Conventions

So... I missed the Democratic National Convention. Actually I saw about 30 seconds of it before bawling because my dad made some offhanded comment about it and 'those fuckers'...yeah. I have seen conventions before though, and I am currently watching John McCain speak at the RNC. I admit that everyone running is quite charismatic. If we are to blindly agree with whoever is speaking, then great! Vote for everyone! But someone is lying, and there is half a country who's buying it.


Conventions freak me out. The way I see them, from the calm comfort of my living room, they look like meetings of cults. The close ups of the attendants. Average looking people absolutely crazed by what someone is saying. Really? You are THAT excited? They all look like brainwashed idiots, on both sides. Wide eyes, huge smiles, jumping, screaming! Skeptics must not be allowed in the door. I guess it wouldn't be as moving to see people squint and golf clap when a nominee makes an iffy statement.

It's Coming!

I know nobody really wants to hear this, but that doesn't change the fact that Christmas is on it's way. It must be if election day is only 61 days away. And it's only 55 degrees outside. All signs point to winter.

To get everyone's minds primed, I found a great great website for gifts.

www.violet.com

Here are a couple more of my favs:

etsy.com - All homemade crafts
mightygoods.com - A great compilation page of fun stuff!
buyolympia.com - Where I got my new planner... Awesome.

Sorry to bring that all up, but I couldn't hold back Violet.com. I am just too excited about it.

Because I have a problem

I bought this online today. My mild obsession with planners is longstanding, just accept it. That's my motto.

Without the Internet, September 2nd, 2008

Visited Q today. I knew when I began dialing that there was the distinct possibility of the experience being awkward, but I decided to chance it. Called around noon to see if her family was in town, even though I should have known that they would be since it was the first day of school. Q would have to work, Emily would have to GO to school.

We chatted about the usual chatty things – the weather, politics (which I will always avoid talking about with everyone. Including Q. And you. Don’t even try it), we shared the new things in our lives. It wasn’t awkward at all. Emily gave me a tour of the house and we picked out clothes for her to wear at school the next day. When I was getting ready to leave, Q shared some very kind words with me. I had forgotten how happy it used to make me to spend time with Q. Maybe that’s why I was always around in high school; twice a week at show choir rehearsal and at her house, either babysitting or taking voice lessons. She seemed genuinely happy that I came over too. Things went so splendidly, we might meet up at her family’s lake house this weekend or next. YAY!

Door Co. Wisconsin, USA

Three days of perfect weather with good friends, yummy food, and fun activities. That's the short story. The long story? Ok.

A fun, entertaining 4 hour drive to Door Co with Doug and Nikita. We arrived at Newport State Park in the dark at about 10 pm. The sky was BEAUTIFUL. I hadn't been away from Madison for a while - too long - to remember ever seeing so many stars. The night sky was sparkling - like glitter, I tell you! And then I looked down, and realized that the stars were all that were visible. I couldn't see my hand in front of my face, and I had forgotten my headlamp. If there was one trip where my headlamp would have been useful, it would have been this one, and I forgot it. Sigh. So I had to have a buddy if I wanted to do anything during the evening. Oh well.

Newport State Park is at the VERY end of Door County. It's a pretty good sized state park with about a dozen of wilderness only campsites. Here is a doctored up map:
Please note that the route that I colored red is probably more than half a mile long, it took a good 10 minutes to go from the parking lot to the campsite. We made this journey many times this weekend because at the parking lot was the little open area in which we had all of our meals and it was also a general congregating area.

More soon...

From Door Co.

• Dying,
  
• then not dying,
  
• coffee shop
  
• cream of carrot soup.
  
• So much better,
• relaxing,
  
• san pellengrino
• sea kayaking later
  

Try it! You'll LOVE it!

I must say, I love love love Archer Farms Lemon Italian Soda. I got it at Target, otherwise known as the convenience Mecca.

The other thing I must endorse is Midwest Airlines. I adore them because of their wide wide leather seats, their 5 inch wide armrests between wide wide seats and because of the two free warm chocolate chip cookies you get at 30,000 feet.