Off To A Good Start

I am up extra early to get a few more things packed and squared away before I go. My only hang-up so far is that I don’t have the big kind of zip-lock bags, so hopefully my shampoo and contact stuff won’t explore mid-trip, but I suppose it won’t be the end of the world if that happens to occur.

As some of you may know, I’m not a fan of airports when I’m the one traveling, so I’m fairly apprehensive about today. Wish me luck, though, and soon enough I’ll be in paradise.

Today I am a puffer fish and a bottled water.

The Weekend News

I took several days off blogging while a friend was in from out of town. For the third time in a row, I have somehow managed to not find the right baggage claim area and had to resort to the ol’ ‘I’m outside walking under the skywalk, where are you?’ cell phone conversation. I mean really, the Spokane airport is not that big. HOW is it that I get turned around!?

I have exciting news! My very first book review ever has been published! I gave the editor of Eve Magazine a copy of my poetry book, What It Takes, several months ago when it first was released, but my hopes of publicity diminished as the time wore on. Lucky for me, however, he had another poetry book in mind to review so he assigned a writer to read both books and write two reviews to run on the same page. I heard from the editor early in the week that the October issue would run a review of my book, so I spent most of my time worrying if it would be a positive or negative. Fortunately, it was fairly straightforward and wasn’t opinionated. Please check it out on Eve’s website under the ‘regular features’ section. It is toward the bottom of the book review page.

I walked several miles of the Centennial Trail this weekend with my friend and absolutely loved it. Even though it was fairly flat, we kept a quick pace and ended up sweating a bit. We chose a section of trail right next to the Spokane River along Upriver Drive and the high river level made for a beautiful scene. I can’t wait to see more of the trail.

I am a fuzzy dragon and a mimosa.

New Adventures

I lost my pool game last night, but it was a very close game. In fact, over the course of the game, I had two dead balls (the que ball goes into a pocket after hitting a number ball in, meaning there is no score from the number ball) and my opponent won more game (which means she hit more nine balls in, and nine balls count for two points instead of the regular one) so in essence, I actually made more shots than she did. I managed to surprise myself with some shots (you know, those shots you’ve seen other people hit but you’re not quite sure how the heck it works, then you line it up and get a shot off and find you somehow made it (but can you remember how you did it for the next time?  ), so I’m hoping I find some great pool halls in Hawaii to keep my skills up.

Yesterday I managed to persuaded Scott to follow me around Gonzaga’s campus in search of the art building. I pass a reader board almost every other day advertising which artist’s work is showing for the month and I’ve always wanted to check it out. Too bad for Scott, however, we didn’t have a map and didn’t come across a map in all our wonderings. Needless to say, he doesn’t enjoy an aimless walk as much as I do. BUT! We managed to find some fantastic gems! The first was the section of the Centennial Trail that crosses the river between Gonzaga’s campus and the distance learning center for Eastern and WSU. The river was calm, the air was perfect and Gonzaga’s landscaping crew deserves major applause because it was a view from a tour guidebook.





It was from that vantage point that I could see a very strange steeple rising from one of the campus buildings. I just knew if I looked long enough I’d find a building that screamed artistic, free-thinking people congregate here! The steeple is a beautiful copper color, made to look like brilliant, simmering scales. And sure enough, after some more walking, we found it was the art building! Walking through college campus art buildings is the easiest way for me to find inspiration- there’s so much discovery, thought and reflection coursing through its halls!

Lastly, since I knew I wouldn’t have another chance any time soon, I wanted to see if Gonzaga’s cathedral was open. I’ve seen the two steeples rise above its surrounding buildings for over a year now and it was time I checked it out. I wasn’t even sure it would be open, or if there would be people inside ushering me right back out, but still, having been in a few cathedrals before, I knew the ornate art inside was more than enough reason to try.

And sure enough. Complete silence, despite the roar of students, studies and cars rushing past its outside walls. Huge ceilings, fantastic architecture, detailed fixtures. Everything about the place urged one to halt his/her busy thoughts and footsteps, and simply stand in peace and reverence. I don’t care what Scott says, a three mile walk around campus was definitely worth all the things I saw!

Today I am a marmot and a non-fat caramel mock-e-oto. (sp?)

Movie, music and O.C.D.

I currently have six documents open, all are organized to hold different notes from interviews, emails and internet research for my upcoming article. Six. It really makes me laugh at myself. And in four more hours I’ll be creating another one, adding to the OCD. I am an organizational freak, but it is the only method I can manage for writing articles. I gather up all my notes from different people (in separate word documents) and then use one final document to combine all my quotes and facts. Effective in the end, but hilarious and embarrassing through the middle.

I dedicate today’s entry to the song “Secret Crowds” by Angels and Airwaves. I think I’ve listened to it five times in the last 20 hours after I downloaded it last evening, which is saying quite a lot because I was asleep for a portion of that time. Angels and Airwaves is an excellent band. They’re not on my top 10 list, but they’re worth a try. The lead singer’s voice is what initially drew me in, and the heavy electric guitar and drums soon hooked me. While they aren’t for everyone, every few songs you’ll find an amazing gem and they’re worth some attention.

Interesting fact: The main singer of Angels and Airwaves used to play in Blink 182, but don’t let that effect on your preconceptions of the band; the two produce entirely different sounds.

I watched Burn After Reading the other day. As the credits rolled upon the end of the story… I became painful aware that I should have had some idea of what the Coen brother’s work was like prior to watching this one. I have yet to watch Fargo and No Country For Old Men, so I wasn’t necessarily prepared for the Coen brother’s style… Had I been aware of their particular style, I probably would have given this movie my vote, but under the circumstances, their abrupt plot choices and peculiar ending left me shocked. While I do recognize their unique and credible attempt to produce a movie above and beyond the average blockbuster, I just can’t quite get behind it just for the sake of originality.

Today I am a mimosa and a penguin.

Falling in Love with Inanimate Objects

Today certainly feels like the first day of fall. It’s been raining since I got up this morning at 9:30 and my fingers have been cold all day. Those are two very prominent signs of a season change. I’m not complaining, though, because the cold weather helped motivate me to get a few photo album projects out of the way. Plus, I found my long-lost Remember the Titans soundtrack, which my friend Grace burned for me many years ago, and it has kept the rainy-day blues away.

Today is Scott’s football day. It starts with a league game he plays at a local park, then he comes home to catch the Seahawks (their 0-2 record doesn’t leave much hope for the season, but he’s still a true fan), and sometimes, when the Hawks’ game is over, he’ll go watch his friends’ games (they each have claim on different NFL teams). I opted out of the league game today since it was so chilly (I know, I’m a bad girlfriend…) so I’m currently watching my first game of the day (although, since I’m writing this blog at the same time, you can imagine how invested I am). We have been up for most of the game so far. Yay!

I watched The Bucket List with Scott several nights ago. It didn’t exceed my expectations, but it was everything I thought it would be. The previews have given away most of the best punch lines, as well as the full extent of the plotline, so there really aren’t any surprises. Nevertheless, it is a great movie with some great actors. There is a scene, however, involving a Shelby (in reference to automobiles) and Scott had to ask what a Shelby was. I was very very saddened by this, at the thought that some people can’t point out a Mustang when they see one, nor have a jaw-drop reaction when looking at any 67-69 Mustang model. I therefore dedicate today’s entry to the Mustang in the hopes that those who read it will never let their eyes lazily pass by a Shelby or Eleanor again without seeing their beauty, or, if nothing else, knowing I love them madly.

Today I am a hot 16oz double-shot vanilla chai and a polar bear.

Birthdays Make the Best Excuses

The more rules I give myself, the more I break them… Or so it seems today. After unreservedly determining to watch my eating and improve my exercise habits within my last two weeks stateside, I’ve since eaten four bowls of ice cream. Not all at once… but within the span of 2.5 days. Not the best start you’ve ever heard of, huh? That got me thinking of my complete lack of motivation last week that somehow managed to grow out of my best efforts to tackle my ‘list of things to do before I leave.’ As soon as I set high standards of productivity, it all went down the drain.

My excuse today is that it is Scott’s birthday. Which isn’t really an excuse at all when you take into account he is still at work and won’t be home for another 2 hours at least (it already being 1 p.m.). The day isn’t completely ruined, however. I worked a bit on some writing projects that I will, at some point, get paid for. I also am getting my fill of musical delights. Elton John has been on my playlist a lot lately, as well as some great dance beats (shout out to my college roomies who put up with my bazaar tendency to mix music genres). We will probably go out tomorrow night to celebrate Scott’s birthday with his close friends, and I assume some dancing may be in order. It’s been nearly 5 months since I went to a club, so I’m looking forward to it.

In an effort to return some relevance to this blog, I’ll end with some thought provoking questions.

Has the media’s obsession with the Presidential election concerned anyone else? (i.e. newscasters who, in an attempt to fill round-the-clock news coverage, project their own opinions, disguising them as facts. Or the way they eat up any bread crumb of scandal as if it were the very first time scandal ever appeared on earth.) Thank goodness for Jon Stewart who has the easy job of making fun of them.

I heard of the radio that MTV’s top show, TRL (Total Request Live), will be shutting down within a month. How did it last this long? Good riddance, I say.

Is it okay to rearrange someone’s house without telling them? If they really want an improvement, but don’t know where to start? Is it okay to just do it for them? :)

Today I am orange cream smoothie and an octopus… if that octopus was smiley and catching a leisurely ride across the ocean on the underbelly of a pirate ship.

Tattoos

Tattoos are a paramount interest of mine right now. I just recently took the plunge of having the whole right side of my abdomen tattooed in a tribal design I created. After taking such a risk, however, now I can’t help but notice every other tattoo out there. My eyes are drawn to them. It’s not just, ‘oh, she has a tattoo on her arm,’ it’s ‘oh, she has a tattoo! It’s portrait with vines. She chose only to use a little green, and all the rest is black and shading. Good choice! Crazy to put a portrait on her arm though! Mad guts. I wonder if she’s from Spokane, and if she got it done here…’ and on and on.

The coffee shop I worked at is very close to a tattoo shop, so the tattoo artists often stopped through. Since I’m such a chatter, I ended up getting to know them fairly well and decided to use them for my own tat work. After spending some time in their shop (4 hours under the needle in the front room, during which people who came in looking to inquire about prices and design ideas), it really got me thinking about the scope of tattoos. Of course there are those horrible mistake tattoos. But some can be incredibly tasteful, or entirely perfect for the individual, or even intellectual. Today I dedicate my page to tattoos that I find fantastic, and perhaps it’ll give you a little spark of imagination. Because it’s always fun to wonder what tattoo you’ll get next.

Today I am a peach/raspberry iced tea and a koala bear.

The good and the bad

I missed a phone call from my cousin last night. He's been on an adventure down under, including New Zealand and whoknowswhere, for the past six months and I missed his call. I am very sad about that. I don't have a way to get back to him except email, since I believe he is using pay phones as his means of verbal communication. That was a low point. (Inset is an ode to my cousin and his girlfriend, their first date... of sorts.)

On the upside, however, I MASTERED THE ACT OF ADDING PHOTOS TO MY BLOG! This is a very exciting accomplishment because I will need to know the process in order to share my experience in Hawaii with you all. I also got a bit further on finalizing my stay in Hawaii, received the chance to write another article for a local magazine, and helped my boyfriend decorate his apartment a little bit more (I think more for my sanity than his). So it's been a fairly productive week so far.

After some thought, I think I'll add two entries to my daily posts: my drink of the day and my animal of the day. For those of you who know me, this shouldn't surprise you. For those who may not be so familiar, you'll have to understand I have a few odd-ball traits. One of which is to decide on an animal (a totem animal, if you will) that fits my mood/outlook/feelings of the day. So if I'm feeling mysterious and snuggly, I'd pick a cat. If I feel lazy and unproductive, I'd pick a walrus. If I want to feel cute and fuzzy, I'd pick a caterpillar. I'm sure you'll catch on. The drink of the day is something new, but something that I'm sure is the aftermath of being a barista for so long. It's just that so often, the drink you order also reflects your mood. At the very least, it reflects the weather (hot chai vs. iced raspberry tea), so you'll be able to gauge my activities for the day.

Today I am a 16oz chai and a lizard.

Well, I'm on to another sunny day here in Spokane. Hopefully it'll be productive.

Inspiration

I've been hungry for some inspiration lately. Fashion, music, architecture, interior design, all of it. Today's blog is an ode to all that inspires me today. If you need a little inspiration, check out the following subjects and maybe you'll get a breath of fresh air.

Keri Hilson's song 'Engery.' She has a powerful voice that can convey emotion and depth at the drop of a hat.

Chris Brown's song 'Forever.' I know I'll get sick of it soon, and it's really your typical pop song, but it's SO much fun!

All the shoes at Nordstroms right now. I especially am curious about the heels that look like boots, but they end at the top of the ankle. I'm sure there's a name for it, but I'm new to this whole shoe-addict thing.

I'm into coats with MASSIVE collars, too. Huge. Like, almost taller than my head. Like, I have to wear my hair up in order to compete with it.

Wearing BRIGHTLY colored coats with dark outfits.

Pushing the limits with eye makeup. More colors, more designs, more vibrancy, enhancing the overall theme of the outfit.

Travis Barker. He's the drummer of a band who hasn't had a song out in quite a while. And yet he's taking what he loves and infusing it all over the place! The Game has Travis 'featured' on a song on his new album, signifying Travis as an independent artist. He was also the entertainment, along with DJ AM for the MTV Video Music Awards. Just him with his drum set and the dj with his turn tables. And it sounded great. Props to him for reinventing his passion.

Paramore. They look young (I don't know how young they actually are), but I have major props for the way they can rock like they were born for it.

(photos courtesy of Nordstrom.com and elevenboutique.com)

Scattered

This week has been one of those ornery times in life when I can’t focus on anything. But that’s often what happens when we stockpile big projects for ‘when we have more time.’ Then, if that long awaited time period does happen to show its shining face, the mounting number of projects is so intimidating that it’s hard to start even one.

With all this time off work, I relished the idea of finally being able to get some major projects out of the way. The first few days were incredibly productive, but as the week wore on, the list against me seemed unending and impossible. I couldn’t even find the focus to enter a blog post yesterday; I couldn’t decide what it should be about. So! Today is a tribute to scattered thinking. Here is a list of cool/interesting/funny things that are worth looking into.

Pool Leagues – I’m on an 8-ball team. I’m their handicap. But somehow, they’ve explained, they need me in case another team has a low ranking player. It keeps the teams even, some way or another. But it’s about the best people-watching you’ll ever come across. Throwing myself into a new situations like that was far more rewarding than I first anticipated.

Rihanna’s ‘Disturbia’ music video – My brother-in-law has instilled in me a healthy respect for zombie movies of the B-film variety. While I hate to be another promoter of mainstream pop culture, I can’t deny that I can’t get enough of Rihanna’s video, which seems to be pay homage the film genre. It was done very artistically and theatrically. And for being a sex-icon, she does a pretty good job of throwing that out the window in search of something a little more interesting and creepy.

Moving into new places – I visited my friend in her new apartment yesterday and watching her new place unfold completely inspired me. With its white walls and open spaces, I could still see it as the blank canvas she moved into, but could already start to see the pulse, themes and artistry she was slowly working into it. It made me want to revamp my own living space badly. Moving into a new place is one of the most liberating and thrilling things ever. Well, aside from all the stress that comes with it.

Here’s to letting go of the little things – For some reason, I cling to list-making. And when I make a list for the day ahead, and ultimately don’t follow through with a few items, it drives me up the wall. This week I’m learning how to enjoy my time, even if I haven’t crossed a few things off. I was having a rather disappointing week until I let myself have a little fun with my free time, and left my list-completing to chance.

The County Fair

I went to the Spokane County Fair for the first time yesterday and I think midweek is the best time to see it! It was mostly just me, my boyfriend and a bunch of seniors. And seniors make great company. They're awfully cute to watch. Most of them were crowded around an old-timer band performing live, with the cutest white-haired lead singer you've ever seen. There were 3 ladies dressed in flapper outfits on either side of the band who looked like they were about to break out dancing at any moment, but they must've only been there for looks, because they just swayed to the music in unison.
It seems as though Spokanites rank food as their top priority because I've never seen so many food choices to choose from at a fair before. Nevertheless, ours was cold and sub-par. Go figure. I did, however, enjoy the historic tribute Spokane's fair pays to the local railroad and agriculture businesses. There were some cool antique tractors to look at and a 5-car train you could walk through to learn what working on a train was like back in the day.
The bunnies and the photography was also a highlight, but that's just because I can never get enough of either. Check out the Polish roosters while you're there, though. They will crack you up. :)

Tusk

Hello. This is more a trial run than anything else, just so I learn the ropes of how to post a blog and make updates without too much trouble. Nevertheless, I wanted to tribute this first entry to Fleetwood Mac's song, "Tusk." It is a fantastic song to listen to when you are about to embark on something new. I'm listening to it right now, and its energy level lends itself to the thrill of new endeavors. It starts out strong, it moves around a bit, keeping you on the edge of your seat, then it finishes strong. And it's easy to sing to, since it has limited lyrics to learn. :)

The original purpose of this blog was for people to keep track of my travels, which have yet to commence (3 weeks and counting). Yet, as I started to ruminate on the idea of blogging, I got all kinds of fun ideas for daily topics. Amazing bands, great authors, strange/funny anecdotes, etc. We'll see where it goes. For now, thanks for checking out my blog site and come back soon!