Wade in the Water

Ode to Ikea

2007-01-08T09:58:00.000-08:00

Allen and I went to Ikea last night, and though I know I’ve been there at least once before, it was more than 15 years ago, and now that I have my own house it’s a totally different experience. The trip was just tacked on to the end of exploring new refrigerator and washer/dryer options – since we were on a home improvement kick, and right next door, I wanted to look at their options for bathroom cabinets. Then we got sidetracked by the beds – and the mattresses. Who would’ve guessed we’d be able to squeeze a queen sized mattress into our tiny two-door Geo Metro – and still be able to sit in real seats with seatbelts. I actually showed incredible restraint, my only purchase aside from the mattress being a few more CFL’s, but I think I’m officially hooked. And when the time comes to seriously think about bathroom cabinet options, I know where I’m going…

armed and dangerous

2006-12-13T12:06:00.000-08:00

Well, dangerous may be a bit of an exaggeration, since the arms in question are made by Nerf, but I am glad to say that I am no longer an office sitting duck. My office is the occasional staging ground for vast nerf fire fights. Suction cup darts whiz by. Whistling darts arc across the office, their high-pitched screams mingling with the output from the music server. Innocent bystanders, like myself (until today, anyway), are regularly caught in the cross fire (or merely targeted in the first place).

But now I have my very own Nerf N-Strike Maverick. It sits, fully loaded and cocked, just below my monitors. And woe to the co-worker who laughs at my music choices now…

The end of an era

2006-11-02T11:12:00.000-08:00

For almost as long as I can remember – or at least as long as I’ve been responsible for most of my own clothes shopping – there has been one place to go when my wardrobe needed a boost. Village Thrift has supplied the vast majority of my clothes for years, including my junior and senior prom dresses, various Halloween costumes, and business suits (which sometimes make me feel like I’m wearing a Halloween costume). And so it was a sad, sad day on Monday when I walked past on my way to the train, only to notice that Village was no more. (rumor has it they’re not so much gone as moved to the far northeast – but they might as well be gone given how often I find myself up there)

There are other thrift stores, it’s true. But I’ve yet to find one to match Village in price and selection (let alone walking distance).

Does this mean I might actually have to start buying some clothes at full price? Now that’s a truly scary thought.

Sounding like a horse

2006-10-19T07:19:00.000-07:00

It was on the walk to the train station earlier this week that Allen and I both noticed it – my steps had taken on a clip-clop sound disturbingly reminiscent of a horse. Much to my dismay, I soon discovered that the heel of my shoe had disassociated itself from the rest of the sole, perhaps the result of some political dispute. Whatever the cause, the heel was now hanging on by a thread, falling each time I lifted my foot and slapping back together as I stepped down.

I hadn’t owned those particular shoes very long, but they had quickly become favorites and though I haven’t had time to attempt surgery yet, I still maintain hopes of resurrecting them – forging some kind of peace accord between heel and sole. In the meantime, walking around the office had become a bit embarrassing, forcing me to take the step of purchasing a new pair of shoes.

Though I am reluctant to buy any accoutrements in the brand-new state, it has been suggested that this penchant for used-shoe buying is perhaps behind the rather short lifespan of so many of my shoes (well, that and my cats, who actually irredeemably scratched one pair). So I set out to buy new shoes. I was pleasantly surprised when it didn’t take me too long to find some that actually both appealed to me and fit well. But as much fun as it was not to clop my way to the office this morning, my heels (the ones on my feet, not my shoes), are now the (not so) proud owners of spanking new blisters. I just can’t win.

The things you overhear on the street

2006-10-05T07:42:00.000-07:00

I would tend to agree that there are lots of reasons not to like the fall. Chief among them is the cold. As anyone who has ever met me can attest, I am not a big fan. In fact, there’s nothing about cold I don’t hate.

I’m also not a big fan of the other kind of cold – the one that comes with congestion, headaches and the constant desire to be near a box of tissues.

But on this morning’s walk to work from the train station, I overheard a new one: “I hate the fall because the girls get all covered up.” Not that I’m a fan of lots of clothes (mostly because of its correlation with the cold – did I mention I don’t’ like that), but really.

This quickly reminded me of a conversation I overheard on another day – while walking through Union Square in New York on a particularly nice day (one that was decidedly not cold). While Allen and I were remarking on the large number of scantily clad women sunbathing in the park, we happened to pass a couple in the heat of an argument, apparently about the guy’s tendency to look at said scantily clad women. Of course, this was New York, and they were being filmed, so it’s entirely possible the whole situation was made up, but it was certainly amusing.

I’ve been taking the train and walking to work for just over a month now, and there are many reasons why I’m happy that I get to leave the car at home. But high up on that list is certainly the fun musings that can be inspired by the random conversations I hear on the way.

Sometimes it's possible to think too much alike

2006-10-03T07:25:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Allen and I celebrated our first anniversary (yeah, us!). In the grand tradition of such things, we both spent ridiculous sums of money on gifts for each other. The only problem: we both bought the same thing. While it’s nice to know that we share the same taste and good (dare I say brilliant?) ideas, but really.

The fine art of book selection

2006-09-28T08:59:00.000-07:00

Have you ever picked up a book, desperately wanting it to be good (maybe you usually like the author, or the premise just sounds so cool you can’t wait to read the story behind it), only to discover that it is, in fact, a dud? It’s easy enough to choose a book when it’s assigned (by class or bookclub) or recommended by a friend, but the real question is whether or not there’s any reliable method for choosing a book from scratch. Based on my current success rate (or should I say my current complete lack of success) when choosing from random searches of the local library shelves, I’m guessing not.

My current disappointment is Waltzing at the Piggly Wiggly. From the brief synopsis (residents of a small southern town plot to save their local grocery store from financial ruin by offering customers a chance to dance with a former ballroom champion while bagboys do their shopping, and hilarity ensues), it sounded like it could be fun. Waltzing is one of my favorite activities after all, and what’s not to like about sticking it to the local big box store in favor of local flavor?

In the last couple of years, I’ve developed my ability to close a book for good without having finished it. It was a struggle at first, but I’ve decided that there are too many good books out there that I’d love (if I could only figure out which ones they are) to waste time on the other ones. But there’s always that nagging feeling that it just might get better or more interesting as the story gets into full gear. I haven’t quite managed to give up on the Piggly Wiggly yet, but that may just be because I haven’t been to the library in a few days. It’s a bit sad when the last book I really enjoyed reading was about how to design and test user-friendly web pages.

Learned Helplessness

2006-09-25T07:00:00.000-07:00

I like to think of myself as a pretty self-sufficient gal. I'm comfortable with computers, and usually feel quite competent. It turns out there's nothing like working in an office of computer programmers to make you (or me anyway) feel otherwise. Suddenly I've reverted to blondness, coyly giving my coworkers puppydog eyes and asking their help in situations where I otherwise would have spent at least a little time trying to muddle through myself. I feel justified when the solution turns out to be something I wouldn't have known about or been able to do myself. But the time my Outlook went all wonky and it was because a book was nudging the escape key? That was just pathetic.

Things for which I am thankful

2006-09-20T07:07:00.000-07:00

A small component of a neverending (I hope) list:

-coworkers who write obituaries for dead printers and shoot darts at each other (the nerf variety)

-road trips

-season 5 of Smallville

-mindless computer games

-when your new job brings you in contact with lots of people from your life outside, prompting you to remember your high school friend's Mickey Mouse watched that chimed "It's a small world after all"

Public Service Announcement

2006-09-11T14:05:00.000-07:00

When trying to take a shortcut to the water cooler by hopping over a monitor next to your co-worker's desk, be very careful not to bang your knee against said desk. It hurts. And then you have to limp back to your desk the long way, thus mitigating any time-saving effects of the shortcut. Just thought I'd throw that out there...

My new favorite TV show

2006-09-08T10:37:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I know it hasn't even aired yet. And quite honestly I haven't really read any of the descriptions and know next to nothing about it. But I am all atwitter about the premiere of Sunset 60 on the Sunset Strip in a week and a half. I have been desperate for Aaron Sorkin-written TV since his departure from The West Wing, and I feel a bit as if I'll be handed a glass of water after a long stint in the desert. A bit melodramatic, you might be thinking. But if so, you clearly have no understanding of the magic that is Aaron Sorkin-written dialogue.

Since I've made no progress on hiring him to write dialogue for my own life, I'll have to settle for watching his magic on TV (and stealling as much as I can fit into everyday conversation).

Joining the digital age

2006-09-07T10:08:00.000-07:00

For many months now, I have suspected that I was the last person on Earth without an iPod. I am happy to report that I am now the proud owner of brand-spanking shiny new iPod Shuffle, complete with side engraving declaring it to be "Compliments of Valley Green Bank."

That's right, I opened a new bank account, and got a gift for something I was going to do anyway. For several years now, I have used a bank with which I haven't been so happy. To protect the innocent, we'll call them by the "affectionate" nickname my boyfriend uses: walk-all-over-you bank. I've been meaning to switch for some time (just like I kept meaning to write in my blog for some weeks), and the new job and prospect of setting up a new direct deposit system proved to be the impetus I needed.

Not really sure why I chose that particular new bank, save that it shares its name with one of my favorite places in Philly. At any rate, my ears are happy.

Oh, the irony

2006-09-06T10:35:00.000-07:00

If you have been checking back regularly, dear reader, you will have noticed that I have not updated my blog in quite some time. This is not, as you might suspect, because my life has been devoid of interesting events or bits of gossip. Quite the contrary, I have had so many blog-worthy experiences of late that I simply haven't had the time (or energy) to log on.

So, the very brief update:

Several weeks ago, I decided it was time to move on professionally. I was offered a job (we'll call it job B), and gave notice at my then current job (job A). Almost immediately after leaving job A (an event that wasn't pulled off without some amount of drama and tears), I got a call from the owner of company C (also known as The Company of my Dreams), saying they just might have a position for me. So after some soul searching (and a call to my resident ethicist (also known as my stepfather) to make sure I wasn't damning myself to a lifetime in hell for leaving job B totally in the lurch), I accepted and am now happily ensconced (though still a bit overwhelmed) in job C.

During that same time, I had a lovely visit from my sister, who I happily introduced to The IT Crowd (which, it transpired during conversation, my father had tried to pass off as his own discovery. thanks in large part to this blog, he was unsuccessful). She loved it, and will soon be (or by this point already has) sharing it with her honey. Yeah me (though I should certainly give some credit here to Steve and Melanija, who are responsible for my seeing it in the first place).

I also got a wee bit older, but we needn't spend any time dwelling on that.

I saw a couple of different shows. One was called Eye 95 re-tarred and was part of the Philly Fringe Festival. All I have to say about that was that they handed you a PBR on the way in, served frito pie in the second act, and it involved numerous practically naked women. It was also the evening of my first day at work (job C, that is), so I was pretty beat. I also got to see 42nd Street at the New Candlelight Theater, and loved it. Now I want to learn to tap dance (in all of my copious spare time).

A good friend from high school got married, which was great fun. Though I was late for the ceremony due to the unceremonious crash of a large tree across Lincoln Drive right ahead of my car. There but for fortune...

And several months of happy Buffy watching have finally come to an end. Sad to see it go, but the 5th season of Smallville we be released soon...

We've got spirit, yes we do

2006-08-17T07:53:00.000-07:00

I have long harbored a (not-so) secret desire to cruise on the Spirit of Philadelphia. Once upon a time, a classmate and I hatched an unsuccessful plan to hold our senior prom on board. Well, last night I finally got the chance I'd been waiting for.

In a definite top-ten birthday presents ever moment, Allen took me for a dinner cruise. The only catch was that the only night we could get tickets was for a "singles" cruise, and we enjoyed many jokes (funny only to the two of us) about our introduction on the cruise.

As far as the cruise itself, I'm sad to admit to finding it disappointing on several points. The food was so-so and the entertainment was anything but. There was fun dancing though, and the city skyline is beautiful at night (particularly when viewed from the north). It was really quite a perfect evening, the weather was wonderful and the breeze on the top deck more than made up for any other deficiencies.

The IT Crowd

2006-08-08T05:30:00.000-07:00

I am rarely the one in my family to introduce everyone to a new show or movie. Usually, it's my dad, who watches about three movies a day (okay, a slight exaggeration, but only slight). Otherwise, it's my sis, who lives in Seattle and is also something of a DVD junkie.

So, I was thrilled for more than one reason this weekend when friends introduced me to the new British show "The IT Crowd". Not only was it hilarious, but they only got it by downloading from the internet, so I was sure my dad hadn't seen it and doubt my sister has either. So, not only do I get to enjoy a new, superfunny show, but I also get to be the cool one who shows it to everybody else!

The Fifth Square

2006-08-03T09:28:00.000-07:00

Allen and I visited newly re-opened Franklin Square last night and I have to say that it is AWESOME! I have to admit I'm a sucker for green space in general, but revamped Franklin Square is pretty, family friendly and has other fun stuff. The mini-golf course has a Philadelphia theme, complete with the LOVE statue, Art Museum, Ben Franklin Bridge and lots more fun local landmarks (great for taking pictures of yourself at King Kong size!). Though we didn't ride it, the carousel looked like fun too. The fountain is beautiful, though surrounded by a garden and fence to discourage Philly's favorite pastime of fountain swimming. The playground is super-fun, with lots of interesting stuff and great swings that found us flying high!

Hoofing it

2006-07-21T12:36:00.000-07:00

While I have spent much time in the past few months planning for the possibility of a car free existance at some to-be-determined point in the future, a young mother in Normal, Illinois has been experimenting with a car-free month, and writing a blog about it. It's both inspiring on one level, and very discouraging on another. If someone who really wants to do this has such a hard time, how do you convince a country of car-lovers that they should move even moderately in that direction?

yum

2006-07-19T08:44:00.000-07:00

I had perhaps the best fries ever on Sunday night. I was at a very fun concert at World Cafe Live (Jim Boggia, Mike Viola and the Figgs), and though otherwise disappointed by my menu choices, the eggplant fries were to die for!

It was my first concert at World Cafe Live, and I was pretty impressed with it as a venue. In the downstairs space, we sat at tables and were served food and drinks during the show. It's small enough that it's pretty up close and personal (included drinks for the band provided by fans, and one singer sitting right behind me as another group performed). Definitely a great place to check out.

Maybe winning the lottery isn't so unlikely after all

2006-07-17T08:12:00.000-07:00

The New York Times is chock full of interesting stories today. Apparently, the lottery just might get a lot easier to win in Arizona, if a ballot referendum passes that would start awarding $1 million to a randomly selected voter.

It's certainly one of the more innovative methods I've heard of to increase voter turnout.

What will they come up with next?

2006-07-17T07:57:00.000-07:00

Okay, I was coming here to write about something else (which I'll get to later), when I was distracted by this article in the New York Times. Because we're not already bombarded with advertising everywhere we go, CBS is going to start putting ads on eggs.

I'm fairly appalled, but the slogans are pretty funny.

Going back there again, part II

2006-07-13T12:24:00.000-07:00

As I participated in workshops this week on youth mobilizing and action projects, I reflected back on my own wayward youth. And the reflections ended up feeling a bit depressing.

As a high school student I was engaged and passionate, eager to spend time and energy on causes that I felt meant something. I lobbied the school administration for changes I wanted to see, I organized clothing drives and arranged speakers for the classroom. And I somehow managed to stay on top of my schoolwork and maintain a strong social life.

Today, I still care (and am perfectly happy to pontificate at length), but I no longer have the boundless energy (or copious free time) of my youth. I end up feeling jealous of that younger me who was so confident and willing to take on the world, and wondering where she went. What was it about that time that made it so easy? And what is it now that makes it so hard?

Though it was great on many levels, I have no actual interest in returning to high school. But I don't think I'd mind too much if high school me came for a little visit.

Going back there again

2006-07-07T11:02:00.000-07:00

You know how they say you can never go back there again? I had that kind of experience this past weekend when I visited Brown's campus for the first time in 6 years. Most things were the same, but of course what pops out most are the things that are different. Like the new life sciences building that has taken over almost an entire block.

Walking through campus, particularly with new friends who didn't know me then, was a very surreal experience. I enjoyed being able to point things out to them and share some of my special places, but it felt removed, like it wasn't really me I was talking about. Six years isn't really so long, but sometimes it feels like a lifetime.

"It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them."

2006-06-27T07:36:00.000-07:00

That's one of my favorite quotes (by Ralph Waldo Emerson, in case you were wondering), and one that was brought into stark relief Saturday night at my boyfriend's birthday party. Surrounded by old friends, a side of him came out that I had previously only heard stories of. In the interests of protecting the innocent, I'll only say that it involved a pair of bikini bottoms and the song Baby Got Back.

When you know you have to stop denying that you look like your mother

2006-06-22T11:10:00.000-07:00

I had just finished pumping gas the other day and was getting back into my car when the driver behind me called out. "Are you Addy or Aggie or Maggie?" he asked, slowly listing a group of names that I hadn't heard together in quite some time. I mean, I hear Addy all the time, as it's my sister's name, but the last time I heard reference to Aggie and Maggie was several years ago. It turns out that was what some kids up the block used to call me and my sister, waaaay back in the day. I haven't gone by Maggie since I was two, maybe three.

The look of skepticism that I put on my face when he started to ask if I was... quickly disappeard and turned to astonishment. Yes, I was Megan, and Addy was my sister. This guy, who I learned was named Sean, used to live up the block from us on Wyneva Street. Now, we moved off of that block when I was six, and for three years before that had only lived there part time. So he clearly wasn't remembering me for me. No, apparently I look enough like my mom that, more than 23 years after she moved away and 20 years after I followed suit, an otherwise total stranger picked me out as her daughter.

I read a book once that argued that most people have only a few degrees of separation between them. The weird coincidences are not when we run into someone connected, they're when we manage to touch on that topic that connects us. I guess the benefit of looking so much like my mom is that the likelihood is that much greater.

This thought didn't stop me from humming "It's a small world" for the rest of the day.

Oh, the irony

2006-06-19T07:26:00.000-07:00

As part of a leadership development program, I spent the last three days at a diversity workshop. The nearest town to our retreat center: White Haven.

They don't call me Coldilocks for nothing...

2006-06-13T13:32:00.000-07:00

We made the plans months ago to ensure that everyone could come. So, of course, the closer we got, the more people dropped out.

The real problem with planning a whitewater rafting trip (which we took this past Saturday), though, is that you never know what the weather will hold in store for you. Often the second week in June is beautiful. No so much this year. Everyone snuggled into wetsuits, which certainly made things a bit more bearable.

I have to say that the whitewater part of the trip was pretty lame. Which probably accounts for the prime activity of the day - splashing other boats and riders. Some people got into such a frenzy that they leapt between rafts to properly soak their friends. Now, we didn't know anyone outside our own boat, but that didn't stop certain people from instigating fights, just for the fun of retaliation. Now, I like a good water fight as much as the next person, but not so much when it's barely 70 degrees out.

Tommy can you hear me?

2006-06-12T07:24:00.000-07:00

The New York Times has, over the last couple of months, had a series of articles about cell phone use in schools. Teachers and administrators don't want them, children do, and parents are paranoid. Today the Times featured an article on a new way for students to get text messages without their teachers knowledge - the use of a ringtone so high in frequency that most adults can't hear it, while children and teenagers can. While I was glad to learn that I'm still young (by this measure at least), listening to the audio file was perhaps the most painful sound I have heard in long time.

Makes me very glad I'm not a dog.

Full Puppet Nudity

2006-06-06T12:27:00.000-07:00

I finally saw my first Broadway musical (well, the first one I actually saw on Broadway) on Sunday. It was awesome!!!

I took my honey to see Avenue Q for his birthday. (What better way to stay young than see a puppet show?). Transportation issues aside, it was fantastic. I have spent a significant portion of my life watching, listening to or singing musicals, but this was the first one I ever saw that spoke to real aspects of my life.

Now to get the cd and start driving my officemate crazy...

Soylent white?

2006-06-06T12:23:00.000-07:00

It has all the makings of a good horror story. For months it stalked me. Three, to be precise. Sitting there on the counter, looking all fresh and white.

Not some creature of unknown origin, but a loaf of white bread left behind by my former housemate. He bought it in February and even after he moved out and it just sat there on top of the bread box, I couldn’t bring myself to throw it out. Even though I had no intention of eating it (especially as it got older and older), I just felt wrong throwing away a loaf of bread that still looked edible. I was finally able to bring an end to the standoff when, last week (3 months at least after it entered the house), it finally started to grow mold.

It kinda makes you wonder what they put in those things…

Hiking the AT

2006-05-31T12:32:00.000-07:00

I can now officially say that I have hiked the Appalachian Trail! (And I wouldn't even by lying, technically).

Among the things I learned this weekend:
1. As my friend Jessie has long claimed, there is indeed a fabulous Salvation Army thrift store in Quakertown.
2. When going to the drive-in and planning to sit outside the car - bring a working radio and a cushion for your bum.
3. When planning to camp at a campground you've never been to before in the middle of nowhere Pennsylvania, make them give you good directions and never believe them when they tell you there'll be signs.
4. Mattress pads are your friend when sleeping in a tent.
5. When borrowing a tent from a friend, it is useful to get directions, rather than trying to figure it out at 2 in the morning, dead tired and trying not to wake the other campers.
6. Road trips with friends are awesome, especially when they include all you can eat buffets of chocolate covered strawberries!

Expedition

2006-05-27T10:19:00.000-07:00

The bags are packed. We have our sleeping bags and a borrowed tent. All set to head off for a weeked with good friends and the promise of my second ever drive-in movie (still undecided between the Da Vinci Code and Over the Hedge (or is it under? - can't quite remember - suffice it to say it is about fuzzy animals and involves a hedge in some way).

Going down

2006-05-24T12:32:00.000-07:00

I was about halfway up (I honestly don't know how far, but it sure felt like 100 feet at least) when I decided I had made a mistake. Too cool to start begging to be let off, as had the 10 year-old boy I watched attempt this feat before me, I settled for closing my eyes and squeezing the restraining bar that held me in place. And if anyone had been snapping a picture 5 seconds later, as I hurtled toward the ground, they would probably have found a look of abject terror on my face. And 5 seconds after that, I walked, in one piece, off the ride platform and onto the Wildwood boardwalk, all in one piece.

I never was one to get motion sick, but after an afternoon of being hurled down roller coaster tracks, whirled, twisted and turned upside down, my stomach was feeling the effects of the boardwalk fries I had eaten before setting out on this grand adventure.

Ever since a particularly harrowing experience at a state fair in 8th grade, I have been decidedly opposed to trying any ride that involves being upside down. And yet somehow I found myself on another ride, empyting my pockets and removing my shoes, haivng been assured that gravity would take care of it, and in a decidedly messier way, if I did not.

I must say that I never did really understand the draw of death defying rides, much prefering the giddyness of spinning uncontrolably (gotta love that Tilt-a-Whirl) to the stomach-dropping feeling of the pirate ship. The adrenaline rush so many people have enjoyed always seemed elusive to me. But one thing Sunday's adventures taught me is that sometimes it's just about doing it, even though your scared. The trip down might be petrifying, but it's over pretty quicky, leaving plenty of time to move on to the next challenge. Maybe the real lesson is that things in life are scary, but you should try them anyway. And even if they don't turn out to be life-alteringly wonderful, they probably won't be nearly as bad as you expect, either. And you feel much better about yourself for trying.

Putting on my pouty face

2006-05-18T08:37:00.000-07:00

For a couple of years now, I have been hoping that my last car (a '93 Plymouth Sundace) would hold out long enough that I could afford a Honda Insight. The Insight seemed to be everything (well, most things) I want in a car. Good gas mileage, not terribly expensive, and small (all the better for getting into parking spaces, a notorious problem of mine).

Well, the Plymouth was a great car and held up quite well. But with the passenger window not openable and no air conditioning, it had ceased being particularly comfortable to passengers. When the passenger door started falling off its hinges and had to be permanently shut, forcing ever more beleaguered passengers to climb in over the driver's seat, I decided retirement time was at hand. After several nervewracking days of trolling Craigs List, eBay and talking with a few dealers, I settled on another car. It's another '93, but this one is a Geo Metro, and I am loving the 40+ miles I get per gallon. Well aware that this car is also 13 years old (and given that I've already broken the passenger door handle, causing passengers to either wait patiently or roll down the window to let themselves out), I can't figure on it holding out forever, so I still had that Insight idea in the back of my head.

Then much to my dismay, a good friend broke my heart today by sending me an NY Times article detailing Honda's decision to discontinue my car of the future, causing the aforementioned pouty face. On a happier note, Honda does seem to be claiming they'll have another small hybrid available in 2009. So now the fingers cross that my new little blue baby can hold out at least that long...

This time, the grass might really be greener

2006-05-17T08:32:00.000-07:00

The New York Times today has a great article on Chicago’s efforts to be a green city. (Part of a whole section on green business!) Among other efforts, Mayor Richard Daley has promised faster permitting for green buildings. If only Philadelphia could take a page out of that book…

The system works!

2006-05-17T08:27:00.000-07:00

Well, this time anyway.

Two incumbent, high ranking state legislators have been voted out in the primaries, proving that, at least on occasion, getting voters really angry is not the best move for politicians.

Casting my ballot

2006-05-16T10:26:00.000-07:00

Ever since I moved, almost a year ago now, I have really enjoyed going to the polls. The local polling place is a school a couple of blocks away, and it is manned by several of my neighbors from across the alley behind our houses. They’re always very nice and act sort-of grandparently towards me, wanting to make sure everything is in order. It also serves as a gentle reminder that people around do notice things, even if I don’t see them much. Today they complimented me on my “new” car and wished me luck with it. Given that I so rarely see any of my neighbors on my own block, it’s nice to know that there are some people there looking out for me. It’s one of the few days a year that I really feel like I live in a community.

Happy Birthday, Mom

2006-05-12T06:16:00.000-07:00

As she has for several (err, all) of the last four years, my mom is celebrating her birthday this year in Kyrgystan.

No, she didn't go there just for the fabulous parties - though I hear the food can be quite intriguing, especially for honored guests. Actually, she's there studying wolves and jackals for her dissertation.

I kinda like the idea of my mom going down in legend. Generations from now, I Kyrgyz parents will still be telling bedtime stories about the Jackal Lady who prowls the hills.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Recognition

2006-05-10T08:35:00.000-07:00

I'm working my way through Deborah Tannen's Talking from 9 to 5, which offers many interesting insights about communication at work. (This is the fourth or fifth of her books that I've read, and they're really great, though you run the risk of sounding a bit shrink-like if you talk about her theories too much in converstation. Of course, if you want to talk like a shrink, then I highly recommend them.)

One of her observations has to do with styles of getting things done and how you get credit for them. A particularly interesting section dealt with responses to crisis. In particular, she noted that people who work hard and avoid crises in the first place actually tend to get less credit in the long run than people who let things slide and let them become crises. When there is a crisis, you get to be a hero for fixing it. when there's no crisis (even if it's because you worked so hard and were so brilliant in the first place), there's also no room for heroics.

There must be a lesson in there somewhere...

Unbelievable

2006-05-08T13:03:00.000-07:00

I've been reading the book The Wal-mart Effect for one of my book groups.

There are so many things worth pontificating about, I hardly know where to start (and I'm not even finished yet, so there are even more than that!).

For now, I'll just say this: A very detailed academic study has proven that counties that have Walmarts have higher poverty rates than counties that do not, all other things being equal. So basically, having a Walmart come to town increases the number of people living in poverty (to say nothing of its other effects, which include causing an average of four other area stores to go out of business, and making a mockery of urban design), and yet towns actually compete to get Walmarts to open, offering them tax breaks and other incentives. Sure, the low prices are great, which they have to be now that more people will have to live on less money.

Anyone care to make sense of this for me?

Passing on the torch

2006-05-03T18:47:00.000-07:00

I may have to give up my title as world's worst parallel parker. I just got a "new" car, a 1993 Geo Metro, and so far (based on a very scientific survey of one attempt at parallel parking), it is so wonderfully easy to park (though it is a bit hard on the arms - I never fully appreciated power steering until now). I always new I wanted a small car, now I have yet another reason why.

For those of you planning weddings anytime soon...

2006-05-02T07:42:00.000-07:00

I have recently learned that toilet paper is not the best fabric for wedding dresses. I know, I know, it's a shocking revelation, but the fact of the matter is that it's a bit prone to going limp. And stitches don't hold very well. And if it gets wet, it's a bit clingy and see through. And none of the models I recently witnessed wearing one was actually able to move, which might be a problem for the whole walk-down-the-aisle part of the ceremony.

The toilet paper veil, on the other hand, has some real advantages. For example, if you start crying as you walk down the aisle, or as your honey starts declaring his undying love, voila - instant tissue!

Power corrupts...

2006-04-26T13:35:00.000-07:00

For some reason known only to the crazy person living in my head, I seem to have spearheaded the organization of a high school reunion for my class. I can't imagine how the big schools do it - trying to negotiate a date with just 50 classmates is quite an ordeal.

The real question, of course, is whether to pick the date that works for most people, or to pick the date when certain people (who shall remain nameless) are unfortunately busy. How ever will I choose?

Getting to know you (me, that is)...

2006-04-25T07:51:00.000-07:00

One of my life’s ambitions is to be featured as an InterActivist on my favorite environmental website, Grist.org. Since I haven’t been featured on Grist as yet (having lost the arm-wrestling match with my colleague Colleen), I’ve decided to create my own version here…

How do you get to work?
Every once in a while, I hatch a plan to start riding my bike to work. I start cheerfully planning routes and figuring out how to get unsweaty once I arrive. But then I remember that:
a) I am a terrible bike rider;
b) There are lots of hills between home and work;
c) Philadelphia drivers can be a bit insane at times; and
d) I’m actually hoping to live long enough to be featured on Grist for real.

Disciple of consumer culture that I (regretfully) am, I occasionally start thinking that if I only owned an SUB (sports utility bicycle – once featured on Grist!), all of my bike-riding hurdles would magically disappear. Thrifty as I also am (or try to be), I have yet to actually test this theory.

Suffice it to say, I’m still driving to work.

What actor would play you in the story of your life?
I’m not sure, but I definitely want Aaron Sorkin to write the screenplay.

Where were you born? Where do you live now?
I grew up in Philadelphia – in Germantown, to be specific – and as a teenager was determined to move away as soon as humanly possible. So, naturally, I still live in Philadelphia – though I have moved one neighborhood over, to East Mt. Airy.

Who was your favorite musical artist when you were 18? How about now?
Though they represent a time and culture that were hardly environmentally friendly, I have long been a fan of sea chanteys. I even wrote my college admissions essay about my fondness for them. I recently got a hold of an LP of one of my favorite albums; now if I only had a record player…

What’s your favorite place or ecosystem?
There are so many wonderful places in Philly that I hardly know where to start. Kelly Drive, the Wissahickon, Rittenhouse Square, Boathouse Row viewed from MLK Drive at night… I’m pretty much a sucker for urban green space.

How do you spend your free time?
Once upon a time, it was spent playing ultimate frisbee. More recently, I’ve taken up swing dancing and lindy hop.

What environmental offense has infuriated you the most?
Hmm. There are so many choices I hardly know where to start...city government’s reluctance to expand the RecycleBank program... the whole waterless urinal debacle... hummers... not enough bike lanes... sprawl (Okay, I’m stopping now before I need to go on Prozac).