Filed under: Photos
My first backpacking trip.
There is something very zen about preparing for a backpacking trip. There is a need to balance What I Want With Me against What I Want to Carry.
Filed under: General
I’m going to be very honest here. This winter has been tough for me. I don’t know if it’s because I’m getting older or less tolerant or what, but this feeling keeps welling and building inside of me…this need to scream, “Enough already! Enough of the slush and cold and gray skies. For the love of God, no more gray skies!” Every time I watch the weather, and the weatherguy says, “and later on I’ll give you more information about a possible storm later this week.” (which is EVERYTIME I watch the weather,) I start to shake and my head moves violently from side to side, and I make this high-pitched little “noooooooooooo” sound, and the VIM asks me to stop because it scares the cats.
So yesterday, smack dab in the middle of an entire month of gray skies, was a perfect blue sky day. And a fairly warm day. The VIM and I took advantage of this and went cross country skiing. This was only my second time on skis, and my first on a path with actual ups and downs. Let me tell you – there were quite a few downs. As in “down on my rear end.” Nothing highlights my very deep need to be in control like strapping some 5 foot slippy planks to the bottom of my feet and putting me on a downward slope. My first fall was the best – the VIM at the bottom of a little hill, coaxing me to Just. Try. It. He promised me that I would stop LONG before I would hit the underbrush and stand of trees at the bottom. So down I went, but when I realized I WASN’T going to stop as quickly as I hoped I freaked out and started flailing around. Yes, go ahead and picture a short little woman, bundled up like the Michelin Man going down a very short little hill (seriously, it was only 7 feet long or so, but it was a LOOOOOOOONG 7 feet), arms and poles flailing, one leg kicked up, and screaming like the hounds of hell was on her trail. That, my friends, would be a very accurate picture. At the bottom of the hill, I hit the VIM, and my skis went up over his, which did indeed cause me to stop. Immediately. The effect was that I went down like I was clotheslined.
Now, you would think that that would make me pause and wonder if this cross country skiing thing was a good fit for me. What happened, though, was I realized that it didn’t hurt TOO bad to fall, and that I was going to be ok. So I got up, laughing at what a scene that must have been, and kept on going. And falling. And getting back up. And falling. Then we got on a fairly flat area and I was good to go. I loved it. I loved looking at the animal tracks. I loved seeing how the texture of the snow changed from the shaded areas to the sunny areas. I loved finding a rhythm in my legs and arms and brain. I truly loved the experience. The skiing-on-flat-ground experience anyhow. The hills are still a bit of a challenge. I had an amazing time. I SO needed that amazing time. The only thing that keeps me from wanting to do it again soon is the fact that I need snow to do it.
Filed under: Uncategorized
I don’t read Vanity Fair, but apparently every issue features a celebrity-answered questionnaire. Somehow I envision these the questionnaires to include the same questions as the memes that go around blogs and email (and I have to admit, I cannot help myself from filling them out and sending them along EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.), and I smile when I think that maybe right now, somewhere, Angelina Jolie is sitting at her desk, Vanity Fair Questionnaire in front of her, tapping the pencil to her lips trying to remember if she ever TPed a house.
I came across this link somewhere, which is about the Proust Questionnaire, and the parlor game of answering a list of questions. What? I thought the meme was a Digital Age creation.
Anyhow, the article includes 2 questionnaires which were completed by Proust at two different ages. Since I’ve already said that I can’t pass up a good questionnaire, here are my replies to one of them:
*ed note – in the end, I took out some of the questions because other than “WTF?” I HAVE no answer to “What is your favorite reform?”
- Your most marked characteristic?: I’m really short and look young for my age. I guess that’s what most people notice about me first.
- The quality you most like in a man?: Intelligent humor.
- The quality you most like in a woman?: The ability to use her intellect AND feminine charm, and not feel that she has to apologize for either one.
- What do you most value in your friends?: Consistency. Even if everything else in my world (or theirs) is crazy and upside down, I know I can reach out and touch base and the time and situations that had separated us will fade away.
- What is your principle defect? Although I hate buzzwords and phrases, I have to admit my biggest defect can be summed up by one: Analysis Paralysis
- What is your favorite occupation? ? I’m not sure what this means.. Occupation that I’ve held would be Employee Relations Manager. Favorite occupation in general (what would I like to be when I grow up?) – either an Employment Law attorney or Peace Corps volunteer. Favorite way to just occupy time? – mini road trips with the VIM.
- What is your dream of happiness?: Surrounded by people I love and who love me, and the time to enjoy that closeness.
- What to your mind would be the greatest of misfortunes?: Personally? Never finding an outlet for creativeness and frustration. Universally? The tendency of people to chose fighting over listening.
- What would you like to be?: Right now I’d like to be warm. And independently wealthy.
- In what country would you like to live?: Although I’d like to visit LOTS of countries, I still think I’m already where I want to live.
- What is your favorite color: It’s constantly changing. Today, Spring Green.
- What is your favorite flower?: Tulips (glorious Spring!), Gerbera Daisies (sturdy, vibrant, the everyman’s flower).
- What is your favorite bird?: Pileated Woodpeckers are pretty cool, but I still get more excited about robins than any other bird.
- Who are your favorite writers?: Stephen King and David McCullough
- Who are your favoite poets?: Although the Almost-English-Major VIM will gasp in dismay at this answer, the truth is that I have never enjoyed poetry (perhaps have never given it a chance, but whatever…).
Wait…that’s not quite true…whoever the guy is who wrote “Candy is dandy but liquor is quicker.” …I like him. The little short funny ditties amuse me. - Who is your favorite hero of fiction?: I don’t have a ready answer, although I will no doubt think about this question on and off for weeks.
- Who are your favorite heroines of fiction? Not so much heroine as just favorite female fictional character – Norma Desmond in “Sunset Boulevard.”
- Who are your favorite composers?: I’m a big fan of JS Bach.
- Who are your favorite painters?: Matisse, Andy Warhol (does silk screening count as painting?)
- Who are your heroes in real life?: People who, either through necessity or choice, do more with less – people who harvest large gardens, people who compost.
- What are your favorite names? I’d like to give a little superior-sounding laugh and say, “What a strange question,” but the truth is that I’ve had names for my babies picked out since I was, oh, 10 or so. Isn’t that what little girls do? The names have changed throughout the years (Thank God I didn’t have a baby girl when I was 12…her name would have been Leighaurora Tiffany.) The current names-in-waiting (“and waiting, and waiting, and waiting”, my grandmother would say), are Bryn for a girl and perhaps Brady for a boy (I’ve always had more problems deciding on boy names.)
- What is it you most dislike?: Feeling out of control
- What natural gift would you most like to possess?: Undeniable charisma
- How would you like to die?: with no forewarning or knowledge of the impending event.
- What is your present state of mind?: Contentment. It’s Sunday morning, it’s sunny, and the VIM is puttering around somewhere behind me. It’s my favorite scenario.
- What is your motto?: I question everything. So it would be either, “Yes, but….” or “But what if….?”
Filed under: Photos
Apparently I didn’t take many pictures last May.
This little guy stuck around with the VIM and I on the deck one warm May afternoon.
Filed under: Photos
Dude. Without a doubt, I will never capture another scene that disturbs me as much as this one. Seriously.
Although I could tell a few stories about this crucifix that hung in the VIM’s home office, I’ll just leave you with a picture of the spider that crawled onto the crucifix, wrapped it’s legs around Christ’s neck, and died. Because really, what else is there to say?
Filed under: Photos
Rust
A warm Sunday in March, a little walk on the local Rails to Trails.
Filed under: Photos
New Snow, Tree Shadow.
This was taken in my backyard around 10pm. A large streetlight lights up the entire yard and made the shadow from the tree next door. Creepy and beautiful all at the same time.
Filed under: Uncategorized
This weekend, the VIM and I went to Pittsburgh for a little getaway. The weather has been miserable, and work has been stressful, and there never seems to be time to Just. Relax.
So. We scheduled time to relax. In Pittsburgh.
Saturday we went to the Phipps Conservatory. The warm rooms filled with plants (Real, Live, Green Plants) was quite the spirit lifter.
Reflection of glass roof and sunshine. Glorious Sunshine!
Rowboat filled with glass bubbles
Orchids
Saturday evening we dressed up and had a nice dinner in a fancy-schmancy restaurant, had a drink in the hotel bar, then went back and enjoyed our neato hotel room. Sunday morning, we took the long, scenic way home, meandering through several suburbs before getting on Rt 30, which used to be the main E/W route, and now is basically 50 miles of retail. Strip malls next to little tv-repair shops with a 1960’s-era Zenith sign out front. It’s visual overkill because there is so much to see, and I love it (in small doses).
Kacey, this one’s for you. 
And for the record, there really IS no Winky’s in Wilmerding.
Filed under: Photos
Sometime around the end of last year I had this idea that I was going to do 12 posts and post my favorite pictures from each month of 2007. Then I didn’t. Even though it’s kind of silly to do a 2007-In-Review in February 2008, I’m going to do it now. Or at least start it now. It may take me until, well, May to get the 12 pictures posted, but by God, that’s the plan. For now.
Anyhow – here’s January 2007:
Jones the cat in a quiet moment with the Buddha.
This cat, she’s a crazy one. Her first few days at the VIM’s house were spend cowering behind a life-size suit of armor in his breezeway. She’s gotten over her shyness and now splits her time between keeping the house safe from neon pink stuffed mice and searching for the best possible lap.
Filed under: Daily
I just woke up from a very happy little nap. While the VIM puttered around making wine and showering, the cats and I found a nice little patch of sunshine warming the bed and curled up for about an hour and a half.
The only thing that would have made the nap better was if I didn’t have the flu which is kicking my ass.
