every day

Friday 24 July

2009-07-25T03:57:00.001-07:00

Today I saw a large pickup truck laden with ten road bikes. There were four on a rack in the bed, four on a rack off the back, and then I saw the bonus two on the front as I passed in the left lane.

Thursday 24 July

2009-07-23T03:58:00.000-07:00

Today I saw part of a small bird's wing, on the ground directly in front of the glass doors to my area in the building at work. It stayed there all day, blown about a bit, but the light bones held the feathers together the entire time.

Wednesday 8 July

2009-07-08T22:24:00.001-07:00

Today I saw an episode of one of my new favorite tv shows, wherein the British schoolkids do a musical about September 11th. It was so bizarre to watch British teenagers sing about an event that happened to me. I still feel confused.

Tuesday 7 July

2009-07-07T22:20:00.000-07:00

Today I saw lots of falcons, I think peregrine. Maybe just birds of prey, but I do think they were all falcons. The first was perched on a lamp post overlooking Highway 26 as I drove home from work. The second landed in a tree next to the train tracks as we rode our bikes just past the entrance to the Springwater Trail. Then we passed a nest with two adults and an unknown number of babies, on a platform built specifically for them.

Monday 6 July

2009-07-06T15:37:00.001-07:00

Today I saw red plastic soldiers and a pink toy car on the "Blair Witch" trail from the parking lot to my building; lots of big oak galls on the ground (I snagged the largest whole one for my desk-- looks like a potato); a yellow biplane flying so low that I could see the pilot through the open door.

Sunday 5 July

2009-07-05T15:39:00.000-07:00

Today I saw a Value Village, two Goodwills, and the Dig on a tour of thriftstores with Juliet, from work.

Wednesday 1 July

2009-07-01T23:18:00.000-07:00

Today I saw demonstrations of basic knife work. Rick's friend Mike showed a bunch of us how to cut onions, garlic, ginger, potatoes, bell pepper, and pineapple, now that we all have nice knives from the local Shun warehouse sale.

Monday 29 June

2009-06-29T23:19:00.000-07:00

Today I saw a beautiful yellow bird (goldfinch?) singing sweetly, a large garter snake, and a deer just five feet off the trail, startled by Ann and I running past.

Thursday 18 June

2009-06-18T15:04:00.000-07:00

Today I saw a huge white mushroom at the base of a tree, just off the main path at work. I stepped into the garden bed and crouched down beside it to get a photo.

Tuesday 16 June

2009-06-16T15:02:00.000-07:00

Today I saw the body of a rabbit. It lay right against the wooden boardwalk trail through Tualatin Hills Nature Park, through which Brett led Ann & I on a run. Perhaps the missing head is indicative of zombies-- what other creature eats only the head and leaves behind the meat?

Thursday 11 June

2009-06-11T11:05:00.000-07:00

Today I saw an odd machine: a truck with training wheels and a CAT loader on the back, slowly rolling down the train tracks near my house. The loader-- assisted by men on the ground on either side of the tracks-- picked up big wooden ties and neatly stacked them on the truck bed. There were so many ties already on the truck: no wonder it moved so slowly.

Tuesday 9 June

2009-06-09T23:43:00.000-07:00

Today I saw discarded railroad ties on either side of the tracks (they must've replaced some of them) and two dead crows at the base of a telephone pole nearby. I was running home from a LunaChix run, and the whole area near the tracks had that distinctive creosote smell. I thought about dragging some ties home, but I've heard scary stories about using them for garden bed frames because of the chemicals they leach.

Sunday 7 June

2009-06-07T23:02:00.000-07:00

Today I saw a steep mountain meadow of wildflowers (mostly yellow-- ligularia?), and a bald eagle. The eagle wasn't on the mountain, though: he was flying along the highway in the gorge, on the way home. I also heard an owl, but never saw it.

Wednesday 3 June

2009-06-03T22:17:00.000-07:00

Today I saw a woman whose hand signals on the bike were clear and consistent-- something of beauty on an early morning bike ride. On the way home from work I saw a trail I've only glimpsed from the car along 26, and a lovely neighborhood above the zoo. Later this evening, I saw an old coworker friend at the food carts, and then a couple of adorable muppet-like bats above the circle in Ladd's, flapping around as if on elastic string for Halloween.

Sunday 31 May

2009-05-31T22:42:00.001-07:00

Today I saw the underside of my garden-- laying down the hose for a drip irrigation system. It's just barely started, but I did a lot of weeding and planting. Still so much more to go!

Saturday 30 May

2009-05-30T22:39:00.000-07:00

Today I saw all the action of the day in the morning. By 9:30am I had started bread dough, made mix for cinnamon soy ice cream, gone for a 7 mile run with Anna and Jay, and circled the farmers' market twice (having bought lots of veggie & herb starts and produce). The rest of the day was... wow, what did I do? A bit of yard work and some Sweden travel planning.

Friday 29 May

2009-05-29T23:00:00.000-07:00

Today I saw a really nice suit. At the end of the block on which I drop off Erik each morning, there was a man wearing a plain dark suit with double back vents and tan shoes. Something about the cut of it made it stand out amongst the others. That's a well made suit.

Thursday 28 May

2009-05-28T23:02:00.000-07:00

Today I saw a number of parades with people on stilts, lots of interesting jewelry, accessories, and clothing made by creative, resourceful people, and some endearing homemade food. But on the drive home, all of those images were erased by a wide flat cloud on the horizon. From behind it rose a sharp, thin spire, a space-age cloud tower. It looked like metal, but I know that no visible radio tower exists in that direction. A cloud spire! Truly breathtaking.

Tuesday 26 May

2009-05-26T23:13:00.000-07:00

Today I saw Dana, and met Isaak! Dana was visiting for a few days, and Rebecca had a baby shower-of-sorts for her. What I didn't see today was the Silversun Pickups, because I forgot my ID and the show was 21 and over. Erik stayed for the show and took the bus home while I went for a LunaChix run and to the shower. Then we went to see School of Seven Bells and Black Moth Super Rainbow at Holocene.

Wednesday 20 May

2009-05-20T22:12:00.001-07:00

Today I saw emotional anguish. Smart, well-loved, hard-working people let go after working at the company for years-- 16, 12, 7. It was absolutely crushing.

Tuesday 19 May

2009-05-19T22:07:00.000-07:00

Today I saw three friends I made at work, making the best of losing their jobs. They spent a lot of the day at the Nightlight Lounge, where I met up with them after a harried late evening of work, missing the LunaChix bike ride and just barely dropping my bike off for a tune-up before River City Bikes closed at 7pm.

Monday 18 May

2009-05-18T21:44:00.000-07:00

Today I saw miniature tornadoes swirling through downtown, sweeping up seeds, leaves, and other spring debris. The paths switched back and petered out in no discernible pattern, fascinating to watch.

Sunday 17 May

2009-05-17T21:54:00.000-07:00

Today I saw a termite pull off its own wings; a trailer and truck bed full of antlers, battened down; the eyes of a girl heading down a trail to kayak off a 100 ft waterfall. We didn't know that, though, until we tried to see Metlako Falls from the viewpoint. A video crew kept people away so that they could get their footage.

Monday 11 May

2009-05-11T22:01:00.000-07:00

Today I saw a woman with a tattoo of the symbol of the company we work for, on her ankle. It was placed wrong per brand guidelines. She was climbing the stairs ahead of me, in the gym.

Sunday 3 May

2009-05-03T11:46:00.000-07:00

Today I saw lots of riverfront trail. I had thought the marathon course looped around the river, but it first dipped south with the half-marathoners, then made some very confusing twists, turns, and backtracks. It was a tough race for me. On the one hand I had a terrible race day-- stomach cramps for 18 miles, my slowest marathon yet, 28 minutes off my goal time. On the other I am thankful for great running conditions, a beautiful, flat course, and racing-- and finishing-- with my brother. Although I seriously considered running the half for the first 14 miles of the race, I did complete another marathon.

Saturday 2 May

2009-05-02T23:42:00.000-07:00

Today I saw panic. Ted, Erik and I waited until 8:15pm on our 24-person, 7:30 dinner reservations. Then we bailed. We went to the next Italian restaurant, which we also bailed on when we realized that it only served pizza. At the third place, Lucky Noodle Cafe, we accepted the 20 minute wait and had a nice meal. Still, eating dinner at 10pm the night before a 7am marathon is less than ideal.

Friday 1 May

2009-05-01T23:40:00.000-07:00

Today I saw a helicopter taking off from the top of the parking garage, as my brother and I ran across the top of the Steel Bridge. We wouldn't have had the high vantage point except that a cruise boat headed downriver raised the pedestrian deck just as we ran up to it.

Thursday 30 April

2009-04-30T21:55:00.000-07:00

Today I saw the guy who took the treadmill next to me in the gym, conspicuously craning his neck to check out my display-- speed, time, or distance, I'm not sure. He didn't succeed. It was my final speed workout before the marathon on Sunday, and I enjoyed the short, fast run.

Wednesday 29 April

2009-04-29T21:54:00.000-07:00

Today I saw "Caprica," the pilot/movie for the new sci-fi series that's a prequel of sorts to the recently-ended "Battlestar Galactica." I enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to the series.

Tuesday 28 April

2009-04-28T21:52:00.000-07:00

Today I saw a man in his mid-twenties riding a bike downtown. He was wearing scrubs and no helmet, using one hand to steer the bike (he changed lanes from the far right to far left in the block I watched) and the other to smoke a cigarette.

2009-04-22T19:55:00.000-07:00

Today I saw a woman and a dog walking down the sidewalk, side by side. The dog carried its own leash in its mouth.

... William Sullivan, speaking at Mazama about new trails on the coast and new wilderness areas across Oregon. The following are my notes from his presentation:

Lake flaca, head south, Cape Blaco trail along cliffs

Other direction, most desolate beach

Three Sisters Rocks-- sea cave

Hanging Rock, lower Rogue

Rock Lake, 7 miles good first backpack trip

Badlands wilderness area-- petroglyphs

Tuesday 21 April

2009-04-21T20:08:00.000-07:00

Today I saw endless blue-- the sky without clouds. I stopped in wonder just to stare several times throughout the day.

Monday 20 April

2009-04-20T20:10:00.000-07:00

Today I saw Thievery Corporation, although not for long. A middle-aged couple slow-dancing to no music, which became a trio slow-dancing to no music when a friend came up to them. An entire shelf of vegan donuts at Voodoo, an upgrade from the previous plateful.

Sunday 19 April

2009-04-19T20:12:00.000-07:00

Today I saw new leaves glowing everywhere-- green, chartreuse, red.

Monday 13 April

2009-04-13T21:55:00.000-07:00

Today I saw a bright yellow bike and three people waiting outside my house as I pulled up after work. I was late because of last minute work, and they were early for Swedish class.

Sunday 12 April

2009-04-12T21:56:00.000-07:00

Today I saw a snowdog (a canine snowman) and a dog wearing booties, galloping like a horse for joy across the empty, wet parking lot.

Saturday 11 April

2009-04-11T21:49:00.000-07:00

Today I saw "Adventureland" with Erik.

Friday 10 April

2009-04-10T22:30:00.000-07:00

Today I saw clouds in the sunny sky posing as clouds from movies or paintings. And a store (Flutter) that is the walk-in closet of my dreams, with preserved moss, taxidermied armadillos, jawbone candelabras, rhinestone necklaces assembled from old brooches, and ripped silk lanterns. Heaven!

Tuesday 7 April

2009-04-07T20:56:00.000-07:00

Today I saw tons of adorable garter snakes, slipping alongside the paved trail in the Tualatin Hills Nature Park.

Saturday 4 April

2009-04-04T20:46:00.000-07:00

Today I saw mountain reflected on the leaves at the top of the camellia tree, through the window in our attic bedroom.

Friday 3 April

2009-04-03T20:54:00.000-07:00

Today I saw old footage of men's roller derby on the big screen at the Corvallis McMenamins.

Thursday 2 April

2009-04-02T22:07:00.000-07:00

Today I saw a bald eagle gliding over Highway 26 and a huge rainbow in the storm-dark sky in SE, almost home from work. I went out to buy bulbs for the various lights that had burned out on the back of Erik's car; I filled the yard waste bin to the top, cleaning up more garden beds; I pumped up the tyres on my bike so that I can leave in the early evening for Corvallis tomorrow for the Beaver Freezer triathlon on Saturday morning. But the thing that excited me most was discovering the vending machines in the nice meeting room in the gym. One had beverages and the other snacks; the latter had Salsitas, my favorite chips! Best $0.90 I've spent in a long while.

Wednesday 1 April

2009-04-01T22:47:00.000-07:00

Today I saw little birds gathering to perch on the jersey barrier along the on-ramp to the highway, flitting back and forth and chasing each other low over the double line of cars. Charming, fascinating. I was almost sad when it was finally my turn to accelerate onto 26.

Tuesday 31 March

2009-03-31T16:16:00.000-07:00

Today I saw the ludicrous names of the book return carts in Powell's. "Burnside Galactica" was my favorite.

Monday 30 March

2009-03-30T16:15:00.000-07:00

Today I saw Gunilla, the Swedish teacher, rocking a pair of tweed wide-leg pants. It must be something in the Scandinavian blood, for lines and style.

Sunday 29 March

2009-03-29T09:36:00.000-07:00

Today I saw 13.1 miles of pavement on Whidbey Island, and the mismatched twin bridges across the Tacoma Narrows.

Saturday 28 March

2009-03-28T22:31:00.000-07:00

Today I saw barely ten feet in front of the car as we barreled up I-5 against the flow of thick feathers of snowflakes.

Friday 27 March

2009-03-27T16:03:00.000-07:00

Today I saw webbed-footprints in the mud revealed when part of the stream that flows through campus was drained.

Thursday 26 March

2009-03-26T16:04:00.000-07:00

Today I saw about a dozen mosquitoes or gnats in my wine glass. I left it alone too long on the edge of a raised bed while gardening through the gloaming.

Sunday 22 March

2009-03-22T10:14:00.000-07:00

Today I saw a pigeon wait with a man at a crosswalk, follow him across the street, continue down the sidewalk to the bus stop, and wait with him at least til Kari and I couldn't justify standing on the other side of the street and staring anymore.

Thursday 19 March

2009-03-19T10:12:00.000-07:00

Today I saw a man dressed like an English country gentleman, complete with velvet-covered horse riding helmet, tweed sport coat, and leather driving gloves, riding an old fashioned, shiny, upright bicycle on the ramp to the Hawthorne Bridge.

Monday 16 March

2009-03-16T20:51:00.000-07:00

Today I saw a woman like a waterfall, flowing down the sidewalk in a motorized wheelchair, with a companion who appeared to be perched on the back.

Saturday 14 March

2009-03-14T21:55:00.000-07:00

Today I saw the Multnomah County Rescue Diver truck parked at the Staff Jennings boat ramp, with a hi-vis green line to a diver (presumably) in the Willamette. Anna and I were running over the Sellwood bridge and I could see bubbles, a dark shape, and a larger red area in the water. Mysterious. That was mile 13 or 14 out of 18.

Friday 13 March

2009-03-13T23:10:00.000-07:00

Today I saw Mt Hood and Mt St Helens, snow-covered in the distance, and realized that yesterday they appeared more clearly than I've seen them in months. What made the air so particularly clear?

Thursday 12 March

2009-03-13T07:55:00.000-07:00

Today I saw the Popes (it's been nearly a year, since we went to Japan together) and "Watchmen."

Wednesday 11 March

2009-03-12T07:53:00.000-07:00

Today I saw the guy who wears Jockey boxer briefs in the pool. All of the lanes were taken, so I asked to share with the single person in the farthest lane. After swimming a lap or two next to him, I noticed... it was that guy.

Tuesday 10 March

2009-03-10T22:07:00.000-07:00

Today I saw a building on the corner downtown, where I turn onto 26, reduced to splinters and rubble. It was whole on Friday, last time I drove past it. I also just learned something, thought to write about it for today's entry, and promptly forgot it. I was watching "Diary of a Foodie" on Korean cuisine, so it's safe to assume it was something about that.

Monday 9 February

2009-03-09T23:13:00.000-07:00

Today I saw one of those red dot-matrix scrolling word signs, but it had malfunctioned and was making amazing abstract moving mosaics.

Sunday 8 March

2009-03-09T23:11:00.000-07:00

Today I saw a beach cemetery and its cemetery beach.

Friday 6 March

2009-03-06T22:05:00.000-08:00

Today I saw much too much.

Thursday 5 March

2009-03-05T21:39:00.000-08:00

Today I saw the yoga mat and the pool. For March Mending Month, I fixed one of my favorite necklaces, a flat metal bird painted white. Parts of the white paint have rubbed off, so I used fingernail polish to paint over the whole thing. It's not exactly white, but my only other option was acrylic paint, and that's much more likely to peel. We'll see how it holds up!

Wednesday 4 March

2009-03-04T16:58:00.000-08:00

Today I saw a Turtle Mountain Chippewa license plate on an old beat-up Bronco, stuck in traffic next to me on the Marquam Bridge. Above us, a cloud with a tail made of rain, slowly swishing all the way down to the earth. Earlier, at the gym, I saw a curling iron with the name "Helen of Troy" stamped on it in a silver serif font.

Tuesday 3 March

2009-03-03T22:08:00.000-08:00

Today I saw a run with Ann and Pilates with Lauren. I'm probably pushing it with the workouts this week, trying to make up for a later long run over the past weekend and going to Mexico this weekend.

Sunday 1 March

2009-03-01T22:04:00.000-08:00

Today I saw miles and miles of pavement. Eight of them, although I saw the whole thing twice.

Saturday 28 February

2009-02-28T22:13:00.000-08:00

Today I saw Terrible Tilly and thousands upon thousands of trees knocked over from the terrible windstorms last year.

Friday 27 February

2009-02-28T22:05:00.000-08:00

Today I saw daylight upon waking (before the alarm). This is the day I wait for through all of winter.

Thursday 26 February

2009-02-26T08:55:00.000-08:00

Today I saw snow on the roof, from the window of my closet. A yellow plastic soldier with a clear plastic parachute-- I thought it was trash in my yard from afar, but it made me smile. Camelias in bloom. A crow bathing in the frigid water of the entrance fountain at work. An Anna's humming bird zipping around the door to the building I walk through, then dive-bombing my head.

Wednesday 25 February

2009-02-25T20:44:00.000-08:00

Today I saw raindrops spattered on the window, thrown there by the wind and illuminated by the sun. It looked like a wall of sequins. Spring.

Monday 23 February

2009-02-23T22:07:00.000-08:00

Today I saw the daphne shrubs at work are finally fully flush with buds. Only one or two tiny flowers had opened, so I stuck my nose deep into it. Must note to check for bystanders first. It doesn't pay to get caught with your nose in a bush.

Saturday 21 February

2009-02-21T22:25:00.000-08:00

Today I saw dozens and dozens of holly seedlings under cover of the leaf litter and dead, fallen plants in the back garden. I spent three hours pruning and cleaning up, about a quarter of the backyard.

Friday 20 February

2009-02-20T21:04:00.000-08:00

Today I saw the "vegan bar" at work-- a number of salads and bulk entrees in the cafeteria on the other side of campus, where I rarely go. I had a bit of everything-- Tofurky jambalaya, jerk seitan, lentil salad, Latin American millet, cornbread, tangy kale, and vegan parmesan. I ate way too much, and felt sleepy and full for hours afterward.

Thursday 19 February

2009-02-19T21:58:00.000-08:00

Today I saw the sunrise, burning low in the dull dawn sky-- surprising, primary.

Wednesday 18 February

2009-02-18T21:26:00.000-08:00

Today I saw a perfect blue sky, the brown shadow of branches across the orange track. Where the track was warmed by the sun, it smelled of the the beach: aired-out, sun-dried seaweed. As I rounded the shady straightaway to the shadowed corner, I closed my eyes to take a deep breath as the taste of the air turned from cool, damp wood to the salty, sun-warmed sea smell. It wholly occupies my mind for each of the twelve laps I make around the track.

Tuesday 17 February

2009-02-17T21:08:00.001-08:00

Today I saw two rumor mills churn into motion at work. One was work-related, one was not.

Monday 16 February

2009-02-16T17:39:00.000-08:00

Today I saw the sunset reflected in an area of flat water in a marsh along I-5, somewhere north of Ridgefield. The fiery colors burned on from there.

Thursday 12 February

2009-02-12T21:26:00.000-08:00

Today I saw a competitor in yoga class. She made me work harder. I saw— really saw— the calendar and realized that I'm running out of time to train for a four-hour marathon. We got takeout from Green Papaya for dinner, so I had plenty of time to do the first crafty thing I've done in age-- sew a felt star applique over a red ink blot on a sample sale jacket that I bought for $5 last week. I also had time to make chocolate mint cupcakes— the first recipe I've used from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. Although I haven't made frosting for them yet, they came out really well and taste delicious.

Wednesday 11 February

2009-02-11T22:55:00.000-08:00

Today I saw an all-women wine tasting event. There were five tastes (two white, three red) and free food. By the time I left at 7pm it only took twenty minutes to drive home from Hillsboro.

Tuesday 10 February

2009-02-10T20:24:00.000-08:00

Today I saw lots of snowflakes. Tiny, hard ones driving diagonal downward as I left the house, then fat floating angels drifting sideways past the fifth floor window (high up, for Portland) as I sat in the dentist's chair.

Sunday 8 February

2009-02-08T23:17:00.000-08:00

Today I saw cellos for sale on Craigslist. They're still at least $500. Then I remembered that families rent instruments for kids in school, and I found a place that rents them for $40/month. I didn't get to play a musical instrument in school, so I almost didn't think of it.

Saturday 7 February

2009-02-07T23:31:00.000-08:00

Today I saw the movie Coraline, in 3D, with Hanna. Erik, Danny and Cory sat separately so that we could watch together, just us girls. The movie was absolutely amazing-- the costumes, tiny stitches, sweaters knit with sewing needles, a perfect tiny VW New Beetle replica. I can't wait to see it again.

Friday 6 February

2009-02-06T22:08:00.000-08:00

Today I saw steamclouds in the steam room at the gym. I could only muster a thirty minute workout on the elliptical machine, and then I sat in the hot steam to try to clear my sinuses and chest.

Thursday 5 February

2009-02-06T01:08:00.000-08:00

Today I saw three bands, a blue starburst, two men on the roof of the gym installing a satellite dish, and ... Oh. I can't remember the fourth one, even though I just saw it at the venue with the three bands. Was it the lovely lady cellist of the second band? The woman with short blond hair in a very complicated, directional style? The hugging dancers to swayed and high-fived to every song? For some reason I can't remember, but it was a great show-- each band talented, which is a real rarity.

Wednesday 4 February

2009-02-04T22:46:00.000-08:00

Today I saw three men laid out on the sidewalk outside of the fancy Safeway on SW 10th Ave. It appeared that two of them were tackling a third. People waiting to cross at the street corner were leaned towards them, watching. There was also some car rubbernecking-- the two left-turners in front of me. I sped past to pick up Erik from work.

I also saw an amazing expression of love-- Portobello, the new vegan trattoria near my house. The "restaurant" takes place in a coffeeshop, limited evening hours and days of the week. Erik and I dressed up for a date and shared an appetizer, two small plates and a main course, as well as tiramisu. Yum.

Tuesday 3 February

2009-02-03T22:58:00.000-08:00

Today I saw Steve Martin on television, playing a banjo song he wrote. Is there anything that man can't do? On the drive from work to my hair cut, a cop car came through the left lane (of three), parting the thickest traffic all the way down the line to a rear-ending accident, in which the rear-endee's trunk was peeled all the way back to reveal its entire content of boxes. I wish I could remember what was in the boxes. I also saw a man in a half-shirt and short shorts on the field today; he's one of the elite runners in the Oregon Project. That doesn't change the fact that it looked silly.

Monday 2 February

2009-02-02T21:19:00.000-08:00

Today I saw that the ground floor of the gorgeous, historical Ladd Carriage House has been stripped of its charm and gingerbread, and replaced with plywood. So far the top floors are intact. It's heartbreaking, though.

Sunday 1 February

2009-02-01T22:31:00.000-08:00

Today I saw many smiling runners along the waterfront trail, and the texture of absorption of gold spray paint on a suede shoe. Both caught the available light in intriguing ways.

Saturday 31 January

2009-01-31T23:57:00.000-08:00

Today I saw raven tracks in the snow along the snowshoe trail, and we followed them. We came to a mound with two clear sets of tracks leading to the top, and only one set going away, and the mound was covered in footprints as though there'd been a scuffle.

Friday 30 January

2009-01-30T23:07:00.000-08:00

Today I saw fog, heavy as smoke, unable to rise or maybe just stubborn.

Thursday 29 January

2009-01-29T23:30:00.000-08:00

Today I saw the first flowers of the new year (witchhazel?). In a meeting, a woman with drawn-on eyebrows that curled under at the outside.

Wednesday 28 January

2009-01-28T20:56:00.000-08:00

Today I saw a person on a bicycle pedaling on the shoulder of the highway down the very steep and long Sylvan Hill. He must've been going at least 40 mph and there was a lot of gravel from the recent snow.

threehundredsixtyfive

2009-01-16T19:36:00.000-08:00

I ran five miles through Tualatin Hills Nature Park, finished many loose ends at work, and left early to pack for Phoenix-- staying with my brother, hanging out with my dad and running the Rock & Roll half marathon.

threehundredsixtyfour

2009-01-15T21:50:00.000-08:00

I had five meetings today. I was exhausted by the time I left. Luckily my evening was filled by meeting Sara for happy hour at a new spot, R Palate. It looked like an abandoned restaurant, but the food was pretty good and the specials ran til 7pm. Best of all was spending time catching up and hanging out together.

Tomorrow is my last entry for my 365/photo-a-day project that was my main resolution last year. The reason I didn't finish with the calendar year was my lack of internet access while I was in Japan for two weeks. I've been trying to decide if I should do 366 since 2008 was a leap year, but it's always called "365" so I think I'll leave it at that. I'm still trying to decide if I'll do another one; uploading a photo every day takes more time than one would think. It'll be nice to not have to worry about posting something crappy late at night when I just want to get to bed. That said, it's been quite a learning experience.

threehundredsixtythree

2009-01-14T21:27:00.000-08:00

7am dentist appointment. Ugh. They called me at 7:08 wondering where I was. I was running up the sidewalk in front of the building. After replacing my three missing fillings, I decided to shell out for a real night guard. The $20 make-your-own one I bought at Walgreens just doesn't work. It doesn't fit all the way in my mouth, so I wake up every twenty minutes or so, uncomfortable and chomping on the thing. Finally, around 4am, I take it out. Every night. Even though insurance doesn't cover it, not having fillings replaces every couple of months will make up the cost in no time.

Work work work, a four mile run that was tough on my lungs, a free session to try out the Pilates "Reformer" machine, and I arrived home to make homemade spaghettiOs. We walked to the video store and Palio. Palio only had the vegan cake we don't like, so we came home and I melted chocolate chips to dip digestive biscuits into. It's been a long day.

threehundredsixtytwo

2009-01-13T20:44:00.000-08:00

I have a dentist appointment at 7am tomorrow. I had to get one quickly to solve this grinding problem I have that causes the facings-- that I got because I grind-- to pop off. I'm still out of it from the alarm waking me out of a deep nightmare in which I was teenaged and had forgotten to bring my camera on a roadtrip to Vancouver.

Today I went to yoga class, and afterwards with shaky arms dropped my homemade, leftover pizza. Picking it up from the kitchen floor, I gave much thought to eating it anyways. Logic prevailed after I imagined everyone's shoes stomping through, and I bought a boring lunch at the cafeteria. After work I gave a coworker a ride to the tire shop to pick up his car. I made curry twice-baked potatoes for dinner while Erik tried to find his keys, even returning to the office to look for them.

It was odd to be so aware of my comfort-eating today. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be stronger.

threehundredsixtyone

2009-01-12T21:21:00.000-08:00

It sure was difficult to get up this morning. I forgot to bring leftover pizza in to work for lunch, so I had the cafeteria's scrumptious pozole-- the first meal I've eaten in weeks that wasn't painful, with my torn-up mouth.

I went for a swim after work, my first since the August 2nd triathlon. It was a slog, but it felt so good to be back, to have conquered the mental barrier of getting in the pool. The dizzy-headed feeling made it a challenge to drive home, picking up Erik on the way, but we got dinner fixed up in a hurry: Erik made riblets and I made a mess of greens. We watched "Layer Cake," which was too confusing the follow, maybe because I made ice cream (peach & strawberry) and popcorn, so I was concentrating on other things. There's still time for an early night.

threehundredsixty

2009-01-11T23:02:00.000-08:00

I went for a ten mile run this morning, from OMSI up Terwilliger with Anna, Suzanne, Bob, and Kevin. Leslie also ran with us for a bit. It was so difficult, since I haven't run that distance in nearly a month-- since the first day of the Snowpocalypse. I was the slowest one, and I was really pushing myself. Both of my arches blistered before we hit the turnaround point, so I ran with my feet turned out the entire way back.

The waffle cart called to me for breakfast, but I was steadfast. Toaster waffles and Gimmee Lean sausage were a passable substitution. Erik had to work-- from home, luckily-- so we hung out in the house. I can't remember what I did. Not much of anything, I guess, because I didn't upload a since New Zealand photo.

I made an assortment of frozen items we recently purchased at Fu Bon for a dim sum lunch. Later, I went for a walk on lower east Burnside. Redux is the best jewelry store I've ever been in, and it was tough to curb my purchases to two items. They really have the kinds of things I love to look at and wear-- tiny bird vertebrae pendants and cast silver acorns, pyrex glass spiral earrings and pocket watches with art nouveau enameled flowers. I got a coffee at Grendel's in the spirit of buying coffee twice a day in New Zealand, and walked down to the skatepark under the bridge. It's a rather sketchy area.

We made pizzas for dinner, and saw a later showing of "Slumdog Millionaire."

threehundredfiftynine

2009-01-10T16:28:00.000-08:00

Portland Too Perfect?: I love to read this kind of article, in awe of this city, even though it was written three years ago.

Viva La Moda: New online mag for handmade fashion items.

I spent most of the day sitting in the nook or on the couch, deep in a search for this dress I saw on a woman in the Auckland airport. Now I wish I had asked her about it. It was a long-skirted (maxi) halter dress, in a print that looked like knitted stitches, in brown, mustard, and pumpkin colors. The drape and fit were beautiful, and I know it wouldn't look as such on me, but I've been driven to find it. I haven't found anything close yet, but I've discovered a few good brands for dresses: Park Vogel, Monsoon, Oli, and Fever. I bought one dress, from a surprisingly well-stocked crappy vintage clothing website. And I put an inquiry on another dress that seems available only in the UK. Erik & I went to Pottery Barn after he finished nearly a full day of work, although we didn't see anything to spend our giftcard on. Instead, I bought two bedside lamps online while we waited for our food at Vegetarian House. We went to Matt's (of the band, Chores) bday party afterwards, and I enjoyed meeting & talking to Natalie and Jimmy, as well as petting the resident greyhounds.

threehundredfiftyeight

2009-01-09T23:37:00.000-08:00

I started the morning with green tea instead of my usual half-caf coffee at home, and I was sleepy all day. I forgot a crucial piece of gear, so I was only able to use the treadmill today-- no run. Unsatisfying, but I'm proud of my first [work] week of the new year. I ran on Monday and Wednesday, went to yoga class on Tuesday and Thursday, and used the elliptical machine today. Tomorrow's my rest day and Sunday is a long run-- first in a month and last before the Phoenix half marathon, next Sunday.

I skipped the five hour Rock Band party at work, but I did go to the Lounge-- IT's Friday end-of-day cocktail hour. Erik and I finally got to the grocery store (Limbo for produce and Trader Joe's for the rest of it), but both were so desolate of goods that it was rather depressing. The crazy winter weather and flooding that's shut down parts of both major north-south interstate highways has cause massive trucking delays. No pre-washed, bagged spinach! I go through a bag in a week, two at most. I will try to make do with other green items for now-- peas and kale.

threehundredfiftyseven

2009-01-08T22:30:00.000-08:00

Sunrise this morning was beautiful, and because of that I ended up with my camera at work. I decided to take it with me to the gym, just in case. I even walked the more scenic route, and lo-- I heard a very loud frog. I closed in on him in a rock wall, a small section of it. I was on my knees on the wet concrete, wearing a skirt, garnering some odd looks, but this frog kept making noises so I was sure I could find it. Sadly, it must've been really wedged in the rock, because I never saw it.

After work Erik and I ate at Malay Satay Hut and then bought groceries at Fu Bon. Ran into Josiah there. Watched "Pineapple Express," which was surprisingly good.

threehundredfiftysix

2009-01-07T20:53:00.000-08:00

We dropped Kylie at the vet this morning, after finding a pool of urine dripped down from Erik's folded pants with five-inch crystals in it. I've heard of crystals in urine, but I've never seen huge crystals. We picked her up after work and the vet hadn't found anything, but they gave us pain meds for her odd limping (which she didn't do while there-- like us, she pretends to be well to try to leave quicker).

I ran six miles at lunch time, and it rained so hard that when I entered the locker room, people stared and pulled away, and my hair was wetter than the hair of people coming out of the showers. I had to use the hairdryer, which I would say is the second time in my life, but I'm probably forgetting one. So: third time using a hairdryer.

After work and bringing Kylie home, we went to Erik's parents' house for dinner and gift exchange. I got so many lovely teas and some fun kitchen accessories, including a mug featuring my nephews. Unfortunately, Andrew was jealous of his father's present from us and spent a while crying about it-- asking us why we didn't get him the same thing. I think he's tired or sick, because it was intense. Gabriel and Wall-E the puppy made up for it by being sweet and enthusiastic.