It's murder, I tells ya

Okay, so Murderball has left the Cest already (dang!) and I have head full of congestion, so I'm backing out of moovie nite tomorrow. I want to conserve my energy for the bike-thing instead.

Hope to see you on Saturday for walks or rides or just coffee an'.

Let's do stuff!

Moovie nite this Friday (9/30): We're going to see Murderball at the 7:15 pm show at the Crest! This is the one about wheelchair rugby: it looks pretty rockin', especially for three bucks. Late night coffee for afters?

Mile K Celebration on Saturday (10/1): Otis and I are going to take a Burke-Gilman ride on Saturday morning. We should be rolling back into Gas Works Park at about 11:00 am, just as my season odometer is rolling over 1,000 miles (in the great LDL summer riding series). I would love it if anyone wanted to meet us along the trail to cruise the last miles together, or just to be at the park when I get there. I think a celebratory espresso drink (and elevenses) at nearby Essential Baking would be in order. let me know if you want in, or just show up, or communicate on the day via wireless telephony.

Sunny in the morning

Or, at least, sunny-ish. We're going to go out and clock some miles on the bikes this morning - have to make hay while the weather is still acting like fall didn't start four days ago.

Busy yesterday: so busy that I had to turn down an invitation from Soapy to join him at the Puyallup. But it looks like I will be all set for the start of classes tomorrow morning. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a late-night run to Kinko's later on, though...

We did make an impromptu run up to the Crest for a movie. Otis was in a blockbuster mood, so we saw War of the Worlds. It was better than I thought it was going to be. The story moved right along, the effects didn't overwhelm it, the little kid was great, and if I squinted, I could sort of pretend that it was Dennis Quaid running around.

Thought for today: Nothing is more airwolf than Airwolf.

New zoo revue

So, even though I have been on the Ridge for two years now, the first time I went to see my animal neighbors (other than the gang at Sully's) was today, when Otis and I went up to the zoo, ostensibly to see the Australian budgerigar exhibit, or Willawong Station. Well, in a typical tactical misstep, Willawong is only open on weekends, and weekends don't include Fridays. But, we saw a lot of other critters. (Click for poppy goodness.)

This is the African savannah exhibit, which is pretty cool in that the main viewing station is set up to look like a village center, complete with well and school and residences,



This is for Johnbai. I don't know how hungry they are, though.



This is me with Chai, the oh-so-precious juvenile elephant.


The best part of the zoo visit had nothing to do with animals, however. As we were walking to the gorilla exhibit we passed a dad and his young son. The dad was telling the kid, who was looking at the map, that they were going to go see the penguins. With the best of intentions, I told the dad that the penguin exhibit was closed. The kid heard me and started bawling. And didn't stop. All the way down the path, standing in front of the gorillas, leaving the gorillas, the kid was wailing like a banshee, and not a happy one, but one that was very sad at not getting to see the penguins, and who might have been having a bad day before that as well. I just tried to be invisible. The last I saw of them, the dad was on his mobile making some other arrangements for the afternoon's activities. Good job, Walaka!

So, I'm not a big fan of zoos to begin with, but the animals looked okay and they seemed to have room and stuff, so it was a pretty good time.

Oh, and this morning, while I was sitting in a three-hour English department meeting, Otis had her first stint in the student clinic at Brenneke. Yay, Otis -- another step closer to license!

And only 69 miles left to the grand after riding to the meeting today. Anyone in for 10/2 festivities?

Sticker and shock

Okay, so y'all know that I went to the eye doctor not long ago and that I now have a brand-new prescription for some progressive lenses (sort of like continuous trifocals). So today I went back to the too-cutely-named "See Center" at Group Health to look at frames. I picked out a few and took a seat at one of the little [insert whatever noun denominates those semi-partitioned work areas at a long common counter]. The woman who came to help me complimented me on my taste: it seems my frames of choice cost $210. And then she tells me my lenses will cost $230-$240, depending on the exact size. But not to worry - my benefits will cover fifty bucks, so my out-the-door cost will only be $400.

Heavens to Murgatroyd! That seems like a lot of money! Even with cheap frames, it looks like it will be hard to get it under $300. Is this right? Is this just how much glasses cost? I asked a glasses-wearing guy in Safeway on my way home, and he said that it was, and looked sad. So, all you four-eyeses out there, let me know how much my glasses should cost. Maybe if enough people tell me that the price is what it is, I will be able to deal with it better. Or maybe somebody has different information.

On a happier commercial note, I am now the proud owner of a caramel-colored, Utilikilt-brand, Carhart-material Workman's Kilt, just in time for fall! Yay!

Now playing: Superhero Radio

Well, today's class goes in the win column, I think. My critical thinking piece hung together pretty well, and the class responded well to Otis and her whole body. Learning, that is. Just one more class tomorrow, and the Express pulls into the station. Next week, the whole dang switchyard comes to life.

In that vein, I came to something of a realization today: I am a classroom teacher. No, that's not a tautology or a redundancy or a superfluous statement. In the same way that some lawyers are courtroom lawyers, and don't resonate with much else associated with the practice of law, I find my eudaimonia in the classroom. Ed theory, course design, planning, research, publication, conferencing, professional development: none of those mean much to me personally, although I recognize their importance to the field, and, indirectly, to students. I don't want to adminstrate or even chair; I don't want to be dean or director. Just give me a course description, give me a room, give me some students, and let me go.

Intarweb referral of the day: Here, via Otis, via The Mountain Five-twenty Funny, via New Zealand, are Flight of The Conchords, a faux-folk group with (as Johnny Carson used to say) some funny, funny stuff. The link goes to the page on the site with downloads; Otis in particular likes Think About It, Think Think About It (she was laughing and falling off her chair when I watched her listen to it for the second time). I think they're damned clever, too.

Now playing: Go-Go Dancer by the Pizzicato Five

Had a big ol' class today: Melvin and I combined for some joint group exercises. It worked pretty well. We are going to do it again tomorrow, when Otis and I get to tag-team-teach. I have put together a module on critical thinking strategies, and Otis does a piece on whole body learning. It should be a pretty cool in-your-head, out-of-your-head thing happening.

I am feeling like a proper teacher again. I have been responding to papers and assignments, planning lessons, writing syllabi, and generally getting all geared up. (I am also already finding it difficult to carve out time for biking, but that's another post.) This class also marks the first time I ever considered teaching high school. About a third of the class is still in high school, and probably another third (at least) just graduated, and it's still fun, so I guess secondary ed might not be a complete wasteland for me.

For those of you who can't get enough blog action and like to check frequently, try bloglines.com and see if you like it. It's a way to check one spot to see if any blogs to which you have "subscribed" have new posts. I've been using it, as has Just Jon, and it seems to work pretty well.(Still no way that we've found to check for new comments, though.)

And while I'm recommending web-based services, check this out: librarything.com, a new online book cataloguer. Totally cool.

Wha' happened?

Old patterns are returning: I went over to the Starbucks at 3:30 today and was there until 7:00 pm responding papers. I'm still behinder than I ought to be, but I'll get caught up before the quarter proper starts. I'm envious of all the wandering that Wheylona has been doing; I wonder if her posts will slow down when she actually starts working.

The street in front of the apartment is all torn up, down to the subsurface. There's no parking around here for the next week. Otis said that the vibrations from the equipment doing the work were turning the lamp in her office on and off (it's one of those touch-things). I guess it's our turn: they did the five or six block stretch in front of the zoo last month, and they are apparently heading all the way up to Greenwood. In addition to the repaving, we are getting all upgraded curb cuts and bump-outs at the bus stops. But it will be a little miserable until then.

LOTR:TTT was on the broadcast TV last night, and Otis had it on as we were working. I liked it even less on the TV than I did in the theatre; I suppose I just don't get it. (It was still too flippin' long, too.)

Sunday Coloroto

Observation: Is it just me, or are tin-foil hats suddenly starting to make some sense?

Good news-bad news: I had my second tripple-dipple yesterday (total of 35 miles at 15 mph) on the Bothell run to make copies at CCC. Yay! Unfortunately, my legs are killing me: they have been aching, all last night and this morning. Ow! I wonder why now. Maybe it's cuz I am currently going out only every third day instead of every other day? Maybe it's cuz I went bowling the night before?

More bikish stuff: I have about 84 miles left to hit my grand, so I will surely make it on time. I was thinking of having a ceremonial last mile at Gasworks Park on Saturday morning, October 1. We could all meet there, and I'll finish my last official, OCD-recorded ride, accompanied by any riders / walkers / crawlers who want to be there. Then we'll head up to Essential Baking (or somewhere) for coffee and the ritual updating-of-the-spreadsheet. I appreciate all the support I have gotten from y'all and think it might be fun to close this project out with a whizz-bang.

Engaging the universe: Neds is now a published ranter instead of just a private crank. WTG, Ned! I think this should be the start of a trend amongst all of us.

Advance planning: I still have two additional seats for Says You! on Saturday, November 12! let me know who has 'em!

Setting 'em up and knockin 'em down

So, last night (and this morning) we had the Great Twilite Bowling Extravaganza, marked by the arrival of a new face and the return of an old face.

The evening started when Dar-Dar Binks brought her new beau, Mr. T., up to the Phinney digs. Judging from the giggling &c. I could hear as they made their way up the stairwell, I think the festivities for Dar and T had started already, with a little dance-hall telegram). Welcome aboard, Mr. T.! We were joined by Jen Forceful for apartmently conversation, but met the rest of the crew shortly before 10:00 pm up at Leilani: Melvin, dragging down from Bot-hell after grading-hell; Soapy, roaring up in the Batmobile to park in the very shadow of his new building (except that it was dark by then, but you get the point); and Mary Bee, not seen in these parts since Oscar Night One, I believe, all brushy-teethed and sunny-smiled after a nap. Good to have you back! (Unfortunately Do-or-Di was on the losing side of a battle with a cold and had called me to cancel out. Get Well Soon!)

Mr. T. proved himself a stand-up guy from the get-go: he hit it big on pull tabs while we were still waiting for lanes and generously shared the wealth, mostly in the form of adult beverages (which are acceptable currency nearly everywhere). Glass candles and liquid sandwiches all around!

Jen Forceful intimidated everyone with her custom ball and styling footwear (while the rest of us made do with off-the-rack balls, mostly round, and nifty but uniform orange and green rental shoes that glowed in the dark).

Otis made it by the middle of the first game, after a late class at Grope School. She jumped right into the swing of things, and was even coaxed by Soapy into giving a pole-dancing demonstration.

We thought we were going to be disco bowling (with the lights and loud music and dry-ice mist and whatnot) but twilite bowling is different: subdued lighting, no blinking lights, moderate music, and you win ca$h dollar$ if you strike or spare out when certain color pins are up. I hit for a total of $5 and a free game, Soapy got a buck more, and I don't know who else got what. Mr. T. had a chance for a $100, but couldn't convert a 7-10 split, imagine that.

I was bowling in my tan kilt, and it was great, except that I have a little alley-burn on my right knee, where it would hit the floor on my follow-through. On the other hand, I did get to meet a genial drunk Scotsman who wanted to know what clan I was from, so there you go. I think I bowled 151, 148, 127 (Jen had the high game of the night at 153).

When we wrapped up at 12:30, Mary Bee went off to sleep, Jen Forceful went to feed a cat, Dar-Dar and Mr. T. went off to who knows what, and we stalwarts went to Denny's for pancakes and an oil change. Otis and I got back to Phinney at about 2:30, I think. Good times!

Raumpatrouille

Dig this crazy spaceship. It's from Raumpatrouille, what seems to be a sort-of German Star Trek that had all of seven episodes in 1965-66. Otis has had a CD of music from the show for a long time, but never really knew what it was. (The music, BTW, sounds like a lot of sixties TV theme music, but is totally swinging.) This site has a lot of info, but isn't translated very well. Just don't be surprised if this becomes the theme for big-screen pixelvision marathon on Phinney Ridge over the winter...

We're on for Twilite Bowling this Friday: we have nine participants so far, we have two lanes reserved, and we're on the fast-track to funtown! (Or something like that.)

On the downside, Otis has a cold. She is slumbered on the couch, and spent the day watching Ellen and Clifford (The Puppy) and reruns of Charmed and Smallville, and sniffling, having missed both school and work. Let's hope she's all on the mend tomorrow.

Just for Johnbai

And argue all you want, reading Harry Potter is no better than watching a marathon of Welcome Back Cotter[sic]!

Sometimes, the internets are really funny.

My students continue to impress me, I took a bike ride today and am on pace to finish on or ahead of schedule, I made tempeh tonight that was very tasty and well-presented, and I am looking forward to bowling!

How've I been?

Well, as Billy DeWolfe would say...


I gotta tell ya, though, my students totally rock. This is a great class.


In light of any depth of journaling, here is something graphic. I swear to Loki it is not an animated gif or a mpeg or shockwave flash. It's just a plain old image. It's all magic, dudes.

This and that

Okay, so a three-and-a-half-hour class is a looong class. Melvin and I both taught one of these this morning, but we only have to do it seven more times over the next ten days, and never straight through in one room again. The Success Express is on the move!

Things are really getting busy. I rode up to CCC yesterday, worked four hours with Mel, and rode back. I still have things to do from the class that ended last week, and for the classes that start in two weeks. In fact, I should be doing them right now. Ah, they'll get done.

I have taken down the baby corn poll. Anti-corn forces rallied in the later days and the final count stood at:

7% lovin' it (only one person)
33% liking it
13% okay with it
20% agin' it
27% Ack! Ack-ack-ack!

Still more positive than I thought it would be.

Okay, maybe now I'll go get some work done.

Social whirl

First of all, Otis and I saw Batman Begins last night and it rocked!

... and we have been pretty much working since then, Otis with class and me with getting ready for the class I start teaching tomorrow. We did manage a brief peek-in at ToniTonyTone's Soiree - saw Jen Forceful and AWoog there, too! But, to cases:

This Friday: I have reserved a lane at Leilani Lanes in Greenwood for Friday night twilite bowling - you know, the lights and the colored pins and the winning money and all that.

Reserved means I had to pay in advance for four people ($15 each), so I am hoping that at least two of y'all will show up with Otis and I so I can get my money back (besides all of us having fun, too!). If we get eight people confirmed, we can get two lanes; get me responses quickly enough and I will go ahead and upgrade the reservation.

In any case, if we have a sufficient reservation, we can get there at 9:45 for the 10:00 bowling, and don't have to check in at 8:30 and wait around. I thought we could meet at our place sometime about 8:00 or so for drinks & snacks and hang out there, and then head up to scope out Soapy's new digs (right near Leilani). So, let me know who's in PDQ!

Saturday, November 12: The radio quiz show Says You will be taping two shows at the Museum of History and Industry starting at 10:30. Some of us listen to this show regularly: panelists play a version of dictionary/balderdash (always popular on our game nights) as well as other word and trivia games; it should be a lot of fun to be in the studio. We can meet at our place beforehand for mimosas and head out to Montlake together!

I have prepurchased six tickets (@ $25) each, knowing that there are four of us confirmed (Me, Otis, ScottFlowers, and Do-or-Di). If you want to be one of the other two in out little grouplet, let me know. If we get more than two more, we can always get more tickets, unless they sell out.

So, talk to y'all soon, and see y'all later!

I should get to work...

Well, it's finally clearing up out there. It was so dark this morning - we haven't had the lamps on during breakfast for a long while. Otis is off at class; I have been doing laundry and such and need to get to some class prep, but I am taking a break. What a gray, worky day.

It is nice to have had a real barn-burner last night. The impromptu bad-movie night brought Soapy, Melvin, Sailor Sue, RwT, Johnbai, and Do-or-Di out for soda, beer, corn (pop and kettle, but not baby), "the best cheese nips evar," purple chips and cucumbers, and Otis's find and the group's pick for the night's entertainment, Sgt. Kabukiman, NYPD.

This movie was jaw-droppingly, stupefyingly, eye-burningly, brain-rottingly, unimaginably bad. It was also quite a hoot and we had a great time watching it.

The evening went on long after Kabukiman and Lotus flew off into the chroma-keyed New York skyline. I nearly passed out from laughing so hard at Soapy's tale of protein-powder-stealing mice, and Bummerman made only a cameo appearance. Since the Cap Hill Gang was in attendance, the night went on way late. Cool beans.

We're still planning (I think) on catching Batman Begins at the Crest tonight. I don't want to admit I have started working again.

Now, back to work.

Litany

Baby corn: Okay, so it looks like I'm the outlier on this one! Fully 50% of those responding to the poll so far say they actually like this tiny yellowish comestible; 70% eat it, with either gusto or resignation. So apparently the wider world has indeed embraced this strange little vegetable.

Baby corn also appears to be a lightning-rod issue of sorts. In addition to the poll responses and comments, it has resulted in more than one email to me personally. Hmm... I wonder what results I would get for a Google (tm) search on "baby corn" AND Illuminati...

Eyes: I went to the doctor today, as did Just Jon - but since I already did all the blood draws and whatnot, I was going just to the eye doctor. The verdict: I am going to have "progressive" lenses, the 21st century answer to bifocals. The have distance prescription on the top, close up prescription on the bottom, and a gradient in between - no lines or sudden changes. I tried Gweekers's on when we were in Spokane, and they are really weird until you get used to them. But I should be able to leave them on and look at my class, the computer screen, the board, and my notes -- no my taking my glasses on and off all the time.

Neighborhoods: Soapy's imminent move will put him, in his words, "on the cusp of Broadview and Greenwood." This got me thinking about boundaries and neighborhoods and such, and since I am a bit of an anal-retentive about such things, I sought out the City of Seattle Neighborhood Atlas (which does indeed agree with the Soapster's assessment). The map carries the usual disclaimer that it is not definitive, but it does give a great starting place for discussion and perception checks.

Next Friday: Twilite Bowling at Leilani Lanes, on the cusp of Broadview and Greenwood! Folks can meet at my place for late dinner/snacks, then we can head up and see where Soapy is going to live, and then we can hit the lanes at 10:00 pm (and the LMP students can join us after their class). Expect an email.

Advance planning: On Saturday morning, November 12, the radio quiz show "Says You" will be taping at MoHI. I'm going to get tockets and I'll get a couple extras ($25). Let me know if you want in on this; I'll be getting them tomorrow (Saturday).

What's the deal with baby corn?

Otis and I went down for Thai food in Fremont tonight (actually, we went down for a salad at the new pizza place / bar / club, Nectar, but service was so slow we walked across the street, and it was better) and I got a Thai salad: peanut sauce on crisp lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, mushrooms, soybean sprouts -- and baby corn.

So what is the deal with this baby corn? It's showing up more and more places, usually (but not always) associated with Asian cuisine.

I checked the internets and WSU says that baby corn is not a dwarf variety of corn - it's just immature sweet corn, picked early. Okay, that mystery is cleared up - but it leaves a bigger one:

Does anybody really like baby corn?

I mean, I don't cotton to the stuff. It doesn't add to my dining experience; I avoid it, leave it, pick it out, anything but eat it. And I know several other people who do the same.

I know some people who will eat it, but I don't think I have ever met anyone who really likes it. I certainly have never been in the presence of anyone who actually asked for it specifically.

So, how do you feel? Fill out the poll over there, and we can build some academic literature on baby corn: the mystery vegetable of the 21st century.

This post brought to you by the Bureau of Trivial Inquiry.

Stuff that dreams are made on

So,sometime in the middle of the night last night, I woke up with an idea for a compelling blog post. There was going to be a faux version of some standard communication form - memo, or textbook, or something - filled with compelling content, and somehow illuminated by meta-commentary at the same time. I smiled and fell back to sleep, knowing that this morning I would be just rolling it out.

Um, all that's left is what you see above. Poof. Gone. If it ever was, in the first place.

I am reminded of the story of the Hollywood screenwriter who dreams the perfect plot. He scribbles it onto his pad and goes back to sleep knowing that in the morning his fortune and fame will be secured. He wakes to find the words "Boy meets girl."

Social calendar:

Some dates to plan for:

Late night Friday September 16 for a brilliant time in Soapy's neighborhood-elect.

On Saturday, October 2, does anyone want to ride/walk a commemorative last mile of the biking season with me? It will be followed by the ritual closing of the spreadsheet.

Graphic

(This picture really doesn't have anything to do with anything, but it was just to good to pass up.) Today was a mightyfine day. Got a ride in this morning; first time in a long while I have worn a long-sleeved shirt while biking. Played around most of the day; met with representatives of the Cap Hill gang for pho and such in the evening; got all my drakes arrayed tonight for my course planning meeting and final summer class tomorrow. (I have a lot of meetings coming up; I had already forgotten how busy Fall quarter is with meetings.)

I am feeling graphical tonight, so here is a link to a cartoon (not mine) that might be appropriate for many in our little community.

Click me.

Home again, home again

We are back in the City after our Inland Empire loop. Good times at the cabin, although it was too cool to really play in the river or anything like that. Interesting set-up there: no plumbing but it's wired for electricity. So, it's use the outhouse and pack in your own jugs of water, but you can work on your laptop and watch movies and have a space heater to ward off the mountain chill. (There's a nice fireplace, too.)

I had made some noise (mostly static) about going out tonight, but we got home too grimy and too tired to do more than think about it.

We did head down the street for Asian dinner, and picked up some flyers for the units at the Arson Arms Condos. The 2bd/2ba is half a million; the studio can be had for the bargain price of $350K. Gee, I never knew I lived in such a nice neighborhood.

I just want to say huzzah to my blogmates, particularly Wheylona, for their insightful, emotional, and informative posts on the disaster in NOLA. I haven't said much (anything) about it here, only because I thought it out of character for this forum, but that doesn't mean it hasn't been on my consciousness: most particularly in an acute awareness (along with Otis) of my own position of privilege in being able to assess / evaluate / discuss / respond from safety and comfort.

Westward ho

We will be heading back in just a little while - not to Seattle directly, but on a little side trip through Yakima toward Chinook Pass and the Putnam cabin on the Bumping River.

The Spokane trip has been swell. There's a great coffee shop in M&G's neighborhood, called The Shop because it is a converted auto repair garage. We took a walk and passed a nice morning there before having elevenses at Huckleberry's. The day was low-key, and then we went to a Spokane Indians (Single-A) ball game in the evening. This extravaganza included, besides the 8-3 game itself, these entertainments:

-The usual goofy mascot, a blue, big-nosed lizardy creature called a Spokanasaurus
-A tortilla-throwing contest (for distance)
-A radio-controlled car race
-A toss-the-pizza-box-in-the-butterfly-net competition
-A stadium-wide Macarena session
-"Take me out to the ball game" at the seventh inning stretch (of course)
-Rolled-up t-shirts slingshot into the stands
-And the coup de theatre, a giant pink bunny in a helicopter dropping 2,000 one-dollar bills onto the field so people (a selected 30) could scrabble for them

Wow.

Met up with some old pals from grad school days, Nellie and Yet-Another-Scott. They came to the game and we all went back to Eeker manor afterwards and stayed up too late talking. Nice to reconnect.

Making coffee with unfamiliar implements

I am sitting in the spacious living room of Gweeks and Mikey, sipping French Roast from a pink cup. Or perhaps is is fuschia. The sky, at any rate, is a pale yellow as the sun breaks though scattered clouds.

The ride over yesterday was fine, if uneventful. We are having a great visit so far: seeing Gweeks's school, the usual catch-up chatting, play with the ever-growing cats, and a nice dinner out downtown. But the centerpiece of the evening was our screening of the classic Heroic Trio.

Remember how beautiful Hero was, using light and color and movement to transport the viewer? Do you recall how lyrical House of Flying Daggers was, even in its fight scenes, and how it infused a sense of magic into a very real world? You know how Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon blended fantasy and reality with such a delicate touch, elevating the genre?

Heroic Trio does none of those things. It does, however, kick ass.

A Chinese female Batman. A guy stealing babies in order to bring back the empire. A tough chick on a motorcyle throwing dynamite sticks at the bad guys. Claymore mines scattered around a train station. A guy with a basket on a chain that he uses to decapitate people. Secret headquarters in sewers. A noble scientist developing an invisibility cloak. Horses. Shotguns. Some weird combination pediatric hospital/maximum security prison.

Numerous incomprehensible flashbacks. Slapstick comedy relief. Supporting acting straight out of Speed Racer cartoons.

It is pretty much a high energy, illogical, incoherent mess and a great deal of fun. (We did see a dubbed version; that might have added to the messiness.)

It also has Anita Mui (from a lot of Jackie Chan flicks) as Wonderwoman AKA Shadowfox (the Batman character) and Maggie Cheung (Flying Snow from Hero) as Thief Catcher AKA Mercenary AKA Mercy (the one with motorcycle and shotguns and dynamite) and the incomparable Michelle Yeoh as Invisible Woman AKA Number Three.

A must-see.

Last gasps

I'm sitting here looking at the quarterly calendar I have printed out and taped to the slidey-shelf part of my desk. It is color-coded with magic marker showing Otis's regular massage classes and weekend classes, the classes I need to teach (a different color for each school), and other planned events. The current days are filled with notes of appointments and highlighted reminders of meetings and parties; I am sure the tidy rows of days in October and November will soon be filled with more of the same.

There's no denying that it is going to be a busy fall. That change-of-season feeling we've been mentioning includes more than just the weather: there is also a sense that the rhythm is changing, that the beat is picking up.

I can't complain. It has been a good summer. The weather has been cooperative for the most part, and I have had the opportunity to be out in it quite a bit, on bike and scooter, in parks, on beaches, and at parades. I have to remember that I haven't worked "full-time" since January, and that so much of my work schedule is under my own control, allowing for flexibility and adjustability and for striking while the iron is hot (or making hay while the sun shines!).

The key will be to remember, as we move into a busier time of planning and schedules and schedule conflicts and working more, to budget time for the good stuff: relaxation, the company of friends, and things like that.

So, Otis and I are off to Spokane today for what will likely be the last trip of summer. Thanks to everyone who helped make the summer great, and here's to an equally splendid fall!