blindsided

August 3, 2010 I did something I had never done before. I voted in the Republican gubernatorial primary. Michigan had just had 8 years of Democrat Jennifer Granhom (who inherited a mess, I might add) and in addition to it being unlikely a Democrat would win, I was wildly underwhelmed by either of the Democrat options.

The Republican field had 5 options most of whom were campaigning on a typical traditional family values, right-to-work, religious right platform.

But there was one man who caught my interest. Rick Snyder, who dubbed himself "one tough nerd," would not talk about abortion or right-to-work, or gay rights. He campaigned on getting Michigan back on its feet economically. He talked about revitalizing our once great state. He talked about wanting to stop the bleeding out of young, creative talent from leaving Michigan.

I was charmed. This was a Republican I could respect. Here was a man who openly said he wouldn't take on traditionally conservative social issues because they were too divisive and distracting to what was important: getting Michigan back on track.

I voted for him in the primary. And I celebrated when he not only secured the nomination, but also 3 months later when he defeated the meh and boringly typical pro-union, old school thinking Democrat candidate. I'm now ashamed to admit I voted for the Democrat in the general election. I didn't like him. I didn't trust him. But damn it, he was a Democrat and I couldn't vote Republican.

Over the past 2 years, I have grown to respect Governor Snyder. I have openly supported him much to the dismay of many friends and family members. I defended the Emergency Management law of his crafting despite its obvious anti-democracy implications of taking away control from local governments and school systems in favor of state control for failing cities (and if you think you know what a failing city is, come to Michigan and visit Benton Harbor, Flint, or Detroit. You have no idea how bad it is out here). I even followed his logic this fall and voted against all the state proposals on our ballot including an amendment that would have made it impossible for Michigan to become a Right-to-Work state.

I have spent many an hour discussing my optimism of the Republican Party if more candidates would follow Governor Snyder's lead by staying away from divisive social issues in favor of focusing on fiscally conservative ideas. I have dared to dream that he have a shot at the national stage.

This all came to an end Thursday when after months of saying he would not support Right-to-Work legislation, he reversed his position during the lame duck legislative session.

Shock, embarrassment, disappointment. That pretty much sums up how I've been feeling since Thursday. I feel duped. I feel like a fool for trusting him.

And you know what? It's not even about the actual legislation.

It's how he did it. It's cowardly and even more divisive to shove this kind of legislation through during a lame duck session especially since it most likely would not have passed in January. It's an example of the worst kind of politics. It demonstrates the one thing I try so hard to convince apathetic voters is not true: your voice doesn't matter.

To be clear: both parties are guilty of this sort of behavior. Both parties disenfranchise the electorate when they push laws through during lame duck sessions. It's disrespectful to the very people they are supposed to be serving and demonstrates the worst aspects of our political system.

I suppose I should thank Governor Snyder for reminding me that political partisanship is still alive and well.  I suppose I should thank him for reminding me that politics is and always will be about power. I suppose I should thank him for reminding me never ever ever to trust a politician.

Instead, I look ahead to the rest of the lame duck session in fear. There are sweeping anti-abortion bills on the table and a horrifying education bill to be discussed before the end of the year.

He has the opportunity to maintain a shred of integrity in the eyes of a lifetime Democrat who publicly and repeatedly supported what she believed was a glimmer of hope in the Republican Party.

Your move, Governor Snyder.

"you're just going to be sick for about a year"

The downside of working with the 0-2 year old set.

I'm so busy I don't even know where to start which is why I'm sitting here blogging instead of doing one of the 9,672 things I should be doing:

• teaching myself HTML so I can figure out how to hack the library website 
• planning my last December story time and starting on January
• figuring out how to structure my last few weeks of Act Out!
• editing video footage from Act Out!
• creating crafts for Discovery Packs
• filling out my first grievance form for a union member

The union stuff I can't do while at work, the HTML stuff I can't really do while on a service desk, nor can I edit video footage or create crafts which narrows things down significantly.

Dang. That was actually a helpful exercise.

And then there's what?

HANDMADE CHRISTMAS!  

I have started one major project (that I would love to replicate for 3 more people-1 of which absolutely positively must be done before Christmas) and the total time for completion is about 26 hours. I have about 20 hours to go. On one of them. So 124 hours. For 4 gifts.

This year I'm under the added pressure of having to give gifts to co-workers (smaller department and a very gift-giving department at that) and I usually like to do a little something for close friends.

I say it every year and I never do it: Why do I not spread this stuff out over the year?!?  

Part of the reason is that I'm so sick of stitching and knitting and crafting and baking by the time Christmas rolls around, I just don't want to do it anymore. It seriously takes me 10 months to recover from the madness. 

The other reason is a little personality tip my 9th grade English teacher (who just about failed me, I might add)  told me about myself: I work best under pressure.

Cheers to procrastinators!

vote. please, please, please vote

You live in a country that relies upon its citizens to participate. The absolute minimum you can do is vote. It is a privilege to live in America. You were lucky enough to be born in a country where you get to buy cheap goods made by little children in a country that will never allow their voices to be heard. You were lucky enough to be born in a country where the right to vote is guaranteed. 

The least you can do on Tuesday is show up and vote.

If you are of the opinion the system is fucked and by not voting you are making a statement?  You're not. The only statement you are making is that you do not understand the fundamentals of democracy. You make a bigger statement by showing up and writing in candidates. You are counted if you vote for anyone. 

If you are of the opinion that you don't have enough time, you're wrong. Think about how much time you spend watching tv or online or going out for drinks or cooking a meal at home. You have time on Tuesday.  The polls in Michigan are open from 7am-8pm. Go on your lunch break. Get up early and go before work. Talk to your employers and see if they'll be flexible.

If you do not know who or what to vote for spend 30 minutes doing a little bit of research.  http://publius.org/ has excellent resources on the Michigan proposals. 

If you don't believe voting in this election will make any difference, consider that in Michigan we vote for our Supreme Court Justices who are "non-partisan," but are nominated by political parties.  The outcome of these elections will directly affect you.  There are 2 separate Supreme Court election contests.  In one, Connie Marie Kelley (Dem), Bridget McCormick (Dem), Steven Markman (Rep), and Colleen O'Brien (Rep) are running for 2 spots.  Vote for 2 candidates. The top 2 will serve an 8 year term. In the other election, Shelia Johnson (Dem) and Brian Zahara (Rep) are running to fill a vacated spot that will be up in 2014. 

If you are unhappy with the lack of choices in local elections, pick candidates and write them in. Do not just vote for someone because they are the only one running. Write in your favorite city councilman, or just your favorite local leader-political or not. 

If you don't know where to go to vote, go to  http://www.publius.org/, enter your name and city and a map of your polling location will be provided.

Look at your sample ballot: here  https://webapps.sos.state.mi.us/mivote/ or here http://www.publius.org/. Familiarize yourself with it.  

Once you decide who and what you're voting for, write it down. Bring a cheat sheet in with you when you vote to make sure you're voting for who and what you mean to vote for. 

I know everyone has election fatigue. I know everyone is sick and tired of the partisan fighting and the ugly campaign ads. Tuesday is about so much more than that. Tuesday is about the future. Tuesday is about your duty as an American citizen to participate in choosing that future because you are fortunate to live in this flawed but great country where you are privileged enough to have the right to have your voice heard.

Vote. Please, please, please vote.

hello, my name is erin and i'm obsessed with nursery rhymes

Things that need to happen:

We need to start a partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Holland where we go to their facility and run library programs. I saw a lot of "my" kids tonight, but I saw so many more kids I want to see at the 'brary on a regular basis. 

We need to develop a meaningful volunteer program for 9th-12th graders where they learn job skills: being on time, how to fill out an application, how to write a resume, appropriate dress, etc. 

We need to develop separate programming for our 6th-8th graders. I am jazzed there are 3rd-5th graders who are showing up each week to read out loud under the guise of a theater program, but my 5th graders have nothing to go to once they age out.  Bums me out.

We need to expand our outreach with the hospital. I know we give out books to all babies born in Holland, but no one seems to know who gives out the books or when they get them. I have a friend in the maternity ward who is the one to give out the Holland Resources packet to new parents. She knows nothing about free books. And getting information out to new parents about baby story time is essential.

We need a bigger full time staff. I love my job. Obviously. And we have a great team in my department. But we need at least 2 more full time non-librarians. I can tackle the hospital stuff now. I can develop a pilot program for 3rd-5th graders that I would run at the Boys and Girls Club. But we need more people-full time staff-with a passion for literacy and an understanding of the very real changes we are about to have in public libraries as we continue to change from consumption spaces to creation content spaces.

And we need someone with a camera to show up at Kidz Dance Party next Tuesday at 10am as our director makes his debut leading all the boys in a dance.

That's right. I got our director to agree to do that. 

It's gonna be a hoot. 

Or as my adorable nephew says "OWL!"

so many things

I've been sick for over a week. As I woke up this morning craving coffee for the first time since getting sick, I think the worst is over. My head is still full of nasty and I occasionally have coughing fits that are tear-inducing (always when I'm on a service desk at work, naturally), but I want coffee so I must be on the mend.

I have a number of very close friends who are currently going through some pretty major emotional stuff. Family members who are actively dying in nursing facilities that are atrocious, potentially terrifying financial distress that could be crippling, health news that while not life-threatening is life-altering. While I do go through periods of helplessness and absolute rage over each of their circumstances, I feel so incredibly blessed to have them in my life. Each of them has expressed gratitude to me for being a person who they can call and say anything to because I'm not judgmental (hilarious, really, given that my motto used to be "Some people do arts and crafts, I judge people) or someone who can give them that little jolt of perspective reminding them their lives are not over and that no matter what the future brings I will always be there for them.

While I appreciate their kind words, I honestly don't know if they all realize how I love them all fiercely. And how every one of them has been there for me so many times in the past and I know will be there for me when I am faced with any future terrifying challenges.

I spend a lot of time missing my Vermont family. These people all remind me that I have done what my parents did.

I have created my own family here.

ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

There appears to be a big old fashioned multi-class Hope College Theatre Department Reunion Extravaganza in the works for next summer. In less than 24 hours it went from a nostalgic post to a facebook event to an official date.

I will most likely not be in town for the weekend that has been decided upon. The library is paying for me to go to ALA in Chicago that weekend.

I have gone into fits of rage over not being able to attend a concert because of a work conflict. And yet, for some reason, I am kind of sort of really excited about the opportunity to go to ALA and am kind of sort of not that disappointed I won't be in town for what will probably be the event of the season.

It's not that I wouldn't love to see all of these people whom I communicate with via facebook just about every day. And if it's possible for me to attend even one event of the weekend, that would be nice.

I cannot put my finger on why I'm not disappointed. Maybe it's because I don't really feel as though I have a choice. I mean, it's effing ALA. And the library is PAYING for it. For me. A non-librarian. To go. It really is a once in a lifetime opportunity for this guy who is seriously considering her next career move to be something in the food service industry. It's an honor. And for me to say "Gosh, thank you employers so much for this opportunity but about 100 people I used to know 15 years ago are going to be in town that weekend and I'd rather stay in Holland and get drunk with them."

Yeah. I can't do that.

And more importantly? I don't want to. I'm a library nerd who loves to talk about libraries more than just about anything else on the planet and the thought of interacting with thousands of people who are like me? The prospect of meeting some amazing superstar librarians I follow on twitter or read their blogs? Having the opportunity to hear authors speak?

Yeah.  I've got to do that.

summer summed up

Work, Vermont, work, no rain, work, numerous record-breaking temp days, work without air-conditioning, drought, work, drained bank accounts, work without air-conditioning, Vermont, work.  

Expanded highlights:

My beer tasting life is now distinctly divided between pre-Heady Topper and post-Heady Topper.  Founders Centennial IPA seems a bit reserved to me these days. I've also found myself embracing the Belgians and wild yeasts. I still sometimes think Hill Farmstead Brewery was an insane dream Peter and I both had though I'd like to thank Instagram for #beerporn.  We at least know others have seen that magical mountaintop brewery.

I went to my 20th high school reunion.  The last thing I said to by bff of yore was "Let's not keep in touch" because we won't and we don't have to because even after 13 years of not seeing each other it was as if no time had passed though I'm secretly hoping she was serious when she suggested she and her husband come and visit us in west Michigan sometime soon.

Baby story times have become my all-time favorite thing I do at work.  This fall it's going to have to compete for my favorite program with the newly formed Doctor Who Club, the reboot of the Teen Writers Club, and a program I'm designing for 3rd-5th graders where we'll write and perform our own scripts based on our favorite books. Also our Preschool Dance Parties will probably be sweet.  And the first annual Star Wars Reads day is probably going to rule.

I'm considering seeing if I could find a shift every other week at a local restaurant. I've been thinking a lot lately about having a capital C Career vs having a lower case j job. I'm not jumping ship. I'm exploring my options.

Peter and I have been talking about our future: where we'd like to be, who we'd like to be, what we'd like to be. One vague plan has Peter finding full time work in Grand Rapids and commuting for a year or two, us moving that way, me commuting for a year or two and then me getting out of HDL and finding a part time library gig. Or a restaurant gig.

Today another potential opportunity presented itself in the form of a in-3-years-we-could-move-to-Austin plan.

Options and minds are open.

three trips to vermont in one year?!?

I may be attending my 20th high school reunion in July.

I know. I know. I'm fairly alarmed myself.

I knew the invitation was coming, but I had pretty much ruled out going as it's a mere 5 weeks after I would have just come back from Vermont and it's my first summer in the youth services department and I never ever ever was really all that into the whole reunion thing.

And then my bff of yore, Pev, contacted me asking if I was going. My bff of yore whom I have not seen in over 10 years as she now lives in Winnepeg and I live in Michigan and somehow our going-home-for-Christmas rotations are opposite.

For Pev?  I will go. 

(And I'll start taking bets on how many ridiculous things we may manage to do in one very short weekend. Will Eed and Pev get tattoos to commemorate their first tattoos 20 years ago? Will Eed and Pev manage to track down an old Toyota Tercel to drive around town? Will Eed and Pev smoke cloves? Drink copious amounts of alcohol? Watch Reality Bites whilst quoting the entire movie?)

But for the first trip, we leave the Grandest of Rapids on Friday June 15th at some ridiculously early time, like, 5:30am and will arrive in lovely Burlington, Vermont by about 9:30am. Now, this was clearly not my first choice as neither Peter nor I are particularly fond of early mornings especially the morning after, say, a Destroyer show at the Ladies Lit Club, but the price was right and the timing actually means I get to spend a few more hours with my Uncle Harold and Aunt Diane so it's totally worth it. We're not exactly sure how we're going to get to the airport yet though my favorite plan so far revolves around hanging out with the Boyles post-show for a few hours, having them drop us off at the airport at an ungodly hour after which they'd start the long drive to Vermont while we crash out on the plane. 

But seriously, I'm super-psyched about the June Vermont trip. I haven't been out there in June for so long and it's so green and so pretty and there are so many wonderful people who are coming together to celebrate our wedding.  It will be a party to end all parties! And THEN we get to hang out in the most coolest city of Burlington for a few days. Walking to Pennycluse for breakfast, hitting up A Single Pebble for amazing Chinese, trying out Three Needs Brewery, driving through the Notch, maybe visiting some cheesemakers and definitely visiting some breweries. 

June 15th: I'm ready for you now!!!!

what a pain in the neck

Guess what?  Despite years and years and years of being told "No one would ever show up for Spring Break programming at the library because everyone goes out of town" we had over 300 people show up at the library over Spring Break because NOT EVERYONE GOES OUT OF TOWN. It was awesome to hear from parents how grateful they were the library offered so many programs as it gave their kids something special to do over their break.  

It was an insane week of insanity topped off by a whopping 27 kids showing up for Teen Iron Chef: Desserts.  I got a little taste of what my summer is going to be like (our current schedule has us averaging about 6 programs per week which, imho, is about twice as many as we should be running...) and I realized that not running when life gets stressful does not in fact alleviate stress. If you could remind me of that in the throws of the week where I'm currently scheduled to run a Spa Night, do a story time at the Farmers Market, run our Reading Buddies program, pull off a Flip Flop craft day and do another family story time that would be swell.

My running for the week was derailed by my 6 month dermatology appointment yesterday. I got cut into.  Twice. Once on my left arm and once on the back left of my neck. If it's nothing, I should hear by postcard within 10 days. If it's nothing serious, I'll find out when I get my stitches out in 10 days. If I get a phone call, well, I go back in for more extensive cutting. This appointment was set up a long time ago, but hearing from Michael about a friend of his who had survived heart surgery not 6 months ago only to discover he has stage 4 melanoma and there is nothing they can do put me in the "just take it off" mindset for the first time since my initial diagnosis years ago. 

In much more frivolous news, I finally took a break from all my teen lit reading and starting "Clash of Kings."  This whole series is hilarious if only because it is so mediocre writing-wise and yet so compelling plot-wise. I anxiously read through chapters in anticipation of the next Arya chapter!  I'm still waiting for Daenerys to show up! And in between I get delightful descriptions of food and blowjobs! 

I also have begun the final season of the epic series "7th Heaven."  There are some who believed me to be speaking in jest when I mentioned on facebook how excited I was to obtain the show on DVD from my local library. To be clear: I love the Camdens. Sometimes I love to hate them. Lucy in particular is a devil woman. As is the whore-faced Ruthie. And there is something terribly wrong with Sandy's face though technically she's not a Camden, but really all of those side-characters are family member fillers especially after they exiled Jessica Beal's character Mary for being slutty. And the twins are just downright creepy. The acting is horrible. The scripts are a muddled mess churchiness. But I swear, there is something amazing going on here. Between the monotone line delivery from Kevin and the tear-rimmed eyes of Reverend Camden, I feel as though I'm watching a morality play not to be missed.

We did start Justified to balance out the 7th Heaven. And what an equalizer it has been. I now know under no circumstances can I ever live in Kentucky. 

In case there was any doubt about that.

i drink and run

That's how I do it.

Chicago was awesome. Spring Institute in Ann Arbor was a confidence builder. I've been kind of obsessed with the health care/scotus thing. I read "The Underneath" by Kathi Applet and it might be the best children's book I've read in a long time. I made a homemade hamburger helper meal out of good beef, spring kale from a friend's garden, organic tomatoes and goat cheese. I've been running about 4-5 days a week and I think it's somehow keeping me sane. Budget negotiations start next week. Union contract negotiations start in the next few weeks. I may be looking at inheriting the 0-2 year olds story time, tween programming, and I'm already scheming about fall programs for teens. My brain is at a constant whir of about 1000mph. This weekend: HG for the second time, finish Pandemonium and start a grown-up book, brunch on Sunday.

But most importantly: RELAX

the lull before the storm

Teen Tech Week 2012:  Done.  Not a complete bust, but I definitely have a better sense of what we could have done differently to get more kids in.  Most importantly:  describe the programs better!  Writing "CamBox iPhone app program" is completely meaningless.  "Fan of video beat box?  Come to the library's teen activity room to collaborate and create your own short digital video!" would have been waaay better.  

I don't write the press releases.  I just should.

I've been also realizing we are lacking a strong focus and direction for the department. Everything feels kind of arbitrary and last minute.  I know this is a direct result of us being so new, but I'm ready for that to change. I've got a few ideas for the fall programming schedule that I hope will help. And instead of continuing to complain we're always unorganized, I've decided to just take responsibility for that. I'll make the lists of supplies needed for upcoming programs. I'll make sure we have plenty of snacks in advance. I'll write the agendas for the meetings. It's what I'm good at and it's what helps me function more efficiently.  Next up:  Chicago to visit YOUmedia, Spring Institute in Ann Arbor and The Hunger Games event. Which terrifies me. As I think we could be overrun with kids.  

Wait.  That's a good thing, right?

Chicago, Chicago, Chicago I cannot wait to see you again! I was going to go to the Shedd on Friday, but think instead I'll make this an Arty McArtsy weekend and hit up the Museum of Contemporary Art on Friday afternoon. Friday night:  Honky Tonk Happy Hour at the Empty Bottle followed by Bite Cafe. Saturday: Hopefully the weather will cooperate and I can convince Kevin/Xtina to accompany me en bicyclette to YOUmedia at Harold Washington as the thought of even attempting to get anywhere via the CTA on Saturday (St. Patrick's Day, people.  In Chicago. On a weekend. My own personal green beer-ed douchey hell.) sounds like death.  Saturday night I'm hoping to catch up with my friend Michael Miller for dinner maybe? and then I'm wide open-I would not be opposed to attempting to get into The Whistler again or any other awesome local watering hole. Sunday: I have no confirmation, but I threw out a day o'cooking and hanging with Sandy and Becky at their place and maybe crashing with them Sunday night.  Monday: The Art Institute of Chicago.  All day.

I come back for 2 days of work and then head off to Ann Arbor for Spring Institute followed immediately by The Hunger Games event on Saturday.

Sunday the 25th?

I will sleep.

no santorum covered mitten here

Gross, I know.  But I couldn't help it. It's just too easy.

Here's a random sampling of what's up:

After going on a roller coaster of emotions about whether or not to vote in the Republican Primary yesterday ("We should vote for Santorum because he'll be easier to beat in November!"  "No wait!  We should vote for Romney because I'll be so embarrassed for Michigan if Santorum wins and I should have a say in who the potential nominee is!"), we ended up voting in the uncontested Democratic Primary which may sound stupid, but I really feel smug about showing up and making it clear no one from the GOP field deserves my vote.  FYI:  Santorum stomped all over Romney in Ottawa County:  48.7% to 35.5% with Ron Paul a very distant third at 8.5%.

I ran 6 days a week for 1 month and lost 8lbs. I have signed up for the St. Patty's Day Pacer with my friend Julie who is 100% responsible for me even running again. My mood has dramatically improved. I feel about 9000 times better. After one month, I'm starting to remember that 30 minutes really does kind of feel like a warm-up.  I was planning on today being my off day, but it's 50 degrees out there.  There will be running after work.

Twitter has kind of become a new obsession for me. I "watched" the GOP Mesa, Arizona debate through live tweets from one Dem, one Rep, and one comedian.  I loved it. I have virtually no one following me which makes it amazingly freeing. And I love being able to unfollow anyone at anytime if they get irritating.  I'm still kind of confused by the retweeting and the favoriting, but whatev.

There will be no 3-day Pitchfork Music Festival for me this year.  Vampire Weekend and Feist just won't cut it. If they announce someone amazing in the next few weeks, I'd definitely consider a one day pass. Otherwise, methinks I'm looking at a Wheatland kind of year festival-wise.

The next few weeks are insane at work. Next week is Teen Tech Week so we have 3 extra programs.  It's March Madness so we've got a bracket program and we're showing a movie. And Hunger Games is released so there's a few hours of Hunger Games trivia, crafting, and giveaways coming up. AND I'm attending Spring Institute in Ann Arbor for two days at the end of March which I was excited about until I read the program descriptions and they seem a little...old lady-ish, but whatever!  I'm going to use the time to network and get as many new ideas as possible.

I done booked my Amtrak ticket and I'm heading south to Chicago for a long weekend.  Unfortunately, it's over St. Patrick's Day. Fortunately, aside from needing to head down there to meet with Matt from YOUMedia at the Harold Washington Library (!!!) on St. Patrick's Day (Thank you Kevin!!!) I don't really need to deal with the Michigan Avenue area. Unfortunately, Peter won't be able to go.  Fortunately, it's because he's got tickets to see The Black Keys in Grand Rapids with Reuben that weekend.  Fortunately, I get to stay at Le Casa de Kapetyn-Dekkinga!  Fortunately, I get to see Rebecca and Sandy!  Fortunately, I will most likely get to spend some solo time at the Art Institute! Fortunately, I have no doubt in my mind it's going to be a trip I desperately need to take at the most perfect time!

I'm reading The Fountainhead. It rules.

Happy Bizarre Way Humans Attempt To Control The Rotation Of The Earth Day!

"monkeys with boners would probably improve top chef"

One of the many highlights of the Ripert/Bourdain extravaganza from last night.  The whole thing really was exactly what I expected:  2 guys sitting around talking about food.  They each took turns "grilling" each other about various things (did you know Eric Ripert has been on Martha Stewart twenty times?  and Tony Bourdain thought heroin and cocaine probably interfered with his cooking, but believed LSD was an asset?) which did feel a little...rehearsed.  Seeing as though these guys do this a couple times a week and have been doing this for well over a year, I'll forgive them.  What I didn't expect was so much food politics.  Local, organic, sustainable practices were lauded while the junk food/fast food industry was likened to cigarettes.  I was particularly thrilled when the subject of fois gras came up and was defended as a practice.  I've only been lucky enough to put that deliciousness in my mouth once, but it might go down as one of the greatest food moments of my life.

Also, I think I need to go to Vietnam to eat.

Dinner at Bistro Bella Vita was quite good though I mildly regret getting the little neck clams with pasta.  When will I ever learn that a. pasta in restaurants is almost always overrated and b. seafood should not be ordered in the Midwest.  Having been brought up on the East Coast, sometimes I just long for some outstanding seafood. Best to wait until I get back out there this summer before going that route again. Melissa's duck was amazing though. And the beef carpaccio was also melt-in-your-mouth yummy. I only wish she and I had 4 more hours to hang out and talk. It's a rare thing for us to be alone and when I do get that time I realize just how good we can be for each other. I'm hoping for a lunch and maybe some window-shopping in the not too distant future

Saturday afternoon, despite having not gone to bed until the wee small hours of the morning, I ran my second 5k!  And it was awesome!  It was a fundraiser for someone who has been diagnosed with cancer and has reached that terrifying experimental therapy stage not covered by insurance. They managed to raise $5000 which is astounding given they thought it would end up just being a couple of friends. It was my friend Julie's first 5k (which turned out to not be an actual 5k, but thanks to Endomondo we made it one!) and my second one since December. I'm hooked. Next up is the St.Patty's Day Pacer on March 15th!

Rick Santorum is going to be in Holland tonight. At Hope College. Which is so gross I can't really even think about it too hard because it makes me sick to my stomach. He's leading in the polls out here in Michigan and I just can't believe it. I kind of got into it with a "friend" on facebook who was attempting to defend him. Go ahead and call me a hater, but there is absolutely nothing defensible about that man's positions. Contraception is bad! The right to consensual (GAY!) sex in your home means you'd have the right to pursue polygamy and incest! Give me a fucking break.  Go home, Santorum. Your 15 minutes are just about up.

i'm afraid of twitter the same way i'm afraid of bangkok

Ever find yourself obsessively checking facebook? Or Pinterest? Or, in my case, both? And you swear you're going to only check it once this hour, but then you're waiting in line at the grocery store or for water to boil or for a commercial to be over and before you even know what's happening you're staring at your feed and it looks exactly the way it did less than 5 minutes ago?

Sounds like someone needs to join twitter, right?

I signed up for an account awhile ago and was so overwhelmed by the #hashtags and the @ing and the lists and the whatnot and did nothing but sign up and start following Patton Oswalt, Anthony Bourdain, and Cory Doctorow. 

I recently starting feeling a bit like a moron for not embracing twitter. Afraid of technology that has already been embraced by the mainstream?  Puleeeese. What am I?  A 60 year old librarian?  Today I got back on there, did a little reading, started adding some celebrity-type people and some real-life people and downloaded the app to my phone. 

I gotta say, I'm digging it.  I have yet to tweet. Or retweet. But I do enjoy the format. And that twitter actually encourages obsessively checking it will work out in my favor methinks.

In news not related to Erin being 5 years late to a technology party: 

8th St Grille just added 6 more taps bringing them to a grand total of 27.

Sharon Van Etten was disappointing. Bad sound quality (unHEARD of at the Ladies Lit Club) and just kind of boring.  Only the 2nd time I've ever walked out of a show at that venue.

Tomorrow Julie and I are running a 5K!

Sunday I have the pleasure of dining at Bistro Bella Vita with my wonderful sister-in-law and then spending the evening hanging on every word uttered by Eric Ripert and Anthony Bourdain!

As usual, it looks like Peter and I will be unable to hit up Chicago together this spring.  Again. I was going to just skip it, but I realized I was looking at not getting the heck outta town until our camping trip in May.  Despite it being the same weekend as that ridiculous "holiday" I prefer to call "Amateurs and Assholes Get Drunk In Public," I think I'm going to do it.  Hit up the old Amtrak on Friday and come back either Sunday night or Monday night depending upon the availability of the Chicago folks.  

Thoughts, Chicago folks?

we like pockets and we need pockets and we know how to fix our pockets

Two weeks ago we hosted brunch. I love brunch. Brunch makes January better. Brunch means chorizo and potatoes with baked eggs. Brunch means Joan's Bloody Marys. Brunch means flan. Brunch means good friends getting together on a Sunday for about 7 hours. Brunch means all things awesome.

Until the day after brunch when you have post-brunch blues.

The day after brunch my friend, Julie, came upstairs a-glow and full of energy.  She had recently started running on a treadmill at home, was eating better, and as a result had lost a bit of weight. She somehow got me to agree to go for a 30 minute run that night and if I didn't go, I had to pay her $5.00.

It has now been almost 14 days and I have run all but 2 days. 

We have devised a ridiculous plan that involves me taking sweaty pictures of myself to prove I ran and and if I don't, I owe her money.  Week 1:  $5  Week 2: $10  Week 3: $15  Week 4: $20.  I'm fast approaching week 3 (gulp) and so far so good.  And guess what?  I feel about 1000 times better! And I've lost a little weight! And 30 minutes really isn't all that long! I got a membership to the Aquatic Center in town-which has a small gym with weights and a couple of treadmills-so there are no excuses. And  February 18th she and I are going to tackle a 5K downtown.  

It's going to be awesome.

I've also started giving myself permission to "Feel Time" as my friend Ivy would say. My brain is hardwired to always think about what I "should" be doing.  "I should clean the bathroom. I should do the laundry. I should clean the kitchen floor. I should go grocery shopping. I should I should I should."  All this should-ing  makes me feel like I have no control of my life and like a failure when I don't do what I "should." Epic mental health fail! Giving myself permission to Feel Time seems like the perfect medicine.

My latest television obsession is A Cook's Tour with Anthony Bourdain. omg. omg. omg. I was excited about seeing my mythological husband (NEXT SUNDAY FEBRUARY 19TH!!!!) and his good friend Eric Ripert, but now I'm crazy, ridiculous, insanely excited! The episode on The French Laundry was so effing good I have now redoubled my efforts to get out there and eat at The French Laundry. His bbq episode made me want to go to North Caroline, like, NOW and eat east and west NC bbq. I absolutely love it and him and am already mourning it being over. I don't care that it's dated. I don't care that he can be cheesy and too personal. It's the best kind of food show.

Tonight we go to a wedding potluck/open house/reception thing for friends of ours who were inspired by us getting married last fall so it's low key and growler-filled. After that we have one of those birthday parties to go to that could be awesomely fun or horrifically overcrowded. Either way I'm determined to not be Kara-ed and Sohan-ed. None of this walking home at 4am thing. None of this just-one-more.

I've got $10 on the line.

winter is coming

It's January. It's cold. There is snow. I'm desperately trying to maintain some semblance of sanity as this whole winter business just started and I've most likely got at least 3 months of it on the horizon. I'm combating the seemingly inevitable down slide to depression by just.doing.something.

That's my big "don't lose your mind, Erin, hold it together" plan for Winter 2012.

Instead of beating myself up for not getting up and running in the morning AND not sewing anything AND not making a delicious home made meal AND holing up in the basement watching Gilmore Girls for the bazillionth time, I've decided to just.do.something.

This week has been social week.  Tuesday night: plans. Wednesday night: plans. Thursday night: plans.  Each night with different people all of whom I enjoy spending time with, but sometimes take for granted especially when I need them most.  Like now. 

I can't tell if it's working. I suppose at the very least I've made myself so busy I don't have time to think about the bell jar that may or may not be hovering over my head. 

I know it's absolutely imperative I start running consistently.  Weather, be damned.  I've officially gained so much weight I don't even want to think about it.  I feel sluggish and I hate how my clothes fit. But more importantly, if there is one thing I need right now?  It's endorphins.  I need to feel strong. I need to feel in control and strong. 

I do have a muslin of a skirt that has been fit. Did I mention how much I hate how much weight I've gained?  Because that fitting was superfun. Yeah. Anyway, instead of making yet another muslin, I've decided to make the alterations Christina and I came up with and then just go for it in the wool. I'll futz around with the stupid muslin all winter. I need to cut it. I need to make it. I need to wear it.

And I'm not hooked yet, but I think I'm going to have to buy Downton Abbey season 1.  I might just watch the entire thing this weekend in the hopes of being able to catch up with season 2. I've missed 2 episodes, but I don't care. It'll give me something to look forward to each week.  

Whenever I'm not just.doing.something. I've been finding myself enjoying reading Game of Thrones.  Yes, the prose is ridiculously flowery.  Yes, there is a silly amount of poorly written sex scenes. Yes, it's a Fantasy Novel in the Capital F sort of way. It's fun.  And breezy. And a little soap opera-y. 

Plus, in book 1?  Winter is still COMING.  It hasn't arrived.

It's a comforting world to inhabit right now.