at the backfence

Laughter is too greatly underrated, at least for me. I forget how great it is to laugh uncontrollably. I get happy, I smile, I am filled with joy but I just don't laugh whole-hardheartedly often enough. Luckily, I did something about that tonight.

Sophia had got tickets to this event BackFence PDX for us tonight. Unfortunately, she ended up having other plans so she couldn't make it. Fortunately, Jennifer took her spot and Tim also joined us. Backfence is basically story-telling on stage in an every-other-month event. This time, it was held a the beautiful Portland Center Stage. It was my first time there. They had six people signed up to tell stories (I think they were ten minutes long) about a certain topic. Tonight's topic was 'I didn't think this through.' The stories couldn't be memorized, couldn't be written down, couldn't include props and had to be factual. Being funny isn't a requirement but all of tonight's stories had a funny edge to them.

I don't know how they solicited the storytellers but they did a good job of getting a mixture of different types of tales and different types of storytellers. During intermission, they also gave the audience members a chance to sign up and tell a one-minute story. I signed up but didn't get called. I'm glad I didn't but I wanted to at least try.

Overall, I really really enjoyed the event. The last storyteller almost killed me. I was laughing so hard that I couldn't breathe. I guess I'm a sucker for vomit stories.

What else?
Before the show, we went to the new Sizzle Pie location in Southeast where Rocco's used to be. I miss Rocco's.

Yesterday, my new thing was meeting Andrew's friend, Kurt. Andrew and I headed to Back Stage where we ran into Kurt and played our Battle Line game. I have to say that I'm really enjoying seeing Andrew on a weekly basis now.

adventures in brunching

Today, Victory said she wanted to try someplace new for brunch so I did a quick search and found A N D cafe. They have a small but fun vegan menu with brunch and lunch items. I was daring and ordered the Pad Thai Waffle. The stuff on top of the waffle was similar to a coleslaw with noodles and the sauce on the waffle is a peanut sauce. It was very unusual. I can't say that I liked it for brunch but it wasn't bad.

What else?
After yesterday's 8 hr class, I was a little burnt out today so I spent the day watching guilty pleasure television which was good but I'm still feeling guilty enough about the programming to not mention what it was here.

intensive learning

After I started high school, I looked back on elementary classes and wondered how I ever sat through a full day of class in the same room from the same person. When I got to college, I wondered how I ever sat through a full days worth of classes. When I found out I was going to have to sit for eight hours this quarter for an intensive class on mental health, I truly questioned my ability to do it. After having done it for the first time tonight, I eagerly anticipate my next class (even though it will be on my birthday) and I find myself wishing that more of my classes would be taught in this structure.

There's a few things that contribute to my enjoyment of the class. First off, my teacher is great. She's the only teacher so far to give me a B but I enjoy her style of teaching and I find her very knowledgeable. Next, I really enjoy talking about mental health, both the diagnosis and the treatment. Also, I like several of my classmates, both the ones that I've had in other classes and the ones that I met for the first time tonight. What really made this class for me though was the amount of comfort that we were allowed to provide for ourselves to get through it. I brought two pillows; one for my back and one for my butt. The classmate on my right brought a blanket because the teacher warned that it might get cold in the class. The classmate on my left brought several jars of food and drinks to sustain herself. If more classes could be this comfortable, I'd probably enjoy going more than I do right now.

If I had a criticism of the class, it was that there will only be three more classes during the quarter. I get the feeling that this will be one of those rare courses that I look back on with fondness.

What else?
I bought my first Megabucks ticket this evening on the hour long dinner break in class. If I win, I will quit my job but I'm pretty sure I'll finish school.

documenting the discrimination

If you follow either of my facebooks or my twitter, you should have seen this video already. If you still haven't watched it, now's your chance. I am greatly anticipating the full documentary, so much so that for the first time, I donated to it via kickstarter. Check it out. Donating to it is great but I think that it's more important just for this message to be heard.

What else?

I'm ecstatic right now because we've been teased with snow without accumulation for days now but it's finally sticking. After watching the new Glee (!!!), I walked over to the window and almost starting screaming due to the snow. Dean and I just went for a pleasant walk around the block for our first snow as Muffins. :)  

heal thyself

Today, I took a mental health day (a non-sick sick day) and focused on mental illness by reading the "DSM [diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders] Made Easy." Over the weekend, my teacher emailed out the syllabus for the intensive class which begins this Friday. It's intensive because it's going to last for eight hours on a Friday. I've considered backing out of the class, focusing on my Wednesday class and then just taking an extra class next quarter but I really like the subject matter for this class. In this class, we look at the process behind which people use the DSM to identify conditions that people have. I'm not big on labels but I do love the idea of trying to diagnose someone in hopes that you can then begin to help them.

For the first time, I looked into the DSM which brought some new diagnoses to light and I gave myself a quick diagnosis which I won't be sharing here. I just need to complete my Wednesday class which is about the intervention that is to be used once a diagnosis is given so I can help myself.

What else?
Additionally, I tried the Coconut Milk Mocha at Common Grounds for the first time. It was nice and it gave me the little kick I needed to start wading through such thick material. I will say that I normally begrudge the readings I have to do but this one really interested me. Maybe I am cut out for this work. That, combined with getting to hang out with Dean and listen to trance music in the background while it snowed slightly outside made for a pretty good sick day.

snow luck

Yesterday, Andrew and I hung out and ended up getting caught up in the snow talk, hoping with half of Portland for a good snow. The other half is probably panicked over the idea. This morning, we were pretty disappointed to see that there was only a little bit of flurries that would stop occasionally and nothing was going to stick. Still, it was nice to walk in the flurries from his place to Crema, a coffee shop that I visited for the first time. They have a fabulous pastry selection that will definitely bring me back. While there, we played some more Battle Line. I finally won some games yesterday and today.

maiden voyage

Back in November when Ashes and I hit the 24 hour fitness hot tub, we both looked at getting different swimsuits. The problem with men's swim trunks is that they bubble up in hot tubs and you either have to hold down the front so they don't fill with air or you have to let the bubbles escape which is akward and could be mistaken for farting. Victory asked me to use my credit card to order Ashes a pair for Christmas and I ordered myself a different pair as well, both from International Jock. The shorts I ordered are pictured above.

I was sort of surprised when I got the shorts and saw that there is a pouch in the front for the junk. I guess it makes sense but I was just...surprised and a tad embarrassed. However, we as a society expect women to wear skimpy and tight swim trunks which don't conceal the curves of their body so why should the guys be any different.

Today, I checked my modesty at the door and wore these shorts for the first time. Sophia's bikram yoga studio had a community class which is free so I decided to do it for the first time in 35 months. I can't say that I loved the Bikram, mainly because it was challenging, I was hungry and sweating is not fun for me. However, I do think that I looked damn fine. Not to be self-absorbed but my sweaty arms were looking sexy. :) Really, I don't think anyone was checking me out and nobody seemed put off by my shorts. And why should they be? They were practical for this purpose.

What else?
Yesterday was a easy day. At work, most of the people in my office were gone or in a meeting so I was able to listen to my music with ease and work with my shoes off. Casual Friday and all. My new thing was having the Company Sazerac at Sweet Hereafter with Ashes, Victory, Caroline, Ellie and later Jen. It wasn't too adventurous but it was nice just to hang out with friends.

the power in my hands

 It's been really cold here but really dry so I've been biking consistently. For Christmas, Ashes gave me electronic warming gloves. Today was the first day that I remembered to get them out before getting on my bike. I was expecting them to make my hands super toasty and almost sweaty by the time I got to work but instead, they just kept them...warm. I guess that's why they're not called electronic toasting gloves. Even without the electronic feature, they're still good gloves. I believe they're intended for motorcycle riding so the cuff on them is a bit longer which extends over my sleeves nicely and keeps all of the wind out. But, like car seat warmers, it's a nice luxury to be able to have the heat source.

What else?
Yesterday was the first day of class for the Winter term. Despite the rockiness of my registration process, I did manage to get into the mental health classes that I wanted. Last night was the first of them. My other class is only on four Fridays throughout the quarter but it's an eight hour class. Worse yet, it's on my birthday. Still, beggars can't be choosers (I hate that saying) so I'm just going to be content that I got into the classes. Plus, it turns out that I can count my Wednesday class as my policy elective if I write a paper about a mental health policy which won't be a problem. That means that I won't have to take an additional policy class next term!

Although I met some new people at class yesterday, I would say my new thing was going to the Sultan's Kitchen cart near PSU. It was good and they have some great looking salads so I will most likely be back there next Wednesday.

hanging out with dungeon masters

Today my new thing was going to Guardian Games. Yesterday, it was going to Portal Games. I think that I may be crossing over the threshold from slightly curious about the gaming community to becoming one of them.

I've been looking for the game Battle Line that Andrew introduced me to on Sunday. In the process, I've had to step into stores that are normally not my scene. However, I've noticed the scene has been growing around me. Several of my friends are in a relationship with experienced dungeon masters of ceremonies. That's...odd. And it's not like any of these guys that my friends are seeing were playing D&D together. It's just a coincidence that many of my friends find dungeon masters hot. :)

I don't believe that Andrew has ever played D&D or Magic the Gathering. I wouldn't mind if he did but I would be surprised. Since he's not into it, my exposure to it will probably be limited to partners of friends. I think it takes a lot of imagination, dedication and time to really invest in these games. I only have the first of these qualities. I like my games to be a little simpler and quicker. Still, it's a slippery slope.

What else?
Besides looking for Battle Line at Portal, I also headed to the PSU gym for the first time in a while. I had a great workout and even did 30+ minutes of cardio afterwards. Then I rewarded myself with a slice of Waldorf pizza at Hot Lips. I think that I will try to schedule my classes in the future on Mondays because Monday is Waldorf slice day and I love this pizza!

game day

I've really really enjoyed this resurgence of games in my life during this winter break. So far, I've learned Wizard and Phase 10 over break. Yesterday, we played Cranium and Apples to Apples. Today, Andrew and I went up to the Star-E-Rose cafe and played some cribbage. While we played, a group of jazz musicians were putting on a performance would provided great ambiance to our game. Andrew hasn't played cribbage for a long time and I recently played with my family so I pretty much destroyed him the first two games. The third game was a lot closer but I still won. My best move was when we were laying down our cards and I ended up laying the fourth ace in a row for 12 points. He doesn't enjoy losing, and more specifically getting his butt kicked, so I actually prepped him by saying, "Okay, here we go but you can't leave..." and then dropped the points. Hells yeah. (I'm a hopeless dork)

Anyway, he later showed me how to play the game Battle Lines back at his place. It's a very strategic 2-player game. I enjoyed it a lot although he won three games in a row. So I guess we're tied. After we said our goodnights, we each promised vengeance and to practice the other game.

For a while, I have had this glorified idea that the perfect way to spend a Sunday would be to be playing games in a pub or coffee shop. So for me, this was practically a perfect Sunday.

release the krakken

I liked tonight. A handful of us gathered for Destonie's birthday and played board games. As I've said before, I love board games. Combine board games with great friends and shots of Krakken (a fine dark spiced rum that I brought and tried for the first time) and you have one fine evening.

What else?

On Thursday, when I was showing the plumbers around, they wanted to see the crawl space beneath the house which meant that we had to get into the shed. The shed door hasn't been on hinges for the entirety of my stay here and probably longer. I pretty much had to undo the sliding bolt, pick the door  up and set it to the side. I found that to be a little embarrassing especially because it's such an easy fix. Today, I stopped at the hardware store quick, bought a set of hinges for under $4 and spent maybe 10 minutes fixing it. Simple! While I was at it, I fixed the front screen door quick although it's a very temporary solution. Still, it means we don't have to lift the door slightly to close it.

Yesterday, I didn't do hardly anything. I was waiting for a call to go do something and ended up just reading my new book, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, and drinking elderberry tea for the first time.

plumbing out of luck

On 12/6/11, Arturo came over for a visit. We got less than sober and I started talking to him about how our bathroom sink doesn't drain properly so he said that he could probably fix it. Plumbing has always seemed like a task I shouldn't attempt, especially in the state that we were in. However, he seemed confident so we took off the s-pipe and cleaned it out. I don't think it helped at all except to prove to us that the problems were beyond simple solutions.

This weekend, our kitchen sink pipes developed a leak. That was the final straw for Sophia so she called a plumber to come over and see what we need to have done. They came over today during the day so I took care of them. While showing them around, I got to see Sophia's bathroom for the first time. Due to plumbing problems, it's not used so that's how I've lived here for six months without seeing the second bathroom. The plumbers were fine guys who seemed confident that they could fix the problem but they also seemed confident that it was going to be an extensive (and therefore expensive) job. Paying for plumbing still seems like too much of a responsible expense for me or my friends to have. Maybe that's a good indicator that I shouldn't think about buying a house anytime soon.

What else?
I forgot to mention that I bought a new book on Tuesday: Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter. I just want one more frivolous read before I start school next Wednesday. It's a fun and easy read so I should be able to finish it in one day.

slow to grow at work

One unnamed (until now) resolution for me was to be a better co-worker. Before my vacation, I decided that I would be better in my job. This not only means respecting (some of) my bosses a little more but also making more of an effort to get along with my co-workers. It's been hard because I know not all of them are as outraged as I am about my friend getting fired. Still, I have to realize that not all of them were nearly as close to him as I am. Therefore, it stands to reason that they wouldn't be as outraged. So I am extending an olive-branch to most of them and dedicating myself to being a better co-worker this year.

I started it off tonight by drinking two pints of stout and one vodka lemonade with them (at Slow Bar for the first time) and sharing stories of dumpster-diving.

Really, I do like the majority of my co-workers. I believe that most of them are getting paid more than me (not counting my scholarship) but I don't think that any of them are working this job for the money. For the most part, they have good hearts and are in in to help the clients. I can totally respect that and I will work to help them.

I get along with Erin the best so I surprised myself by going to a work happy hour without her (she's sick) and I'm glad I did. It gave me a chance to get to know some of my other co-workers a little better and it turns out that we have more in common than I thought. When my friend got fired, the hardest part for me was losing a constant confidant at work. I have had a hard time trusting anyone else there and letting go with them. I was glad to work on that tonight.