We all have a story.  A history.  A series of memories that mold and make and mix-match us.  That fold us up and put us away.  That He made us stories, walking around writing and trying to re-write ourselves.  Change fonts, flaws and foils.  That He'd introduce us to Himself as "The Word" - you'd think we'd grasp that in every substance we are His.  Who can build a story without a word?

I just bought the Lumineers album.  Making this quiet evening at home pretty perfect.  Every song is fantastic.  This one will be getting a lot of playtime on my stereo this spring.

(Ho!) I've been trying to do it right(Hey!) I've been living a lonely life(Ho!) I've been sleeping here instead(Hey!)I've been sleeping in my bed,(Ho!) I've been sleeping in my bed (Hey!)
(Ho!)
(Ho!) So show me family(Hey!) All the blood that I would bleed(Ho!) I don't know where I belong(Hey!) I don't know where I went wrong(Ho!) But I can write a song (Hey!)

 (ho!) I don't think you're right for him (hey!) Look at what it might have been if you (ho!) Took the bus to china town (hey!) I've been standing on Canal (ho!) And Bowery (hey!) (ho!) And she'd be standing next to me (hey!)

1,2,3 I belong with you you belong with me you're my sweet heartI belong with you, you belong with me you're my sweet heart
And love we need is nowLet's hope for someCause oh, we're bleeding out
 I belong with you you belong with me you're my sweet heartI belong with you you belong with me you're my sweet (Ho!)
(Hey!)(Ho!)

 

For those of you who, like me for a season you may remember, do not have a window. Here's a window. Yep, I'm streaming this to my phone right now... watching a bird build a nest outside.

Courtesy of J. Turner, and his window.
All rights reserved.



Live video from your Android device on Ustream

Good morning, beautiful weekend.  

So glad you're mine. 

.

In the depths: 

Why did Jimmy Johns take away  my sprouts?!!! :(

I love writing. 

To the point that I get giddy in my head when I get a challenge, and get to play.

Giddy. 

I want to be an expert writer.  Know every rule.  And know how and when to break it.  I want to be able to change and shape my voice like a ventriloquist, throwing characters against the wall.  I want to be able to represent people with style and clarity and grace and humor, as they would themselves wish to be represented.  I want to sound like them when I write for them.  Whether they are my client or my character. 

You want to talk about a goal for this year?  How about become a better writer. 

Grammatically correct? When I want to be. (As English majors, we master it. Then we intentionally break all the rules as we so choose.)
Spelling/ typographical errors? Be nice! I've gotten better at taking time to edit over this past year.  I have.  Leave me be. 

P.S. Esther - I just keep hearing your voice in my head saying something about consistency.  I'm consistently random. :/

[Go ahead and say it, I know, "hopeless romantic," but you have to admit - that is really good.]

I have a library in my office desk drawer.  I kid you not.  Monday, I read Outliers on the bus.  The same Tueday morning.  By lunch, I pulled it out of my purse and dropped it in my drawer... every few ounces helps when you're running around Seattle.  Monday evening, I had no book to read on my way home.  Dangit, left in the drawer.  Tuesday morning, faced with the prospect of another bookless-bus-ride, I stared at my bookshelf.  A Movable Feast was dropped into the bag, and off I went.  But lunchtime, it joined the first book in the drawer. And that evening, once again I forgot, and faced another bookless commute. 

This morning, I was late because of all the books and journals/ magazines I kept dropping in and pulling back out of my purse.  In the end, Visioneering joined the others in the drawer.  My drawer is full and getting tricky to close. Not to mention, I'm going to need to figure out how to transfer these back home in phases.

Most of you are thinking "WHAT?" ...but one of you is terrified.  

And for that one sheep... I will post.  

And for the rest of the sheep, I simply apologize, but the joy of having a blog is in the fact that one day you might feel like posting pictures of robots, and you can.  And you can. 

Definitely that cool.

Me and HP at the gym. 

What have you learned lately?

Yesterday I learned what a "glulam" is.  And how to format a "gutter" in Microsoft Word.  I'd like to learn something new every day - truly learn.  Small or big.  Grow. Change.  Advance.  Improve my skill.  Specialize.

Because one day, I'd like to be a specialist at something I love.  Know all about it, everything.  Be a resource. 

If it's been a while since you've learned something new... A few interesting lectures are coming up in Seattle.  Because my dad will probably panic about my posting these, I will hereby give the disclaimer to any and all potential stalkers that I do not necessarily have any plans to attend any of these.  That said, they look cool and I really wanted to share them.  So should any of these topics tickle your fancy, please go and enjoy a free lecture. 


Historic Seattle event on Dard Hunter

Image courtesy of Pomegranate Communications [enlarge]Lawrence Kreisman of Historic Seattle will give a free lecture about his new book entitled “Dard Hunter: The Graphic Works” at 7 p.m. April 18 at Seattle Central Library, 1000 Fourth Ave.

Hunter was a designer, craftsman, printer, typographer and paper maker who explored new ideas and adapted avant-garde German and Austrian Secession concepts into graphic design.
A book signing will follow the lecture, with some proceeds benefitting Historic Seattle.

----

The History of Seattle Architecture
1880-2000s: Two Lectures by Professor Jeffrey Karl Ochsner
Co-sponsored by The Seattle Public Library
The two lectures will provide an overview of 130 years of Seattle's architectural history, beginning about 1880 (when the city's population was only 3500 people) and extending to the present day. The lectures will address broad architectural and urban developments, a range of building types and stylistic directions, and the major architects who shaped the architecture of the city and region. Each lecture will run about 90 minutes allowing time at the end for questions.
Jeffrey Karl Ochsner FAIA has taught at the University of Washington for over 22 years. He is the author, co-author or editor of three books and numerous articles addressing Seattle's architectural and urban history.

Professor Ochsner's books will be available for sale from Elliott Bay Book Company and he will stay after his lecture to autograph them.

Upcoming Event Dates

Saturday, April 14, 1-3pm Part I, 1880s-1930s

Saturday, April 21, 1-3pm Part II, 1940s-2000s

Location: Microsoft Auditorium, Seattle Central Library, 4th & Madison Entrance

Cost: FREE. No registration required.

Tip: These lectures are very popular. Please plan to arrive early to ensure

Feed your art

beauty

&passion

in nature

&culture

in people

&places

stories

&faces

paintings

&poems

and lost shoelaces.

Esther was talking at lunch about this book she's reading.  She was sharing about the artist and 'stealing' and what not.  It is always a tricky subject for artists... none of us are autonomous in art.  Yet, how and where and to what degree do we knowingly permit the art of others to influence our own?  I tend to hate copying.  And being copied, for the sake of copying.  I love seeing people do things that they thought up themselves, or that naturally flow out of their personal taste and interests, not as a product of mass media and fashion.

That said....I decided to try a little stealing. The problem with that is, very often the original is still far better. 

I guess my hair was better for trying.  I'd tried doing a couple other creative things, but when they all fell apart (literally) and the clock was five past when I should be leaving... I decided to attempt what I'd seen and admired.  Why not?

You wanna know what gets me on Facebook  FAST? 

Kimberly Keith mentioned you in a comment.



Kimberly wrote: "My sister needs to marry this dude (@Katrina Hope)"

If you have a sister... and if she's anything like mine, you know that on the right day that post could have been written anywhere... on anyone's wall.  This is the sister who decided I needed to marry a guy at her church in Tennessee.  She conspired with his cousin (who was her friend... I'll give her that), started stalking his blog and Facebook - sending me photos and updates.  And had never talked to the guy in person.  Seriously!  A year or more and her first real conversation with him was when I came to visit when he walked up outside after church.  I wanted to tell him right there "My sisters been stalking you for a year." But somehow, I felt his cousin had already been planting her own thoughts in the situation as well.  So yes, when I wake up to this email, I'm quick to check what she is up to. 

Kimmers, Love you. Mean it. :)