In and Around Saint Louis

Eckert's

2011-10-23T16:09:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again when we take our annual family trip to Eckert's! Although we neither picked apples (they wouldn't let us pick today for some reason) nor plucked pumpkins (ran out of steam by the end) we did ride all the rides and hit up the general store for all those yummy Eckert goodies.

Book Review: Summer Reading 2011

2011-08-30T19:02:00.000-07:00

Normally, I like to whip up a personalized review for each book that I read. However, I've decided to skip the written review and use an asterisk rating system instead. Like the Goodreads star rating system, it goes like this:

5*'s = It was amazing
4*'s = I really liked it
3*'s = I liked it
2*'s = It was okay
1* = I didn't like it

1. The Zen of Zombie, Better Living Through the Undead by Scott Kenemore. Two*'s feels a little too generous but whatev.

2. Freedom by Jonathan Franzen. There were a few flaws but I'm still going to give it 5*'s.

3. Bossypants by Tina Fey. She is amazingly creative and funny but this book wasn't so 2*'s.

4. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling. 4*'s.

5. A History of the World in Six Glasses by Tom Standage. 4*'s.

6. NurtureShock, New Thinking About Children by Po Bronson. 4*'s. Interesting read.

7. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling. 4*'s.

8. An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination by Elizabeth McCracken. 4*'s Mesmerizing memoir about loss.

Festival of Nations

2011-08-28T17:35:00.000-07:00

The International Institute of St. Louis holds its annual Festival of Nations celebration on the last weekend in August in Tower Grove Park. It's usually super hot and super crowded but always worth the effort! As it turned out though, it wasn't very hot today, only about 85. And, as expected, it was such a great experience: food, entertainment, and vendors selling gifts from around the world. By chance, we happened to see a performance by an all-girl taiko drum & tap group from Japan (via NYC) called Cobu. They played and danced for like 30 minutes and, I gotta tell you, it was so, so exciting! And, what high energy! I'm not sure when/where you might get to see them around St Louis but, if you happen to see that they're performing, go see them!

A very attractive but not so tasty coconut drink.

The souvenir that got away! I so should have brought this. So, so sad that I didn't. It was from the Russian Booth at the Festival.

Last Photo from MOBot

2011-08-21T15:40:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to get my desktop cleared off and I realized that I forgot to post this photo of Willa from our recent trip to the Missouri Botanical Garden. I love that she's still an agreeable model!

Summer 2011 Part II - Colorado Trip

2011-08-21T08:05:00.000-07:00

In addition to the huge amounts of eating out that we did this summer, we took in some non-eating activities too. I'll recap the St. Louis ones next post but, for now, here are a few photos of our July trip to Colorado. I LOVED Colorado and took a million photos, most of which are not posted here. If you'd like to see more, click HERE and HERE.

Rocky Mountain National Park

Jerky shop near Rocky National National Park

Willa getting a henna tattoo in Estes Park, CO

Rocky Mountain National Park

Zapata Falls, near Sand Dunes National Park

At a cowboy concert at park in Estes Park, CO

Lucky penny at Colorado National Monument

Rocky Mountain National Park

Summer 2011 (aka Avoiding Reality, Part I)

2011-08-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again when I head back to school. Of course, it is always accompanied by that disappointed, sick, guilty feeling about having been too lazy or disorganized to do the things that I really wanted to do this summer. You know, all those house repairs and projects that were left untouched, those books that went unread, those art/craft projects that were put off, those people, places, and things that I wanted to see left unvisited. And, don't even let me get started on all the professional things that I should have done so that I was better prepared for the beginning of the school year! Ugh and double ugh. So, in an effort to make myself feel better, I'm going to do what I do best: avoid reality and blog instead :) Think of this as my version of the quintessential, "What did you do during your summer vacation?" essay. For ease, I'm going to answer this essay question in a series of blog entries. Part I, this entry, will focus on a few St. Louis eateries that I've frequented this the summer. You might find if you visit this blog again, down the road, that I've added to this entry. But, here it is, off the top of my head. Enjoy!

Old Favorite: Apollonia. What to say about Apollonia? Love the Greek food here! Plus, it's inexpensive. And, the service is terrific. My only request if you go there: don't ask the owner, who is Greek, to go "talk Greek" to your table. Poor guy never gets to enjoy his meal for all the requests for "Greek speak." (google images)

Old Favorite: City Diner. We end up here a lot because it's within walking distance from our house, inexpensive, and kid-friendly. Plus, the food is decent, the milkshakes are great, and the atmosphere is diner-y. (google images)

Old Favorite: Local Harvest Cafe. Haven't eaten a terrible meal at this green cafe yet (see their website for details regarding their greenness). And, you can't beat half price wine by the glass on Wednesday and half price wine by the bottles on Thursday. (google images)

New to Me: Jimmy's on the Park. Had a delicious salad (greens, marinated pears, honey-sugared walnuts, blue cheese, and raspberry vinaigrette), vegetarian entree (spinach and artichoke cake with marinated mushrooms and aspargus), and dessert (triple chocolate with strawberry drizzle and whipped cream). Delish! (google images)

Old Favorite: Pappy's Smokehouse. Best. BBQ. Ever. But, you better get there early or order it to go because: #1 You might have to wait for a LONG time to order and to find a place to site, and #2 Selling out of those smokey meats is always a real possibility. (google images)

New to Me: After having heard a lot of positive reviews over the years, we finally made it to Banh Mi So earlier this summer. While the Vietnamese food wasn't awful, it wasn't super great either. (google images)

New to Me: Basil Spice on South Grand Avenue. Order the Pad Thai (heat 3) and follow it with the Khao-Nuea Ice Cream, which is steamed sweet sticky rice with coconut milk and served with ice cream. Delish! (google images)

Old Favorite: Gelato at Gelateria del Leone. My current favorite flavor is the salted caramel. Also, in the same photo (building to the right), you can see Pho Grand. I love Vietnamese food and Pho Grand serves up some of the best in St. Louis. My go-to order is Vietnamese iced coffee, an order of eggrolls, #2301 Vegetarian Special (stir fried tofu and vegetables served with rice or noodles (I always get the rice), with or without curry (I always get the curry). (google images)

Old Favorite: I love the Shaved Duck. First, I love that everything here is tasty. And, second, I love the beer menu. Third, I love the atmosphere. Fourth, I love that we can walk here.

Missouri Botanical Garden

2011-08-14T16:03:00.000-07:00

Okay. Can't decide if I should maintain my blog using Tumblir or Blogger. Opinions anyone? I guess it doesn't matter when you don't post often. Gotta get better about doing that! In the mean time, here are some photos that I took at the Missouri Botanical Garden today. Our great St. Louis weather today made this visit possible. Love going here.

Tumblir Thing

2011-06-26T17:34:00.000-07:00

Instead of doing Blogger recently, I've been doing the Tumblir thing. Don't know if I like it better or not. But, if you'd like to check it out, CLICK HERE! Thanks!

Dancing to the Bob Kuban Band at Carondelet Park

2011-06-15T17:29:00.000-07:00

On Sunday nights this summer, you can go listen to bands play at Carondelet Park in South St. Louis. A couple of Sundays ago, we went to hear the Bob Kuban Band play. Yes, this is the same one hit wonder Bob Kuban Band that had the big hit "The Cheater." But, the Bob Kuban Band is also a popular local band that's been around forever! My Mom and Dad told me that when they were in their late teens/early twenties that they and their friends would go to dances and different venues to hear Bob Kuban play. Anyway, we had a great time people watching, music listening, and, of course, dancing! Oh, and btw, terrible news! Shortly after this concert, the historic bandstand at the park burned to the ground! Unfortunately, it was a total loss.

Book Reviews: Sloan Wilson and J.K. Rowling

2011-06-08T18:50:00.000-07:00

I've fallen behind on book reviews mostly because the end of the school year totally sucked all my energy. But, with a whopping 3 days of summer vacation under my belt, I'm ready for a few quick book reviews.

First, I have finally started, like 10+ years too late, the Harry Potter series. I've only read the first two, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Since it seems like most of the world has already read these books (or watched the movies) I won't give a full review of either. But, I will make two observations though: #1 I am impressed by the author's imagination and the sophistication of the books' plots. Very enthralling stuff! In fact, on several occasions I caught myself thinking about Harry & the gang and wondering when I'd be able to sneak in some reading time, and #2 I have been surprised by the level of my own frustration when I encounter those moments in the book (and I don't have a good example ready for you) when it becomes really obvious that these books are meant for elementary school kids. Nonetheless, good series though. And, while they were not as good as the books the Harry Potter movies #1 and #2 were pretty good too.

The other book is Sloan Wilson's The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit. Wilson's book is the like millionth one that I've read recently that falls into the post WWII, 1950's disillusionment genre; I suspect it might just be the last one for awhile too. I'm getting a little burned out! Anyway, in The Man we meet Tom Rath, a WWII veteran, who returns home to his wife, Betsy. For no particular reason, so it seems, Tom won't speak to anyone about his war experience. His silence allows for a kind of rejection of responsibility for his past actions. Consequently, he seems unable, or even unwilling, to connect to anyone or anything in the present. So, Tom remains passive, detached, disinterested, without purpose. When he accepts a new job, it challenges Tom to find his place not just in the job but, ultimately, in life. Thus, Tom is forced to confront his past in order to reclaim his future. Great story. Didn't care for the ending. But, still, a great story. I haven't seen it but I've heard that the movie version of this, starring Gregory Peck I think, is supposed to be really good too.

Unblogged Photos from Around the Lou

2011-05-13T13:11:00.000-07:00

These photos have been hanging around on my desktop for awhile now. Guess it's time to post them so that I can move them to their permanent home.

(Above 3 Photos) Suson Park, STL

(Above 2 Photos) ST Louis Science Center

(Above Photo) Willa with a Chocolate Ice Cream Mustache at The Fountain on Locust

(Above Photo) Willa at the Boathouse

(Above Photo) Bill on Eric's new Motorcycle

Cinco de Mayo on Cherokee Street

2011-05-10T07:22:00.000-07:00

"Little Mexico" on Cherokee Street - Annual Cinco de Mayo Festival, May 7, 2011.

Across the Pond

2011-05-07T14:58:00.000-07:00

Recently on Facebook my sister in law started posting slightly vague status updates about #1 being in London and #2 the Royal Wedding (yes. as in Prince William and Princess Kate). Assuming that she was just kidding I didn't take them seriously at all. I mean, really. There are specific kinds of people that would go to London with the express purpose of seeing and/or celebrating the Royal Wedding. I certainly never had her pegged as one. But, then again, she was on an episode on The Real Housewives of New Jersey (she is friends with one of the housewives, although I'm not sure which one, and was in one of the episodes with her). So, you've probably figured it out by now, she WAS totally serious! And the proof came in the form of photos that she posted online and a surprise package that arrived on Thursday for Willa. Yep. The Official Royal Wedding Programme and the Official Princess Catherine doll. Crazy, I tell you! I wonder how much I can get for these on Ebay? I kid. I kid. Willa loves, loves, loves this doll already. Many thanks to Aunt A and Cousin M!

Painting a Metro Bus

2011-05-03T14:19:00.000-07:00

Our school district recently sponsored its first arts festival. As we walked around, we took in the sights and sounds of the artists, dancers, and musicians. We came as visitors, as did a many of our younger students, but I saw a number of our middle and high school students and our teachers and our parents and our community members all willingly, all happily, all tirelessly volunteering their Friday night to make this festival super fun and super successful. I felt a lot of pride as I left that night. However, one of the main reasons that I went to the festival, aside from just showing my support, was to have the experience of painting a Metro Transit St. Louis bus. Well, I should clarify, Willa got to paint the bus, not me. Boo to adulthood. Anyway, the artist created a design that highlighted several of the more unique things about our district that we are, dare I say it again, very proud of. I forgot to ask the driver which route the bus be on but I'm hoping that it's the 30 bus, which runs West/East from Southwest Ave to Arsenal Avenue, because that's the one that I'm most likely to see.

Big Spring @ the Current River

2011-04-29T20:24:00.000-07:00

For our spring break trip in March we went to Van Buren, MO where we stayed at Big Spring Lodge and Cabins. We were interested in seeing and exploring the area around Big Spring, which feeds into the Current River and is part of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways system. I guess most people visit during the summer when they can canoe or float or play around in the Current River but we're not into sharing the outdoors with big, big crowds so we wanted to check it out now in the off-season. Another reason that we choose this location was because the cabins were built by the CCC in the 1930's. Ever since we stayed at the Old Faithful Inn a few vacations ago, I've had this obsession with historical lodges and cabins in state & national parks and/or wilderness areas. This one was cool too. No heat, no air, just a small three room cabin with a fireplace and a few kitchen and bath amenities. Oh, and a screened in back porch. I'd recommend bringing your own sleeping bags and/or blankets though if you go in early-mid March. I did stay warm with the fireplace but not nearly as much as I would have liked once I went to sleep.

On the way there, we also stopped off for a quick hike up the tower at Taum Sauk Mountain, the highest point in Missouri. Bill and I had been there previously but never with Willa. She had a great time climbing to the top. And, on the way home (despite the cold and wet weather) we stopped off at Johnson's Shut-ins and Elephant Rocks State Parks. A few years back, Johnson's Shut-ins was devastated by a major flood and we wanted to see how it looked after it had been restored; we couldn't tell much: #1 the Black River was in spring high water mode, and #2 no real vivid memory of what it looked like before - Bill hadn't been in many, many years and I'd never been.

Near Big Spring

Big Spring

Looking away from Big Spring

CCC Cabin at Big Spring Lodge and Cabins

Grover having fun on the Current River

Taum Sauk Mountain Tower

Johnson's Shut-ins State Park

Elephant Rocks State Park

Blooming Azaleas

2011-04-25T12:11:00.000-07:00

Willa posing with the azaleas

We have 3 larger sized azaleas in our front yard -- all very vibrant pinks and reds. I love the way that they look when they are in full bloom. They create this awesome sea of color that pops out amid the green hues of the other revived plant life.

Kindergarten Parents Lunch at SMOS

2011-04-24T07:27:00.000-07:00

Bill and I got lucky this year when the annual St. Margaret of Scotland School parents' lunch day fell during our Spring Break. Yay! No need to take a personal day! And, as if it couldn't get any better than that, it was actually on my birthday. On the menu? Papa John's cheese pizza, salad, orange wedges, and your choice of milk or orange juice.

My First Kickball

2011-04-22T15:38:00.001-07:00

(photographs mostly align with the story. but you get the idea.)

A few weeks ago, Willa went to a friend's birthday party in Tower Grove Park. One of the planned post-lunch activities was a game of kickball. So, when the time came, the players, all ranging in age from about 5 to 15, divided into teams; a few dads acted as fielders and coaches. I watched from the sideline, my eyes and fingers focused on taking photographs. When it was her turn, Willa walked up to home plate and looked to Eric, the dad of the birthday girls, for some guidance. Willa had never played kickball before (I'm not sure that she had even heard of the game!) so she needed a little help. So, Eric leans in and explains what she is supposed to do. Bill and I watch, anxiously (at least me), to see if Willa's foot would actually connect with the ball. And, luckily, it did! But, instead of running full steam ahead toward first base, she paused, like she didn't know what to do next. So, Bill stepped in and starts coaching and encouraging her. It was then that I realized, a little too late I might add, what was actually happening. One of the teen girls had fielded the ball and was standing between Willa and first base. Willa slowly ran toward her, I think, completely unaware of what the girl's internal choices were - 1. to throw Willa out, or 2. to give the little kid a break and get by her. The girl chose #1 and Willa got slammed with the ball on her arm. You should have seen the look on Willa's face! Hurt and surprise all wrapped up in one. I'm not sure how hard the girl actually threw the ball at Willa but I am certain about three things: 1. Willa was totally shocked by this (friendly?) act of violence, and 2. while Willa probably did get hurt but she reacted the way that she did because we didn't bother to tell her all the rules of the game, and 3. Willa won't ask to play that game for awhile.

Tree Climb on the Big Oak

2011-04-02T20:35:00.000-07:00

2 Above: Bill and Scott, the big Red Oak tree

Bill and Scott, the other middle school science teacher, started an after school club, called The Adventure Club, this year. As the name suggests, they try to learn about things and do activities that are adventurous. Their most recent adventure was to learn how to tree climb. You might be thinking that tree climbing doesn't sounds too adventurous, right? Well, take a look at the photographic evidence -- obviously, not the kind of tree climb that you might have imagined! At the back of our school, on this empty lot, lives this huge big 70 foot tall Red Oak tree. And, yep, as you can see, they climbed it! Bill, Scott, and their students, along with instructors Deanna and Guy from the LREC, all got harnessed up and up they went! Up and down. Over and over. Even Willa joined in. Although, at 6 years old, she stayed a little closer to the ground. The best part, to her, was being swung in the harness about 6 feet or so off the ground.

4 Above: Going up the tree, Still going, Up in the tree, and Bill doing a "Bat Hang"

2 Above: Willa climbing the tree, Willa staying warm

Bees

2011-03-28T19:57:00.000-07:00

Bill and fellow teacher/friend Kay are the official beekeepers at the middle school in our district. Bill has enjoyed it so much that he's purchased our first Henske hive, which arrives at the end of April. Our plan is to keep the hive at our neighborhood community garden and, so far, there's been no opposition to that. Back at the middle school though, the bees have been a big hit with the kids. A few times a month, Bill and Kay lead a beekeeping club. Not only have the kids enthusiastically excelled at beekeeping, they have also taken an interest in all things bee-related such as making jars of honey, lip balm, and hand lotion. Next up? Facial moisturizer! Yay! I took these photos of Bill and Kay beekeeping during our spring break a couple of weeks ago. It was a lot of fun to watch and photograph. And, despite having dressed completely inappropriately - it was a cold day so I wore dark, woolly, fuzzy clothes which, while keeping me warm, happen to look a lot like bears to bees! - I managed to remain sting-free.

Snow in the Lou

2011-03-27T21:04:00.000-07:00

An unexpected snow hit us here in St. Louis on Saturday. It wasn't that the snow itself was unexpected - because it had been in the forecast - but it felt unexpected because it had been between 70 - 80 degrees earlier in the week. But, no biggie to me; as you all know, I love me some snow! And, it was gorgeous! Here are a few photos that I took from Saturday and Sunday. The top two are from Saturday, early afternoon, when the snow first started falling. They were taken at the park by Lola on North 14th Street where we went for brunch. Great, great food! The bottom three were taken today, Sunday, at the playground in Forest Park near the Missouri Historical Society. As you may have noticed, our 4 -6 inches of snow had melted considerably since it was about 40 degrees today.

Book Review: The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint by Bradley Udall

2011-03-14T20:55:00.000-07:00

Okay. I am not a romantic. Never have been. Probably never will be. But I’m the first to admit that I’m otherwise easily moved. As in I can, and will, cry about most anything else that tugs at the old heartstrings. Ad nauseam. It’s a sickness really. Thank you inventor of waterproof mascara! That said, Bradley Udall’s The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint made me cry. As in I had to put this book aside occasionally because I was so saddened by it kind of crying. Edgar, his life, was so, so heartbreaking. Yet, he remained so innocent, so good, so hopeful, and so resilient. Ugh. It think that I’m about to cry right now. It’s just too much! If you’re a fan of John Irving or John Kennedy O’Toole, like I am, do yourself a favor and spend sometime with Edgar Mint. You won’t be disappointed.

Winter

2011-02-20T13:06:00.000-08:00

I'm guessing that I in the minority here (I usually am in most things anyway) but winter is definitely my favorite season. But, I do really like fall too. Ooh, and spring too. Okay. I like 'em all except summer. I hate summer. I hate being hot. I hate the St. Louis humidity. Ugh. Double Ugh. I better move on before I start sweating. Or swearing. Anyway, here are a few pictures from the snow that we had a couple of weeks ago. Isn't it lovely?

Painting Like Pollock

2011-02-17T17:12:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite art supply stores, ArtMart
+
One of my favorite artists, Jackson Pollock
=
One super fun art party in celebration of his birthday!

Check out Willa painting like Pollock in honor of his 99th birthday!

The Zoo in Winter

2011-02-15T20:34:00.001-08:00

The St. Louis Zoo is one of the best zoos in the country. I love going year-round but my favorite time to go is during the winter. Yes, you do sometimes risk not seeing certain animals due to the cold temperatures or blocked/dangerous paths as a result of snow. But, the million dollar payoff is that crowds are reduced to a small fraction of what they are during the peak months. If you're not already convinced, maybe these photos will bring you to my way of looking at the situation. These are from our last trip to the STL Zoo a couple of weekends ago.

Zoo snow posing.

Interesting feather find.

Camel loves this weather!

Where are all the people? At home!

Maybe she'll become a zoo vet!

Improved Bathroom Cabinet

2011-02-13T05:55:00.000-08:00

We live in an old house; it was built in 1906. I absolutely love most things about living in an historic home -- except the lack of storage. We were particularly challenged in the bathroom because we had a lot to store -- bath linens, toiletries, good hygiene essentials, first aid & medicines, and a small assortment of odd, but necessary, things -- and no where to put it. We ended up purchasing a small cabinet from Crate and Barrel (it looks like the picture shown above except a little taller and with sliding doors). I envisioned the cabinet looking like a Pottery Barn display, with linens folded neatly, lots of decorative pewter and glass holders for everything from cotton balls to Q-tips, and nice natural fiber storage baskets to hold anything else that was private or without a proper place. And, honestly, this was exactly how it looked for the first year. After that, the only thing on display, to my embarrassment, was the dust and grime and disorganization from everyday living. I started looking for an antique cabinet/hutch on Craig's list that could be repurposed for bathroom function. Ultimately, I didn't find what I was looking for but it ended up being okay because I really did like our old cabinet, which was still in perfectly good shape both aesthetically and structurally. But I still needed to find a way to make my stuff less exposed. In the photo below you can see how I addressed the problem. First, I bought two kinds of paper that I liked from ArtMart - an old map print and a faux bois print - decided between the two and took the doors off. Then, with outdoor grade Mod Podge, because of the humidity of a bathroom, I glued the paper on the glass. Voila! I love the results and am so glad that I decided to improve the cabinet like this. In case you're wondering about cost and time, I spent about an hour and a half in ArtMart (this was both in the selecting of the paper and shopping in general), spent about $45 for 9 sheets of paper and the Mod Podge, and invested maybe an hour applying/drying/reapplying three coats of Mod Podge. Not too shabby, eh?

Book Review: Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua

2011-01-26T19:51:00.000-08:00

When our daughter was born six years ago, I made a commitment to myself that I would raise her much differently than I was raised. She would have my unconditional love and support. She would have all the opportunities that I never had as a child. (How many parents have these same goals?!!) Although I am mostly proud of the way that I've filled, exposed, widened, or enriched Willa's life and experiences, I still find myself asking, "Am I parenting effectively? Am I raising her in a way that is preparing her for current and future successes? Are my standards high enough? Am I too lax with structure and discipline?" Am I doing enough?"

I thought again about these questions, and others, recently when Amy Chua's controversial book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, began receiving a lot of press. The reviews of Battle Hymn have been polarized, at least to those readers who decided that this was strictly a how-to parenting, a "why my way is better than your way" kind of book. Truth is Battle Hymn is not really about that at all. Rather, it's a memoir about Chua's parenting, about how and why she decided to parent in this "Chinese" way, about how it was both rewarding and successful yet painful and a failure. Still, I really hoped that I'd find a morsel or two of parenting wisdom or a parenting strategy that would make me feel more empowered and effective with raising my own daughter. So, I read it and, in the end, I didn't find what I had hoped that I would. I'm not disappointed though; Chua's experiences reaffirmed what most of us already know: parents succeed and they fail; parenting isn't easy; parents and kids alike are far from perfect; it's not always easy to have an unpopular idea and it can be even harder to sustain the conviction, hard work, and endurance that it takes to see it through; we make mistakes and need to be able to admit it and move forward. I think that those are good lessons for us all, Chinese mothers or not.

Wowsa! I Have Let This Blog Go!

2011-01-15T19:54:00.000-08:00

A lot has happened between October and now. I guess I could go back and give you the highlights. Or, I could just start with tonight, which was St. Margaret of Scotland's 1st Annual Daddy Daughter Dance. Don't Bill and Willa look smashing?!

Rock Eddy Bluff Farm

2010-10-15T19:34:00.000-07:00

A few years ago, our friends Dona and Paul took a rustic vacation to a little place called Rock Eddy Bluff Farm which is located near Dixon, MO along the Gasconade River. After they talked so positively about the time that they spent there, I'd always wanted to go. We finally got the chance last weekend and we had a wonderful time! We rented Turkey Ridge Cottage, an intimately roomy three bedroom cabin with most of the modern conveniences except TV (actually, there is one in one of the bedrooms but it's mostly a DVD player for the kids). Oh, and Turkey Ridge has no internet access! Admittedly, I have a cell phone with a data plan so my email, news, and Facebook was never too far away :) But, really, you don't need to be plugged in while you're here. It's beautiful. It's peaceful. It's isolated. It begs you to relax and cleanse your body and soul. I highly recommend going. In fact, I know that we'll go back again this winter. I'm sure that it will be even lovelier. For those of you that might an even more rustic experience, like our friends Dona and Paul, you can rent one of two cabins that are much more primitive and off the grid. Your choice. Either way, just go. You won't regret it.

Book Review: Love is a Mix Tape by Rob Sheffield

2010-10-10T19:02:00.000-07:00

Rob Sheffield's book is part memoir, part pop culture non-fiction. While the memoir part (Sheffield writes about his relationship with his wife and her unexpected death) touched me, much more than I expected it would, it was the pop culture, mix tape part that really, truly spoke to me. All those mix tapes! Many made, many received. Wow. The musical memories that this book brings back. But not just those formed around mix tapes. I remember whole albums that defined certain periods in my life; those that intensified specific moments or emotions. Certain singles, too, have had the same effect. Wow, again. That music has always been important in my life is entirely unquestionable. That I never realized how intertwined it is to my memories is surprising. Who knew that my life had a soundtrack! I'm not sure how this book ended up on my must-read list and why, once it did, it was ordered immediately. But I'm so glad that it did.

Better Late Than Never

2010-10-01T06:46:00.000-07:00

Here are the photos from our Henske family Labor Day celebration at Bandana's Barbecue. Like Mom Henske said, "It is always fun to let Bandana's do all the labor."

Book Review: The Old Man Who Read Love Stories by Luis Sepulveda

2010-09-04T05:41:00.000-07:00

This summer I reread one of my favorite books of all time, The Old Man Who Read Love Stories. This novel is two things: a simple story about an old man, who does read romance novels, who is called upon to save his village after an ocelot begins killing its inhabitants and, much, much more subtlety, a fable about the destruction of the rain forest. Whatever your feelings about either of those things, you must read it because it is quite simply one of the most vivid, straightforward, and beautifully, beautifully written pieces of fiction that I have ever read.

P.S. I just learned that this novel was made into a movie in 2001 starring Richard Dreyfus. It appears to have had a limited release abroad. Although I am tempted to see it, I probably won't. I don't want to ruin how my mind already imagines the old man and the rain forest to be. But, if you see it, let me know what you think.

Been Lazy, Been Busy Part III

2010-08-17T18:45:00.000-07:00

Not only did we have a great time celebrating a birthday this summer but we also received the super exciting news that Bill's youngest brother and his wife, Joe and Lauren, are expecting their first child at the end of January. (I attached the announcement from Joe's new position for those of you that haven't seen it yet via Facebook). Joe and Lauren, who are relocating back to Chicago from Nashville, visited recently St. Louis so the local Henskes took the opportunity to celebrate with them.

Been Lazy, Been Busy Part II

2010-08-16T20:22:00.000-07:00

In July, Mom Henske celebrated a birthday so we decided to celebrate it Obama-style by going to Pi Pizzeria in Kirkwood for a special pizza lunch. We all also admired (and posed for a number of photos around and with) the beautifully tasty trademarked Garfield and friends cookie bouquet sent to Mom Henske from Aunt Pat in El Paso.

Caught Giving Their Best Gorilla Impression (4 Above)

Pi Pizzeria is Fun! (3 Above)

Lovin' the Cookies! (4 Above)

Been Lazy, Been Busy Part I

2010-08-15T16:39:00.000-07:00

Wow. This summer has come and gone. Yeah, I know, I say that every year. But, this year it is with a little more regret than usual. I had several big goals for this summer that went unfulfilled. One was to get into shape (at least a little). Failed. One was to be a more active blogger. Failed. One was to get around town and do more (hence the goal to be a more active blogger). Failed. One was to read a few more books. Failed. That said, it was a great, great summer too so I have lots to share with you. Here is what I'll call "Been Lazy, Been Busy, Part I."

(Above) The annual World's Largest Catsup Bottle Festival is always a small-town hoot! Here's our yearly "Willa as a Bottle of Catsup" photo. Enjoy.

(Above) We saw the exhibit "The Mourners, Tomb Sculptures from the Court of Burgundy" at the St. Louis Art Museum. How was it? Small and wonderfully carved and detailed sculptures. (Photo courtesy of France 24 International News)

(Three Above) Family fun on a beautiful night outside the St. Louis Art Museum/Art Hill after seeing the exhibit.

(Three Above) Annual rocket launch at Forest Park with the Misslefits Rocketry Club. Willa's rocket, Tammy, was awarded her second trophy for excellence. Sadly, this was Tammy's last flight as she landed, about 20 feet above ground level, in a big Oak tree in Forest Park and could not be retrieved :(

(Above) I learned how to make spring rolls, as well as some other yummy vegetarian delights, from some awesome local chefs at the Vegetarian Cooking retreat at MABA. I loved that the focus was on vegetarian eating, sustainability, eating locally & organically, and eating for sustenance. (Photo from Floyd the Food Guy)

Writers Workshop

2010-07-18T07:18:00.001-07:00

Recently, Bill and I participated in a writers workshop that was jointly sponsored by our district and the Clayton school district. I signed up, eager to learn about the writers notebook, the writers workshop, and to work on crafting my own personal writing. I can say, without a doubt, that the workshop was everything that I hoped it would be. Very, very worthwhile. Bill. Well, Bill says that he signed up because he was, as we call it in my district, voluntold. Voluntold, for those of you not familiar with the word, is when you think that your participation is a voluntary but it is not. Happens all the time in my district. So the workshop? Not off to a good start for Bill. But he went with a positively neutral attitude, after all, we were also getting paid to attend. Still, I think that he enjoyed it. And, his writing was some of the best received during the two weeks. Thinking that he might have had a change of heart about the experience, I asked if he would go again next year. You can probably guess what his answer was. If not, here it is: NO.

If you are interested in reading more about writing, the writers notebook, or the writers workshop, these three books listed are a good starting point.

Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg - This book is a great place for the beginner writer, or even one in need of a refresher, to start thinking about the writing process, specifically the creative, getting-going part of the writing process. Goldberg gives the reader useful advice, encouragement, and inspiration. When I finished her book, I felt like I could write anything. But, as a warning, I should mention that Goldberg can be a little warm & fuzzy and philosophical. Initially, I found her style a bit off putting but I got beyond it and enjoyed what she had to say.

The Writer's Notebook by Ralph Fletcher - Ralph Fletcher is a big name in the world of writing and the writers notebook so I thought it fitting that I read at least one of his books during the workshop. In this book, Fletcher talks writers notebook - what it is, what it isn't, how to use it, how not to use it. Very, very helpful information if you are considering starting/using a writers notebook. Fletcher's book is geared toward teachers of elementary-middle grades but don't let that stop you from reading this even if you're not in the target audience. It is a quick, easy, but worthwhile read.

Nonfiction Craft Lessons, Teaching Information Writing Grades K-8 by Joann Portalupi and Ralph Fletcher - If you teach nonfiction, informational writing this is a great resource. It's written for the elementary/middle grades but the material and lessons are universal. In the first part of the book, the authors set up the nonfiction writing process. Lots of useful step by step instructions with great descriptions and suggestions for teachers. Even if you consider yourself sufficiently schooled in the art of teaching nonfiction writing, this book is a solid reminder of the process and how it should be done. The second half of the book consists of mini-lessons that you can use in the classroom to scaffold kids writing and help them become successful writers of nonfiction. This part is divided into two parts, K-4 and 5-8. I only read the 5-8 section and found the information to be very relevant to me on a professional (teacher of 11th graders) and personal (writer of nonfiction) level.

Tower Grove Farmers Market

2010-07-03T13:44:00.001-07:00

We finally made it to the market for the first time this summer! In July! I can't believe that it took so long for us to get there. Great experience as usual. Fresh produce, fresh cheeses, fresh meats, and freshly made food, coffee, tea, and other other edible treats. And, I can't forget the great artisans too! The market's grown a lot over the years. More vendors and larger crowds. They also have yoga outside at the back side of the pavilion at 9am each Saturday. I've never been but I hear that they've had nearly 100 people every Saturday. That must be an amazing sight to see! There's also entertainment; today a bluegrass band was playing. I'd be remiss if I didn't also mention the wading pool and fountain. The pool and the possibility of running into school and neighborhood friends is the only way that we can get Willa excited about going. We mostly looked around today. Since we garden too there isn't a whole lot at the market that we don't already have growing in our backyard. Today, we brought home fresh goat cheese, green beans, corn, and peaches.

Creamy Jello Treat

2010-06-27T05:24:00.000-07:00

The family walked to Jay's International Grocery on Grand Avenue the other night. The custom is that, in addition to the stuff that's on the list, each person gets to pick out one item that goes unchallenged (legality and safety being the exceptions of course). As you might guess, this item typically ends up being some sweet treat. Bill picked a black licorice candy bar. Winner! I picked a chocolate and coconut candy bar -- like Mounds but without the high fructose corn syrup. Also a winner! Willa's pick? A box of strawberry flavored DoFu. That's right, DoFu. As you can see in the photos above DoFu is a creamy jello-like product that is prepared in the same way as jello except you add milk. I say "jello-like" because DoFu is actually made from seaweed, not jello and not tofu (as I had originally suspected). The box directions recommend that you serve DoFu with fruit or whipped cream. We didn't have any fruit in the house that would complement the DoFu and the whipped cream in the frig was pretty much a relic from the Cold War. Having no other garnishing options, we dug into the DoFu au naturel. So, how did it taste? Take a look at Willa's expression in photo #4. Yes, it was that bad.

Upcoming Events

2010-06-23T08:26:00.000-07:00

Willa and Bill at the City Garden, June 2010

I typically write about things that I do after I've done them. This works out well for two reasons: #1, most things that I do are ongoing kind of events (meaning that you still have time to do them if you feel so inclined after reading my post) and #2, most of you are probably getting your ideas and inspirations about what to do in and around St. Louis on your own so you don't need advance notice. That said though, I do like to occasionally post things here that I'm going to do in the future when there are a lot of them coming up. So, here's my big, but still brief, list of summer activities. Maybe something will catch your attention.

1. Circus Flora. We actually went last Saturday but I encourage you to go if you haven't as it is, as always, a visually stunning and impressive experience. Circus Flora is definitely a local cultural gem. Oh, and this is the last week so hop to it!

2. Off Broadway Kids Concert Series. We're seeing Justin Roberts and the Not Ready for Naptime Players this Saturday. Most of these concerts were initially free but due to their overwhelming popularity you now have to get tickets in advance. Yay! for musicians making money! And, yay! that kids music doesn't suck anymore!

3. Whitaker Music Festival 2010. The Whitaker Music Festival at the Missouri Botanical Garden is always a summer favorite in St. Louis. If you don't make it to at least one concert a summer you're a, well, er, you're missing out. We're planning on meeting some friends to see the Dogtown Allstars on July 7th.

4. While we're talking music, here are a few other free music venues that we're planning to hit up this summer. First, at the St. Louis Zoo is the Jungle Boogie Friday Night Concert Series. Lots of bands in their lineup so you're sure to find something that you like. Then, our friend and fab music educator, Lori Burkhardt, plays sax in the University City Summer Concert Band. They play mostly on Tuesdays nights and are a lot of fun to go and see in the Loop. Next up, and much closer to our home, in Tower Grove Park (although they play in St. Louis parks all over the city), you'll find the Compton Heights Band playing on Musical Mondays during the summer. We're especially excited about the July 5th concert -- cannons and Sousa! If you haven't been, bring a chair or blanket and enjoy the show. There are actually many, many other free venues and concert series in St. Louis to go and hear great music. These are just the ones that I plan to attend. If you have a free favorite, drop me a line so I can check it out!

5. Speaking of Tower Grove Park, my neighborhood park (yes, I'm bursting with pride about this lovely treasure!), there are a ton of fun things to do here this summer. You can check their website for details but here are a few of the things that you'll see me doing - For the kids, you have the playgrounds, wading pool and pop jets. There is also the weekly Children's Concert Series on Wednesday mornings at 9:30am. In addition to the Compton Heights Musical Mondays, you can do monthly outdoor movie nights at the pool pavilion, the Tower Grove Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings, carriage rides, have lunch at Cafe Madeleine (in historic Piper Palm House where Bill and I were married!) or an alfresco Farmers Market Dinner on Thursdays on the Plaza. And, these are just the regularly scheduled events in the park. There are many super single event activities in the park as well.

6. St. Louis PrideFest. This is super fun event! And, gay or not, it's a great way to support LGBT's and show solidarity. We especially like the parade, which is at noon on Sunday. Yes, as in this Sunday, June 27th. Check out their website for the festival details. My helpful hints? Go early to get a good spot, bring lots of water to keep you hydrated, and wear sunscreen!

7. Also, at Tower Grove Park is the Festival of Nations on August 28th and 29th for "the region’s premier multicultural celebration, featuring more than 40 ethnic food booths,non-stop dance and music, children’s arts and crafts, and an international bazaar with unique gifts from around the world." Great fun but excellent, excellent food! Come early because the food vendors routinely sell out.

8. LouFest Music Festival. New this year to St. Louis is the LouFest in Forest Park on August 28th and 29th (same weekend at the Festival of Nations). As their website states: 2 days, 2 stages, 18 bands. Sounds promising.

9. Frontyard Features. A new trend in the last few years in St. Louis has been watching movies outdoors. FYF shows movies all over the St. Louis area while Laumeier Sculpture Park has been hosting its own 2010 Music + Movies every Friday well. For more information about other outdoor movies (and theatre too) click here.

10. The Muny. The 2010 season looks like a winner! Especially for kids and kids at heart! Beauty and the Beast is running now through the 30th of June. I would have liked to have seen this one myself. Never having seen the Disney movie before I think that it might have enjoyed it more. But, I don't think that we'll get to the Muny before the 30th. We are, though, thinking about seeing Cats in July. Willa loves the musical Cats. She's only watched the filmed version starring Elaine Page and John Mills so seeing it live should be a visual treat. Willa also loves The Sound of Music. Do-re-mi! Love that song. Have you seen the flash mob doing this one in Belgium? Click here if you haven't! This is so much fun! But back to Willa. She's only seen the Julie Andrews version of Sound but, I think, would really enjoy seeing it performed live. It runs in July as well.

11. City Garden. Love, love this place! We've already been a number of times this year and will go a hundred more before summer is over. And, this year, I vow to visit the Terrace View restaurant.

12. St. Louis Art Museum. The new main exhibit is called The Mourners: Tomb Sculptures from the Court of Burgundy. Can't quite figure out if this show will be an interesting one or not. But, it sounds like it might. Plus, supporting the arts in St. Louis (and in general) is just the right thing to do. So go. The exhibit opened June 20th and is here all summer.

13. Missouri History Museum. If you haven't yet seen the Vatican Splendors exhibit, and I haven't yet, you should get there before it leaves town. Set your judgments about Catholicism, the Pope, and all things churchy & scandalous aside and go see this exhibit. From the Missouri History Museum's website, "comprised of nearly 200 rare artworks, historical objects and cultural artifacts from the collections of the Vatican, many of which have never been allowed outside of Rome, and including special objects never before on display, even at the Vatican. The collection includes mosaics; paintings; frescoes; works by well-known sculptors; intricately embroidered silk vestments; precious objects from the Papal Mass; historical maps and documents; and historical objects from three major basilicas in Rome." You'll regret missing this once in a lifetime exhibit. It runs through September 12, 2010.

14. Miscellaneous. I've totally run out of steam so I'm stopping here. Please leave a comment if you have any other great ideas, events, festivals, etc. that I should include and/or try and do myself. There will undoubtedly be many things that come up over the course of the summer that I will post info about. If you made it this far, thanks for reading!

Patience as the Antidote to Anger

2010-06-20T12:23:00.000-07:00

Photos from the MABA website

My best friends have always been anger and sarcasm so you can imagine how difficult it was to admit that maybe it was time to meet some new friends. So, wouldn't you know MABA made it a lot easier for me by setting up this meditation retreat about, as you might have guessed by the title of this post, cultivating patience instead of anger. I had no sooner signed up when I started having second thoughts. I mean, I'm not really angry, right? Anger seems so serious. Anger is out of control. Anger is always ranting or yelling or fuming about something. Sure, I do live in a relatively persistent, relatively harmless, relatively low grade state of ticked-off. Who doesn't really? I mean, I'm human after all -- I get mad! I have a family that irritates me at times (I'm sure the feeling is mutual). I teach self-centered, gimme, gimme, gimme teenagers that irritate me at times (ditto). And, if that weren't bad enough, I live in a place where it seems that I am constantly surrounded by racist tea baggers and people with anti-community, anti-environment, and pro-greed and corruption ideas and behaviors. But angry? Okay, okay, okay. You're right. I am angry. I am ranting and fuming. So, I went to the retreat. And, what did I learn? I learned that it's a lot harder to be patient that it is to be angry. I learned that it is possible to be patient without being powerless. I learned that you can still do the right thing -- be a passionate and an out spoken activist -- while still cultivating patience. And, most importantly, I learned that learning this patience stuff could take me awhile.

The (Un)Inspired Decorator

2010-06-18T11:58:00.000-07:00

I've always taken a utilitarian approach to any home decorating that needed to be done. Couch? Check. Bed? Check. Dining room table? Check. You get the idea. Yet, that's not to say that I've never considered the color or the beauty or the form of an object, a fabric, or a piece of furniture that I purchased. In fact, I have a lot of objects around the house that were very carefully and very thoughtfully selected based almost solely upon their stylistic contribution to the room. And, I have (sometimes) made sure that the various things in each room, or in the house as a whole, complement the overall aesthetic that I'm trying to achieve. But, what I mean by 'utilitarian' is that I've never decorated a room, or an apartment, or a house using a theme (like Country French, Cottage, or Mid Century Modern, for example). Not that I would either. But, this summer has me reading my friend Joi's decorating/style blog quite a bit as well as many of the others style blogs that she has recommended on her blog roll. And while she and many of the others have not subscribed to a particular theme either they all have a terrific sense of how to put the various pieces of a room together quite artfully --- bringing me to the painful realization that I need to give a lot of thought to the decor of my house. Plus, Joi (pronounced Joey) and many of the other decorating/style bloggers are taking on these decor improvement projects on their own and on the cheap -- two things that I can get on board with (well, mostly the latter). I also like that a lot of them are using Craig's List and thrift stores finds not just because they can be cheap but because it's the right thing to do for the environment.

Bottom line, is that I've become obsessed with revamping my house's style. Doing that on a small to non-existent budget will be a challenge though. So this is what I've decided that I can do:

1. I'm suffering from a I-have-too-much-stuff problem so sorting our what stays and what goes in each room is a definite must.
2. I like color! And I currently live with a lot of it so I need to evaluate how I feel about the colors of my walls in the house. Specifically, I'm wondering if things connect and complement as much as I thought they did when I had it painted nearly 4 years ago.
3. Accessories! I really want to focus on lighting and curtains. The big plan is to splurge on some nice fabric and make my own curtains for the living and dining rooms. I'd also like to find a nice pendant or shade for my ceiling light in the living room. Not sure what I'm looking for yet, but I think I'll know when I see it.
4. I like everything about my bathroom except (maybe) the ceiling light and (definitely) the linen cabinet. I like the look of this Ikea light (shown in above photo) but I'm not sure if it's too big for the room. Plus, the closest Ikea is like a 5 hour drive from here! I'm not sure about the style of the linen cabinet but the only requirement is that it not have a glass front. We have that now and I'm tired of people seeing my mess!

Doesn't seem like a lot of stuff to do but, for me, this is a super duper daunting task. Especially because I have no idea where to start! I've tried to recruit Joi to come help me get started. But, girlfriend is very busy getting her Masters on so I'll probably have to go solo on this. Unless someone out there wants to volunteer? Do I hear a 'yes'?

Lettuce and Broccoli!

2010-06-14T20:12:00.000-07:00

The spring garden crops that we planted have just about peaked, especially the lettuce. And, while I feel bad that we wasted a lot of lettuce this season (unfortunately, we just didn't get around to eating a lot of it), we've been jamming on the broccoli. Even Willa - Miss I-only-eat-three-things -is sold on its tasty green goodness. Come on, I dare you to find a person who could not resist eating this broccoli.

Book Review: Disturbing the Peace by Richard Yates

2010-06-13T14:47:00.000-07:00

Yes, as you can see, I am still obsessed with Richard Yates's novels. Love, love, love him. My goal is to try and read them all this summer. Not sure if that is going to happen but you gotta have a goal, right?

Anyway, here's the book summary. In Disturbing the Peace, Yates introduces us to John Wilder, an insecure thirty-something ad executive who, we learn right away, is in the middle of a midlife crisis - think unhappy marriage, job dissatisfaction, personal dissatisfaction, extramarital affairs, and booze -- lots and lots of booze. But, it quickly becomes clear that Wilder's crisis isn't really of the midlife variety. Rather, it's that he is flat out delusional. In other words, the man is mad - mad as insane, mad as addicted. Mad, mad, mad. Now, that's a good story line, if you ask me.

And, here's the review. Right from the start, Disturbing the Peace had a much different feel that the two previous Yates's novels that I've read (here and here). Yes, Yates still writes about ordinary, flawed characters who lives gravitate from a sense of normalcy to urgency, from order to chaos, from acceptance to rebellion. And, yes, Yates still writes great characters that involve us -- as clinical, distant observers and as close observers who feel, sometimes intensely, the experiences and emotions of the characters. But, Disturbing was different in two noticeable ways. First, the pace of it was much quicker; it kinda reminded me of an episode of ER - many more fast paced, crazy ER peaks, but consistently balanced by the slower paced valleys of the characters lives outside of the ER. Now, yes I do know that I wrote previously about how Yates creates a sense of urgency in all of his books, all of his main characters. And, this is true here too. Yet, it still feels different. Dare I say more urgent? Another difference? None of the characters were likable. Not a single one. And, I really wanted to like someone, his wife, his mistress, even Wilder.

As an aside, if anyone has read, or reads, Disturbing the Peace and would care to comment on the significance (or not) of including the peripheral storyline of race relations in this novel, please, please leave me a comment. I would love to read your thoughts.

Crop Mob in Millstadt, Illinois

2010-06-07T19:55:00.000-07:00

Bill and Willa recently had the awesome opportunity to participate in a crop mob. Actually, they participated along with a group of MRH staffers and students. If you haven't heard of a crop mob, you're probably not alone. I'm not sure how popular they are in the Midwest, let alone St. Louis. But, this is how it works: a group of people volunteer their time and labor at a small farm to help build and support community relationships or make agricultural improvements. In this particular instance, our MRH group wanted to volunteer their labor because the farmer was struggling due to the recent loss of her husband. Wow. Goosebumps. Just writing about this make me feel beyond terrific! It's such a wonderfully meaningful way to contribute something positive to people in your community. And, what a great opportunity for kids (and everyone really!) to discover the joy of being able to help those in need, forming lasting connections with others through service, and, for many, creating a relationship with (or new appreciation of) the land and the natural world.

Delicious Cookies

2010-06-05T08:27:00.000-07:00

Mom Henske would never think of celebrating a holiday without serving beautifully decorated, tasty cookies as the final course of the day's meal. For many years, the cookies were from Clayton's Bakery and Deli on Manchester Road in Des Peres. Their website isn't super great but their cookies and cakes are - so much so that I've made the drive out there just to pick up their goodies for special occasions (they must be really good because you know how I hate to drive west of 170 for anything!). Recently, Mom Henske buying cookies from Lubeley's Bakery, which is on Watson Road, just outside the city limits in Shrewsbury (I'd link you to their website but it's just AWFUL! Just as visually bad as Clayton's but, as a bonus, you'll waste 15 thousands millions of minutes waiting for it to fully load.). Initially, I preferred Clayton's cookies, which are less dense and a little sweeter, but I've since grown fond of Lubeley's too. I mean how could something that attractive not be tasty?

These are the designs that Mom Henske bought from Lubeley's for our Memorial Day celebration.

Rockin' the Mullet

2010-05-31T18:09:00.000-07:00

Bill's sister in law, Jennifer, is a participant in a photo-based scavenger hunt. The way that it works is that each participant has to find and photograph the objects on the scavenger hunt list within the window of time that has been allotted. If you fail to find and photograph the items during the appropriate time, you are eliminated. One of the items on this weeks hunt was was a fun one: photographing a mullet. After heading to several of the places that Jennifer assumed the mullet-wearers would hangout she came up empty-handed. Tough luck! But, her luck would change when, during our Memorial Day festivities, Bill, who was in need of a haircut anyway, volunteered to get a mullet for the photo. Luckily, Jennifer, who is a systems analyst by day, moonlights as a stylist (she cuts her husband and two sons hair) and owns her own hair shears. So, off she went to grab the scissors and voila! One mullet.

This scene reminds me of Magritte or Dali painting. Or, a photo by Cindy Sherman. Badminton and Barbershop. Hysterical!

Man Man

2010-05-30T05:40:00.000-07:00

I like cats, but I'd prefer not to own one. Unfortunately, I own two. A mother and son duo. The mom, Bernice, is a beautiful domestic long-hair and a total cat stereotype -- independent, aloof, everything on her terms, with a don't-bother-me attitude. If I didn't have to feed her or put out clean litter I'd never even know that she lived here. Her son, Man Man, on the other hand, is a very large, attractive, sleek domestic short-hair with, mostly, the personality of a dog -- lovable, attention seeking, loyal. He requires lots of effort and is always wanting something. I want to hate him but he's just so darn lovable.

Chicken Update, Part Trois

2010-05-29T13:30:00.000-07:00

When Bill decided that he wanted to build our chicken coop I was relieved because if you've looked at pre-fab chicken coops you know that #1, they aren't cheap and #2 they lean toward that country style of which I am not a fan. So, Bill and I looked through some online and print resources and finally decided on a general style that we found to be both functional and visually appealing. Bill drew up the plans, put together a materials list, and was able to get started in March when we first got the chicks. The location of the coop was a no-brainer -- it would go in the darkest corner of the yard where, try as we might every year, we could never get anything to grow. We didn't worry about sufficient light because our chickens would have plenty of yard time and, in the winter, the lack of vegetation would let the sun shine right on in. After a few weekends worth of work, Bill finished the coop. The chickens are finally living in the coop full-time now, including nights, and enjoying adventures in the yard everyday.

Front view of the coop. After I snapped the photo, I noticed that the wood panel on the upper left was hanging off a bit. I suspected that maybe a raccoon might have tried to break into the coop already but, as it turns out, Bill said that he misplaced the nails so he hadn't totally nailed it down. Once he found them, he didn't nail it in because he was considering putting mesh wire up instead. What do you think?

Side view (top and bottom) of the coop with door open and door closed.

We've had grapes for a few years now and decided to use the coop instead of the ornamental metal trellises to support the vines. I like the look of it and it provides some shade for the chickens during the hot summer months.

Chicken Update, Part Deux

2010-05-29T13:19:00.000-07:00

The chickens are getting big! Although they are not adults yet, they are looking very adult-like.

Darwin, A Reluctant Revolutionary

2010-05-29T06:40:00.000-07:00

If you are interested in the life and scientific contribution of Charles Darwin, you may want to check out the exhibit, Darwin, A Reluctant Revolutionary at the St Louis Science Center. It was a light on substance but that might have been because of the way that the curator displayed the items. Specifically, the exhibit was in an overly spacious gallery with lots of unused space and walking room in some spots between displays. This is great if there is a crowd but nothing more than a distraction zone when there isn't. Overall, it was a nice little exhibit, just don't expect the level of curation that you'd find at an art or history museum.

The exhibit Darwin, A Reluctant Revolutionary is open through August 1st at the St. Louis Science Center.

Willa and Evan at the exit of the Darwin exhibit. Photo by Colette.

Chicken Update

2010-05-24T08:50:00.000-07:00

For those of you that might be interested in a chicken update, I have some happy news and some sad news. The sad news first (you probably can guess where this one is going). One of our little chicks was always a little off from the rest -- a little smaller, a little slower, and a little sickly. Willa affectionately named her Scarlett, after a classmate. Over the next few weeks, Scarlett quit thriving and became increasingly lethargic and sleepy (she literally slept or remained in a seated position around the clock). Bill even had to bathe her and trim her bottom feathers which had become rather soiled. Eventually, another hen, either Ava, Abby, or Madison (yes, also named by Willa after her classmates), started exhibiting the same lethargy and sleepiness. We made the decision at that point to sequester them in hopes of preventing any further spreading of the virus or whatever it was that they had. Unfortunately, neither improved and both died within the week. The happy news is that the other 3 chicks - two hens and a rooster (yes, we will have to find a nice farm for him at some point) - are doing very well, growing big, and fully living in the coop (instead of my kitchen!). I haven't taken any new photos of the chicks recently but plan to this weekend so that I can post them soon. They look like real chickens now! Also, I'll snap and post some of the coop too. Bill has done a wonderful job planning it, building it, and putting the finishing touches on it and I'd like to show it off :)

Lastly, school is winding down for the year so new posts should be coming more frequently. And although we've been pretty busy this last month or two, I do have a few posts old posts ready to be tweaked and posted. In the mean time, have a great Memorial Day weekend!

Cluck.

2010-04-09T17:36:00.000-07:00

The chicks are now a month old. They're getting bigger, more vocal, and a lot more curious about us and the world around them. They've started going outside a little bit. It's really entertaining watching them play in the coop. They run. They chase each other. They flutter about, trying their wings out a bit. They hunt for food. They take in all in. And, of course, they try and hide from Willa who wants nothing more than to try and pick them all up. So far, being a chicken farmer has been very exciting and very educational.

I'm Hungry.

2010-03-27T12:48:00.001-07:00

Bill's Mom treated us to lunch at Bandana's last weekend. Thanks, Mom H! The food tasted as great as it looks in these photos.

The Butterfly House

2010-03-21T17:07:00.000-07:00

After a week's worth of great spring weather, it's been dreary and cold and rainy all weekend long. Doesn't look much better for tomorrow either. But, you can't let a little uncooperative weather keep you down, or indoors if the case may be. So, today, we headed out to Faust Park to the Missouri Botanical Garden Butterfly House to see the March Morpho Mania. Basically, thousands of these brilliant blue butterflies have been added to the conservatory's normal collection to create a big, blue explosion of color. It was pretty cool too. But, quite possible the best surprise of the outing was getting in free! It's been a couple of years since we last visited and in that time the Missouri Botanical Garden has assumed stewardship of the place. So, what a nice surprise it was to present my Garden membership card and get in free! Woo Hoo!

Book Review: The Easter Parade by Richard Yates

2010-03-19T13:20:00.000-07:00

"Neither of the Grimes sisters would have a happy life, and looking back it always seemed that the trouble began with their parents divorce."

Wow. What an opening line. Love it. Love it. In The Easter Parade, Yates tells the story of the Grimes sisters, Sarah and Emily, and the different lives they build for themselves after the divorce of their parents. One sister follows a traditional path while the other is an intellectual free spirit yet neither of them are able to achieve what they had hoped for: happiness. The story is a simple one yet Yates ability to create characters that are vulnerable, flawed, real and dealing with the human condition is complex and genius. I'm giddy for Yates right now and can't wait to buy another of his books. The only question that I have is how in the world did Richard Yates not get discovered?

Urban Farming

2010-03-16T20:22:00.000-07:00

Bill and I went to pick up our new chicks today from the Fenton Feed and Mill Store in Fenton, MO. We bought 5 Buff Orpingtons and are hoping that at least 4 of them are hens. Sorry, rooster(s), you are not welcome (or legal in the city of St. Louis!). The chicks are only a couple of weeks old so they'll be living in the kitchen under a heat lamp until its warm enough to put them out in the backyard coop -- just in time for them to start producing fresh, organic eggs.

Camp DuBois

2010-03-05T15:27:00.000-08:00

Back in 2004, I went to watch the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Expedition reenactment launch at Camp Dubois in Hartford, IL. Camp DuBois is the site of Lewis and Clark's winter camp as well as the starting point of the famous expedition. At the time, I was with a group of history teachers and our schedule only allowed for the launch so I didn't get to visit the interpretative center. But, a couple of weekends ago, Bill, Willa, and I drove over so that Bill could check it out as a potential field trip location for his middle school students. If you get a chance to go, it's worth checking out, both as a piece of local history and as a piece of national history. The museum is bright and informative. The movie is pretty good too (not George Rogers Clark good, but still good). Maybe it was because of the sparse crowd but I was especially amazed by the friendliness and attentiveness of the museum staff. However, two things have struck me as I have visited museums lately that I must comment on. First, the movies are getting a lot better - more dramatic, more accurate, more generally appealing, especially to non-historian types. Second, the museums are getting a lot better too (for many of the same reasons plus they are more interactivity, utilize more user-friendly primary source materials and interpretations, new walking tours/pod casts, etc). But, and this observation applies to both, they are getting really, really formulaic! Is there like a Museum Exhibits for Dummies book floating in and around and between curator circles now? It seems like it. Anyway, if you get some time, check it out.

Mushrooms!

2010-02-27T13:23:00.000-08:00

Bill's first crop of white button mushrooms. Perfectly gorgeous, aren't they? He said that there would have been more to photograph but he ate 'em all up because they were that good.

Book Review: Are You There Vodka It's Me Chelsea by Chelsea Handler

2010-02-22T20:16:00.000-08:00

I'm never insecure about the books that I choose to read whether it be privately or publicly. There's always a good reason why I read what I do and I'm happy to elaborate should the need to ever arise. That said, I've never really found a way to comfortably read, privately or publicly, Miz Chelsea Handler. She's completely inappropriate, politically incorrect, and offensive and her behavior is, at times, immature, shocking, embarrassing, and dangerous. Yet, I am smitten. I find Handler beyond hilarious, beyond adventurous, and beyond convention. As for her latest book, Are You There Vodka, It's Me Chelsea, it's good. Not as good as My Horizontal Life but a must read if you worship at the house of Chelsea.

Abraham Lincoln's Boyhood Home and George Rogers Clark National Park

2010-01-18T19:28:00.000-08:00

Dan and Colette invited us to visit the Lincoln Boyhood Home in Lincoln City, IN and the George Rogers Clark National Park in Vincennes, IN. We gladly accepted their invitation and left yesterday morning around 6:30 a.m. Approximately 3 hours later, we made it to the Lincoln Boyhood Home. Nice enough museum. We saw the movie about Lincoln which wasn't too bad -- a little too superficial but not so bad really. The nicest part of the visit was getting out and walking around outside. Fresh air, cool temps, overcast day, and muddy trails. In my book, that's a decent day, especially given the weather that we've had. On the grounds you can see where Lincoln's mom is buried, replicas of his Dad's farm, and a small little village that, during the summer, is teeming with period actors showing visitors how life was like back in Lincoln's teen years. After we left there, we made a pit stop at Denny's for a quick bit to eat and then it was back on the road to Vincennes - the home of the George Rogers Clark National Park. There was less to see here -- the Revolutionary battle site of Ft. Sackville -- but the Ranger was so much more interesting and very excited about what she does for a living. So much energy! So, Sackville.... ever heard of it? I'm not sure if too many people have. During the American Revolution, the Brits controlled Ft Detroit which was a target of the Americans. George Rogers Clark, a wild & crazy Indian killer (and big bro to William Clark of Lewis & Clark fame), who was stationed/fighting in this area came up with a bold plan to take Ft Detroit by first gaining control of Ft. Sackville (Vincennes) along the Wabash River and a few other strategic locations along various important nearby rivers (the towns of Kaskaskia and Cahokia to be exact). While Clark did gain control of Sackville, Kaskaskia, and Cahokia he was unable to take Ft Detroit. Obviously, the Americans eventually won the war, but had Clark, or the Americans, lost the bid for Sackville when it was fought, we might have certainly lost this portion of the US to Canada (the Brits at the time) leaving no opportunity open for the Louisiana Purchase, Manifest Destiny, and all that good stuff that happens down the road. The story here is interesting enough but the real appeal to me is the story of good ol' Clark himself. Clark was not a nice guy any way you look at it. But, the guy knew how to soldier. How he managed to inspire his men, face some major Mother Nature, and take Ft Sackville is a truly amazing feat.

The Magical Music of Disney

2010-01-02T21:12:00.000-08:00

For a number of years, Bill and I used to hold season tickets to both the St Louis Symphony Orchestra and the St Louis Repertory Theatre. Oh, how I loved going! Some of the best memories that I have of this last decade involve nights spent out at the Symphony or the Rep. Then, after we had our daughter, these bi-monthly date nights exceeded my greatest expectations. They were, as my principal would say, magical. At the very least they were an entertaining respite from the hustle bustle of our new life as parents. But, eventually, it just started feeling like we always had too much stuff going on all the time. So, au revoir to the season tickets! Tissue please. Now, my theatre-going is limited to the productions (although very good productions) of the high school and middle school where Bill and I teach and to the annual Christmas musical put on by our daughter's school. Our symphony-going has fared a bit better as we've continued to, on occasion, attend their special concert events. For example, tonight, courtesy of my Mom, were we treated to the SLSO Magical Music of Disney concert. While I hope to never set a foot, even a toe, into the compounds of Disney World or Disneyland, I do very much appreciate the music of many of the Disney movies that I have seen. And, it goes without saying how much I appreciate the music of our local symphony orchestra. So, tonight, a good time was had by all. In fact, the evening was, Mr. Principal, magical.

Here was tonight's line up:
David Robertson, conductor
Gene Dobbs Bradford, narrator

Disney Classics Overture
Disney’s Tarzan Orchestral Suite
Disney’s The Little Mermaid Orchestral Suite
Disney’s Hercules Orchestral Suite
Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Orchestral Suite
Disney’s The Rescuers Down Under Theme
Disney’s Aladdin Orchestral Suite
Suite from Disney’s Mulan
Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame Orchestral Suite
Disney’s The Lion King Orchestral Suite
Encore - Disney/Pixar's The Incredibles Orchestral Suite

Surprisingly, I've actually only seen The Little Mermaid and the Hunchback of Notre Dame but it was still very enjoyable listening to the rest of the suites.

What I Love About Christmas

2009-12-28T08:09:00.000-08:00

Goofin' at Laumeier

2009-12-23T11:46:00.000-08:00

We don't visit Laumeier Sculpture Park very often so when we do go it's always a great adventure for us. We like finding our old favorite sculptures and love sizing up any new ones. Most recently, we went on a cold, rainy day.....obviously not the best weather for an outdoor activity but it was super fun nonetheless.

Tilles Park Winter Wonderland

2009-12-22T18:48:00.000-08:00

As a kid, I remember one of the holiday season's annual highlights was going to the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville to look at all the holiday lights and visit the live nativity (a.k.a. petting zoo). Yes. Good times, good times. But, alas, those youthful memories went to the ol' storage unit in my head until this year when my own kid became old enough to be fully aware of all things Christmas, including holiday lights. So, in the spirit of the season, we drove out to Tilles Park to see the annual Winter Wonderland holiday light display.

I had anticipated hoping on Highway 40, pulling into the park, and driving slowly around the park without the company of a crowd. Boy, did I ever totally underestimated the interest in this kind of thing! We waited in line just to get into the park for at least 30 minutes. Once we entered the park, we drove around, looking at the light displays, for about 30 minutes - probably even less. Then it was all over. We paid our $9 and left for home. Disappointment? Yes, a little. But, for Willa, the lights were a huge source of entertainment and amazement. In fact, Willa enjoyed it so much that she cried almost all the way home while, between sobs, plotting the ways that she would get back there. And that made it all worthwhile.

Sweet Art

2009-12-06T18:35:00.000-08:00

Willa's 5th birthday is December 8th but we celebrated this past weekend. What I've learned about kids' birthday celebrations is that they are no small order, especially when it comes to baked goods. Last year, I drove out to Clayton's Bakery & Deli for the birthday goodies - 2 dozen cookies for school, 2 dozen cupcakes for the friends birthday party, and a cake to feed 15+ for the party with the relatives. Although the goodies were quite tasty I just couldn't bring myself to make the drive out to Des Peres again this year. I considered ordering from The Cakery again ~ they made our very tasty Wizard of Oz cupcakes and cake two years ago ~ but opted, instead, to order everything from Sweet Art on S. 39th Street. I had never tried it but had read some good things about the place so I figured, why not? Plus, it's in the neighborhood.

So, let's talk about why I like Sweet Art and why you should go there. First, the ingredients -- organic & local whenever possible. Love, love the commitment to unadulterated ingredients! Second, the baked goods are very, very good. We ordered 2 dozen frosted, flower-shaped sugar cookies, a dozen vanilla cupcakes with pink butter cream frosting, a dozen chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting, and, finally, a "Best of Both Worlds" cake - a cake with alternate layers of chocolate and vanilla held together and topped with chocolate butter cream frosting. Yes, yes, yes! All very tasty, very delightful, made from scratch products. Third, the place has an awesome vibe. It's the kind of place that, from the moment you walk in, it envelops and you become part of the surroundings - the warmth, the sounds, the sights, the smells. Very nice. Very chill. Very telling.

The bad news? The service was just okay. The staff offered no assistance in helping me to plan my order for the party (Fortunately, I had a vague idea of what I wanted when I went in ~ they do have a great website ~ but having had some additional suggestions would have been nice) and the counter service was super, super slow (I'm not expecting drive-thru service but jeez! The owner just stood there, seemingly irritated & disinterested in my situation as I waited and waited, and did nothing to assist the lost person at the counter waiting on me). Bottom line: If I had come in to buy a $3.00 cupcake, I would have lived with $3.00 customer service. But, because I spent some time making the decision to buy here and I spent a lot of my hard-earned money shopping here, I guess I expected a little more effort on their part.

Wolf Howl

2009-11-30T19:39:00.000-08:00

Willa and Evan at the Campfire Wolf Howl. Photo Courtesy of Morton-Holden.

St Louis is fortunate to be the home of the Wolf Sanctuary - a.k.a. the Wild Canid Center. Located near Highway 44 & Antire Road at the Tyson Research Center, the Wolf Santuary is the country's most successful canid conservation, education, reproduction and research center. Although the Sanctuary has limited daytime visiting hours they do offer a fairly regular evening opportunity for folks to come out and participate in a campfire wolf howl. Here's how it works: Basically, you make your reservation in advance, pay 10 bucks, and drive out to the center around 7pm. You hang out in the main entrance while the rest of the group arrives and then head down to the campfire area around 7:30pm. The program starts with a fireside chat, the purpose of which is to dispel myths and falsehoods about wolves. Ours was led by the education coordinator and her sidekick, a gruff-voiced, semi-sarcastic but well-meaning curmudgeon type of guy. The program was loosely strung and, while clearly designed for kids, was full of some interesting facts and lighthearted humor. At this point, you're warned, again, that the wolves do their own thing ~ meaning that they may or may not at the end of the night when you walk to the enclosures for a little howl and response. On our particular night, last Wednesday, the wolves did howl briefly during the ed program but not at all at the enclosures. On the way back, the crowd visit the gift shop (a really cool WWII bunker that stored ammunition) for hot chocolate, cookies, and, of course, purchases! Overall, it was a fun night, especially for the youngsters. And, even though we couldn't get those wolves to howl for us, the money went to a great cause.

Meditation Retreat

2009-11-25T08:55:00.000-08:00

Photos Courtesy of MABA

About an hour from St Louis, in Augusta, MO, is the Mid-America Buddhist Association (MABA). Every Sunday, they offer very interesting sounding programs followed by (what I assumed would be) a really tasty vegetarian pot-luck style lunch. I'd always wanted to drive out for one of the programs but never managed to actually do it until last weekend. Starting on Friday and ending Sunday, MABA held a mediation retreat based on the concepts of metta -- a Pali term meaning loving-kindness -- and karuna -- compassion. This was a casual retreat, meaning that you could stay all weekend or you could just pop in on any one of the days, so I only went for Saturday's activities. The schedule was basically a day-long repeated cycle of dharma talk, meditation, walking meditation, and exercise (walk or yoga) with a delicious vegetarian lunch at noon. And, before I write anything else, I have stop here and say -- OMG! What those little Buddhist ladies can do with soy! Anyway, it was a lovely day but much harder physically and mentally than I would have ever thought. But, it felt really good to leave with a sense of having achieved a mindfulness that I hadn't had when I walked in through the door.

Book Review: Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates

2009-11-10T14:12:00.000-08:00

During a recent PD lunch with friends, I mentioned that I was reading Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates. I spoke a little about the book -- An outwardly popular and successful couple livin' in the burbs whose lives crumble horribly when they realize that their lives (as individuals, as a couple, as parents) aren't extraordinary, that, in fact, they're dull, unfulfilled, and false. One of my friends commented that she disliked books in which the characters or the situations made her feel awkwardly or psychologically uncomfortable. I agreed. But, later, as I continued reading Yates' book, I realized that don't dislike that feeling. Nope, not at all. In fact, it's quite the contrary -- I actually LOVE that uncomfortable feeling! And, many of the books that I've loved best have made me uncomfortable. The best popular example that gives off this feeling that I can think of right now is the play/movie Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? The characters in Virginia, as well as Revolutionary Road, are passionate, flawed, desperate, selfish, mean, illogical, vulnerable. And, the thing is you want to look away from them, you want to feel different from them, you want to hate them. But, unfortunately, you can't because, at some level, you can relate to them and their neuroses, you see a bit of yourself in them. Hopefully, you get what I mean. And, if you do and you like what I'm talking about, then Revolutionary Road is a good read for you.

That's Entertainment

2009-11-03T13:11:00.000-08:00

I've never been one to go to the movie theater very often but, at one time, I used to rent and watch movies pretty regularly. Over the years, though, I lost interest -- which is why I never have a clue about new movies. I'm the loser at the annual Oscar Party who's never seen or probably never heard of any of the nominees -- unless they were a book first then my odds increase on the latter. Anyway, I have seen a few movies recently that I thought we worth mentioning.

First, The Nightmare Before Christmas. It's pretty old now but it's an awesome movie with a very, very awesome soundtrack which you gotta buy.

Second, Coraline which is recently out on DVD. We saw the trailer for this movie in the theater (seeing what I cannot remember now) and it looked very good. And Coraline was good but not as good as I had hoped it would be. But, it is still definitely worth seeing.

And, lastly, Where the Wild Things Are. Super great movie for older kids and, especially, adults. We took Willa, who's almost 5, and she liked it but, I think, found it #1 over her head at times, #2 frightening at times, and #3 a movie that is more appealing to boys. Again, the soundtrack is super awesome and I highly recommend buying it. I already have.

Happy Halloween!

2009-11-01T06:53:00.000-08:00

Look who stopped by....It's Little Orphan Annie, Daddy Warbucks, and Sandy!

"The sun'll come out tomorrow, bet your bottom that tomorrow......"

Bill's handiwork

Willa at the Pumpkin Patch

Here are a few photos from the Autumn season from the Henske house. I love this time of the year and can't wait to get out and enjoy it some more!

Lil' Buddha

2009-10-11T07:22:00.000-07:00

I've written before about our cats, Bernice and Four (a.k.a Lil' Man). When it comes to our cats, I have a BIG ol' case of the I love ems' but I can't stand ems'. One of these days, when I don't have Barbies to play with, lesson plans to write, errands to run, and laundry to do, I'll tell you the tale of how we came to share our house with these two great big lovable pains in the arse. In the meantime, he's Lil' Man giving his best impression of Buddha.

Book Review: The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

2009-10-08T19:43:00.001-07:00

The Gist:
After his friend Michael commits suicide, Charlie, a typical angst-ridden teen, begins writing very intimate, very therapeutic, letters to an anonymous person only addressed in the salutation as "Dear Friend". With each letter, Charlie begins to realize that after almost a lifetime of isolation it is possible to "participate" in life.

Side Note:
This is an MTV advertised, hipster novel so it is edgier than I've lead on here in this review. And, yes, it's target audience in the YA (young adult). But who isn't young at heart?

Bottom Line:
It's a great, quick read, reminiscent, at times, of My So-Called Life. If you liked the show and you like poignant, emo coming of age tales, this is a definite must read.

Polish Festival 2009

2009-09-19T11:31:00.000-07:00

Despite having had some big plans laid out for last weekend, the only thing that we managed to do was to get to the Polish Festival. I was looking forward to going this year because we hadn't been for a couple of years. The highlight of the festival is always the food, which was as good this time as I had remembered it being -- Polish sausage, Cabbage rolls, Pierogi, pastries. Yum. As for the rest, well, let's just say that time has stood still, somewhere between the 1950's and 1970's, for a lot of the Polish Festival patrons. I think that the picture illustrates my general point. And, yes, you've read it correctly -- the name of this one-man-band, whose possible prejudices I am unaware of, is the Honky Express.

Book Review: I'm Down by Mishna Wolff

2009-09-18T15:35:00.000-07:00

Here's the gist of I'm Down by Mishna Wolff -- Mishna, who is white, grows up in a poor, all black neighborhood where she lives with her Dad (who is also white but has assumed the culture of the neighborhood), Step-Mom (who is black), and siblings (white and black). Although I'm purposely leaving out a lot of the story here, I'm Down is a coming of age memoir that recounts the author's story of survival, seeking her Dad's approval, and, ultimately, discovering her place in the world.

I'm Down definitely has it's laugh-out-loud moments, especially early on. In fact, had Wolff's book had been written in the 1970's, it might have been made into a sitcom -- probably in the genre of Welcome Back Kotter, Good Times, What's Happening!, etc. but with a dash of Roseanne (or any other working class white family sitcom/drama) Yeah, it is that funny at times but then there's that, you know, stereotyping stuff. Hmm. But, luckily, there's more than that too -- real pain and sadness juxtaposed with self-discovery and hope. My grade = B/B-

Book Review: Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell

2009-09-12T10:53:00.000-07:00

I've not ever not liked a Sarah Vowell book. In fact, I think it's physically impossible to not like her writings. I mean, come on, how could anyone not find her to be a wickedly entertaining, keenly observant, dry humored, gifted writer of history, art, and pop culture? Okay, okay. So I have a little bit of a Sarah Vowell obsession. But, it's only because I just know if we were to meet in real life we would be B.F.F. Yes, B.F.F. & E. Seriously!

Anyway, S.V. obsession aside, Assassination Vacation is another great Vowell book. In Vacation, Vowell writes, with the aforementioned qualities, about the assassinations of presidents Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley. While I've never been a big fan of presidential history (one can only read so many white-European male centered presidential stories before they all start sounding alike) - there are many writers out there, Vowell included, that have made an otherwise boring, narrow P.O.V. history exponentially more interesting and accessible. Bottom Line? Read the book, learn something new, and be entertained while you do it.

Abigail Washburn

2009-09-09T19:17:00.000-07:00

In July of 2008, we went to Madeline Island (Apostle Islands, WI) on vacation. Nice vacay but there were definitely too many moments when I expected midwestern Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey to pop out from around some random corner singing "I Had the Time of My Life" (See this here and here if you are lost). Incidentally, we had a similar experience about four years ago while vacationing in Door County (also WI - do I detect a theme?). Anyway, one of the things that we did while on Madeline Island was take the ferry over to Ashland, WI and catch Abigail Washburn and the Sparrow Quartet at Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua. It was a great show and I've since become a big fan of both Abigail and Ben Sollee.

So, not too long ago, in May, I was really excited about a story that I heard on NPR about how Abigail had teamed up with the Shanghai Restoration Project to record an album, Afterquake, that would benefit victims of the May 12, 2008 earthquake that devastated Sichuan province in China. I found the music to be immediately interesting and, despite the somber cause, pretty catchy -- or maybe should I say memorable. It definitely stuck in my head in the weeks that followed so I decided to put it on my Amazon.com wish list -- where it stayed there until this weekend when I finally bought it. It's not in my hot little hands yet, but thanks to my Dad, His Most Royal Highness of Amazon Shopping, I get free 2-day shipping so it should be by tomorrow. Hopefully, the music is as great as I remember but, at the very least, the money went to a worthy cause.

Beaucoup to Do in the Lou 2009

2009-09-07T06:16:00.000-07:00

Willa at Eckert's, October 2007

Personally, I think one of the worst things about living in St Louis is the summer weather. It's far too hot and humid for my taste. Weather aside though, St Louis is a pretty great place to live. We have some of the best neighborhoods, restaurants, and cultural attractions around. But, one of my very favorite things about living in St Louis is all of the festivals and seasonal events that take place. Although many of these are in the summer, the ones that I most like to go occur now -- from late August/Labor Day-- and run through the winter. I mark the start of this festival/seasonal events season by attending the Festival of Nations in Tower Grove Park, usually the weekend before Labor Day, and I end it, usually, by eagle watching along the bluffs.

Most of the things that I'm likely to do occur in September and October but things usually run through January. Here is a off-the-top-of-my-head list of the things that I'm hoping to do this year. Since I can't go to all of them, you'll know which ones I made it to this year by the blogging/photographing that I post/do. Oh, if you have a favorite event that's not listed, drop me a line and I'll put it up too.

Festival of Nations/International Festival (over)
The Greek Festival (today is the last day)
The 6th Annual Maplewood Dog Swim, September 11th, 4pm @ Maplewood Aquatic Center
Art Outside, September 11th - 13th @ Bottleworks
The 35th Annual Polish Festival, September 11th - 12th @ The Polish Falcons
The 16th Annual Saint Louis Art Fair, September 11th - 13th in Clayton, MO
St Louis Hispanic Festival, September 11th - 13th @ Soldiers Memorial
Samba in the City, September 12th @ Benton Park
Strange Folk Festival, September 26th - 27th @ O'Fallon Park, IL
Ottertoberfest, September 26th - 27th/October 3rd - 4th/October 10th -11th @ St Louis Zoo
Taste of St Louis, October 2nd - 4th @ Soldiers Memorial
Shaw Art Fair, October 3rd - 4th @ Shaw Neighborhood
Best of Missouri Festival, October 3rd - 4th @ Missouri Botanical Garden
Soulard Oktoberfest, October 9th - 11th @ Soulard Market at 8th & Lafayette Street
Columbus Day Parade & Festival, October 11th @ The Hill Neighborhood
Boo at the Zoo, October 16th - 30th @ St Louis Zoo
Apple Butter Festival, October 24th - 25th in Kimmswick, MO
Wild Lights, November 27th - December 30th @ St Louis Zoo
Harvest Festival @ Shaw Nature Reserve
Eckert's Farms in Belleville, Millstadt, and Grafton, IL
Eagle Watching along the Bluffs @ Alton/Grafton, IL

Sunday Rant

2009-09-06T07:40:00.000-07:00

This blog, while sometimes I regret that it's not, was never intended to be any of the following:
A political blog
An educational blog (as in pedagogy)
A soapbox
A springboard to fame

This blog was supposed to be:
A creative outlet
A relaxation tool

However, I have a few things (rants) to get off my chest.
1. UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE: Political opinions and drama and feasibility aside, this is what really bothers me about the opposition to universal health care: Opposition to Health Care for All = Opposition to Life. Opposition to Health Care for All = (Certain Undesirable) People are Disposable.

2. THE PRESIDENT'S SPEECH ON EDUCATION: Again, politics and drama aside, when is the last time public schools (or TV networks - that's another blog) refused to show a president's speech? And, no less, a president's speech on the importance of staying in school and committing to your own education? Hello? Do we have no respect for the office of the presidency? Or, do we have no respect for the presidency of a black man? Certainly, a lot of what Bush had to say wasn't popular (or intelligible) but Democrats and liberals weren't calling for schools to boycott him (or disrupting town hall meetings on health care by bullying a women in a wheelchair). Maybe the biggest flaw with Dem's and Lib's is that they're just too damn mannerly and polite. I cannot understand why conservatives, let's call them Patriots, would insist on disrespecting the office of the presidency? How unpatriotic!

3. PARENT ENABLERS: As a teacher, I see lots of kids skirting the rules or dodging consequences because of their enabling parents. I'm not talking about advocating for children - totally different circumstances. But bailing your kid out when they got their cell phone taken for answering your call/text during class? Wrong! Bottom line, your (unhealthy, codependent) personal need to have control of every aspect of your child's life should not come at the cost of teaching them the importance of personal responsibility and accountability.

4. READERS COMMENTS ON MEDIA WEBSITES: My latest obsession is reading the comments' left by readers on various newspaper and new station websites. I'm not talking about reading one or two comments, or even a page or two of comments. No. I'm talking about reading EVERY page of comments -- all ### of them! I'm not sure why I do it but it is definitely a sickness. And what I've found is that certain media outlets are more sensible than others. I may not agree with everything that I read but I can understand it, objectively consider it, and come to conclusions calmly about most readers comments. Okay, maybe I get a little angry. But the lower down I go on the media chain, the more convinced that I become that I'm having a stroke. Now, I support democracy, the constitution, and individual expression but there are a lot of ignorant, cruel, illogical, uneducated, racist, and selfish people out there and, apparently, they have computers with internet access. And, even worse, they might vote! Call me crazy (or elitist) but I'm not sure that I like that.

Happy Sunday!

The Shaved Duck

2009-08-05T12:17:00.001-07:00

A couple of Fridays ago, Bill and I met Dona and Paul for dinner at The Shaved Duck. I'm not a fan of duck but I did see alternate options on the online menu that looked pretty tasty. Plus, I'd been really wanting to check this place out -- first when it was called Pestalozzi Place (I think that was the name -- or something like that) and now as The Shaved Duck.

Bill ordered the Pork Tenderloin which he described as being "good, but not the best ever." I ordered the Beef Brisket which while having an excellent flavor was really very dry. I had to improvise by putting my cole slaw on the sandwich to give it some moisture. Not a bad quick fix to the problem but, as a customer, I shouldn't have to work so hard to be creative. I also ordered a Caesar Salad which was very tasty -- their secret? Homemade corn bread croutons. Yum.

So would I go again? Yes. For a few reasons. One, it's in the neighborhood and supporting local businesses is important to me. Two, the food was decent and worth another try. Third, I enjoyed the ambiance. I recommend going to the bathroom for a surprise -- a fully loaded beauty tray. I tried the hairspray.

Visiting City Garden

2009-08-04T16:37:00.000-07:00

We finally visited City Garden a couple of weeks ago. While I didn't get to explore and appreciate the art as much as I would have liked to -- my tour guide was an impatient, swimming-suit wearing 4-year old named Willa -- I was still impressed. For those of you who don't consider yourself an art buff, I say no fear! The sculptures here are very accessible -- they are easily and straight-forwardly interpreted, they have a broad asthetic appeal, and, for those of you in the kinesthetic crowd, using and touching is encouraged! If you haven't had a chance to get to the City Garden, I highly recommend it. We had a great time. It was especially awesome to be a part of a big, happy, eclectic crowd of people enjoying friends, family, and art on a hot Sunday afternoon.

Book Review: Lucky, A Memoir by Alice Sebold

2009-07-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

I was introduced to the work of author Alice Sebold when I read her book, The Lovely Bones. And while it's been quite some time since I read Bones, I remember it being very beautifully written, ethereal despite its horrific subject (the rape and murder of a young girl). I didn't realize during the time that I was reading Bones that Sebold is a rape survivor. Her memoir, Lucky, is an account of that rape.

Sebold's memoir begins where the story does, the night of her rape. Her words, like the rapist's actions, are powerful, graphic, and violent. Yet, the rape is only the beginning of the story – the introduction. The rest of the book is spent dealing with the aftermath of rape and trying to find a way to recover.

So, what to make of this book? Well, it ain't no Bones. The writing style is drastically different. Where as Bones drew you in and filled you with emotion and a sense of optimism Lucky was detached, devoid of emotion, and, surprisingly, dull. Okay, so I'm not well read in the rape-memoir genre. And, yes, I realize it’s a grim subject. But, if you really want to read a rape survivor’s memoir, I suspect that there are much better ones out there.

Book Review: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz

2009-07-14T06:12:00.000-07:00

Awhile ago, I bought two books by author Junot Diaz -- Drown and The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. I started with Drown, twice, but I never really got into it. Then, I mostly forgot about both books until recently. This time I picked up Oscar Wao. And, I'm glad that I did.

Through the book's narrator, Yunior, we are introduced to Oscar, an affable urban DR variation of Ignatius J. Reilly (The Confederacy of Dunces). Yunior, who is also a character in Drown, becomes a sort of keeper of Oscar, both during and after his life. An eventual friend whose devotion to Oscar is evident in the care that he takes in describing him, exposing him, explaining him, remembering him. And while Oscar's life is mostly a solitary one, his story is not. It weaves in and out, layer upon layer, from New Jersey to the DR and back and forth again, connecting him to his family, his friends, and, ultimately, his history -- the ancestral fuku ("the curse") -- that continues to haunt Oscar and the other characters in the story.

The book is an amazing piece of fiction yet it also informs us about the complexities of intimacy, identity, homeland, and oppression. Because of this, it's hard not to get quickly absorbed into Oscar's world and feel compelled by Diaz's rich characters and their stories. No wonder this book won both the highly coveted Pulitzer Prize for fiction and the National Book Critics Circle Award.

The Fountain on Locust

2009-07-13T15:46:00.000-07:00

Bill and Willa and a Strawberry Fountain Soda

Bill and Willa and a Strawberry Soda, take 2

Bill had to go to New York this week for an environmental sustainability conference so we decided that we'd go out for dinner on Saturday night -- his choice since he was the one leaving. He picked The Fountain on Locust. It's located on Locust Street, east of SLU, in historic Automotive Row. The interior is casual, yet artistically sophisiticated -- a lovely art deco, soda fountain-ish decor. Maybe that why it claims to be St. Louis's most photographed restaurant. The menu consists mainly of soups, salads, and sandwiches and a variety of handmade delectable ice cream and chocolate treats for dessert -- think a newer, more upscale take on Crown Candy. Can I mention that I LOVE Crown Candy? Yes, I think that I can. That gloriously positive post is for a different day. Just to be clear though, I did like The Fountain. Even a lot. The food was good (Bill and I both ordered the hot roast beef melt with the St Louis salad and Willa ate the cheese foccaicia pizza. We followed with a banana split and a hot fudge/hot caramel sundae) as was the service and the location. I'd definitely go again.

Onesto Pizza and Trattoria

2009-07-09T18:12:00.000-07:00

Onesto Pizza and Trattoria had come up in recent conversations that I've had with people about restaurants that they wanted to try. An upcoming dinner date with my friend Laura provided me the perfect opportunity to give Onesto a try. Beforehand, not having met anyone who had actually been there, I went straight to my source for all things restaurant in the St Louis area, Sauce Magazine. I didn't read any reviews but I did scope out the menu which looked promising for a causal dinner or lunch. Laura and I planned an early dinner tonight so we arrived before the mad rush. And, it was a full house by 6:30 -- both inside and out on the patio. The wait staff was very friendly and, initially, very attentive but that waned as the restaurant became more and more crowded -- but I never felt totally neglected. Our order was place, salads were brought out, followed by the pizza that we had ordered. The Caesar, sans chicken (i HATE chicken), was very good -- just the perfect amount of all things Caesar. The pizza was hot and tasty with a sauce that was especially catchy -- not too tart, not too sweet (but definitely more on the sweet side). Overall - good food, good atmosphere, good time. I left feeling that another visit would be in order soon (calzone, here I come!).

Arrested Development

2009-07-04T07:05:00.000-07:00

Summer vacation is a good time for me to catch up on the things that I didn't have the time to do during the school year. For me, it's a little TV watching. Not new TV shows or even really TV at all. Just one or many episodes of TV shows that I #1 missed during the year, #2 was curious about but didn't want to invest in at the time, or #3 TV shows that I miss because they aren't on anymore. This summer it's reason number 3 and the series is Arrested Development. AD was a critics darling that never got the following that it was due. I still can't figure out why people didn't watch it -- it's a phenomenal show-- well cast, well written, and well worth your time. And, I should mention it is HILARIOUS! So, I suggest that you order it up on Netflix, pop some popcorn, and watch all three seasons in one sitting. Trust me, it's time well spent.

City Garden

2009-07-03T19:28:00.001-07:00

I haven't been yet -- maybe I'll get some time this week -- but City Garden looks awesome! It's just what we needed downtown. Can't wait to check it out!

Pride Fest 2009

2009-06-28T13:50:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again! Pride Fest! Although we don't generally stick around too long for the actual 'fest', we like going to the parade to show our support and grab some beads and other parade-freebies. Normally, we don't get moving fast enough to get a good spot but this year, with the nice weather, we packed up the water bottles and camp chairs and arrived early. And, we got a sweet spot -- street-side near the northwest corner of Grand and Arsenal. Or, so we thought until we realized that somebody brought a crazy lady to the parade and stood her right behind us. She complained the audibly the ENTIRE time -- about something, about nothing, and about everything else in between! Mostly though, here complaints involved not being able to see. Now, I might have been more compassionate had she been nice about all of this but she was not. So I ignored her as did everyone else in our vicinity. Eventually, she must have even started embarrassing the people who brought her because they started hushing her. I was tempted to turn around and take a look at her, maybe even remind her about parade and public etiquette but before I decided the wind intervened -- divine? karma? I'm not sure. But what I can tell you is that the tent canopy behind us suddenly took flight and clocked her in the back of the head. Her complaining finally stopped but, unfortunately, it was only because she began yelling at the people with the tent. That eventually stopped too but, by that time, she had walked far enough away from us that we could no longer hear her.

Book Review: Death in Yellowstone, Accidents and Foolhardiness in the First National Park by Lee H. Whittlesey

2009-06-23T14:46:00.000-07:00

Yes, more on Yellowstone. I'll move on soon. I promise.

Review:
No mystery what the book is about; the title says it all. However, word of caution: If you're hoping for a Faces of Death account of death in Yellowstone, this isn't your book. But, if you'd like a tastefully written, historical recounting of the various ways in which people have died in Yellowstone in the last 100 years, then Whittlesey's book IS for you. Lots of interesting information, lots of common sense reminders about life in the the wilderness. Whittlesey says it best:

"While appreciating its (nature) wholeness, we must never abandon a healthy respect for wilderness. Wilderness is impersonal. It does not care whether you live or die. It does not care how much you love it. So while we are loving the Yellowstone wilderness, while we play in it, indeed revel in it, taking it on its own terms and helping to protect it, we foolish mortals must always remember to respect it. For not only can it bite us, but, indeed, it can devour us."

Yellowstone and Teton Vacation 2009

2009-06-21T20:21:00.000-07:00

This was an awesome vacation. And I mean that in all sincerity. Going to Yellowstone is all about extreme ranges. Look at this data from our trip. We experienced all of them in 9 days within the boundaries of both Yellowstone and Grand Teton.

Weather: Snow, Sleet, Rain, Fog, Overcast, Crystal-Clear Sunshine
Temperature: Cold, Cool, Warm
Flora: Lodgepole Pine, Englemann Spruce, Yellow Monkey Flower, Spring Beauty
Fauna: Bison, Bears, Elk, Marmot, Ground Squirrels, Chipmunks, Dung Beetles
Lodging: Historic & Commercial Inns & Hotels, Rustic Cabins, Campgrounds
Congested: Mammoth Main Entry, Old Faithful Area, Other Visitor Centers, Little Used Trails

Extreme ranges. Most definitely. Most definitely awesome. My final word: Go to Yellowstone! I would encourage you to go in June too. The guide book say that in Yellowstone there's July, August, and Winter. I say phooey! Go in June! Avoid the crowds (I hear it's bumper to bumper within the park by July) and the heat and more predictable weather. You can find more of our vacation photos by clicking here.

Book Review: The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery

2009-06-17T15:51:00.000-07:00

In The Elegance of the Hedgehog, Muriel Barbery examines issues of life and death, beauty and art, philosophy and the human condition, and social class through the observations of the two outwardly misanthrope main characters, Madame Michel and Paloma Josse. Superifically, it appears that Madame Michel (the middle-aged, informally educated, gruff, peasant-stock concierge) and Paloma (an acutely intelligent 12-year old daughter of educated upper class parents) share little in common except geography (they live in the same small, but elegant Parisian apartment building) and routine (they perform their obligations and rituals with self-imposed anonymity and contempt). Yet, through their observations and journals, their inner lives are revealed to be strikingly similar: rich, astute, and painfully and accurately observant of the human condition. As the mystery of each character is slowly revealed and related to one another a little ray of hope blossoms in the novel. The blossom is, of course, bittersweet (darn those French!). My opinion? Definitely, read it. It's a solid 4 star novel -- 5 stars for content and style and 3 stars for the rambling philosophy 101.

Book Review: Female Chauvinistic Pigs: Women and the Rise of Raunch Culture by Ariel Levy

2009-06-17T12:28:00.000-07:00

While this is not a greatly written or very exciting book, it is a great little contribution to the new wave of feminism writing (are we still in the third wave? Or, is it the fourth now?). Basically, Ariel Levy explores in her book, Female Chauvinistic Pigs, two central questions -- #1, What does modern feminism look like and how/why does it differ from that of our parents and grandparents age? #2, Does female raunchy culture compliment or derogate modern feminism? Very, very interesting stuff, especially if you spend anytime around female tweens, teens, and 20's, which, as a teacher, I do. But, probably most interesting to me, because I feel this way too, is that Levy, who plants her feet firmly on the ground that condemns sexual objectification and emulating sex star behavior/attitude/dress/etc as empowering--among other things-- comes to this conclusion: that it's while it's easy to be firmly, ethically, socially, and politically opposed to this new kind of raunch culture as feminism it is culturally difficult to argue against raunch when those who support it make you feel like a square peg. Square peg. Love the song, hate the feeling.

Yellowstone and Teton

2009-06-05T20:48:00.000-07:00

We're heading to Yellowstone and the Tetons tomorrow morning.Woo hoo! We'll be gone for two weeks but I hope to post photos and funnies along the way as internet access allows.

Summer 2009

2009-06-03T05:57:00.000-07:00

Summer vacation has finally arrived! And while I won't have as much time this summer as I would like to there is still plenty of time for having new adventures and repeating old, favorite ones. Yesterday, we repeated an old fave -- the St Louis Zoo with a few of Willa's friends from school. Good times were had by all. Today, not much planned except a few chores and errands. Woo Hoo!

Crawfish Boil

2009-06-01T17:43:00.000-07:00

Some SMOS parent friends (parents of Willa's friend Ava) that live in Benton Park invited us to a crawfish boil in their backyard. Boiling crawfish in the Midwest? That's what I said. Seems a little geographically and culinarily odd to me - but what do I know about boiling and/or eating crawfish? A big nothing except that I hate all things related to touching/cooking/smelling/eating shellfish. That said, who can pass up a crawfish boil? Not me. While I didn't touch the stuff, it was a great time -- great weather, great conversation, great drinks, great fun, and, of course, great hosts.

Another Funny Photo Comparison

2009-05-10T18:57:00.000-07:00

My own little Farrah. Well, not quite. But, pretty funny anyway.

Stingrays at Caribbean Cove

2009-05-09T08:35:00.000-07:00

There's a new attraction at the St Louis Zoo called Stingrays at Caribbean Cove where, for a $1.50 (for Zoo members) and up, you can have about 10 minutes in the pool area and pet the new stingrays. Last night was the STL Zoo members free preview night so we decided to go. We waited in line for about 20-30 minutes but it was worth the wait. Definitely fun stuff. But, the best part will be catching the rays at feeding time (which seems arbitrarily decided upon by the keepers based on the perceived hunger of the rays) when, for a small fee, you can buy ray food and feed them. Clearly this photo has nothing to do with stingrays but I took it last night and couldn't resist making the obvious art history comparison (The Creation of Adam by Michelangelo). Naturally, Bill is playing the role of God and Willa is starring as Adam. Yes, I'm a geek. Sorry.

Book Review: My Horizontal Life, A Collection of One-Night Stands by Chelsea Handler

2009-05-08T19:51:00.000-07:00

After forcing myself to power through that mediocre Sloane Crosley book (see previous entry) I needed to be seriously entertained by my next choice. And, hallelujah, I was. Thank you Chelsea Handler. My very limited knowledge of Handler came via my little dirty habit. I watched a few short clips of her show and I was intrigued. Handler was funny, intelligent, witty, and bold. But, I probably would have forgotten about her had I not realized later that she had written a couple of books. So, I decided to start with My Horizontal Life, A Collection of One-Night Stands. One word: hilarious. At the beginning of the first essay, my eyes widened and my jaw hit the ground. The only time that expression left my face, which was actually quite often, was when I was laughed so hard that I nearly became incontinent. Seriously, I would laugh, have to put the book down because I was laughing so hard, pick the book up to start reading again, laugh some more, have to put the book down again (you get the idea). Honestly, this book is that funny. Go read it.

Book Review: I Was Told There'd Be Cake by Sloane Crosley

2009-05-07T05:43:00.000-07:00

When I'm in the mood to read, but I don't feel like reading any of the 18 million unread books that I already own, I head to a bookstore (if I also need an outing) or log on to Amazon.com. On Amazon, I especially love the feature "Customers who bought this item have also bought this." This is how I stumbled across Sloane Crosley's I Was Told There'd Be Cake. I was sold on Sloane when I read the review and the book cover which stated a claim something like - if you like Sedaris and Vowell you'll love Crosley. "OMG!" I thought. "I love Sedaris! I love Vowell!" Um, well, I didn't love Crosley. In fact, I didn't even like Crosley. I tolerated her. Here's what I think in a nutshell: The writing was okay and, a couple of times, even funny. Yet, overall, I found Crosley's style and content predictable, unimaginative, and average. Maybe she's more entertaining in real life?

Everyday is Earth Day

2009-04-25T04:46:00.000-07:00

Here's my status post from Facebook:

"i do the reduce, i do the recycle. but i need new ideas for reuse. especially for my regular items: aluminum cans, 2-liter plastic bottles, 1-gallon plastic milk jugs, glass beer bottles. suggestions? any good websites?"

If anyone reading this has any suggestions, I'd love for you to post it in a comment. I'm getting really frustrated with the amount of recyclables that I have that I've run out of 'reuse' purposes. Alternatively, if you know of an art project or nature craft that includes any of these items please post that as well.

Sick Day

2009-04-07T13:26:00.000-07:00

When I woke up this morning, I felt sick. Well, I didn't feel really sick. It was more like discomfort. It wasn't even serious enough that I should have considered staying home today. But, I did. And, once the seed was planted....well you know where this is going. I wish that I could say that I've spent my day doing those things that people talk about doing "when they get the time" but I didn't. Instead, I've sat here, at the dining room table, most of the day glued to the internet reading the news, the Onion, window shopping on Etsy, browsing for a new netbook, and other activities of equally lame status. Damn internet.