on vacation

Starting tomorrow, the hubby and I are going to be out of town. Our ride to the airport is picking us up at 3:25 am. Even a habitual early riser like me is groaning about that hour!! As to our destination, it is neither exotic, nor tropical, nor where all the babymooners are heading this summer season.

We're going to Kansas!!

That's right, we're visiting family. James' family lives there and every summer, there's a big birthday bash for all the nieces and nephews (at last count, that's twelve kids, I think. By the time this little bean is done baking, it will be 14). That shindig is going to be this weekend. While we're there, I also look forward to seeing the Petermann side of the family, some friends who have been on the other end of several phone calls over the last year and more, all of whom haven't seen me since I was wearing a wedding dress.

Boy, are they in for an eyefull!

This means, of course, that I'll be away from blogging and social media. I'm not even sure that my cell phone will work there. Trust me, this is much more likely to hurt me more than it hurts you.

We'll be back on the 16th, and I look forward to catching up with you then!

pregnancy dreams

Everyone knows that with pregnancy comes a surge of hormones so incredible, they practically swallow you whole. These hormones are wonderful and magical things, protecting the baby in the earliest stages of pregnancy, helping him/her grow. They also have the added effect for some women, such as myself, of making them very sick, and often very, very emotional.

One additional side effect is what one of my pregnancy books calls "vivid dreams." That's a really, really nice name for what they are. My dream life has always been on the unusual side, pulling together the most ridiculous memories, imaginings, and things seen over the course of my lifetime and putting them all together and then hitting the "Randomize" button. For example, there's one dream I had when I was probably in elementary or middle school. It's still famous in my family. It goes like this:

I'm on vacation in Spain with my Mom and Dad, my siblings having opted to stay at home. While in Spain, my Mom and Dad and I somehow end up in pursuit of dangerous criminals who have disguised themselves as babies [[I told you this was ridiculous!]], wearing baby-type clothing complete with bonnets, ruffles, and rattles. In pursuit of these criminals, we end up chasing them not via car, but via a crazy roller coaster that instead of coming to a stop like normal roller coasters do, ends up plunging us all into a big vat of chocolate sauce [this part is not so bad]. Criminals-disguised-as-babies have been STOPPED. Hoorah!!

So, after our successful capture of these Spanish criminals, we return home in seeming triumph. Peder and Kaari are standing in our driveway and behind them where our house used to be is a black pile of smoldering rubble. Oh yeah, Peder says. We forgot to tell you, the house blew up.

Desperate for accommodation, we decide turn to the summer camp that is just a few miles away, toward the south end of the lake. After setting up our gear [from whence did this camping gear come, I do not know] in a cabin, we walk down to the lake where we can see the small island that is just across from the camp. As we look closer, we find that Fraggles (you know ... Fraggles ... of Fraggle Rock fame ... you know, the cousins of the Muppets??) inhabit the island and have come out to greet us.

And that's all I remember of that dream. Aren't you glad? :)

And I've really been having some doozies lately, most of them not at all related (as far as I can tell) to being pregnant, giving birth, or even babies in general. I wish I had kept a journal of all of them, but here are some of the ones that I recall.

* My sister is getting married but even by the day of the wedding, has not introduced her husband-to-be to any of her friends or family. Just trust me, she keeps saying. She is looking rather gorgeous, by the way. She's having an outdoor wedding and I can see all these quaint little benches sitting in a sweet, tiny garden. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and you can ever so faintly hear the angels singing. Just then, I remember that I don't have my camera with me (which, if you're related to me, you know full well that The Camera comes even to the must mundane of family events). I yell, "Wait just a minute, I've GOT to get MY CAMERA!!" and when I run out of the house to get my camera, a torrential downpour outbreaks, complete with thunder and lighting. They wedding is delayed, Kaari is crying, and I am soaked to the bone. [[And then I got up because I had to use the bathroom, no doubt spurred on by the torrential downpour in dream]]

* I end up at a retreat or summer camp-type week with a bunch of young girls (about high school age, like, OMG!!). Everyone in attendance had the habit of leaving their items in the common restroom where we all showered. I was very put out on the day we were packing up to leave to discover someone had taken ALL OF MY AUSSIE HAIRCARE PRODUCTS. AND MY BODYWASH!! I made an announcement to hundreds to let them know how angry I was, and to return my conditioner promptly. I'm pretty sure they were all shaking in their boots. But I don't remember if I did get my conditioner back.

* James and I learn that the Lord of the Rings films were not filmed in New Zealand like everyone thinks, but actually they were filmed on Cougar Mountain in Issaquah -- right where we live!! And we had NO IDEA!! We decide to go on one of the tours being offered, "Walk in Frodo's Footsteps." It was magical. Really, you had to be there.

* I also dreamed last night that I had to pee so much that I made the toilet overflow due to the volume of urine I was expelling. [[You might also notice this is the only dream that is even remotely connected to pregnancy, and the one most closely linked to reality.]]

Well, even though this side effect is utterly bizarre and leaves me wondering at what kinds of substances I have flowing through my system (and at what levels), not to mention what underlying psychoses might be cropping up, at least it doesn't involve me losing my lunch.

my favoritest girl

Nothing terribly exciting or profound is contained in this post ... I just felt like putting my arm up and waving a big HIYA!! to the blogging world.

I'm very tired and headachey (but happy) today and looking forward to seeing my sis, who is coming down this weekend just to hang out and to help us out with some organizational issues in the 701 square feet of space that is our apartment. She really is one of my favorite people in the world. So many things in my life has metamorphosed since I've been married, but she's been someone constant.

You all know I take a lot of pictures, and when Kaari is around, at least half of them are of her. She thinks it's because I have no one else to take pictures of, but I say it's because she's so darn photogenic.

Case in point from last weekend:

Kaari @ Boulevard Park
Bellingham, WA ::: 23 January 2010
Canon 40D

Perhaps I'm biased, but I think she's gorgeous.

It will be so good to get some sister time in. There just could be random dance parties, which may or may not be photographically documented.

What are you doing this weekend?

and who knew getting older could be so darn fun?

I'm 32 today!! Who knew getting older could be such a party?

Mom and Dad drove down for the day to help James and I celebrate my birthday. I was doing a special 365 for the occasion (complete with party dress, pink fizzy drink in a martini glass, party hats, faux gems, and party blowers) and we thought: Hey ... why couldn't we all get in on the photographic action?

So we did. What a blast!! This one was easy to choose for my 365.

115/365: birthday girl!!
16 january 2010
Canon 40D

Thanks for joining me in this virtual birthday party!!
I wish you all could be here.

photo by kirsten.michelle
copyright 2010

wanted: your self-portrait ideas!!

I recently mentioned that sometimes I'm fortunate enough to have a good idea of what I want to accomplish in my daily self-portrait project. But on other days, I come up completely short and start wondering how I might make that day's reflected-in-the-mirror shot of any interest. There are some incredibly creative self-portrait shots out there, and I'm only on Day 105. Translation: I have 260 days left.

That's a lot of self-portraits!!

It's a lot easier to be creative when the daylight hours are longer, when it's the weekend, or when it's not bitterly cold and raining out. Or, when I pass by a long row of red shopping carts that are just begging for me to pose upon them. I kid you not: they were begging.

Day #103: Rebel with a camera
Canon 40D

Here's the deal: I want your ideas. More to the point, I need them.

I've tried some pretty crazy things (as well as some pretty prosaic things) and am willing to try some more -- within reason, of course. You aren't going to get me to set my hair on fire and run through the grocery store without any pants on. If you want to see what kinds of things I've already done and just how stretchable the idea of "self-portrait" is, you can take a look at my set here.

So here's the deal: I will give away an original framed Hummingbird print to someone who has a fantabulous idea for a self-portrait. The print is 6x6 and comes printed with a matte finish on Fuji Crystal Archive paper and is custom-framed in a museum-quality 12x12 black frame and white matte.

From the eligible ideas, a winner will be drawn at random and I will execute your self-portrait idea. Once completed, I will post it here on the blog. If there are a lot of good ideas, I might just choose a few runners-up and send you a little sumpthin-sumpthin as well.

Most of these should be pretty obvious, but here are the guidelines your suggestions must meet to be eligible for consideration:
1. To be a self-portrait, it just needs to include some portion of my body in the frame. It is not necessary for my face to be included.

2. The self-portrait can be indoor or outdoor, but has to be something I can execute locally (within the greater Seattle area). Feel free to suggest fitting props, clothing, accessories, locales, a song/poem/quote as inspiration, etc.

3. Absolutely no nudity or sexually suggestive poses/positions. Any idea that I otherwise find inappropriate will be rendered ineligible at my discretion. The author/artist reserves the right to delete any suggestion deemed offensive or inappropriate in any way.

This is my blog, and that's how we roll around here.

By the by, I know regular readers wouldn't dare suggest anything like I mentioned above, but just in case a creepy person stops by with a wild harebrained idea, I have to put this in there.

4. The execution of the self-portrait must not break any laws or compromise the safety of any person.

5. Submit your suggestions in the comments section of this post. Submit as many as you'd like!!

And that's about it. Feel free to let the ideas roll!! I will be accepting suggestions until Tuesday, January 12 @ 3 pm PST. A winner will be chosen at random the following day and announced here on the blog. If there are a number of good ideas, I'll choose some runners up as well.

So feel free to let your creative juices brew and keep the suggestions flowing. Thank you in advance for all your great ideas!!

* * * * *

NOTE: James and I are leaving for Southern California this morning for a few days (coming back Tuesday afternoon), so I probably won't be around much. I'm excited to get to see Sarah and take some pics of her belly!! :o)

overdoing it, perhaps

When getting ready to leave for a Christmas party last night, I suggested to James that I had an accessory that would make me stand out from the crowd and feel extraordinarily special.

What do you think -- is this too much??

photo by kirsten.michelle

studio work

Yesterday, the friendliest of UPS men brought a long-anticipated and very large package to my door. Yes, friends -- it is the studio equipment I ordered last week (which, by the way, was a mad screaming deal on eBay). In spite of my excitement that it had finally arrived, I was game for a nap after a long day at work. But when James started opening the box and removing plastic wrappers, I became positively giddy and couldn't resist getting in on the action.

Part of the reason I ordered it (aside from the sheer mad screaming-dealness of it all) was the work I'll be doing with Help Portrait on December 12 with other (mostly amateur) photographers in the greater Seattle area. But also because it's no secret I want to turn my love for shutter and lens and all those things they capture into a way to generate some income. This purchase seemed like a logical step.

And did I mention the mad screaming deal I got? Before you roll your eyes (again) at me making a big deal of this, let me just say that just for kicks and giggles, we searched the web for comparable kits from other sites. Um yeah ... we could have paid $600 more for the same stuff. We're talking umbrellas, lightbulbs, stands, backdrops, backdrop frame, and so on. And it's not as if what came out of the box yesterday was some low-grade equipment made out of cardboard and paperclips. It's good, sturdy, solid stuff.

Anyhoo ...

You know I couldn't resist playing, don't you? You knew that once that backdrop was up, I couldn't resist hamming it up. Hopefully the evidence does not disappoint your suspicions.

Yeah, this is going to be fun!! And you must also know there's more where that came from. (wink, wink)

And in other oh-my-gosh-this-girl-is-obsessed-with-photography related news, I recently had my first sale on RedBubble!! I made a profit which will not even suffice to buy me a double-tall soy latte at Starbucks, but it's a start. Someone spent their hard-earned cash on pictures I took and that's validating for someone who longs to make a career out of making art. James says this sale makes me a professional (and I'm thinking, yeah, a professional who can't even buy a latte), but it is something, isn't it?

next time you go to the park, be sure to bring bread for the ducks.

Because they will let you know in no uncertain terms exactly what they think of you if you don't.

Ducks @ Lake Washington Arboretum
Capitol Hill (Seattle, WA)
21 Nov 2009
Canon 40D

photo by kirsten.michelle

2 memes {4 things & 5 ways}

Since my laptop has only recently come back from the dead, I've had some catching up to do where blogging is concerned. Rebecca tagged me with this meme about fours and I still need to do L. L.'s meme about fives, so here I go, in numerical order for blog post #198 on this, my first blog.


4 things I was doing 10 years ago:
* Starting my first year as an R.A. in the Thompson dormitory at Biola
* Grieving the loss of my cousins, Bryan & Mikey (he was nearly 17 years old & liked to be called “Mike”, but he will forever be “Mikey” in my book!)
* Reading roughly 2,000 pages a week (because that's what happens when you're an English major and in an honors program)
* Having late night roomie chats with Christin

4 things on my to do list for today (since I am now home, these are things I've already done):
* Make coffee
* Go to work
* Go to the gym
* Fold laundry

4 things I love about being single (modified from the original 4 things I love about my husband):
* I am free to manage my time and my finances: trips to Ireland, time with my girlfriends, spur of the moment weekend trips, etc.
* That apostle Paul knew what he was talking about. Being single is such a gift. I could list a lot of really cool things about it, but generally speaking, there's something really amazing about it being just Jesus and me (and I love that I've got some really amazing saints to look toward as examples of fierce and holy women of God).
* I've learned to become independent in the best of ways and have learned a lot as a result.
* I get to sleep in the middle of my queen-sized bed.

4 jobs I have had:
* Food server
* Camp counselor
* Customer service rep
* Lead training & support specialist

4 movies I have watched more than once:
* Breakfast at Tiffany’s
* Moulin Rouge
* French Kiss
* Juno
(This list could be way, way longer!! We watch a lot of movies at my house)

4 places I have lived:
* My parents’ house
* A dorm room @ Biola
* A studio apartment in Bellingham
* A duplex with Kaari & Melissa

4 place I have been (this year):
* Winter Park, FL
* San Jose, CA
* Mount Baker
* The naturopath’s office (yes, it is here in town, but I've been there so much, I think it deserves to be called out on its own)

4 places I want to visit:
* Ireland (19 weeks, 2 days & counting!!)
* France
* Greece
* New Zealand
(this list could be a lot longer, too)

4 television shows I watch (darn the expanded basic cable!!):
* CSI: Miami
* Jon & Kate Plus Eight
* Gilmore Girls
* What Not to Wear

4 things you may not know about me:
* I once took a hip-hop dancing class with my friend Peggy.
* I had all four wisdom teeth out when I was 26. The bottom two dry-socketed. Ouch!!
* I've taken the LSAT (but never applied to law school).
* I recently reserved the domain name kirstenhaaland.com (no website yet; just the domain name). I know you wanted it, but that's too bad. I beat you to it.

4 People I'm tagging:
* Kaari
* Sarah
* Tammy
* Christin


5 ways blogging changed my life:

1. Reconnecting with friends from college.
I remember first being introduced to the concept of blogging about 3 years ago. I was a bit of a blog voyeur at first, checking in on Jessica, Rebecca, Jennifer, and Christianne. It didn't occur to me to start my own until a couple of months later. Reconnecting with these friends has not only revived these friendships, but made them even deeper than they were before.

2. Connecting me with new friends.
If you had told me when I first started blogging that I would find new friends, I either would have laughed, become very, very frightened, or both. It continues to baffle me how I can so deeply love and cherish people I've never even met. There's Terri, with whom I had an almost instant affinity and whose presence in my life and in the world makes me breathe a little easier and feel a little bit saner. There's Heather who is feisty and funny and smart and somehow gets me. Because of blogging, I met L. L. who inspires and encourages me in my writing and in so many other things. There's Nathan, who is just a genius and has such a tender and generous heart. And Tammy. Oh, Tammy! What is there to say but that she is raw and real and hilarious and I love that she's willing to say what almost no one else will.

There are so many others with whom I've crossed paths and connected with who mean the world to me. And now I absolutely cannot imagine a world without them.

3. Awakening to the call on my life.
It was through having this outlet of blogging that I reawakened to the truth that I am a writer. It's come in fits and starts and I still have a ways to go, but after attempting so many other paths in vain, after trying on a number of other ill-fitting identities, blogging helped me rediscover the one that was truly me.

4. A new addiction.
I can't seem make it through a day without checking blogs. Once upon a time, I did other things after finishing work and working out. But I cannot, for the life of me, remember what I did before Blogger (and Facebook).

5. A sense of community like none other.
I don't doubt for a minute that what is shared in this space is real and true; that somehow, the Body of Christ is alive and well in this space. I find in this space so much affinity and encouragement. I am challenged and inspired and introduced to brand new things.

If you're still reading this, consider yourself tagged.
:o)

soaking in every minute

one more sleep!!

I've got one more sleep until my girls get here ...

... and I've got my party {hat} on!!

Dearest Christianne, Christin, and Sarah ... I'll see you tomorrow!!

Wahoo!!

Note to my lovely travelers:
Check out the latest on the local weather.

one world dancing

No politics, no borders, no guns; it's just one man doing a silly little dance and the world is joining in.

Check out Matt's blog here.

six more random things

Because he makes me laugh and calls me his gluten-free friend, I am taking 23 Degrees's tag-back request to share six more random things. :o)

First, a correction to a random thing in the original post.
I was 2 or 3 years old when the robin egg eating incident occurred, not 5 or 6, and I thought you should know. Thanks for keeping me honest, Mom!!


1. The latte diet took a detour.
I had to switch to decaf because regular coffee was making me break out like a thirteen-year-old. Sadly, even the so-called Anti-Acne Blend that Caleb was good enough to send to me – that he roasted himself at Yaks, by the way – resulted in several facial eruptions of the pimply kind (but that dangerously dark roast is so stinking delicious, I almost didn’t care about the zits). Sometimes I sneak a few fully-leaded beans into my morning grind because 1) it would be tragic and irresponsible of me to let perfectly good coffee beans go to waste, and 2) I’m rebellious & fond of testing my limits.


2. No dish needed.
As far as I’m concerned, this is on my Top 10 List of Things I Love About Being Single. I bought it, no one else eats it, no one else has a right to complain about it, and there is just no sense in dirtying the dish (I do, however, use a spoon). So yes, I am going to be so audacious as to stand in the kitchen & eat Luna & Larry’s Coconut Bliss Mint Galactica ice cream Straight From the Container.


3. Gasp!! Where is my French homework?!
It would be exaggerating to call them nightmares, but several times a year, I have the same dream that I’m back in high school & have forgotten my French homework and my locker combination. The anxiety that attends these dreams is such that I wake up tense, frantic, my heart pounding with dread, wondering how in the world I could be so irresponsible as to forget my French homework (gasp!!). Incidentally, I never forgot my locker combo, & the one time I forgot a homework assignment in high school, it was for a government class (American government to be specific, which did not involve any guillotines as far as I recall).


4. Gladiator love.
When Christin and I were roommates in our senior year at Biola, we fell in love with the movie Gladiator. We saw it no less than three times in the movie theater, primarily because we were so enamored of the character Maximus (aided in no small part by the fact that he was played by Russell Crowe). Seriously … what’s not to love about a fierce warrior who, when asked how long it’s been since he has been home with his wife and son, replies, “Two years, two hundred and sixty-four days and this morning”? Aw …


5. A trouble-maker, even in utero.
My havoc-wreaking days on this earth began before I even exited the womb; just ask my Mom. I certainly kicked as babies do, but I did kicking one better. I became fond of sticking one of my feet up in between Mom’s ribs. She would push it down and I would put it right back. She would push it down again, and I would shove that cute little foot right back into the same place in those ribs. Over and over again. She was still sore long after I was born because I had managed to break three ribs and tear some cartilage. Ow. Sorry, Mom!


6. Car trip countdown.
If you’ve seen my sidebar, you know I’m a fan of countdowns. On one now infamous family vacation to the Oregon coast when I was about 10 years old, I asked my dad how long it would be until we arrived at our destination. He told me, about two hours. And I asked, how many minutes is that? He told me it was 120 minutes. I would periodically pop my head forward to the little digital clock taped to the dash of the old Chevy Citation and announce: 119 minutes! 118 minutes! 117 minutes! 116 minutes! I think it was at about 114 minutes! that Mom had had enough and ripped (ripped, I tell you!!) that little clock right off the dash.

Whew! For now this gluten-free-eating-decaf-coffee-drinking-standing-in-the-kitchen-eating-coconut-milk-ice-cream-French-homework-dreaming-gladiator-loving-troublemaking-rib-breaking-countdowning girl is going to wrap herself in some red flannel sheets and call it a night.

Peace to you all, and have a great weekend!

pre-grad photo of christin & kirsten {may 2000}

coffee photo by kirsten.michelle

six random things

Christianne tagged me, so I can't very well refuse! Most of you have seen this meme going around and if you haven't the title of the post pretty well explains it all. So without further ado, here are six random things about Kirsten ...

# 1: I once ate a robin’s egg. Confusing it for Easter candy was easy as a 5-6 year old. I found a nest in the backyard with that pretty blue egg just begging to be consumed (or so I thought). Sadly, it was not chocolate filled and that crunch outside was not very sweet. I came to Mom with yolk running down my face and remnants of blue eggshell in my hand. Poor mama bird: some kid ate her baby.

# 2: I generally enjoy cleaning. Getting the bathroom to sparkle doesn’t bother me. Hand-washing dishes tends to mellow me out. And the queen mother of all household chores in my book is laundry. Laundry rules!! I love folding towels & washcloths and putting clean sheets on my bed (oh, clean sheet day is sweet!!). But in heaven’s name, do NOT under any circumstances ask me to dust. Ick. Just … DON’T DO IT, and we’ll all be better off, okay?

# 3: I check my 401K balance obsessively. As in almost every day. This is a long-term investment people. But I get very, very happy when I see the little green arrows going up and very, very cranky when I see the little red arrows going down. Needless to say, the past 6 months have been rough on me.

# 4: I played the piano & the viola growing up. I started piano lessons when I was 7 and on the viola when I was 10. I played viola through high school & even sat first chair for a few years until a whiplash injury dethroned me. Whenever I was playing viola, there was one habit of concentration that I never could control, try as I might: I curled my upper lip like Elvis whenever I played. I imagine there are still orchestra concert videos displaying the evidence (along with the rather attractive green bow-tie/cummerbund ensemble we were required to wear for performances).

# 5: I’m addicted to green beans. I’ve eaten them with/for dinner several times a week for many years now & I never get bored with them. Nope, not once. I easily go through 5-6 pounds a week. I also eat two apples a day, without fail.

# 6: You could be reading Heidi’s blog right now. Yep, my parents nearly named me “Heidi”. It was about to be official until an aunt said it sounded like a stripper name when paired with my last name. After that, my parents could not (in good conscience) name me Heidi, so here you have Kirsten.

Tag, you're it!!:
23 Degrees
Danny
Caleb
Kaari
Carl

celebration {me}

So what have I been up to lately? So glad you asked!

There are a few words I could use:

affirmation.

identity.

celebration.

beauty.

fun.

laughter.

imago dei.

me.

I could try and use more words, but the pictures do a pretty good job, too.

{click on the photo to see a few more}

And I'm only getting warmed up.

In an e-mail I sent to friends yesterday, I said:

those of you who have been witness to my journey in any capacity over the last few weeks & months know that i've been taking a meandering & oftentimes reluctant journey not only toward realizing that God made me to be a writer, but toward beginning to understand & to embrace my unique God-given identity as a woman, as God's child, & as one called to be a minister of His grace in a way i'm only beginning to understand. not only that, i've been learning to appreciate, to like & to love all these crazy & amazing things God has planted in me that make me unlike any other.

this photo session was about taking that truth another step & really just celebrating it: celebrating the unfolding of God's plan taking root & blooming in me. it was a wildly fun & empowering experience and (i think) captured some of that imago dei in me.

I guess it's something like that.

It took several weeks for this to go from an idea {I think I want to have a photo session by myself} to actually getting up the guts to research photographers and finally to reach out to the only one who seemed like a good fit {submit comment on photographer's website: do you do this kind of thing?? I'm not getting married or having a baby, is it really okay to do this??}. Eventually, I realized I didn't care if other people had done it; I wanted to do it.

And then it came time to move from concept to reality: hello, butterflies!!

It was nearly two weeks ago that Jen and I dared to traipse all over our local downtown area in the thick of the busiest time of the day: people getting off work, driving by, watching. Me posing, smiling, standing tall and standing out. Tossing flowers, laughing, celebrating. Intimidating at first, but ultimately:

fun. celebratory. affirming. empowering.

An enormous thanks to the lovely, delightful, immensely talented, goofy, and amazing Jen Fox who was my partner and advocate in this project {who, not-so-incidentally, I also went to high school with. What fun!!}.

All this got me thinking: what are some other ways we can affirm and celebrate ourselves?

'nuff said

Flip-flops. January. Warm toes. Happy girl.

[more to come later ...

just getting warmed up here]

Check out photos from today's neighborhood wanderings here.

snowflakes & flip-flops

Don't get me wrong: I am so ready to go to Florida to visit my dear friend (and yours), Christianne. According to Accuweather.com, I can expect temperatures in the mid- to high-70s during my stay. I do so need to thaw out. Here in my corner of the world, the red line of the thermometer has not been able to push much past 20 degrees. My attire these days is regularly comprised of gloves, scarves, thick socks, and my favorite black puffer vest. I come home with icy white hands and toes purple and tingling from the cold. So it seems ironic to be packing a suitcase with short-sleeved tops and contemplating the question of whether or not to pack flip-flops (in which case my agenda for today had better include a pedicure) when there is a fresh dusting of snow in my backyard, resting on the flat and frozen surface of the little pond outside my window.

We got some more snow here yesterday. Having had a couple of unfortunate driving experiences in this kind of weather over the past year or so (nothing major, just those slippery and icy situations you don't want to get into), I typically respond to those first few flakes like an old and wrinkly Scrooge, crossing my arms and sticking out my lower lip, thinking bah humbug. I don't want to drive in this stuff (said with spit and disdain), or I will most certainly slide into a ditch (which, for the record, has not happened).

Yesterday wasn't like that. I ran outside to the snow like a nine-year-old, wondering if this means school is going to be canceled. As those first flakes fell, resting on my arms and eyelashes and nose, something playful and mischievious was awakened in me. My brother and sister felt it too. We played right along with our littlest neighbors. We knew it was magic.

So we just went with it.

see all the 27 jan 08 snow day photos by kirsten.michelle

the bedside movie reviews

During the week I was off sick, I wasn't good for much except taking up space on the sofa. That flu bug took my body hostage on Saturday and didn't let go for quite a few days. My head hurt too much for reading and it wasn't long before I had watched every movie I had any desire to watch from my own DVD collection.

On about Day 5 of my house arrest, I mustered up the energy for a trip outside the house and to the video store. If you're anything like me, sometimes the movies you pick up are such duds that you regret even having taken the time and fuel to go to the video store to get them. I am happy to report that my selections this time were worth the extra energy required for a trip out of the house and find them worth recommending here. The four films I chose could not be more different, each offering something unique unto itself.


Miss Potter
Starring: Renee Zellweger, Ewan MacGregor, Emily Watson
Director: Chris Noonan

Miss Potter is a delightful film adaptation about the life of the creator of the Peter Rabbit books, Beatrix Potter. Thirty years old and single, living in London with social-climbing parents who are frustrated with her refusal of any number of "acceptable" suitors, Beatrix's friends were often ones of her own creation. In the film's opening scenes, you see Beatrix gathering her porfolio of stories and drawings in preparation to visit publishers in London. She speaks to her drawings, urging them to behave and be good for their big trip out. The drawings come alive on screen as they move through her imagination, taking on a life of their own as they must have appeared in her own mind.

Ewan MacGregor portrays Norman Warne, the youngest of the three brothers who run the publishing house that finally agrees to publish her "bunny book". Norman is delighted with the tale and eager to please both the author and prove to his brothers that he can help this little children's book succeed. The ensuing publication and developing relationships with Norman and his sister Millie point Beatrix toward a life of her own, one outside London and beyond the social standards she refuses to adopt as her own.


Once
Starring: Glen Hansard, Markéta Irglová
Director: John Carney

Once has a distinctly documentary-feel about it as it follows the unnamed Guy, who repairs vacuum cleaners with his dad during the day and plays his guitar and sings in the streets of Dublin by night. When paths cross with the also unnamed Czech Girl who holds a variety of odd jobs, takes care of her mother and young daughter, and plays piano and sings when she can, the two get to know one another on the streets of Dublin.

The music that is created over the course of their developing relationship is as much a character in the film as the Guy and Girl are themselves. As they work through past loves and rehearse together in order to put together a professional recording in hopes of securing a music contract in London, a love of their own develops, one that is neither contrived or polished in that Hollywood way.

Some call this film a "musical" and while strictly speaking that designation is correct, it is also a simplification of the role music plays. Raw, passionate, heartrending, and humorous, the music is woven into the narrative organically, such that there would be no story without the songs that tell the story of Once. Of all the films I rented, this one by far moved me the most.

Check out the trailer:

Stardust
Starring: Claire Danes, Sienna Miller, Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert DeNiro, Charlie Cox
Director: Matthew Vaughn

Stardust playfully vacillates between the realms of fantasy world of Stormhold and a reality set in 19th century England. In the film's opening narration, the voice asks if we gaze at the stars because we are human, or if we're human because we gaze upon the stars. And then the voice wonders alound if the stars gaze back. The film's answer to that question is that yes, they do.

When Tristan (Charlie Cox) crosses the wall that demarcates the line between the village of Wall and the fantastical realm of Stormhold in pursuit of a fallen star to bring back to his beloved Victoria (Sienna Miller), he embarks upon an adventure that has him crossing paths with witches and the sons of the lately deceased king of Stormhold who are also in pursuit of the star. When the star falls in the land of Stormhold, it lands as Yvaine (Claire Danes). Upon finding her, Tristan is determined to return her to Victoria as he promised he would.

The bulk of the film portrays Tristan and Yvaine's journey toward the wall and the obstacles they face upon their return, namely with the witch (Michelle Pfeiffer) who is after the heart of the star so her youth can be renewed and the sons of the late king who need to secure the star in order to claim the throne of Stormhold. As they make their way home, they are aided by a pirate (Robert DeNiro) whose ship sails in the air; here, Tristan also acquires swordfighting skills that make him a force to reckon with as he strives to keep Yvaine safe.

Stardust is an unabashedly fantastical film, requiring a sense of playfulness to enjoy fully. The story it tells is the classic one of love, adventure, and good versus evil, told with lightness of heart and great imagination.

3:10 to Yuma

Starring: Christian Bale, Russell Crowe

Director: James Mangold

This particular selection was one I knew I would enjoy, given I had seen it in the theater. 3:10 to Yuma is a western in a style that is new, but also familiar in its rendering, a remake of one by the same name initially released in 1957. Dan Evans (Christian Bale) is a struggling rancher who witnesses the robbery of a bank coach by the infamous outlaw Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) with his sons.

When Wade is captured, Dan is promised enough money to save his ranch and support his family by assisting to escort Wade to the train that will take him to the prison in Yuma. The task proves to be a difficult one as Wade's band of outlaws is hot on the trail of the party escorting Wade to the train. Things get more complicated when Dan's eldest son flees home to join his father.

As the party makes their way toward the city where the train is scheduled to pick up the notorious outlaw to take him to prison, Dan Evans and Ben Wade circle each other cautiously, Wade sinister and affable and charming, and Evans tough, idealistic, a man of strong morals. Neither gives the other an inch, neither flinches at the other's strength.

While all markedly different from one another, each of these films offered something to compel and delight, going beyond mere entertainment to powerful storytelling. Now if you'll excuse me, it's time I got started packing my bags for Florida ... :o)

the plans of mice & birthday girls

Thanks to all who took the time to send me notes and e-cards yesterday on my birthday; they were much appreciated! Because I've been spending all my time at home alone this week, e-mails, blog comments, and phone calls are the bulk of the human contact I've had.

I didn't have any grand plans for my actual birthday since it fell on a weekday and had I been at work, I would have been working overtime anyway. But I definitely did not intend on being sick.

If you had not heard, I came down with the flu on Saturday and have been home ever since. It started out as a tickle in my throat and quickly escalated into alternating fever and chills, fatigue, an aching body, a splitting headache, sinus congestion, coughing, and nausea every time I dared to remove myself from the couch. Sunday and Monday were by far the worst days. By Tuesday I was feeling a little more human, but knew I should probably take Wednesday also. Since I would have missed three consecutive days of work, I called the doctor's office first thing Wednesday morning to get an appointment to obtain the requisite note required to come back to work. My trip to the doctor Wednesday afternoon was the first time I had left my house since Saturday.

I've been anticipating this birthday for some time; I'm excited to be thirty! Over a month ago, I designed a t-shirt for this day so I could advertise the fact it was my birthday: I'd wear it to work, and out to dinner later making sure everyone who walked by me knew. And why not? Even though I was only going to the doctor, I saw no reason not to wear it. So I put it on over a long-sleeved white t-shirt, put on my favorite pair of jeans, and headed out the door.

the birthday t-shirt, designed with the help of cafepress.com

I sat in the patient room for a few minutes before Erica (my doctor) came in. I was on the brink of tears; my good mood diminished when the nurse took my temperature just minutes earlier: at 101 degrees, I was still running a fever. I have no thermometer at home, but I knew this had gone down considerably from what it was on Sunday and Monday, and I wondered what kind of fever I had been running those two days.

waiting in the patient room

so happy about that 101 fever, really. can you tell?

She came in and examined me and noticed a fever rash all over my back, neck, and stomach that had completely escaped my notice. She said that she'd give me a note for the whole week and that I shouldn't go back to work until Monday. Perhaps many would be fine with a full week off, but I was already unhappy about the prospect of seeing all my hard-earned personal/vacation time dwindling because I work in a cubicle farm/petri dish where people think they're heroes for coming to work when they don't feel well. I have a lot of time saved up and glad I have it for situations such as these, but to see 40 hours gone so I could sit at home alone on the couch under a blanket exhausting my DVD collection and feeling sick? Ugh.

I went straight home and called my manager on the way to let him know. Since I have the best kind of manager you could ask for, I was not concerned in the least about letting him know that the doctor required me to stay home and rest for the remainder of the week. He said to take care of myself, that I was missed, and that half of our leadership team was out sick with the flu also.

When I arrived home, I fixed a small lunch of fried tempeh and green vegetables. When my sister called to ask if our dinner & movie plans for the night with Mom were still on, I lost it. I felt like my birthday was shot because I had gotten kicked hard in the rear with this infernal flu bug. While I was thankful I could stay home and rest, spending another day alone and on the couch, drinking fluids and spacing out in front of the TV was not how I wanted to spend my birthday. I couldn't even go enjoy a dinner and a movie, for crying out loud! I was so angry. I knew there wasn't a thing that could be done about it (the flu offers no special treatment for those with birthdays, apparently), but I was suddenly feeling miserable about the whole thing. I went back to my sickbay [aka: the couch], meanly flattened my food with the fork, and ate it begrudgingly between sobs. I don't say this kind of thing often, but for how the day had gone so far, I could not gloss it over: this totally sucked.

my sickbay

my lunch before i attacked it

Kaari came home about an hour later and told me to close my eyes. I heard her walk over to me and felt her place something on my head. I went and looked in the mirror to find a pink feathered tiara had been put on my head, a perfect complement to the "birthday girl." t-shirt I still wore. She had picked up a movie, and my Mom would be coming shortly with some soup.

And then my phone rang; it was Christin, my roommate from college calling to wish me a happy birthday. It was so great to hear her voice and tell her about my sad day, but how it was getting better already. My Mom came through the door while I was on the phone and brought red tulips (my favorite) with her and a cute get well card: Even germs find you irresistible, it says. I had to laugh.

Kaari proceeded to act as photographer, taking pictures of me as I was only too happy to pose (I've always been a bit of a ham for the camera). We ate our split pea soup, watched a movie, and laughed together. A few more friends called and wished me a happy birthday. After Mom went home, I shook vodka-crans for me, my sister, and our roommate Michelle.

I certainly would not have planned to spend my birthday this way, but am happy with the way it turned out. I'm glad I have this week to rest and sleep in and feel and think and give my body a break after seven months of going a hundred miles an hour. When I celebrate with friends for a birthday dinner in Seattle this coming weekend, I will be able to be fully present and engaged, soaking in every moment of that night. When I go to Florida, I will already be rested and able to fully enjoy the time that I'll have there, the time that already feels too short.

e-mailing Christianne!

There have been so many surprises and blessings in this week, some of which I'll expand upon in future posts, and some of which I'll ponder in my own heart for a time. God has been speaking, and I've been still and listening. I'm so excited to see what He has for me this year. I feel as though I'm standing at the edge of a precipice, His hand covering my eyes, with the landscape of His plan in front of me. I can't wait until He lifts the hand, or at least allows me a peek through His fingers.

cat's eye view of christmas

Meet Slater, my family's 11-year-old mane coon cat. Slater enjoys playing with long curly ribbon, burrowing under massive piles of wrapping paper, and posing for the camera.

kittycat christmas photos by kirsten.michelle