Ow, my old man hip.
How I wish to sleep all day instead of write my 600 word review for the SW.
Posted on July 30, 2006 @ 3:19 PM | 2 comments
Comments:
Make sure you stretch. I made that mistake in my first marathon, many years ago and it is only after 8 years of yoga that it feels decent.
good for you finishing it. How did the hydration go? Did you take gu or something like that?
By 
running42k, at
4:10 AM, July 31, 2006
I stretched lightly before and after, and took little stretchy breaks during the run. :)
Hydration was fine- there's a drinking fountain at 3.5 miles and we both carried water bottles. I have one with a hand strap and Justin is using a waist belt. We took Clif Shot Blocks at mile 4, and had some biscotti. Then we each had a Gu at the 7 mile turnaround. NUMMAH!
By Kat, at
10:15 AM, July 31, 2006
We were downtown to see Mitzi's Abortion at the ACT Theatre. Indeedy, a play called Mitzi's Abortion - the third production in a row at the ACT that I've reviewed for the Seattle Weekly. Hurrah! After the play we went to a discussion session with cast and assistant producer. Justin provided icebreaker for the evening, mistakenly declaring himself pro-life and stating that he thought the play had a decidedly pro-life tilt, before I whispered to him "do you mean pro-choice???" and he stammeringly corrected himself to much hilarity from me and the group.
In regards to the post below, my cousin made me this:
Mmm, Crack delish!
Posted on July 29, 2006 @ 11:43 PM | 6 comments
Comments:
Hope the run goes well.
By running42k, at
4:40 AM, July 30, 2006
I have been in a cereal funk, so I bought some of this "cracklin crack" today at Hugo's Family Marketplace (our regional grocer) for the regular "Hugo-Low" price of $2.58. That's one thing I don't mind about this part of the country... low low prices on everything! Now I hope I like this stuff...
By Lazy Lightning, at
3:31 PM, July 30, 2006
Damn! $2.58 for a box of Cracklin'?!? It's ~$5.50 here! I wonder if you could be our hookup...even with shipping...
By 
, at
4:49 PM, July 30, 2006
I'll start sending it by the palette. (Yep, I'm pretty sure that's misspelled. Don't care tho.)
By Lazy Lightning, at
9:20 AM, July 31, 2006
Send some my way too! I love that stuff! It's $5.00/box here!
By Rachel, at
2:34 PM, July 31, 2006
Are y'all talking about the 17 oz box, or a bigger box? The box I bought was the 17 oz one... that's kind of the small-size of cereal boxes.
But we don't buy it because it's so ludicrously expensive compared to the other choices. Ironically, it's paltry compared to getting a latte and scone for breakfast, or even the $1.89 Trader Joes' quiches in which I indulge so frequently. But it's principle, dammit, principle.
So imagine my unfettered joy when, upon chancing to enter the neighborhood QFC last night, I discovered that all Kellogg's cereals were 50% off.
And the damn Cracklin' Oat Bran was all gone.
I tracked down the first QFC employee I could find (who was stocking eggs) and sidled up next to him,
"Excuse me, QFC person," said I, sweetly, "But I am in search of Cracklin' Oat Bran, for it is fifty percent off... and you seem to be out!"
And he promised me the promise which so rarely pays off, "I'll look in the back."
I steadied myself for disappointment (the sale only runs through August 1st- what if they're out? - what if they don't re-stock?) and stayed put. I can't imagine many people ask grocery employees to check their overstock, but I've done it numerous times and pretty much always come out empty-handed. I mean, nothing's worse than going to the grocery store, where you *expect* them to have what you need, and having to leave without it. The only thing that raised my hopes was imagining that they'd been cleaned out of Cracklin' Crack in an instant by some other addict and hadn't had time to restock.
And yet he returned with a whole box of the stuff! Enough for me to take three cartons and stock the entire shelf. I danced around and held aloft my prize like a triumphant.... aw, who am I kidding... like a junkie. However, when I got my quarry back to the car, I heard a small voice nagging at me;
Three boxes isn't enough! When will they ever be this cheap again! You should get more! Stock up! They don't spoil! You can ration them out! Make sure you don't get sick of them! Save it up!
I rushed back inside like a crazed beast and cradled half the contents of the newly stocked shelf in my arms. Six? No, seven was a good number. Seven boxes of Cracklin' Crack. Two more proofs-of-purchase than necessary to get whatever awful family DVD promo they're offering. One thousand, six hundred and eighty percent of my daily fiber. Oh yeah.
Best purchase ever.
Posted on @ 1:20 PM | 8 comments
Comments:
You are such I nerd. It's adorable!
;o)
By , at
2:45 PM, July 29, 2006
It should be noted that I got her addicted to the stuff. And I blame my mother for getting me addicted. It's a viscious cycle.
By , at
4:46 PM, July 29, 2006
Wow, great bargain!!
It reminds me of when a new product shows up in the stores here (rice cakes! feta cheese! tofu!) and I buy them out of it, so that they'll think there's a big demand and order some more.
By Lazy Lightning, at
4:50 PM, July 29, 2006
I have never had "cracklin crack"...I will have to try it now...although, I might get addicted...then i will have to get chad addicted...then we will never argue about cereal again!
By sometrouble, at
7:12 PM, July 29, 2006
recently my grocery store was selling 12 packs of diet coke for 1.79 with a limit of 2. i was taking two trips a day to the store to stock up on diet coke, which is my weakness. love me bargains like that!
- meegan
notsosimple.net
By , at
7:18 PM, July 29, 2006
OK, I *just* got your comment, Meegan, and it's midnight here. My guess is that there was a delay, since blogger's clock recorded you posting at 7:18PDT... but if not, get some sleep, girl!
hehe
By Kat, at
12:13 AM, July 30, 2006
I had an addiction to the COB when I was younger... honestly couldn't get enough of that brown sugar and bran goodness.
I remember one tragic day on my way home from school when my bike just didn't quite have enough speed to deliver me to the porcelain sanctuary in time to avert disaster.
No one likes a "cracklin" colon.
By , at
1:40 AM, July 30, 2006
OMGZ DID YOU BUY ONE FOR MEEEE? YOU KNOW THIS IS A SHARED ADDICTION!!!!!
By Rachel, at
2:37 PM, July 31, 2006
Yesterday when I went to take pictures of Gary Siebel's art car (see below), I had to look about to find him. My search took me up onto Kite Hill, where I spent several minutes ogling a fancy gadget attached to a kite and wondering what on earth it was. I scampered up the hill to find Bre Pettis wrangling with a remote control. The contraption was his weekly project he'd built for Make Magazine and his weekly video podcast (also see the accompanying blog post. Since I had all my camera gear with me, I slapped on my polarizing filter and took a few pictures before running back to apologize for my tardiness.
This morning, I raved to Llama friends about my adventure meeting Bre, and linked them to his blog post about it. Bre's a fabulous guy and I liked him immediately upon meeting him. The Llamas thought he was hipster-tastic (which is probably true, but they were ribbing nevertheless) even though some of them are quite the Indie Rock Petes themselves. :D
In the afternoon, we were geeked to see that Bre's invention was Boing Boing'd! For those who don't know, Boing Boing is a "Directory of Wonderful Things," a very popular, interesting and time-wasting blog that is worth a LOT of attention and link love. I'm happy for Bre and also excited for myself... since Bre linked to my blog and to my pictures (thanks, dude!) it's like getting a second-hand Boing Boing! And since none of my posts at the SEOmoz blog have ever been Dugg, Slashdotted, or del.iciou.us...ed, I feel special. OK, I lied, The Web 2.0 Awards are "Internet Famous" up the wazoo. But that wasn't a completely solo project.
Anyhoo, be sure to take a look at the spiffy camera-vention and its photos of Gasworks Park, which is only three blocks from my apartment!
Posted on July 28, 2006 @ 5:58 PM | 2 comments
Comments:
Llama friends = animals or reborn Tibetans?
That was fun, you took great pictures and made me look good, thanks!
I heart the polarizing filter!
By bre, at
10:35 AM, July 29, 2006
The Llamas are my friends in Eugene, Oregon (where I went to school). They're geeks who sort of came together in real life via work in tech support, Counterstrike gaming, IRC, et cetera, to form a big nerdy "clan." For the origin of the term, see this post in Sept 2004 on my old blog. Most of the central Llamas lived together last year in a triplex/duplex facing across an alley (The Llama District) and most of us spend all day on an IRC channel chatting. :)
Glad you like the photos! Awesome project and congrats on being Boing Boing'd (though I suspect it's not the first time)!
By Kat, at
1:12 PM, July 29, 2006
It's Gary Siebel's City van, one of many art cars he's done over the years. How do I know? He was hangin' out in back when I stopped to take cameraphone photos last night. (Note: the above photo is not credited to me, it's Gary's.) I walked by with the 20D this morning to take some closeups of the cityscape.
It's a pretty nifty art car and certainly makes me wish I were ballsy or creative enough to do something with Fran the Van. But Fran the Van has been commandeered by my family because all my sisters are at home... and as these things go, Fran has started to fall apart in their presence.
The first time I leant her to them it was to get the turn signal repair priced. During the week I was away the battery died and had to be replaced- I'd never had a problem. This time, I left her with them while I was in Europe... in perfect health. First, the starter died. Then, when they took her in to get the starter repaired, the monkeywrenchers said that her tire rods were going, which I guess is dangerous and a big deal. Ain't been fixed yet tho, and not sure if I can afford it or care enough to do it. Nevertheless, before I could negotiate her safe return, the gorram muffler fell off as they were backing her out the driveway. Yeah, this car is old, a 1995 Olds Silhouette, and yeah it's expected to have problems after being driven for 150,000 miles or more... but it ONLY has problems when I'M not driving it. And it's MY CAR, ARGH!
So, about this art car dealy. The driver would like to see his picture with it in the PI's weekly automotive photo section, and someone has to take that photo. Since I've got the equipment and the time, we may soon head out to West Seattle to catch the skyline in the afternoon rays. And I'd love to get a newspaper photo credit under my belt!
This evening, I hope to have more Europe photos on the way from Germany. But first I've got to go over to my parents' to help them set up their newly purchased high-speed internet. O Blessed Day! They have finally made The Right Choice!
Posted on July 26, 2006 @ 4:37 PM | 4 comments
Comments:
My folks, too, recently made The Right Choice. Now they can download things! And watch movie clips! Wow!
I doubt you're going to want to pay for new rods on a 10 year old car. blech.
By Lazy Lightning, at
7:30 PM, July 26, 2006
My parents are still stuck in the dialup stoneage, alas! But they only had 1 kid to compete for online and phone time...
Also, my dad was considering making out old 70-something Toyota pickup into an art car. I think that'd be super cool!
By Eight-and-a-Half-Tails, at
9:42 AM, July 27, 2006
Haha "CTR" intarnets.
By Rachel, at
9:47 AM, July 27, 2006
wow. that's an awesome van! looks like car washes are out of the picture though!
- meegan
notsosimple.net
By , at
5:07 AM, July 28, 2006
I'm getting a bit of a late start, but with my regular runs and established endurance in "medium" (8-11 mile) runs, I don't think there will be any major problems barring injury or heat stroke.
I'm gearing up for my first run over half the total distance, fourteen miles this Sunday. Wish me luck!
Posted on July 25, 2006 @ 11:15 PM | 4 comments
Comments:
Hay there running buddy! The PDX Marathon is going to be great. Entertainment at every mile marker!
By Rachel, at
9:12 AM, July 26, 2006
grood luck!
By , at
10:30 AM, July 26, 2006
Good luck.
By running42k, at
3:53 PM, July 26, 2006
Luck!
By Louie, at
7:37 PM, July 28, 2006
Spent the weekend in the Drift Creek Wilderness off the Oregon Coast Range with Llama pals. The first night we went car-camping so that everyone traveling from different locales could meet in one place. It was like the Disneyworld of camping. Whitebread and totally crappy. Nearly 90% of all the "sites" were taken up by trucks pulling campers. Many of the trailers were set up with pinwheels and whirligigs... their occupants broke out the lawn ornaments for their camping trip. I guess, that is, if you can call it camping. Kids were motoring around in PowerWheels Escalades. Teenaged girls were blowdrying their hair and applying mascara in the bathrooms.
Despite the heat, the wilderness was a welcome respite after that. We had a great time camping and playing in the creek, even though there were about a million crawdads and some obnoxious flies. It kinda sucks to be back. It's unbearably hot outside and frigidly cold inside my office. I ran eight miles this evening in the sweltering heat. It's not *too* bad, but the temperature extremes and one very stuffy upstairs apartment make it hard to get any sort of balance. Oh well! More Amsterdam photos tomorrow... I'm off to join Justin in bed. He's got his first day of clinicals (for nursing school) tomorrow morning starting at 7AM. Wish him luck!
More pictures from Dylan and Rachel.
Posted on @ 12:17 AM | 12 comments
Comments:
I've noticed that in the campsites by the river here in town. Not only are these people camping DOWNTOWN, but they have full size gas grills, toys like that one for the kids, lawn ornaments, etc. And did I mention the air conditioning and the SATALLITE DISHES on top of the RVs? Sick.
Good luck to Justin!
By Lazy Lightning, at
5:55 AM, July 25, 2006
they weren't camping. They just moved for the weekend.
By 007ben, at
2:19 PM, July 25, 2006
Wow, how amazingly self-centered and naive.
These families are actually out in the woods, making an effort to drag along the kids, maybe making a few day hikes, and taking in something other than shopping malls and McDonalds. All you can do is take a cheap shot at the gear they bring along. When you're actually old enough to have a couple of 3-5 year-old kids, and you're hopefully making the same "lame" attempt to take them camping, think back on this ... with any luck you'll fondly reminisce over how clueless you really were.
Yes, I also do the family camping thing occasionally; Along with more hard-core back country miles than you'll probably ever see. And yes, I do chuckle at some of the same things you do. But, I try to keep things in perspective.
Next time you're sliding into that cool black sweater, you should also try on a bit of humility, it might look good on you.
By , at
7:40 PM, July 25, 2006
Anon: Here's a protip- Next time you want to flame on the internet, try something other than anonymity. Nothing screams "I've got no authority" like hiding behind a wall of blatant cowardice.
Old enough to have a couple of 3-5 year-old kids
I AM old enough to have a few kids. And I don't for a reason, thankyouverymuch. I'm not ramping up to go ANY time soon. So save your wizened advice for someone who gives a crap and maybe is actually planning to breed. FYI, this *is* my time to be selfish and self-righteous and I'm going to enjoy it. I'm sorry that you can't take someone on TEH INTARWEB expressing an off-the-cuff opinion without getting your panties in a knot. This says as much about you as my intolerance says about me. Lighten up, for God's sake.
I am talking about a real extreme here: My parents had FOUR children and NOT once did they buy us something as ri-fucking-diculous as a POWERWHEELS ESCALADE or take us out with a city-sized pickuptruck pulling a 30-foot trailer and call it "camping." What's self-centered and naive is that ANYONE could consider this a retreat into nature.The people who do are those who are likely have no appreciation for the real thing... and who are whittling away this country's natural resources by driving their gas guzzlers to the grocery store while those of us who'd rather hike through forests find them fewer every day.
Counter to what you say, I DO appreciate that this is as close as some people will get to the wilderness. (I also I do understand that many of them are elderly and retired.) I will only give them minor kudos, however, before I return to my statement that this is a sad, sad approach to camping. My parents, as I said above, took three yound girls camping and it WAS car camping, not backpacking. But there's a DIFFERENCE between car camping and what I saw at South Beach Campground.
There were times when we camped in grounds like this, when we lived in Michigan where people's concept of "the great outdoors" is usually unfortunately limited to city parks. But we always brought tents and gave some value to living IN THE ENVIRONMENT. Not trucking along playstations, satellite dishes, blow driers, boomboxes and water coolers. Yah.
Finally, re: "These families are actually out in the woods, making an effort to drag along the kids, maybe making a few day hikes, and taking in something other than shopping malls and McDonalds."
Before you make assumptions, you might consider that they're NOT out in the woods. They're in a car campground outside Newport, Oregon. The only day hike is a half mile to the beach. They're about four miles from a Fred Meyer and less than two from downtown Newport. Wilderness, it ain't.
Since you've basically called me a prick, anon, let me just say: it takes one to know one.
By Kat, at
11:08 AM, July 26, 2006
That's fuuunny, looks like I hit a nerve. More than that, looks like I'm right.
By just another loser, at
11:09 AM, July 26, 2006
Saying "it looks like I'm right" without actually proving your point is the number two irritating trait of trolls, behind anonymity.
By Kat, at
11:09 AM, July 26, 2006
Wow anon... not even bothering to back up why you're right when she makes a series of very good points about your comments. Are you out of juice? Bothering to come into a blog anonymousl y and vent about someone else's OPINION makes it seem like you are, in fact, the one suffering from a hurt nerve.
Next time you want to escape from McDonalds and shopping malls - centers of commercialism as it were - please leave all items of said commerce at home and try to enjoy seeing the forrest for the trees. At the very least, do not insist that you are escaping something that you then drag along with you. That is just silly.
By , at
11:09 AM, July 26, 2006
Some mighty fine assumptions you're making there (Anonymous) to counter some real-life observations. I have no problem with people going car camping, however what we saw at South Beach state park was a bunch of spoiled kids in RV's, and parents pretending they needed that Columbia goretex jacket.
I can understand that it would be difficult to camp with children (how to do this is something that I often wonder about myself), but I would hope that people wouldn't dillude themselves into thinking that what was going on at South Beach was bringing anyone close to nature. The "campground" amounted to a parking lot with bushes between the spaces.
These people were .5 mile from a beautiful sandy beach to play on (a greater joy can't be had by a kid) on a beautiful weekend at the coast, and they decided that the kids needed TV, playstation, and their electric Escalade to trot around the lot in.
For christ sake, they could have left the goddamn escalade powerwheels behind just for the weekend don't you think?
I guess I'm trying to figure out how numine's post took a different attitude than chuckling at the audacity of the situation, which you yourself admit to doing. WE all had a good laugh and then thanked our lucky stars that we had the mobility and ability to leave that place and find some solice in the woods away from Disneyland.
By Micah, at
11:14 AM, July 26, 2006
Shit numine, don't you know that camping just isn't camping unless you bring your satellite TV, air conditioning, microwave and $120,000 mobile home that gets 8 mpg? Get a grip on yourself (and your black sweater, which has everything to do with this post).
Once you pop out a bunch of 3-5 year olds (though ouch, I'd rather pop out infants, myself), you definitely should attempt to take them out. (I say "attempt" because lord knows kids are totally impossible to discipline and you must succomb to every demand they make) In making your lame attempt, you can teach them them that: "Yes children, camping is when you have all the amenities of home PLUS a highway nearby!"
By Lazy Lightning, at
11:15 AM, July 26, 2006
OH GOD LAZY LIGHTING I THOUGHT YOU WERE MY FRIEND!! YOU TOTALLY FLAMED ME ON MY BLOG!!! D:
Yeah, I was really just observing the irony of the situation. I don't see where he/she gets off assuming that it means I need an attitude adjustment. This person wasn't even there!
Who's to say I wasn't keeping things in perspective? Way to assume there, buddy!
And the whole "I'll log more back country miles than you ever will" thing is just... childish. If I don't have kids, hmm, I might just spend those years on the trail.
And my "cool black sweater"... is a polar fleece. Hardly as emo-tastic as you're trying to make it out to be.
By Kat, at
11:20 AM, July 26, 2006
I flamed you on your blog and now I WIN AT TEH INTARNETZ.
Why don't you just rip some holes in that sweater and then pin them up with giant safety pins?
By Lazy Lightning, at
11:36 AM, July 26, 2006
coming and flaming someone's blog is like peeking in their windows to judge them on what they're doing. Ok, so maybe I didn't pull the shades, but it's my goddamn house. If you don't like it, don't look. It's awfully small minded (or penised, perhaps) of the anon to come along and rain on your parade, Kat. It's your parade, dammit.
Here's a funny pic of me at Jimmy Woo's after The Next Web Conf.. Most of the other photos in that set, I look tired and drunk, which I was. Unfortunately, that makes me look sloppy and unattractive. Oh well. There's one picture of me playing photographer at the conference that makes me happy, tho:
Look, Rachelry! Sisters by heart! :D
Posted on July 21, 2006 @ 1:23 PM | 1 comments
Comments:
dude, you still look hot in the drunk pix.
why were you in europe?!? i'm too lazy to look it up in back entries.
By , at
3:33 PM, July 22, 2006
Posted on July 20, 2006 @ 11:39 PM | 0 comments
Comments:
Ok, it's picture time!
When I was in Europe posted photos of The Next Web Conference on Flickr and wrote about it in the SEOmoz blog. If you prefer Gallery, photos of the conference are also posted there. That accounts for most of Thursday and all of Friday, my first two days in the city.
Late Friday and into the early hours of Saturday, we danced and drank at Jimmy Woo's. The music was 'meh' but the ceiling was covered in hundreds of tiny bulbs that flashed and flowed in pattern with the beat. I was tired, drunk, and overwhelmed, so I don't remember much more than that someone spilled their drink on me and I fell down. But Tariq and I managed to catch a cab back to the hotel before we were too burned out.
Saturday morning I woke up hung over to a flurry of activity. Here's what I did (or skip straight to the Saturday Gallery):
...Rented a bike and rode to Nordermart, an antiques, organic, and flea market in the northwest corner of the city center.
...Rode the bike all over the city and met a girl with a rabbit named French Kiss. We pedaled through a park and passed the Brouwerij 't IJ, a brewery in an old public bathouse attached to a windmill. Rad! The name means Brewery on the Ij. The Ij is the big river that runs along the north side of the city center and separates North Amsterdam from Amsterdam proper. The name means "water," I think.
...Biked out to Java Island, a newly built island which houses a very attractive planned community, and then came back to the city center. I moved my luggage to my aunt's house and then came back for my bike.
...But first I detoured to the Sex Museum [NSFW] and through the Red Light District.
(Keep reading or skip straight to the Sun & Mon Gallery)
Sunday I didn't do much except take a picture of a pidgeon. I had to recoup, edit photos from the conference, and write my blog post for SEOmoz. My aunt and I biked around the neighborhood a bit and went for a tasty beer on one of the dikes before getting caught in a rain storm and pedaling home.
That evening, I watched the final game of The World Cup at an Irish pub.
Monday I got my train ticket to Germany for Tuesday. Then, I went shopping! All day, I walked and biked around the city, first through the Monday Nordermart, which features crafts, cloth, vintage clothing, and much more.
...I headed over to The Nine Streets, a nice shopping district with lots of boutiques , restaurants, and sweet shoppes. I had refreshingly cool viccysoise with smoked salmon for lunch, then some sweets, and bought many souvenirs including cheese from a fabulous cheese shoppe!
...Biked/walked around the more touristy Leidsegracht, where I saw a native get a bike ticket for failing to dismount her bike in a pedestrian-only zone.
...People-watched in The Dam Square and tootled around looking at funky European Architecture
This concludes PART ONE of my European photo tour! Be sure to look at the rest of the galleries... not just the photos I linked here. And stay tuned for PART TWO- Germany!!!
Posted on @ 11:26 AM | 1 comments
Comments:
KAT! Great post and fantastic photos!! Brings back lots o' memories! I can see you had a wonderful time in one of the world's interesting cities. Can't wait to hear more.
By , at
8:37 PM, July 20, 2006
Posted on @ 7:44 AM | 0 comments
Comments:
I slept thirteen hours Sunday night (from 6PM to 7AM, approx) and went straight back to work Monday morning. I'll post again when I have photos to show for it!
Posted on July 18, 2006 @ 10:58 PM | 3 comments
Comments:
Ain't you no Hollaback guuuurl?
By Rachel, at
5:23 PM, July 19, 2006
Just curious, but do you use Aperture?
Because it rocks.
By Louie, at
10:56 PM, July 19, 2006
I haven't tried Aperture. Prolly won't til I can get me a free copy. Right now I'm using Photoshop CS. Has a nice RAW plugin. :)
By Kat, at
11:32 PM, July 19, 2006
This morning (err, noon-ish) I set out to bike around the Wetlands northeast of Amsterdam proper. There are wonderful bike paths through fields, marshes, and villages for endless miles. I took a 37km route to end at the dike where my aunt's concert was performed. On the way I took many lovely pictures, though the light would have been better earlier or later in the day. I've never seen so many swans in my life! They were nesting along the canals, paddling with their young, and flocking in great gaggles of thirty or more on one of the lakes.
My aunt's concert was lovely- she plays the viola and was part of a trio comprised of a pianist and soprano. Unfortunately, I spent most of it with a growing allergic reaction and ended up itchy and shaking from a combination of wind and grass pollen, bug bites, sun exposure, exhaustion, and stress. Some stupid mosquito (or something) massacred my face. When I woke up this morning I had three bites on my forehead, which had been there for days, but this evening my whole face is covered in itchy bites. I look like I got into a fight with a nest of bees.
I decided, therefore, to go incognito into town tonight and just walk about the Red Light district and maybe smoke a joint. Oh, I forgot to mention that earlier in the evening my aunt and I visited Wynard Fockink, the loverly schnapps bar near the Dam Square. Highly recommended! In any case, before going into town I decided I wanted to avoid attention so I dolled myself up as little as possible except for a little makeup to prevent myself from looking like I had a run-in with a nest of ants. Meh.
But I had barely locked my bike when I was discovered by someone from the conference! Funnily, Amsterdam is still small enough that this had happened no less than three times in the course of five days. Hmm. I'd just about settled into my groove when he found me and we chatted for a few minutes but not without the customary "we're off to do (xyz) and you should join us!" I hadn't planned on it, but I got kind of distracted by it. So, long story short, though he meant no harm, I kept focusing on whether or not I ought to go meet up with them rather than relaxing through my walk.
I'd just decided to go find them at Club Eleven when another something happened to throw me off guard. God, sometimes just to be left alone! Some weird guy from South Africa decided he wanted to chat with me, so I let him for a moment because I didn't want to start the conversation with "fuck off, whatever you're selling or whatever you want, I don't need it." He tried to chat me up so I gave him some bullshit name and schpiel, but I was thorougly thrown off guard when he said "Why are you alone? Don't you have any friends?" Fuck you! Seriously. I know it's just a line but it pissed me off. Of course, this was the lead up to "I'm alone too. And I'm looking for companionship. You know what this means?" Hah. To which I replied, "Yes. But not with me," followed by a series of "no," "no," and "no," in response to his attempts to prove he could show me a good time.
All in all, it was more interesting than distressing and that in itself didn't really bother me, but it did make me feel vulnerable. So I wasn't in the same mood when I set out for the club, and by the time I got there, I was ready to turn around and go home. So I did.
I didn't want noise or small talk or strangers. I especially didn't want any more unwanted advances, and certainly not looking like I do right now.
But as I left I was kicking myself. People I'd met had invited me to a club. In Amsterdam. On my last night. And I was leaving! Where was my sense of adventure? What was I missing out on?
I can give any number of good reasons/excuses for not going, but it all amounts to three: 1) it's not my scene, 2) I look like crap, 3) I don't know or trust people enough to enjoy myself. And the third is a real shame, which is why I was brooding all the way home.
So I didn't smoke a joint in Amsterdam. Boo on me. But I'll use my last twenty Euros cash to pay for my bike rental tomorrow morning and I won't still be stoned when I wake up early. (Plus, c'mon, I have a huge stash at home, so what the hell.) I did see hookers and I did drink good beer- not a single Heinekin or Amstel light. I'm coming home with a ton of photos, two bags FULL of souvenirs, a lovely tan, and a face full of proof that my blood is deeeelicious. Despite the fact that I am an ovbious lamer and homebody, that, my friends, is damnwell good enough for me.
Posted on July 15, 2006 @ 4:56 PM | 3 comments
Comments:
A huge stash at home eh? I'm stoppin' by YOUR HOUSE on our way up to Anacortez... ;-)
By Lazy Lightning, at
5:36 PM, July 15, 2006
Aws, I am your frieeeend!
Pickups from random strangers are lame too. I will be honest and say that I was a tit irritated at your previous posts regarding unsolicited compliments. At the time it seemed pretentious to me, as tho you were saying: "Oh what a botha', isn't it tough being gorgeous and getting compliments?" But today I was reminded by some slimy idiot on the street say to me: "Hay... you look cute today" as I rode by that there is a large, unspoken difference between a nice compliment and a creepy compliment. So to hell with all of those creepy comeons by random strangers.
And who says you have to have a great time during your last night in Amsterdam? You had several great days of vacation and are in no way obligated to fulfill a social stereotype if you don' wanna.
Othx4tehpostcard2!
By Rachel, at
7:21 PM, July 15, 2006
I have to agree with Rachel, a 12 hour flight with a hangover is absolutely no fun whatsoever. Also, if you think about it your body is about to travel halfway around the known planet, a bigger feat than Columbus, Lewis & Clark, and Ponce De Leon combined, who the hell would want to feel like shit for that?
By cyan, at
10:19 PM, July 18, 2006
Wish I'd had that much fun at that age. Besides living in a boorrrinnnnggg city, the summer before my first year of college had some of the tightest restrictions of all. Drat and damn. Now look at me, going to bed while they party. But I guess I never was one for noise and crowds. And I'm TIRED. So there!
Posted on July 13, 2006 @ 3:49 PM | 2 comments
Comments:
Wow. Same here - tight restrictions. Even when I came home after a year away, the restrictions were even tighter. Like my mom wouldn't let me go 20 miles to see a friend because it was after EIGHT PM and it would get dark while I was gone, and I might hit a deer... Shit! ;-)
By Lazy Lightning, at
4:16 PM, July 13, 2006
I was one of the lucky ones. My parents were pretty relaxed with me. On the occasions I had a curfew it was later than the rest of my sibblings...
By 007ben, at
2:02 AM, July 15, 2006
Strangers Without Candy
Strangers w/o Candy Pt. II
The creepiness extends to sending me random emails telling me I'm hot. It's not sexy or cute, it's just weird, especially if I don't know you at all. You're just another internet fanboy- and believe me, you're not going to catch my eye for originality. If you're a girl, I won't stop you, because you would be the first and that'd take cojones.
If I have met you and you are paying me compliment because you feel like it or because you were too bashful to do it in person, that is different. Please feel free! I'm not trying to harsh your vibe here, folks, it's just that some days I wish I were invisible because it gets really tiring dealing with other peoples' agendas.
All this brought on by some thinking recently and culminated by reading these blog posts.
KTHXBAI!
Posted on @ 3:28 PM | 4 comments
Comments:
But Kat - you are SO HOT. We should hook up.
By Lazy Lightning, at
3:39 PM, July 13, 2006
With you? Any time, baybay! :D
By Kat, at
3:44 PM, July 13, 2006
I appreciate the linkage, but those urls don't work...:< Try this:
http://mistressmatisse.blogspot.com/2006/07/strangers-without-candy-i-had-dinner.html
and this:
http://mistressmatisse.blogspot.com/2006/07/wella-wella-yesterdays-post-definitely.html
By Mistress Matisse, at
3:53 PM, July 13, 2006
LETS MAKE BABIES! Now that would be an original comment or email.
By Micah, at
3:15 PM, July 19, 2006
We went to Munster this morning by car, looked around the old part of the city and saw several very old cathedrals, houses, and castles. Then we poked around the countryside and saw a few "water castles" (i.e. those with a moat) of variable sizes. Not the big whopping things you see on posters of Germany, but still well-known structures.
I almost missed my connection back to Amsterdam in Duisburg when the regional express train I was riding stopped for a solid five minutes for no apparent reason. It turned out that they stopped because children were playing on the tracks. WHUT?! We weren't even out of the city! I call it natural selection.
Anyway, "express" was a bit of a misnomer and the train was over 15 minutes late. Luckily, I didn't miss my connection because the ICE was over 20 minutes late. If I had missed it, I'd have had to wait a good long while for the next train back to Amsterdam.
I had a spiffy seat up in the head of the train, set just back from the driver. It would have been better, however, if he hadn't chain smoked cigarillos the entire time, letting the haze drift from his compartment into out "smoke-free" car. BLEGH.
But I made it back and with time to take my aunt's two dogs, Ballo and Rex, for a walk along the river. Tomorrow I'll try to see the countryside and perhaps the Anne Frank House, which is more famous for its lines than anything else. Though I like art, I'm not a huge museum fan, and thus I'm avoiding the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum. I will be hitting up the Red Light District, smoking a joint some-where, and taking in a little schnapps at a place called (believe it or not) Fockink.
Posted on @ 3:10 PM | 1 comments
Comments:
You better have so. many. pictures.
I've arrived safely in Germany after an uneventful (and nap-full) ride on the ICE (Inter-City Express) train. Why does public transport have to be so bad in the States? During the last leg of the journey at the transfer station we were redirected onto another ICE train rather than the local one we were supposed to take due to delays. I gave up my seat for a bent-over old German man and rode the rest of the way in style, standing up.
I'm staying with Gerhard and Gertrude in Bochum. If you haven't heart of the city, I'm not surprised. It's not a tourist town. I chose to come here first because I didn't feel like paying a hotel or arranging a hostel stay in a bigger town. We'll see some castles, old churches, and idyllic villages from here without the trouble of crowds. As I said before, big cities are overwhelming- especially alone, and I figure I'll have a chance to see Berlin and Koln later in life. Right now, I want to take advantage of the opportunity to see a few out-of-the way places or, instead, do nothing at all. This is, after all, vacation.
Secondly, Gerhard and Gertrude share my family name. My grandparents on my father's side found their son when looking in a Berlin phonebook and connected with Gerhard, who is very into genealogy. He has traced our family roots back hundreds of years and it only took a little legwork for him to find out how we're related. He's been showing me his documents this afternoon and I'll share photos with you later. Interestingly, one of the descendants in my line is Katarina Dupre and I wonder if she's related to Jacqueline Dupre, the famous musician. It'd be funny if she was because Jackie is related to my mother's side distantly (I think, tho I should check) and it'd be sort of incestuous.
Anyhow, it's time for the afternoon rest here at the GG Haus, so I'm going to sun myself in the yard and do nothing at all. Then maybe take some more touristy photos.
UPDATE: Today I saw several very old churches and small castles before visiting a charming historic village. The first church had a graveyard with stones from the 16th century and older-- the church itself is from 1100. While we were there, the organist entered the chapel, which is off limits to the public and behind glass doors except when a service is in session, and began to practice alone. What music! What acoustics! Amazing. I wish I had a recording to share. Truly an incredible experience.
As I can't share that, have some random pics instead...
For the ladies:
For the d00ds:
For everyone, from Germany! Cheers!:
Oh, and look at my ZOMGSundae!
Posted on @ 2:59 PM | 3 comments
Comments:
Jah, zee Ho Haus!
Looks like so much fun!
By Rachel, at
3:10 PM, July 13, 2006
Um, for the d00ds? That car is SO mine. Wedding present?
By Lazy Lightning, at
3:15 PM, July 13, 2006
mmmm lotus...
By 007ben, at
11:19 AM, July 15, 2006
Tschuss!
Posted on July 12, 2006 @ 11:36 AM | 2 comments
Comments:
Bis bald.
By , at
2:04 PM, July 12, 2006
Your mom's... bald
Or something.
By Kat, at
2:31 PM, July 12, 2006
Anyhow, I spent all today shopping and picked up some nice goodies. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about you! I still have six things on my list, if not more. I've done a lot of very Amsterdammy things, as well as having nice home-time with my aunt and cousins. If my mom's still wondering, we get along beautifully and can talk much more easily than I can, for example, with her. I haven't smoked a joint yet, though I plan to go to a coffeehouse one of my last nights here. I have seen the red light district and it was really interesting- a weird mix of depressing and very sexy- and I plan to go back for another look.
I've been riding my rental bike around and will get another one once I'm back in the city. For now, it's off to see what the next border over holds for me. Everyone keeps saying that Bochum isn't a big city so there isn't much going on. Frankly, I'm a little relieved. I'm not a big city person and vibrant city life only entertains me for a while before it becomes overwhelming. I'd rather see a quaint town or even industry for my next visit rather than, say, tackling the nightclubs of berlin. Loud music, drinking, and being treated like a walking vagina seem to be the universal flavor of nightlife all around the world. Not my bag, ya know.
All right, sleep time. Got to catch the ICE at 8AM tomorrow.
Yes, I've been taking lots of photos and may have a chance to edit some on the 3 hour train ride. Woo! And also, mmm, mosquito bites all over my arms. D:
Posted on July 10, 2006 @ 3:32 PM | 2 comments
Comments:
Still no joints?! Shit! ;-)
Sounds like you're having a really good time. I can't wait to see the photos.
By Lazy Lightning, at
4:10 PM, July 10, 2006
"Walking vagina" haha just like that Planned Parenthood video...
By Rachel, at
4:18 PM, July 10, 2006
P.S. I'm really not jet-lagged at all. As I slept on the plane it was pretty easy to get onto Amsterdam time. The afternoons are a little difficult but I have the same problem in the states. Of course, I went and wonked out my clock even more last night. Pssh.
P.P.S. The thing I love most about Europe so far is the eclectic fashions sense of women. Here, at least, there seems to be a distinct lack of whorish Abercrombie & Fitch homogeneity. I feel like I can wear whatever the hell I want and not be over or under-dressed. Huttah!
Posted on July 08, 2006 @ 1:39 AM | 1 comments
Comments:
But like, don't people wear tanks and crack whore skirts? How would I know how to dress if my sisters weren't there? OMG, I'm totally never leaving the US!
By Rachel, at
4:11 PM, July 10, 2006
And here's a random-ass quiz:
| Your Political Profile: |
| Overall: 20% Conservative, 80% Liberal |
| Social Issues: 25% Conservative, 75% Liberal |
| Personal Responsibility: 0% Conservative, 100% Liberal |
| Fiscal Issues: 25% Conservative, 75% Liberal |
| Ethics: 0% Conservative, 100% Liberal |
| Defense and Crime: 50% Conservative, 50% Liberal |
Posted on July 07, 2006 @ 10:15 AM | 1 comments
Comments:
Hey Kat !!! U made it 2 Amsterdam and had fun cycling the city. Don't you just HATE traveling east?!?! You feel lost for a few days... you feel the sympathy for me working my last company and traveling there 25+ times each year? But what a sweet city. Hope you make it to some of the other cities we discussed...
Get some good sleep, catch a few days of fun and exploration and then off to the next.
Big hugs !!!!
Jeff
By , at
9:23 PM, July 07, 2006
Posted on July 06, 2006 @ 7:46 AM | 3 comments
Comments:
Ooooo lucky you!
By Lazy Lightning, at
1:48 PM, July 06, 2006
That 4 am bedtime is catching up to me right about now! *thud* stupid extra 3 hour lecture...
By , at
3:52 PM, July 06, 2006
Enjoy the conference, Kat! It was great meeting you in Seattle. Keep rockin.
Cheers. :)
Posted on July 05, 2006 @ 11:00 AM | 3 comments
Comments:
Hey? Just going to Amsterdam or anywhere else? Amsterdam is awesome but theres so many other cool places. I loved Prague and the rest of Eastern Europe when I was there.
By JeredK, at
11:27 AM, July 05, 2006
Eeeeee have fun and send a postcard! Oh and also post pics. :D
By