The Heatwave

A lot of craziness happened last week. I don't even know where to begin so instead, I'm going to update you all on my very own "BURN YOUR BUNS OFF" challenge. I started it in May. Turned my A/C up to 83, and closed all of my blinds. I was strolling into summer with out a high electricity bill (my bill for May/June was $38) and with out a care in the world.

Until now. Now, its hot. No, let me rephrase that... it's HOT. Two weeks of no rain (except when the sky spit on me one day last week) and highs reaching over 100 degrees. Yeah, its summer and it's not pretty. To add to the heat, the pool in our apartment, which had been a nice way to cool down, is out of commission. I think the filter (or something) broke because its green now instead of blue. Gross.

So what are two very hot girls to do? I've pulled out the shorts, even though my legs are white and gross. And I moved our couch. See, after hurricane Ike we had to move all our furniture around and it was then that I discovered that our $20 book selves had been moved one too many times. One broke in half. And the other is about to break. Because of this our couch has been angled in such a way that it cuts our room in half and cuts off the air flow from our ceiling fan. After spending most of yesterday watching Jeeves and Wooster episodes on DVD, I couldn't take it anymore. I had to move the couch. I can't say that I would win the approval of anyone on those home design shows, but I can now sit on my couch without being covered in sweat. Isn't that the American dream?

Alex was, of course, not impressed with my idea. Moving the couch just meant that all of her stuff that had been nicely hidden away was now in the middle of the floor. And, as she so rightly pointed out, "You'll just have to move it back in the winter." She is probably right. Once it cools down, I will move the couch back, but I think I can handle standing behind it and shoving the thing forward all of 4 inches.

Is it just me...

or is anyone else sick of hearing about Michael Jackson's death? Sad, yes. I feel for his three kids who have been raised in seclusion and now find themselves orphaned (and destitute, if you believe the reports). But why does this story need 24 hour coverage? Why did MSNBC need to preempt Rachel Maddow last night to rehash the story of his life over and over again?

Maybe I'm just too young to get it. I was born in 1982. I was a child of the 80s, and I had an older sister who watched MTV all the time so I was well aware of who Micheal Jackson was, we still have a tape of his Thriller video. I remember watching over and over again as a kid. I also remember the pictures of him sleeping in the hyperbolic chamber, Bubbles, Macaulay Culkin at Neverland and all the other weird stuff. By the time I was 10 he was more of a sideshow carnival act (freak) than ground breaking musical entertainer. He was also, a child molester. So why the out pouring of love? Why is everyone struggling to say only nice things about a guy who, for the last 20 years, everyone has regarded as little more than a pariah on society? Am I missing something here? Am I just too close minded to see his wonderfulness?

I think I just don't get it. I don't appreciate enough how he was ground breaking with his videos on MTV. (Because MTV doesn't even play videos anymore, I think its kind of a mute point). I don't get how revolutionary his dance moves were because growing up every kid I knew could do the moonwalk (much like any other dance craze). As far as him breaking ground for other black artists... I remember the first time I showed my nephews the video of Thriller. They were 8 and 6. "That's not Micheal Jackson!" they insisted, "That guy is black. Micheal Jackson is white."

Can we just bury the poor guy and move the heck on?

Support for Iran...

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Ebrahim Yazdi's Arrest
thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Jason Jones in Iran

If you want to write a letter of support for those arrested in Iran, you can reach the Iranian Embassy in America at the following address:

2209 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20007

Mice, Pie and Little Miss Sunshine

Three things happened this weekend. Alex earned enough money to buy her mice. I wasn't mentally prepared for that yet so we compromised and I took to to the store to by the cage and bedding.

Like I said before, I have had mice before so I had an idea of what I wanted. Alex has been dreaming of mice for months so she had ideas of her own. The "Princess keeper". A pink cage with a crown shaped feeding bowl. Cute. But when I opened the box and examined it, I decided that the cage might hold a hamster, but the bars were too far apart for a mouse. (Snowball (may she rest in peace) taught me that very valuable lesson). We did find a pink cage that I approved of and they even had matching pink bedding. I tried to talk Alex into the more economical kind, but she refused. Its her money so I let it go. I think wants she realizes how much of her allowance is going to line the bottom of that cage, she will change her tune.

Then Alex spent the night with her Aunt, 2 cousins and Great Grandmother so I was left with a night to myself. What did I do with my free time? I channel surfed and got to watch Little Miss Sunshine for the first time. Honestly, I don't have an explanation for not seeing it sooner. The year it came out I went with my friend to pick up a VW bus in California and drive it back to Texas. Number one comment from people who found out about the trip, "HAVE YOU SEEN LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE?" Also, both of my sisters have told me repeatedly that the little girl in the movie was me. And its true. If you ever want to know what I was like when I was little, watch this movie. Even her wardrobe looked like it was plucked out of my childhood. I had red cowboy boots that I wore every where. When we were young, and my dad played a lot of tennis, I would always cover my arms with his sweat bands. Even the dinosaur shirt looked exactly like the one that was my most favorite shirt in the world.But mine was blue. The other thing that stood out to me was how much the dad in that movie reminded me of my dad. Specifically, that scene where they are in the dinner and he is telling the little girl that eating ice cream will only make her a fat loser and he has no idea that the other people at the table are glaring at him ... that is my dad. And that is my family dealing with all the jerky insulting things that just seem to spew out of his mouth. He is always mystified by the fact that he is so misunderstood. He truly doesn't get why no one wants to hear him speak. Poor guy. Anyway, it was a great movie. I will have to watch it again when its not on TV, the cuss words aren't bleeped and its not interrupted by commercial breaks.

And the pie. Well. I made two. No actually four pies. I asked my dad what kind of cake he wanted me to bake him for Father's day. His reply "Chocolate Meringue Pie." (See what I mean about the jerky things just spewing from his mouth?) Could he not pick a harder thing? No problem. I put out an SOS out to the only two people I know who could possible have ever even attempted to make a pie. One told me to buy one, (which, in retrospect was very sage advise) and the other said, "It's easy". I didn't believe the easy bit, but I was persuaded to believe that, with a lot of guidance, it might be doable. I wasn't looking for perfectly formed peeks. I just wanted a pie with chocolate and a white something that at least tasted meringuish. I ended up with two disasters and two mushy messes.

I blame my sister Anna. I went to her house to make it because she was given a top of the line standing mixer as a wedding gift (one that they don't ever use). She distracted me with all her "help". All her talking made me laugh too much and I lost my concentration. Also I was so worried about the meringue, that I didn't worry about the filling. The filling, I knew would be easy. It wasn't. Armed with "Mema's receipt" (not my grandmother's my brother-in-law's) I started to make the pie. Crust, no problem. Looked beautiful. Filling, well lets just say that there is a distinct difference between adding egg whites and adding yokes and you need to be paying attention. If you add whites you will have an Alex in the kitchen telling you your hot chocolate smells good. You can't just pick out egg whites. First go-round botched, we set out to try again. The second time was much better. The filling looked like filling, although I should have cooked it a bit longer than I did, it tasted good and looked like a pie. Time for the meringue. There are a lot of tips that I could have, should have utilized at this stage, but after 5 hours of baking (and three trips to the store), I was ready to be done. We rushed and botched the job. The meringue tasted good, but it didn't set right. I know why. We stopped and started the mixing process which I am afraid ruined any chance of peeks we might have had. Sill, it was a pie and it tasted good. I know that I can do better. So I will make another one soon. Too soon for my families own comfort.

Allah Akbar

Who needs twitter?

The Twitter Revolution

Iranian supporters of defeated presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi

Tehran, Iran on June 15, 2009.

Photo by Getty courtesy of The Huffington Post

I don't tweet on Twitter. Either my life is boring or I'm just not that narcissistic. You want to hear something crazy? I have never even been on Twitter. I don't know what the site even looks like. Until this week I had thrown it away as another way for us to be detracted from the true experience of our lives. Who can really communicate the depth of life in 140 characters?

The Iranians can. The supporters of defeated presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi have taken to the streets. Even as the foreign press is being systematically barred from covering the story and documenting history the protesters are still being heard. Through cyber space. All of that social networking that I admit, I had thrown away as useless garbage is changing the world. No one controls the news anymore. The victors can't rewrite history with the stroke of a pen because there are too many people out there typing and making their voices heard.

Is this leading to a whole new revolution. Most experts don't seem to think so. Then again, a lot of this reminds me of the first revolution back in the 1970s (not that I was born then, but I've read about it in books). Plan clothes paramilitaries breaking into crowds and trying to cause chaos. Revolutionary guards on motorcycles terrorizing people. Back then no one new what the revolution was turning into until it had already turned. I think we might be seeing history repeating itself. I don't think anyone really knows where this thing is leading. The people in the streets are calling for the votes to be counted, but at this point, I'm not sure this will all stop there.

Gosh I love politics.

untitled

i drown the past in the wash
ring out my laundry
hang it all out to dry.

the wind sweeps down
i watch it bellow
free in the light blue sky.

folded neatly, i put away
fresh white linens marked
by faded green stains.

~ by katy

All Rivers Flow Into the Sea

President Obama with survivor Elie Weisel

Buchenwald Concentration Camp, Germany

by Associated Foreign Press

Alex and I went to the library last week. The book I wanted wasn't there. Alex had picked out all the books she wanted to read. All the books the library had about mice... and the latest Allie Finkle. I circled the shelves. I looked for my favorite authors, Hornby, Irving, Austen, Graham, nothing. I circled some more. Finally Alex was ready to leave. We had a graduation party to get to.

I grabbed a book that had caught my eye several times. A memoir of Elie Weisel. I read Night in school and I have heard him speak several times on CSPAN. "His life would be interesting to learn" I thought. As I started to read I realized that I had picked up the second half of his life, 1969 to whenever it was first published. This is not a book of his childhood. His struggles to survive and find a life after the war. This is about after all of that. His life as a writer, professor and lecturer. He writes about the people he has met. The events of the world that he has observed and participated in. Its interesting.

Then Thursday Obama visits Ciro. The time difference means that I can watch the speech live in the early morning hours. I found it intriguing. I wondered Where does this lead us to? and remembering the book I am now engrossed in, What does Weisel think about all of this? I wish I could pick his brain at this moment.

Friday I learn that Obama will be visiting Buchenwald Concentration Camp. The anniversary of D-Day is approaching. He will be remembering the victims of the Holocaust and touring the camp with Elie Weisel and a few others. I am intrigued. I read the transcripts. I am moved by the man whose memoir I picked up without thinking. Who has made me start thinking again.

Update: Last night I read the chapter of Weisel's involvement in the creation of what eventually became the US Holocaust Museum. This afternoon I went upstairs to lunch only to see CNN reporting that there had been a shooting. It seems a lone gun man walked into the museum and shot guard.

Mice Diaries

Alex wants a pet mouse. Grrrrr. Its not the mouse part that bothers me. I have had pet mice in the past. They are fun animals that I think lead happier lives when kept in a fun and safe enviroment verse your attack. Its just the pet part. Pet as in " a domesticated animal kept for pleasure rather than utility" (Webster). We already have Gryffindor (a lazy couch potato of a dog) whose yearly vet vist this month cost me almost $100. Do we really need to add mice into the mix?

I told Alex that if she wants mice she has to (1) become a certified pet mouse expert (by reading up on the subject and demonstrating general knowledge of mouse care) and (2)buy everything her pet mice would need. With her money, not mine.

When we went to the pet store and made a price list of all her her supplies, she discovered she would need almost $70. She gets $5 a week as her allowance and that is only when she has done her chores on a reasonably timely manner. Surely, I thought, it will take several months before Alex would be able to afford her new pet. And honestly, I hoped that by then she would have forgotten all about the idea.

But no. She has come up with new ways of making money. Last week she mowed my parent's lawn and helped my dad clean their house for a cool $20. She has already collected more than $50 and this weekend she plans to earn even more by helping out my sister.

By now I have resigned myself to the fact that mice will be moving into our apartment. I'm mentally preparing for all the new chores I will inevitably have to do.

Meanwhile Alex is engrossed in her books. She is becoming more and more excited about what the future holds and thinking up ways to make it come sooner. She is even getting ride of stuff to make room for her new friends.

- Mom did you tell Heather that she can have my princess lamp?
-Yes. She's very excited about it. She said Zoee needs a lamp and yours will fit her room perfectly.
- Did you tell her that it needs a new light bulb?
-No.
- Well, you should.
- Its not a big deal.
- I just don't want her to think she is getting something wonderful.

It is always wonderful...

... when a group of highly educated and successful people look up to see a load of crap rolling their way. You can smell the adrenaline in the air as people try to run like a pack of B sci-fi movie victims. Its time to cover your ass and run like hell.

Who said Patent Prosecution is boring?

(It is of course. If I tried to explain what all the fuss is about your eyes would glaze over and your mind would start to feel numb. Mine does anyway.)

Happy Birthday to ME!

Today I turn 27. Gosh I'm young.

UP! ....

... has landed. I know I am probably bias, but I loved it. Right now it ranks as my second favorite Pixar movie after Wall-E.

These guys seem to take the strangest ideas that anyone else would turn into a flaming ball of mediocrity and create a jewel of entertainment. At this point, you should be well versed in the film's storyline. An old man ties thousands of helium balloons to his house and floats off into the stratosphere. He is accompanied on this adventure by a young boy scout that accidentally stows away on his front porch. Together, they get into all kinds of crazy mishaps.

As with all films produced under the Pixar banner, director Peter Doctor (Monster's, Inc.) has filled his story with great, approachable characters that you feel for. I was surprised at the emotional depth the film packs. There is a clear and definite reason why this old man has decided to float his house into the heavens, and its rendered in a deeply touching ten minutes that just might break your heart. Still, the Pixar Humor is intact.

Now if you'll excuse me... I have some adventuring to do.

TAG!

I have several draft blogs going right now, but none I want to post. Including my review of Disney Pixar's UP!Instead I am going to take the 15 book challenge from Peter's blog. Here are the rules:

Fifteen books you've read that will always stick with you. First fifteen you can recall in no more than 15 minutes. TRILOGIES COUNT AS ONE. Like Peter, these are in the order they occur to me. And since I am doing this off the top of my head, they might not even be my favorites at all.

Here goes...

1. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2. Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
3. Harry Potter series - JK Rowling
4. Thirst: Poems - Mary Oliver
5. Burmese Days - George Orwell
6. Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkin
7. How To Be Good - Nick Hornby
8. A Prayer for Owen Meaning - John Irving
9. The Gospel of Mary Magdala: Jesus and the First Women Apostle - Karen L. King
10. Things Hidden: Scripture as Spirituality - Richard Rohr
11. The Awaking - Kate Chopin
12. Ariel - Sylvia Plath
13. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever! - Barbra Robinson
14. Chief Inspector Barnaby series - Caroline Graham
15. She - Saul Williams