So now that we are all connected...do you ever want to unplug?

There are people who are studying that question, especially when the answer is,

"YES!"

In fact, they are collecting images that show some of the push back against being constantly in contact, 

like these images below:

So here is your chance to be involved in cutting-edge research.

Signs like this are springing up everywhere. If you see one take a picture of it and send it to the researcher doing this study (let's add an end date~ December 31st, 2014).

Also, if you'd like... share this invite with your friends around the country and the world.

Take those pics for the next year or so and then

email 'em to this addy~ rgomez@uw.edu

Thing One

This is my child.

Isn't he precious and charming?

The theme for homecoming at the local high school was the Great Gatsby so Thing One and Cheesypickles got all dolled and went out to eat with some friends before the dance. 

They have been doing swing dancing on Friday evenings and were looking forward to the opportunity to dress up and show off their moves.

They seem to have enjoyed it and they were looking good, so I guess it was a success!

Soooo....

I went and bought myself a new little black dress, suitable for many occasions. I don't wear skirts or dresses much but I like this one.

Plus, it was fun to buy since it was a smaller size than I've been wearing lately.
Also? Fun to wear with my sassy new boots.

Today

So far today I've taken my kids to school, done an hour of yoga and an hour of water aerobics, done a little homework, and run some laundry. 
Next I'm going to a funeral because another mother has died too young. This one was in her 60s like my mum and disease is also to blame for her decline and death. 
I find myself contemplating life and death and the all-too-fleeting time we actually have, you know, sort of along the lines of, "The trouble is, you think you have time" and other related deepity ideas. 
Reminds me too of some thoughts I had after my mom died. I want to use my time deliberately. I don't want mindlessness to leave me feeling I've missed out. So, despite the fact I don't love funerals I will go today, and I will hug my family, and I will be thankful that I can be there for them as they've been for me. 

Off with his head!

I will admit to sometimes being a little bit Red Queen-ish.



Because there are days now when I drive farther than Mr. Logo sometimes I use the more gas-efficient Camry but on days when I am closer to home then I drive my Rav. Consequently, over the last month, I had set the clock in both cars to the correct time... obviously.
So yesterday I got to the bus stop at 7:05am and hopped out because my bus is scheduled to drive through at 7:09am.  It was cold, and I stood shivering for a while before asking another waiting bus passenger the time and they said, "7:05."
At that point I realized Mr. Logo had to die, or at least suffer a great deal.
He had reset the clock 5 minutes fast and therefore I had been standing in the cold for 5 extra minutes.
I cannot find legal precedent yet, but I am fairly certain that is grounds for something dire.
After standing in the freezing wind for 10 minutes I finally boarded the bus which was ALSO cold.
I was also very tired, but I was afraid to drift off for fear that I might die of hypothermia.

It was tragical, clearly.

When I related the details of my morning to Mr. Logo~ he laughed. In fact, he laughed really hard. I'd like to believe that is because I am a comedic genius with incredible delivery but I fear it might also indicate he is slightly evil and takes pleasure in the misfortune of others.

Cranberry Orange Scones and the bi-coastal disparity

I made scones for one of my classes yesterday ( I swing both ways but my intro to language had a notable British influence). 

There were delicious cranberry orange scones along a rather conventional line and some gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free ones as well (made with coconut flour, coconut milk, and agave nectar). 
Our professor has a snack sign-up sheet for all his classes and in additional to all his other general awesomeness, he is an appreciator and practitioner of creating yummy treats. His chocolate chip cookies were just outstanding. But back to the scones now...

They were much appreciated, especially the fact that there was an option for those who don't do dairy, sugar, or wheat for any reason. 

So on the break as we were discussing the recipe and scones, and baking and making treats for people with dietary restrictions, a couple of the students who've relocated from the east coast started discussing how different life is out here. It came up because one of the gals was delighted to find she could eat snack with the class and was so thankful I'd brought a treat she could eat. She was an undergrad back east (originally from the middle somewhere) and said it was quite difficult for her to even find restaurants that catered to dietary restrictions. Out here there are entire pages on the menus or whole cases in the bakeries that are specialized for those eaters. Then the conversation widened out to encompass the general differences in culture from the east to west with a little conversation about the middle thrown in there. It was interesting to hear more recent imports discuss the northwest vibe. The general consensus was that they liked it out here... so I made sure to tell them the weather is going to be really hideous and they will hate it.
:p