Day 181: The Gift of Fear by Gavin De Becker

I highly recommend reading this book. I can be stubbornly fierce and practice some risky behaviors (mostly walking through Belltown late at night) but I'm not immune to the heebie jeebies. This book talks about how to parse real threats from relatively benign fears, how to recognize the potential for violent behavior in other people, and how to deal with dangerous situations.

Status: Dibbed

Day 180: The Fabulous Girl's Guide to Decorum

I'm a little pouty right now because what I wanted to post tonight was a pair of goggles. I own a clear pair and a tinted pair but I don't use them anymore because I have a full face helmet. I do need to keep one around in case I'm carrying a passenger but I figure that since they won't be driving they can just wear the tinted pair regardless of the weather.

And speaking of my ride, my scooter Clementine just hit a big milestone yesterday. She turned over 2000 miles. That's right, it took me over three years to put 2000 miles on my scooter. It makes sense when you understand that I use it as a supplement to my walking life style. I walk everywhere I can but if I need to cover distance quickly or transport more than two bags of groceries I'll take her out.

Status: Dibbed

Day 179: The Rising Tide by Sunny Day Real Estate

I'm kind of embarrassed about my photography lately but I still don't feel like retaking this picture. After all, this post will be supplanted by a new one in about twenty-four hours. And I'm also a little buzzed after having a few drinks at Rob Roy. They make great drinks at that bar. I'm enamored with the Sloe Gin Fizz which looks like a push pop. Tonight I started off with a Sazerac and then the bartender made me a drink which definitely had Fernet Branca in it and was possibly my favorite drink - The Toronto. I don't drink quite frequently enough to trust my palate.

Status: Dibbed

Day 178: Washington State Map

I love maps. I especially enjoy drawing them for other people. Perhaps it's because I'm so bad at giving oral directions. I usually travel by foot and when I'm a passenger in a car I don't pay much attention to the landscape since I'm traveling with friends. I usually get so engrossed in conversation that I forget to give the next instruction. When I'm drawing a map I have so much fun drawing all the details that the directions end up thorough.

Status: Dibbed

Day 177: Small Gods by Terry Pratchett

I purchased this book at a used bookstore in Chiang Mai for about $7.50. It seemed an outrageous price but I was somewhat desperate for an enjoyable read. In my attempt to pack light I had only packed one book that wasn't a travel guide - Polgara the Sorceress by the Eddings.

Polgara the Sorceress ran through family history from the point of view of Polgara and since I have never read any of David Eddings' other books it was not particularly interesting to read. I forced myself to finish it for two reasons: two books isn't nearly enough when you're planning to lounge on a beach for several days and I felt obligated since I had lifted it from a hostel in Lima, Peru. My strong desire to finish the book despite my boredom was absurd. I left another book for the hostel (per instructions) and the book was in poor condition. I finally finished it on the beaches of Ko Pha Ngan and abandoned it in the couchsurfing house in Bangkok.

Couchsurfing house in Bangkok!

Status: Donated

Day 176: Tire Chains

My dad gave these to me last year to sell at my yard sale. No one purchased them so they've been sitting in my closet ever since.

I haven't owned a car in years. I shared one with a boyfriend and let him keep it when we split up since I only used it once a month. I never really took to driving.

When I was fifteen I was excited about getting my license but I had to learn on my family's stick shift. For the first half of driver's ed I lagged behind everyone in skill as I worked on becoming comfortable with the clutch. When we took the final test I did better than everyone in my car.

Not long after the test my family went on a road trip to Wenatchee and the brakes went out while I was driving. We were headed towards a red light with a van stopped at it. I pumped the brakes like crazy and just in time the light changed and the car drove off. I managed to drive up a hill and let my dad take over. It took them over a year to get a new car and I didn't feel comfortable driving the minivan after that. By the time they bought a replacement I didn't care any more and I didn't end up getting my license until I turned 22.

Now I rely on my feet to get me most places and I supplement with my trusty scooter Clementine. I've been riding for just over three years. I love taking the scooter out and it's perfect for errands and the occasional trip across town.

Status: Dibbed

Day 175: Dansko Sandals Size 8

I wore these constantly the summer before last. They are extremely comfortable and go with just about everything I wore in hot weather. Unfortunately, being leather, they have stretched enough that they'd be fit better on a size 9.

Status: Dibbed

Day 174: Javascript Sourcebook

I've been wanting to pick up programming and chose Ruby for a good starter language. I have a copy of pickaxe and for awhile I was working my way through Why's (Poignant) Guide to Ruby. Why's (Poignant) Guide to Ruby is an awesome ebook. The book is illustrated with comics and is the most bizarre piece of writing I have ever consumed. Seriously, check it out. Because of it I will forever think of an array as a caterpillar.

Status: Donated

Day 173: Darrin's Coconut Ass: Live from Omaha - Goldfinger

I'm getting close to the difficult part of this project so today you are getting this ridiculous looking CD. I'm rather uncomfortable just looking at it. Goldfinger was a favorite band of mine in high school so I when I came across a record of theirs I felt like I had to buy it.

During college I finally had an opportunity to see Goldfinger live - as the opening band for the Bloodhound Gang. Two memories stand out about this show. First of all, my glasses fell off in the middle of the mosh pit and the guy next to me managed to recover them completely undamaged. Secondly, the Bloodhound Gang grossed me out. They paid a guy to drink a gallon of milk and someone else to drink a flat of warm soda and then had one of them piss himself. Then they wiped it up with towels and tossed them in to the crowd. Fortunately I had retreated from the pit by then.

Status: Trashed

Day 172: I'm Just Here For the Food - Alton Brown

Who doesn't love Alton Brown? When I had cable TV I was a huge fan of his show Good Eats. One of the techniques I learned from Alton Brown is to bake my hard-cooked eggs instead of boiling them. Boiling hard eggs isn't exactly difficult but if you get distracted and don't notice when the water starts to bubble it's easy to end up with rubbery eggs. Baking is nice because you just stick them in the oven at 325 degrees and set the timer for thirty minutes. Voila!

Status: Dibbed

Day 171: Kagome Cell Phone Doodad

I'm pretty sure this came in one of the packages of cute little doodads I received from an online friend. I met her on a mailing list in high school - the one I've mentioned before called FoTGTSBRiC. I'm horrible about writing people but every once in awhile I'll receive a postcard and some fun gifts. Unfortunately we haven't gotten a chance to meet yet; maybe someday!

Status: Dibbed

Day 170: Strength Single

Strength is an awesome geeky electronic band out of Portland. I went with one of my friends to go see them perform at Havana last week. It was super sad because I think we were the only people who showed up specifically to see them. They still gave a spirited performance to the tiny crowd and afterward we approached them to tell them how great we think they are. We went to the bar to close our tabs and one of the members ran up and offered us each a sparkly record. I don't have any way to play it so one of you guys had better come through!

Status: Donated

Day 169: Fruits Basket Manga volumes 1-18

Letting go of these comics is kind of a big deal for me. When I started studying Japanese in high school my number one goal was to be able to read manga in its original language. I dreamed of being able to read Fruit Basket as it was released instead of having to wait for the translations that followed years later.
I bought the first 18 volumes of Fruits Basket during my second trip to Japan and years later I still had some hopes of sharpening my skills with them.

It's possible that I will pick up Japanese again but my rosy, youthful view of Japan has been tainted over the years. I would love to visit again but I can't see myself every living there.

Status: Dibbed

Day 168: Food Lover's Companion

It is a well established fact that I can be easily enticed to do undesirable things if I'm baited with food. This includes attending church as a child (doughnuts and tamales!), helping friends move, family gatherings, and going to all manner of birthday parties, speakers, and hikes that my mother has decided I must attend. The quality and quantity required has always been completely disproportionate to the activity; we grew up with a healthy diet so I was always somewhat desperate for sweets and junk food. On the aforementioned hikes my parents would dole out two or three peanut M&Ms every mile. I'm not quite so easy now but I am still a sucker for "free" food.

Status: Dibbed

Day 167: Shoes size 8

Cute brown pumps! They're relatively comfortable, good for how much they costed me. They need a little cleaning (I haven't worn them in over a year) but are in good condition.

Status: Dibbed

Day 166: Final Fantasy Tactics

Final Fantasy Tactics is one of my top five sentimental video game loves of all time. I had not previously thought I'd be in to the tactics style of game but I was immediately hooked. I enjoyed the turn-based gameplay but most importantly I like the design. I value overall feel of games over bleeding edge graphics (almost every N64 game made me feel literally nauseated) and to me all the elements of this game came together perfectly. It doesn't hurt that I'm a sucker for the cute little sprites.

My favorite video game, the tactics game Disgaea, appeals to me for similar reasons with the bonus of gorgeous art and hilarious dialogue. I wish I'd gotten around to cosplaying Etna while I was still in to costuming.

Status: Dibbed

Day 165: Knitted Hat

This hat was a gift from a coworker several years back. I love the style but I never wear it because of the colors.

Status: Dibbed

Day 164: Trashy Diva Trixie Dress S

It may not look like much on the hanger, but this is an adorable black halter dress. I have the same dress in polka dots and I always get compliments when I wear it out. I'm giving away the black version because I have discovered that I like prefer color and patterns. This is more black then I'm usually in the mood for. I've also been trying to wear less volume because I need to show off my legs a bit more while I can!

This dress is a size small but it has a lot of stretch to it. Feel free to stop by and try it on :)

http://www.trashydiva.com/site/indexSHOP.html

Status: Dibbed

Day 163: Graduation Gown

I never received a copy of my high school diploma. They wouldn't give it to me because the school claimed I had not returned my 3rd year Spanish textbook. I know I returned it because I was doing full time running start during my senior year and I took a special trip back to my high school to return it.

Also, graduations are B-O-R-I-N-G. I've been to a decent number of them and if you're lucky you might get one actually motivational speaker out of many. I am, however, a fan of the one I am posting below.


J.K. Rowling Speaks at Harvard Commencement from Harvard Magazine on Vimeo.


Status: Donated

Day 162: Tapioca Pearls

I love tapioca pudding so it seemed like a good idea to buy a box of pearls. That was a long time ago; I'm guessing it belongs in the category of things I only eat if someone else has prepared them for me. I haven't checked for an expiration date but it seems like these wouldn't go bad. Of course I thought the same for the veggie soup I got from Trader Joe's. I brought it to work for lunch yesterday, only to discover it had expired two months ago. It smelled okay so I drank some of it but I wasn't brave enough to finish it off.

Status: Trashed

Day 161: Casserole Dish

I forgot to post yesterday. This is the first time I have gone so far as to have a full night sleep before remembering. I've been late several times but I've always woken up in the middle of the night and taken care of it then.

This weekend is crazy busy so I have a decent excuse for forgetting. My new roommate moved in yesterday so I stopped by for a bit and helped her pack. Then I was off to a friend's 30th birthday. We dined on some fantastic tacos. Finally most of the party moved to The Comet to watch Champagne, Champagne. They're a local hip hop group and they put on an energetic show. Eventually I stumbled home and went straight to bed.

Status: Dibbed

Day 160: So Worthy My Love - Kathleen Woodiwiss

I'm not sure if most women remember their first smutty romance novel, but for some reason I still have a copy of mine. I remember it being passed around by friends in middle school. The Marquis of Bradbury accidentally kidnaps poor Elise, the feisty innocent relation of his ex-fiancee. Adventure and snark ensue and eventually they fall in love. It was everything a pre-teen girl could want out of a novel.

Status: Trashed

Day 159: Rogue Sandals (size 8)

I bought these sandals last summer but they didn't get much use. The arch didn't align quite right with my foot so I ended up with some foot pain. I think that was a situation pretty specific to my foot because they're very nicely made sandals. I was looking for a good pair of walking sandals that didn't go between my toes so I chose these.

Status: Available

Day 158: Size 7 Jeans

These are the most comfortable jeans I've ever owned but they are hardly worn at all. The denim has stretch to it and I can't wear them without a belt. I don't particularly like wearing belts so the jeans stay in the closet. They're in great condition so I hope they find a new home!

Status: Dibbed

Day 157: Women's Snowboard Boots

During high school I participated in an awesome local program for youth called The Service Board. The program aims to empower youth through community service, skills development, and most importantly snowboarding. There were weekly meetings and on Sundays we would alternate community service projects and hitting the slopes. We had some fantastic sponsors: The Snowboard Connection provided our gear, Odwalla provided drinks, and Essential Bakery hooked us up with baked goods.

This was also the year my mother decided it was time for me to be confirmed with the Catholic Church. The meetings were every other week on the same day as TSB meetings. My mother must have really wanted me to get confirmed because I had no inclination to go through with it. I attended unhappily for several months before I refused to miss any more meetings. I regret not doing it sooner because I missed out on some amazing opportunities.

http://www.theserviceboard.org/

Oh yeah, and the reason I'm getting rid of my boots:

I lent my snowboard to a cousin years ago and he returned it to my parents. When I went to retrieve it, I discovered that the bottom had been melted. I still have no idea what happened.

Boots are approximately a size 8.

Status: Available

Day 156: French Vanilla Hot Cocoa

Hot cocoa never goes bad, right? This canister has been sitting in our cabinet for a while now and I'm not sure how it got there. I've never been a fan of vanilla hot cocoa so it's mostly full.

Status: Dibbed

Day 155: Blue Monday: Nobody's Fool

I'm late posting tonight. This has only happened a handful of times (not counting vacation) and it's always because I was out at bars with friends. Usually I wake up at 3 or 4 am with a jolt as I realize I forgot to post. I can't get back to sleep so I get up and write. In those cases I adjust the time stamp because otherwise it makes the blog more difficult to navigate.

Tonight I went to a Prohibition themed party wearing an outfit I had purchased for a similar themed NYE party a year and a half ago. That night, one of my friends talked me in to wearing a "sexy flapper" dress instead. I spent the entire night tugging it down. The outfit tonight is a shapeless black dress but I use a scarf to create a drop waist so it actually looks pretty good.

Status: Dibbed

Day 154: PS One

I love lending things and doing favors for people to a fault. Especially items that I'm excited about. Most of the time it turns out okay but there have been times when it has definitely been a big mistake. Years back I lent my modded Playstation (as well as a winter jacket) to a coworker. I felt bad because her situation was difficult and she didn't have any money. Of course, I probably should have listened to rumors that she had drug and alcohol abuse issues. She eventually was fired and I never heard from her or saw my stuff again. Now I am much more conservative about lending my stuff out but I'm not sure it's a lesson I really wanted to learn.

Status: Dibbed

Day 153: Stila Rouge Pot in Amaryllis

Aka cheek mousse. I've used it a few times; it's a nice color. I've had it for a long time though. It's one of those things that seemed like such a good idea at the time but it's awkward to apply because it gets under your fingernails.

Status: Trashed

Day 152: Print by Couchsurfing acquaintance

During my stay in Bangkok, I stayed in a couchsurfing household. Couchsurfing is exactly what it sounds like and there is a website devoted to bring potential hosts and surfers together. The process includes reviewing other surfers so the experience feels pretty safe.  I have hosted five times in Seattle but this was my first time surfing someone else's "couch." It's a fantastic way to travel because you get to meets interesting people from all over the world and they are usually happy to show you around their town or at least give you tips.

On my last day in the city I was given this print by the artist who had just arrived. He was a nice guy but I didn't have much of a chance to interact with him. He showed me a book of his work. I liked it and it was very politically charged. He insisted I take a print as a gift. I feel a little guilty passing it on but while I like the print it's not the sort of thing I would display so I hope one of you will.

Status: Dibbed

Day 151: Managerial Accounting

In college I briefly thought I wanted to be an accountant. I like numbers and the intro classes were easy for me. Then I realized I'd have to take classes on taxes and that changed my mind.

Status: Donated