The Graduate. Someday!

IMG_2771
Originally uploaded by joylawrenceclark

The whirling odyssey of, 'NOW!'.
A listed Thought pool....Dear Teenager: I Thought There Were Only 24 Hours in A Day, Quebec, Shantaram, My House Smells Like A D.H. Lawrence Novel, The Sunday New York Times, New York City 2011, Glee: You've Made Life Worth Singing, Red Box: Suck It.
FABLES. FABLES.

'On Saturday Afternoons in 1963', Rickie Lee Jones

pre-tornado on the West Lawn
Originally uploaded by wendysteere

The days are long and the years are short. A pic of Hayley and Robert during our family vacation to Baltimore/DC 2007...seems like decades ago.


I've been reading The Happiness Project and cooking up recipes from a deliciously simple Indian cookbook, 5 Spices 50 Dishes
I'm doing the near impossible; like staying sober for thirty days, going to bed early and rising early, exercising daily, AND keeping the house picked up!!! I'm practically huffing Meyer's Lemon Verbena Countertop Spray.
Small (yet AMAZING!) feats: Completing laundry from start to finish!! No smelly pile in the basement for days. No folded clothes, abandoned on the dining room table. Kitchen cleaned every night. Seriously?! *shakes head & a wry laugh*
Truth: I feel like I'm a boring person sleeping on clean sheets in a delicious-candle-scented house.
Anywhooooo! Hayley just returned from a week-long band trip to DC/New York. I'm crossing my fingers that she aims higher than Cornish! (NEW YORK CITY!!!!)

Necesito Mariachi!

Necesito Mariachi!
Originally uploaded by wendysteere

Check My Style

That's My PhoneBank!
Originally uploaded by wendysteere

Robert and I have been hit head on with the cell phone saga. Hayley (14), My mother (55), and Father (60) are all in the club. Their mantra is growing more deafening: WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN YOU NEED TO BUY A STICK OF BUTTER AND DON'T KNOW IT???
Robert and I spent a weekend driving an old fashioned car, using pay phones, playing pinball, and enjoying FOOD! : Each a nostalgic enterprise. The most delicious, satisfying, and Loving experience tops out at 'Of Montreal': Its a car drive sing a long. 'How To Cook a Wolf': Discover your hearty soul!

Aw Shucks!

Really this should say "Happy Faux Mother's Day" And thanks Hayley and Robert! I feel Supercalifragilisticexpialidociously loved! Cheers to many more purple rooms and crazy vacations!

The Avocado Seed

The Avocado Seed
Originally uploaded by wendysteere

I'm wishing that spring would just get here already, AND am happy to not feel terribly guilty for sitting in a cold, dark basement laughing at the likes of Amy Poehler and This American Life when its dark and yuck outside. I'm still trying to navigate my darn Ipod, and wrapping my mind around this podcast stuff.
This is a pic of an avocado seed that Hayley and Robert rescued from the compost pile last fall, and now its busting out of its bud vase. There's not much I love more than a soft, fatty avocado! I'm naively excited at the prospect of pulling it off a tree in our living room. I say naive because I have no idea if this will demand hand pollination (which sounds perverted!).
I haven't had a drop of wine in three weeks and life is just starting NOT to be agonizingly BORING! I am motivated to plan a garden- totally strange but true. Robert is trying to contain his glee. He can hardly imagine a life where someone actually helps with yard work.

I'm finally out of a planning funk and onto San Francisco Family Vacation 2009. Its a mystery why every occasion needs to end with a resounding two thousand ----?!!!! I invite you to sing,"In the year two thousand...' at the top of your lungs!

We Painted. He Sanded. We Fought. And Now It Looks Awesome.

All Grown Up
Originally uploaded by wendysteere

The living room finally looks like adults live in it. It was a tiny taste of hell getting it here, but we made it with all of our appendages. I'm still traumatized when we scratched the newly finished floor by moving the piano. Robert can recant the story punctuating it with a nonchalant shrug. Mind-blowing.
Its been impossible to do something at home other than sit on the couch and admire the room (and the TV). Last night we tried to play a family game from our respective positions on the couch- its difficult to draw cards from a table that is about a foot away when you're lying on your back..... We just can't get enough of this darn couch! (Thanks Tori and Dave and Danny!)
I naively thought that Robert and I would be honing our skills to finally win the 'Amazing Race' with each home improvement project. Instead we're creating our own version of 'The Honeymooners'. I was relieved when a customer related that he and his wife didn't talk for a year when they gutted their house. Hmmm...... I think I'll go out and buy a card instead.
So here it is! The finished product. Robert and I are in the mood to purchase art. The walls need some pops of color. I hear the price and time is right. Any suggestions?

In Bed With Clothes On.

In Bed With Clothes On.
Originally uploaded by wendysteere

You saw it! That is one High Definition TeleVision in our bedroom. My birthday was full of decadence: Eating like it was Thanksgiving, taking naps, reading books!, purchasing orange juice (ah- screwdriver!), and talking with old friends.
The floor+walls are soon to be finished and we can live in the rest of the house...... I'm daydreaming in Ikea Kitchen- I'm preparing my sledgehammer moves.

Dear Me: Meet Yourself.

robert and wendy.
Originally uploaded by wendysteere

Since we haven't spoke since 2008- its best that I list the facts first and then get on to the blag that I usually post.
1. My husband is a saint. When there was something to be done Christmas-ish he did it. Present Shopping. Cleaning. Decorating. Cooking. Wrapping. Fuse checking. (True genius! He got me a subscription to BUST! and didn't roll his eyes when I purchased a Nano for myself the DAY after Christmas). He showed Christmas who was boss. He deserves a Pinto with one black door that he can fold into like a sandwich and putter on to a tennis match.
2. If I thought I knew what the hell was going on..... well, I just woke up. Its been an epiphany that will put a smile on my face in about 10 years.
3. When I wake up again at 3am on the couch still in my Johnny Cash work clothes- tell me to get a degree.
4. Work is a monkey on your back- and if you're like me- It will always entertain you.
5. My deepest regret is that there was no 2007 Mariachi.

Ah! The blog cloud has lifted. Next up? Acupuncture experience??

The Short List.... And the Long List.

PJs
Originally uploaded by wendysteere

I've been hinting at it, and now I'll come out and say it: I'm onto a new job with a gazillion times more complexity. Its completely invigorating, blush-inducing, and humbling. Once again I'm addicted to my planner and daydreaming about the hour and a half I get to spend with Franklin Covey every Monday morning at exactly 0800 hours. That coveted time sounds a little like this: 'Chores? NEVER! Work? ALWAYS! Veg Time? ABSOLUTELY! Let's Prioritize!'
Today in a fit of denial (procrastination) I surfed through Netflix Watch Instantly! and found a strange gem called ' A League of Gentlemen'. Its a Kids In The Hall-Monty Python-Twin Peaks sandwich. Double on the Meat, extra cheese, and frenetically weird. Watch it! Its conflicting for me to advocate- since I've been a complete mouthpiece for 30 Rock. (Recite any 30 Rock dialog to a 70 year old dude ... Its a barrel of confusion.)
Christmas is on- and its hot and heavy: Try explaining that to the East Germans (Retailers). The wish lists have been copied, pasted and attached. The tree is awaiting purchase. We retire the fraternity house couch and usher in the SECTIONAL! I've finally grown up. Every day I turn into another tiny little piece of my mother.
Pancakes on a Sunday morning, homemade pizza, and Jenga.... and a Biggest Loser sob story. Ah! The homebody life of winter!

The Icing on the Cake.

The Icing on the Cake.
Originally uploaded by wendysteere

I'm on to an adventure that leaves me speechless at times.

It Starts with Bahama Mamas.....

Galactic at Tipitina's
Originally uploaded by wendysteere

And ends at a Coinstar hulking up your penny collection in hopes of purchasing just one bottle of adult beverage to enjoy on a frosty fall's night.
New Orleans was a blast. Starbuck's pulled through and I cried a little, saw Bono in person, reflected on the power of my own personal laptop, and got a slow clap for my stupendous abilities with a giant lopper. My husband still doesn't believe that I actually did yardwork and enjoyed it enough to not whine the whole time.
Robert made it to New Orleans and what ensued could be titled 'More Rum Punch!'.
K-Paul's was a highlight. The steak with Debris sauce (yes, it deserves to be capitalized!) left me on another planet. Luke cooked up the BEST omelette I've ever had in my life. Seriously. Oysters Rockefeller can kiss me on the lips anyday- even for breakfast! And the Gumbo Shop served up the most flakey, delightfully blackened catfish poboy that I'll still daydream about from time to time. Pat O'Brein's courtyard was a balmy 70 degrees. Cafe Du Monde's beignets were awesome with cocaine on them- Robert's reflection on powdered sugar.
Robert and I were shocked to find out that New York, Las Vegas, blah blah have got nothing on New Orleans. We showed up at Tipitina's leisurely late at 11p.m. for our Halloween Galactic experience- only to find out that the band steps out at 1 am- and rocks it until 7am. My old lady self just cried a little on the inside. I made it until 5am when I begged Robert to let us escape Jam Band hell. (The Crown City Rockers provided me with some LYRICS! What a concept.)
I shopped enough that I had to purchase a bag to take my voodoo treasure home! Strange.
Everyone asks what it looks like after the hurricane. And outside the French Quarter and The Garden District it doesn't look so hot. Its another ten years to normalcy.
I'd go back just to get beamed in the head with candy flung off a float full of half dressed old men in skeleton paint! We saw a t-shirt that sums up New Orleans nicely- 'Louisiana: Third World and Proud Of it'.

In Transit.

this will tell you...
Originally uploaded by wendysteere

I just joined the 22nd Century and got a TracPhone. Ghetto, I know. So, I'll be using it for important calls such as, 'Robert! how many sticks of butter do we have?' and, 'Hayley! should I pick up some toilet paper?'.
I'll be sure to program an obnoxious ringtone, and then bumble through setting it on silent. Argh.
Today I leave for New Orleans. Robert joins me in just 6 days..... but its this time that I love the most: In transit.
Its time set aside exclusively for daydreaming. Of course this mostly applies to when I was a kid- and it has transcended beyond modern appliances; i.e. cell phones, I-phones, wireless internet......We'll see how I fair. Maybe I'll want to compulsively play games on my 'TracPhone'!
I'll return with tales of K-Paul, India House, Bahama Mamas, Yard Work (uh, yes.), Crawfish Etouffe, Abita Beer, and beignets- Of course!!!
Ciao!

'We Were Fated to Pretend'

Sarah's B-Fast Spread Fall 2007
Originally uploaded by wendysteere

So, Its been a year since I began my hesitant (and then full on) affair with the Internet. When we first fell in love- I took pictures of our meal every night, and called it, 'What's For Dinner'. Uh, yep. (In my defense, I got a lot of comments! The most ever...) I thought that 'lol' meant 'lots of love' ! I superpoked my virtual friends. I begged my family to buy me a camera, and I've taken a lot of pictures. If I were to summarize my experience I would say: Photography enhances my reality. Real friendship will never be virtual. Playing Charades with your family will kick YouTube's ass.
Now that you know and understand the caliber of my genius...we can talk about how cool I am. JK.
My music plays alphabetically- sheez! Itunes.... how does that happen?!
Even the huge expanse of the internet can make you find out your mind is closing in on you. Imagine- a giant virtual world where you can learn about and look at ANYTHING! but somehow you keep looking at the same pages day after day. Its puzzling that the human habit of familiarity can even overcome the *genius* of human invention.
I suppose what I'm really getting at is that I still need to put curtains in the basement. I'm still writing out little '5 Year' lists on scraps of paper. I make out our family's monthly budget in pencil on folded and torn pieces of paper. Despite designspongeonline, craigslist, dooce.com- After four years I still feel ambivalent when I think about decorating our house. I don't have a cell phone. And my eyes still feel like they've watched a lot of TV.... even though it is the internet.
My family is sighing and saying, 'Duh!' right at this moment.
Maybe this whole internet thing was like a diet gone wrong- and all I needed was a Dr. Phil. LOL.
The bottom line?? There's an Archie Bunker in me and s.he's still not comfortable with Meathead.
My will is weak. Sorry Wendell Berry. Though I'd like for us to gather around the bonfire and talk some agrarian smack- I'll be drinking hard cider in the background, singing 'No More Mr. Nice Guy' and recanting the results from last night's Biggest Loser.
Life feels unnatural- and I'm sure you can relate.

Ceremoniously.

Mariachi '07
Originally uploaded by wendysteere

Robert and I un-ceremoniously celebrated our 4th Wedding Anniversary last Friday by NOT having a Mariachi event at our home. Anniversaries past I never had to purchase a card or flowers! It was all about speaking wacky white Spanish to some dude and his eighteen bandmates on a cell phone at ten at night (or laugh on the couch while your super-gringo husband mangles through it), ordering a keg, brainstorming appetizer ideas,collaging an invite and stapling it on a telephone poll.
Instead, this year I've led myself down all the familiar roads; guilt, forgetfullness, laziness, and lets just heap on a bit more guilt and selfishness. Don't call Hallmark yet! I believe I have an ace in the hole, A REDEEMER!, a 'get out of jail free card'..... NEW ORLEANS!
I'm a procrastinator by trade. I take action after a swift punch of guilt. And I believe you plan your own 'luck'. So let's say.... I'm ready to hit black jack 21 times in a row (Thanks Thunderbird Casino for the first experience!).
I know there's one lucky man who deserves it all. NOLA, I'm here. I'm planning for us to take you by storm. Dear Senor Mariachi- you have a contender.

Vampire Weekend

far+near
Originally uploaded by wendysteere

After a week full of ping ponging between band dedication and vampire love fandom finally on Friday we loaded up the Great Food Experiment IV, Twilight on audio, road snacks and drove west to Forks, WA. Hayley's nose has been stuck in a book of epic proportions (uh thousands of pages worth!) for the last month. Robert and I had The Olympic National forest carrot dangling in front of our faces under the guise of tromping about Forks and catching a peek at fictitious teenage vampire's hangouts. We listened to half of Twilight on audio, and Hayley graced us with her reading.... so that we weren't waiting another 300 miles until Bella and Edward KISSED!!!! I secretly reminisced about all the Sweet Valley High books I mooned over as a teenager, and vowed to read Stephanie Meyer's Twilight trilogy.
The rain passed us up. The leaves were changing, the hot springs were smelly but clothed!, and Second Beach gets my 'best ever' vote. The bowling in Forks is vintage, blacklight, unmechanized awesomeness. Hayley saw all the Edward and Bella Twilight sites and got pics. Success!
I felt relaxed as soon as my foot hit the squishy floor of the rainforest and we were spotting the sunlight on Second Beach between thousands of hundred year old trees. I'm already planning my and Robert's weeklong hiking vacation next summer. (Don't worry Hayley! I'll give you a free pass on this one...)

Summer Ends....

Cosmic Sundola
Originally uploaded by wendysteere

And if you live where I live- you go to a state fair and stuff your
pie-hole with corndogs to medicate yourself.
I'm ticked that right now my nose is cupped intermittently in my hand. Its time to cruise Goodwill for sweaters- we might as well back up the truck. We have a date for storm windows next week. My Grandpa will be disappointed to know that I lost the battle for the 80 degree house, and YES! it will be 68 degrees this winter. All Winter Long. (We may have a brief 75 degree intermission between 6p.m. and 8p.m..... pray for me.)
What I can be thankful for is that I get to spend the next three months holed up with fun people I love. Last weekend Robert and I agreed to a 'time worked=time paid' chore chart. We assigned chores a work time amount (i.e. 'making dinner' earns you 35 minutes!) And some members of this house get paid a WHOPPING! Ten dollars per hour. We could discuss the Washington State Minimum Wage- but we won't.
And some other members like to hog the BIG chores so they can make the rest of us look like chore-whimps. We've been 'calling' chores. haha.
Its been fun to keep a spotlessly clean house. (Yes, Mom. I said that!) Hayley even commented that it was like playing 'Yahtzee'.
Recently I've been enamored by the people that surround me. My work, my home is filled with people that impress me with their dedication and positivity every day. I'm damn lucky.
Onto winter! I hope its short, sweet and full of hot chocolate.

'I Need A Human Right By My Side'

Bermuda Highway
Originally uploaded by wendysteere

Robert and I witnessed a spectacular My Morning Jacket show at McMenamin's at Edgefield. I sincerely wish that everyone loves Southern Rock. Jimmy James y crew delivered- rockin' high kicks, falsetto, love ballads, strobe lights,afro-hair iridescent in the sparkling dusky light.... it was a full meal deal. (Plus Seven songs).
Tori courageously led us through the P-Town public transit system. Dave laughed at all our jokes, and unwittingly egged us on. Armpit love vs. Kentucky girls= A shorter bus ride with a couple of drunks.

It was the most gorgeous weekend in Portland ever. The sun was bright and hot. Robert played soccer with some kid and an old shoe. I made a quiche- the first ever, and it didn't kill us from its 4 hour ride in the trunk. It was bacon-y delicious especially with Dave's mountain of tomatoes. We drank bloody marys, beer, and ate! A LOT! The chocolates at Pix were to die for- Thanks Tori& Dave!! We had a marvelous weekend!

Blog-Rite

Fuschia-d Fall
Originally uploaded by wendysteere

I wore leg warmers all day. I rode my bike and my head turned into a block of ice- it was 6:30am. Hayley warned that it would be a 'freezing' 68 degrees. During my ride I created a chart in my mind that compared the expense of proper cold weather bicycle gear vs. costs of gasoline. A balaclava was represented by a nice rosy color bar that outshot the decadence of my hefty thighs.
These are the days of fall that if I were to fast forward to January, I'd be traipsing about in a tshirt, leaving the front door open, and pouring myself a white wine spritzer.
My blog has been sapping my procrastinating energy. If my blog were a discount store it would be bins full of crappy internet lists and haggard cashiers rasping, 'anything else??'...
I'm in the mood to be along for the ride. Sorry, I'm not taking us anywhere. But I'll bring my Chromeo, my Michael Jackson dance moves, iced americano+honey skills, and some PMA to save your day.

Outsourcing Inspiration

1999 sunset
Originally uploaded by wendysteere

I've been waving my hand at a smattering of all things inspirational this week.
I've perused book stores. Did you know that there is a book about all the dirty 'Star' secrets of every literary writer?? AND philosopher's tell jokes. Who knew?
I've been riding my bicycle. An old lady in a 1980 Taurus heckled me and cackled that I needed a helmet. Ugh. I hate bike helmets. I'll sneak in here that I joined a gym. They have a TV on each treadmill. Ah, that's a slice of heaven.
I took a swig of absinthe- stateside this tastes like the Czech moonshine I drank on a bus in Alaska. I may have to wax my chest tomorrow.
I've been acting goofy; dancing in unison with various peeps,watching Harold and Kumar. Some have witnessed me laughing until I fall off the couch.
Robert pimped our ride. I'm cruising around in a waxed, new white wall tired, detailed leather interior Buick LeSabre. Save your jealousy, and ask your Dad to give you a deal.
The icing on the cake is that Saveur finally did a whole issue on Breakfast. I'm suddenly in love with boiled eggs. I'm planning my next NOLA visit to Waffle House- Robert's never been scattered, covered and smothered. My mouth is still open in disbelief.