who I have met a couple of times. He has a dog named Mocha, two cats and a ferret. He lives close to here so I don't have to spend the night. I am a little afraid of being bitten by the ferret. One of my brothers friends had one when we were kids and he brought if over to our house and it bit my dad. Yes sir, I remember that.

I want to leave you with this warning...





Sorry it is turned the wrong way. It must have gotten knocked over.

The Democratic debate last night

We all watched the Democratic debate last night. It was a little frustrating; the moderator was asking a number of questions that were trying to draw lines between the candidates, but with questions that were not that important. For some reason the media has latched onto this question of, would you give drivers licences to illegal immigrants? They had every single person answer this question and it took up lots of time with each person wanting to explain why they answered yes or no.

Obama made the point that this question is not important- people aren't crossing the borders to drive. They are coming here to work. Whether they have a drivers licence or not is not the point. Obama said he would give them licences because it improves public safety- which I agree with- but again--not the point and time wasting. Instead they could have been talking about what kind of paths they would lay out for legalization to keep from criminalizing a gross number of people for just wanting to make a living where they are able to.

Dennis Kucinich nearly refused to answer the question because it asked about "illegal immigrants." He said that people can not be illegal, they are simply not documented. I liked that point--I think that is one of this countries issues is criminalizing people that just don't deserve it. I like most all of what Kucinich has to say. I like that he is not afraid to say what he really believes even it makes him not the most likely candidate to be elected. As much as I would like to support him for his unwavering support for peace- I don't think that he could win this election. It is messed up logic, I know, but I feel so desperate...desperate for change and simple sound reason that I want to support a person I agree with on issues and who feels genuine- but also who I think has a serious chance to win the presidency.

I think that Biden is hysterical and refreshing. I love that he doesn't conduct himself like someone running for president. Dodd really turns me off, and then last night when he said that he would protect national security over human rights I was officially done with him.

Bill Richardson is also refreshing. I want to give him a big hug and go eat lunch with him. He strikes me as really down to earth, reasonable and kind. Edwards- I don't know. With he and Hillary Clinton I don't feel like I am really seeing them. Particularly Clinton- it feels to me like she is always putting on a face. This may be normal in politics, but I don't want a normal politician for president, or even a good politician. More than that I want a good person and one who wants to do things differently.

Not that you ever really know from what they say what they will do, but I find Obama much more moving and straight forward. The way he speaks and what he says tells me that he is a thinker and that is important to me. He doesn't lose me in political jargon or cliche- I just feel like we are really seeing him- not just a political face. Of course they all show us what they want to for reasons they have given much thought to-sure. I don't know.

I don't even believe in the whole two party system. I think it is ludicrous. What are parties even for? A person should be able to run under their name and their ideas on the issues that matter. Parties are meaningless and create a false dichotomy. Conservative/liberal, good/evil- that is not a reasonable way to see people or the world. I can't believe in 2007 we are still functioning this way.

Ok, no more going on. But again I would like to restate my desire to sit down to lunch and drinks with Bill Richardson- and Joe Biden too. Wouldn't that be a fun afternoon? I have a very firm stance on fun. I like to have it and if it involves food, all the better. That's all I have to say.

Went to Boulder

The other day Matt, Tara and I went on a hike with Tara' friend Art and his dog Mocha. It began about 5 min. from home in the valley, but we were into black bear country in an hour. We saw so much bear scat that we must have been walking right through the bear in the area's bathroom. In fact, we diverged from the trail and followed what must have been bear trails because the grasses were matted down, but not worn to the dirt and the scat followed the beaten down weeds so we kept stepping over it. Tara and I got off the "path" to water the vegetation and found a bunch of bones. They looked like they were part of a large animal's back bone and scapula.

We hiked to the top of a foothill and bushwacked our way down. Art is not a big believer in established trails so I don't know if I can duplicate our hike. I was pretty wrecked after the hike. Going down a steep hill on no trail beat up my knees and ankles. It was cured soon after lunch at a Mexican restaurant with the best salsa I have ever had. Yes, salsa cures sore joints- but only if there is plenty of cilantro.

Yesterday Tara, Matt, Joseph and I went to Boulder. It took just over a half an hour and was a beautiful drive. We ate lunch and window shopped on Pearl street, a pedestrian area full of shops and restaurants. I found the greatest shop called Two Hands Paperie. They sold hand made stationary, cards, paper, sealing wax and seals, books on paper cafts...heaven. It was the kind of store I would open, but mine would also have yarn and coffee.

We had a really nice day and after eating dessert twice and talking to a neighborhood cat, came home.

Read a great book!

I just finished reading The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon, on loan from Kirk. What a wonderful book! It had an epic feel about it because of the weight of what one of the main characters, Joe Cavalier, goes through and the years that it spans, from the 1920's America to the 50's.

Joseph Cavalier, a follower of Houdini, escapes to the US from Nazi-invaded Prague as a 17 year old. He comes to live with his cousin Sammy Clayman. They get into the business of writing and drawing comic books while Joe is trying the save money and take steps to get the rest of his family out of Prague, which proves to be a task that changes his whole course. Here is a quote about escape that I like from the book.

"...the usual charge leveled against comic books, that they offered merely an easy escape from reality, seemed to Joe actually to be a powerful argument on their behalf. He had escaped, in his life, from ropes, chains, boxes, bags, and crates, from handcuffs and shackles, from countries and regimes, from the arms of a woman who loved him, from crashed airplanes and an opiate addiction and from an entire frozen continent intent on causing his death. The escape from reality was, he felt-especially right after the war-a worthy challenge."

How could we all deal with the tediousness of life as well as the repercussions from everything that we do without allowing ourselves escape? That is one of the reasons I love to read so much. I get to be outside of my own life for a while and even though the characters are fictional, I feel like I am getting to know more about the world I live in somehow.

Anyway, thanks Kirk for the book loan- you are a good friend to make such a wise recommendation. I've already requested another Michael Chabon book from BookMooch. It is called The Final Solution: A Story of Detection. It's about a retired beekeeper in Sussex who meets a boy with an african gray parrot that recites German numbers. I guess it is about the man trying to figure out what these numbers mean and the story of the boy and the bird.


A new thing with me--I got my own domain name! I don't have an actual page up at the address yet, but I will update my progress here. I don't have a program to put together a site, so I am starting to learn html so that I can write it myself. I don't want to put it up until it at least resembles a real web page and has some content worth coming for. The address is going to be www.grumpybunnyprojects.com
In years to come I would love to be able to sell some craft projects from it- but it will start out as a personal-just for fun- page.

Well, I've got to tweak my resume for a research writer position I saw yesterday. Sounds fun, eh?

a movie to miss

So here is a note on that movie Dead End Road that we watched on Halloween. The movie box said that it was"the best independent horror film of 2005." We came to realize as the night went on that there must have been very few independent horror movies put out in 2005. My friends, you can afford to miss this one. I owe you this information if we are close enough for you to be interested in what I am up to. May it serve you well.

Joseph and I recently went camping in the Rocky Mountain National Park for a couple of nights. Wow. I am completely in love with the fact that I can drive 2 hours and be in such a dramatically beautiful and moving place. Since it is late October, as we hiked and got higher in elevation we went from a few patches of slushy snow in the shade to knee deep snow when we got above tree line.

We didn't see much wildlife- I think because we camped in a canyon with a glacier capping the end. It was at about 10,500 ft. It was cold at night but not horrible, in the 20's, but during the day it got into the 50's and 60's depending on how high you were. We hiked up to an alpine lake, Glass Lake, above the trees over this rock field with huge boulders covered in snow that go up to meet a nearly vertical rock wall.

It was a good trip, but for now, two nights on the cold ground is enough for me. As we were hiking out and got closer to the trail head where people were casually day hiking, the fresh clean people would pass us and they all smelled sooo good- like shampoo, soap, flowers and coconut...Then I realized that it wasn't that they smelled strangely good, but that we stunk badly. Hhmm, yes we smelled and my hair was a rat's nest. When we got out of the park we went straight to a bbq restaurant in Estes Park where I got a giant chili cheese burger and a beer. I like Colorado.

Tara's costume!

Sorry, this is the only way I could get the pic to load.

Happy Halloween!!

It is Halloween morning and Simon and I are on the couch watching a Halloween themed morning show. I got up at about 6:45 this morning to help get Tara ready to go to work. They are having a contest for the best costume and she is going as Little Dead Riding Hood. Unfortunately she was not as lucky as the original Little Red Riding Hood who got away from the wolf. I made her hooded cape because we couldn't find a red hooded cape in the stores.

Tara and I were saying that she should go into work this morning and say, "I'm not feeling very well. Does anyone have an aspirin?"

Tonight Tara, Matt, Joseph and I are watching scary movies- Rear Window and Dead End Road. Hopefully we will get lots of trick-or-treaters. We got some good chocolate candy that we have all been forbidden to eat. (But we ALL have.)

We also carved pumpkins a few days ago and they are already shriveling. Tara and Joseph saved the pumpkin seeds and we toasted them with salt- delicious!
I have a pic of Tara's costume in its final state, but I can't get it to upload right now. I will get it up later.
Happy Halloween!!

And the job search continues...It seems that I am under qualified or over qualified for the majority of jobs in the Denver metropolitan area. It's like there is this chasm between jobs that require no previous experience- and usually only that you have graduated from high school (which is where I am because I never want to make glasses again) and all of the rest of the jobs that require at least two years of experience.

Grr...it doesn't surprise me but still grrr. I have applied for a couple of jobs, neither or which do I really really want- but I am getting cabin fever and need to get out of the house more.

Joseph has had two interviews with Davita, a dialysis center. It is sounding good so far.

I am tired of being on the computer--between yesterday and today I have sifted through about 1,600 jobs. My number has got to come up sometime--"Looking for a young creative person who has a passion for inventing ice cream flavors and reading books when business is slow." Surely that combination of letters and words will make its way into the Denver Post before too long.

Tonight Tara is making us veggie burgers with avocado and asparagus on the side. It's the least she could do after leaving us alone all day while she "works," what ever she wants to call it.

Can I get some oxygen over here?!

I have now exercised for 4 days straight. Yes me. Joseph and I are trying to take up jogging and there is this great park with a lake right by the library. There is a path around it and the mountains are within view the whole way. We ran opposite directions around the lake so we saw each other half way around and confirmed that we had both already had to stop and walk--darn mountain air- can I get more oxygen please? So our goal for our next run is to meet halfway around having not walked. Lofty goal? oh yes, we are big time.

Right now Joseph and Tara are watching the movie The Grudge. I've seen it before and they are both asking a million questions and debating whether the light should be on or off. They are so cute.

Guess What!!

Just wanted to say...Joseph and I got engaged!!!! It was that day we went to Berheim Forest in Kentucky. We were walking through this beautiful garden area around a lake and stopped under an oak tree and were picking up acorns because we were talking about trying to grow one. So I am standing there with a handful of acorns and all dirty and sweaty from being in the woods and climbing trees- and he asks me. Which was strangely nerve racking but wonderful.

It was a great day. Earlier that day we were walking a trail and I found an injured bat right on the path. It was such a sweet looking thing and we really wanted to help it, so we called the nature center, but they said no one was around to care for it. Plus we didn't have anything to transport it in. We got it off of the trail with a big stick. It was able to cling to the stick, just not able to fly. It looked like its right wing was injured. We watched it for a long time. It was special to be so close to this animal that you never get to have closeness with, but it was so pitiful and we finally had to walk on and leave it. We left it some water in a leaf, knowing that it was going to die.

So here we are, in Littleton and all moved in to Tara and Matt's house with most of our belongings in storage. The trip out wasn't so bad and Simon traveled like a pro, napping on and off most of the way and only meowing when we stopped at gas stations thinking surely it must be time for dinner this time.

It will be awhile before we achieve any sense of normalcy I'm sure, but for now all is well and we are happy enough sorting through it all.

Last day at the LensCrafters!! (oh happy day)

It's my last day at LensCrafters today!!! I am really excited about that, but it would probably be rude to bring champagne into work to celebrate. Anyway, I just wanted to share the happy news.
We are really feeling ready to do this move I think. The stress is gone for now and I am just excited for such a huge change of environment.
Plus, I get to drive a 16 ft. truck that is trailing a car across the country through amazing cities like Kansas City and Junction City...watch out America!! I'm coming through; please give me a wide berth!

how did the dadaists get in our house?

Today Joseph and I are off work. I am packing up boxes of books and he is trying to fix a wiring problem in the house so that we can leave it better than we found it. It has now been determined my him that our house was actually wired by dadaists. He tells me, Look out at the garage. Is the light turning off now?
No.
Now?
No.
Now?
Yes.
Are you serious!"

It is now 1:53pm and I haven't brushed my teeth yet today. Hmm...well at least I have a plan of action-
brush teeth
pack more boxes.

Joseph, Simon and I are officially moving October 2nd. We will be moving in with wonderful Tara and wonderful Matt until we get our feet under us-jobs and therefore an apt. For the record, Matt and Tara are good generous respectable people and everyone should be nice to them. As soon as Joseph and I have our own address I will lets friends and family know. Also, I am going to get a local Littleton phone number for my cell phone soon too, so I will also send that out later.
peace and cheer folks!

I haven't posted in a long time, not because I am quitting this blog, but I am attempting to not have a melt down with all this moving across the country in three weeks business. My mind is so occupied that after I feed Simon at the crack of dawn because it is the only way I will be allowed to go back to sleep- I get back in bed and can not go back to sleep because I am thinking--take the rolled coins to the bank, pack more boxes of things we won't need to use for the next three weeks, what will we not need to use in the next three weeks, go have pants for job interview hemmed, take back library books, mow lawn, oh god, where will I get a job--and so on.

Please come back to visit once I am more settled, but for now I probably won't post too often- must avert melt down. I know writing is a good way to relax, but I just feel like there aren't enough hours in the day right now. Well, I guess there are enough hours for me to have been watching really old Alias episodes with near addiction regularity and fervor, but this is me blowing off steam at the end of the work day because I work with a fare amount of people who are evidently incapable of doing their jobs correctly. Uuuoh, need to go to my happy place-

Ahh, that's better. There's nothing a lightsaber wielding Batman and Darth Vader won't cure.

bonsai!

Yesterday Joseph and I went to a bonsai shop in Louisville owned by this old man. We were going to just look around- we have been thinking of trying our hands at bonsai--but we ended up coming home with a little starter tree. It is a Brazilian Raintree and is about seven years old. It will be a good tree to learn on because it can be inside or outside and is in general very tolerant. Its leaves close up at night and then open up again in the morning. I like that it shows that it feels the difference between day and night. Also, it has half inch thorns on it that aren't very sharp but it is a nice contrast to its tiny feathery soft leaves.


We hope to have a number of bonsai someday and even when we are living in an apartment, we can keep them on a balcony and then inside for the winter. Some of them can stay outside for winter, but they do better if they can be planted in the actual earth so that the roots stay more warm than they would in a pot.

At the shop where we got our tree, the man had a 70 year old raintree that was just beautiful. I hope ours will be that big someday- not that that is what it is about, but it was just so beautiful. Here is a photo of it.



The amazing thing about bonsai is how they can be so small and yet be very old and have all of the character and rough weathered look of full size tree, but be even more expressive since you can affect the shape.

Well, this weekend is my mom's birthday and I am going home to Martinsville, plus Tara and Matt are flying in. It will be a good weekend.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

I just got back from visiting Joseph's brother and wife in Asheville, NC. We only had a three day visit, but it was a great time. Asheville is my kind of town- lots of privately owned interesting shops and places to eat. They had a double-decker bus among the buildings that had been converted to a coffee house/bus and had its own address.

We went on a day hike in the Pisgah forest off the Blue Ridge Parkway. We did about 7.5 miles and started at 6am and got to see the sunrise from the top of a mountain. It was a little cool up there and very windy. There were wild blueberries and black berries growing along part of the trail, so we did a lot of foraging. We would be walking along and realize Joseph was gone- and he would be back there shoulder deep in blueberry bushes.

We went swimming in a cold cold mountain swimming hole. It was about seven feet deep and was literally clear to the bottom. There was this perfect rock to jump off of in to the water about 10 feet up. There was a group of elderly people at the hole when we got there and they all watched us jump in and cheered us. It was funny. Really, I'm glad they were watching otherwise I may have chickened out. It was officially the coldest water I have ever been in and just perfectly picturesque.

We also went to some gardens outside of Asheville that had a bonsai garden. It was amazing to see all of these different bonsai. I had thought that they had to be a certain kind of plant, but that is not true. It can be any kind of tree or shrub. Joseph wants to learn how to do bonsai and I would love to try too, but it will be a while because we want to grow ours from seeds. Ask me about it in a couple of years...

saw a yoga competition

Today Patricia, who I work with, and I went to the regional Indiana Birkham yoga competition to see another friend from work compete. It was held at a monastery in Floyd Knobs. The top two men and women get to go to L.A. for the national competition...and our friend Steve, who is in his 40's won second place! Really there weren't very many men competing, just 3, but we were proud of him.

I was so impressed with these people. Not everyone was great, and there were all body types. Which is really what impresses me the most. That some of these people have the gumption to get up in front of all of these people and do the best poses that their body can do, knowing that they are not really competing to win.

The woman who won is actually my friend Steve's teacher. She can back bend until her head is between her feet and hold all of her body weight, parallel to the ground on her fingers. I am thinking back to my one college yoga class that Tara and I took together...fun but it didn't last long enough to make any kind of progress. Maybe I will try to get into it at home on my own since classes are so expensive. It would be good for my back- it still gives me trouble; it aches most days, and I never even did anything to it that I know of. I have just been touched by the bad back fairy.

suit shopping with Angelo

Yesterday Joseph and I had the day off together and we went out to this wacky restaurant called Lynn's Paradise Cafe in Louisville. I had Bourbon Ball French Toast and Joseph had eggs with fried green tomatoes. And I now know that I love fried green tomatoes. Ahhh...Kentucky thank you for showing me the way.

So after our delicious brunch, we went suit shopping for Joseph. We went to this great store that we were referred to and had a really good time with it. The tailor there was called Angelo. He was this short trim older Italian man with perfectly wavy hair and unwavering confidence. We would ask him a question like are there other white shirts that could go with this suit? And almost before we have finished asking he says, no no, this is the shirt.
We did not question Angelo. We told him how much we wanted to spend and he made Joseph look great for that amount. Isn't it nice when people are really good at their jobs? It was so funny to watch him chalk Joseph up in the suit. He is tugging and pinning and folding all around his bottom--and Joseph trying to stand so still and look straight ahead as instructed--Angelo whipping the measuring tape all around, rolling it up and then zinging it out of his hand again. I enjoyed watching that.

Pretty droplets- Nancy Rose

Pretty droplets
Originally uploaded by Nancy Rose

I am trying out creating some posts from the flickr photo site and occasionally posting photos taken by others that I really like. I love looking at other peoples pictures. You get to see what they find- It's like having millions of sets of eyes.

I like these water droplets caught on the spider web. First I thought they were on a window pane, but no a spider web.

Well, tomorrow morning Joseph and I are driving to Grams and Grandpa's house to visit for the day and then going to a LensCrafters pool party thing in the evening. Oh my, bathing suit clad drunken co-workers...we shall see. It is a going away party because one of my managers that I actually like has found a new and better job. Cheers Kelly! May Patricia and I follow in your level headed foot steps with our belief in the human race still relatively in tact.

New music

I found two new singer/songwriters. Not that they are really obscure, but...anyway one is A Fine Frenzy. I heard her on public radio singing this song called Almost Lover. It makes you want to cry; it is so beautiful and sad. Her whole album One Cell In The Sea is worth checking out- she is sort of dreamy but still strong voiced. The other person I found is Brandi Carlile. She sounds sort of folk/rock with a earthy and bold voice. The Indigo Girls sing with her on one song on her album The Story-automatic credit for her!! Come to think of it she has a similar voice to Amy Ray. Finding new music by people I have never heard feels like finding precious stones in a drab wall of rock. Thank goodness people make music. I, myself am a listener, not a maker. (Thank you mom for having hope and giving me piano lessons anyway.)

Today I was trying to get old pictures on my computer that I had on disk and I found a disk of photos from Japan. It was strange to see them. That all seemed like it was lived by some other girl- even though I still can feel it all like it was yesterday if I stop and remember. How funny that we will put ourselves in these compromised situations, like we can step back out of splatter range and just see what happens. splat.

Still, there are good things.

Vet day

woohoo, I just got a call about a possible job in Littleton- I haven't scared them off yet so that is good. I am off work today and am stranded at home because I have taken my car in to get a new master cylinder. I also took Simon into the vet this morning for his annual shots. He did a pretty good job because we were the only people/animals in the office at the time. But still he made these noises when the vet was handling him like he was possessed and his head was getting ready to spin around- poor guy. I have never seen him scurry into his carrier as fast as he did after his shots. Any thing to get home away from the man with the hands.

And I did better this time too. Last time he got his shots in bloomington, he sounded so scared that I got tears in my eyes and had to turn away from the vet. Even though I know he is ok, I can't stand to hear the kitty terror in his little cat screams. I just love the darn feline. He is now over 6 years old. I've had him since my junior year of college. I remember when I first got him from the shelter and he was still a kitten. I had classes the next day and had to leave him in the apt. alone--or with Keith-my roommate's nutty video obsessed vegan mustached boyfriend. I walk/ran all the way home from class to check on the little kitten. I wish more people would get their pets from animal shelters. So many people have to give up pets or lose pets for one reason or another.

Here he is with me as I am trying to wrap up a book to mail off this morning. He has to be in the middle of everything.

Finished The Deathly Hallow

THIS POST CONTAINS HARRY POTTER SPOILERS!...if you don't want to see them, start reading after the pic
I finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows last night. Overall I was really pleased with the book and the way that it brought the series to a close. There are some cloudy areas that I didn't think were explained very well- they were just a little distracting. Mainly, how did Harry not die when Voldemort hit him with the killing curse when Harry gave himself up? The books explains that because he did give himself up with out other motives that is why he lived. hmmm...but um, why? I don't see how that would affect the spell.

Then I couldn't remember why Draco was the rightful owner of the elderwand before Harry won it from him. I must be forgetting something.

The important thing is that...I was right about Snape! He was loyal to Dumbledore and the school. Joseph and I were talking about the fact that he didn't get much credit though for what he did. He had to be in a really dangerous position and be made to look a "bad guy" at Hogwarts--Harry cleared his name sure, but he didn't seem to get the attention he deserved after he died.

I didn't like the "nineteen years later" chapter. Cheesy. Plus, I don't like people always getting named after others. This in itself is a topic for me- I won't go into it now, lucky for you, I can really get going on that one.
But over all, I give the book a big thumbs up. I like the tug between the horcruxes and the hallows- that was fun. Well played.

Here is a picture of Joseph and I cooking the other night. We made orange glazed pork chops and rice pilaf. We ate dinner at about 10:30, but we had lots of fun. I am wearing Tara's old Moonstruck apron from when she worked at the chocolate shop in Bloomington. That was my favorite job of hers. Why ever change from a career in chocolate and giving your sister free stuff?

Bloomington and the Deathly Hallows

Yesterday Joseph and I drove up to Bloomington for our last visit with Kirk and Megan before we move. We had a nice little slumber party. First some dinner and black and tans at the Irish Lion and then today we had breakfast at Uptown Cafe (cottage cheese pancakes Tara!) and played miniature golf.

Joseph and I took a walk down town before we all met up. I love walking in Bloomington. There are always interesting people to look at, flowers growing- just good walking atmosphere. We saw a guy playing the recorder on a corner of Kirkwood and some hippy types on the courthouse lawn with mixing bowls and boxes with a sign hanging- "free meal." I took a picture of some graffiti in an alley that Joseph knew about. They are utility meters that look so real that I didn't even see the graffiti. We walked by Howard's Bookstore on the square and all three of their cats were sitting by the front glass doors watching the people go by on the side walk. These cats just roam the store. It somehow seems really appropriate for a cat to be rubbing up on your legs while you shop for books. I don't know why.

Kirk loaned me the book, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay. However this book has to wait in line for me to finish my Atwood book, The Robber Bride I got from my Aunt Tammy and then I must read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. We got this book shipped to us on the big day and now it seems like everyone is reading it- Megan during pauses in the conversation last night, Joseph on the couch next to me right now, the girl in the cooking supply store today, my 60 year old co-worker...

It is great to see people going bananas for a book. Really, for a book to be making any kind of news at all is a good thing- refreshing. They have some much to compete with these days, but a well written story is so absorbing and you just keep thinking about it. Personally, having read all but one of the Harry Potter books up till this final one, I think that Dumbledore is not really dead. Did anyone catch those little Lord of the Rings movies? Wizards have a tendency to be hard to get rid of- plus, Dumbledore kept saying to trust Snape and so I do.

I think Snape hasn't really killed him. They were possibly in some agreement to make it look like Snape killed him so that the Dark Lord would not be watching for him to be there for Harry. (I just got to write a post with the words "Dark Lord" in it.) If Snape turns out to actually be fighting for the Dark Lord I am going to be disappointed in the story. It seems really important that he has a further layer to his character that is neither all good nor all bad, and isn't simply a person who was treated badly in his life and thus became bad. Please, anyone who is reading the Harry Potter books feel free to leave a comment with your theory about the the plot of the last book- it is fun to hear. Just no give aways if you already know what happens!


So back at home this evening we made bltaps- bacon lettuce tomato avacado pickle sandwiches and are now hanging out at our posts. Joseph with Harry Potter and I with the computer- doing our duties to our selves that desire entertaining and don't want to think about going to work tomorrow. After this...reading in bed with a cat curled up beside me.

Get on the bus for human extinction!

Ok, there is an organization out there that I have just heard about that totally indulges my negativity towards the human species. Really it is not a organization in the way of having meetings and a leader and such, but a movement with a looong term specific goal. It's called the Voluntary Human Extinction Movement. Their goal is to persuade people to stop breeding in order to reduce and eventually kill off the human race. They aren't a cult; they don't want people to kill others or themselves, just to stop having babies in order to avoid the destruction of earth's ecology.

So to be part of this group you just- decide not to have biological children. It is all so funny and serious at the same time. I mean it is a hysterical proposition to ask people not to make babies- it is instinctual, and it's fun! But also it's the only thing we can do to keep the good ole mother earth and her trees and frogs and waters from going down the toilet.

I feel pretty certain that the humans are going to muck it up in ultimate and permanent proportions- it is just a matter of time. It sounds fatalistic, I know, but I can not see how we all, across the world, can change our life styles in such a drastic way in so short a period of time that it would stop us in our greedy destructive little tracks. People in our government are calling global warming a theory...by the time a majority of the people (or the people with the power) honestly realize that this plane is going down if we don't do something drastic, it is already going to be too late.

I don't think our kids or our great great grandchildren will see the end, but I don't question that we are going to be the species shooting off the farewell fireworks at the end of the story.

Personally, I don't think that there is anything wrong with having your own children. I think it is a forward thinking and good thing to have just one or two, so that way as a couple you are decreasing the population by one, or at least just replacing yourselves. I don't know. It is so easy for me to give up on us, but it's because I believe that we are not any more important than all of the other species that are going extinct regularly under our noses. It seems that evolving consciousness is not so good for you in the long run.

It makes me think how many times I have watched my cat, Simon, sleeping on the floor and wished that like him I didn't know so much. Yes, yes, there are things I love about life as a person. Being in love, laughing with my mom and my sister, eating foods with more than one ingredient...I just wish we didn't have so much power.

Nutty Friday Nights

So it is 6pm on friday night and I just prepared a Publisher's Clearing House entry and Joseph is sleeping because he worked at 2:30am this morning. It's going to be a wild night at the callis/clere house tonight...watch out Clarksville; lock up your young men and your liquor.

Our going out recently has been movie focused. I have seen Ratatouille, Transformers and The Order of the Phoenix. Ok, Ratatouille- the worst thing about it is typing it. This movie I really enjoyed. It was not predictable in the way that most animated features are and it had just enough adult humor. Also the animation looked so real at times, especially the food. It made me want to sit down with a plate of brie and hot bread and ignore everything.

Transformers...there is more than meets the eye to this movie. he he he...I'm so funny. Seriously, I thought it would be worse. Not every movie is made with the ambition of winning awards and this one wasn't, but it was fun to watch and you get to hear that erh erh erh erh sound when they transform and to me that was worth it...really they got me with that. It sounded just like in the cartoons.

Finally, The Order of the Phoenix. Another enjoyable movie right in the vein of the other H.P. movies. Not my favorite just because the book had so much in it that it is getting hard for the movies to squeeze it all in so it feels a little busy or- more like you wish you could see deeper in to it. But, it must be said that the kids growing older is a tinsy bit distracting. In response to this, I have chosen Ron as my favorite, and I would officially pick him if ever forced to choose an adolescent celebrity boyfriend.

Also in the life and times of Leah Callis- I have had to replace a tire on my car this week and now my car makes a noise when I drive between 17 and 24 mph- so I try to accelerate really quickly through that part because it is annoying. Next week I am having my master cylinder replaced because my brake is sinking when I press it. Why do things have to age and breakdown?

For some reason this is slightly disturbing to me. I am fine with the general life and death cycle--it is only man made things that bother me. I hate the idea that I am going to go through my life maintaining all of these belongings that I have accumulated. Rotate the tires, sharpen the knives, increase the computer's memory, grease the bla bla bla bla. It isn't laziness; it is just the feeling that even though I am thankful for my car and enjoy my computer I end up having to do some much work for them--it's the slave to your belongings idea. Plus, what if one day something happened and all of these things were gone- what would I do? The dependency is scary. Ok.....and I'm a little lazy.

Home from Coldwater

Well, I am back home from the lake in old Clarksville. Simon didn't throw up on the ride home from my parent's house last night so it really set a positive tone for our home coming. (This is noteworthy because he did throw up on the way to their house.)

Joseph and I had a wonderful time in Michigan, as we do every year. There were two additions this year however. Patrick Burke was there for the first time and well, he won me over. He was a good baby which means he let me hold him with out going to the bathroom or spitting up, much. It feels good to connect with a tiny person by holding them; it is the only way to communicate, by touch. Here, Melissa is holding him and he looks like a great cat sleeping in a tree. I am holding him in the other pic.


This is the fruit pizza my mom, Joseph and I made. The picture looks like wall paper in Willy Wonka's factory that you could lick and taste the fruits.

Introducing Sarah's birthday puppy. Her proper name is Sparkle Oreo, but Joseph and I have supplemented it for a more regal fitting sound, deeming her Sparkle Jaws Oreo Dyer I (the first). I must say, she was quite a toe nibbler- and I just loved her.

Also, Uncle Jack and Aunt Tammy have gotten kayaks recently and we took those out to Lost Lake. It's a lake that motorized boats can't access because the channel that leads to it is only a few inches deep. This makes it a serene spot where you can catch sightings of some wild life not noticed on the rest of the lake. Joseph and I saw two swans with their baby. As we were paddling out, one of the adult swans flapped across the lake at us saying, "and stay out!" I think. But he was beautiful.
Oh, also we saw a turtle that we slowly paddled toward, so carefully, so gently, so that he would stay above the water where we could see him better. We iiiinched closer. It was a plant. Drat.

Well, I am thinking about going to see a matinee of Transformers this afternoon. Yep, that's right. And you know you want to too. It takes me back to the days when my brother had a transformer toy and I could never make it into whatever it was supposed to transform to. But I could however have my barbie ride on the back of his Heman Battle Cat action figure. She was a little big for a realistic match, but then again, the cat was green with orange stripes and helped to fight evil, so I guess I was willing to let the realism go.

Four days till vacation.

Where do I live?

I have just had two days off work. Yesterday I gave blood and today I had a check-up with the doctor who ripped out my wisdom teeth, and bought a yellow dress. Yes a yellow dress. Now I have just finished my lunch, which I have shown here for Tara's benefit.

Joseph and I are going to Shakespeare in the Park in Louisville tonight. They put it on for free and you bring a picnic and sit on the ground. I used to go to plays outside in Bloomington at the little park behind the police station. Oh, I miss Bloomington, but I knew I would. Even if I went back today it wouldn't be the same with out Merry and DR there...walking over to their house for a cook out and having drinks on their front porch and laughing, a lot. Those were some of my favorite times. Well, and Jiffy Treat-I miss being a two block walk from tasty ice cream...and a million other things...

But I am so excited to move out to Littleton and finally settle in a place where I don't have to move and find a new apt. every year, where I can start feeling like part of a real community. My life has been so temporary feeling ever since college. Everything was "just for now." I think Littleton is a place a can settle into.

What to do in case of a zombie take over

Joseph and I watched Shaun of the Dead last night. We were introduced to this movie by Merry and DR and if you don't know, it is a comedy zombie movie. We chose this movie after a pitcher of beer at our local Mexican restaurant; that is not to say it's not a quality movie. It's actually quite funny with a few of those zombie movie scary moments were you realize that you are in the minority and everyone wants to eat your brain.

Anyway, after watching this movie we discussed what to do in case of a zombie take over and I am proud to say the we quickly reached a conclusion and now have an official plan in case of such an emergency. The plan, I will share with you. GO TO THE WOODS. In these movies you will notice that they always take place in the cities where there are dense populations. We simply load our packs and head out as far away as we can get from civilization and wait it out.

This is also our plan in case of alien invasion which we discussed after watching War of the Worlds. I like to plan for emergencies and have it all thought out. All those elementary school fire and tornado drills were not for nothing. I got the picture.

Funny it seems like the safest solution is often to get away from people; I'm sure that is just a coincidence.

Falls of the Ohio

Yesterday evening Joseph and I went to the Falls of the Ohio. It is where the Ohio River has been dammed up and there are all of these exposed fossil beds that used to be coral reefs so long ago. It is all just across the river from Louisville very near our house and it is a place to see different worlds next to each other. You have the city with all it's usual lights, tall buildings and trash right next to this river ecosystem and then on the Indiana side, fossil beds and a rock jungle gym.
I like knowing that there used to be a coral reef where I am standing. It makes me think of the transience of the world we live in and honestly if is comforting to know that one day this won't all be here. We won't be here. We won't always be doing horrible things to this land and to people.The Falls are a beautiful place though. When the water recedes, it leaves all of these little pools in the fossil beds and the sky reflects off of every one.When the sun went down, the sky light was amazing and you could watch the lights of the buildings of Louisville slowly click on.


Wow. And this happens every night.

This is the neighbors cat. We named her Ty. This is her greeting me from my front porch when I got home this evening. I don't know why she likes our porch so much, but she is there regularly and usually lets me give her a scratching. Not a bad thing to come home to.

last night

Yesterday evening I drove home from work, stayed in the slow right lane trying to shake off the, me first, screw you, let me out of here, so and so stinks at their job and he makes mine harder, poor me sort of mentality. Sometimes all those negative feelings that you get everyday feel like this heavy wet coat that you try to slough off, but it sticks to your skin because it is drenched. I try to stop thinking that way and remember, I'm alive, isn't it wonderful, look at the pretty sunset...

Why is your day shaped so much by eight or nine hours so that you become this cranky beast and have to warn family members upon getting home...I'm a big crank monster; it's not your fault but I am willing to forget that... So When I got home last night I knew I needed to get settled down so I tossed my stuff down on the floor, grabbed a glass of wine and hustled out to the back porch to see what was left of the sunset. It was 9:30, but I could still see it. Not a big piece of it, but a tiny space between two houses in the distance. The sky right in front of my house was already dark and the yard was blinking green with lightening bugs.

It turned into an alright evening, but inside I stayed cranky. The lightening bug calm lasted only as long as I could see them. I don't want to wish the hours away everyday. I don't intend to kept doing that.

Wisdom teeth, be gone!

Well, the doctor cut out all four of my wisdom teeth this morning. It was a strangely good time. They were really nice at the office and I had never meet the doctor but I like him. They let me keep my teeth. Joseph had the idea to put them in a pot with a plant at some point. I was holding one of the teeth and it looked like an artifact or something and I just thought, I made this. Our bodies are so amazing, what they do without our even thinking of it or asking for it. This is not always good of course.

I am feeling really well. I hardly have any swelling due to the alternating frozen corn and peas I have been holding to my face. Plus I have been eating divine ice cream. It is cake batter flavor. Let me just say, if you get a chance, eat it. Seriously.
I had friends in high school who had their teeth done and for days looked really scary, like there was a tennis ball in their cheek. I feel lucky.

For today I have been on clear liquids and soft food. Tomorrow I can eat anything I want. Watch out Rally's, you're about to get one person busier.