Room 206

Today began with a slow roll out the door of our previous mini-suite. Adios. JC and I have often discussed what hotel rooms we've stayed in are best. That one will rate pretty far up there.

I am now in the Silverdale Beach hotel in Silverdale, WA. I'm not sure what the beach is but can see the Puget sound is not too far. The room has a king (thank you!) and a balcony (again, thanks!). However, there's no wireless so I'll be in withdrawal and updating later on Saturday, hopefully. Oh wait! The tide has come in and it's beautiful! Josh's stepmom (Debi) and his dad (John..another JC actually) put us up here. Niiiiiiiiiiiice!

The trip here from the 'Couv was long. Longer than need be due to more truck problems, a flyaway tarp and bathroom breaks. I tempered myself by listening to some great hand me down "American Life" cds. I listened to one and half. I also made some phone calls and chatted with my sister. JC and I spoke for the last half hour. It's weird to speak to someone who you're trying to follow through traffic. He drives with some recklessness and thinks that going five over the speed limit grants him the right to drive in the left lane. Man, I love him.

We'll eventually see his dad and stepmom though I'm not sure when or what for. Tomorrow promises (I hope) a day of rest and double checking. I'll update again.

later....

Met up with JC's dad and stepmom and their family. They have three daughters who visit regularly. Two are twins and have five children between them. It's a treat to me to be there because I'm so rarely around children. They each have a ~5 month old baby. BABIES!!!! I love to hold and play with them but so far I do enjoy handing them back to their mothers. We got in some Wii bowling and then called it a night.

Room 106

JC and I decided to leave Portland. The residents at Lafayette court had bonded together to supply us with $50 worth of gas cards and $50 in cash. It was too much for my already tired and sad being. Fully aware that we were the ones leaving, we had decided enough was enough. JC came home right as I'd finished a good cry. Adding to my sadness was the news that Dot, the woman who'd done my wedding make-up and my sister's good friend, had succumbed to stomach cancer. May she rest in peace. JC said, "let's pack up and get a hotel room in Vancouver". I nodded and the frenzied packing of our cars began. An hour and a half later we left for the 'Couv. We secured a mini-suite in the Shilo Inn at a price so reasonable it was pretty unreasonable. Know what I mean? We left then to have a 4th of July indian dinner courtesy of JC's friend. We had a great time. It was late though and the place was just east of Cornelius Pass. We got back and crashed.

Truly, it was not a good day. I had spent most of the morning preparing for Lafayette's picnic/going away party. It was hot and emotional- draining to say the least. My sister called with that news and then I was done. JC also had a rough day as he dropped his phone and broke it (it works now), the truck didn't start (it's semi-working now) and got bit by a dog. Poor kid.

We'll be on our way soon. Good thought and prayers are appreciated.

Tag, I'm it

The rules:

* Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
* People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
* At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
* Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.


1. In my thirty years on the planet, I have had thirty different addresses, lived in eleven different cities, in five different states.

2. Loving others never came easy to me. Feeling on the outside was the norm until my niece was born. She has no motor skills and, ironically, that proved to me the goodness of God. It forced my heart open and she was my first true love.

3. My first dentist visit was at age 24.

4. People always say you should pursue a career in what you would do for free and for me that would mean: watching movies, napping and kissing on my husband. I'm not sure anyone is hiring for those.

5. When I was six, my uncle asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, "A singer and a dancer", I replied.

6. One of my favorite memories is of my mom packing all five of us in her minivan and not telling us where we were going. She took us through back roads around town so that we couldn't guess that she was taking us to the "big city" mall. We were all so full of anticipation, we were quiet and nice to each other and that was rare.

7. I'm not a cat person. Sorry.

8. In college, I lived a month off of $1 bags of Wal-mart popcorn and water.

"...are you watching Oprah?"

Ocean's 13 Long story short- I liked it a lot. I wasn't expecting anything after that fiasco that was called Ocean's 12. Ugh. This time it's just the guys with the exception of a very plasticized Ellen Barkin. They're back in Vegas because Rueben, played by Elliot Gould, has just fallen ill. He's been shafted by Al Pacino's character, Willy Bank, in a development deal gone all wrong. I said long story short so I'll honor that. The movie harked back to what was so great about the original: sparse though witty, quick dialouge, handsome men in even more handsome clothing and a whole slew of ganster vocabulary that we all think we understand but who does? What's so great about the movie is that you don't care. You just look forward to the next time George Clooney tilts his perfectly coiffed head, smirks and says something about Susan B. Anthony. b+

"it's called jew"

knocked up.



a comedy from the guy who brought us "40 year old virgin" that tells the story of an improbable one night stand that ends in pregnancy all the fallout that comes of it. that's about the long and short of it. though it definitely felt like 'it's all been done before' it was truly funny. i wasn't expecting much but then i heard the director, judd apatow, and the star, seth rogen, on npr and i decided i would go see it. the story is minimal but the actors, including katherine hiegl of 'grey's anatomy' fame, bring a surprisingly serious tone to the picture. it's rare i truly laugh in a movie theatre but the laughs kept coming and i seriously missed two minutes of dialouge because of a brutally hilarious scene. it's simply a good time with good heart.

b+

"you're full of piss and vinegar son, ain't ya?"

harsh times. run, don't walk, away from this movie. it's actually on our tv right now as i type this. i think it's possibly one of the most awful movies i've ever seen.

"i'm feeling like a better person after watching this movie"
"it's so bad it's good"
-my friend virginia

i haven't heard so much gratuitous swearing in awhile. i realize it may very well represent a lot of people's lives. christian bale portrays a anti-social, borderline psychotic, Gulf War veteran who is trying very hard to break into law enforcement. mostly though, he travels around los angeles with his buddy smokin up, drinking and just generally fucking around.

i'd recommend not viewing it but if you must just don't expect a lot. but don't watch it alone - it's definitely for groups to laugh at together. good times. wrong title.

d

"all you have to do is dream"

Dreamgirls. This was not the 2+ hour long ode to Beyonce that I feared. Nor was it the "let me show you how good Jennifer Hudson really is!" star vehicle I feared as well. It was simply an entertaining thinly veiled story of Motown's history, particularly it's dealing with the Supreme's. I can't comment on its accuracy in terms of the history of Motown. Unfortunately, I cannot comment on its accuracy in terms of sticking with the original stage production. What I can comment on was my experience as a first-time viewer of the story. For simplicity's sake I'll say: I really liked it.

The story of the Dreamettes turned Dreams and their rise to the top of the charts, with the help of a determined Curtis Taylor, Jr. (Gordy anyone?!) is simple and no doubt true to what happens a lot in the music business. Though I had little sympathy for the Taylor character I admired his drive to have Black musicians break through and own their own music. It's a classic story of power corrupting someone and greed taking over. It was told with such dazzling costumes and good music though that I hardly minded hearing it again.

Let me put it out there: I am no one's Beyonce fan. I find her monochromatic presentation disturbing plus there are hundreds of other women who can sing better. That's why she was perfect for the role of Deena Jones! Her life and Deena's are so parallel it's spooky!

I enjoyed the music as well. The singing was done by the actors and I can honestly say no one made me cringe. Jennifer Hudson- wow. I have always been of the opinion that NO ONE other than Jennifer Holliday should sing "And I'm telling you". Countless 'Showtime at the Apollo" performances have made me a bitter woman. HOWEVER, maybe people whose names are Jennifer and their last name starts with an 'H' can be the exception to the rule. The woman sang. I felt her desperation so much I shed a tear. It was awkward, there was snot, there were tears, there was foot stomping - everything I imagine I would do if I had to sing that to the man I love as he walks away. I don't know about winning the Oscar but I am damned proud she got some recognition.

Enjoyable musical. You hardly notice the running time and you're bound to leave humming somthin'! A.

just good

i'm just taking a moment to be grateful for my life. i'm very much am. i have no money. hell, i even got a notice for a NEW debt today but all in all i'm very happy.

i have the best man in the whole world. he's not perfect but he knows it and he's always striving to be better. i have the most wonderful family - willing to do whatever for me. i have amazing friends- honest (even too much at times) but are always checking in with me and would help in a second. i have my health and now a brand new inability to give birth because i am not ready for that. i have a great, nay, FABULOUS job. i even have two other ones that help me get by in this world. God, I am very very grateful. Thank you.

Thank You.