writings under the faerie moon

squares of goodness

2009-04-09T10:15:00.003-04:00

i shall meet my love
in squares rich with life's goodness
then we shall hang out

one's possessive rule
amongst soft squares of plush goodness
the blue monster plays

i'm really liking goodness and squares. i could do a whole book of haikus just featuring squares of goodness... makes me think of brownies or baklava (before it's cut).

New Artisans Market!

2009-03-13T09:31:00.003-04:00

I just opened up shop in a new online marketplace... 1000 Markets, an emerging market for artisans.

Right now, I'm adding light switch plate covers, and expect to add my paintings and other pieces over time. Come take a look at my shop - and browse other shops in the marketplace, too!

Next stop - Rome!

2009-03-04T23:14:00.004-05:00

So, DB has a summer internship in Europe... and since we love to be together, and it costs just as much to be apart as it does to travel together, there is no sense in spending the summer apart when we can tour Europe for 3 months. Am I right?

Our first stop is Rome, where we'll be for a week. Then we'll head to Switzerland where we'll set up camp. On weekends we'll make journeys together, and during the week we'll live in our Swiss town, and I'll likely do some adventuring on my own. We don't have the rest of our itinerary planned out yet, and that is part of the fun! We have been discussing Germany and Scotland for the last couple weeks of our trip before we return to the US.

Now... I'll just have to find some portable types of art that I can do while I'm living out of a suitcase!

Of course... I'll also be posting my travels here, for you.

2008 Handmade Gift Guide

2008-12-01T16:11:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

I just love sharing with you my favorite artists, artisans, crafters, and entrepreneurs from around the world! I love that there are so many people out there making unique creations by hand, and that these beautiful creations are accessible to so many of us via the internet. This year, the list is exclusively sourced from my favorite place for all things hand made - Etsy.

Perhaps within these shops you will find some unique gifts to share with your loved ones this holiday season.

Buy handmade. It's good for you.

In Celebration of You,
Amy

GREETING CARDS & BOOKS

WovenMoon.etsy.com
Charlotte, NC
Limited edition couture cards and gifts.

LaurenAlexander.etsy.com
Overland Park, KS
Adorable art and packs of greeting cards

moderncard.etsy.com
Martha’s Vineyard, MA
Blank, birthday and holiday cards – beautifully done.

KupoKiley.etsy.com
Eugene, OR
Handmade books for the serious writer.

malien00.etsy.com
Portland, OR (?)
Colorful greeting cards, notecards and pins.

EmilyBalivet.etsy.com
Vermont
Gorgeous mythological Goddesses, art nouveau divas, Celtic witches, psychedelic sorceresses, and medieval damsels.

takeiteasy.etsy.com
Los Angeles, CA
Handmade books, cards and whimsical whatnots.

CLOTHING

kimmchi.etsy.com
Brooklyn NY
Silkscreen on American Apparel shirts – including men's!

ellembee.etsy.com
White Lake, MI
Hand printed shirts for women, messenger bags and jackets.

Ahpeele.etsy.com
Raleigh, NC
Men’s and women’s clothing.

MariaElena.etsy.com
Duluth, MN
Fairy wings for grown ups!

nodemo.etsy.com
Toronto, Ontario
For the teen (or geeky-cool grown up) in your life.

shellmitchell.etsy.com
San Francisco, CA
Because fingerless gloves are way too cool.

kittyempire3.etsy.com
Nelson, BC Canada
Wallets, bags and accessories.

CHILDREN

threeredtrees.etsy.com
Kansas City
Adorable sock dogs and cats.

cherry6goddess1.etsy.com
La Mesa, CA
Cute little plushies – including penguins, pigs and hippos!

PerfectChildren.etsy.com
Portland, OR
Impossible plushy animals for your wee one’s imagination.

FOR YOUR KITTY

FluffyFlowers.etsy.com
Macon, GA
Catnip anyone?

FINE ART

natashawescoat.etsy.com
Bay City
Beautiful fine art prints and posters

karenfaulknerart.etsy.com
Pennsylvania
Gorgeous original watercolors at very affordable prices.

JEWELRY

WhimsiGals.etsy.com
Newcastle (?)
Goddess brooches and dolls

JulieSuzanne.etsy.com
Toronto, Ontario
Fun art pendants

woundaroundjewelry.etsy.com
Clinton, TN
I love the beautiful wrapped copper bracelets!

allthosethrees.etsy.com
London, England
Handcrafted ecological jewelry.

blockpartypress.etsy.com
Baltimore, MD
Unique and colorful cuff links, tie-tacks, pendants, and earrings.

waterfall.etsy.com
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Glass rings and beads

silentgoddess.etsy.com
Port Orchard, WA
Rings, pendants, bracelets and earrings for the goddess.

ETC

westernartglass.etsy.com
Minneapolis, MN
Glass art – pay particular attention to recycled beer bottle art – very cool!

Xanadu2You.etsy.com
Tacoma, WA
Amazing copper wire creations – bowls, containers, etc. Wow!

lewasdesigns.etsy.com
Gilbert, AZ
Decals galore! Decorate your walls, your laptop, your car... What else ya got?

tlwoldc.etsy.com
Fair Oaks, CA
Handspun fibers and yarn, knitted wrist warmer patterns, pregnancy aromatherapy, music, and more!

GeekGear.etsy.com
Westfield, NJ
Desk-gear made from recycled computer parts... for the coolest geek in your life.

OhWhatIf.etsy.com
Minneapolis, MN
Hand-woven rugs from recycled cotton

akcupcake.etsy.com
Anchorage, Alaska
Oven mitts, aprons and bicycle seat covers, oh my!

Against Myself

2008-11-06T12:08:00.004-05:00

I'm struggling.

I went to the doctor last year because the circulation in my fingers got wonky. I figured they'd tell me to wear gloves and keep warm. I didn't think it was anything big or important or whatever. Then all these blood tests were ordered and there was all this hoopla from my doctor about collagen vascular diseases. In fact, he eve made a diagnosis of Lupus right there. Of course, he called me later that day to say he isn't really familiar with Lupus and talked to a Rhuematologist who suggested more testing needed to be done before a diagnosis could be made.

More testing was done and I was told I don't have Lupus right this moment, but there is a chance I'll develop it. My achy hips, knees and wrists were chalked up to my overactive imagination. My fatigue and headaches were ignored and not even written down in the doctor's notes. The rash across my knuckles (something I've never ever had or even seen before!) was attributed to too frequent hand washing (although I wash my hands only about 4 times a day).

And although I just came in one day casually asking about my fingers - is this normal? - I left the two month experience of blood tests and scary diagnoses from this doctor feeling like I'd been the one who came in asking if I had Lupus when really I'd just had the sniffles or something.

I decided that this rural doctor wasn't taking me seriously and since he'd admitted he had no experience with these kinds of diseases (autoimmune diseases) I decided to wait until I got to NYC and find a doctor that knew what they were doing.

(FYI - an autoimmune disease happens when a person's immune system gets confused about which cells belong to itself and which cells are outside viruses and bacteria, and starts attacking it's own cells.)

After arriving in NYC I started experiencing a bunch of strange health-related things. I went to a local clinic and the doctor there really seems to listen and take me seriously. That is a huge relief.

I'm gathering up medical records as far back as I can to help my doctors try to figure out what's going on with me. And I'm trying to get health insurance so I can get more tests done. This part is exhausting. The damn person who can answer my questions about filling out the insurance paperwork hasn't returned my four calls over the last two weeks and the clock is ticking. The longer it takes me to turn in the paperwork, the longer it will be before I can get medical care. And with many illnesses, time can often be a huge factor in prevention major damage.

I've been reading up on autoimmune diseases and there are only a couple that really match what I'm experiencing. The rest do not. But it's scary. If I do have (or develop) one of these diseases it is necessary that they find it now.

It's hard for me to ask for help. I'm extremely self-reliant, independent, and (a bit embarassed to say) proud. I don't want anybody to think I'm weak or helpless or needy. And I certainly do not want to be treated that way. I don't want to be a burden to anyone. And I don't want anyone to think I'm just trying to get attention. This is not the kind of attention I seek (when I do seek attention).

Even though I know that having an illness isn't something to be embarassed about I actually feel a lot of embarassment around it. Especially right now when it's unclear exactly what the illness might be. And what if the doctors say there really is nothing wrong - then what does that mean about all these symptoms I'm experiencing? What the hell is causing them?

I'm torn between wanting to find out what is wrong, and just declaring that I'm okay. Such a declaration feels like denial, and sounds like something that will end up making me sicker. Trying to find out what is wrong feels like I'm a big cry baby who is taking things too seriously.

Emotionally, every option feels crappy because I'm scared.

get 'er done

2008-10-07T09:58:00.005-04:00

The ups and downs of a chronic illness make me motion sick.

It's really when I experience too much stress or too much activity that my immune system's knees buckle and without the fort secured I end up getting invaded (ie sick). And when there is an invasion in my body, it's not just a neighboring country - it's a full on universal effort - every country and neighboring planet wants a crack at it. No cute little tummy ache or sniffles for me.

No, my body gets hijacked by viruses, bacteria, and what can look like downright poor upkeep with the seriousness of an accountant, and the determination of an IRS auditor.

We're talking simulataneous multiple illnesses, all impacting different systems.

We're talking "stump the doctors" with how many different unrelated things are happening as they try to find an underlying connection or cause.

You'd think the invaders were planning their stradegies together for decades - Shock and Awe - that's how quick, skilled and successful they can be.

My body is the ultimate multi-tasker. True story. As walls across the vast fortress that is my body crumble and invaders file in and get settled, somehow my body still manages to launch multiple counter attacks all over the place, taking down each illness.

It takes a bit longer to heal from multiple illnesses when you're stressed out and have a chronic condition (especially when the particular illness doesn't seem to have a source/reason/cause and therefore medication determinations becomes a guessing game). Anyway, the job still gets done (until one day, it doesn't).

All Eyes

2008-10-01T09:32:00.005-04:00

There are many things to like about Brooklyn. The food, the people, the proximity to everything one needs to be near, the friends, the stoop sales, the thunder and lightening storms, the culture, the rampant availability of the ice cream truck during all four seasons, and of course the comedic bickering and banter one hears just about everywhere.

But one thing I love about Brooklyn that I never expected was how often I hear "Miss, you have beautiful eyes, God bless you." No kidding. People literally insert this phrase into the middle of conversations with other people as they are passing by.

The reason this compliment is worth mentioning is because I was a bit worried when I moved here about getting too much attention... specifically, attention aimed at my chest - which was a constant theme while living in Boston regardless of what kind of shirt I was wearing.

Having the attention focused on my eyes makes me feel like I'm somehow less objectified (eyes are the window to the soul), like I'm somehow in a more wholesome environment - more wholesome than a puritanical bedrock? Um, yeah.

Anyway, I do have beautiful eyes. Thank you for noticing.

somewhere

2008-08-27T10:04:00.003-04:00

I love that I'm somewhere, instead of everywhere. Although it may seem by the following list that I'm still everywhere and not just somewhere. The key difference is that the everywhere I am currently is more contained so that it can rightly be called a somewhere rather than an everywhere.

August has been flitting by at full speed, and I've been lucky enough to be able to relax a bit in addition to tackling the daily and weekly To Do lists that come with moving to a new city.

Here's a run down of my month.

Dinner in Brooklyn's Chinatown
Trader Joe's in Manhattan is mobbed!
Subway riding
Listing our Yaris for sale
Budgeting
Searching for the perfect coffee shop
Reading
Fudgcicles and Ice Cream Sandwiches
Apartment hunting
Tuesday Trivia Night at Black & White in Manhattan
Investigating the local food co-op
Amazing Indian food at Bombay Grill
Moving the car twice a week for street cleaning
Chess
Nail polish and polishing my nails for the first time in 2 years
Laundry
Stoop sales (rather than yards or garages)
Hanging out with local friends
A trip to the beach
East Village
Little Italy
Thai lunch special
Securing space in a ceramics studio
Learning to use my sewing machine

I think I have a buyer for the car, and it's possible we won't have to find an apartment (the person we're subletting from may not be returning in October as previously thought). I've been extremely fortunate enough to become an assistant in a ceramics studio for 6 hours per week where I'll learn glaze mixing and other such important skills. In exchange, I can use the facilities (space, clay and glazes) for my own personal work.

I think that pretty much catches you up, although there are a few details missing that would make for lively stories. If I ever think of them again, I'll be sure to share.

Sunday Scrabble

2008-08-03T19:05:00.002-04:00

Wiper
Tax
It
Ex
Park
Keg
Groan
in
Ovals
Fat
Ta
Labile
Valet
Visit
Wagons
Judged
Wept
Ped
Booth
Beet
Buck
Yack
Zen
Ye
An
Cay
Herald
Hauls
Rims
Nudes
Sin
Fond
Tango
Moor
Am
No
Go
Nor

Arrival

2008-08-02T09:09:00.000-04:00

So we've arrived. We are officially resident's of New York - even if New York isn't aware of this.

We have a few things to take care of before we can switch over our drivers licenses... such as obtaining mail with our current address on it, and finding the local DMV. All in good time.

And since we're on the topic of driving... we have to sell our car because our insurance nearly tripled. Ouch! We had definitely not budgeted for such a steep increase.

Our temporary apartment for two months is near chinatown in Brooklyn, and our roommate is possibly the least offensive person ever. I could not be happier.

Our room is a soft minty green and actually goes well with our orange bedding from back in Boston when we had a vibrant blue room. Our room also came with a dresser, futon bed, a chair, a couple lamps on little tables, and an air conditioner. It was a relief to not have to worry about moving/buying furniture. We can tackle that when we get our permanent place in October.

For now the focus is on getting reacclimated to the city, finding a favorite neighborhood, and hooking into resources.

deleted scenes

2008-07-30T07:46:00.001-04:00

6/17 - we continue our search for a watering hole... literally - a decent place to water our swimwear.

6/19 - researching hostels we find the Lucky 13 Ranch for boarding horses.

the smallest offenders... juvenile fish... must be transported to a maximum security lake under the strictest care.

6/21 - can I just say that we'd have never gone ghost town hunting if they weren't highlighted on the damn map in the first place!

7/2 - i was so excited to find tree forts lining the Wisconsin highway in these somewhat remote fields - "DB! Look! Tree forts! I want one!" then i was horrified... "Wait! Those aren't tree forts! Those are for hunting!"

7/18 - i'd like to officially thank DB for being my official note taker when it was my turn to drive.

7/31 - i'd also like to officially thank all our magnificent friends for feeding us, housing us, entertaining us, etc during our adventure. you have no freakin' idea how you saved our arses. gracias mis amigos! shout outs to MK, RC, SE, PL, LE, SW, CI, and LP.

books for daniels

2008-07-29T15:19:00.003-04:00

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association

Applied Social Research: A Tool for the Human Services

Where to Start and What to Ask: An Assessment Handbook

Urban Social Work: An Introduction to Policy and Practice in the Cities

the waiting game

2008-07-19T20:40:00.004-04:00

we stayed at LP's for a few days then headed to DB's parents where we have been since.

so far we have made it out to swim twice. im currently sporting a sunburn on my shoulders and back, so it will be a few days before we can play in the water again. for the life of me i can't figure out why i didn't put on a single drop of the $20 worth of sunscreen ive been toting around the last 50 days.

today i saw a baby moose. ive never seen a live moose (we had a stuffed one in the basement of some science building at WSU), and certainly never a baby moose. if DB's mom hadn't informed me it was a baby, i'd easily have assumed it was a fully grown adult. that should give you an idea of the size of these creatures. it was pretty fluffy and cute.

who knows what we'll do the rest of our time here. we have two weeks left. eventually we are going to have to tackle all our stuff in the basement, get it organized, and decide what to take with us on our first trip August 1st down to our temporary apartment in Brooklyn. we're waiting to rent moving van until we get a permanent apartment in October, otherwise we'll just have to rent a van twice and move our stuff twice.

full circle

2008-07-13T10:17:00.009-04:00

7/11
after many miles of detour getting out of Detroit, we finally hit Ohio. We got a couple interesting photos...

Cleveland, OH... sadly, we have no photos of Cleveland, but we did actually really like it there. will we live there next? stay tuned to find out.

Erie, Pennsylvania... left much to be desired and can be summed up in one word and one punctuation mark - "yuck!" this is sad. we were sure it was going to be cute, or weird, or somewhat interesting, but no.

it's important to note that our return to the state of New York on 7/11 is auspicious, or at least exciting. on 7/11/06 we flew out of Burlington VT with a layover at JFK in NYC en-route to California. welcome home, says NY! or as DB says "our turn has come full circle."

no sense in driving all darn night... we stopped and camped in NY. the next morning as i left the women's showers i was approached by a burly fellow "Are you from California? I noticed you have California license plates. Do you have any mmbmsrmm?" Um, what? Oh... that! No, I don't have any of that.

a few people commented on our car, including a friendly 7yr old riding around on his bike... "I love your car!"

7/12
Niagra Falls, NY... again, another one of those examples of when something looks bigger in the advertisements. the falls were pretty wide, but if you weren't prepared to wait a week to cross the border or pay $10 per person, you couldn't get a view to the bottom. i thought this was a pretty cool view though.

Seneca Falls, NY... we got to visit the Women's History Museum, and the Methodist church where the women's sufferage movement began - Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Fredrick Douglas had met and spoken in this famed meeting house. there was a sculpture trail we meandered along, and as luck would have it there was some live music in the park. we like Seneca Falls and i could easily see us buying a place and settling down in this historic little town. i could also see DB and opening our own brewery or art center in this fine old knitting factory on the river.

Chester, VT... nothin' like having friends along the route. LP made us some wicked-good chicken sandwiches and i definitely nominate and crown him future Food Network Star of America for that one.

Michigan Me

2008-07-12T10:06:00.001-04:00

7/6/08
we drove straight through from Chicago to Detroit. it wasn't so bad. it's only a few hours away, and that is fantastic news. we did stop in Ann Arbor, because we've both heard so much about UM and it is a possible candidate for DB's doctorate program in the next few years.

because we are expert planners, we planned it so we'd arrive when SW was home from work - and although we were a bit confused about where to go (google maps just says "turn right on X Street" but not exactly where the apartment is within a complex) SW was able to expertly tell us how to find her unit.

i was extremely impressed by SW's incredible organization. she had not only got us a handful of free museum passes, but she single-handedly typed up a list of neighborhoods, activities, and eateries that we might want to check out while visiting. if SW were applying for the position of concierge at my hotel, i would easily hire her at top pay. librarians are rad.

7/7/08
no museums are open on Mondays, so DB and I mostly hang out around the apartment, hoping the kitties will pay attention to us, snacking, and investigating the fabulous info our guide has provided. we hit a local Trader Joe's and my favorite street name is Bamlet because it's an adorable word.

7/8/08
although i really did want to check out the Henry Ford Estate and was curious about the Ford F150 tour, we picked the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History for our first stop. this was a pretty rad museum. not only is it a beautiful building, but the exhibits are really unique and moving. there are a couple galleries devoted to art which housed a collection of paintings, a collection of stained glass art, and an impressive collection of jazz-themed quilts.

the permanent exhibit takes you through the African American experience, starting with the birth of humanity in Africa, continuing to the tribal life in Africa, the capturing, transporting and enslavement of Africans as they were brought to the Americas, and the experience of African Americans through American history through the present. the most intense part of this exhibit is walking through a simulated journey in the dark bowels of a slave ship with dozens of wax slaves and a matching soundtrack.

the evening activity was SW and JT's hockey practice. it was my first time at an ice rink, and certainly my first exposure to hockey, and it was so fun to watch SW and JT all cute in their hockey gear sliding around whacking a puck.

7/9/08
we also visited the Cranbrook Art Museum which specializes in the Arts and Crafts movement, and had a fantastic exhibit of craft-work, including quilts and ceramics.

SW and JT took us to see Wall-E at the largest drive-in in the world! Ford Drive-In. it was DB's first time at the drive-in and he wishes there were more for us to frequent. Wall-E was cute.

7/10/08
every time i go to a contemporary art museum i realize that i'm not really into contemporary/modern art... and i'm more of a crafter. Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit was another great reminder of how un-hip i am. i do appreciate modern/contemporary art and think it is valid and important, i just don't enjoy it.

on the way to and fro the MOCAD, we passed the infamous 8 Mile. the number of abandoned and gutted homes, apartment buildings and businesses in detroit is pretty unbelievable, and at another time i'll reveal the plans DB and i have come up with to save detroit.

and of course, there is nothing like a round of put-put golf in the fancy suburbs after seeing a city ravaged by poverty. DB won 50 to 55, but i did have a hole in 1. i should probably also mention that DB also had a hole in 1.

7/11/08
we had a good visit, got to see some art, a bit of Detroit, and that made it sad to say bye-bye to SW and JT. they were awesome hosts, as are Mr and Mrs Meow who warmed up to DB and me enough to let JT get a little sleep.

i miss living near my friends.

vulva skyline

2008-07-08T08:54:00.000-04:00

This is where I acknowledge the good bits about my Chicago stay...

7/3/08
Lake Michigan is enormous. I mean, it looks enormous on the map, but when you really get up close and personal... you're pretty sure you're looking at another ocean. The water along Lincoln Park was so green/blue it was getting close to Caribbean. And the breeze that flows off the water is absolutely necessary for maintaining comfort in toasty Chicago.

Oddly, I felt the need to dress in layers. Some moments I was ridiculously hot, and others, such as in the shade and/or while a breeze was blowin', I wished I had worn jeans and a jacket. And nights easily chilled me enough to need those jeans.

The houses and buildings of Chicago are mostly brick, which I find attractive and interesting. In fact, I think I consider brick to be a necessary component of city housing. It really makes a difference, adding character and creating good feelers.

7/4/08
DB and I went on a walk to escape the video games and stopped at a little coffee shop under the el (elevated train). I grabbed a decaf soy mocha which rocked, and then we headed to Wrigley Field, just to say we went there. Of course, it was closed, so we merely walked by, but it was exciting, and we are pleased. After a few lefts and rights we also somehow stumbled onto the Whole Foods used in the Food Network's Top Chef.

7/5/08
The day we "saw the city" we got off the el at Monroe and speed-walked through some sculptural area where DB and I insisted on walking through "the bean" - this giant shiny metal bean that produces a wild optical experience when underneath looking up into the center. The Taste of Chicago was happening, so our guide walked us around the really long and presumably beautiful park he otherwise would have walked us through... but along the way to the Field Museum he did pop us back into the park for a moment so we could see this huge and lovely water fountain.

DB and our host/guide explored the Mythical Creatures exhibit at the Field Museum while I sat outside and read. I did walk around a bit to check out these giant art globes, and I heard a snippet of an architectural tour discussing the buildings along the skyline.

Apparently one of the buildings was designed by a "feminist architect... and you can use your imagination on that one." I think this means that the building could possibly look vulva-esque rather than phallic. Although the info wasn't necessarily presented well, I did love that that is one of the snippets I heard. I love feminist buildings and I think there should be more of them. Imagine an entire city of feminist buildings....

Before DB and our host/guide completed their museum tour I decided to take my experience into my own hands and walked through the park we skipped on the way to the museum. I loved walking around alone and decided to hunt for coffee. I found a Dunkin' Donuts near Van Buren and nestled in for a chocolate glazed donut, a decaf with cream and sugar, and a chapter or two of my book. My first Dunkin' Donuts in two years... mmm, it's good to be going home.

Outside there is a guy crawling around on the ground, looking like he may cry, begging for money. It's easy to tell that this is his gig. This is what he does, daily. It's hard to tell if his face can make any other face besides the crying face. It's painful to watch, so I try not to.

As I read, I look up and see a black man in a wheel chair wheeling by... he smiles at me in his bushy gray wig and waves. This man is so full of joy I can't help but smile and wave back as he passes. He's made my day, and I kinda wish everyone was like this. I see the crying man again and wonder if he'd have better luck if he were smiling instead.

So Long Chicago

2008-07-07T10:03:00.006-04:00

July 3 - 6

I have to be honest - I'm disappointed in the Chicago portion of our trip.

Our host was kind enough, we had a place to sleep, and several of our meals out were paid for... these are indisputable benefits, bonuses, and perks that I am fully grateful for receiving.

So what's the dilly-o?

I'm tired of being ignored.
I wanted to see more of the city
I don't enjoy watching people play video games for hours on end

I'm tired of being ignored by DB's friends. My friends don't ignore DB. They actively include him in conversations, ask him about himself, and respond to his comments and questions. Whereas DB's friends do not offer the same courtesies to me... We call it "the invisible girlfriend phenomenon," and we've seen it before. Anyway, 3 days of being ignored was a bit beyond my tolerance level.

I wanted to see more of Chicago - and I'm sure there was more to see.

Day 1 - We walk to the lake. DB and our host play chess while I read.

Day 2 - We watched our host play video games, excuse ourselves for a walk around the neighborhood, come back for more video game watching, then attend a 4th of July party our host wanted to attend. (DB and I aren't much for big parties, we're more the wine sipping and cheese board types.)

Day 3 - The big day in the city. Our host had told us all these great things about the city, yet I got this feeling that he felt obligated to be our tour guide and didn't want to, like he'd rather be home playing video games. When we finally arrived downtown, he bolted so fast that we didn't have a chance to really look around since we needed to keep on the look out for which direction our host / guide, had gone. We even asked him to slow his pace which he did... a tiny bit. I'd have prefered our host send us off on our own if he didn't really feel like showing us around. And since I was an "invisible girlfriend" I didn't feel like I could really state that maybe we should do our own site seeing.

Day 4 - We left for Detroit, MI.

Of course there is more that I didn't appreciate, but I don't want to dwell on any additional details. I wash my hands of Chicago.

Hello Wisconsin

2008-07-04T10:12:00.002-04:00

July 2nd - Minneapolis, MN to Madison, WI

I wasn't sure what to expect in Wisconsin. My only "experience" with WI has been "That 70's Show" which I find pretty fantastic, but not necessarily a provider of much actual state history or geography.

What we saw were a helluva lot of brick silos - one with a pumpkin perched on top (see below). I think I'd like to have a nice cute brick silo of my own some day. Oh, and a ridiculous number of water-parks. And an unholy number of Christmas tree farms. I can only imagine that Wisconsin exports Christmas trees to the rest of America, and possibly Canada, in order to justify the number of trees they grow. I am certain there aren't enough people in the local states to support these farms.

DB was able to find Wisconsin's highest altitude in the back of our atlas... something around a couple thousand feet. This provided a great deal of giggles for me as I repeatedly exclaimed "Wisconsin's highest point!" and pointed at a nearby hill.

We also saw a very interesting rendition of the "deer crossing" signs, of which I wish we had a photo to share. The silhouette of the deer is a bit more vertical, with a bit larger body and head, giving the slight appearance of a potato.

Ironically, even though we saw at least 7 state troopers pulling folks over on the hwy, there was something about all the firework stands claiming "bigger, louder, deadlier" that just gave me this overall feeling of unease.

Our favorite cafe in Wisconsin is definitely Acoustic Cafe... In fact, it's just about the only business still open in downtown Au Claire which appeared to have an 80 percent vacancy rate in their businesses district. Ouch! Too bad, because it's actually an adorable town. Interestingly, the sprawl that surrounds on the way between the town and the interstate seems to be thriving (this is where all the chain stores).

Madison is kinda cute. If I hadn't already pledged my allegiance to Minneapolis, I'd live in Madison. Maybe. Do I get free cheese for saying that?

Anyway, we stayed in a hostel. I thought it was pretty rad. DB had some weird anxiety thing about it, but maybe that was the Uno's cookie talking.

July 3rd - Madison, WI to Chicago, IL

Got some cheese on the way to Chicago, and ice cream, too. Can't go to Chicago without stopping for ice cream along the way, I always say.

facebooking

2008-07-02T11:29:00.000-04:00

i had been invited to join facebook over a year ago by a coaching colleague. because im a bit of a snob, i ignored the request. after all, i was already a member of friendster, linkedin, and probably several other networking sites i've forgotten about since joining.

yet, while hangin' here in Mpls (that's short for Minneapolis), LE was talking about playing scrabble on facebook with various friends, and how fun it was, and how our lives would be improved 100 times if only DB and i would join, too.

then yesterday, while i was reading and waiting for laundry to finish, DB was being his mischevious self. i came up to see what he was doing... he was editing his new facebook profile.

ET TU BRUTE

so now, instead of driving to Madison, Wisconsin, experiencing the best cheese america has to offer, i have spent the morning facebooking.

ye ole curiosities

2008-07-02T10:40:00.000-04:00

Departure Date: Sunday, June 15, 2008

Days on the Road: 18

Laundry Doings: 4

Hotels Nights: 2

Rest Stop Nights: 1

Nights Slept in Car: 3

Mosquito Bites: Me - 9, DB - 0

Fast Food Stops: 0

Chain Restaurants Eaten At: 2 (Chili's and Outback Steakhouse)

Brewpubs Visited: 6 (WAx2, ID, MT, SD, MN)

Ice Cream Cones: 4 (per person)

Current Location: Minneapolis, MN

Total Miles Traveled: 3017.1

Distance From Seattle: 1666 miles

Total Mileage on the Car: 11030

Hubcaps Irreparably Damaged During 10k Mile Servicing of Car by the Black Hills Toyota Service Center in South Dakota: 1

Major Mountain Ranges Crossed This Trip:

Cascade Mtns (WA)
Rocky Mtns (MT)

Major Rivers Crossed This Trip:

Columbia River (WA)
Missouri River x4 (SD)
Mississippi River x2 (MN)

Next 3 Destinations:

Madison, Wisconsin
Chicago, Illinois
Detroit, Michigan

Number of Meals with Eggplant in the last 4 days: 3

Networking Websites Joined: 1

Networking Websites Quit: 1

Favorite City So Far: Minneapolis, MN

Smelliest City: Pierre, SD

i heart minneapolis

2008-06-29T18:53:00.001-04:00

i have no idea how it took us so long to get from the Badlands to Minneapolis, but we're finally here. i vaguely recall sleeping at a rest stop in mid - South Dakota, sleeping at a state campground just east of Minnesota, then driving all day and staying in a hotel in Minneapolis.

LE and T have been graciously hanging out with us and taking us to their favorite places.

on Saturday LE entertained us herself. she tooks us on a tour around the Minneapolis lakes, brought us to French Meadows for coffee (yum!). after a nap - which actually means watching "So You Think You can Dance," then we had eggplant parm for dinner (my fav & courtesy of DB), and played a rousing game of Scrabble in which LE kicked our rears... if DB and i had combined our score we'd have had the game by 30pts.

today has included french toast, a documentary film (Young At Heart), ice cream, internetting, and nap time. we'll be having eggplant enchiladas for dinner (courtesy of DB), and playing Apples to Apples tonight.

so far, DB and i agree that Minneapolis is pretty rad. will we be returning here to live in a couple years? stay tuned to find out!

Life in the Badlands

2008-06-26T15:10:00.000-04:00

Just east of the Blackhill's are what are called the Badlands. Named such by some white people exploring, traveling east, and committing genocide. It was noted by Native Americans in the area that clearly these lands were not bad - they were teeming with life.

And, in fact, they are still teeming with life... although some of it has been reintroduced to the area due to natural populations either dying out or being over hunted by... you guessed it, the white folks who claimed the land was barren. We were fortunate to see some of this life, and we lovingly bring it on home to you.

Upon entering the Badlands National Park we immediately realized that we were on top of and traveling across a plateau. Our first stop gave us not only a spectacular view of the valley beyond, but also our first encounter with the elusive Bighorn Sheep. (Apparently, it is not common to see these cuties.)

Our continued meanderings revealed various breathtaking landscape formations.

We also saw a variety of grasses, flowers, dinosaur fossils, along with animals too far away or too quick to be captured on film - a fox, antelope, and various birds.

Fortunately for you, I am kind enough not to subject you to the two dozen photos of Prairie Dogs taken throughout the 60 mile drive around the park. I thought one photo was plenty to convince you that you, too, want your own Prairie Dog. Although, please beware... they carry the Plague.

No really, there are signs outside the park warning tourists to stay in their cars and not frolick with Prairie Dogs due to the Plague. I, however, am impervious to such signs... which is why one little fella was barking madly at me as I attempted to get nearer for a close-up. The Prairie Dog shown here did not bark - instead it posed nicely for the camera.

And, of course, no animal photo-shoot would be complete without Bison (aka Buffalo). These Bison aren't totally free-roaming because being such would be a health hazard. Apparently cows have communicable diseases that cause reproductive problems for Bison - So, the Badlands Bison are kept in a large-ish contained area. In an effort to boost morale they have been told they are free... which reminds me of how things work in certain country I live in... but I'm sure it would be "unpatriotic" to say so.

Tiny Faces

2008-06-25T14:37:00.000-04:00

Our first stop was Deadwood in the Blackhills, an old mining town turned tourist destination. We checked out their museum and an ice cream shop; and drove through the gamblin' part of town. It's actually pretty fun/cute/cool and worth the stop - even if you're not planning to gamble. Also, there is a tv series that takes place in Deadwood.

Next we did the oil change and tire rotation. No comment on the stress this caused us post-service.

And finally we hit Mt Rushmore which is ridiculously tiny. In all the photos they zoom in and make it look like it's the size of Mt Rainer with giant faces carved into it... actually, it's rather small. Admittedly, the engineering feat is pretty impressive.

"Just one more piece of American kitsch to stick in my pocket." - DB

Wyoming 10k

2008-06-25T13:27:00.000-04:00

We finished up our time in Montana at a campground near Ashland, and gratefully exited into Wyoming's Blackhills. As you can see, we have a pretty rad set up... beach umbrella included!

Wyoming gifted us with both the Devils Tower, created by magma and over 5k above sea-level, and finally hitting 10k on our odometer which means it's time for an oil change and tire rotation.

most important stops

2008-06-23T10:58:00.000-04:00

Montana is too big and there appears to be no way out. we are surrounded by mountains, storms, casinos and Walmarts, yet cannot find a real ghost town. we give up.

traveling is both fun and exhausting. exhausting particularly when things on the map aren't where they say they are, or we over-extend / over-estimate ourselves (like, packing too many destinations into a single day, thus driving from 8am to 11pm). Montana is the best example of our frustration thus far. i'm willing to take up to 50% of the responsibility for this. Montana gets the other 50%.

before we began our journey we created a tentative itinerary. places we were interested in stopping / seeing, a general route, and a basic timeline. as we travel we are constantly revising - creating new plans of action, routes, destinations, etc. this is both fun and exhausting...

we're almost done seeing the areas we really wanted to hit on the first half of our trip, and we're pretty exhausted by traveling and not having a real home. it's now time to pick up the pace and get closer to seeing our friends - they are the most important stops along the trip.