P o c k e t CT

Don’t forget that today is public sleeping day. So take a nap where people can see you and how cute you look dozing. Don’t be shy about mouth agape, snoring or that drool spot on your sleeve. it is really what this day is all about. You will look so peaceful and then have those tell tale sweater indents on your cheek. Go ahead indulge the day.

I have been reminded that public sleeping is commonplace. True but today is the day to celebrate it nonetheless. In the same conversation I was told that sleeping in front of someone is the ultimate sign of trust, because you can do anything while they are asleep. Thinking about that is hypnotic. Maybe it is making me very very sleepy… Time to nap in front of my student staff. Sorry, no can do. I am listening to a Pandora station, which I know should be Cake Radio, but all my stations have been transposed to backwards. Apparently, I left myself logged in yesterday. The theme of the year is don’t leave yourself logged in – or suffer the pranks. So now it is oidaR ekaC, but still too zippy to sleep to.

Next year for this day I will have to try to stay up late the night before in prep.

Onto a non holiday note. Robin from Alchemy Studios had the brilliant idea last summer to call for artists to create handmade books, doll up a few pages and mail them to the next artist in the circle. She books were all to have a nature theme and be about the same size, other than that it was artist’s choice. Although pathetically late, I finished my last pages on Tuesday morning. Just in time to hand them off to the Hampden Gallery director for a show that opens Sunday. It is interesting how the sub themes developed – not by book which is what I would have thought but by artist. Mine took a turn into questioning who held the dominion over nature, nature or man. Even my last piece had a rhino and a plow ox questioning the wild vs the tame. Scott seemed to contemplate the duality of nature with its light and shadows. I am curious if the other artists felt there themes continuing on together or they were more drawn to where the book took them.

There will be an opening reception Sunday from 3-5 and because there is another exhibition there for George Wardlaw who is a well established artist and there was tv and valley advocate press coverage it should be well attended. How lucky for us to showcase next to that!
here is the event info or if you can’t make it you can see all the books here

I went to the Dance Flurry this weekend which was so much fun it deserves its own post but I don’t think I can do it justice at the moment. To tide you over go read Jan’s account

I was dancing with Bicentennial John who reminded me of something that I wanted to write about. Here is how it came to mind. He said he would be in the dog house if he couldn’t make time to dance with me. Although I adore dancing with him this isn’t exactly true. I say “I don’t even have a dog house. I have a cat.” He says that it would be a totally different story to be in a cat house. Well yes, that is true. So I think of some interesting things about my cat.

This is my cat Funk. She was once a mighty hunter. She brought me a mood modifying weasel.
Ryan and I were grumpy with each other …testy all day. I went to bed early reading to give him his required entire universe of time and space. I hear the back door open and then grumpy yelling “goddammit I stepped on a weasel!” I do not believe my ears. “What?” “I stepped on a fucking weasel, Funk left a dead weasel on the deck” “you’re kidding? a weasel?” at the end we are both giggling and bad mood no more.

Funk also won a hunting contest that Loruh and I challenged our cats to. There were points for everything they brought us. one for mice, moles, two for chipmunks, three for frogs, five for rabbits, seven for birds, ten for aquatic life and anything more than twice their size. The contest was neck in neck for most of the summer, with Funk behind. The last week however, Funk managed to leave a gray feathery mess three times on my bedroom floor and took the prize. The other cat, mortified, ran away so I never pushed the payment of the bet for a bag of cat food on the very distraught Loruh. Her cat returned a few weeks later by the way.

So now Funk is starting to miss when jumping up on the bed and hasn’t been her prolific guts-on-the-floor gift giving self. JoeTAH is attempting to re-inspire her hunting zeal. So far it isn’t working though. See two nothing.

This is probably because she is being invaded. Lately I have found that my neighbor’s cat has been sneaking into my house through the cat door. I have more than once discovered the tyrant tomcat eating from Funk’s dish or walked into the basement and had the boy dash from the litter box and out the cat door. He has been doing his business also behind the wood stove in the basement free of the constraints of the litter box which is also distressing to me. This is not nearly as bad as the all out brawls they get into. The last one left fur and blood on the landing and awoke Joe with the cacophonous mewling and loud hissing. This left Funk with a hole in her ear and me knowing that I had to talk to my neighbor. Where did I put his phone number? Can’t find it. I look on his blog for an email address but there isn’t one and I don’t want to leave an unrelated comment. Nix that idea. There is a poetry reading at the pub on Monday and I go in part to talk to him. So I break the news to him that his beloved cat is a thug that had been bullying my old girl in her own home. He said that explained a lot and he will give the little tyrant a good talking to. I’m not so certain it will work. Any ideas?

So now I’ll head back to the conversation while dancing. BJohn and I were also talking about how my dad called me that morning to say that he had found my blog and wanted me to know that he had been reading it. This is a little alarming to me because I don’t remember in a whole year of writing what on earth that may be there. I mean I have a category for sex and dating but what is in there that could be totally uncomfortable for my father to read? Probably something. Then I think of the post I wrote that talks in part about my father. I had to reread that to see if I had been horrible. No, I think just honest. So in the conversation with my father I had to say that the blog is public, that anyone can read it, but that there may be items that I write about that wouldn’t be entirely comfortable for him to read. When I got back from the Flurry I read a post from Second Hand Tryptophan who clearly labeled the post NSFM (Not Safe for Mom.) Should I put labels on my posts indicating the appropriateness for various audiences? In Karl’s instance that was a nice this to do since the title was about Last FM but the post was about whether or not Last FM was tracking his porn viewing, what happens to his brain capability if he can’t take care of himself, so I bet mom appreciated the warning.

I could have labels:
NSFM not safe for Mom
NSFD not safe for Dad
NSFSE not safe for student employees
NSFW not safe for work (can that be for text instead of pictures?)
NSFP not safe for prudes or that could even be not safe for puritans
NSFPAXB not safe for passive aggressive ex boyfriends
NSFRN not safe for red necks

I’m not sure what I want to do with this. After thinking about it nothing here is all that dangerous really. But I think if I start talking about watching porn and what happens to my brain if I don’t masturbate enough, I may put a warning label up there. Or maybe not. Reader beware.

I signed onto the Great Interview Experiment and it was great fun. First I get to read someone’s entire blog… even the archives, with a “You’re not a stalker” card in hand, signed by Neil. Then I can concoct what ever questions I want and Fashionista will answer. I went to town writing questions thinking that she could choose, but she answered them all. Lucky us!
You can still sign up too.

Food

If I was coming round for dinner what would you cook? I’d probably start by asking you what your favorite cuisine was, and then try to devise a menu from there. Most recently, I had a co-worker of the husband over and his favorite meal of all time is “Shrimp Fettucine Alfredo”, so I made that, and apparently he thinks it’s better than what they make at the Olive Garden. (I think he doesn’t eat out enough!!)

What is your favorite new ingredient of the moment? Right now, I’d have to say Mascarpone Cheese. Did you know you can use that in just about everything? You can use it as a dessert ingredient or you can use it in a savory sauce…that stuff is amazing!

What did you have for dinner last night? Last night, I had a chicken breast, smothered in BBQ sauce, coated in bread crumbs and oven baked until it was nice and crispy-(Sort of an hommage to BBQ and Fried Chicken but combined)-with some sweet corn drizzled with melted butter with a side of homemade smashed potatoes!

What is the best about local food in Nebraska? Home grown beef–hands down.

Fashion

I have a #1 rule of blogging that is basically that if I write about someone, ANYONE they will probably read it. Has that held true for you as fasionista that you know about?—I don’t think so for the most part. I tend to write more about things or my feelings or boring day to day activities, and less about people (unless they are wearing really bad clothing, and then I try not to name names). If I do write about people, I try to keep it positive, so that if they do read it, they won’t be offended.

The 80s look appears to be coming back how’s that feel?–It makes me want to rip out my hair and lament the fact that this is happening. The 80;s were bad, mmkay? Bad hair, neon colors—oh the humanity!

You are omnipotent but only in the styles arena you can instantly make something a super trend or wipe it away. What do you choose? I would get rid of tapered jeans. No one should ever venture outside their home in a pair of tapered leg jeans unless they want to look like an ice cream cone.

Is there something that is classic Omaha fashion that outsiders wouldn’t know about? Do you partake? I don’t think Omaha really has fashion…let alone a fashion that others don’t know about. People around here are pretty laid back when it comes to fashion, for the most part. The only thing I have really seen them get excited about fashion wise is Nebraska Husker Gear, and that is one thing I can’t partake in. We are BC supporters here!

Omaha

What is the best thing about living in Omaha? What would you change about it if you could? The small town feeling in what is shaping up to be a real city. Only in Omaha, can you see a sign above a cart corral in a shopping area parking lot that says “Think of your neighbor and the damage that could happen to their car”. The only thing I would really change about Omaha would be to move it closer to the ocean. My husband and I were both born in New England and we miss that area, the scenery, the mountains, the ocean….

I maybe moving to Omaha what do you recommend for me to do to get the real feel of the city?– Spend some time down in the Old Market for the unique shopping experience, go to a ball game at Rosenblatt (Home of the Men’s College World Series!)and visit some the amazing museums we have here ( The Jocelyn is my favorite!)

If you could instantly transport your whole family back to living in the time you grew up would you? If not then is there a time you think of as “the good old days?” What would you miss most about now? No, I don’t think there is a time that would be “the good old days’ for me. I enjoyed my past and the time that I grew up in , but my family has so many more opportunities now, than what existed 5 years ago, let alone 10-20 plus years ago.

Is there anything about you that doesn’t fit in Omaha? Where would it fit better. Would you move there if you could? I am a totally New England gal. I love the ocean, the mountains, forests….and Omaha doesn’t really have those things. I’d love to live in New England again…perhaps someday after retirement!

Blogging

Has blogging changed you life much? Not really, I do it mainly to keep myself sane and to just jot down things that are passing thru my head.

What topics do you steer clear of in your blog? Any you wish you had more time/courage/insight to blog about that you don’t? I don’t think there is anything really that I won’t write about. I’ve talked about my marriage, my kids, my friends…it’s all good.

Thoughts

Tell me about a recent moment of joy. –Every day that I wake up with family around me is a moment of joy. Sure, it’s also a moment that I NEED coffee or my head will explode, but the joy is there nonetheless.

You’ve got a day to yourself with no obligations — what do you do with it?— Hmm, shop for a while, read a new book in a bubble bath, and take a lazy nap afterwords. Eat some of my favorite foods and then just relax on the couch.

What is your theme song? — Some days it’s Life ain’t always beautiful by Gary Alan and other it’s 8 Easy steps by Alanis Morrissette.

Who will play you in the movie of your life. Drew Barrymore. If only I looked that good!

What is the perfect modeling job for you? One that lets me use my kids in the photo!

Thanks Becky! it was nice getting to know you a bit.

I was interviewed by Maîtresse here. I had to think for days about who to shrink and carry around in my pocket and am still changing my mind.

I have been reading a bunch of the interviews. I question I loved was asked by TimeCzar
Silly question: You wake up one morning to find yourself on a beach, tied down by midgets. Act fast: in one sentence, what would you say?

I said “How about some sunscreen?”

Well what do you say?