living in wishville

I've got good news and bad news.

Good news first?

I finished my pro-girl scootering site. This means you non-scooter types will no longer be bored to tears reading about my latest forays into the underworld of Frankenstella.

The bad news? I'm taking some time off from Wishville to work on it. School's out for summer... you know how it goes.

But wait - there's more... I've migrated joyfulthing.diaryland.com into the Wishville archives, so you now have six years worth of my self-aggrandizing prose to entertain yourself, should you suffer withdrawal. More likely, you'll do something constructive with your extra twenty minutes a week.

I may be living in Wishville again this fall, but I can't make any promises. I also may be back here occasionally to share the truly noteworthy, like making the New York Times Bestseller list or figuring out how to type "restaurant" without spellcheck. So save my seat.

And now I present to you, my finest achievement yet in both CSS design and uber-passionate content (click the logo to see!):

Oh, and one last thing - if you're in the Seattle area, you should totally come to the All City Scooter Community Day on Saturday at noon. And I'm not just saying that because I built the web site.

Keep the rubber side down.

>^,,^<

Today is the last class in my program at UW. It's gone so fast. I've elected not to take the final Flash course, but instead I'll get the Classroom in a Book because it's bound to be sunny soon and I don't want to spend 6 hours a week in a windowless computer lab. If the book proves insufficient, the course is offered again in the fall and I'll sign up then.

Thankfully, opportunities in my chosen profession are already opening up for me. I've been putting my education to splendid use.

For example, I recently teamed up with Joni Jett to create the logo and patch for the Westenders first annual rally, Tour di Mari #1. Now this is why I went to college! Jett did most of the work, drawing the graphic, and I did the design. It was fun collaborating. I love working with other creative people. Here's the final product:

I thought instead of jumping off the Aurora Bridge I'd console myself with this photograph I took of Bee shoveling twenty-six inches of snow off the front porch of Chaos Cottage in Summahville.

It's kind of related to this one, which is Bee eating a frozen rat in the kitchen.

Last week Kerry and I headed over to Ballard to watch drunk rich kids attempt to maneuver their fathers' yachts through the Locks. More entertaining than television.

I got a new front rack for Aphrodite. She wears it well, the bling. I said with finality, "Okay -- I'm done putting stuff on this scooter. I'm serious." And my friends laughed and reminded me that there are no further accessories available.

Dare I chance it? The weather is being schiz-y, but at this point, it's clear they've called off spring. (Whoever "they" is.) May as well get on with my life.

Friday, May 30: Seward Park, 7:00 PM

Look for Aphrodite - I'll definitely be riding this time.

See yous there.

A few shots from the last Picnic in Metro Parks - Volunteer Park, Capitol Hill, featuring yet more Dumb Pictures of My Feet.

I gotta tell you, by the bottom of the ninth, I was siding with the M's. Those Red Sox played a dirty game. I thought poor Manny was going to get a faceful of rotten tomatoes the final time he was up to bat. The whole stadium was thundering with boos.

File Under: More Cool Stuff to Do In Seattle

In a tribute to my ardent attraction to all things Abandoned or Burned Down, Seattle's record low tide predicted for June 4 should be an occasion to mill about the former site of Luna Park and ponder its disappearance. I was in Spud's Fish & Chips on Alki last week and marveling at the photos of Luna Park, grainy black and whites that gave me chills down my spine. I don't know what it is that fascinates me so.

Why do I always get Memorial Day and Labor Day confused? Is it because I'm so clueless about when it's okay to wear white pants or open-toed shoes?

I've got to tell you -- I'm pretty disappointed with the weather lately. I know I took that oath when I moved here not to complain about the Pacific Northwest climate, but c'mon people. This is just getting ridiculous. Nearly June, and it's still 40 degrees and rain every morning. Was somebody slacking and forgot to submit the work order for spring? I'm particularly miffed that it rained on my Parade Picnic this week.

Okay, I'm done.

Poopy weather, poopy.

Waiter -- this is not what I ordered! I demand a refund!

No "Picnic in the Metropolitan Park" today. Stay tuned for a reschedule.

Before I forget, or become distracted as I am wont to do being part crow, the next Picnic in the Park is tomorrow. That's Thursday, May 22, 7:00 PM in Seward Park.

The first Picnic in the Park was a smashing success. Sitting on a blanket in the sun, eating crostini and goat cheese with good friends, all was right with the world.

I suck at Frisbee, by the way. Despite a lesson from Kevin, who took Frisbee as an actual class in college, I was forced to sit out the last round after nearly beheading a civilian.

I blew bubbles. Orin took pictures.

Next stop: Seward Park. Please don't feed the wildlife.

I am so dang excited about this Picnic in the Park extravaganza. I am still in need of a quilt but that shouldn't prove to be too much of a challenge.

The first Picnic in the Park will be taking place this Thursday, May 15th at 6:30 PM in Volunteer Park.

The Sustainable West Seattle Festival was a total hoot. There's tons of great photos, too. Here are three that I took:

I cannot believe the perfect picnic basket I found at Goodwill.

Seattle poets were busy over the weekend. At the Sustainable West Seattle Festival on Sunday, I had to tone down a few of the highly colorful stanzas that appeared on my scooter as it was a family-friendly affair and tacos don't belong where they appeared via magnetic poetry.