Poem of the day

from “The Tatters” Brenda Coultas

I can get at the drawings or language of making things: instruction manuals for building fires or cookbooks for explosives or poisons. I have found out why we stand tall and who the commanders of the great ships are. I have learned the story of the microscope and of birds which dress in blue and purple, of how to read a sea shell. I have read of Monsters of the Land and Sky, from the crumbles of a 19th century text. I commit to memory views from penny postcards of sights I’ve never seen and actions I never witnessed; like the great swans of Long Island in the wild, or the skyline of Manhattan as seen from the deck of a paddlewheel steamer. I am impressed by cancelled postcards from the plains of a sod house or from a museum of corn.

On the road again: Packing for another adventure

Getting ready tonight for a 2.5 week adventure to visit my dear dear friend Krista in Japan.  Leaving this Thursday at 6 am and thinking about how much better I am at packing now than a few years ago.  A few pre-trip essentials have been taken care of:

- Cut, buff, and repaint toenails
- Take nail polish off, cut, and buff fingernails
- Toiletries bottles refilled and in a bag at the top of my airplane "personal item"
- Lonely Planet Japan book reserved at the library for pick up tomorrow morning
- iPhone 4 from Kalen charged w music, Japan travel app, and Skype credit
- Credit and debit calls called for details of international fees and travel notice so they're not stopped while abroad
-Clothes for two and a half weeks carefully rolled up to fit into one backpack and one carry on suitcase
- Sketchbook and journal packed
-Camera charged and memory card cleared
- Two pairs of squishable walking shoes purchased, squished, and packed into a carry on
-Waterproof Sea-to-Summit camping bag emptied of air and packed into the mix
- Camping towel and swim suit rolled into side pocket of backpack
- Layers, layers, layers, and even more layering options ready to go

East Asia, I'm nearly ready for you.  Bring it on.

The start of another year

The big 2-7, and I've felt surrounded by thoughtful people all day long.  I actually prefer working on my birthday to not working bc there are more people around to feel celebratory with.

A late night gift pick up from my neighbor's unlocked car in his driveway last night, nice Trippel beer waiting on the counter in a beautiful bag from my roommate this morning, the most beautiful rose I've ever seen waiting in the crack of my car door for me from a secret admirer this morning, a cubicle covered with streamers, 4th of July costume celebration and pitch in at work, a team pitch in with cupcakes, a singing birthday card from my coworkers, and a thoughtful gift of sidewalk chalk (long story) from my boss to round out the day before a birthday dinner (and my annual St. Germaine birthday cocktail!) with Mom and Sarah at Flatwater on the White River.

Early bedtime getting ready for an early morning tomorrow to drive up to a 4th of July weekend in Pentwater, Michigan

It's been a relatively grown-up, relatively low-key, but 100% perfect birthday.