Rabbit at Rest

First Post of 2009

I ran three miles today and I'm trying to finish a poem but I'm not trying today. I will finish it this week. The working title is Violins of the Great Northwest. I think that is going to be the title of my second book if my first one ever gets published. Even if it doesn't!

You can still name your books even if they are unpublished manuscripts. And unpublished manuscripts is kind of fraught with mystery. Perhaps.

Tonight is poetry group! I think...

Michael and I went to Michael's craft store and around today and that was fun.

I read an article in the Atlantic about the demise of the New York Times but I don't believe it. I should note I read it in the magazine, not on the web site.

I made my curried carrot soup.

The sky is gray. Always.

Tuesday is Michael Pollan day!

The blog lives on!

Somebody asked, so I must tell you: the blog is not going on hiatus! Just the magazine. The blog will continue with its updates which are chockful of news. If you read between the lines.

This is Rita as a puppy.

Look for a poem by me in Shampoo in 2009!

On Hiatus

I put Caffeine Destiny on official hiatus which felt good. Time will tell!

My "about me" blog bio is no longer accurate, as Rita doesn't live here anymore. However it feels too soon to update the bio.

She lives here still in our hearts.

Max in the snow

Here's Max at Glendover golf course today!

I took the bus and the Max to Lloyd Center today (Max the train not Max my son!) and am just about done with my Christmas shopping.

I turned in my Marylhurst grades and I am officially not thinking about any teaching until the week after Christmas. Winter term starts January 5th so I have time to take a break.

Monday is my last day at work until after Christmas. It's on its way!

Last Christmas

For all you young kids out there,

The Wham! version of Last Christmas is the only acceptable version. Jimmy Eat World and Taylor Swift just don't cut it.

I tried to explain this to my kids in the car this morning. I'm not sure if they believed me.

She's Coming!

I'm driving to Corvallis after work to pick up mom and bring her back to Portland for Thanksgiving.

Speaking of which, a reader on a blog commented on the article on Caffeine Destiny about the history of Thanksgiving, that I think I originally posted around 2000, if not earlier. It's still kind of fun to read I think.

I'm reading On the Nature of Human Romantic Interaction, by Karl Iagnemma. It's a book of short stories - the winner of the Paris Review Discovery Prize for best first fiction - but he's a research scientist in mechanical engineering at MIT.

More soon - I have to vacuum.

Annie and Laura

I took this picture backstage last night. I think they're both adorable.

Tonight Laura and Max and I are going to see Twilight. I'm not big on vampire movies, but maybe it will be good?

I made curried carrot soup last weekend and it was super easy! I kind of used two different recipes and then added coconut milk, which neither recipe called for, but I have seen as an ingredient in other soups and it was really good. All that was in it was onions, carrots, chicken broth, curry powder, a little turmeric and coconut milk! Saute the onions in butter, then add three cans of chicken broth and add the carrots (I used about three pounds). Add the curry (I used about two and 1/2 tablesoons) and the turmeric (I used about two teaspoons). Once the carrots are tender, you puree it. But don't fill the blender up all the way or it will explode, because hot things expand! (thanks to Martha Stewat's recipe for pointing that out). I pureed it in batches, and then I added the can of coconut milk afterwards.

Super easy.

Thursday

Amy has a new kitty!

I need a book to read.

Laura and I are going to see Guys and Dolls tomorrow night. That will be my second time.

I finally took the big rotting pumpkin off our front porch.

Yes!

I Hope He is Our Next President

How to Watch The Election

Happy Halloween!

This is Max and Laura ... ten years ago! They are very proud of their pumpkin Pez dispensers.  I made the Dorothy costume that Laura has on. Max was the cowardly lion. 

We carved pumpkins last night.

David Sedaris is tonight. Election soon! 

Exactly

He'll be here next week!

I'm Still Here!

Readers I have rearranged my office! My office at home I mean. Now my desk faces the window. Aren't you glad I told you?

It's great to have a new arrangement and I figure it puts me in the right frame of mind for the new administration that will hopefully be arriving in January. Yes!

I have been reading People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks.

Parkrose won their homecoming game last Friday.

I was on KBOO last night with the poetry finalists.

I am working on a new poem.

But right now, I must dry my hair.

Did it

Watched McCain and Obama tonight.

Need I say more?

Anyway, I finished the Portland marathon. It took me longer than I thought. It rained a lot. I spilled a whole cup of water on my foot. My Ipod stopped working. I feel like I should have done better. However, I appreciate the fact that I did it and I am pleased about that! It was great to see my family at the finish line!

It was a learning experience and I learned that I want to run another marathon. But not any time soon! I am looking forward to Sunday morning this weekend, when I plan to sit around in my pajamas and read the Sunday paper and not go running.

I started The Short History of A Prince by Jane Hamilton and I am not going to finish it. The main character is kind of insufferable and I can't tell if the author is aware of it. There was one scene where he interacted with another character and it just seemed like the only reason the other character was there was so that she could deliver important background information that the reader needed to know. It just seemed kind of clumsy.

I liked The Book of Ruth by Jane Hamilton, and some of her other books. Just not this one!

Max's team won their game this afternoon and it was a beautiful fall afternoon. I am glad that autumn is here.

Tomorrow is IT

I run the Portland Marathon tomorrow.

Stay tuned!

Last Weekend of September

Yesterday I went to Gresham with Laura; the Parkrose Cheer squad was in the Teddy Bear Parade. It was funny to see all these people, young and old, carrying teddy bears. Horses and dogs had them too.

We went to Mcminnville yesterday and watched the Ducks demolish WSU.

Guys and Dolls was great and I've been humming tunes from it all weekend. Came home afterwards and watched the rest of the debates.

This time next week I will be done with the marathon!

I think Hud is my favorite Paul Newman movie. What's yours?

Guys And Dolls

Michael and I are going to see Guys and Dolls on Friday at Portland Center Stage. I can't wait.

Parkrose won its first football game in a long time on Friday!

It's autumn everyone!

Weekend!

I ran 20 miles today. That means I can run the marathon, unless I trip or something. My goal is to come in under 5 hours, which I can do. Who knows maybe I'll run it in 4 1/2 hours. No, I don't think so.

Michael and I saw the movie Tell No One yesterday. It's a French thriller! I thought it was great.

Laura and I saw Willy Porter and Raining Jane at the Alladin Theater Friday night. They were really good and I'm looking forward to seeing Raining Jane and Sara Bareilles in October.

Max was on t.v. Friday night, showing his Parkrose pride! His first football game is Wednesday.

I'm reading Empire Falls and looking forward to meeting Richard Russo on Thursday.

Here is a link to poems by Reginald Shepherd that were in Caffeine Destiny a few years ago. I was sad to hear that he died.

Thursday night

I want to find time to mess around and make silly collages.

I want to write some new poems.

I want the marathon to be done with.

I want my office to be magically cleaned by little elves.

I want to have time to bake bread.

I want to miraculously lose 20 pounds, just by thinking about it very hard.

I want someone to take my poetry manuscript and publish the hell out of it.

I want Obama to be elected.

There!