Chris and I met in a parking lot–neighbors for a time. Our conversation started over trash and we became friends. We grew to know and appreciate each other on a concrete stoop. Soon we began exploring thoughts through musical notes and connections. We fell in love under stars in the magic light of dawn. We’ve found disruption and turbulence in the change of knowing each other—of loving each other. We also found a deep reservoir of feeling. But always, through conversation and the lens of love, we’ve overcome obstacles and seized opportunities to be better for each other.

We are destined, but not star-crossed. This is the lifetime we get it right. Our souls know each other and sought the other out like magnets. This is how we keep it together in the face of our own human folly. If not for Us the singular I could perhaps lose faith, but as a part of Us we never will.

And so now, we begin planning an event to mark the passage from I to Us through the words “I do.”

Pull up a blank page. Tap your brain, tap your fingers. Take a journey and tell me what you see. Is it a dark and stormy night? Are the bird singing and taking flight? You tell the story and I’ll listen.

In other news, catch up on my archives which now include new “old” blog posts dating back to 2001.

Update: I just realized that most of 2001/2002 are missing. I wonder if I lost them when I migrated from my old site to this one. I’m sure I have them somewhere. Oh well, don’t have time to worry about it now.

• Row 1: Be The Light | Black-Legged Leaf Beetle | Rutelian Beetle | Soy Delicious | Fillagree
• Row 2: Look Into My Eyes | A Whisper of White | Little Lichen | Mother | Fibers
• Row 3: Little Touches | Tribal Coinage | Dusty Rose | Ale Horn Engraving | Golden Goblet
• Row 4: The Landscape of Lunch | Ornate | It’s All About | Over-ripe | Prism Vertical
• Row 5: Tiny Flowers | Dried Lavender | Prayer | Cut Glass Diamond Pattern | Hand-Made Bellydance Doll
• Row 6: Tiny Jewels | Novel | "Do you believe in always… | "i do not know what it is about you that closes and opens | Brillant

Created with fd’s Flickr Toys.

They smiled and nodded but trying to get them to clap with the music or have a good time was like trying to convince my dog to take a bath. You know, when she digs in and won’t look at me and starts to pant in fear, she’s like a cat when it comes to water.

I had this thought while I was clapping and smiling and trying to cajole people into enjoying themselves. I think people fear having fun because they are afraid of drawing attention to themselves. Or maybe they just really are bored. Or, and this just came to me, maybe they think it’s like TV and we won’t notice if they are just sitting there doing nothing. Regardless, next time you are out and see performers, don’t be shy, you won’t look dumb if you clap to the music. And who know you might even have fun.

First, as I post before, I got tested and found my thyroid was under producing. I have been on thyroid replacement for two weeks now and I’m feeling much better. I’m drinking less caffeine and have more energy.

Second, I committed to a program. I’ve been reluctant to join anything or diet at all. I want to have a healthier relationship with food in general. In the past, I felt that another diet was not the answer. However, after a lot of contemplation, I decided to do this program, not as a quick fix diet but as a way to help stop overeating and learn how to listen to my body.

I think the first step to getting back to wellness is learning to have a good relationship with my body. God got it right when designing our bodies. They are amazing pieces of function and form. So, the weight is only a guide not a goal. The goal is to honor my little knees and ankles and elbows and belly. And I’m excited about this program. I feel like it is helping me get control again–and I was way out of control.

I’ve lost 13 pounds in the last two weeks. My hope is to lose a total of 100lbs. to reach a healthy weight of 135 lbs.

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Amenia and I bellydanced this weekend in Monroe at the Mountain Hafla. We debuted our new duet and called ourselves the Sisterhood of the Dancing Pants because I let Amenia borrow my pants for the routine. It was well-received and lots of fun to perform. Our next performance will be Saturday, April 26 at 2 pm during the Holland Happening Festival in Downtown Oak Harbor.

Tweet Clouds Are you a twit fool? Make a word cloud from the word you tweet the most.

It said “Do NOT reply” On a lark these guys bought “donotreply.com” back in the day. Now, they get emails from people looking for the real mcCoy when companies use the “donotreply” domain as their bounce back email. Poor form. This site is a good reminder why just putting “@donotreply.com” into your emails is not a good idea.

How to drink tea Aha, the definitive tea snob guide.

There are five main types of tea: black, green, white, oolong, and Pu-erh. The difference lies in how the leaves are treated after being picked. White and green teas are handled very lightly to avoid bruising and oxidizing, which changes the taste of the tea. The darker varieties, black and oolong, are intentionally bruised or cut to encourage oxidation, which changes the leaf’s color and produces fuller-­bodied flavors. Pu-erh can be aged for many years. There are also ­numerous variations—jasmine tea, for example, is usually green tea that has been scented with jasmine.

Get smart SmartFlix is a service that rents DVDs, but features only how-to videos.

Ready0100101 Yipee, it’s really cool how they did it.

xtra, extra, read all about it! ReadyMade’s Green Design Issue hit newsstands this week, and we’re pleased to announce that not only can you find it in stores, but online. That’s right: we’re now offering a paperless edition of the magazine, and the first virtual installment is completely free. Plus, it’s got all sorts of bells and whistles, like direct links to online exclusives and a clickable table of contents. Check it out!

Stop Junk Mail, Save a Tree I have not signed up yet, but looks like a great service.

GreenDimes was created to give you a choice about what gets into your home’s mail box, and what doesn’t. As the trusted leader in stopping unwanted junk mail, we’ve worked hard to develop effective, long-lasting processes and procedures that really can cut junk mail by up to 90%.

Facing Death These are amazing portraits of people before and after death.

Second portrait:
March 10 2004
Beate felt that leaving her husband and children behind would be too difficult and painful if they were with her. At the moment of her death she was entirely alone — her husband was in the kitchen making a cup of coffee. He told me later that he was disappointed that he couldn’t be with her, holding her hand, but he knew this is what she had always said, that dying alone would be easier for her

A Unique Way to Support an Artist “THINGS FOR SALE THAT I WILL MAIL YOU” is an interesting site that lists the thing David Horvitz will create for you for your patronage.

Myths that ruined the housing market An interesting article about why renting might be better than buying after all.