Existence Justified, Check

It was official before, but it's super-official-official now. My relocation to West Virginia is visible on the horizon! Here's what takes me to the green, green hills of Appalachia (emphasis mine, as it applies to me)...

Business Wire | 11.02.07
LINK

West Virginia Signs Self-Funding Portal Agreement
CHARLESTON, W. Va.--The state of West Virginia finalized an agreement yesterday with eGovernment firm NIC (Nasdaq: EGOV - News) to operate the state's official Web site, WV.gov (http://www.wv.gov), for up to three years.

"A world-class Web site is a competitive advantage for West Virginia," said Gayle Conelly Manchin, chair of the West Virginia Management Steering Committee and first lady of the state. "It will help the state retain and attract companies, help our home-grown businesses to prosper and our residents to get the service from government they expect in the 21st century. NIC was selected as the private partner to help us make that happen."

West Virginia issued its bid for eGovernment services in February 2007 and awarded the contract to NIC from a competitive field. The contract is for one year with two one-year renewal options, the maximum allowed by state law. The state of West Virginia will retain ownership of the content, data and statutory fees.

"NIC will deploy the self-funded model to provide the infrastructure and staff expertise required to develop, maintain and host the eGovernment portal," said NIC President Harry Herington. "We will hire additional employees over time at our Charleston office to support the state's growing eGovernment operations."

NIC expects to launch the first new services in late 2007, and it is currently working with state agencies and the West Virginia Management Steering Committee to identify and prioritize new applications to introduce in the contract's first year. The company also will redesign the state's official Web site and build upon the portal's existing functionality.

"The state of West Virginia has high expectations for its Web site and for the value it can bring to the state's residents and businesses," said Jeff Fraser, NIC's chief executive officer. "We are honored that West Virginia's leaders chose NIC as the best partner to bring their expectations to life."

With the addition of the West Virginia contract, NIC now operates 21 state portals serving more than 69 million residents.

NIC will provide additional context and answer investor questions about market dynamics and financial performance when it reports third-quarter financial performance on November 7.

About NIC

NIC manages more eGovernment services than any provider in the world. The company helps government communicate more effectively with citizens and businesses by putting essential services online. NIC provides eGovernment solutions for 2,600 state and local agencies that serve more than 69 million people in the United States. Additional information is available at http://www.nicusa.com.

Testing the Limits of the Human Heart

Because I am pretty much just like every other unmarried, childless, corporate-whoring, consumer-driven, 30something American humanoid, I can get pretty self-centered. My problems become huge to me because, well, they're mine. I only have to worry about me, so everything becomes about me. I care for and love my family and my friends with all my heart, but nobody depends on me. Nobody needs me to nurture and provide for them. So, my world view can easily become The Empire of Coletteistan if I am not careful.

And then I read something like this article, and my heart breaks into a million pieces, and I cry for someone I've never met. And I feel so much love and empathy for this person, because I know how it feels to lose a parent. And I think of my youngest brother being about the same age as the boy in this article, hearing my mom scream for him to help her as my dad slumped to the floor with a thud in the room next door. Just like it was for my family, it was too late for this boy as well. But when I read this article, I was so amazed by his spirit and his pureness of heart... I recognized it in someone I've never seen in my life, because I've seen it in my own family members in moments of unbelievable grief.

As I read this article, the world became dramatically less about me, and more about all of us. I paused to be thankful for everything I have, and more importantly, thankful for everyone I love. I don't take that pause enough. I've been reminded to take that pause more.

Below is both the full text of and a link to the article that stopped me, so quickly, in my tracks.

Creel carries on: ACA player's light shines through while dealing with tragedy
By A. Stacy Long
October 23, 2007

The timeline gnaws at Jordan Creel, who missed his mother by about 15 minutes Wednesday night and woke up early Thursday to a screaming fire alarm and looming smoke.

There were only about 15 minutes between when Creel, tired from a day full of school, football practice and church, went to bed about 9 p.m., and when mom Karen came home from a friend's birthday party.

Creel wishes he had woke up when his mom perhaps kissed him on the forehead -- he isn't sure but is confident she did -- because of what he remembers next.

The fire alarm and smoke that hovered seemingly just above his nose rustled him from bed. He ran into the living room to find a wall of flame separating him from his mother's bedroom, the one from which he heard a faint cry of "help" when he called his mom's name.

There was nothing Jordan could do.

Karen Creel, the 43-year-old proud mother of three, died while huddled in the marble bathtub in her bathroom, sheltering her beloved dog in her lap, as Jordan feverishly ran to neighbors and pounded on their doors for help.

Just a few more minutes Wednesday night and Jordan would have that final memory he wishes had been perfect.

"I tried to stay up for her," Jordan said. "I remember moving her ring and bracelet to the table by the couch and waiting on her to come home, but I went to bed.

"I wish I would have woke up, if she kissed me on the head or not, but I don't remember. I just woke up at 3 to the fire alarm."

Jordan, a sophomore at Alabama Christian, was the only child of Karen's still living at home on Halcyon Downs Drive. But Jordan was there when 21-year-old brother Dale learned of his mother's death and listened as grandparents Patricia and Steve Barrow told his sister. Katelyn is a freshman at the University of Alabama.

"One thing we're so thankful for is that she went peaceful," Jordan said. "There were no burns and she died of smoke inhalation with Missy, the dog she was sure was reincarnated from her pet when she was young."

Jordan found his peace quickly.

Family and friends came to the Barrows' Deer Creek home in droves Thursday, some skittish to interrupt the mourning with their presence. Instead, Jordan was trying to stay relaxed, playing games as he thought of his mother and her new home in heaven.

"He really encouraged me," said senior Joseph Gibbons, who arrived at school to find eerily silent classrooms and halls, checked out after a few hours and went to see Jordan.

"Before I saw him, I was so down, but he encouraged me with how strong he was."

Creel was only getting started.

He pondered late Thursday whether he should play in ACA's game Friday at Daleville and told coach Gregg Baker that he wanted to play. At midday Friday, about 30 minutes before the Eagles were scheduled to leave, a lunch group was leaving the Barrow's home when someone asked Jordan what he was going to do that night. He decided to play.

ACA athletic director Denise Ainsworth, the mother of Creel's girlfriend, drove him to school. Halfway there, Creel realized he'd left his jersey in his car and the two turned around to fetch it. Ainsworth called Baker and told him to wait.

"She said, 'Don't let the bus leave,'" said Baker, who hurriedly started packing Creel's equipment while the rest of the team, unsure whether Creel was joining them, took their bus seats.

"They'd been asking me all day, 'Is he coming?'" Baker said. "We had his stuff ready, so they knew something was up."

His teammates greeted him with applause.

"Everybody was clapping and I was like, 'Why are you clapping?'" Creel said. "But it's a family out here. Almost better than the family at home."

In the pregame locker room, Creel cried while listening to Baker's speech and even gave one of his own. When the players started for the field, Baker lingered behind and cornered Creel for a one-on-one conversation.

"I said, 'I don't care how you play. I want you to enjoy the next two hours,'" Baker said. "'But I want you to play well for your mama because she's watching you right now.'"

Said Creel, "He told me, 'I love you like a son and I know you're going to have the best game of your life. What a way to give her a going-away party.'"

Creel ran for a career-high 232 yards and two touchdowns, made nine tackles and forced a fumble, and led Alabama Christian to a 24-21 upset of Daleville. His teammates lifted him on their shoulders after the final play, and the Alabama Sports Writers Association named him the state player of the week Monday.

On Friday, Creel needed so long to wade through fans and supporters that he joked there was no shampoo left when he reached the locker room. Daleville coach Sam Holland even came over to speak to the Eagles.

"I told him what he did was a tribute to who he was and what high school football is all about," Holland said Monday. "You hear so much negative about sports, but what he did is what it's all about.

"We all knew the situation and I was very touched by his players picking him up. Here I am saying all this and we lost, but it was very emotional on our sideline to see that, too."

Karen Creel was buried Saturday and their church, Landmark Church of Christ, and ACA are accepting donations for a trust fund for Jordan. On Monday, the family started the tedious business of changing the names on bank accounts and bills.

Creel also picked up a new cell phone. He's saving his mom's final message.

It came halfway through church and she told him she'd be home before too late.

"I'm at peace with it," Jordan said. "She's 10 times happier up there than we'll ever be here. She was always a fun-loving, spontaneous person, so I know she's doing something crazy up there. She's shaking her butt or something."

Link to Montgomery Advertiser article

Return from Appalachia

I am back in Alabama. West Virginia was a great time. I will write more later. Today is a wash and I need to take some Excedrin and call it.

Today was easily one of the crappiest days in recent memory. I woke up, had some breakfast at the hotel, showered and packed up my stuff. Right as I was leaving, I began to feel kind of queasy. I dropped off the rental car, and on the ride back to the airport IT really hit me. I don't know what IT was, but I have been dealing with IT all day. I checked in, wobbled through security (behind two people who have clearly not flown in this post-9/11 world) and then ran into the nearest bathroom I could find. Barfed, got all clammy and lightheaded. Cleaned up, found my gate. Sat down. Got sick again. Rinse and repeat. My flight out of Charleston was an hour delayed, which was probably a blessing in disguise. I've never puked on an airplane, and I never want to. Airport bathrooms are bad enough but I'd rather keep it on the ground, kthx.

Usually throwing up helps me feel better. Not this time. I was a sweaty, clammy girl on the airplane which SUCKED. For once, I was grateful to have an aisle seat. Fortunately, I didn't need it... I just kept my eyes closed and breathed deeply and deliberately. We sat at the gate forever because there were weight and balance issues with the airplane. Normally, I would have been slightly nervous about that. Today, I could not have cared less.

Because of the delay, I only had 20 minutes to change planes in Atlanta. Which means Queasy McGhee had to RUN to another terminal, and then RUN to a distant gate only to make it on to the airplane with a couple minutes to spare. Again I had an aisle seat, so that was good (or so I thought). Now, I am not exactly svelte... but I fit into an airplane seat. The person next to me, however, did not. I felt horrible feeling annoyed by this, but I think it's because I was not feeling well and my patience was worn thin. Because my neighbor was spilling over onto me, I was spilling out into the aisle. Because of this, my little overhead fan was not hitting me and I was burning up. So, I spent the flight from Atlanta to Birmingham doubled over with my chin in my hand like The Thinker, praying to make it without barfing or fainting. I was able to nod off a couple times, only to be slammed into by someone walking down the aisle. Oh, and did I mention the turbulence?

Finally, I land in Birmingham only to wait at baggage claim in vain... my bag is lost. I have no idea where it is. I head back to Montgomery. Normally I would be angry as Hell, but I am so resigned right now. My roof could cave in and I would probably start laughing hysterically.

Despite today being Lousyville (not to be mistaken with Louisville), I have a lot of good things to write about. I was VERY impressed with Charleston, and took a lot of photos which I will post in the next few days. There were some things I didn't like about the city, but that's going to be anywhere. Still, I'll be making a list of pluses and minuses when I evaluate the transfer offer. Charleston is a beautiful town with a lot to offer for its small size. So, yes, more on that when I don't feel like a dying slug. Because I want to do justice to all the fabulous things going on in my life right now that have me so very happy and excited for the future.

Almost Heaven

This is Yeager Airport in Charleston, West Virginia.



Do not be fooled that there is a terminal named after a Rockefeller. That would imply that this is a big airport; an airport which commands the naming of terminals. This is not a big airport, although it is larger than Montgomery's "Winn Dixie Regional" airport. In fairness to Montgomery, our airport underwent some remarkable improvements over the past couple years and it no longer feels like flying out of a Winn Dixie.

Back to the original point of my story: After I de-planed, picked my bag off the sole baggage carousel and walked outside, I heard the gentle strains of John Denver's Country Roads playing all Muzak-stylez like a gentle breeze for all to groove to as they waited for ground transportation. No lie.

That's right up there with Louis Armstrong International playing, you guessed it, Louis Armstrong the first time I ever flew to New Orleans.

I wonder if the airport authority in Detroit has chosen Don't Stop Believing as their official welcome music?

Anyway. I'm in Charleston, WV until Sunday. So far, so good. If first impressions count, this is a lovely and charming little city. Beautiful, with a dash of funkiness for good measure. I'd write more, but I am spent, there is one helluva rain/thunderstorm going on outside, and I have HBO and a gas fireplace in my room. More later!

Down With Oppression

And when I say oppression, I mean this insanely oppressive heat wave.



I was over this last week, when it was-- oh, hey!-- totally hot.

Rockin' The Kitchen Like It's My Job

Who's up for some more foodiness tonight? Because I'm still all about Campaign for a Less Fat Coco while attempting to zero in on easy things that I really like as to not be deterred from said campaign. Dig? Dig!

I really did not want to make dinner tonight. The heat has been oppressive and draining this past week. Anything involving a flame or radiant heat does not appeal to me at this juncture. However, I just spent $6.00 on two organic chicken breasts and I'll be damned if those sweet little cluckers die in vain because I'm too lazy to appreciate their sacrifice and make something delicious out of them. So, I changed into the thinnest, shabbiest t-shirt I own, slid on my garden clogs and fired up the grill.

2o minutes later:



I ain't tryin' to brag, but this was one of my best experiments yet. And you can do it, too! Here's how it all came together:

1. Take a boneless, skinless chicken breast. Rinse and pat dry with a paper towel. Rub completely with olive oil. Sprinkle salt and black pepper on both sides, rub in to the chicken breast. After I do this, I go turn on the grill and let the chicken sit out to "sweat" a little.
2. Once the grill is hot 'n' ready, turn the heat down to medium-ish and throw the breast on. Get yourself a portabello mushroom. This is a personal preference, but I never rinse or wash mushrooms under water. They absorb water quickly, and that screws up the texture IMHO. Rather, wet a small piece of paper towel and spot-wash the mushroom, removing all dirt. Drizzle with olive oil, put on the upper grill rack (or the non-heated side for indirect grilling).
3. Hang out a bit, then remove the mushroom. I think I left it on for 5 minutes, tops. Just enough to get it tender and give it a couple grill lines. Then, remove the mushroom (leave the chicken). Go inside, get yourself a small baking pan and put your grilled shroom on it. Sprinkle generously with feta cheese and drizzle with olive oil. A dusting of Hungarian sweet paprika is good if you have any. Place under your oven's broiler until the feta starts to melt together and brown slightly. Remove da shroom; set aside.
   
4. Get a dinner plate, throw a handful of baby spinach leaves on it, squirt some bleu cheese dressing on the spinach leaves (go easy, though, too much will overpower everything else) and sprinkle with some pre-cooked, crumbled bacon on top. Not too much, just enough to give the end result a slight smoky flavor.
5. Yank the chicken off the grill, and cut into strips. If you put it on the spinach leaves while it's still really hot, it'll wilt the leaves which is good for texture. Arrange the chicken, garnish with sundried tomato (I like the julienne-cut tomatoes that come in a pouch).
6. If you're like me, dice the Hell out of everything and mix it all together. Best salad ever. Filling, tangy, smoky and nutritious!

If anyone makes this, let me know what you think!

Now, I order you to cast your gaze upon my handsome boy.

Loitering at the Shop 'n' Rob

It appears when I made that wrong left turn in Smuteye, I ended up in Springfield.

Fish Don't Fry in the Kitchen, Beans Don't Burn on the Grill

As part of an on-going effort to become less fat, I have been cooking pretty much all of my own food for the past few weeks. Gone are the days of grabbing a quick bite; I have forced myself to slow down... take a breath... and plan my meals. That's not to say I have sworn off delicacies from joints like Popeye's or Taco Bell, but those occasions will be few and far between. It's been very rewarding, physically and spiritually, to make grocery lists, take my time at the store or the farmer's market, select everything from veggies to meats to seasonings in its natural state and then turn it into something tasty from my very own kitchen. It's kind of zen, really. I recently came across a hellagood marinade for chicken. Here's the recipe for anyone who wants it:

Really F***ing Good Marinade

1/4 cup chopped shallots (shallots are awesome for cooking, I've discovered)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons soy sauce
6 garlic cloves, minced

Just mix all that stuff together and let the chicken marinate at least overnight (I prefer a couple days). The sugar in the honey makes the chicken breast caramelize slightly on the outside when grilled. Another thing I've learned in the cooking trial and error process is that if something calls for fresh herbs or juices (rosemary, thyme and lemon juice/rind in this case), using fresh as opposed to dried or bottled makes an enormous difference. Huge.

For dinner this evening I took the grilled chicken and cut it into thin strips width-wise, and put it on top of a bed of baby spinach leaves and yellow squash chunks (both raw) with a little shot of bleu cheese dressing.

Good stuff.

Here, Have Some Nostalgia on Me

Hey, remember the sputtering little line-drawn fellow from The Great Space Coaster? I had forgotten all about this strange interstitial segment until this evening. When I was a kid, I thought he was just speaking gibberish. Now, it is quite clear that he speaks in Italian gibberish. How hot is that? Almost as hot as the nightclub jazz playing in the background.

Here's a memory refresher:



And here is more than you ever realized you've wanted to know about La Linea: Wikipedia entry

My Li'l Labor of Gov

Looka here... the site I design and maintain has been mentioned in the local paper! It's the fourth version of the website that I've been responsible for, and I think this version is our best yet.


(click for larger image)

State redesigns alabama.gov

Montgomery Advertiser | 05.30.07
LINK

By RICK HARMON

Alabama's Web site has been ranked as one of the country's top 10 state Web sites for the past three years, and it just got better.

The Web site, www.alabama.gov, has introduced a new layout and a suite of new interactive tools. Included in this year's enhancements are a new interactive picture-in-picture window that provides technology enhancements for images, calendar listings, and featured services. This feature eliminates the necessity to click through numerous screens to find information. Instead it displays the information immediately to the visitor.

The site includes everything from weather reports, including an Alabama hurricane center with up-to-the-minute satellite photos, to Alabama trivia, including a state timeline.

*****
NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Contact:

Alabama's Official State Web Site Receives a New Look

www.alabama.gov

MONTGOMERY, Ala. May 29, 2007 Ranked as one of the top ten state websites in the nation three years running by the Center for Digital Government, Alabama is striving to continue this trend in 2007 with the release of its new site design and state-of-the-art technology. Previous visitors of the site may notice significant changes to the design elements and may be compelled to spend time exploring the new technologies and tools implemented to enhance the visitor's experience.

With alabama.gov serving as one of the State's largest publications and 24/7 communication tool, the site remains focused on creating efficiencies through the use of technology. The site maintains its established alabama.gov icon, but has introduced a new layout and a suite of new interactive tools. Included in this year's enhancements is a new interactive picture-in-picture window providing technology enhancements for images, calendar listings, and featured services. This feature eliminates the necessity to click through numerous screens to find information, but instead displays the information immediately to the visitor. Additional services such as RSS feeds and Podcasting (syndication feeds), enhanced mapping tools, wireless live help, and language translations have also been added.

"The State of Alabama is excited to unveil the latest version of alabama.gov," said Jim Burns, Chief Information Officer for the State of Alabama. "In addition to providing a new look and feel to the website we have focused on building upon past successes, as well as introducing new and exciting features that will entice visitors to return frequently."

alabama.gov has revolutionized where and how visitors can access information they are looking for and also introduce them to new and innovative tools and information. Through this new design, Alabama hopes that users will continue to associate Alabama's official website with convenience and efficiency.

About Alabama Interactive
Alabama Interactive is the official eGovernment solutions provider for the state of Alabama. The company builds and manages interactive government services on behalf of the state and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of eGovernment firm NIC (Nasdaq: EGOV).

About NIC
NIC manages more eGovernment services than any provider in the world. The company helps government communicate more effectively with citizens and businesses by putting essential services online. NIC provides eGovernment solutions for 2,600 state and local agencies that serve more than 61 million people in the United States. Additional information is available at www.nicusa.com.

An Open Letter to Phil Collins

Dear Phil Collins,

GET BACK BEHIND THAT DRUM KIT. You heard me, get back behind that drum kit where you belong. Nobody is arguing the fact that you are an amazingly talented drummer. Granted, you're no Terry Bozzio or Neal Peart, but you do shine.

Before you took the mic, Genesis were mind-blowing pioneers of the most symphonic and experimental prog rock. Sure, they might have gotten the most of their run as relatively unknown cult sweethearts before you became frontman. And, okay, Genesis didn't have the popularity with Peter Gabriel on lead vocals that it had with you. But there are two reasons for that:

1. Complete removal of creativity and, ultimately, creative edge. Sizzle? Gone.
2. Selling out.

The 80s critically wounded several legitimate, talented musicians. Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Eric Clapton... but you... YOU... you took a whole band down with you. Down into the sludge-laden mire of pith like I Can't Dance and Invisible Touch. And, good lawd, who could forget Don't Lose My Number? Listen up, Phil, only one band and one band alone can perform a song about someone losing someone's number and that is STEELY MUTHAF***ING DAN. Why Genesis? Why could you not have taken the high road and let Genesis burn out naturally, like a shooting star? Why could you not have just started a new band, called it Phil Collins and the Sweaty Hawaiian Shirt Smiley Lads or something? No jackets required!

Now, I know some will argue that you improved what was once merely a weird, arguably flailing, inaccessible, live performance-oriented band. To that I say: Give me The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway and Peter Gabriel in a huge daisy costume any day. The only good thing to come out of Peter Gabriel leaving Genesis was his solo recording Solsbury Hill, inspired by his departure from the band, and now included (for some unknown reason) on every movie trailer this side of Siam.

So, to sum up: Stick to the drums, Phil Collins. It's what you do, and believe me, you've done enough.

Most Sincerely,
Colette

P.S. I hate your stupid cockney accent.
P.P.S. I will admit that I do like Land of Confusion. And, okay, I like Abacab too. BUT THAT'S IT.


Phil Collins, showing little to no pride in himself. It's what he does.

Proof that I Spent My Early Years Wearing Leotards... Exclusively.

I am going to treat cyberspace to some old photos I found whilst putting stuff away last week.

Wake up, it's 1984

First: Halloween party pictures. My mom loved to throw parties. I always had a birthday party, but the big deal party for me was the Halloween slumber party. Mom would seriously go all out, making crafty decorations and snacks and fabulous costumes for me. She wasn't a subdued domestic goddess by any means, she was more about having fun and flexing her creative, free-spirited muscle. We didn't have much money, so she'd go out into vacant fields and pick dried thistles and spray paint them black to make spiders which got hung from the ceiling... stuff like that. She worked it.

Here we are in fourth grade, late 1983. Can you spot me? Trivia: All the pottery on the mantle was created by my dad.



And, the following year: late 1984. Hellcats start young, oh yes.



Now let's ROCKIT into 1984/85. To boost my low self-esteem, mom enrolled me in a local drill team. We were a parade-marching drill team. I remember marching to the theme song from Simon and Simon quite often. We also did holiday performances.

Anyway. The 1984 summer Olympics had gone on in Los Angeles earlier that year. Maybe it was because I was just a kid, but it seems to me they were a really big deal that go-round. I remember desperately wanting to be Mary Lou Retton, but was too tall to be a gymnast. So, I got dance lessons instead. Being that my only other aspiration was to be a Solid Gold Dancer (Darcel was my favorite), I was cool with that.

The Supreme Team was the name of my drill team and we had a standby routine that we'd do in competitions. We also had a Christmas routine, and a backup routine to Yaz's Situation. I still love that song. The standby routine was to a song called Junku by Herbie Hancock. Yes, a bunch of little white girls from suburban SLC were groovin' to Herbie. The song was used as a theme for certain events in the Olympics earlier that year, and is along the same lines of the more commonly-known Rockit (for which the video STILL gives me the creeps). But yeah, Herbie was and still is the man... it just wasn't until much later in life that I realized just HOW COOL he is after getting into Headhunters-era stuff.

But I digress. The photos below are from a Christmas show. Here is some more trivia: The mall we are performing in is the same mall my uncle was shot in last February. I'd never have imagined that 22 years later, someone I loved dearly would be shot, left for dead and paralyzed a mere few yards from where I was trying to concentrate on not screwing up in front of a crowd of Christmas shopping Salt Lakers. It's very heavy to think about how randomly and unexpectedly life can change.

Here, we are dancing to Jingle Bell Rock. I hated that song then, and I hate it to this day. But I did not let that affect my unwavering commitment to fierce jazz hands. I mean, really. Look at all those other lackadaisical, limp-wristed jazz hands. Mine were TIGHT.



And these are from the Herbie Hancock routine, complete with props (a coat hanger bent into a circle and wrapped in tinsel) and buck teeth that could put anyone else's to shame:





Man, I tell you, I lived in those costumes. Like, I would play in the front yard in them. And people would probably drive by and see the skinny, buck-toothed child spinning around on the grass in sequins and ballet slippers and just shake their heads. But I was oblivious... I had a weekly Solid Gold top 10 countdown to pretend to star in!

This glimpse into my past brought to you by an old shoebox and a mind-numbing case of procrastination. Good night.

K-Von, you will be missed.

I never met Kurt Vonnegut; I would have liked to. When someone's words strike a chord in a person the way his did in me, it's almost like knowing that person. I was so sad when I heard the news.



There are so many passages and aphorisms from Mr. Vonnegut's writings and speeches that I could list as being favorites of mine. He was a man with a gift for saying, in so few words, volumes of insight that society could have only been improved by. He had a talent for summing up heartbreak, desperation, anger, disappointment and joy in both a profound and a humorous fashion. I can't think of any other writer aside from Wallace Stegner (another great loss) who had a gift for words the way Vonnegut did.

If I could, I would thank him for leaving his words behind for the rest of us.

The Painted Desert

In honor of Easter weekend, I decided to resurrect my living room. Therefore, I spent two days turning said living room into the colors of a high desert paradise. I am so happy to have my earth tones back.

My entire house has been painted this nasty-assed, dingy shade of yellow. Every room except the kitchen, which I refer to as "Great White". The bathroom is stark white, too. This shade of yellow isn't even a color, as far as I am concerned. It's a special effect. The effect being someone chain-smoking in a white room (with black curtains) for thirty years sans ventilation. It's like a nicotine-stained veneer. Even the name of the shade is offensive: Deep Cowslip. I don't even know what that means. I think cowslip is some sort of weed. Regardless, it sounds gross.

Saturday I went to Lowe's and got a gallon of each of my two trusted colors (I used these same colors at the Fitzgerald house as well): Earth Elements Canyon and Burnished Copper. Hot diggity... now my entire living room is painted. And I have pictures to prove that I didn't loaf around feeling sorry for my sorry self all weekend...

Befores:





Durings:

I painted the window seat/bay window place (the Bay Area, as it is now referred to) and the wall surrounding my fireplace the lighter (Canyon) shade:





The remaining walls get the Burnished Copper treatment:



AFTERS (WOOHOO!):

One room down, four more to go.





Finally, I would like to thank my project manager (who perched on the arm of my sofa, barking out all my mistakes).



Now all I gotta do is put everything in its right place and I'll have Santa Fe southeast dialed in.

Not From Here

I've been feeling homesick for the west lately.

I made a little design to cheer me up. Maybe I'll put it on a t-shirt or something...



On a related note, I found this quotation from Wallace Stegner the other day. He is one of my favorite novelists of all time; I love the man. What he says here definitely strikes a chord in my heart:

"The Utah deserts and plateaus and canyons are not a country of big returns, but a country of spiritual healing, incomparable for contemplation, meditation, solitude, quiet, awe, peace of mind and body. We were born of wilderness, and we respond to it more than we sometimes realize. We depend upon it increasingly for relief from the termite life we have created. Factories, power plants, resorts, we can make anywhere. Wilderness, once we have given it up, is beyond our reconstruction."

- Wallace Stegner, Wilderness at the Edge , 1990

Simple Joys

It's been so incredibly beautiful in Alabama these past few weeks. When I left for New Orleans a couple weekends ago, my trees had barely any leaves on them. As I approached my driveway that Sunday evening, everything had exploded into a shimmering mass of green. Blossoms are beginning to open, and the air is heavy with the scent of honeysuckle and jasmine. Trees once stark and draped with Spanish moss in a Gothic fashion have now been dotted in with bright green shiny leaves... it's such a breathtaking time of year here. The air is still relatively cool, and there is a hint of dampness that makes everything feel new.

Because of this, I have been working outside a lot. The house is coming along very slowly on the inside; I've wanted to dedicate all my time to getting the landscaping just how I want it before it gets too Hellishly hot to do anything outside (other than drink cold beer and sweet tea on the deck). I'm just about finished with the outside. Wanna see?

I've made a leaf pile that is most impressive:

(It's no Springfield Tire Fire, but it's getting there.)

One day I will replace the hippie chairs with real outdoor furniture, but right now they are perfect.


Mister Boy loves the deck almost as much as I do:


Aside from some pansies out front, I haven't planted anything in the ground yet. But I have thrown together some flower pots:





(I picked up the blue bottles at a yard sale last weekend; I plan on making a bottle tree sometime this summer)

The front yard is thrilling me as well... I love my little Dogwood tree!


Finally, one of my favorite things... my own sort of Terabithia right outside my front door. You can see my house in the background:


If only it could be like this all year... le sigh.

***

"In spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt."

- Margaret Atwood
Candadian writer (b. 1939)

Warming Up

*singing*
How much is that crawdad in the window
The one with the pinch-able tail (and suck-able head)
How much is that mudbug in the window
I love 'em all spicy and red...

Okay, that was pretty stooooopid. But still.

Welcome to, what will become, a blog focused on my progress of settling in to my tiny, beautiful, doll house of a cottage.

Aye!

Like Kenny Loggins said, "This is it."