Milk & Cookies on Castro

I'm in San Francisco! I have been all week. The weather has been wonderful to me but the locals are crying that its cold :) I was the AGU conference all week where everyone who saw I was from Alaska just had to ask if I knew Sara Palin! so much fun ya right. But at least this was a very granola group of people so we all were in agreement that she was on scary woman. Anyways...

With the conference over I finally had a day to just enjoy the city. I went to Delores Park Cafe for breakfast, then to China town, then wandered around lost for awhile, then took a nap at my hotel, then had a fabulous dinner at the Soluna Lounge, then I rode the cable car to the Castro Theatre to watch Milk.



The Castro Theatre was the perfect place to watch Milk since much of the movie takes place on Castro in the 70's. It was a great movie that I highly recommend!! And if you ever have a chance to watch any movie at the Castro Theatre you should definitely go because it was beautiful! There was an organist who played and played then took a bow moments before the movie starts. The audience is enthusiastic and claps through out the move. And there is balcony seating!

After the movie I had the best warm cookies at a little kiosk bakery right outside the theatre. Castro is a beautiful clean developed area of sanfrancisco with lots of cute little shops, restaurants, and bars. It reminds me of a nicer version of the Hawthorne district in PDX which was one of my favorite neighborhoods in portland. I could definately live in San Francisco IF i was south of market around the Delores park, Castro mission district neighborhoods - as long as i could afford a place with a yard for Che. I'm missing my dog!

Tomorrow I'm off to LA by train. I don't think I've ever ridden Amtrak anywhere so this will be a new adventure! Happy Solstice!

Beautiful New Etsy Purchase

I recently ordered some new earrings on etsty.com. The ones pictured to right to be specific. They are even prettier on! I'm so happy with the new find and want to tell everyone to check out April's store: http://aprilkawaoka.etsy.com The organic lines of her jewelry is simply elegant but with that earthy edge that I love.

Unfortunately I almost immediately lost half of this beautiful set. When I told April of my unfortunate loss but that I loved her work she very generously sent me a replacement! With ear buds so that it wouldn't happen again.

So when you are doing your holiday shopping in the next few weeks or just feel like splurging on a pretty trinket for yourself be sure to check out April's beautiful store front on etsy.com

http://aprilkawaoka.etsy.com

Questions To Ask In The Beginning Part II

Well I've come to the simple conclusion that it doesn't matter how many questions you ask or how compatible someones answers sound. In the end you have to Listen to your heart, never second guess your gut feeling, and allow yourself to be confidant enough to walk away when clearly you are talking to MR. WRONG!

Its hard because I want to treat everyone nice and I want to be polite but in an incredibly short amount of time I came to resent the suck on my time, feel repulsed by the idiocracy of his sweet talking BS, and bored to tears by his "intelligent conversation". Not to be superficial but its really hard to find that kopasetic middle ground with someone who's educational/career level is vastly different than mine. I'm not especially smart or successful, nor do I have especially lofty career goals, but I really need to feel mentally stimulated by someone. Its such a huge turn off when theres nothing to talk about.

So I guess it goes without saying that I'm done talking to the guy from the past. I'm feeling strongly that If I don't currently know a potential date in the real world then I have no desire to talk in the virtual world. What a waste of time Mr. Wrong was.

Questions To Ask In The Beginning

So I'm getting to know someone new. Well hes not really new its more that i'm getting to know someone again after 15 years. So he might as well be new. And of course we don't live anywhere near each other anymore so we are reacquainting ourselves online. I swore I'd never do this again but I've rationalized that its different because I used to know him. Whatever.

Anyways the conversation is good we can "talk" online for till our fingers ache from hitting the keyboard. But I want to start asking the important questions. I've asked a few already but figured I would start compiling a list and if anyone has any ideas of things I should be asking let me know!

These are in no particular order of importance and are definitely not all meant to be asked in one sitting :)

1. Do you want kids?
2. Do you like &/or have pets?
3. Do you smoke? If so will you keep it outside?
   
4. Do you do drugs?
   
5. Do you drink? If so how much/often?
6. Any criminal background?
7. Have you ever cheated in a relationship?
8. Have you ever had an STD?
   
9. Do you get checked for STD's?
10. Are you an affectionate person?
11. In past relationships on average who wanted more sex? You or your exes?
12. Have you ever been in a fist fight?
13. Have you ever been in a physical altercation with an ex?
14. How do you spend your days off?
15. Where would you love to travel?
16. Best vacation ever?
17. Last book you read?
18. Last movie you saw?
19. Favorite Book/Movie?
20. Favorite foods?
21. What do you hate?
    
22. What are you passionate about?
23. What is your relationship with your family like?
24. Have you ever cheated on an ex?
25. What do your friends think of you talking to me online?
26. Do you/Have you played games in past relationships? T/F : All is fair in love and war
27. What do you day dream of?
    
28. Goals for the future? where do you see yourself in 5/10/20 years?
29. Do you watch TV? If so which and how much?
30. Do you watch sports? If so which and how much?
31. Are you religious or spiritual?
32. What do you think makes a good relationship?
33. What are your worst traits in your opinion?
34. What are you looking for?

Flight of the Penguins

This is probably old news for most but I just came across this movie and had to share:Flying Penguins!

Summers End

Its a beautiful day today but as I look at my porch plants and see that they are not surviving last nights frost I know its coming to an end. Regardless of the seemingly endless rains this summer my plants did have a chance to bloom.

Here is some of what I enjoyed:

Che's Birthday!

Che's Birthday is this month. I'm not certain which day but I do know he is 2 now! He's grown up so much since he first came to me and I'm looking forward to a few more years of maturity on his part :) But hes a great dog and I'm lucky to have such a sweet beast!

Duct Tape & Chalk Art

Every year at the Alaska Summer Research Academy (ASRA) I do "Duct Tape" as an evening activity with the campers. I just wanted to share a few of this years great designs! I also included some of the chalk art pictures.

Kitsch

For those of you not familiar with the term KITSCH:
.......................
kitsch \ˈkich\
Function: noun
Etymology: German
Date: 1925
1: Something that appeals to popular or lowbrow taste and is often of poor quality
2: a tacky or lowbrow quality or condition
.......................

To sum it up Kitsch is the mass produced 'art' which is stylish in the current era. The crap that you see in people home which reminds you of a specific era like glass grapes, bric a brac gingham, ceramic kitties, velvet paintings, dogs playing poker.

The term appeals to me because its difficult to have a unique creative thought. We as artists are influenced by those who came before us, those working around us, and the culture we are emerged in. To create distinct unique style that no one has ever seen is rare and to have it appreciated in our life time unheard of. So we struggle with creative clarity in finding our voice as a artists. But the real struggle is to continue laughing when you find yourself creating something new only to walk thru Michaels arts and Crafts or the local department store to see it mass produced and being sold at bargain prices, and are then faced with did I already see this or did I truly come to my creative vision on my own. So anyways often we are just producing art based on other peoples art and technically I guess this is kitsch. Sad.

To read more on Kitsch visit:http://csmt.uchicago.edu/glossary2004/kitsch.htm

Welcome

Welcome to my new blog. A place to ramble about my art and craft projects, technology good books i'm reading. Whatever comes to mind in the moment :)