“I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they’re right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.”
— Marilyn Monroe
This is a very long list. Because I’m old.
1969: I’m still considered a child of the sixties, right?
1970: I’m not the youngest anymore. Damn.
1971: I can yell louder than the baby.
1972: Fuck this middle child shit.
1973: Musical Kindergarten!
1974: Real Kindergarten and the Spokane World’s Fair!
1975: Chicken Pox during Spring Break.
1976: I think I finally learned how to ride a bike.
1977: Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Saturday Night Fever.
1978: Disco
1979: Running very fast in rotary track club.
1980: We are covered in ash. and no more glasses!
1981: New step-dad and being utterly embarrassed by my mom being pregnant with new brother.
1982: Goodbye old friends, hello new ones.
1983: Majorly awkward freshman year.
1984: First boyfriend.
1985: More high-school awkwardness
1986: Chior.
1987: Just looking forward to getting the hell out of High School.
1988: Terrible grades but super fun times with new friends in college.
1989: Grades continue to plummet due to fun friends so decided to move to New York to be a nanny.
1990: This is the happiest year of my life so far, due having new adventures.
1991: California here I come!
1992: I was friends with a bunch of Scandinavian nannies this year and we had a lot of fun.
1993: The year I met my husband. Also the year I inexplicably decide to be a Christian.
1994: Crazy Pentecostal, psychologically damaging, year.
1995: Questioning crazy Christian ways.
1996: Earnestly getting through community college so I can transfer.
1997: The year I married my husband! Also, University of California at Santa Cruz, w00t!
1998: Study, study study, write bullshit literature papers, study.
1999: Library school, and a new job at Santa Clara University.
2000: I began working in the “The Cave” AKA Government Documents at Santa Clara.
2001: Do I even have to say it? (9/11)
2002: Study, Study, Study (and this is boring library school stuff. Not fun Lit. degree stuff).
2003: Library Degree? Yes Please!
2004: Science Librarian? Sure!
2005: How the fuck did I become a Science Librarian?
2006: Children’s Librarian that’s more like it. But how the fuck did I end up back in Spokane?
2007: Photography saves my sanity.
2008: Snow.
2009: Hello, Oregon! Goodbye Doug 😦
2010: I am a zombie.
2011: I am happy.
I am on vacation and plan to get outside as much as possible. Yesterday Raf and I went hiking, again, up on the Timberline Trail. This time we did not run into snow. Instead we ran into the most breathtaking wildflowers you will ever see.
Seriously. absolutely breathtaking. The blooming lupines create a carpet of purple over the meadows.
The timberline area of Mt. Hood is easily one of the beautiful places I’ve ever been and one of my favorite places to be.
These pretty flowers were shot up at Timberline Lodge a few weeks ago. We tried to hike to Zig Zag Canyon but ran into snow. I decided to try hiking in my Vibrams again and had lots of fun in them and was able to cross some of the snow fields but eventually they became too wide and slippery so we had to turn around.
Today I woke up and realized that I really don’t want to do the 365 self-portrait project anymore. So I think I’m going to stop. It was kind of fun while it lasted but it’s not for me at all. Self portraits are nice once in awhile but everyday is too much self-reflection for me. There are some days when I’m feeling great and I feel like expressing myself and showing the world that expression of myself. But there are days (like the past few) where I just can’t let anyone see the blood and guts. I can barely stand to see the blood and guts myself, sometimes.
I’m not even really sure I want to continue with my “picture-a-day” in general project either. On the one hand, it’s a great practice and I have learned so much about photography by doing it. It’s also a great way to dislodge some creative energy. But, again, I’m just not sure I have it in me. At least today. We’ll see. The day isn’t over yet. Maybe a photo will present itself.
(and I might as well admit that I’m probably a little bit depressed. This is what happens. All motivation goes out the window.)
Sandy is a great place to live all year round but it is especially fun in the summer. There is lots to do and the city does a great job to make it all happen. Shakespeare in the park, movies, concerts, all of it free! And the Mountain Festival. We can’t forget that. Unfortunately, I have never attended any of these things because I am lame. (With the exception of Mountain Festival! I did do that this year). That is, I was lame. I am no longer lame because I attended Sandy’s first annual Brewgrass shindig.
It was Wednesday evening. Since Wednesday is usually the day that my meditation group convenes we decided to, instead, go to Brewgrass to check it out. We actually tried to do a meditation under the Gazebo and were successful. It was kind of weird but, whatever. The weirdness wore off and it became very pleasant. In fact, I’m thinking I need to meditate at the park more often.
Afterward we wandered over to the main stage, grabbed ourselves a beer, and enjoyed each other’s company and the bluegrass music. My friend Susie had a friend from Santa Cruz visiting and I chatted with her. It turns out we had 4 things in common. 1)knitting – she was up here to attend Sock Summit. 2)Ukulele – She plays the uke too! 3) She lives in Santa Cruz – and I did too. 4) Mediation and Buddhism.
So that was very cool.
It was really great to be at an event were I saw so many familiar faces. Sandy is a small community and working in the library I have gotten to know a lot of people here. I recognized a few moms from story time. One of them said, “Hi Miss Monica!” I thought that was kind of fun (as I was paying for my beer).
I have said this before, but I am so happy that I moved here. I love living here. It’s such a wonderful community.
