C-ville Time

I really love living in Charlottesville. But Charlottesville can be pricey, especially when it comes to food, particularly produce. That's why I've fallen for C-ville Market. You can get high quality produce at the bulk rate without having to buy bulk. A week or two ago, they had apples for 89 cents a pound.
As the weather warms up, I'm looking forward to their local produce which is really cheap. The shop has a fun mix of other products. There's delicious bread from Albemarle Baking Company (another of Aaron and my absolute favorite places in town), cookies you can buy by the pound, fancy cheeses for Aaron, baked goods made by the Mennonites, foreign foods, olives and much, much more. It's the poor man's Whole Foods. It's well worth a visit and is conveniently next to Aqui Es Mexico (best mexican food in Charlottesville). If you go to their website you can see their specials. Here's the address:
221 Carlton Road
Charlottesville, VA 22902
Here's a map.

Pistachios

At work, in between meals I sometime get hungry so I've been on the look out for some little snacks to help me get through the day. My favorite is pistachios. They're rich and salty and not too bad for you. Popping the shells off the resistant ones can be a challenge which makes them that much more fun to eat. I bought a two pound bag and took it work and it has kept me (and a coworker or two) well supplied for the last two weeks. At last, it has reached it's end and I'm trying to decide if I should buy another bag or try something different so I don't get tired of my favorite little nut. Any suggestions for good snack food?

Me and My Most Favorite Blog

Okay, I've been tagged a few times but I really like to pretend when a friend tags me that they have another friend named Katy that they are tagging. But for fun, here's a post with some personal info.

Growing up I enjoyed the brief delusion of thinking that I was unique and original. But then I realized I was just about as predictable a person as you can find. I am a character of myself, a total stereotype. Take a look:

I am a vegetarian.
I like to hike.
I drag my husband to yoga classes
I believe in being "environmental."
I'm an "artist"
I graduated with a BFA
I like to read literature - I subject my friends to a book group
I like birding
I enjoy old British sitcoms and outdated nature shows
I love PBS and NPR and Local news
I have a blog
I have a cat
I like indie folk music
I love sandals
I work in publishing
A few people have suggested that I'm a grown up Lisa Simpson

From there you should be able to predict almost everything else there is to know about me. But I'm happy so it works for me. I think the only unusual thing is that I grew up in SC and I'm Mormon, but Mormonism is pretty big on being one of the crowd so I believe its affect is neutral. Like my favorite scripture says: There is no temptation taken you but that which is common to man.

Which is why I LOVE LOVE LOVE this blog "Stuff White People Like." It's hilarious and doing the great service of helping others realize just how normal they are as well. Here is a sampling of Stuff White People Like:
Making You Feel Bad for Not Going Outside (That is SOO my life Goal! Maybe someone will coming hiking with me now?)
Bicycles
Gentrification
Arrested Development
Vintage
Gifted Children
Study Abroad
Apple Products
Divorce (I couldn't stop laughing reading this one)
Knowing What's Best for Poor People
Standing Still at Concerts (Boo!)
Lawyers (I love my lawyer)
Barack Obama

Religions that their parents didn't belong to

White people will often say they are “spiritual” but not religious. Which usually means that they will believe any religion that doesn’t involve Jesus.

Popular choices include Buddhism, Hinduism, Kabbalah and, to a lesser extent, Scientology. A few even dip into Islam, but it’s much more rare since you have to give stuff up and actually go to Mosque.

Mostly they are into religion that fits really well into their homes or wardrobe and doesn’t require them to do very much.

And I will add:
Thinking that they aren't that white.

Peter and the Wolf

A picture is worth a thousand words and this picture probably shows everything I want to say. The short animation Peter and the Wolf is a beautiful little jem, or since it's Russian, a stunning little faberge egg of a film. It won the Oscar for Best Animated Short Sunday night which is why I know about it.
It costs two dollars on itunes and that's a steal. Watching it brought back all the joy and horror I felt as a child listening to Prokovief's music. (I had a book that went with a tape that I LOVED.)This Peter and the Wolf is surprising in its adaption and wonderfully done. I hope you get a chance to see it! You can watch a little trailer here.

Jones River Trail

On President's Day, Norma was kind enough to accompany me on a hike of the Jones River Trail. The trail follows a few miles of continuous waterfalls up and down a mountain or two. It's one of the prettiest trails I've been on and I hope I get a chance to go back to it when spring arrives.
As you can see in the picture, I'm a little wet. NEVER believe the weather report. It said it was supposed to be sunny all day. So against my better judgments I left my brand-new, invincible rain coat at home. Norma and I proceeded to get soaked in the three or four downpours that crowded over the mountain. It made for a slippery trail and a couple stream crossings were a challenge but the falls were all full and gorgeous.
I had such a good time, I really can't wait for the weather to turn and Aaron to be done with law school so I can go hiking all the time. Aaron has already told me to not get my hopes up since he won't be hiking with me this summer but dutifully studying for the bar exam. Sigh... I suppose I should stop hoping for him and just get a dog. Or maybe I can work on convincing Norma to quit her job and I'll quit mine so we can hike the Appalachian trail together this summer. It's always been a dream of mine and Aaron has already demanded that I stay out of the house and away from him so he can study in peace. I won't be interrupting his studies if I'm in the backwoods of Tennessee. This is sounding better and better. Anyone else interested in a 3 month long hike?

Why Be A Boy Scout

The Boy Scouts of America recently commissioned these posters for an ad campaign. They made me laugh. Of course, boy scouts in general make me laugh. Poor lost souls. They always look utterly confused or way too confident.

Not Hungry

I have lost my appetite. I can barely stand to eat at all. Nothing sounds good. Nothing tastes good. Eating is a chore. Aaron says he's feeling the same way. It's really strange.
Earlier this week I went on an all day hike and when I got back I struggled to eat more than half a bowl of cereal. I am used to my appetite dipping as the weather warms up but it's still pretty cold. I can't figure it out. I'm guessing maybe we're fighting a low level stomach bug because Aaron and I usually love food. Any other ideas?

Hamster Cage and Lotion

I love Freecycle. It's such a smart idea. One man's trash is another man's treasure. Freecycle allows people to post any unwanted items they have available. If you see something that catches your eye, you contact them and it's all yours.

I've seen free couches, tables, desks, chairs, eliptical machines, toys, building supplies, fabric and clothing. I've seen two women's mountain bikes offered. Each time I responded just a little too late. So sad. A bike is what I'm really hoping for. Until then, I enjoy seeing what people have to offer. Sometimes it is the most random junk. Last week I saw someone offer two bottles of hotel shampoo. Who thinks someone wants hotel shampoo? Today someone offered a Hamster cage and lotion, together. That made me curious. Maybe they're in the animal testing business?

In Rainbows!

Hip-Hip-Hooray!! Aaron and I will be joining a few thousand others in Charlotte NC to see Radiohead May 9th. I"m so happy I'm seeing Rainbows.

Long In City Pent

To one who has been long in city pent
-John Keats


TO one who has been long in city pent,
’Tis very sweet to look into the fair
And open face of heaven,—to breathe a prayer
Full in the smile of the blue firmament.
Who is more happy, when, with hearts content,
Fatigued he sinks into some pleasant lair
Of wavy grass, and reads a debonair
And gentle tale of love and languishment?
Returning home at evening, with an ear
Catching the notes of Philomel,—an eye
Watching the sailing cloudlet’s bright career,
He mourns that day so soon has glided by:
E’en like the passage of an angel’s tear
That falls through the clear ether silently.

I feel like one who is "too long in city pent" so Hurray for President's Day!! It's supposed to be a lovely 53 degrees and I don't have to go to work. Time to go hiking! I'm thinking I'll try to do the Brown Mountain 10 mile loop or there's a 12 miler that's supposed to be pretty spectacular farther south. Either way, I need a hiking buddy since Aaron refuses to skip class. Let me know if you are interested.

Time to Write Your Senator

When I read the article "Courting Disaster" by Stephanie Mencimer my jaw dropped. Then I wanted to punch something or scream or march to Washington. I don't want to have all the fun so take a gander at the first three paragraphs of her article:

Lilly Ledbetter got her 15 minutes of fame, but a little press won't cover the mortgage. The 59-year-old mother of two had spent 19 years working at the Goodyear tire factory in Gadsden, Alabama, as one of the few women in a supervisory position. In 1998, after learning she'd been getting paid far less than men doing similar jobs, she sued Goodyear under the 1964 Civil Rights Act, alleging gender discrimination in the performance evaluations that had resulted in her lower pay. Five years later, with the backing of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Ledbetter won a $3.8 million jury verdict against the company. But Goodyear appealed all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled against Ledbetter last June. The court's conservative faction concluded that Ledbetter was obliged to sue within 180 days of receiving her first discriminatory paycheck, and was therefore out of luck.

The 5-4 decision reversed decades of established law in most states. The EEOC had long held that each discriminatory paycheck resets the clock on the statute of limitations, so that workers could sue from the time they learned of the pay disparity, not from the date the disparity began. That makes sense: Most people don't know what their colleagues are paid, and many companies actively forbid workers from discussing their salaries on the job. Ledbetter only learned how badly she was underpaid after someone put an anonymous note in her mailbox listing the salaries of some of the factory's male supervisors—by that time, she'd been getting smaller paychecks for years.

The Supreme Court ruling effectively prevents anyone from suing under federal equal-pay laws, and creates a perverse incentive: So long as an employer manages to keep an employee's discriminatory compensation under wraps for six months, he or she is then free to continue discriminating against the worker without fear of lawsuits. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was so outraged by the majority decision that she read her scathing dissent from the bench. "In our view, the court does not comprehend, or is indifferent to, the insidious way in which women can be victims of pay discrimination," she said, and urged Congress to "correct this parsimonious reading" of the civil rights law.

YOu GO Ruth Bader Ginsburg!!! As for the rest of those other 5 judges, who gave them that job? What are THEY thinking? I can understand wanting to cut down on the number of law suits but this is the best idea they can come up with? Making sure no equal pay suit can come to trial? Way to go GUYS, thanks for a better America.

Now the only way to blunt their ruling is to get Congress to do some legislation. I'm writing my senator. I urge you to do the same.

And I'm never buying Good Year Tires again.

You can read more about the case here and here.

A Poem for Valentine's

A Sonnet

By Alice Duer Miller


DEAR, if you love me, hold me most your friend,
Chosen from out the many who would bear
Your gladness gladly—heavily your care;
Who best can sympathize, best comprehend,
Where others fail; who, breathless to the end,
Follows your tale of joy or of despair.
Hold me your counsellor, because I dare
To lift my hand to guide you, that I lend
My love to help you. And I would you knew
That I am fair enough to win men’s hearts,
If so I willed; yet honor me above
All other women, since I am too true
To trap you with my sex’s smaller arts.
Deem me all these, but love me as your love.

V-Day

In middle school and high school I was never anyone's Valentine. The french club sold carnations for a buck and delivered them through out the day. All the popular kids would end up with bouquets. I think I got a carnation once from my sister. It was nice but not really the stuff that teenage dreams are made of. But thanks to my mother's enthusiasm (It's her birthday. Happy Birthday Mom!), I still learned to love the holiday.
By the time I went to college, I still cut out paper hearts and gave my friends Valentines but never managed to have a current relationship going in time to cash in. Four years ago, Aaron and I had been hanging out a fair bit, one might even say dating for a few months but the boy wouldn't kiss me. So about a week before Valentines Day we broke up. To ignore the sting of singleness on the day of love I arranged an escape to SLC for my friends. To my surprise Aaron showed up. We saw the Triplets of Belville, ate a disgusting amount of candy hearts, went to a light show, and had a midnight dinner at Dennys. And Aaron kissed me!! Exactly six months to the day we got married.
Valentine's Day is the anniversary of our first kiss and our half year anniversary, so when Aaron suggested not celebrating the made up commercial holiday I went off on him. He recanted and promised to get with the program, but Aaron is sneaky. Come Feb 14th 2005, Aaron spent the whole day violently ill with the flu. I think he managed to tell me he loved me in between throwing up. The next year he slipped away on a business trip. The year after that he did really well, he made dinner reservations, got me my timbuk2 bag which I love but then our ceiling caved in. After so much misfortune, I'm a little nervous about what might happen tomorrow. I have to admit, I'm having a hard time feeling it this year. Which is probably good because Aaron already admitted that he waited to long to get a reservation and we'll probably be hanging out at home tomorrow. Anyone want a baby-sitter?

The Big Day

I've been looking forward to tomorrow for weeks but I thought by now I would have made up my mind. I mean, I did make up my mind, then I decided to unmake it, then make it again. I'm sad to admit I'm the worst of worsts in politics: a flip-flopper!
I think my casual flip-flopping has a lot to do with my satisfaction with several of the candidates. They're level headed, respectful, and pro-environment. Check out their enviro stances here.

They're a nice looking bunch with one exception. I like Obama. I like Clinton. I even like McCain, aside from the hundred years in Iraq business. But Huck? I'll let him speak for himself: Huckabee: "I'm not saying Mormonism is a Satanic cult, just asking." I'm not saying the man is a religious bigot whose son hung a dog at scout camp, just asking.
So I've eliminated one. Now what?
Here are a few of my thoughts. I'm happy to hear anyone else's opinion.

Obama
He's new, he's fresh, he's smart. He's a leader in the make you believe in America sort of way. He's electable. He can capture independents. The media loves him. The man could reshape America and the press seems ready to roll out the red carpet for him to walk on while doing it. I don't think he can be stopped. Another plus for me, the more I learn, the more I really love Michelle Obama. The woman is brilliant and seems as ready to make things happen as her husband.
BUT can he get everything he believes in done??? or is he a Jimmy Carter?

Hillary
She's an INCREDIBLE politician. The woman has skills. I believe she can get anything she sets her mind to done. She has specific policies developed and knows how to implement them.
I have a hard time believing the people who see her as a radical liberal demon have ever listened to the woman speak. She's measured and moderate and works well across the aisle. I think most people's Hilary hate comes from their deep seated hostility to female power. That makes me want her to win.
BUT - she is old school Washington with a lot of special interest money. And nothing will bring out the Rep vote like Hilary

McCain
I've watched McCain for years and been impressed by his work. Some examples of the causes he's fought for that I believe in: Immigration, Campaign finance reform, environmental standards, Opposition to torture, and on and on. I always thought McCain was the most attractive Republican in the senate.
BUT He's Old Washington too. And Iraq - I feel in many ways McCain is the most realistic about the situation over there but at the same time I feel like military spending is so out of control that it's undermining our economy. I don't feel like McCain would be equipped to remedy that.

If you think I'm wrong or want to offer any helpful facts, I'm open to them. I'll probably be voting tomorrow afternoon.

Virginia Warming

This weekend in VA is gorgeous. I feel blessed to be enjoying such a beautiful, blustery early spring. I've been itching to get out so I decided to hike Old Rag again. A big BIG BIG thank you to Theresa for being my hiking buddy. She got a migraine on the second mile but we made it to the top of the mountain.
On the trail, I was a little disturbed to notice how many dead and dying trees there were. When I told Aaron about it, he told me it was winter, but I can tell the difference between a tree that's lost it's leaves and a dead tree, thank you very much. There were huge groves where every tree was dead. Their trunks were shattered, their bark scabbed off and all their limbs rotted to gnarled stumps. Mounds of broken wood littered the forest floor. What's really disturbing is I didn't notice any such problem when I was hiking in the same spot just a few months ago. It looked like a lot of the trees were being eaten by something. My guess is the drought left them vulnerable and something has gotten to them. If that's the case, I'm sad to think that this will become more and more common as global warming continues.
PS - I plan to do as much hiking as I can as the weather gets better. I'll be in need of a buddy since hiking alone isn't safe. If you're even remotely interested, let me know!

6 Word Memoirs

The book, Not Quite What I Was Expecting is a collection of 6 word memoirs. I like to think of them as Haikus with personality. They're really fun to peruse and even more fun to make up. It's amazing what can be communicated with just six words.

Here are a few I liked:

Older now, I draw myself better. -Peter Arkle

She said she was negative. Damn. -Ryan McRae

Painful nerd kid. Happy nerd adult. -Linda Williamson

You can read more here.
Here are a few I came up with for myself. Believe me, I know they're bad.

I should be painting right now.

After a deep breath, I'm ready.

Since school is over, I wait.

Wanted to grow up. Big Mistake.

Never admitted to Star Trek expertise.

Him: YES! Me: ?. What to do?

(I know the last one is sort of cheating)

I'd love to hear what the rest of you can do.

My Life Has Been The Poem

My life has been the poem I would have writ,
But I could not both live and utter it.

-Henry David Thoreau

Blogging is like this little poem. Sometimes I wish I had a cooler blog but from sad experience I've realized the cooler my blog is, the lamer my actual life.

The Original Video of Lilly: The World Map Master

I am amazed.

What Am I Doing With My Life?

Do you ever have those days or weeks or years when you wonder what you are doing with your life? I do. And there's nothing like some good, sweet music to accompany self-examination. For that purpose, I've lately been enjoying Amy Millan's solo work. It's soft and lovely and not too sad.
Whether or not you are currently indulging in an identity crisis, its worth checking out here.

More Igloo Fun

Long before the Ice Box igloo kit, in 1949 the Canadian Film Board produced the film "How to Build an Igloo." You can watch it HERE. The narration can be a little annoying, I suspect it's done by Charlton Heston, but it's informative: "the trader will sell you a steel knife for the cost of one fox skin." The same site offers other films you might like if you want to bone up on your caribou hunting, totem pole carving, or Uranium extraction skills. There's a variety!

Do you Igloo?

I of all people am not a fan of winter weather, but I'm starting to think maybe there is something worth all the misery and woe that the cold weather brings. Igloos! Real ones that are strong enough to stand on top of. I read all about them in this article. The guy and his friends build a village of sturdy little Igloos and partied. It sounds like the best idea ever. I now totally want to try to build and camp in an Igloo.

I know you are probably thinking that my igloo building idea is nuts because you and I both know that I have no idea how to build an igloo. What makes me think igloo construction is possible? The Icebox. It's a little kit that gives you the equipment and the the instructions needed for the igloo novice. When built right, they're supposed to last for up to three months. They have a great igloo gallery showing igloos made by hikers, families, even the boy scouts. If the boy scouts can do it, it can't be that hard.

As a bonus, to get into an area that is igloo worthy, you probably need to snowshoe. I did a little snowshoeing when I lived out in UT and those hikes were some of the most gorgeous and serene experiences of my life. The mountain is quiet, everything is dazzling white, and when the snow is high enough you get to walk through the tree tops. It's another world. Here's a blog with some really cool pictures of what I'm trying to describe.

So now I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a real snow storm in Charlottesville. I know it's not likely but thanks to groundhog Phil, I know I've got at least another six weeks of winter weather. Or maybe I can convince Aaron to do Spring Break in Maine. Anyone else interested?