Things I don't think I could live without

1. shelter, sustenance, water (the given)
2. the blessed Internet
3. funny people and laughing
4. alone time
5. my (compromised) health
6. blowdryer (my material weakness)
7. travel (seeing new stuff, eating, interacting as adventure)
8. beach sounds
9. freshly laundered clothes
10. views of cities (but views of nature are good, too)
11. nice people, allies, and helpful strangers
12. lists longer than 11 items I couldn't live without

Thank you for remembering

My mom called last week asking me to send Grandpa Joe a birthday card since he was set to turn 93 on the 22nd of February. She warned me not to send him a real card and that he would prefer a few sentences on plain notebook paper (Grandpa Joe lived through the Depression and doesn't like extravagance). Today, I got a response from him thanking me for remembering his birthday. This chain of correspondence represents the single longest succession of communication between us. That's a total of 4 letters in the last 2 months.

Here's what he said below. Notice how his dates are messed up on the bottom, and, if taken for face value, would actually make him a 100 years old:

Dear Rachel,

Thank you for taking the time to send me a birthday card. Especially since you are a college student. I will look forward to hearing about your elective course - its title does not ring any bells to my experience.

Best wishes,
Grandpa Joe
93 today
Feb 22 1905

Possibly Maybe

Uncertainty excites me
Who knows what's going to happen?
Lottery or car crash
Or you'll join a cult

Browser tweakin'

First, if you still use Internet Explorer, I would argue there is something wrong with you (you like pop ups and other annoying nuisances or something?). But if you are just out of the know, download Firefox.

Then, click HERE to pimp yr' browser. You'll thank me later.

Peace.

It's not too late for skills

As Napoleon Dynamite so keenly observed, it is the cultivation of skills that makes us attractive to potential mates. Skills of any sort will do: guitar-strumming, meditating, painting, scuba-diving, skateboarding, rollerskating, kite-flying, short story writing, capoeira-ing, weaving, artisan breadmaking, cleaning(!!), fixing things I broke, etc. These are all worthwhile in themselves for the pleasure of accomplishment they offer the doer. They also make one's self-confidence stronger and more distinctive.

Nodding to Napoleon once again, we do these activities for other reasons as well. Quite frankly, I adore the idea of dating a person with a multitude of skills. It would not only mix things up and provide for entertainment, but would also constitute a unique learning experience. This is because those with skills, when adept and fine-tuned in the practice of their art, tend to want to share their talents with the novice.

Now where do I find someone who not only rollerskates (not blading, either), plays the cello, flyfishes, crafts furniture, and tumbles to the melodious twang of the berimbau? This is just the start of my list, too. In exchange, I can proffer up skills in cooking, running, mediocre children's storybook writing, and city-navigating. Yeah, it's not an even trade, I realize that.

So the search may take a while. Alas, such an expedition of skill-seeking may end up sharpening my own skills in sleuthing.

That's presence

Featured movie quotes of the day

Napoleon Dynamite: You know, like nunchuck skills, bowhunting skills, computer hacking skills... Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Deb: What are you drawing?
Napoleon Dynamite: A liger.
Deb: What's a liger?
Napoleon Dynamite: It's pretty much my favorite animal. It's like a lion and a tiger mixed... bred for its skills in magic.

My old web log

For newcomers who want to read more, my old blog is at:
http://getoffmyfoot.blogspot.com

It was retired last week. Yes, there are explanatory entries on the site there about Jim. Enjoy.

Jim's boss just called

Strange. I just found a voicemail from Jim's boss David on my cell phone. Looks like he called around 4:00pm today with a tinge of urgency in his voice wanting to talk to me about Jim's latest house call on Bateman Street. I wonder what is up. I hope Jim isn't in trouble.

Another oddity: when I called David back, I got his voicemail, which opened with, "Hello this is David at Fast Water Heater Service. If you are calling about the water heater installer position, please leave me a message with your full name, driving record, and phone number. I'll get back to you immediately."

I hope Jim is still employed and alive. I guess I won't find out 'til Monday. The saga of Jim continues. Happy weekend, everyone.

People: they do weird stuff, constantly

1. When it's raining, how people pull their coats overtop their backpacks, to otherwise protect inside contents from rain, but end up making themselves look like a hunchback

2. How people connect themselves to multiple devices (cell phone, laptop, ipod, blackberry, pedometer, headphones) while in public and then wonder why no one comes up to talk or introduce themselves, EVER

3. How people like to make even change at cash registers to avoid getting back coins (for something that is $4.12, paying $5.12 to get a single back), but end up holding up the line behind them while searching in change purse for seven loose pennies and a nickel they thought they for sure had

4. How people on walks with their dogs in Berkeley REFUSE to use or even carry a leash and then get flustered and irrationally confused when their pet brazenly accosts another dog, growls at or charges a passing runner, or dashes into traffic during rush hour

5. How people mistakenly confuse "tapas-style eating" with daily visits to the Whole Foods Market

6. Wearing Uggs in California

Beachfront capoeira

I'm gonna be sore

Tonight, after several months of consideration, I made the plunge and took my first capoeira class. For all you know-nots out there, capoeira is the art of Brazilian dance fighting. From what I have observed, it's a way to look cool and show-off doing interesting acrobatics to music with a great beat. Since moving to Berkeley, I have become aware of the massive contingent of capoeiristas that roam this sleepy town, including people in my city planning class.

Surprisingly, despite my lack of formal dance or martial arts training, I picked it up quite easily. A good number of the spin moves and defensive positions are variations of things I taught myself growing up with an abusive older sister (don't worry, we're good friends now).

Capoeira class is performed barefoot in a studio with a rubber floor. My feet aren't used to such abuse, and right now I think the skin is grazed off my right toes from doing too much pivoting and lunging. I guess it will take time for my feet to become less tender. Anyway, my favorite moves were the looping kicks and the mini one-armed reverse hops. Also, you do a lot of hip swiveling in capoeira, using muscles and other connective tissue that typically are never exerted during the course of everyday living. Needless to say, the next few days will be a little uncomfortable as I recuperate.

Jim's here

Our hot water heater guy Jim just called me from his cell, quite disappointed there is a lack of parking for his oversize vehicle on Bateman Street. I had to get my neighbor Lew to move his two cars - he was wearing his weird, oversize headphones again when he answered the door. Berkeleyans....

Better open the door for Jim. The building inspector has ordered the following:

"extend pressure relief valve outside turn down 6 to 18" above grade"

Ouch!

Modern lyric arts for day of hearts

I met you
At JCPenny
I think your nametag
Said Jenny

I go step to you
With a fresh pack of gum
And somehow I knew
You were lookin' for some

Second blog rises like a phoenix from ashes

Ah, the inaugural entry for this web log is part of the digitized, historical record. Part of the blog canon. Officially it's floating around with no one reading it. How titilating!

More to come. I need to recruit readers. Then I will start writing some good stuff.