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Journal (The Ember Update)

Thursday, October 28

Work hard, play hard

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I've been really busy at work lately (but isn't that always the case?) designing this and that, answering Alex's sales questions, trying to get our vast quantities of email under control, etc. I'm proud of the Flowers and Fluxx box (right), both the graphics which I largely designed and solely executed, and the actual package shape, which I contributed significantly to developing.

Kristin and I have had company direction and strategy meetings off and on for the last two weeks. We've also been preparing for National Games Week, a herculean task with many facets, including developing tools so Mad Lab Rabbits can run their own Little or Mini Experiments. I've also written copy for various uses, built some web pages and prototyped others, designed a postcard (left), chewed on web site redesign ideas and content management systems, and helped guide our new Sales Minion, Alex.

Outside of work I've been helping my mom fight the continuing neighborhood annexation process which has proceeded against many of our neighbor's wishes (the nearby city is trying to extend it's borders to include us, which will bring with it a 46% property tax increase). The ample number of petition signatures we gathered—calling for a referendum to bring the annexation to a vote by the residents and owners—were rejected by the City Council based upon their own petition criteria (we'd followed state and county guidelines, since we weren't yet city residents). That's now turned into a lawsuit against the city, on behalf of neighbors who want to have a vote.

While I haven't mentioned it here, I've been preparing for my first belly dance performance, which is this weekend on Halloween night! My six-person class is opening the "5th Annual Arabian Nights 'Enchantment!': An Intimate Evening of Magical Middle Eastern Dance," a series of performances held at Joe's Movement Emporium, organized by my teacher, Laurel Victoria Gray. I'm actually the first person to enter, since I'm the tallest and have to end up in the back. Scary, but I expect we'll have a blast. I'm sure we're the most amateur, which is why we're the opening act, but I'm very excited about my first chance to belly dance for an audience.

Two weekends ago Kevin and I attended the Maryland Renaissance Festival, where I got henna'd for the first time (I'm hooked) and watched Renée perform Irish dances. I also coveted a fabulous feather hat (poor birds), the asking price nearly $200. That night we went to this year's Librafest at Dorian and Amethyst's, inviting along Kevin's friend John M. I wore a very short black dress (the same I fire danced in at our cabin party) and danced in the Den of Iniquity. A woman sitting next to Kevin commented to him that she could see why I wanted to show my legs off. I have to admit I was a bit intimidated by one guest with a large format camera who was photographing me (and others, of course). Chris Welsh looked skinnier than usual but great in a red bobbed wig and miniskirt, and I was astonished to hear that he'd almost died from the sudden onset of pancreatitis six weeks prior (he'd been trying to gain back weight since, with some success). Michelle stayed home with a cold, but Sarah was fabulous in a very fancy heirloom Spanish shawl. Dorian took this photo of Sarah, Kevin and me.

Last week Kevin's grandmother was visiting and we joined her and Kevin's parents for a tasty seafood dinner out. Then last night we celebrated my brother's birthday (today), which makes us both 37 … we're adopted. And Kevin's 31st birthday is coming up the day after next week's election. Hopefully we'll be celebrating on Wednesday for two reasons!

Kevin and I spent another weekend at the cabin, taking my mom along (and visiting her friend A.C.). She's been really impressed by how we've continued to change and improve things and has agreed to let us move to the cabin as early as Spring (assuming we're still interested). In the meantime, Kevin will be moving into my Mom's place with me by the end of this year. Friends have asked how that's going to work; well, we have a whole floor to ourselves and a separate entrance, and my mom's great and likes Kevin (and vice versa).

Also, within 10 days of being laid off in a downsizing sweep, Kevin was hired at a new job for better pay (and just 15 minutes away instead of 40) doing more electrical work. He started Monday and is quite happy so far. In between jobs he cut down and chopped up a 50 some-odd foot tree and removed the remains of the shed at Wunderland, pulled slate up and dug shrubs for friend Christian, removed a kitchen cabinet for Margit, helped out my yoga instructor's now-husband who has a house restoration business, did some handywork for my mom, and was forced to turn down other requests for his time. Rosa, who cleans Wunderland and our house, commented on how lucky I was to have a cute boyfriend who was also self-motivated. I agree!

Another recent project of mine has been researching digital SLR cameras. I've been wanting one for some time now, so I can change lenses, use filters, take long exposures, control depth of field, capture better night shots and more. I'm narrowing the field down, but I don't know when I'll actually be able to purchase the next level of dream camera. I've received excellent advice from my fellow Burner Bucky (check out his Burning Man photos).

Last night Kevin and I saw the full lunar eclipse with Renée and Alex.

I'm thinking about selling my Beetle.

Wednesday, October 13

Stop Sinclair

It's been months since I've posted a political stance on something, but soon I'm going to be adding a new section to my web site: Activism. There's just so much to protest these days that it makes my head swim. How did the Republicans force our political system so far to the right? It makes me laugh that Kerry is being called the "most liberal" Senator; assuming that's correct, what happened to the true liberals? So even though I'm not a particular Kerry fan (anyone but Bush!)…

To the petition, I added, "You should be ashamed of yourselves for planning to air such a blatantly politically biased film against Kerry. Where's the film about Bush and his truly crappy record as a US citizen all around? I wouldn't agree to airing that either, but hey, if you're going to insist on showing one, why not also force your stations to show Fahrenheit 911? This is exactly why I don't watch ANY television and encourage my friends to do likewise, because you don't deserve one minute of my time or one cent of my money."

After signing the petition, here's further action I was prompted to do… maybe you will too:

• Contact the Sinclair station near you and tell them to STOP.
• Contact your senators and representative in Washington and tell them to address this issue on the floor of Congress.
• Contact Sen. John McCain of Arizona, who criticized Sinclair when they refused to air Nightline. Ask him to stand up to Sinclair again!
• Contact Michael Powell, FCC Chairman, and tell him to STOP Sinclair.

And then, turn off your TV!
(BTW, I haven't seen Fahrenheit 911, I was just making a point.)

Thursday, October 7

New and Improved: I've edited and expanded my Burning Man travelogue, if you haven't looked at it yet.

I've linked to photos of things I mention but don't have pictured (including the Open Air Tesla Coil), added descriptions of more experiences and opportunities plus a small map of the layout, and tried to pare down the original text a little. Most of the additions are from the Arts Festival section down.

Party at the Happy Cabin

This past weekend Kevin and I had a little party at the Happy Cabin (its new official name). Our first test run for having a small volume of guests went smashingly.

Michelle, her s/o John and our fellow burner Ben arrived Friday evening, the rest on Saturday. Everyone who hadn't been before was enchanted by the mountain setting and the cabin itself, and we received compliments all weekend (and since) on what a great party and place we'd provided. I was touched by how gracious everyone was; team effort made the event a success. (Also, I think my friends spend too much time stuck in the suburbs!)

We had three hikes, pot-luck and pancakes, an Altar to Shiva, pillowed lounge spaces, campfires at the rock and in our firepit, a jaunt to Mountain Mystic (my favorite Front Royal store), yoga, fire-finger dancing, stars and candles and lightstrings and blinkies, interesting flora and fauna, and a ton of fun.

Kevin and I look forward to having more guests soon, as we pursue our secret plan of getting all our friends to love the Happy Cabin and to come visit us often once we've moved there. I think it's already working!


(These three photos aren't from the party weekend.) 1. Our latest shitake harvest from my log. 2&3. A striking spider from the cabin's front yard, and a tree mushroom in the woods behind.

4. Alison and Andy converse with Ziggy and Munchausen. 5. Michelle and I do yoga on the porch. 6. Leah, Kristin, Alison and Sarah on the rock. 7. John and Michelle in the amphitheatre, with 8. our other friends John and Ben nearby.

9. A spiderweb we discovered while hanging windchimes. 10. Four mushrooms. 11. A frog. 12. A striped orange mushroom.

13&14. Three bugs that seem to be in a mating effort (she's on bottom). 15&16. Two puffball mushrooms, the first one still almost edible, the second in the decomposition stage (larger than a human skull). 17. Sarah, Michelle and Ben lighting incense at the Altar to Shiva.

18. Leah and Kristin at the firepit. 19-22. Fire-finger dancing (while Ben accompanied on drums). Michelle demonstrated with her fire-fingers first, then we tried them on — me (thanks Andy!), Sarah and Alison in succession. Here's a 10 second movie of Alison dancing (BIG download at 2 MB, QuickTime player required).

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