building walls

Since I have free time now, I decided to help out Autonomy tonight.  Actually, I was kind of bored and didn't know what to do with myself.

The place is coming along nicely.  It's all framed up, there's a huge stage and walls now.  I helped drywall today for the first time.  I'm sure there's tricks to the trade but it's really not as hard as you'd think building walls would be.

What else?
We went to some big Hipster bar on Burnside just east of the Plaid Pantry on MLK.  It was nice.  I still don't know the name of the place but I would head back if I knew the name of the place.

let live

Tonight, I attended the Let Live Conference at the Matt Dishman Community Center (for the first time) and got to watch a chef from Portobello Vegan Trattoria do a cooking demo.  Compared to everyone there, my cooking skills are WAAAAYY sub-par but it was really cool and inspiring to watch him go.  Plus I learned out a cool and easy way to dice onions.

I'm conflicted about this 'new thing' though.  I've been slacking off on doing new things.  This means I've been counting a new soda or window-shopping in a new store as my new things.  That's why I haven't really been writing a lot.  It just hasn't been that interesting.  I think it's the weather too.  It's been dull, cold and sometimes rainy.

Today, I was determined to do something new that scared me.  I'm not talking about actually piss-myself scared but something that would make me uncomfortable.  I'm actually uncomfortable with being too comfortable.  However, in the end, I wasn't creative or invigorating at all and settled for this event my housemates were going to.  I'm glad I went but I just wish I could have done something more jarring this weekend.  Eh, there's always tomorrow.

What else?
My throat is sore from belting out several songs on Rock Band.  I scared all of the animals out of the room when I sang "Hey Man, Nice Shot," and I was actually bizarrely humbled when Jimi Hendrix came to the stage and I got to sing as him.  Weird.

it's easy as a.e.d.

CLEAR!

I took my first A.E.D. class today.  This stands for something Electrical Difibulator.  I could easily look it up and find out what the A stands for but I'm not that interested.  Plus, the machine does it all for you so why do I need to know the acronym?  All you have to do is make sure the skin is dry, follow the diagram on the back of the paddles to show where to stick them and turn on the on button.  The machine will decide, based upon the person's heart palpatations if they need to be shocked or not.  If they do, it says, "Push the shock button."  That's relying on technology a bit much but it's good if it can help save lives.

Apparently it's going to be a state-wide and then federal policy, similar to having first aid kits in every business.  They'll have to have these machines there too.  I've taken so many CPR classes in my life.  Now, with my job, I have to have it every year.  I hope I never need to use these skills but you never know.  One of my favorite managers whom I have worked with in a number of different capacities throughout the years saved a small child (who incidentally had swine flu) a few weeks ago.  The kid was in the parent's shopping cart and just stopped breathing so the manager put her up on the counter and started giving her mouth to mouth.  Pretty damn amazing day at work at your thrift store retail job when you can save a toddler's life.