The Dream of Perpetual Motion

The Dream of Perpetual Motion, by Dexter Palmer, is the craziest sci-fi book Ive read in a while. Harold Winslow, a greeting card writer, is imprisoned aboard a zeppelin that circles above a bustling metropolis completely over-run by technology. The only ones aboard this vessel are Harold, the disembodied voice of Miranda Taligent (the love of his life), and Miranda's dead, cryogenically frozen father, Prospero...the insane man who put him there. With no hope of ever escaping this perpetual motion machine he chronicles the life which got him to this point...It has some really disturbing moments of visualization that you can only really appreciate in your own dreams..This book took me a while to read.. I only appreciated Dexter Palmer's story after it was over...thinking back on this morbid fantasy world he created. It was worth struggling through. I expect the movie to be coming out soon..ruined by the acting of one of todays leading stars. Fingers crossed!

Home-sick

Aaaaah Washington! Home to coffee shops, the Seattle Seahawks, Mariners, Indian casinos, and Rainier Beer! The great birth mother to grunge rock, Prozac prescriptions, and umbrellas!

We are on the verge of Autumn, which is a time of home-sickness for me. California will forever be one of my favorite places to live due to warm weather, beautiful beaches, and Disneyland..But Washington is my home.

I miss the changing of the seasons...especially around the holidays. I miss wearing my funky knit hats and toasty-warm coats...I miss my best friends Sara and Hans, with our adventures to musty used book stores and the best thrift stores on the planet..(Something completely lost on Californians..)....

I miss the old architecture with its ivy covered buildings and gargoyles...The smell of cedar hanging in the air from all the neighborhood wood burning stoves...

I miss tubing down the Green River during the one month in Summer it usually doesn't rain. My under arms raw from rubber friction..Cheeks sunburned..Lazily floating about 3 hours to our check point..Hitting occasional rapids or rock up yer bum. Good times.




September through November means visiting the pumpkin patches...and The Puyallup Fair! (The 7th largest fair in America..with the worlds largest Earthquake burger and elephant ears!)


Winter time means trips to the local Starbucks for apple cider with cream (This picture shows the original Starbucks)..Espresso stands take up permanent residence in every parking lot of every shopping center, strip mall, and gas station. You can get anything from coffee to Italian sodas to girls in bikinis in the dead of winter..(True story). .

I miss the Skagit Valley Tulips of springtime.

Tacoma and Seattle provided me with the best times of my life.The people are more humble, down to earth, and even a little bit "back-woodsy"..Especially with our terrible Canadian/Washington accents. (Yes we have them!!)..I long for the day I can return for a visit. Sara, I need my Frisko Freeze french fries and Butterscotch milk shake!

Here is a special shout out to my husband and his fanaticism for Modest Mouse and the Beatles..Below is the Seattle Edgewater hotel where the Beatles stayed in 1964 after playing 2 concerts at the Seattle Center Coliseum. (Led Zeppelin also stayed here in 1973..where the legendary shark incident was rumored to have happened.)



Modest Mouse hails from the great city of Issaquah..Home to a lot of snow..and amazing artists! (check out the redneck condos of Issaquah Highlands..)




Amazing!!!


I miss my Washington.



Here are some more pictures of home (click on them to make bigger)....Enjoy...and you're welcome!


Deception Pass Bridge..My grandparents live just passed the bridge a couple miles into Oak Harbor. I lived here for 2 years...Its in the book of world records for having the most fast food chains in one single city, in the entire country.


The Experience Music Project..(EMP)..I learned all about the history of Funk from this place..and became a fan of Parliament and the Funkadelic.


A typical home in a typical Washington neighborhood...Notice the wet ground and gloom..It rains 75% of the year here..This house is selling for $240,000, btw..


One of my most favorite places in the world..Pike Place Market!(Hilarious post cards, fresh produce, and jewelry!)I can do without the famous fish throwers, however..


Even better still...Pike Place at Christmas time!


Road trips down the Olympic Peninsula will take you to the Rain Forests...


..Waterfalls.....


..and creepy beaches...


Tacoma on the waterfront...



Great little shops and restaurants...



Narrows Bridge from Gig Harbor into Tacoma..(Wave to Crystal from across the bridge!)


Where I spent most of my teen and half of my adult years...


Tacoma's Thornwood Castle...the haunted dwelling where Stephen King filmed Rose Red.






My Seattle...Where I feel most at home

BLAME

If you ask for a key, prepare to open a door
If you worry about excess, dont ask for no more
When muds on your shoes, dont curse the dirty floor
Its wasted energy....

Dont tell the world your secrets, if you dont want em told
Try lookin in the mirror, for the person to scold
Dont bring the lamb to slaughter, instead bring em in the fold
The truth is all you need.....

We got excuses for sale,
every size, and shape, and color
always blaming other people,
burnin bridges with the others

Dont curse your situation,
as you search alleviation,
knock off the excuses
its bad for mitigation...
(a thesaurus is all you need..)

Lifes a flow of memories. Make em count. Be wise.
Karma keeps the balance, dont focus on the prize
Stop the ignorance that overflows, or your boat will capsize...
Blame yourself and be set free....

Its been sooo long since I last posted a blog, and for that I either apologize or say you're welcome. At any rate a lot has happened. Let me catch you up!

1.) I met a man in October. Asked him on a date in January. Became engaged in February. Married him on March 27th in Vegas! Its been a whirl wind of ups, downs, crazy adventures, and explorations....But im happy as can be and my kids are extremely content! So i'd like to officially introduce the Tom to my Jeri..My husband. He's the one with the amazing hair.



He's a painter...




2.) I gained a 10 year old step daughter! Her name is Chloe and she's adorable. She seems to like me alright....which makes me happy. :0)




3.) We moved to Whittier! My kids will grow up speaking spanish but we love it out there..




4.) We found out that Eric has severe hearing loss..He will probably need hearing aids. Its been a gradual decline since he was little, but this year i'm really seeing a difference in his school work, lack of paying attention, and his behavior worsening...I can only pray things get better for him.




5.) Sara and Hans came to visit me!!! We had so much fun going to the beach, Disneyland, cruisin Hollywood and posing with the weirdos, Medieval Times, and many nights of playing games with gut busting laughter.........I cant wait to bring Tom up to Washington next year!!!


Dont let their lack of smiles fool you...They were feeling the magic!


Thats all the exciting news so far...I will keep you updated with further family news and interests....whether you like it or not. *snickers*

Today I salute 2009!

Well another year has ended, and I find myself wondering where the hell is my jet pack?? I can't believe its 2010 and I'm not in a flying car, yet...I'm still in a korean-made piece of splendor...(*smirks). This last year has been one of milestones for me..Many laughs, tears, and regaining my confidence back. Today I salute 2009! Here are a few of my favorite parts....

1.) I had some of the best times at my college with some of the greatest people in the world. :0)

2.) I learned that I excel in Anatomy classes and deep tissue...which blew me away.

3.) I graduated college with honors in Massage Therapy.

4.) I got my first job in over 9 years, the day after I graduated, at a Wellness Center in Costa Mesa..and I love it!

5.) I had some amazingly fun times with my friend Todd, who I met online..Movies, massages, and Las Barcas! I miss you!

6.) Mr. Garrett Curtis..What can I say about you, other than you are pure sunshine to my soul!? Haha. I love our roller skating, mexican food, private jokes, massage tutoring, witty texting, hilarious conversations, Starbucks, ditching skool, political talks, exploring, card playing, and over-all just being there for each other no matter what. I adore you, sir! You're one of my favorite people on this planet.

7.) Jeffrey Graham-cracker! You sir, are the only guy I enjoy going to Disneyland with. If I had a choice between taking you and Bradley Cooper, Id pick you....(which says sooo much!) You inspire me on so many levels and I hope we remain friends forever. You have my same wandering free spirit that yearns to create. You remain true to yourself and your instincts know matter what, and thats pretty freaking rad. I hope to one day have that bravery. I adore you also! Now pick up the phone and call me, dammit...LOL.

8.) I had the greatest adventures in Seattle this past October with my best friends, Sara and Hans! Tours, Ciders, bad horror movies, funk jamming on the freeway, thrift stores, peep shows that never were, photo shoots, parties, and AMAZING food...Nobody kicks it like we kick it! The hammer of Thor will be brought down the minute my u haul lands on Washington soil. Oh yes... the rockin' shall begin!

9.) Eric and Erin being apart of a prestigious orange county choir that do a few shows a year at the performing arts center in Costa mesa, backed by a full symphony. This particular year, we were privileged to receive their first CD, which is also a first for the performing arts center to have recorded live from their beautiful building. Its amazing that my children are apart of something so wonderful!

10.) I'm also grateful to my amazing parents who continue to help me. I love them very much and want them to know how appreciative I am for their kindness, service, and their helping me financially over the past year and a half. Its been a reeeal LABOR of love..I know. My children and I both thank you from the bottom of our hearts. :0)

Now its time to put the past behind up, and look forward to this coming year! 2010 is gunna be AWESOME!!



(butts provided by Jeri and Sara..photography by Hans)

Today I salute Jackie Cochran!

Jackie Cochran was an amazing aviatrix who flew her first major race in 1934, after launching a successful cosmetics business called "Wings." In 1937, she was the only woman to compete in the Bendix race. She worked with Amelia Earhart to open the race for women. That year, she also set a new woman's national speed record. By 1938, she was considered the best female pilot in the United States. She had won the Bendix and set a new transcontinental speed record as well as altitude records (by this time she was no longer just breaking womens records but was setting overall records). She was the first woman to break the sound barrier (with Chuck Yeager right on her wing), the first woman to fly a jet across the ocean, and the first woman to fly a bomber across the Atlantic. She won five Harmon Trophies as the outstanding woman pilot in the world. Her contributions to military piloting are in need of recognition. She recruited other outstanding women pilots qualified enough to pass their strict testing, to do the non-combative flying so the military could free up more men and place them where needed during the war. Sometimes called the "Speed Queen," at the time of her death, no pilot, man or woman, held more speed, distance or altitude records in aviation history, than Jackie Cochran.

Her aviation accomplishments never gained the continuing media attention given those of Amelia Earhart, but that can in part be attributed to the public's fascination with those who die young at the peak of their careers. Nonetheless, she deserves a place in the ranks of famous women in history as one of the greatest aviators ever, and a woman who frequently used her influence to advance the cause of women in aviation.

Miss Skylar

Skylar and I make an airplane ride every three months to Washington where I share custody of her with her father. As our plane lifted high above a gorgeous fluffy cloud cover, the sun glowed brightly against the white, making it look almost magical. Skylar's eyes got wide as she squealed for the entire cabin to hear, "This is where the Care Bears live, mom!"