Friday, September 29, 2006

What is with these guys?!

Today the chairman of the House Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children resigned due to alleged sexually explicit IMs with Congressional pages under age 18. Yep, that’s correct. Congressman Mark Foley (R-Florida) has been doing some electronic diddling with kids in the Congressional page program. Nice. His website touts his work for attacking internet child porn and good for him, he has “cosponsored legislation toughening the penalties levied at those who hurt children.”

But here’s the thing. Foley’s gay. He has spent his entire life in the closet and apparently, he’s still in the closet. The kids he’s been IMing include boys. When confronted, he’s denied being gay, even going so far as to say it’s “revolting and unforgivable” about the speculation of his sexuality. That says a lot about how he feels about himself. Revolting.

Why does this feel a bit similar to a certain Spokane mayor? I hate this shit.

Friday's All Jesus Edition


I've been having a hankering for jesus pajamas. Just say those words out loud and see how they roll off the tongue? Jesus Pajamas. MMmmmm. If you have too, you can get them here. I know I'm protected by the wily ways of Satan when I wear my armor of god pjs. (Make sure to check out the ABC's under the Salvation section.)

What would you do if one day your dog turned around to show you her ass and you saw this? God bless Agnes. God bless Agnes' ass.

This church has found flash and in the way of supersizing churches, appears to have also supersized their website. Is this really necessary?

Want to be frightened? Really frightened? Jesus Camp. You know I have to see this movie.

And finally...seen at a Portland ATM...

Props to JaAmLo for always providing my Jesus links.

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

To the lame jerks on TriMet who don't get up for pregnant ladies

Warning: Rant Follows
I have a friend who is soon to have a child burst forth from her body. She's pregnant. Really pregnant. Like due in 2 weeks pregnant. (She's not as pregnant as Katie Holmes is in this photo, which BTW, continues to haunt me because it is so unbelievable!) My friend told me today about her encounters on the bus and MAX during rush hour and the buses are thick with people. Actually, she told me this as she was heading out with her backpack on her back and her purse in her hand and her belly out TO HERE.

People aren't getting up for her on the bus. Wait, I should reword that. The young guys who "look like trouble" are getting up for her. And the women. But the businessmen? The suits? "They pretend they don't see me." WTF? You see a pregnant woman and you don't get up and give her your seat? Yesterday a woman with a baby got up to give her a seat and my friend told her it was okay, she had a baby to balance and should keep her seat. The woman insisted, saying she knows what it's like, and of course my friend should sit down. All the while, the man in the suit sitting next to her pretended to not hear this exchange nor see the pregnant belly and mom with baby playing nice over who should sit down. HELLO. THEY SHOULD BOTH SIT DOWN AND YOU MR. BUSY BUSINESS MAN SHOULD GET YOUR ASS UP!

Portland. Portland! How I love thee. But this is a disgrace. Didn't your mothers teach you manners that when a woman with a child, with child, or elderly gets on, you offer your seat?!?!

I'll now go off and tsk tsk tsk to myself while shaking my head.

Saturday, September 23, 2006

When you're 3 years old...


The wonders of being 3
Originally uploaded by Lelonopo.
...things are amazing, even when they're just a pebble. I love this reminder.

Friday, September 22, 2006

Haircut=Goodcut

Transformation. That's what I'm going for. And if I had a keyword for right now, it would be that. Got the hairs cut. And you know I write about that here. Take for example here. So here's the new do for you...
New haircut

It's been awhile since I did a self portrait. Self Portrait Tuesday became Self Portrait Challenge, and, well, it's just not so appealing anymore. Am I fickle? Probably. Screw the challenge. I like the exploration. I've taken a few days off from life to just be, to be me, to think, to work in the garden, to walk Wink, to cook, to create, to shuffle around the house. My grandfather's death is making me think about me. I'm thankful for that. But back to the topic. Here's my new hair. Cut some great length, and added more bangs. After years of growing out my bangs. Yes, yes that's true. It's only hair, people.

Wink also got a haircut. Here's her before picture:
Wink before her haircut

And here's Wink after:
Wink after her haircut

And then there's the two of us with our new haircuts:
The new haircut girls together

I know you're admiring the temperature control thing in the background in those pictures. I was trying to get the new lighting fixture in the picture but alas, didn't pull that off. I love this new lamp, and it's perfect timing as we enter the days of less and less daylight....
New lighting fixture

The accidental photo

the accidental photo
Accidental photos are often the best. The one you think you should throw away because it's a mistake. Don't. They tell the other story. Take this for example. I love this photo. It's my favorite photo of my grandfather. Sure, my grandmother cut off his head, but she captured the magic. And I can just imagine so clearly the moment...

The banter between the two, the quiet working man kneeling on the ground with his worksleeves rolled up pulling the kittens together in the grass. The gloriosa daisy balancing in his hand. Grandma talking the whole time, pushing buttons and clicking the camera, laughing when it took the photo not when she expected it would and everyone arranged and ready. I hear their voices. I see this moment. And yet I wasn't there. The photo captured that moment. The moment of their relationship, and roles with each other, and the capturing of a hard working Kansas farmer taking a moment to snorggle with kittens.

Thursday, September 21, 2006

Sunflower is the state flower of Kansas

Took some photos in Kansas...including in this field of sunflowers. How can you pass these and not stop your car to take a photo? The sky there is so huge, and the fields go on forever.
Kansas state flower up close
A field of sunflowers
Here's a panoramic via the wonders of photostitch..you can see the farmer in his tractor on the side. Of course we waved at each other. Everyone in rural Kansas waves. I like that. It's sort of a lifting of the fingers wave, not lifting your hand from the steering wheel if you're driving, but an acknowledgement of the other person.
sunflowerspan.jpg
My dad spoke at my grandfather's funeral and said that his dad always waved at motorists going by the farm. It didn't matter if he knew them or not, he waved. He asked him once why he did that, and grandpa said it just made him feel good. I think that's a good answer.

Monday, September 18, 2006

A Kansas Farmer

A Kansas farmer, my Grandpa Joe died last week, and while I search for words and memories to share, my uncle, a columnist for the Duluth News Tribune, says it just like I would, if I was so eloquent. You can read his column about Joe here: take a moment, really, to read a lovely and touching piece.

Until I have some words, here are some favorite photos of my wonderful, gentle grandfather. Click on any of the photos to read in Flickr the stories that go with them...
Me and Grandpa
Grandma and Grandpa on the porch
Joe and Leola in their garden
Joe

To be continued...

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

A little bit quiet

Received some news as of late that takes us away for a bit, and off to the land of....




Unfortunately, the purpose is to go here...

More info and stories to come, in the meantime, be good to each other. We only are given so much time on this earth and it goes too quickly.

Monday, September 11, 2006

Do you ever talk to the trees?

I think they can hear us when we do. What do you think this one is thinking?
Trees are amazing things
Props to JaAmLo for the amazing photo.

Thursday, September 07, 2006

Rockstar sighting in Portland!

The **original** and new rockstars have been hangin' at our house lately on layover from their cross country summer extravaganzas. Thank god Tommy Lee isn't with them, but it's Ja'AmLo and family--my brother. They've been traveling from Texas, then on to Hawaii for a month, now back and on their way back to the lonestar state. We were lucky to spend some time together over Labor Day, and lucky you blog readers, you get some photos.

Here's the new rockstar (she doesn't like being called just a rockstar, must include the word NEW):
no, i'm the NEW rockstar

Of course there's a junior version of that rockstar here:
the real rockstar

LAmLo and I had lots of quality time together where I was able to teach her all kinds of important things, like being sassy (here we're practicing it together):
practicing sassy together

And here you can see she's mastered the art of sass quite well:
sassy!

Can I just say how proud I am to have taught my niece jazz hands?
jazz hands

But I'm most proud of teaching her to share a few new talents with her "grand nama", also known as Mom around these parts. (I hope LAmLo can remember how to chew loudly with her mouth open and stomp with her heels when she walks next time they see each other.)
the puzzle i can do with my eyes closed
P.S. If anyone needs help doing this puzzle, I'm pretty well versed and would wager I can now do it with my eyes closed.

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Jon Bon Jovi is on the phone



Ring ring. Ring ring.
Hello, Lukas? Jon here. Jon Bon Jovi. You know me: the guy's song that you BUTCHERED tonight? Lukas? Yeah. You suck. Living On a Prayer? It's a classic. C.L.A.S.S.I.C.
First of all, you don't have my hair to pull that one off.
Second? You need to smile a little more.
Third? The Smiths called and want their mood back.
Fourth? It's a happy song, Lukas. Happy. Hopeful. You massacred it.
Fifth? I can't think of a fifth. But you're no longer near the top of my list of fav's on Rockstar.
Nope.
No more.
Don't sing Living on a Prayer again or I'll hunt you down and force some decent veneers on you.
Later.

Summer is not over


Summer windchime
Originally uploaded by Lelonopo.
And if I repeat that title three times, it will become truth. Actually, it will continue to be warm and lovely this month here in Portland, so unless we're talking about school and stuff, summer really is NOT over. No more talk about summer being over people. Carry on.