these days of leiderhosen

After a week of happily bashing my head against a keyboard.... I spent the most of the morning with my delicious Mother, mercifully free anything Special Olympic related, just two broads sitting around talking fiber arts, work, and soccer and the beautiful men who play it. To great surprise, Da is back from his annual two month summer cross country meander, mocking of the relatives, flying his damn model airplanes, going to weddings uninvited & making inappropriate comments on the size of the bridesmaid's racks. Oh, god.... no wonder I dread seeing the relations, always want to apologize for that silly git. He gave me a long boring lecture on a dividend check he had just received: how the stocks originated with my great grandfather who worked unpaid in a barrel factory, possibly as an unshod serf with an overbite.....and how, when we are splitting up his assets "over (his) cold, dead body".... Okay, my beloveds: Outside the movies, Who talks like that?! I mean really....

Have you ever just lost everything you spent the last 40 minute writing? ... Ever lose three months of your life, your wardrobe, your mind? Ah well, then. Love you, Darlings. Missed you. Okay, if there is anyone left out there to read this little message in a Berkeley Bottle, thank you very much for tuning in. I send you thousands of pitbull puppy kisses. At any rate what I lost in the last 40 minutes (never to be seen again): - various whining (never made it to dad's party due to idiot brother), etc. -joy (confronting extended family Auntie-dom, The best Thai food ever, Spending time with Ms. Sarah, meeting Heather's boyfriend) -bragging (damn, I have a lot of knitting projects. And an extraordinary, lovely husband.) Recently spotted/snarfed down/sat on/wooofled at: -A shiny giant silver fish van, two stories, with lights, carved sheet metal scales and gills and enormous fierce fangs. It was so intensely beautiful. -Yogurt gelato from Gelato Milano on Shattuck. Oooooh. Not ove...

So what's up with the non-posting? I'm working and I have a cold with an icky throat tickle and exhaustion that gives me Bollywood dreams. That nasty unemployment tension I've been carrying around for four months has eased; now I am holding my breath to May. In the week prior to employment I ironed, de-furred, straightened, packed, repacked my clothes. I love being able to walk into my tiny wardrobe room and being able to pull out something that goes together and end up looking like a real grown up. I have given up on my mad hair. Actually, gave it up years ago. This weekend the Steven & I are going to "The Ranch" for the annual Spring festivities with extended family & friends. We plan on surprising Dad for his 70th birthday. The Ranch is a dry patch of scrub in the Sierra Nevadas. Steven seems to be dreading it. It has been so wet here I reckon the hills will be unusually green and the spring wildflowers might be out. So might the spiders and rattlesnake...

Tonight is my sister Heather's birthday celebration, so the whole fan-damn-ily is going to play bocce. Yes, I come from a burg so pretentious they have a bocce ball club . Fucking stupid town, I tell you. While frantically knitting a very red sweater (#263, Cascade 220 in that ruby red everyone seems addicted to) I am re-watching A Very Long Engagement directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet , who I adore and starring the lovely Audrey Tatou. This is the same pairing that brought us the colorful and luminous Amelie , which is you haven't heared the director's commentary on, go listen to it; it's a delicious dance through a mythical Paris. Last night was Knitting Group, Otherwise Known as Jessica who invited me over for a movie (Goodnight and Good Luck), rabbits and knitting. She bestowed a pair of lovely black boots on me, which is a great stroke of luck and a good sign. I am ready for work. Copies of A-133 and the NIH Grants Management Manual are ready for use, my closet and...

Good Lord. Miette of Miette's Bedtime Story Podcast has commented. Honestly, I am not worthy. If you love podcasts, hustle yourself over to her place. Love her. I have spent the last week not watching craigslist's employment section until my eyeballs bleed. Ahhhh. Today I sort out my wardrobe and see what I need and what ought to go and make preparations to not worry too much about clothes during this episode of my career. At some point I will have to face up to shopping, so are there any volunteers to come with me to steer me away from all things orange, embroidered or be-bustled? Anyone? Hallo? Yesterday I spent cruising pet shelters, looking for a sweet small dog for my sister Heather. It was rather illuminating and not an altogether bad way to spend a day. I made the mistake of taking Barbara along, but it was all right until she felt she had to put in her two cents on what dog would be perfect for my mentally-disabled sibling, for which she got the youhavenoideawhat you...

I am just realizing that I've been slacking on my posting and ought to apologize. Or post more often. UC Berkeley EHS department made me a verbal offer today after the interview, which was mercifully short. I have a job, a gig, a place to go as of April 17. Oh, I am so very relieved but will actually exhale when I sign the offer letter. Hurrah! Thanks to all who helped, thought those sweet thoughts for me and sympathized. I love you. And you. and You . It has been raining for four days straight here and if they had not paved every inch of California, we'd be getting a little re-education on that swampy, sticky mud we left in the Northwest. My hands and feet are constantly icy. For all those in need of alternate DVD entertainment: The Bellydance Superstars at the Follies Bergere . Yes this is the ensemble I could not praise enough about two years ago when they play the Seattle Odd Fellows Hall, shaking their gorgeous selves in the same Parisian theater that the divine Josephine...

Big old fat UC Berkeley second interview tomorrow. Eeeep. Think good thoughts (bike to werk, not the exclusive freak of the neighborhood, close to yoga studios and good cheap eats) for me, please. And don't get too comfy because next week is the UCSF second interview. Oh, this is fun.