Reviving the dead

It has been ages since I've posted in this thing and I gather no one is reading it any more. On the off chance someone is, I am going to be making more of an effort to post more. I tend to keep in contact with most people in my life via facebook, so I think I'll be changing the emphasis of this blog a bit.

Much of my time lately has been taken up with roller derby. I have been skating just over a year and I love it. I also hate it. Derby is such a rewarding hobby and the feeling you get when you have a personal break through at a scrimmage or practice is so encouraging. On the other hand, it practically rules your free time. I suppose, for now this is a good activity to keep my body and mind busy.

Mrs. Growley, my derby persona.

This season I had been drafted to the Gold Diggers, one of the Fairbanks Rollergirls house teams. Oddly enough, the other team is the Raven Rebels. While I am a raven enthusiast, and now this blog is even more aptly named, I am very happy to be a Gold Digger. My derby name is Mrs. Growley, partly in homage to my life-long love of wolves and party because it is fun to sing my name to the tune of 'Mr. Crowley' by Ozzie Osborne.

We are the Gold Diggers!

This weekend we have a game in Palmer, AK against the Denali Destroyer Dolls. For a lot of us this will be our first real game play a team that doesn't exist within our own league. I'm excited and a bit nervous. Expect to hear more about that when I return!

So, for the future expect to see more things here derby related. I am taking a writing class this semester, so perhaps I'll share some of my work here as well. For now, take care and stay warm!

The hiatus continues

Yes, I know I've been MIA for forever. The reasoning is, well my laptop has been broken for over a year. And, in September, Matthew got a job with KUAC in Fairbanks and moved, taking the computer with him. I am stuck in Anchorage, computerless until I can find work in Fairbanks. Writing out long posts on an iphone is not preferable.

Of course Matthew and I decided to do what any sane person would do when living apart again, for an undefined amount of time...we got married. :)On November 26th, we tied the knot after being together for over nine years. We had a small ceremony in Fairbanks and we are planning on having a celebration in May on the Oregon coast for all our other friends and family 'down south'.

Until I have the motivation and technology to do more in depth blogging, here is a wedding photo. Matthew and I went with an 'old west'/Victorian theme. This picture was taken in the Harding Car, the boxcar President Harding rode in to travel to Fairbanks for the golden spike ceremony, commemorating the newly built railroad from Fairbanks to Seward.

Birthday Chomp!

I've been anti-people lately, so I didn't plan anything for my birthday. I think this is the first birthday I am actually glad to not be really celebrating. Instead I told Matthew I wanted to cook a special meal with our CSA box we get tomorrow and then go see a movie.

So on the birthday menu tomorrow is:

Appetizer: Fried Brie with apple slices

Main Coarse:

Salad greens with feta and tomato
Filet Mignon with Cabernet Sauvignon mushroom sauce
Sauteed zucchini

Dessert:
Its a mystery! Matthew is picking something up and won't tell me what it is.


I even bought fancy plates for this meal so I can take pictures of pretty food. :D Pictures will follow tomorrow!

Oh and I think we are going to go see Thor. I'll let you know how that goes.

Fleet Foxes frolic freely!

In case you didn't already know, Fleet Foxes has a new album out that is worth checking out. It is called 'Helplessness Blues'. I find myself relating to this album a lot and it is comforting knowing that I'm not the only one feeling completely lost in life. Rather than bore you with my woes, I'll leave you with some lyrics and urge you to go purchase the songs. They are worth it!

Montezuma

So now I am older,
Than my mother and father,
When they had their daughter,
Now what does that say about me.
Oh how could I dream of,
Such a selfless and true love,
Could I wash my hands of?
Just lookin out for me

Oh man what I used to be
Oh man oh my oh me (x2)

In dirth or in excess
Both the slave and the empress,
Will return to the dirt I guess,
Naked as when they came.
I wonder if I'll see,
Any faces above me,
Or just cracks in the ceiling,
Nobody else to blame.

Oh man what I used to be,
Oh man oh my oh me (x2)

Gold teeth and gold jewelry
Every piece of your dowry
Throw them into the tomb with me
Bury them with my name.
Unless I have someday,
Ran my wandering
In my underway

Oh man what I used to be
Montezuma to tripoli
Oh man oh my oh me


Helplessness Blues


I was raised up believin'
I was somehow unique
like a snowflake, distinct among snowflakes
unique in each way you can see

And now after some thinkin'
I'd say I'd rather be
a functioning cog in some great machinery
serving something beyond me.

But I don't I don't know what that will be.
I'll get back to you someday
Soon you will see.

What's my name, what's my station
oh, just tell me what i should do
I don't need to be kind to the armies of night
that would do such injustice to you.
Or, bow down and be grateful
and say " sure, take all that you see"
to the men who move only in depleted halls
and determine my future for me.

And I don't I don't know who to believe
I'll get back to you someday
Soon you will see.

If I know only one thing
is that everything I see
of the world outside is full of such wonder
that often, I barely can speak


Yeah, I'm tongue-tied and dizzy
and i can't keep it to myself
what good is it to sing helplessness blues?
Why should I wait for anyone else

And I know, I know you keep me on the shelf
I'll come back to you someday,
soon, myself

If I had an orchard,
I'd work til I'm raw.
If I had an orchard,
I'd work til I'm sore.
And you would wait table til you ran the store

oh oh ohh

If I had an orchard, I'd work til I'm sore

2011...wait...what?

I fail at getting things out on time. Never expect something from me in a timely matter because I procrastinate. That being said, Solstihanukwanzamas-eid cards/gifts will be distributed at random intervals throughout the year. Why limit this wonderful occasion to only one time of year?

And with that I leave you with an updated picture of yours truly from a night of debauchery in Anchorage.

Closed for business

I have closed requests for Solstihanukwanzamas-eid cards. I'll be sending out more holiday cards that are manufactured, but only a select few will get the hand-made Solstihanukwanzamas-eid cards. I must warn you, they look pretty juvenile, but they have been fun to work on. I hope to have at least half of them done this weekend. Keep an eye on your mailboxes folks! :D

Last call for Solstihanukwanzamas-eid

While decorating my heathen tree last Sunday, I got to thinking about the festive time that is Solstihanukwanzamas-eid. There are variations on the spelling and pronunciation, but really the spirit is all the same; enjoy the winter holiday and the company of good friends. Sadly, I don't know if Solstihanukwanzamas-eid will catch on. Even so, it is still in its infancy and I am making steps to beef it up a little bit.

Since we started erecting our heathen tree several years ago, Matthew and I decorated it with ornaments of Batman. Now, what better a festive figure than Batman? He rewards the nice and punishes the naughty, right? But why stop there? Why not include many festive figures into our holiday? Of course, the message is still the same. If you're nice, you get something good! If you're bad, however, bad things happen to you.

Here is our list so far: If you're good, Batman gives you a grappling hook delivered in his festive batmobile. If you're bad, Batman gives you rabies. :( If you're good, Willy Wonka gives you ever-lasting gobstobers! If you're bad, Jesus takes away your cellphone. :( If you're good a unicorn gives you magical chocolate rainbows! If you're bad, Zool jumps out of your refrigerator and gnaws off your face. :( If you're good zombies eat your brains! If you're bad, zombies eat your brains? :( Sorry, zombies can't tell the difference between good and bad. Tough luck kids!

I'm still thinking about the traditional Solstihanukwanzamas-eid feast. More on that later. Until then, what would you add to Solstihanukwanzamas-eid?

Oh and this is your last call for a Solstihanukwanzamas-eid card! Email or message me your address and I get one in the mail to you.

Happy Solstihanukwanzamas-eid everyone!