i eat weird food

 

I eat weird food. I totally own that. When we went to a vegetarian Asian restaurant (VegetAsia) years ago and they had vegetarian eel on the menu, I ordered it. That wasn't such a good choice but it usually pays off. Like today when I went to 24^th And Meatballs for lunch.

I’ve been hesitant to go there due to the word “meat” but was recently assured by a friend that they have veggie options. So today, I got the vegan balls in polenta with pesto sauce. It looks messed up (Actually, it looks like falafel in a plate of hummus with a cilantro sauce) but it was AMAZING. There is only the one veggie balls on the menu (however, their special balls were vegetarian too) but you can get them in a number of different styles like on the side, in pasta, in polenta, in a hoagie, etc, and then you can also choose a variety of sauces. I look forward to many more meals there with many more bizarre combinations!

it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood

 

It's hard to believe this is February! It was so nice today that Andrew and I took a walk in the morning to Rain or Shine (new) where I had a cardamon latte (new) and then we went to Genie's Too where I had their breakfast sandwich (new). On the way back, we were walking down our street and a guy working on his lawn called to Andrew. It turns out the guy is Tyler, an acquaintance of his that happens to live on our street just ten blocks away. I love this hood.

the sock dreams solution

I have to remind myself that Dean was significantly more destructive when he was Ava's age. The car used to be a safe haven for her but something got her worked up today while we were at brunch and she tore a hole in the vinyl on the back of the passenger seat.

I was pissed for a bit and then I got over it. I was planning on going to Sock Dreams anyway to spend the birthday cash my parents sent so I used the opportunity to get a sticker to patch the hole. It works. And I feel a lot better after buying a whole new sock regime.

What else?
Marc and Charlie had us over for a post-bday dinner which was wonderful. We also played a dice game called "10,000." At first, it seemed like absurd math but once we got the hang of it, it was great. And I won.

welcome home

When I interviewed for my current job, I told the interviewers that one thing I liked about the idea of working here instead of at Goodwill was I was going to be able to meet the people I serve as a whole. Often, I would think that I had an idea of who the person was based upon how they presented themselves at work and then find out they were a completely different person in the home. Aren't we all?

I'm not a voyeur or anything but I like going into my customers' homes. I like seeing (if maybe just superficially) what they deal with everyday. Some of my customers' homes are gorgeous and the kind of place I would love to take a vacation at and others are scary if not slightly threatening. Today, I got to go to a new customer's home and it was the former.

What else?
Andrew and I went to see Big Eyes tonight. Meh.

1000 acre park

 

A big perk of my job is having extra holidays off (as well as following the school schedule for cancellations due to weather). Today, I had Presidents' Day off so I took Ava to 1000 Acre Park. I have been there a number of times before but this was the first time with Ava and the first time that I realized it's all an off-leash park. There should be more off-leash areas like this around. It was so wonderful to let her run and not have to worry.

What else?

Yesterday, when I was biking back from playing Lagoon at Muffin HQ, my left pedal fell off, arm and all. It was wobbling slightly before it fell completely off so it didn't take me by complete surprise. However, I've never encountered that issue before so it gave me the opportunity to try something new: riding a one-pedal bike. It can be done. You just have to do it Flintstone style with the missing pedal side, propelling yourself forward with small kicks while your other foot pushes the pedal down and then catches it to bring it back and push it down again. I actually had it going so well that I passed the turn-off to my house by a block.

I tried to put it back on myself today but I didn't have the right wrench size so I went to Lucky 13 bike shop and the guy there tightened it up for me and gave me a lot of free advice on it. He seems like a cool guy who knows what he's talking about and it's not too far from my house so I may use it as my new bike shop.

perfectly aligned

Years ago, they used the song What's the Matter by Milo Greene the opening and closing of an episode of Supernatural. The show is hit or miss but when it hits, it hits it out of the park and this episode was particularly inventive for them. It was about three film school students who film themselves a lot and end up getting all complicated romantically. Since it's Supernatural, there was also a werewolf element thrown into the mix. One of the students survives the werewolf drama and edits together a film to explain what went down. Yes, it was a nod to Blair Witch and Paranormal but it was unique for a TV series to just throw in an episode in a different format almost completely about new characters. The show does unique very well and the episode ended up being beautiful. The Milo Greene song was the perfect choice for it. And I'm so glad it was because I looked into their self-titled album it was on after that and fell in love with it.

Weeks ago, I randomly looked up the band and saw that they were touring and going to be in Portland. Tonight, Jessica and I went to see them. They were so melodic. Like I said, I love their 1st album but I didn't really properly appreciate their sound until I saw them live. They were even more harmonious and talented in person. And the Doug Fir Lounge was a great place to see them. I'm definitely going to go to more shows there and I will be looking more into the band's latest album. And I will be continuing on with Supernatural even though it doesn't seem like the show will ever call it quits.

all the old places

I stopped blogging before I finished out my internship at the county but it was difficult to leave there. I really enjoyed the team I was on although I didn't feel as strong of a bond to them as I did with my previous internship. Still, I liked how they operated and I enjoyed the atmosphere of working in the county offices.

After I got hired at the brokerage, an older application I had submitted to the county came up and they called me for an interview. I wasn't too sure about it but I thought it wouldn't hurt to try. However, I found myself hoping that I wouldn't get the job. The pay was about 25% better, I wouldn't have had to own a car since the county has a motorpool and I would have been working in the same building as Ashes. Still, I didn't really want to do it. I like my current workplace and I would've felt bad quitting after only being employed for a few months.

Today, for work, we had a training at the county building. It will be a two day training so I'll be going back tomorrow. The weather is nice so I was able to bike in. I have to admit that I got nostalgic for my easy internship days and the ride downtown. I even got to take a break with Ashes which I missed doing. But, I still think I prefer the work I'm doing. It's not direct work either way and I enjoy the small business feel of the brokerage. Plus I get to do things like go to this training. 85% of the time, my job does not stress me out. I think that number in inverted at the county. It's really about a quality of life for me.

My new things were meeting the instructors, eating at Habibi for lunch (I love their spinach pie), and biking home under the new commuter bridge. I can't wait until the bridge is done, although I won't have a lot of excuses to use it as I don't bike downtown often anymore, which I'm okay with.

buy the book

Last year, at the end of the year, I wanted to reflect on the year based upon the books that I finished. However, I couldn't recall all that I had read so this year, I've decided to keep better track. Today, I got up at 5:20am and read that last few chapters of the book The Shell Collector. It was written by Hugh Howey who wrote the Wool series which I really loved a year or so ago. I thought it seemed like it would be dystopian as well with the seas rising and marine life dying but, it was actually a romance novel set in the not-too-distant future. It wasn't bad tho. I just wasn't what I was expecting. I like his narration style which is critical in a book for me.

So that left me adrift (!) without a course or destination in mind so I took to wandering through Powells. I should know better than to go there so aimlessly. I think I spent two hours just browsing the shelves. After much deliberation and four different choices in hand, I settled on The Outlander by Gil Adamson. I hope it doesn't disappoint. It's not sci-fi fantasy with a funny narrator so it's not my usual bag but I've trying to expand my horizons.

My new thing was actually just having the vegan skillet at Bar Carlo which was really good. Also, Andrew's had a little bit of trouble coming up with a birthday gift idea for me. I've had his for a while but he told me over breakfast just to tell him what I want. It's not the most comfortable thing for me to do. I tend to think of myself as more independent than that. If I want something, I save up for it and buy it myself. However, I don't want this process to be uncomfortable for him so I said a Kindle. Price-wise, it's comparable to what I got him and I know that I'll use it. It would be nice to be able to store a number of electronic books right in a little tablet. But because I love the recommendations and the treasure hunt of it all, I'm sure will still go to Powells and the library on occasion.

$581

For the first time ever, I owe the damn gov't money for taxes. I feel like I'm being punished. If it's correct, I most likely received more money than I should have (despite the fact that I worked for it) so I shouldn't complain but I count on this money. I knew it wasn't going to be a lot but I at least thought that it would pay for my gym membership.

I used two different tax programs from the IRS's website and came up with the same number. Usually, I used a pay program but I decided it would be easy this year so I could do it on my own and the programs were pretty helpful except both of them came up with the same result: $581 owed. I thought I had to have screwed something up so Andrew did them for me on a 1040EZ form and came up with the same number.

Damn!

house party pooper

Tonight, I went to a friend's new house for the first time, met some of his friends, played with a lil black lhasa apso named Pepper (my favorite part of the party), and talked to the handful of people with whom I was previously acquainted.

It's a beautiful house & the friend is a great guy but I had no clue what to do with myself at the party. The dog was the only animal there & the other party-goers wanted to pet him too so I couldn't hog the dog. Normally, I would sink into a couch or cushions on the floor & wait for people to come to me but the house didn't have a couch yet. I ended up eating too much cake (3 different kinds of chocolate cake) and feeling disgusted with myself for it.

I love a good get-together and I can enjoy s fun dinner party but this just wasn't for me. In fact, I told Andrew afterwards that I don't think I want to host a house-warming party anymore. At least I know my limits.

What else?

I wanted to write more about my dream yesterday morning. I'm a lucid dreamer so, if things are going wrong in my dreams or I just can't deal, I wake myself up. In this dream, the world kept falling apart with meteors & volcanos & the whole shebang. And I just gave up. I thought, fuck it, I'm gonna see where this goes. I ended up being led into heaven by this guide along with a handful of other people. This heaven more closely resembled a cave in an island and inside, it was like Pleasure Island from Pinnochio. I thought that it would do but I was a little disappointed. I mean, it was better than living in a world falling apart but I'm surprised my subconscious couldn't do better.

muscle mimicry

 

A month or two after graduating from PSU, I lost my gym benefits. It sucked because I really enjoyed what the PSU gym had to offer (including their hot-tub with a great window view. I believe that I put off going to the gym for a bit and then I decided to check out my friend Jesse's gym. Jesse hadn't been going regularly either so I thought it would be mutually beneficial.

We go to Loprinzi's which is rather renowned. Jesse Ventura and Jack Lalane have lifted there. I've seen people bench 495 lbs there before, and the current deadlift champion works out there. It's a bit intense but not intimidating. I was nervous about going there initially even though I've been working out for years now. However, I was put at ease almost instantly. Bob, who runs the place, is very cool and friendly and so are most of the people that go there. It doesn't have as much equipment as the PSU gym but then there's less tourists there too. People just come to work out. Plus they have a cat. He's (mostly) an outside cat who comes into the gym every now and then and sleeps on the equipment or at the front desk. How can I not love a gym that has a cat?

Since going to this gym, I've been watching people's workouts and imitating what I think I can do and benefit from. Occasionally, it has resulted in injury but I've gotten pretty good at knowing my limits. Today, I decided to up my situp game by holding a 25lb weight while I do my inclined situps. It's funny how a little more weight can make a simple exercise challenging. And that's what I was looking for. I try to lift at least a little more or try a slightly new exercise every time I'm in the gym so that way I can say that I'm improving.

the catalyst

On Memorial Day Weekend 2010, I took Dean for what was really his last significant hike. During the 4.3 mile hike to Dry Creek Falls and back, he fell down and had trouble getting back up. At 9 yrs old, his legs were no longer able to go for such distances, especially off-leash. He could hike more when he was on leash but we pretty much stopped doing big hikes after that.

Today, I went back to Dry Creek Falls with Andrew and Ava. This was Ava's first hike primarily off leash and she did really well. We figured that she hikes at least 3x what we do. Andrew and I have each been feeling the need for more exercise and I think Ava's ability to hike in the woods will be a great catalyst for the change we are looking for. She's so young and energetic. I couldn't help but reminisce about how much I loved hiking with Dean while he could do it. I did end up getting to the point where I loved our couch time as much as our hiking time but I'm excited for all of the potential hikes that we can go on with Ava. And it's still so early in the year! It was gorgeous today and it's supposed to be nice for at least a week before the rain starts in again.

Since the hike itself was a repeat, I will count going to Cascade Locks as my new thing for the day.

What else?
Yesterday I finished the book Grasshopper Jungle. It was a deceptively clever book and really well done. I found myself laughing out loud more than once and would definitely recommend it.

i'm no sugar cube

 

When I was in fourth grade, I was diagnosed with ADHD. I think it's over-diagnosed in children and I think that Ritalin might not be the best solution but I do think that I actually had/have it. Andrew notes that I'm one of the worst people for sitting still that he's encountered. We'll occasionally have an afternoon where we each just read our books but I'm usually looking for a project (which is why it's easy for me to explore new things), or I'm listening to music when I read, or I'm interrupting my reading to check on my Instagram feed, or just doing anything to keep busy. When we go to the beach, I usually take the dog for several walks because it seems like such a waste to just sit around. So, we were both very eager to see how I would do with today's new thing: a deprivation tank.

I have a few friends who swear by these things and I recently listened to a podcast where the host was talking it up so I made it a New Years resolution to do this. Since I had the day off for MLK Jr Day and Andrew had to work, it was the perfect time to go sit in a tank of salty water for 90 minutes.

I don't know for sure what I expected. I was thinking that I would be completely deprived of all my senses like I wouldn't hear anything or feel anything and that would all lead to a metaphysical experience. However, it just felt tedious and not too relaxing. One of the comments I read about floating is that the person felt like they were a sugar cube dissolving in water but that's not how I felt. I would occasionally drift into the side of the tank and, with my ears under water, I couldn't focus on anything but my heartbeat and my breathing. I guess that's relaxing but it wasn't as trippy as I was hoping. It was a unique experience and the time seemed to go by 3x quicker than I thought but I don't know if I'll be repeating this one. I'm glad I at least tried it though.

derailing the doggy daycare dream

For a while now, I've had a dream of opening up a doggy daycare. I've attached it to my MSW program by making the daycare a vocational training site for people with developmental disabilities. I love dogs and I love directly working with clients so it would be the best of both worlds. However, I've always thought that the one problem with it would be that I would have to run my own business which I'm not excited about. I'm a great worker but I don't think I could be the dude in charge. And it turns out that that's not the only problem. I don't think I could work with dogs all day.

Today, it was raining hard and I felt bad for Ava being inside all day and out only quickly (which she wasn't even excited about) so Andrew and I took her to Fido's Indoor Dog Park. It's a wonderful facility that has a pool and a good play area for the dogs. Ava wasn't big on the pool but the spaniel pictured above named Cedwick LOVED it and joined us on his own when he saw we were headed for the pool. Andrew was a dear and dried the poor soaked thing off after Ava decided she wouldn't swim. I think the chlorine bothered her. Plus she just hasn't had much experience swimming. The only other time was last summer when Victory, Ashes, Andrew, Ava and I all went to Oneanta and I think that was her first time swimming because it took her a while to get into it.

While Ava had fun and I had a blast, I don't know if I could do it all day every day. Dogs are awesome but they can be big goofs and I think I would grow weary of their barking, howling, humping, and power struggles. So I'm moving on.

It's good. It's a really good thing. Now I know, this isn't for me. As I take her back to Fido from time to time, I may grow to appreciate the work more. I may see some things that I would do differently and I may want to explore it as a business possibility down the road but for right now, I can appreciate the peace of my job.

What else?
We tried Foster Burger near us for the first time. I was collecting on a Yahtzee drink (yes, we've even made Yahtzee a drinking game) and had a Salted Caramel milkshake with rum mixed it. It was pretty much amazing! The food, particularly the fries, was really good too.

We also decided to stay in for the night because the rain was coming down so hard. We ended up watching the movie "Whiplash" which is up for best picture and it deserves it. Such an intense, beautifully edited, simple movie.